A Valentine and a Few Challenges

Hello All!

After being in a crafty rut for a bit, the MOJO returned some today.  While going through challenges, I happened upon The Color Throwdown color combo for the week.  The combo is a great one, but I was also inspired by the photo itself.

I die cut a heart from red cardstock and outlined it onto my grey cardstock.  After treating my cardstock with an anti-static tool, I stamped the berry image from Sweet n Sassy Stamps Fur-Ever Friends Stamp Set and heat embossed the images in white embossing powder.  
You can see where my inspiration came from.

I then die cut the intricate portion of the Spellbinders Vines of Passion Die-D-Lites (discontinued) from the same red cardstock and glued in onto the solid heart.  I then adhered the heart into the center of the embossed berries. 
The sentiment is from the Love You Lots Stamp Set and is heat embossed in white on vellum.  I used my MISTI to line up the two sentiments for perfect placement.  I glued a thin strip of light grey cardstock underneath the sentiment strip and glued the whole thing to the heart. 
I added a little bit of bling from Studio Katia to a few of the berries.  I used Snow Crystals and
Sparkling Crystals. I adhered them with Ranger Multi Medium Matte;this seems to work the best for me in keeping gems and sequins on the paper. 

I user the great sketch from Fusion Card Challenge~ 

I am also linking up to Time Out Challenges; this week's challenge is 'Affectionate'.
as well as Krafty Chicks Challenge where this week it is 'Anything Goes'.
Lastly, I am linking up to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge; this week the challenge is 'All Loved Up'. 

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a fabulous rest of your weekend!

Lee Ann 

Peonies

Hello Everyone!

Hope you had a lovely weekend! Today I am sharing a gorgeous floral image from Sweet n Sassy Stamps.  This image comes from  the Peony Cluster Stamp Set.

I was inspired by Color Throwdown's color challenge this past week~

I was also inspired by Cupcake Inspirations - Shades of Pink.

And are you familiar with the Petals for the Pittman's Fundraiser and Linky Party? Two stamp sets have been designed by multiple industry stamp companies and are being sold to benefit a fellow stamper and her family who are experiencing a host of huge medical problems.  Unfortunately, being technically clueless, I do not do digis, because these are amazing sets!  You can still link up to the fundraiser/party.  And, there are prizes involved, also from multiple industry companies.  So hop on over to check out the party and help out a fellow stamper! 
I stamped the image in the corner of my cs and colored it with Copic markers.  Once colored, I outlined the leaves with a metallic gold pen.  I used my white Gelly Roll Pen to dot the flower centers after going over the stamens with a Micron pen.  The sentiment was stamped using my MISTI.  It is from the Scripty Thoughts stamp set.
I cut my panel down and backed it with a black strip of cs and narrow strips of white and gold patterned paper that I found at Tuesday Morning. :)
I am also linking up to Watercooler Wednesday for their All About Occasions Challenge.


Thanks for visiting and have a blessed week!

Lee Ann 

Freshly Made Sketches in Pastels

Hello and Happy Wednesday!  It is time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  This week I happen to be the hostess and I have a pretty simple sketch for you.  I hope you like it.

I am also Guest Designing for The Color Throwdown.  The colors this week lend themselves very well to florals~

Here is the sketch~

This gorgeous bouquet, from Sweet n Sassy Stamps' Mason Jar Bouquet Stamp Set,  was stamped in Versafine ink and watercolored with one of my favorite mediums, Ken Oliver Colorbursts.  Side note, I had my Colorbursts all in a pretty half pan with a beautiful swatch in the lid.  I went to a crafty gathering, taking my Colorbursts with me.  Unbeknownst to me, I ended up with the pan upside down.  Needless to say, the colors where a big, mixed up mess.  Oh, did I mention I had just refilled the pans and had added drops of water to the pans???
Of course, I had to empty all of the pans and start over.  I refilled and swatched them the other night, as I was itching to use them again.  So here they are, fresh and beautiful, lol!

FYI, I was just shopping (again) at Dick Blick and their Colorbursts are a great price right now.
Anywho, I finished the card with a Sahara Sand card base (remember that SU color?) some scrap patterned paper and Altenew gold washi tape-annnnnnd, some sequins.

I hope you check out the rest of the inspiration at FMS; the team always amazes me with their collective talent!

Hope to see you in the gallery!

Lee Ann 

S'Hello'!

Happy Monday All!

I am sneaking in under the wire with a card for the Color Throwdown Challenge.  I also used the sketch from Cas(e) This Sketch. I am also linking up to Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge- Vacation. 

This color combo wowed me.  I was in dire need of color inspiration and I really loved this one.

I used the new Sweet n Sassy Stamps set, Mer-mazing, with these adorable sea shells.  Not to mention a perfect shentiment!
I sponged the background with some Kraft ink over a Stencil Girl stencil onto Kraft cs.  The panel was die cut with a MFT scalloped rectangle die.  Of course, I needed pearls to finish this off.

Here is the sketch I used- perfect for these sweet shells!

Thanks for stopping and have a MER-MAZING week!

Lee Ann 

Last Color Throwdown for April!

Hi All!

Well, can you believe it?  It is the last Wednesday of April already and that means that this is my last post for The Color Throwdown!

Yes, so I went bright with this card!

 I would say these are happy colors!  I started with the fun image from Art Impressions Sunny Shades Stamp Set and then added a background that was first watercolored, then did some stencil monoprinting using a Tim Holtz stencil and Distress inks.  I embossed my sentiment on black cardstock and added it to a patterned paper background, die cut with Sugar Pea Designs Zig Zag Stitched Rectangle Dies.   Check out what the rest of this talented team has to share then link up your project! 

Amy Rohl

Amy Rysavy

BarbaraAnders 

Broni Holcombe

JodiCollins

Lisa Henke

Lori Tecler

Lynn Put

Vickie Zimmer

Wanda Cullen

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a blessed week !

Lee Ann 
 

Growing in Unity Day 3 and The Color Throwdown

Hello!
It is Day 3 of Growing in Unity with Unity Stamp Co. AND it is Wednesday and time for another color palette from The Color Throwdown!  

This week's Color Throwdown palette is soooo vivid!

This card was just plain fun to make.  I really love my florals, but I do have a thing for birds as well!
I started with the bird from the April '17 Be My Bird KOTM.  I am excited to say that he is colored using the no-line coloring technique!  Copics have been the death of me with this technique!  Once he was colored, I added details with Prismacolor pencils then fussy cut him out.
The floral background stamp is from this same KOTM.  I stamped it in yellow 3 times on the card front, creating that artistic triangle of elements.  Once the background was done, I stamped the bird and branch in light brown.  I added shading to the branches with a dark brown Prismacolor pencil.  I also stamped bits of branches over the other floral images.  Lastly, I glued the bird over the image already stamped on the card front.
The sentiment is from the Finally Here stamp set.  I heat embossed it in gold on vellum and wrapped it around the card front.  Sequins and a strip of patterned paper finish off this card.

Don't forget to comment for your chance to win 25 stamps from Unity Stamp Co.!  Comment each day for 5 chances to win!

Check out the Color Throwdown Team's projects to see how they used these colors!

Amy Rohl

Amy Rysavy

Barbara Anders

Broni Holcombe

Jodi Collins

Lisa Henke

Lori Tecler

Lynn Put

Vickie Zimmer

Wanda Cullen

I am linking up to Addicted to Stamps and More- Make Your Mark

Thanks for visiting and have a great Wednesday!  See You Tomorrow!

Lee Ann  

A FMS Sketch and Color Throwdown

Hello, Hello!

Time seems to be zooming by; it is the second Wednesday of April already!  One of my favorite things about Wednesdays are all of the new challenges that start.
This week's colors at The Color Throwdown are everything spring.  I used the fabulous Freshly Made Sketches sketch, courtesy of Jen M. She makes every card look easy peasy!  And today, Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge has a 'No Designer Paper' challenge. 

Here is your FMS sketch~

And here are your Color Throwdown colors~

Well, both the sketch and the colors were a delight to work with!  The colors shouted florals to me, so it was just a matter of which florals to use.  I settled on Altenew's Garden Treasure and Beautiful Day stamp sets.
I stamped the leaves in a light Memento ink and the large flower on watercolor paper using Versafine black ink.  Then, in an attempt to do some loose watercoloring, I used my Ken Oliver Colorbursts and a couple of water brushes to color the images.   I also die cut an Altenew heart and watercolored it.
The smaller flowers were stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black and colored with Copics.  These flowers were fussy cut, while the larger images were die cut.  I love the work of Erum Tasneem and tried a version of a watercolored background panel similar to her style.  I actually really love how it turned out!
OK, head on over to both challenge blogs- Freshly Made Sketches and Color Throwdown- to play along!  Check out the other CT team members with their amazing creations!

Amy Rohl

Amy Rysavy

Barbara Anders

Broni Holcombe

Jodi Collins

Lisa Henke

Lori Tecler

Lynn Put

Vickie Zimmer

Wanda Cullen

I am linking up to Double D Challenge, which has a beautiful inspiration photo.

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed week!

Lee Ann 

Freshly Made Sketches Meets Color Throwdown

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to the first Freshly Made Sketches sketch of April- Yes!  April!  And, I am honored to
guest design at The Color Throwdown this month.  If you are looking for the Stamplorations Spring fling 12 Days of Giveaway blog post, click HERE.  So without further ado, here is my card for the sketch and color palette~

 I was itching to ink up this adorable mouse from Unity Stamp Co.  The FMS sketch this week is from the amazingly talented Jen T!~

 And here is the super fun color palette from The Color Throwdown~

 My image is colored with Copics and layers and fish tail banner were die cut with MFT dies.

This project was like the aligning of the stars, lol- everything came together simply and quickly (which does not happen often for me!).
Check out all of the fantastic inspiration from the incredibly talented Freshly Made Sketches DT, and then check out all of the fantastic inspiration from the equally talented DT at The Color Throwdown!

Amy Rohl

Amy Rysavy

Barbara Anders

Broni Holcombe

Jodi Collins

Lisa Henke

Lori Tecler

Lynn Put

Vickie Zimmer

Wanda Cullen

That's it for now; pop in later this morning for the Stamplorations Spring Fling event!

Thanks all!

Lee Ann