Prickly

Hello, Hello!

I am sneaking in card this week.  Boy, things have been busy around here and time is at a premium for all things crafting.
Today's card uses the new Prickly Stamp from Technique Junkies.

This is such a great cactus image, and a nice size, too.  I stamped it on watercolor paper and painted it with watercolors.  I die cut the panel with a circle die, mounted it on black paper and mounted it on the card base, which I added a card front die cut to.  Pretty simple!

I am linking up to Simon Says stamp Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes
As well as The Color Throwdown~

I am also linking up to Addicted to Stamps and More- Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by and have a Fabulous Friday!

Lee Ann 

The Big 4-0-0!

Hello All! 

Today is an exciting day at Freshly Made Sketches as we are at the end of our month long celebration and at Sketch 400!  And along with Sketch 400, comes prizes from wonderful companies in the crafting community!   So without further ado, Sketch 400!

The sketch~

I was excited to do this sketch as I envisioned using the stamp from Sweet n Sassy Stamps for the card.  It came out just as I had planned.  Isn't it nice when that happens?!  The set is Singing Praises and is just spectacular.  The birds are gorgeous!  The set is currently FREE with the purchase of $75 from the Sweet n Sassy Store, but keep your eyes pealed as it may make a reappearance in September! 
The bird was colored with Copics.  I wanted a blue and brown color scheme; I found a blue panel on my desk that was a discard from a stamping with a stencil technique.  It was perfect.  I then used the Falling Leaves Background Stamp and added leaves to the top of the blue panel as well as the main white panel.  I used the gorgeous shade of blue, Caribbean Sky, from the Glacier Caves Cube Set. 
My square window and blue frame was die cut with the Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Squares Dies. 
Lastly, the sentiment is from the Scripty Thoughts Stamp Set.  The bird and white panel are popped up on foam adhesive.  I finished it off with a few sequins from SSS. 

Now it is your turn!  Head over to the Freshly Made Sketches Blog for all of the details on this week's festivities and check out the rest of the team's inspiration- they always blow me away with their talent! 
Thanks for stopping by! 

Lee Ann! 

Shimmering

Hello!

Today is my first official post over on the Shimmerz Blog! Head there for details on how I made this card!

I really love how this turned out.  The sparkle in the background from the Lime Green Shimmerz Paint is amazing!  If you love shimmer, you canNOT beat Shimmerz Paints products.

I tried to capture it on camera, but you know how that goes.  It is so much more shimmery irl!

I paired the Lime Green Shimmerz with some Well Blue Me Down Coloringz.  I just love the names for some of their products, lol.   The Coloringz line does not have shimmer, and is a spray.  But where the two products blended together- shimmer!  So much fun to get messy with!

I also used Liquetex white gesso on the panel for texture and to add variation in the colors.  

And the flowers- they are from Sweet n Sassy Stamps stamp set, Mason Jar Bouquet.  I stamped 3 flowers and colored them with Copics, then fussy cut them out.  The sentiment is from the same set.  It was stamped in Versafine black ink.  I added white to the flower stamens with a Sakura Gelly Roll pen.

And friends, if you decide to shop at Shimmerz Paints, put my name (Lee Ann Barrett) in the comment section and you will receive a FREE gift with your order!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Lee Ann 

Rolling Green Hills

Hello Everyone!

Today's card is super easy and was inspired by a couple of challenges.

I used a couple of stamps from Technique Junkies.  The background is Abstract Waves.  It is one of my favorite background stamps as it can represent so many different things.  Here it is representing rolling hills going off into the distance.  The sheep is from the newest release and is called Miss Ewe.  I love this quirky sheep!  It makes a cute baby card too!
I was inspired by Pinspirational with their inspiration photo of mountains.  I don't have 'campy' stamps even though I love to camp so I put the next best thing on grassy, green hills- livestock, lol.

I used my MISTI to stamp the background as I could stamp it multiple times to get good ink coverage.
The sheep was stamped on Neenah Solar White cs, colored with Copics and fussy cut out.  Super easy!
I am also linking up to Sheepski Designs for the Animal Madness challenge.

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed week!

Lee Ann 

Celebrating Freshly Made Sketches!

Hello Again! 

We are at week 3 of our month long celebration at Freshly Made Sketches!  We are looking back at another sketch~

Here is your sketch- number 300!

I am not a coffee drinker (please don't faint), so if I can find TEA I grab it!  This month Sweet n Sassy Stamps released an adorable tea set, Tea For Two. 
I started with a piece of watercolor paper and stamped one of the hearts from the set all over the panel with Versamark, then heat embossed it with white ep.  Next, I did a light pink wash using DS watercolors. 
I stamped those adorable tea bags in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored them in with Copics.  I am so weird about trying to color everything life-like- I used Copics here to give the appearance of tea leaves in the bag.  I fussy cut the image out. 
I layered a couple of scrap pieces of patterned paper and then added my circle with sentiment.  The tea bags are adhered with dimensional adhesive. 
Now it's your turn!  Check out all of the fabulous inspiration from the rest of the team and then link up your interpretation of this sketch! 

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed week!

Lee Ann 

Fall Robin

Hello All!

I am back with another bird card; I love bird images and the latest ones from Sweet n Sassy Stamps are fantastic. The set is Singing Praises and is FREE this month with a $75 purchase.   I decided to give no line coloring a go, allowing me to turn the bird into whatever species I wanted.

Obviously, I made this bird a robin.  I stamped him in Memento Desert Sand ink and colored him with Copics, using a photo for reference.
The sentiment is from the same set and is stamped in Versafine Black ink.

I used the color inspiration from Sunday Stamps~

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week!

Lee Annn

Blue Hues

Hello All! 

School starts tomorrow so it is a busy afternoon and evening.
  Quick post to share a retirement card~

I used a Technique Junkies Stamp, Born to Fish, and paired it with the Retirement stamp. 
For the sky, I did some emboss resist using the Marble Swirl Background Stamp.  I think it gives the sky a bit of an ethereal look or even northern light 'ish'.
I sponged various blue distres inkes to the backgound and stamped the main image.  Perfect for a MAN! 
I am linking up to Watercooler Wednesday- All about Occasions, my occasion being retirement.  I will certainly be celebrating that! 
I am also linking up to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, Mid Summer Blues.

If you shop at Technique Junkies, be sure to use code TJ10LeeAnn for 10% off your entire purchase!  That includes the 3 stamp above that I used. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful back to school season!

Lee Ann