Flowers and the Heartfelt Creations Design Team Alumni Blog Hop

Hello Again!
It is the end of the month already and time for another Alumni Blog Hop with Heartfelt Creations.  You have until Friday, January 31 at MN(EST) to complete the hop.  Comment on each of the bloggers posts and you will have a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Heartfelt Creations.  The more blogs you visit and leave a comment on, the greater your chances of winning!

I have been enjoying creating collage style cards lately; these asters seemed the perfect flower to use for this elegant corner collage.  I started by inking up the Large Elegant Word Background stamp with Crumb Cake ink, stamped off once and then stamped the image in an offset fashion on my white cs.  Next, I embossed the left lower corner of the white cs- right over the stamped word background-using Spellbinders Exquisite Circles Dies.  I finished the background by stamping a lace image from the All Seasons Gazebo Stamp Set in Always Artichoke along the left side. 
The flowers were die cut in Pink Pirouette; the two smaller ones were sponged with Blushing Bride ink; they were then assembled, shaped and sponged with silver 3D Stamp Paint.  Leaves were cut with the Spellbinder Foliage die and the leaf die from the Aster dies. The leaves were sponged with silver 3D paint. 
The collage was assembled, with the lightest flower being popped up on a dimensional. Pearls were added for the flower centers.  A pearl flourish and bling were added.

Here is your list of Alum participants; time to head on over to their blogs and check out all of the gorgeous inspiration!~

Giovana Smith
Cibele Glazer
Amarilys Doria
Candy Slabaugh
Loretta Lock
Deneen Treble
Vicki Dutcher
Emilia van den Heuvel
Lee Ann Barrett
Mary Faus
Glenda Brooks
Alissa Wells
Linda Loew
Linda Payne
Caroline Duncan
Lisa Allen

Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy the hop!
Blessings~

Lee Ann   :)

Supplies Used-
Stamps-Heartfelt Creations All Seasons Gazebo Precut Stamp Set, Large Elegant Word Background Stamp Set, Classic Message Precut Stamp Set
Paper-SU Blushing Bride, Pink Pirouette, Old Olive and Flourishes white cs
Other- dimensionals, Viva Decor 3D Stamp Paint in Silver, Pearls, Heartfelt Creations Delicate Asters Die, Spellbinders Leaf Dies and Exquisite Circle Dies
Ink- Blushing Bride,  Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake, Memento Tuxedo Black

Sweet 'n Sassy Mixed Media Valentine

Hello Friends!
Today I am sharing a mixed media card that I made for my son for Valentine's Day.  Thankfully, he does not read my blog!  :)  Over at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge blog, the challenge is based on these song lyrics-"This is where the cowboy rides away."  I was not familiar with these lyrics, so did a little Google search to learn a little about the song.  Turns out it is about a cowboy riding away from a failed romance.  Well, these lyrics are really appropriate for my son.  No, he has not walked away from a romance, but he has finally turned his life around and walked away from poor choices and a dead end life.  He is back in college and making some great decisions.  And  we finally have a wonderful relationship again, so making him a Valentine card was high on my priority list this year. 

Yes, this card clearly has a grunge look, but that was intentional, since it is for a young adult male.  I followed a mixed media tutorial on SCS a couple of weeks back, which can be found here.  I started with an adorable Sweet 'n Sassy image from the new Valentine Critters set.  The image was watercolored with reinkers-I found that I was able to get some good texture on the dog using watercoloring.  He was cut out with a circle die and layered on a Deco Labels Die cut follow by a  Heart die cut that was embossed with a wood grain embossing folder.
For the background, I sponged a piece of cardstock with gesso, then randomly stamped images from the Grunge Elements set and the Music Background image.  Once dry, I painted a thin layer of blue acrylic paint over the entire background.  More gesso was added in spots over the painted layer.  I added texture with a stencil and white bathroom caulking.  This was allowed to dry overnight.  Once dry, I sponged some Walnut Brown Viva 3D Stamp paint over areas of the background. The sentiment was stamped; I added a dp banner and then the image panel.  
If you feel like getting a little messy, mixed media is a great thing to try!

Card will also be entered in  the 613 Avenue Create Anything Goes Challenge this week
and in Shopping Our Stash with the challenge being 'Winter Blues".

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a blessed week!

Lee Ann  :)

Supplies Used-
Stamps-Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Valentine Critters, Music Background and Grunge Elements
Paper-Stampin' Up Naturals Ivory, Brown Sugar and watercolor paper, Echo Park dp
Ink- Stazon Black
Other- gesso, blue acrylic paint, Viva Decor 3D Stamp Paint, MFT Circle and Fishtail Flag Stax Die-Namics, Stampin' Up Deco Label Dies, dimensionals, white bathroom caulking, aqua painter, SU Brown Sugar, Real Red, and Coastal Cabana reinkers

Using Texture with the Card Concept

Hello and Welcome to another Card Concept Challenge!
For Challenge 2, we are to use texture.  This is one of my favorite things to do, so you will find a variety of texture on my card today.  I am designing in the elegant and classy style~

This is the inspiration photo from Lesley~

Nature, in general inspires me, and I love to add texture when inspired by nature.  I have texture in many forms on this card-dry embossing the kraft panel, heat embossing the kraft and black panels, use of burlap and textured bow (from wrinkling the seam binding), and Crystal Effects on the butterfly body. 

Things that keep this card elegant are the flourished image used on the black and kraft heat embossed panels, a flourished die cut tucked in the bow, the rich colors of the flower and butterfly, the shiny finish from the heat embossing and the Crystal Effects on the butterfly body.  
I hope you can join us at The Card Concept- it is such a fun challenge this week!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  

Lee Ann  :)


Supplies Used-
Stamps-Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Treasured and Leafy Flourishes Background Stamp, Stampin' Up Tiny Tags
Paper- SU Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Flourishes white cs
Ink- Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, Crushed Curry
Other- Clear embossing powder, burlap, MFT Circle Stax Die-Namics and Fishtail Flag Stax Die-Namics, Prismacolor Pencils, dimensionals, SU Jewelry Tag Punch, seam binding, Crystal Effects, SU Stripes Embossing Folder

Subtle, Embossed, Contrast and a Sketch

Hi Everyone! 
I had an opportunity to craft today as we had yet another snow day.  Unfortunately, I am short on MOJO.  Sometimes when I get an idea in my brain, I cannot let it go, even though it just is not coming together.  Does that ever happen to you?  Well, I am definitely there right now!  But as always, this too shall pass! 

This card is for Dynamic Duos-

Seize the Sketch-

 Casology-

 And Simon Says Stamp- which is asking us to emboss on our project. 

The card went through many changes before I settled on this design.  The Cue Card word, 'Contrast' is what led me to using the black embossed background.  Prior to that, the card was too 'muddy', without enough contrast. 
The background image from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps was stamped in Versamark and embossed with clear embossing powder.  The banners were stamped in Crumb Cake and fussy cut out.  I die cut the butterfly, leaves, and Deco Label pieces and dry embossed the Deco Label die cut with a woodgrain embossing folder.  I used a piece of linen thread for the butterfly body and head and added Stampin' Up Dazzling Details to it for some sparkle.
Lastly,  scoring was added around the card base for interest as was  a wood heart below the sentiment. 

Thanks so much for stoppng by and have a blessed week!

Lee Ann  :)

Supplies Used- 
Stamps- Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Leafy Flourish, Stampin' Up Designer Type and Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper- Basic Black, Crumb Cake, White cs, Pool Party, Pink Pirhouette, and retired dsp
Ink- Crumb Cake, Versamark, Pool Party
Other- Clear ep, Stampin' Up Linen Thread, Wood Heart, Pearls, White Baker's Twine, Dimensionals,, Little Leaves Die, Deco Label Framelits, Butterfly Punch, Itty Bitty Punch Pack and Dazzling Details

Love, Birthdays and Chicken Soup with the Ribbon Carousel

RCC89-Love, Birthdays and Chicken Soup!

Hi Everybody!  Today the Design Team is sharing more inspiration for the Ribbon Carousel Challenge.  There is still  plenty of time to join in the fun!  RC89 is all about giving love to those celebrating birthdays, feeling under the weather or just because!  So break out those crafting supplies and let's all Pay it Forward to someone we love or or we know could use a little extra love!

I used fun, new Stampin' Up products for my card; I am usually not much of a fan of hearts, but this one I can't get enough of right now.  I stamped the arrow from the Designer Type set in Basic Gray, then made a reverse mask for it and stamped the dots and stripes from the Perfect Pennants Set within the arrows.  Then I stamped the heart in Crisp Cantalope and cut it out with a circle framelit.  The dsp is from the Etcetera series and the Crisp Cantalope Twine is a Sale-A-Bration item.   I used a a sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch-

This month we are giving away a set of spools with your choice of beautiful seam binding, baker's twine or May Arts ribbon. 
 There are only three (3) rules you must follow to be eligible for the prize:

1. You MUST use ribbon, twine, thread, washi tape or anything that comes on a spool on your creation 
2. Your project must be based on the theme of the month. 
3. You must add a NEW project to the INLINKZ HERE and link directly back to your project on your blog or online gallery. (Unfortunately, we've had participants who would have won the challenge, but they didn't do a direct link to their blog and I couldn't find their creation!

Head on over to the blog for more inspiration from the amazing Design Team and link up your project for your chance to win! 

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a blessed week! 

Lee Ann  :)

Supplies Used-

Stamps -Stampin' Up Perfect Pennants, Peachy Keen, Designer Type, Express Yourself

Paper- Whisper White, Naturals Ivory, Etcetera dsp

Ink-Summer Starfruit, Basic Gray, Crisp Cantalope

Other- Doily, Circle Framelits, doily, dimensionals,  small neutral brad (retired), SAB twine

Watercolor Teddy

Hello Everyone!


Given all of the babies that are on the way where I work, I decided to add another baby card to my stash.  I used this darling image from Serendipity Stamps and watercolored him with reinkers.

Serendipity's challenge this month is to use buttons, so I strung several Stampin' Up buttons on some linen thread.

Thanks so much for visiting and have a blessed week!

Lee Ann  :)

Supplies Used-
Stamps- Serendipity Stamps Teddy Bear, Stampin' Up- Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper- Flourishes white cs, Early Espresso, Blush Blossom, retired dsp
Ink-Stazon Black, Early Espresso; So Saffron reinker, Early Espresso, Soft Suede and Brown Sugar reinkers
Other-SU retired dsp, SU retired buttons, SU linen thread, SU white ribbon, SU Decorative Dots ef, brayer

CAS Play

Hi Everyone and Happy Hump Day! 
I relaxed a bit tonight and did some just-for-fun stamping for a few fun challenges.  I found the sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch to be intriguing-

This is an extremely CAS card for me, but I really had fun designing it.  I chose to not take the sketch literally, but instead worked with the basic components.  I used one of my all time favorite Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' sets for this card, Across the Miles.
I used the latest Colour Me Color Challenge-LOVE these colors together!

Shopping Our Stash asks us to make a card with a Miss You theme this week.
Simon Says Stamp Monday Blog Challenge is an Anything Goes Challenge. 

Thanks so much for visiting, I really do appreciate it! Have a blessed week!

Lee Ann  :)
 
Supplies Used-
Stamps- Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Across the Miles
Paper- Fourishes White cs
Ink- So Saffron, Basic Black, Smoky Slate, Pink Pirouette