Going Purple with FMS

Hello Everyone!
Time is flying by!  I cannot believe it is the end of October already!  Halloween?  Thanksgiving?  Whaaaat?  I am in denial, lol!
So here we are, another week, another new sketch.  The newest sketch for Freshly Made Sketches is from Jen T. I adore her clean and elegant style and I adore this sketch!  I think you will like it too!

I love this sketch- so many possibilities!

I have had this Picket Fence Studios image partially colored on my desk for about a year.  No judging, please, lol!
I decided it would be perfect for this sketch. Beautiful Girl Jordan is colored with Copics. My base panel is tone on tone stamped with a butterfly from Technique Junkies called Butterfly 2.  Planning on shopping?  You can take 10% off your TJ order with code TJ10LeeAnn.
The sentiment is from Altenew's Sentiments and Quotes Stamp Set.

I am linking up to Time Out Challenges- encouraging.  

Check out how the rest of  the FMS team has used this sketch, then link up your own take on the sketch!

Thanks for stopping by,

Lee Ann

Cased Leaves

Hello!

Are you tired of leaves yet?  I hope not!  I have one more to share using the Autumn Splendor Stamp Set from Sweet n Sassy Stamps.  I have to give credit where credit is due, though.  Do you follow the talented Debby Hughes of Lime Doodle Designs?  I learn so much from her water coloring videos.
One of her most recent ones was water coloring leaves and I followed right along with my leaves.

My leaves are stamped in Old Paper Distress ink, using my MISTI to be sure to get a good impression of the image on the rough paper.  I used Daniel Smith Watercolors and the paper used is Arches 140# cold press watercolor paper.
I did not want to mask the leaf images to stamp the acorns, so I stamped them separately and then fussy cut them out, popping them up on dimensional adhesive to add some depth.
I am please overall with how this turned out.  Practice, practice, practice!

I am linking up to the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge where this week's theme is fall/autumn.

 Thanks so much for stopping in!  Have a magnificent week!

Lee Ann 

Happy Fall Y'All!

Hello All!

Today's card is very CAS as it was inspired by the AAA Challenge, One Corner.

I just love this scarecrow and I thought he would look cute popping up in the corner of the card.  He is colored with Copics.  The scarecrow is from the Happy Scarecrow set from Sweet n Sassy Stamps.
The background is stenciled.

I am also linking up to The Male Room for their Halloween Challenge. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Lee Ann 

Turn My Eyes

Hello Everyone!

I sat down to make a couple of cards today and the MOJO just seemed flat.
This creative worship idea had been in the back of my head for a while and I really wanted to give it a go.
I watched a few videos on drawing eyes and sketched one out on paper, then cut it out and used it as a basic template.
Once I was happy with the basic shape, I outlined it with a Sakura Pigma Micron pen.  Then I started mixing colors with my Daniel Smith watercolors.  Yes, I said mixing.  I really stepped out of my comfort zone with this.

Once I was happy with the coloring, I made sure it was all dry and then added eye lashes.  I used a smaller Micron pen for the lower lashes.
Well, I had to do some hand lettering.  Not liking it but it is what it is.  I also used the Sweet n Sassy Stamps Rebecca Alpha Stamp Set to stamp the name 'Jesus'.  I like the stamps much better, lol.
But my friend MariLynn reminded me that it is not about perfection or wanting my lettering to look like others.  And she is so right.  It is about worship, after all.
I need to remind myself multiple times a day to go to Jesus first.  I want so badly to handle everything in my own puny strength.  Keeping my eyes on Jesus helps me to stay grounded in Him and turn to Him for my needs.    He does a far better job than I could ever even begin to do.

Thanks for stopping by, friend!

Have a blessed week!

Lee Ann 

Leaves and Leaves

Hello All! 

This week has left me feeling spent!  Anyone else feeling this way?  Not much crafting is going on but I am sneaking in here with a couple of autumn themed cards using the new, Autumn Splendor, from Sweet n Sassy Stamps. 

This card is colored completely with Copics- simple coloring, very little shading, just enough to give the leaves depth.  These gorgeous and lifelike leaves are from the Autumn Splendor Stamp Set.   I have given the leaves a bit of texture with the Typewriter Text Background Stamp. I used some gorgeous Rose Gold embossing powder for the sentiment, which irl, matches the orangy leaves pretty good. 
I am linking this card up to the Inkspirational Challenge, being inspired by the theme and colors of the inspiration photo. 
The next card was inspired by the Frame It challenge at Just Us girls. 

These leaves were colored using the no line water coloring technique and my beloved Ken Oliver Colorbursts.   I framed the sentiment with a scalloped rectangle die.  The sentiment is from the Inspirational Word Art 1 Stamp Set.  The leaves were painted using the wet on wet technique and fussy cut out.  

Thanks for stopping in! 

Lee Ann 

A New FMS Sketch and Sweet n Sassy Stamps Oct. Release Blog Hop!

Hello All!

Welcome to the Sweet n Sassy Stamps October New Release Blog Hop!  You are in for a treat with all of the amazing inspiration along the way.  Hop along with us, leaving a comment on each blog hop post, and you will have a chance to win a $10 gift voucher to the Sweet n Sassy Stamps store.  Deadline to comment is October 22nd, 10pm ET.  Winner will be announced on the snss blog on October 23rd. 

I love a neutral palette, so the inspiration at Inspired By was right up my alley.  I also used the newest Freshly Made Sketches sketch for this card.  I hope to see your card in the gallery!

Keeping with the neutral palette theme, I heat embossed my leaves and acorns with gold ep on vellum and fussy cut them out.  The leaves are from the fabulous Autumn Splendor Stamp Set.  I stamped the background stamp, Typewriter Text, in kraft ink.  A bit of black and white striped paper and a bit of kraft cs make the perfect strip for the black die cut sentiment.  A few sequins and gold thread behind he sentiment finish the card.

Next up, a super CAS card using one leaf image from the Autumn Splendor Stamp Set.

Inspiration for this card came from CASE This Sketch!~

 I gave no line water coloring a go again, this time stamping with Old Paper Distress Ink. I  used Arches Cold Press Watercolor Paper and colored with Daniel Smith Watercolor Paints.
The sentiment, from the Sympathy Innies Stamp Set, was heat embossed in brown ep on vellum.

Sweet n Sassy Stamps has a fantastic sale going on now through October 31- 15% off on all autumn themed stamps.

Hop along with the rest of the design team for some fabulous inspiration!  

Sweet n Sassy Blog

Julee Tilman

Cathy McCauley 

Ceal Pritchett

Diane Zechman

Jane Bosi

Lee Ann Barrett- You are Here

Lucinde van Ballegooijen

Lyn Tomlin

Have a blessed day!  

Lee Ann 

Loose Christmas

Hello and Happy Sunday!

Today I have a Christmas card to share using some beautiful Poinsettias (code TJ10LeeAnn gets you 10% off all products) from Technique Junkies.

I started by Heat embossing the poinsettias in gold ep from Gina K.  I had to do some minimal masking with the two flowers at the bottom.
Then I pulled out my beloved Ken Oliver Colorbursts and painted a light pink wash across the card and over the images.  Colorbursts are currently as cheap as I have seen them right now at Blick's Art Supply (42% off!).
I added color to my poinsettias using the wet on wet technique with red and pink colors.  I added a bit of green to the outer petals.  Once I was satisfied with the flowers I splattered on some pink color as well as some white acrylic paint.
The sentiment was stamped in some Versafine Clair Chianti ink.  A few sequins finish the card.

I am linking up to Watercooler Wednesdays for their All about Occasions Challenge, as well as Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge- Christmas.
I am also linking up to the Just Add Ink Challenge- Just Add 'H'- where my H is Heat embossing.
I am also linking up to Addicted to Stamps and More for their Make Your Mark Challenge.

Thanks so much for visiting!

Lee Ann