Monochromatic Green

Hello All!

Today's card is in-your-face-green!

The background was done by stamping various images from the Scribble Flowers Stamp Set in Versamark ink and then heat embossing in gold.  You may think I started with a white piece of paper, but I did not; I started with green- the green that you see in the center of the card is the cardstock color.
Next, I created an ombre effect by sponging the cardstock a couple of different shades of green, the darkest being around the edge of the card.
The sentiment is from the Grace So Amazing Stamp Set.  It was heat embossed on vellum.  The large die cut was one I found in my stash.  I cannot for the life of me figure out what die I used for this- I sure could not find anything remotely close to this.

I am linking up to The Rainbow Card Challenge~

In addition, I am linking up to Double D Challenge~

As well as Just Us Girls~

As the popular Christian song, By His Wounds, says, 'By His wounds we are healed'.

One thinks of St Pat's Day when they think green, but I am not a huge fan of St Pat's so I went with the green of renewal and rebirth.

That's it for me!  Have a blessed week, all!
Lee Ann

Regal Colors with SNSS

Hello All and Happy December!

The first of the month always means a new challenge at The Rainbow Card Challenge.  This month it is all about a rainbow of colors, a regal rainbow, that is.

I have been working on some Christmas Thank You designs and this fabulous treeline stamp from Sweet n Sassy Stamps set, Thrill of Hope, made for a elegant yet CAS design.  

This was easy to do with the help of my MISTI.   I simply inked up a portion of the stamp, spritzed the stamp with water and then stamped onto watercolor paper.  I repeated this process, changing colors as I went along the length of the stamp.  The MISTI gave me perfect placement every time. 
I added a pretty thank you, from the So Thankful Stamp Set. 
If you love the idea of making monochromatic cards, The Rainbow Card Challenge is having a DT call!  Simply add 'DT' to your name when you play along in the challenge. 

Thanks for stopping by all and have a blessed week!

Lee Ann 

Brazenly Black with The Rainbow Card Challenge!

Wow!  Hello to October, Everyone!

Its the first of the month and that means we have a new challenge for you at The Rainbow Card Challenge.  This month's had me stumped for a bit, so I decided to think outside the box.

This month we are looking for black and white cards!

While one might think to go 'Halloween' for an all black card, I am not a fan of Halloween.  So, I skipped it and went right on to Christmas. lol!
I have used a brand new stamp from Technique Junkies, just released today, called Poinsettia Set.  To see more of the new release, head HERE.  The new release is 15% off through Oct 8th, and you can take 10% additional off your entire purchase with code TJ10LeeAnn. 
I stamped the image in versamark ink, embossed it with black ep, then fussy cut it out. I also used the Layered Swirls Background Stamp, stamping it in black.  I did not put it on a block or in  my MISTI as I did not want to get a full impression.
I stamped my sentiment and popped that panel up.  Lastly, I used an old technique to add some bling; I put down a 1/4" piece of double sided Score Tape and then sprinkled some clear glitter over it, burnishing it into the tape.

I am linking up to Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, 'Let's Get Ready for Christmas'.

That's it for me!  Head on over to the blog to check out the rest of the inspiration, then link your own black and white card up!

Lee Ann 

All About the Browns

Hello All!

September 1st and that means time for a new challenge at The Rainbow Card Challenge!

September 1st also means that it is time for the new release from Sweet n Sassy Stamps.  Oh, My. Word.  This new set, Fur-Ever Friends- is the absolute cutest set ever! I just keep making cards with it, lol!  I tried some no line watercoloring with my Daniel Smith watercolors.  The background is made with the Wood Background Stamp Set.  The card needed a little more something, so I added a leafy branch from the Scribble Flowers Stamp Set, that I heat embossed in gold on vellum.
I used the sketch from CASE this Sketch~

I am also linking up to Simon Says stamp Wednesday Challenge, 'Anything Goes'

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed week!
Lee Ann  

August Rainbow Card Challenge

Hello All!
It's my second post of the day.  If you are looking for the Technique Junkies August Release Celebration, go HERE.
This month's The Rainbow Card Challenge color  is one I tend to avoid.  Not sure why as I absolutely love how the PURPLE colors turned out for this month's Rainbow Card Challenge~

Yep , the color this month for The Rainbow Card Challenge is purple!

I inked up a stamp from The Ton, which was waiting to see ink.  I stamped in Versamark and then heat embossed in the fabulous rose gold ep from The Ton. Then it was a matter of watercoloring; for that I used my go-to, Ken Oliver Colorburts.  I love working with these watercolors.  They are so concentrated- makes getting vibrant color easy!
Have you heard about for Petals for the Pittman's Fundraiser and Link Up? 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! 

Technique Junkies New Release and a New Challenge with The Rainbow Card Challenge!

Hello! 

 Technique Junkies is Celebrating the new July Release!  

As with every Techique Junkies release, you can save 15% on all

new stamps through July 8th.  And, you can save an additional 

10% on  everything in the store ( except clearance) with code TJ10LeeAnn.  

Let's check out the new release!  

This is my favorite of the release, Sailing Panel.  Using my MISTI, I inked up areas with 

different colors of ink.  I colored in the boat with a Copic marker.  

Next, I used a my Currents stencil from A Colorful Life Designs and various different

Distress Inks in blues alongside the stamped image.

To give the card some dimension, I added a drop shadow using a grey Copic along the right side 

of the Sailing Panel.  Lastly, I added a banner, using the new Smooth Sailing

sentiment stamp.
I am linking Smooth Sailing up to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday
Challenge, 'Anything Goes'.  
 
Next up is the fabulous new background stamp, Ropes.  I decided to go the easy 

route and simply heat emboss it onto navy cardstock.  

Please excuse this photo.  It either was looking like black cs or over-exposed navy blue.

Anywho, as you can see I embossed the background in white.  I then stamped the Vintage

Lighthouse stamp in navy and fussy cut it out.  I made a frame using Spellbinders

A2 Matting Basics A Card Creator Dies and adhered the lighthouse to the inside of the 

frame; then popped up the frame on the card front.  

I finished it off with a the Aged to Perfection sentiment stamped on  a strip of cs.  
I am linking up to Watercooler Wednesday- All About Occasions (Birthday).

As it is the first of the month, it is also time for a new challenge at The 

Rainbow Card Challenge!  Can you guess what the color is this month??

We hope you play along with your monochromatic blue card!  

Now, how about some more Technique Junkies inspiration! 

Technique Junkies Blog 

Beth Norman-Roberts 

Ceal Pritchett 

Giovana Smith 

Holly Brown 

Janelle Stollfus 

Janine Tinklenberg 

Jeanne Streiff

Jessie Banks 

Judy Jackson 

Kia Gibson-Clapper

You are HERE--Lee Ann Barrett 

Lynda Pleckan 

Pat Huntoon 

Ro Donner

Rainbows with The Rainbow Challenge!

Hello All!

It is June 1st and that means it is time for a new challenge at The Rainbow Card Challenge! If you are looking for the Technique Junkies June release, go HERE. 
This month is our half birthday so we are celebrating!  Our color(s) this month is neon rainbow colors!  Also this month,  we are giving away a digital stamp set designed by MHK Designs (our very own Mynn).

I started out with a A Colorful Life Stencil- Medallions- and sponged a rainbow of color.  I used Distress Oxide inks in Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade, Fossilized Amber, Twisted Citron, and Peacock Feathers.  I die cut my panel out with a Zig Zag Stitched Rectangle die.
Using my MISTI, I stamped the adorable Kitty Duo image from Technique Junkies.  If you have to have this stamp, you can get a 10% discount by using discount code TJ10LeeAnn at checkout. 
 The sentiment is one from SSS, which appears to be discontinued.
Check out the rest of the inspiration on The Rainbow Card Challenge Blog and then join us!  You may be a winner!

Lee Ann 

The Name of the Game is Green!

Hello Everyone!

Time for a new challenge at The Rainbow Challenge!  If you are looking for the Technique Junkies New Release Celebration and the new Freshly Made Sketches challenge, go HERE. 
Wow!!! May already???  Say it isn't so!  Anyone else feel the need to slow the clock down a bit?  May is always a busy month with the end of the school year in sight!  Flowers are blooming, trees are turning green and summer is on the horizon!    The new challenge from The Rainbow Challenge is all about GREEN!

I used a Unity Stamp Co. image and heat embossed it in black.  I masked off the flowers and stem and then sponged two different shades of distress ink to the right of the image.  I used Crushed Olive and Twisted Citron.  I changed my plans at this time and decided to fussy cut along the other side of the image and then pop it up on dimensional tape.  I dug through my stash and found a perfectly matching piece of green polka dot paper to back the card front.  I added black splatters to the inked panel and finished off with a Unity sentiment.
 Now it is your turn!  Check out the inspiration from the rest of the talented team and then join us by linking up your green card HERE!

I am linking up to Addicted to CAS- 'Contrast'.  

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a blessed week!

Lee Ann  

The Rainbow Card Challenge is Turning Pink!

Hello Everyone! 

Woo Hoo!  Spring has Sprung! Or it least it was supposed to; We were in the 30s again last night
here in St Louis. Temps are not going to get in the way of the fact that it is April! 
I love April; everything starts to green and bloom.  And the days are longer; and eventually the temps
will be warmer! 
This month, The Rainbow Card Challenge is turning PINK!  Pink flowers were the first thing to come to mind, although I found this challenge to be difficult, only because my first card was the WRONG color! I thought our next challenge was green and had a card ready for that.  When I realized my mistake, boy was it hard to switch gears! 

I chose to work with one of my favorite stamps from Unity Stamp Co. and alcohol inks. 
I stamped the image, Single Flower Miracle, in Memento Black and colored it with Copics, fussy cut
out and set aside. 
Using Yupo paper, I added two different ink alcohol inks and some blending solution to make my background.  I planned on adding gold foiling to the ink areas that were still tacky, but by the time I found my gold foil, most of the ink was no longer tacky.
Using the sketch from MOJO Monday, I added a vellum square and white frame within that square to ground my image and die cut sentiment.  

Sequins and some Wink of Stella on the flowers finishes the card. 
Now it is your turn!  Check out the inspiration from the rest of the talented team and then join us by linking up your pink card HERE! 

Thanks for stopping my and have a blessed week and April!

Lee Ann 

Going Yellow with the Rainbow Card Challenge!

Hello, Hello!
Here we are, already March 1st!!!  Spring is right around the corner- can I get an Amen?

In honor of spring, I have chosen this sweet duck from Simon Says Stamp set, Showers and Flowers, for this month's The Rainbow Card Challenge card.  Follow us on Instagram at The Rainbow Card Challenge and tag your challenge cards with #rainbowcardchallenge so we can see your creations on Instagram! 

This month, we are creating in Monochromatic Yellow!

I think this duck is pretty adorable!  I colored the image with Copics, then die cut out with a Simon Says Stamp Stitched Circle Die.
I don't tend to use this much patterned paper, but I was inspired by the sketch at The Paper Players this week and it really lent it self to the paper.

I am also linking up to Inkspirational Challenges- Use Your Stash
 
So if you haven't yet, hop over to the blog and check out the rest of the inspiration from the talented team!  Then link up your own creative work in yellow!

Have a blessed weekend!
Lee Ann

Orange is the new Monochromatic Color

Hello All and Happy February to you!

It is February 1st and that means it is time for a new challenge at The Rainbow Card Challenge.
This month, we are going ORANGE!  At first I thought this was going to be a bit tricky, but when I found the right stamp, easy peasy!

Your challenge this month~

This stamp was begging to see ink.  Is it not the most gorgeous image?!  It is a Power Poppy image and I am blessed to live near the owner/artist, Marcella Hawley.  She is an absolute gem and soooo incredibly talented.  If you have not checked out her store, do yourself a favor and head over to Power Poppy.
So, I decided to watercolor this image and use my Daniel Smith watercolors again.  Lesson learned- Tim Holtz watercolor cardstock is not the ideal paper to water color on. I have been trying different papers to see how paints react, or in some cases, don't react on them.  I really wanted to like this paper as it is such a pretty, bright white, but I really did not care for how the paint moved on it.  I ended up adding color and detail with my Prismacolor Pencils in the end.
I used  a gold gel pen to color some of the flower center and added a few sequins and some ribbon (yes, ribbon; haven't used that in ages!) to finish off the card.

I am linking up to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge- 'Anything Goes'.

Also linking up to Paper Craft Crew Challenge- Tic Tac Toe- My stamp is new to me, I used a rectangle die to cut out the top panel, and I used grey tones on the stems and live to give the card a vintage look.

 
Check out the rest of the team's inspiration at The Rainbow Card Challenge and then link up your project in the gallery! 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Happy February!

Lee Ann 

Monochromatic Reminder in Red!

Hi Everyone!


I am back with a reminder about The Rainbow Card Challenge; you have 2 more weeks to get your card linked up!

We are midway through the first challenge at The Rainbow Card Challenge.  This month's monochromatic color is RED.  Hope you can join us!
For this card, I used a new to me set that was begging to see ink as well as my brand new Daniel Smith Watercolors that I bought from Lydia/aka Understand Blue.  She has a FB group dedicated to Daniel Smith watercolors and sells splits of the paints which makes them AFFORDABLE!!!!  You can check it our HERE~
I am just learning how to use watercolors- it is not as easy as it looks for sure!  But that is my crafty resolution for the new year- to learn how to use/improve my use of watercolors, especially the DS ones.
So for this card, I used Impression Obsession's Mushroom stamp by the talented Dina Kowal.  The sentiment comes from the Impression Obsession Happy Trails stamp set.  I thought that the mushroom would be a good first image to try the watercolors on.  Not overly detailed and only a few colors needed.  I have to say, it was fun using the paints and I am happy with my first DS watercoloring.
I am linking up to Impression Obsession's challenge, 'New Beginnings'.  I suspect you are wondering about the 'new beginnings' on this card.  Well, you would think, as a cardmaker, I would send out tons of snail mail.  I don't.  Can you relate?  I really, really struggle with writing inside the cards.  So this year is a 'new beginning' of sending out snail mail- hence the happy mail sentiment on the card.  This will go to a friend of mine in Indianapolis.  She sent me a Christmas card and I am remiss in responding to her.
And don't forget to link up your RED project at The Rainbow Card Challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lee Ann  

New Challenge in Town!

Hello, Hello and Happy New Year!!!

I have exciting news to start out the new year;  there is a new challenge in town that will stretch your creativity- The Rainbow Card Challenge will challenge you to create monochromatic cards!

So, here is your first challenge for the year 2019~

Yes, obviously we are starting out with RED!  I went with a Valentines themed card, but you do not have to do so.  Mynn, one of the challenge co-founders, has made some wonderful graphics for each month's challenge~

I  was inspired by the sketch at (CAS)E This Sketch~

I used an adorable MFT stamp set that is actually one of the United we Flourish stamp sets sold by Ellen Hutson.  It had yet to see ink, but it was perfect for a Valentine card, especially when paired with this fabulous Stamplorations stencil.  The pooches are colored with Copics and the ink color for stenciling is my new favorite red, Gina K's Cherry Red.

I am also linking up to The Mod Squad Challenge- 'Love'.  

You have the entire month of January to create, plenty of time to be stamping all things red!

Thanks for stopping by and have a Blessed New Year!

Lee Ann