Serene Seaside

Hello and Happy Sunday Everyone!

We have been HOT, HOT, HOT here in St Louis as much of the U.S. has been.  Staying cool is the name of the game.  And while I am not headed to the beach anytime soon, I can at least dream about it and use some Technique Junkies Stamps to create my own little seaside scene!  Stamps are 10% off with code TJ10LeeAnn.

I cannot lie, I absolutely love how this turned out.  And the best part?  The sponged ombre background was in my stash just waiting to be used.  I stamped the longer of the two sand and shell images in the Technique Junkies Seashell Borders Stamp Set.  I wanted the border to have a little more depth, so I added my own mounds of stand in the forefront of the image.  I colored the image with Copics, and then, yes, fussy cut it out.
The rest is pretty self explanatory- I die cut the background with a MFT scalloped frame die, rotated the scalloped frame around the rest of the background and adhered to a kraft card base.  The sentiment, Kisses the Shoreline, was stamped using my MISTI for perfect placement.  I was also able to double stamp the sentiment to get a nice solid black lettering.
The shell image was popped up on dimensional tape and a few sequins were added for sparkle.

That's it for me!  Remember that if you shop, the code TJ10LeeAnn will get you 10% off your entire cart (excluding clearance items).

Have a blessed day!
Lee Ann  

SSS Wednesday Challenge!

Hello All!

It's time for a new Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.

 I am over the moon thrilled and honored to be the
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge 

guest designer for July!

 

The design team is featuring Simon Says Stamp products this week.

  The challenge this week is a color challenge; use the colors White, Red, and/or Blue~

I have used the oh so fabulous SSS Beautiful Flowers for my card.  I stamped the image in Versafine black ink onto watercolor paper.  As I had not used my Derwent Watercolor Pencils in quite some time, I thought that given the details of this image, it would be a perfect time to pull them out.  I did put a base of blue and red color down, but there was not quite enough contrast, so I added to it with Peerless Watercolors.
Once I was happy with the flowers and the background, I turned my attention to the leaves.  As the challenge was red, white and blue, I could not add green, but I did not want to leave them plain, so I broke out my Sakura Gold Metallic Gelly Roll Pen and outlined the leaves and stems in gold.

I finished the card off with a surprise piece of contemporary designer paper; I love how it offsets the traditional floral spray.  Lastly, I added my favorite sequins, SSS Assorted Moonshine Sequins.  The sentiment is stamped in the Black Versafine Ink and the entire panel is popped up on the card base with 3M Scotch Double Sided Foam Tape.

Simon Says Stamp generously provides a $50 dollar gift certificate each week so be sure to get your entry in for a chance to win! 

Thanks so much for stopping by! Happy 4th of July to my American friends!  

Lee Ann

July Release Technique Junkies Blog Hop

Hello!  It is July 1 and time for the Technique Junkies New Release Blog Hop!
We have lots of inspiration in store for you!  All new release stamps are 15% off through
July 8th- no code needed, discount will automatically be applied.Want something that is not in the release?  Use code TJ10LeeAnn to get a 10% discount on all other items (excluding clearance).

Let's get hopping!  If you came from Jeanne Streiff's blog, you are in the right place.
If not, you can start at the Technique Junkies Design Team Blog to view the entire hop. 

I am featuring two cards, two completely different styles, using the same stamp set.  The first card
goes back to my stamping roots- lots of layers and embellies~

The card is a mixed media card- I added texture beads to embossing paste and tinted it with reinkers.
Over some of that, I added white acrylic paint-sea foam- for my background.  You will notice that there is a circle die cut in the background.  The layer behind that is sponged.  My collage is made using the fabulous new Sea Shells, set of 5 Stamp Set.   The shells were stamped and fussy cut out. I layered cheese cloth, the shell images, stick pins, pearls and the beach and sea sentiments.  I loved using the 'sea' scrabble pieces as there were hand made and gifted to me by MariLynn DeGroot.

The second card is a CAS card~

  I used the gorgeous nautilus shell, stamped it in a rust color, fussy cut it out and then embellished it with gold embossing powder along the edges and in select places on the image.  My background is spattered with brown and white acrylic paints.

Now head over to Cheri's blog where she has some wonderful inspiration for you!  

Happy Hopping and Happy July 4th to my American friends!  

Lee Ann 

For the Chicken Lover

Hello Everyone!

Seems I should have more time to craft and blog in the summer, but it appears the opposite is true.  Although, I have been crafting some, just can't share it yet- July will be a busy blog month.  :)
I loved the challenge of the sketch over at the Fusion Card Challenge~

At first glance, the sketch seemed awkward to me, thus a challenge.

After a bit of rooting around for an image to use and some MOJO, I settled on these funky
chickens from the  Party Chicks stamp set by Technique Junkies.  I colored two chicks with Copics and then fussy cut them out.  I also used the color scheme in the inspiration photo and I think because of these colors, they really popped on black.  Added a bit of scrap dp and a black scallop inside frame along with a sentiment, Chicken Sayings.

I am also linking up to the Inkspirational Challenge, which is to use small stamps.

If you are wanting these stamps, you can save 10% on your purchase when you use

 code TJ10LeeAnn.  Thanks so much!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Will be back this weekend with a new release blog hop
from Technique Junkies!

Lee Ann 

Cheerful Sunflower

Hello All!

While it is steaming and hot outside, I have been inside crafting!  I tried a technique that I had first seen shared by Jessica Frost Ballas.  I used a new stamp from Technique Junkies, Sunflower Duo, distress inks and Copics. You can get this stamp for 10% off (as well as your entire cart) with code TJ10LeeAnn.

Instead of starting by stamping the image, I started by smooshing distress inks from my craft mat onto my watercolor paper.  I dried the ink in between layers.  Once I was happy with the distress ink background, I stamped the image and added more color with Copics.
Did a little fussy cutting along the right side of the image panel and then added a sentiment.  The sentiment, from the Grand Greetings Stamp Set, was heat embossed on vellum.  Lastly, I added a sponged scallop die cut and some sequins for sparkle.
I am linking up to The Flower Challenge where this month's challenge is to use a past challenge.  I am using challenge 12- tic tac toe- distress inks/embossing/sentiment.

I am also linking up to Crafty Cardmakers for their Wet or Dry Embossing challenge~ 

Thanks for stopping by!

Lee Ann 

Having a Dane Good Time

Hi All!

Hope you are having a fabulous summer!  My beginning of summer has been very busy but I did make a bit of time last night to color for Kathy Racoosin's Daily Marker Coloring Challenge.  I got out the super fun All Shapes Stamp from Technique Junkies, along with a sentiment from the set, You Are a Hoot.

Lots of masking again with this stamp, but a new 'theme' using the sun glasses and sentiment from the You Are a Hoot Stamp Set.  What do you think?
That's Crystal Effects on his sunglasses, making them all shiny.

If you are thinking of getting these stamps, you can get 10% off your order 

 with code TJ10LeeAnn !  

I am linking up to a couple of challenges~
The Paper Players- Animals

Thanks for stopping by! 

Back in the Groove

Hi All~

Between the end of the school year followed by a vacation to Rocky Mountain National Park, I am feeling a little rusty when it comes to stamping.  I had multiple packages of goodies waiting for me when I got home from my vaca, so decided to try and get back in the swing of things, especially with Kathy Racoosin's Daily Marker 30 Day coloring challenge in full swing.

I had been eyeing this Rosie and Bernie stamp from Stamping Bella for some time, so when The Crafty Doodle Chick had a Memorial Day Sale, I decided to grab it.  I paired it with a sentiment from another Stamping Bella stamp, Tiny Townie Bree Loves Buttercream.
I decided to use the sketch from Fusion Card Challenge~

 When rooting through my patterned papers, I came across this beautiful paper that was perfect for the sketch.  I turned the sketch to make a horizontal card so I did not have to cut too much off of the pretty paper.  Rosie and Bernie fit perfectly over the starburst on the designer paper.

I am also linking up to Cupcake Inspirations Challenge~

And also to Seize the Birthday~  The challenge is always anything goes, as long as it is birthday, but this week the topping is 'Patterned Paper'.  So I have added the topping!

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed week!

Lee Ann