April 4 (2010) - Happy Blogaversary to me!

 Happy Blogaversary to me! (giggle) It really is a wonderful celebration because that is how I met most of you - my precious on-line friends. I cannot thank you enough for your kindnesses, card exchanges, sweet comments, and constant inspiration and support.

Most of you already have everything you could possibly want, but for this special event, I'd like to extend a few freebies to you. Please do not sell them - I'll gladly donate to any challenge blog or person who would like them. Just email me at ELLISDONNA70@GMAIL.COM and let me know which set(s) you would like.

The sets I'm offering as free gifts are:

Vintage Country Home (sample card made here) or scroll down on this page to see what others have made.

scroll down on this page to see what others have made.

Again, many thanks for enhancing my life with your on-line friendships! Because I am homebound, I treasure each one of you more than you can know!

Stamping Hugs,

Sweet Spring Tulips - Jan's Digi Stamps

Hello, friends! I hope this finds you well, and enjoying some Spring Season crafting time.

Today's card is for April's Kickoff at the Anything Goes Challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps!  If you use a JDS image in your card, please mention it. There is a 2nd draw specifically for those who use one of Jan's fun images.

Jan's newest sets are 25% off, and this month's sale, includes 9 sets for Mother’s Day, also 25% off.

To create my card, one set was used:

*NEW* Spring Flowers & Coffee 4085
9 images on sale for $3.00

I had fun using Copic Markers on this versatile, sweet Spring Flowers & Coffee set. 

Wilted Violet & Shaded Lilac Oxides were employed in the background, while Pumice Stone Distress ink was used in the bottom area.

Using Distress ink allows for shading a bit more atop the ink with warm gray Copics to create a shadow effect.

Gotta love the combination Purple & Yellow!

The beauty of digital stamps is they can be "re-worked" to suit our purposes. 

In this case I cropped one of the sentiments to fit my needs. 

Instead of:

 "Daughters are like flowers, they fill the world with beauty", 

my card says:

 "fill the world with beauty".

M

Looking forward to seeing your creation in the Anything Goes Challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps!

Products: Jan's Digi Images:  Spring Flowers & Coffee 4085, Anna Griffin Slim Concentric die set AG-1249-AS, Copic Markers, Pumice Stone DI, Wilted Violet & Shaded Lilac Oxides, White Gel pen for the heart bauble.

This was taken on March 14. Even after the "dregs" of milkweed leaves at the end of winter, the caterpillars have hatched, are merrily munching, and growing quickly. There are butterflies all over because of the crazy weather patterns. We have potted milkweed in our gardens, just for the butterflies to lay their eggs on!

May I please play in the following challenges?

1. CD Sunday Plus Challenge #107 AG (1 of 3) (sentiment was copy-and-pasted digitally, cut apart digitally, and then printed out to accommodate my card. The "table top" was drawn on the word processor and hand colored with the image after printing) 4/16
2. Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #4 AG (entry 2) 5/12
3. A Perfect Time to Craft Open Challenge #4 AG 5/1
4. Classic Design Challenge #4 AG 5/1
5. The Corrosive Challenge #4 Anything Goes 5/6
6. SheepSki Designs Challenges #73 Die Cuts and/or Punches 5/1
7. My Time To Craft Challenge #505 Easter Flowers or Spring Flowers 4/20
8. Inspiration Station #48 Field of Tulips in the boldest of colors, like the yellow tulips in my card. 5/1
   
   
   

Stamping Hugs,

Sunny Dogwood Blooms - Jan's Digi Stamps

 Hello, friends! I hope this finds you safe and well.

Today's card is for March's mid-month reminder at the Anything Goes Challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps!  If you use a JDS image in your card, please mention it. There is a 2nd draw specifically for those who use one of Jan's fun images.

Jan's newest sets are 25% off, and this month's Spring Flowers Sale, including 24 sets, is also 25% off.

To create my card, two sets were used (just click on them to enlarge):

*NEW* Dogwood Blooms 11 images Sale $3.75

Showers of Tulips 923 - 16 images Sale $3.75

First, I opened my Word Processor App and added the image. Adding a 2nd of the same image, I tilted the 2nd one so it was growing "upward, and covered up parts of the first image. The 2nd image was also flipped horizontally so the leaves were not facing the same direction. Lastly, I cropped a portion of the image and saved it separately in my set folder for future use. It was used to add dimension to the front-most blossom. Probably, the card would have looked better if most of the blooms had been popped up.

The scene is subsequently die cut, leaving the die in place, and smearing Oxide inks, beginning with the lightest color and progressing to the darker, before removing the die/stencil. Copic markers worked their color magic, and a little touch of sparkle is added upon completion.

The "lone" dogwood bloom was colored, fussy cut, and dimensional "dots" under each petal, but with "flat" glue in the flower center. This way, going through the postal machines, the flower should remain dimensional, with the center inset further than the petals.

Looking forward to seeing your project in the Anything Goes Challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps!

Products: Jan's Digi Images: Dogwood Blooms 4080, Showers of Tulips 923 (Happiness Sentiment), Spellbinders 5x7 Detailed Scallops die, Oxides in Twisted Citron & Mowed Lawn, Copic Markers, Yellow Glitter

I'd like to play in the following fine challenges please:

1. Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #3 AG Colored 4/12 (1 of 3)
2. A Perfect Time to Craft Open Challenge #3 AG 4/1 (UE)
3. The Outlawz Challenges Twisted Thursday (March 2-April 5) Use at least 2 items from your stash that are over a year old.  Then tell us, in your post, what items you used and the approximate ages of the items!  Love this Challenge! (1) Spellbinders 5x7 Detailed Scallops die has got to be at least 7-8 years old (?), (2) Yellow Glitter from a convention at least 10 years ago, Set 923 is 5 years old,  Copic Markers 4-6 years old, (4/5) (sep post)
4. Classic Design Challenge #3 AG 4/1 (UE)
5. Ally's Angels #68 AG 4/10 (1 of 3)
6. CD Sunday PLUS #106 AG Downloaded 4/2 (1 of 3) (in this case, I arranged two of the flower branches to overlap, and printed an extra flower for layering purposes. The sentiment was added from another set. 
7. Daisy Chain Challenges #72 Flowers 4/2
8. ** NEW** Triple B Challenges #1 - AG Mood Board flowers, birds or butterflies! A wonderful new challenge! (ends 3-31)

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,