Running With Scissors...

Reminder–I’ve Moved

 

Hello!  Just a courtesy reminder that I’ve moved my stamping to Blogger.  You can find me at the new Running With Scissors… here.  Thanks so much!

 

Shades of Purple

 

Here we go with another Double D Challenge, friends.  Darlene’s favorite color is purple, so it stands to reason she was going to present us with a purple challenge at some point.  Well, today’s the day – Shades of Purple.  And when Darlene says “purple”, I do purple.

 

 

I’ve used my brand new Dynamic Duos: Foxglove and Ranunculus clear stamp set from Power Poppy and colored with Prismacolor pencils on 140 lb hot press watercolor paper.  It came out looking watercolored.  Interesting.  I’m experimenting with different papers for Prismacolor pencils.  This may not be “the one”, but it worked pretty well.  The image was stamped in Memento London Fog which minimizes the outline, but it doesn’t completely disappear.  Makes coloring so much easier when you can still see the lines.

 

This old BasicGrey Wisteria designer paper is one of the few pads I have with purples, so out it came, and the Pale Plum card base was texturized with a Darice Basket Weave embossing folder.  There are more details in the card recipe at the end.

 

Now for the inspiration board and the prize for our Shades of Purple challenge:

 

 

 

Head on over to the Double D Challenge to see the team’s pretty purple samples, and then show us your own shades of purple.  Enjoy, and have a fabulous day!

 

Stamps:  Power Poppy Dynamic Duos: Foxglove and Ranunculus  Paper:  140 lb hot press watercolor, SU! Pale Plum, BasicGrey Wisteria designer paper  Ink:  Memento London Fog (image), Memento Tuxedo Black (sentiment)  Coloring:  Prismacolor Pencils – Black Cherry, Indigo, Sunburst Yellow, Olive, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Ochre  Accessories:  Stickles Stardust glitter, Memory Box Cross Stitched Frame Borders, Memory Box Stitched Scalloped Circles

Rose Bouquet

 

Hello, again!  I’m back to coloring today and this time it’s all done with dies.  I buy these large dies and then I hardly get around to using them because I’m always wanting to color something, so today I watercolored the die cut.  This Rose Bouquet die is new to me, from a 75% off all Die-namites sale at Dies R Us recently.  How could I not take advantage of that?  Amazing how many dies you can pick up for a very small cost at such a discount.

 

 

I put a soft watercolor blend on the background and added glitter to the rosebuds.  The sentiment is from the Power Poppy Short Stacks clear stamp set.  It’s a perfect fit in the ribbon banner!

 

 

I’ll keep this short today and put the details in the recipe below.  I’ll return on Wednesday with a new Double D challenge.  Hope to see you then!

 

Stamps:  Power Poppy Short Stacks sentiment  Paper:  140 lb hot press watercolor, tan Hero Arts pre-cut card base, Neenah 110 lb white layered under die cut to add dimension  Ink:  Palette Noir (sentiment), Tombow markers for watercoloring die cut, SU! Pool Party and So Saffron for soft watercolor background  Accessories:  Stickles Stardust glitter, pearl, Die-namites Rose Bouquet, Spellbinders A2 Devine Eleoquence, Labels Twenty Eight, Ribbon Banners, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Watercolored Orange Geraniums

 

Well, we made it to Friday!  I still look forward to the weekends even though I’m retired now (pinch me, I’m dreaming).  It’s a mindset 30 years in the making.  I’ll be staying home, most likely, and I hope you’ll be doing something that makes you feel happy and relaxed.  Somehow watercoloring has always been relaxing for me.  I’d hoped to make today’s card more painterly, but I’d stamped the image in such a light ink that it required me to work some of the details back into it.  A little more time invested than I’d planned, but there was no need to hurry, anyway.  I’ve used Power Poppy’s Geraniums Take Two with a verse from the Olive & Oak Expanded set.  This card fulfills a special request for this particular verse.

 

 

My geraniums were stamped with Ranger Distress Tea Dye ink and colored with Ranger Distress Persimmon.  Details were added in with SU! Poppy Parade.  Leaves are Adirondack Pesto.  I used Pesto for the leaf details, as well.  A little shadowing and color was added around the image with SU! Perfect Plum and So Saffron.

 

The verse was stamped in Versafine Onyx Black, nice and crisp on the watercolor paper.  I always use my old faithful Stamp-a-Ma-Jig stamp positioner for placement of sentiments.  After the first stamping I keep the positioner in place, and if a second stamping is necessary I can simply ink up and stamp again directly over the first.

 

Now, about those orange geraniums… I’d never seen orange geraniums before, honestly.  Have you?  Maybe they’re nothing new, but they stopped me in my tracks when I was out flower shopping this year.  I brought home two of them and put them together in a large pot, hoping they’ll come back bigger and even more beautiful next year.

 

 

I’m still coloring a little everyday per the 30 Day Coloring Challenge.  I started some orange tulips at the same time, but then got a wild notion to clean and tidy my stamp room.  About four hours worth of cleaning and tidying, but it’s so pleasant in there now.  I might even finish those orange tulips.  Have a good day!

 

Stamps:  Geraniums Take Two, Olive & Oak Expanded (sentiment), retired SU Itty Bitty Backgrounds (speckles)  Paper:  Arches 140 lb hot press watercolor paper, Mellow Moss, Bazzill ivory  Ink:  Ranger Distress Tea Dye and Persimmon, Adirondack Pesto, SU Poppy Parade, Perfect Plum, and So Saffron, Versafine Onyx Black  Accessories:  None

Peony Wreath

 

Happy Friday, all!  The other day when the wind was blowing raucously through the tree tops I hunkered down in my stamp room long enough to make a card.  I used my Peony Love digital stamp from Power Poppy.  What a beauty!  I’ve been meaning to get this one colored up for a long time.  Since I needed a thank you card I chose a sentiment from the Potted Primroses clear set.

 

 

After coloring with Copics I cut out the center with a craft knife.  Layered that onto the green which I’d cut a hole in with a circle die.  The pretty butterfly fluttering in the center is a Little B sticker.  I used ribbon, too!  It’s adhered flat with 1/2”  Scor Tape and the ends frayed slightly.  I sanded the green cardstock and added a die cut fence, also sanded just a bit.  I didn’t photograph the Copics, but I’ll list them:

• Light pink flowers:  RV00, RV02, RV04
• Dark pink flowers:  RV10, RV63, RV55, RV66
• Flower centers:  Y11, Y15, Y17
• Leaves:  G43, G46, G28
• Smudgy outer shading:  E55, E53, E51

 

 

Gosh, that was fun, and now I can’t wait to do more.  I’ll keep my fingers crossed.  Have a happy day!

 

Stamps:  Peony Love (wreath), Potted Primroses (sentiment)  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card, CTMH New England Ivy and Desert Sand, white card base, Snap Wood & Notebook Basics designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Memento Tuxedo Black (sentiment), Copics as listed above  Accessories:  Offray ribbon, Little B butterfly sticker, Impression Obsession Beach Fence, Spellbinders Standard Circles Large (to cut hole in green panel under wreath), Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Flowers Always

 

Hello, again!  I’m popping in today with a card that looks nothing like my original concept for this image, but I do love how it worked out.  You see, I’ve had this Power Poppy Flowers Always digi printed and awaiting color for a while and even had the papers all picked out for it.  Then along came the Dies R Us Butterflies Challenge and I remembered I’d cut this butterfly border and hadn’t used it yet and… well…  put the two together, wrap some ribbon and tie a bow…  Of course, I did some Copic coloring first.  Kept it as summertime simple as possible.  The butterfly border is Die-namites Butterfly Applique.

 

 

I punched a 1/4” hole and seated the ribbon knot into it, held in place with Aleene’s Tacky Glue.  This works great for a popped up image panel.  You can hardly feel the ribbon through the envelope.  In the side view below you can see how the bow sits with very little dimension.  You can also catch a glimpse of the inside where I stamped a little floral image from the Folk Heart set.

 

 

This card measures 4 1/2” x 6”.  I should mention that whenever I pop up an entire panel like this I back up the popped panel with an extra layer of cardstock and trim it flush with the edges.  It gives the panel more substance so it sits nicely on the foam mounting tape.

 

Again… linking up to the Dies R Us Butterflies Challenge.  I’ll see you again soon!

 

Stamps:  Power Poppy Flowers Always digi set and Folk Heart clear stamp set  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card for image,  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White inside, Hero Arts pre-cut card (has matching envelope)  Ink:  Printer, Bashful Blue (inside), Copics for coloring  Accessories:  Taffeta ribbon, Die-namites Butterfly Applique die, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Strawberries ‘n Stuff

 

My days have been so full of summertime activities I don’t know how I find time to stamp at all, yet here I am again with more.  This time it’s Power Poppy’s Juicy Strawberries digi.  I sure did figure I’d be using gingham with this image, but I had this strawberry paper. . .

 

 

So I made a frame and added a little something in the corner.

 

 

I’m not quite crazy about the arrangement of the corner elements, but I wanted them all on there and after fussing over it too long I decided to just let it go.  I used the following Copics for coloring:

 

 

Speaking of those summertime activities, here I am looking like a farm girl, but it coordinates somewhat with the strawberries, don’t you think?  Maybe not as cute.  Actually, we were having a doggie/picnic day at the river and it’s not a place for make up and fashion statements.  That’s LuLu with me, by the way, and she always looks cute as far as I’m concerned.

 

 

Might as well include this garden color spot with some perennials coming along in pots.  I’ve run out of space in the garden beds, but for the time being I’m still able to tuck a pot in here and there.

 

 

Okay. . . back to the card.  I love the sentiments that come with the Juicy Strawberries digi set so I used the second one inside:

 

 

Since I made this card with a purpose and, in fact, it’s already on its way to a friend, I’m going to link again to Power Poppy’s Happy Mail Challenge.

 

That’s it for today.  Squooshy hugs from me to you!

 

Stamps:  Power Poppy Juicy Strawberries digi set  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card (for colored image), Neenah Classic Crest Solar White (punched flowers, tag, inside), dark green Bazzill textured, SU! Garden Green, Crate Paper Pretty Party designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics as pictured above  Accessories:  Stickles Stardust Glitter, flower punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape  Dies:  Memory Box Oval Master Frame, Poppystamps Stitched Mainstreet Tags, Impression Obsession Large Bow, Paper Smooches Foliage 1, Impression Obsession Leaf Cluster, Memory Box Groundskeeper Tools

One for the Boys

 

We’re sure seeing a lot of masculine cards all over Blogland recently, aren’t we?  Well, that’s what happens when we get close to Father’s Day.  We’re focusing on masculine cards for our Double D Challenge today, too – One for the Boys!  Now, it doesn’t have to be a Father’s Day card.  The card I made is for a birthday.

 

I used Power Poppy’s Move the Soul clear stamp set.  I don’t know much about motorcycles other than how I enjoyed clinging to my boyfriend on the back of his bike in the old days – pre-Rich, of course – but I’ll tell you truly I did enjoy making this card a lot more than I thought I would.  No designer paper, no dies.  Just stamps that come with the set.  I love when a set includes little extras you can use in the design.  I used six stamps on this card.

 

 

There’s some embossing across the top and a whole lot of ink smudging.  I was thinking “dirt bike” and hoping I’m not way off base with this particular type of bike.  Coloring was done with Copics.  See the inspiration board below.  I have Power Poppy sets that work for each of those tiles, but I know just who this card is going to, and the bike is perfect.

 

 

There’s a prize for a random winner, too.  Yay!  We like prizes!

 

 

I hope you can join us at Double D for our One for the Boys challenge.  Be sure to pop over to the blog for some fabulous design team inspiration.  I’m sharing this in two other challenges today, too:

• Cards In Envy – No Girls Allowed.  A cards-only challenge.  Must be flat enough to fit in an envelope.
• Power Poppy Power & Spark – Happy Mail.  Make a card with the express purpose of mailing it, and then actually put it in the mail.

See you again soon!

 

Stamps:  Power Poppy Move the Soul  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card, Naturals Ivory, Chocolate Chip  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Adirondack Sandal, Ranger Distress Vintage Photo, Real Red, Versafine Onyx Black (sentiment), Copics for coloring  Accessories:  Sizzix Diamond Plate embossing folder

A Patriotic Rose for Double D Challenge

 

Hello, friends!  How about another Double D Challenge?  For the next two weeks our theme is Patriotic/Support Our Troops.  In the US we have Memorial Day coming up the end of May, and Independence Day in July, but this challenge does not have to be limited to US citizens.  Work the theme to suit yourself.  This challenge was a bit of a stumper for me as I don’t have any patriotic stamps.  Not that I’m not patriotic… it’s just that I don’t have the stamps.  However, I remembered I do have some digital Independence Day sentiments which were a limited time freebie from Power Poppy (last year?).  So I did this:

 

 

I used one of the patriotic sentiments along with Power Poppy’s digital La Vie En Rose.  All those tiny stars and the fireworks-like bursts can be found in the Small But Mighty Affirmations clear stamp set.  You’ll see the inspiration below, as well as the prize being offered for this challenge:

 

 

                        

 

After I printed the rose image with sentiment on X-Press It Blending Card I stamped the stars on three petals and commenced to coloring with Copics.  When the coloring was finished I stamped the label with the stars and bursts.  The scalloped edge was done with a punch and a Signo Uni-Ball white gel pen.  Finally, I stitched around and added die cut stars to the edge.  For the best ever, clear and concise, easy to follow, utterly fabulous tutorial on how to manipulate digital stamps in both Photoshop Elements and Word, please see what Julie prepared for you here.

 

 

Pictured below are the Copics I used for coloring:

 

 

Thank you all for joining me today and I hope to see you over on the Double D Challenge Blog with your patriotic/support our troops card.  The team has come up with some super great samples which will surely help charge up your creative energy.  Have a good day!

 

Stamps:  Power Poppy La Vie En Rose digi, Small But Mighty Affirmations clear stamp set  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card, SU Real Red and Brilliant Blue  Ink:  Printer, Real Red, Brilliant Blue, Copics as pictured above, Signo Uni-Ball white gel pen  Accessories:  Martha Stewart edge punch, Die-namics Star Stax dies

Chock Full of Chocolate

 

I challenged myself to reach into my cupboard and pull out the first designer paper pad my hand came into contact with, and that would be the start of my next card.  Now, I was a little disappointed when I didn’t pull out something prettier, but, hey, it was a challenge.  Well, then I remembered I hadn’t yet colored my Layer Cake digi from Power Poppy.  Perfect!

 

 

The designer paper is BasicGrey Life of the Party, and these particular pieces inspired me to make my cake decadently chocolate – my favorite.  Lemon cake with lemon frosting runs a close second.  I think this card could be used for a masculine birthday, but really could go either way.  I printed on Neenah Classic Crest Solar White and colored with Copic markers.  Cut the layers with Memory Box Cross Stitched Frame Borders and added a banner and some enamel dots.  Pictured below are the Copics I used for coloring:

 

 

Linking up to Seize the Birthday today with the optional topping of “coloring”.

 

 

Wishing you a wonderful day and I’ll see you again soon!

 

Stamps:  Power Poppy Layer Cake digi  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Espresso Bazzill, BasicGrey Life of the Party designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Copics as pictured above  Accessories:  Enamel Dots, Memory Box Cross Stitched Frame Borders and Banner Parade