PSX Botanical Iris {Beautiful Blossoms Challenges} and freebies

 Hello, blogging friends! Thanks so much for visiting! I have an invitation for you -- to join us at the Beautiful Blossoms Challenge beginning today!

We are a fun "mood-board-inspired" monthly challenge which features Flowers as the main focus.  

 The Mood Board is a starting point, and your artwork is where your imagination takes you! 

 I was inspired by: 

1. The colors purple, pink and green.
2. The Iris flower.
3. The vintage feel of the Bouquet in a Vase.

Both cards feature the same colors with the exception of the shading around the frame, and the shadows around the image. Just that little bit of refinement changes the appearance of both cards!

I'll start off with the backs of the cards. The sentiment below is also being offered to you as a freebie gift in three versions. Just scroll down for it.

I have only made one other Z-fold card. But seeing so many Double-Z Fold fun fold cards recently, I felt inspired to make these simple creations. They are 5x7 size. Here is the front of the dark purple:

It was colored in Copic Markers after being stamped in VersaFine Clair Monarch Purple and heat set in Clear Detail embossing powder. This version is highlighted in the jade colors. On the left side of the card are three torn strips from Coordinations cardstock, which have been dry embossed, sanded and distressed. The image basically hides the details, unfortunately.

I am ashamed to admit this stamp is well over 20 years old and has never been inked. The interior has room for a handwritten message in a frame I doodled:

Next is the same image, colored in the same theme colors, but a lighter card stock, and purples around the edges rather than the jade greens. It completely changes the look of the colored image:

The horizontal green lines are ribbons. The "Double" part of the card has been dry embossed, as has the front left:

These were really fun to color and assemble, AND I learned a lot about coloring, embossing, and testing adhesives prior to using "unused" stash! (giggle)

QUESTION TIME!

When you color an image with any medium, or make a background, or add color to any project...  

do you often wait for several hours or even overnight to see how the colors set? I do that to determine if a strong enough tint was achieved (not that I'm a colorist), or if a few additional touches are needed. But then, I am a very slow crafter, and also have to correct boo-boos the next day (giggle), so I tend to start out too light, and progress to darker hues or tones after. What about you?

Thanks for stopping by. Hoping to see your amazing floral creations in the challenge!

Products: both cards use: PSX K-3131 Botanical Iris Stamp, VersaFine Clair Monarch Purple, Clear Detail embossing powder, Copic Markers, EKSuccess Dragonfly Punch, Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Rectangles S4-317 (one of my first ever SB dies!)       Dark Purple card - Cracked Pistachio Distress ink, Craft Concepts Secret Garden EF, Coordinations Dark Purple "Sandable" cardstock, Dies: Impression Obsession Grass DIE038-J,     Lavender & Green card - Seedless Preserves Oxide, Tattered Lace Victorian Rose EF, Ocean Mist Really Reasonable Ribbon

Freebies - A little late for Spring this year:

My gift to you - Arrangements of the same sentiment for use on the inside or outside of your projects. Please do not sell these Sentiments. Use on any of your projects, including projects involving any design teams you might be on.

Click on the image to bring it to full size. Because of the changes Google Made with Blogger (June 2020), your image will appear to be solid black. Don’t panic. Right click and do a SAVE AS PNG. Once it is saved on your hard drive, you can open it and it will have a transparent background. I create PNGs instead of JPGs so they can be placed anywhere on a scene or project, and so backgrounds can be made using them. Please let me know if you have any problems. I hope they serve you well!

Enjoy!

I would love to paraphrase this to say: Spring Flowers are Winter's Dreams revealed. Do you think that is acceptable, or do you prefer Khalil Gibran's exact and more beautifully poetic words?

this one is for a vertical setup:

Playing in the following fine challenges please!

1. Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #6 AG (entry 1 of 3) 7/12

2. A Perfect Time to Craft #6 AG (check 8/1)

3. Classic Design Challenge #6 AG 7/1

4. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2323 AG 7/19

5. Craft Rocket Challenges #104 Use Dies 7/1 (Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Rectangles S4-317, Impression Obsession Grass DIE038-J multiple times)
6. 
   
   Creative Creases #59 Anything Goes with a Fun Fold 6/22
7. Dragonfly Dreams Challenges (June 4 "June") Fancy Folds Challenge 7/1 (both cards are double Z fold cards)
8. Ally's Angels #71 Anything Goes 7/10
9. Bastel-Traum Challenges #124 Flowers-Plants 7/15
10. Craft Rocket Challenges #104 Use Dies (Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Rectangles S4-317 - one of my first ever SB dies! - Impression Obsession Grass DIE038-J)  6/29

hugs,

Orange Rose Fiesta Time at Beautiful Blossoms Challenges

Hello, blogging friends!

It's time for a new Challenge at Beautiful Blossoms.  A fun "mood-board-inspired" monthly challenge which features Flowers as the main focus.  

 The Mood Board is a starting point, and your artwork is where your imagination takes you! 

 I was inspired by: 

1. The letters in the word "fiesta" are separated by squares. The "square triad rose image" is "separated" by the same shape.
2. The gold glitter embossing tinsel is inspired by the pretty jewelry in the mood board.
3. And those brilliant colors, so these orange roses are shaded with pink tones, and boast green leaves.

I rummaged through my "needs to be colored" bin and found this Pink and Main rose awaiting its completion. It was heat set with gold glitter embossing tinsel, and is quite sparkly in person.

The sentiments are from a stamp set purchased nearly 25 years ago, by Anna Griffin. The die set is also by Anna Griffin. Her dies are deeply etched, easily cut, and always emboss well:

While coloring with Copic Markers, I carefully avoided the marker tip with the gold EP. You cannot see it well in the photos, but the orange is shaded with deep pink Copics. The "tall flower" was cut into thirds to mimmic the scrabble words in the mood board, but it also allowed me to introduce the bright green color as well. (apologies for the dark photo)

Looking forward to seeing your floral masterpiece at at Beautiful Blossoms Challenge!

Products: Stamps: Pink and Main Tall Flowers set, Anna Griffin "Sentimental Statements" stamp set, Inks: Cheerful Yellow and Green Oasis VersaFine Clair, Copic Markers, Gold Glitter Embossing Tinsel, Dies: Anna Griffin Gentleman's Study Concentric Slimline Die set, 2 old SU punches, old EKSuccess corner punch.

Playing in the following fine challenges please:

1. Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #5 AG (entry 1 of 3) 6/12
2. Classic Design Challenge #5 AG 6/1
3. A Perfect Time to Craft #5 AG (check 7/1)
4. Crafting Happiness Challenges # 142 Flowers 6/1

5. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2319 AG 5/22

Stamping Hugs,

Separated Roses {Beautiful Blossoms}

Happy Mid April to you! Have roses begun blooming for you yet? Ours bloom from late autumn through spring, when the air is less humid and the heat is not too harsh.

 It's time for a new Challenge at Beautiful Blossoms.  A fun "mood-board-inspired" monthly challenge which features Flowers as the main focus.  The Mood Board is a starting point, and your artwork is where your imagination takes you! You do not have to follow the theme of the Mood Board, but you do need to use it as inspiration. Details are on the blog. Hope to see you there!

My "mosaic rose" was inspired by:

1. the colors blue and  lilac-lavender, with a tad of green
2. the baskets (which are used to "separate things". In this case, it is my separated rose image. 
3. The antique plates and crock, remind me of "antiquities" or the vintage, botanical style of drawing in this image
4. the mosaic quality of the mood board is reminiscent of the "mosaic rose".

Stamped with Memento Sweet Plum ink, this 4.25" x 4.25" rose mosaic has been layered with various shades of lavender, lilac, blues and soft jade Copic Markers over a period of a few days, to give the alcohol inks time to blend more deeply into the very thick Neenah Card Stock. It's a little like a stained glass composition in that regard.

Isn't this the perfect sentiment for these roses? Here in Florida, unless you have one of the indigenous "seven sisters" rose bushes, roses are very difficult to grow. Kindness helps us all grow as individuals, both when we dish it out, and when we receive it. I'm fortunate to be friends with lots of Kindly People, many of them are reading this post right now. THANK YOU!

Recently, I've been making more "simple" easel cards because they are fun to receive, and fold flat for mailing. It's always been rewarding to play with "old stash". This Magenta Stamp was purchased long ago, with my Mother-in-Law at a sweet little store called Tamp-A-Stamp (you guessed it! In Tampa, Florida) back in 1999! It had never seen ink before!

I have fallen in love all over again with this Four Panel Rose!

Looking forward to seeing your floral masterpiece at at Beautiful Blossoms Challenge!

We are "Partnering" with Double Trouble Challenge (April 15-27)

Products: Stamps: Magenta 09156Q, The Cottage Stamper "Every Act 4687, Inks: Memento Sweet Plum & Distress Milled Lavender, Copic Markers, Martha Stewart Scalloped Scallops punch, Spellbinders Grand Scallop Squares.

I would like to play in the following challenges please:

1. Outlawz Twisted Thursday AG with theme COLOR IT (colored with Memento Sweet Plum & Distress Milled Lavender, Copic Markers 5/4 (1 of 5 allowed entries)
2. *NEW* Creative Inspiration Challenges #1 AG (1st of 2 entries) 4/30
3. Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #4 AG (entry 1 of 3) 5/12
4. NBUS #49 Magenta Mosaic Rose stamp never used since 1999. E10 comment on 3 entries
5. Triple B Challenge  (April 2) Blooms 4/30 (first of 3 possible entries) inspired by the blue background in the bottom left of the inspiration board.
6. The Paper Funday Challenge #52 AG with Flower Power 5/1 (first of 6 possible entries)
7. Friendship Challenge #86 "Let flowers do the talking" 4/30 (first of 2 possible entries)
8. My Time To Craft Challenge #505 Easter Flowers or Spring Flowers 4/20
9. Retro Rubber #204 Spring Scenes (This Magenta Stamp was purchased long ago, with my Mother-in-Law at a sweet little store called Tamp-A-Stamp (you guessed it! In Tampa, Florida) back in 1999! It had never seen ink before!) 4/22
10. Double Trouble Challenge #136 Celebrate a Special Lady 4/27 (1st of 4 possible entries)

Stamping Hugs,

March Beautiful Blossoms Challenge

It's so nice of you to drop by. I'm wishing you and yours all the best that Life can bring!

 

It's time for a new Challenge at Beautiful Blossoms. 

It is a fun "mood-board-inspired" monthly challenge which features Flowers as the main focus. 

The Mood Board is a starting point, and your artwork is where your imagination takes you! 

Details are on the blog. Hope to see you there! 

I was inspired by the tulips, pinks, and shades of green in this mood board.

Today's card is full of "oldies". Old stamps, mostly old inks, old techniques, even old paper! Maybe even "the Old" was inspired by the mood board with the retro pop coat in the bottom right. (smile)

Because this virginal stamp was inked with VersaFine Clair, an old, old technique was utilized to blend in the pink tones. Remember the Dove Blenders? That was used with Distress inkers. A Copic marker was lightly used to highlight the green tones. Easy and quick!

Looking forward to seeing how this month's mood board inspires you 

at the Beautiful Blossoms Challenge.

Products: Stamping Up! Burlap Stamp (2017) and Early Spring (2003) sets - both NBUS, Distress Inks in Spun Sugar, Forest Moss, Mowed Lawn, Kitsch Flamingo (all years old), Dove Blender, Green Oasis & Verdant VersaFine Clair, Lightly used YG01 Copic, Sue Wilson Ornate Pierced Rectangles

Challenges I'm Playing In:

1. Inspiration Station (March) Use mood board 3/31 (check 4/3)

 

   2. Colorful Options (March) colors of green 3/28

Stamping Hugs,

Inspiration Time at Beautiful Blossoms Challenge

Welcome, Blogging Friends! I'm so happy you are here! It was ALMOST more fun WRITING today's post, than it was to make the card - but I really laughed a lot through the makings of this project, and I hope you will laugh through the post.  YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY MY BLOG IS CALLED CREATIVE SMILES.

First things first: let me tell you about our new challenge blog:

 Last month we kicked off a Brand New Challenge called Beautiful Blossoms . 

It is a fun "mood-board-inspired" monthly challenge which features Flowers as the main focus. 

The Mood Board is a starting point, and your artwork is where your imagination takes you! You do not have to follow the theme of the Mood Board, but you do need to use it as inspiration.

Details are on the blog. Hope to see you there! 

I was inspired by the petals, pinks, and blue background in this mood board.

Have you ever had one of those projects where not one single thing works out as anticipated, yet STILL, you plug along, expecting the next step to cover up the problem, but then THE NEXT STEP becomes a problem, too? Until your whole project is one blunder after another?

Well, THAT is this card. NOTHING happened the way it was supposed to, AND that was after throwing away two-partially-colored and/or cut out items for this card! SIGH - and yet, I really did have fun making a  mess and playing with just about everything in my craft room. (What a mess to clean up afterward!)

I couldn't even take photos as I went along because it was one boo-boo after another, including:

1.  throwing away two backgrounds
2.  ruining the embossing powder, 
3.  refilling the Copic marker with the incorrect color reinker, 
4. restarting from scratch, 
5. NOT ruining the EP the 2nd time, 
6. NOT using Copics the 2nd time, 
7. dropping the markers repeatedly on the card front, 
8. warping my cardstock by spilling water on it (the SAME water I was using for cleaning my brush, so it WASN'T EVEN CLEAN WATER), 
9. dropping the card several times and TWICE rolling over the card front with my chair, 
10. having the super-duper adhesive stick my card front to the guillotine cutter because I had forgotten that I die cut a small hole in the back..
11. and WHY would I do that? Because I had run out of pink cardstock for the sentiment.
12. Picking a brad that would cover a mistake. Using a Copic on said brad to change the color, only to have my hand spasm and the color ended up on the sentiment. Went to look for a larger brad, and found one - it gaudies up my sentiment satisfactorily. LOL

DARE I GO ON? 

Speaking of boo-boo's:

OKAY, OKAY -- Those are a few of my boo-boo's. I figured, at this point, no matter what I tried to do, blunders were GOING to occur, so I pressed on... 

Jack came in and asked, "Is there anything I can do?" All I could do was laugh at that point, because he could see all the little piles in my room where I had each small boo-boo isolated to fix the mistakes. 

At the VERY END, I almost glued the completed topper onto the card UPSIDE DOWN.

BUT I PERSEVERED AND WON!

sorta...

               kinda...

After ALL THAT, 

wanna see what I made?  (giggle)

Products used: Beccy's Place Cherry Blossoms clear stamp set, Sue Wilson Lattice Arched Adornment die, Tutti-680 Stitched Rectangles, Spellbinders Decorative Labels Eight, assorted distress inks, Zig markers, Tombow markers, pink EP.

Challenges I would like to play in please:

1. Ally's Angels #67 AG 3/9 (1 of 3)
2. Beccy's Challenges (February) Beccy, I hope I followed your directions - please forgive me if I misunderstood. 3/1
3. Creations in Pink #54 AG in Mainly Pink
4. Colorful Options (Feb 2) Celebrate Pink 2/28 (sep post)
5. A Perfect Time to Craft Open Challenge #2 AG 3/1 (winners on 3-28)
6. Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #2 AG 3/12 (1 of 3)
7. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2306 AG 2/20
8. The Paper Funday Challenge #50 AG with lots of layers 3/1

Thanks for popping by today!

There's a Brand New Challenge in Town! Beautiful Blossoms

Hello, my friends!

How exciting! A Brand New Challenge to begin the New Year!

HERE'S THE LOW-DOWN:

Beautiful Blossoms is a fun "mood-board-inspired" monthly challenge which features Flowers as the main focus. The Mood Board is a starting point. 

You do not have to follow the theme of the Mood Board, but you do need to use it as inspiration.

You may enter up to 8 projects in our challenge. Projects are truly anything goes as long as florals are the main emphasis, including paper crafting, home decor, apparel, etc.

Details are on the blog. Hope to see you there! 

I was inspired by the warmth of earthy brown tones, and the icy-clear blueness of promises to come.

On today's card are several NBUS items - the Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Flowers stamp, the Anna Griffin Die Set, and the "You're Delightful!" sentiment from My Sentiments Exactly.

Stamped with Acorn VersaFine Clair and heat set with clear detail embossing powder, these "beautiful blossoms" were colored with Copic Markers. There are very few pieces to this pretty card, including a dry embossed, slightly distressed die cut:

Because I wanted to use a paper clip embellishment on the sentiment, a little something was needed to help with dimension to keep the tag all one "level":

The image is quite pretty in person because of the heat embossing:

The finished card uses Craftwell's Modern Stripe embossing folder.

Looking forward to seeing your Beautiful Blossoms projects each month in the challenge! 

Products: Simon Says Stamp "Beautiful Flowers 2", "You're Delightful!" sentiment from My Sentiments Exactly, VersaFine Clair Acorn & Pinecone inks,  Walnut Distress Ink, Clear Detail Embossing Powder, Copic Markers, Anna Griffin Ornate Slimline Concentric Die Set AG-1248H-AS, Taylored Exp Banner Stacklets 1, Craftwell Modern Stripe embossing folder

Supporting these fine challenges:

1. World Wide Open Design Team Challenge #1 AG DT 2/15
2. As You Like It (Jan 12) Favorite Reason to Send a Card (I enjoy sending "thinking of you" type cards because they can be used for sympathy, cheering up, get well, thank you, a reminder someone is thought of, and just because) 2-25
3. A Perfect Time to Craft Open Challenge #1 AG 2/1
4. C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #663 Something New (1st entry) (the Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Flowers stamp, the Anna Griffin Die Set, and the "You're Delightful!" sentiment from My Sentiments Exactly - all new to me) 1/18 (check weekly and monthly)
5. The Outlawz Challenges Twisted Thursday (Jan 12) theme: It's New To Me (the Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Flowers stamp, the Anna Griffin Die Set, and the "You're Delightful!" sentiment from My Sentiments Exactly - all new to me) Feb 1.
6. Classic Design Challenge #1 AG 2/1
7. Sweet Stampin (Jan 7) theme "New" 1/20 (listed week after sep post) (the Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Flowers stamp, the Anna Griffin Die Set, and the "You're Delightful!" sentiment from My Sentiments Exactly - all new to me or NBUS)
8. Allsorts Challenge #711 AG with Winter Blues 1-20 THANK YOU, BRENDA!

Stamping Hugs,