Seeds of Friendship

Hello and Happy Tuesday!  Today I'm sharing a card created using the Paint-A-Flower Monthly Stamp Set from Altenew.  This is the May 2021 set and it features a bouquet of lovely Chamomile Flowers.  This set includes 2 floral images and 5 sentiments/word stamps; the sentiment used today is from a Scrapbooking Queen set that I've had for ages.  I don't believe the Scrapbooking Queen sells supplies any longer.

I've colored the image with Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers, then fussy cut and mounted on foam pads for dimension.  I've ink blended the area directly behind the focal image with the newest Distress Oxide color - Salvaged Patina, splattered diluted Dina Wakley Black Gloss Spray and stamped the sentiment using Versafine Onyx Black Ink.  I adore this set and can't wait to create using the other floral image in the set.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Please stop by our challenge at the Inspiration Station!  It's an inspirational challenge and your interpretation of the photo is your own!  Visit and Enter :)

**Challenges Entered:

Passion for Markers

Lemon Shortbread

Altenew May Challenge

Try It On Tuesday

Crafting Happiness

Sognando Scrap

Let's Craft and Create

Dare 2 B Artsy

We Love Chocolate Baroque

Stamping Sensations

Big Hugs

Hello!  Today's make and share was inspired by a Gina K. Designs You Tube Video.  I love watching card making videos; I get lots of inspiration in addition to learning some new techniques and being reminded of old techniques as well.  

This card features an embossed and inked background panel made to look like a window with several panes.  The look was achieved by laying down washi tape, inking over it and adhering a large Sentiment Die cut to the center.

I used Wilted Violet, Squeezed Lemonade and Lucky Clover Distress Oxide Inks to color the panel and for a final touch, applied Wink of Stella over the Die Cut Sentiment.  Fairly quick and simple card, the hardest part was waiting for the ink to dry!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Arty Divas

Crafty Sentiments

Digi Choosday

Lemon Shortbread

TTCRD

Artsy Stamper

Word Art Wednesday

Everyday Is An Adventure

Hello and Happy Monday!  I'm back with another make and share for today; an A2 sized card that features a big sentiment and is basically a Clean and Simple Design.  CAS isn't my typical style as I like to use lots of Designer Series Paper, layers and color up digi stamps however I'm trying to broaden my styles to embrace all sorts.

I started by inking just the center section of a card panel by taking a scrap piece of card and tearing it on 2 sides to get rugged edges.  I inked the middle portion of the card with a combination of Distress Oxide Inks in the colors Speckled Egg and Bundled Sage.  

After the ink blend dried, I chose some botanical stamps from my stash and a sentiment stamp from Kelly Creates; leaving the images colorless except for the middle of the flower, which I glued Peacock Glitter from Recollections using a Quickie Glue Pen (my "go to" for adhering loose glitter in small areas).  For the final touch, added flat back pearls and mounted on on a light blue mat.  

I enjoyed making this simple design and look forward to creating another.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Crafting Happiness

Artsy Stamper

Make My Monday Challenge

Path of Positivity

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

Pixie's Crafty Workshop

613 Avenue Create

Corrosive Challenge

Crafter's Castle

Cardz TV #120

Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge Blog - Design Team Project

Hello Everyone and Happy Wednesday!  Today I'm sharing my Design Team Challenge project for the Penny's Paper Crafty Challenges.  The sponsors for this challenge are Delicious Doodles and A Day for Daisies.

I used the Dolphins image from Delicious Doodles.  I love dolphins, they are so smart, graceful and beautiful to watch.  I inked the background with Distress Oxide Ink in the colors Salty Ocean and Broken China.   The card measures a standard A2 size (4.25" x 5.5");  I used rectangle die cuts to create a frame for the focal image and colored the image lightly with Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers.  For a finishing touch, I added some Crystal Nuvo Drops around the images to represent water drops, I like how this project turned out.

I hope you'll stop by the Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge Blog and enter your designs for a chance to win from these awesome and generous sponsors.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Card entered in the following challenges:  Retarte #125, Crafting By Designs, Lemon Shortbread #72, Through the Craft Room Door #17, Digi Choosday

Christmas in July - Gnome Style

Hello Everyone!  It's been so hot here in Florida this summer....I know...it's Florida but it's been unusually hot and rainy which raises the humidity to unbearable levels.  What better way to stay cool is to head to the craft room and create for Christmas.

I usually create, on average, 35 Christmas cards every year and this year I anticipate needing 50 cards (I participate in card swaps also) so this is my first official Christmas Card of the 2018 Holiday Season:

This card was Pinterest Inspired; a Round Stepper Card.  There are several examples and tutorials on how to create your round stepper and it's very easy.

The base was inked with Distress Oxide Inks, the die cut scalloped mats were cut from colored cardstock I had in my stash and the Gnomes were colored with Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers.  They are just so cute and I'm very pleased with the card.

Please stay tuned for more Christmas cards and creations throughout the coming months leading up to the holidays.  I have to remember Thanksgiving and Halloween also!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

** Card entered into the following challenges:  A Snowflakes Promise #53, Crafty Sentiments, Digi Choosday #29, Die Cuttin Divas #378, Through the Craft Room Door, Cardz TV #55, Papercraft Challenges #16, Lemon Shortbread Challenge #72, The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #32, Creates and Makes #22, Sweet Stampers Challenge

Summer Celebration

Hello Everyone and Happy Tuesday!  Today I'm sharing another patriotic card in homor of the 4th of July.

Nothing says summer and celebrations like watermelon, 4th of July and this sweet little girl enjoying her summer day.

The image is from Little Miss Muffet Stamps; she is a Polka Dot Pal named Quoba.  The card base is a standard A2 measuring 4.25" x 5.5".  I have used Neenah White 110 lb. cardstock, die cuts, Distress Oxide Ink, Spectrum Noir Markers, Baker's Twin and a resin flower to accent and put this card together.

I hope you like my little girl and were inspired.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

** Card Entered in the following challenges: Papercraft Challenges #15, Retarte #124 Anything Goes,

No Patterned Paper

Hi Crafty Friends.  I wanted to try my hand at creating some A2 sized cards with only plain card, ink, vellum and minimal embellishments.  CAS (clean and simple) is really not my style but I'm trying to expand my thinking and try new ideas.

I needed Birthday Cards for my stash so I went to work by embossing the card and coloring with Distress Oxide Inks.  

I hand stamped and heat embossed the sentiments on vellum.  I added some glitter spray, sequins and acrylic drops.  

The embossed designs really pop with the colors.  I'm a huge fan of the Distress Oxide Inks and wouldn't be without them in my crafting stash.

I hope you like my cards and were inspired to create some cards with no patterned papers.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Card Entered in the following challenges:  CardzTV Challenge #53, Polka Doodle WK 25, QKR Stampede Challenge #301, Penny's Paper Crafty Challenges #386, Crafting with Friends Challenge #70

Pool Weather

Hello Everyone!  Hope you're having a great Friday!

Today I'm sharing another sweet image I colored with my new Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers.  I feel like a kid again, coloring and enjoying every moment of it.

This image is from Little Miss Muffet Stamps and I thought so appropriate for summer.  It's been in the high 90's here in Florida this past week so swimming has definitely been in order.

I colored her with the following Spectrum Noir colors:  

Skin:  TN2, FS2, FS3

Sandals and Suit:  DR3, DR5, IG4

Flower:  PP3, PP5, PL1, GB5

Float:  LV1, LV2, CT2, CT4

Hair:  EB2, EB5, GB8

The card measures 5" x 5" and the embossed mat was colored with Distress Oxide Ink in the color Wilted Violet.  I also used a border die for the lace sides and a Fiskars corner punch for the circle details on the focal image.  

I'm pleased with how she turned out although I feel I need more practice on the hair.  I'll be coloring all weekend and hopefully my technique for coloring hair will improve.  

Thanks for visiting and until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Card entered in the following challenges:  Craft Catz, Polka Doodle, QKR Stampede, CardzTV, Colour Crazy Challenge, Crafting with Friends, Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge Blog, TGIF Challenges #TGIFC165

Create Your Own Backgrounds

Hello Everyone.  I hope you are well and happy!

Today I would like to share some cards I created using the Tim Holtz Distress Inks and water to create some gorgeous backgrounds for cards.  The cards are A2 size (4.25" x 5.5").

This 1st card was created using an unbranded Star die I purchased from AliExpress and Distress Inks in the following colors:  Candied Apple, Abandon Coral and Barn door.  I used an Embossing Folder with a Star pattern and my Cuttlebug to dry emboss the top mat which measures 4" x 5.25".

I placed the 3 inks on my craft mat at spritzed each with some water.  I then placed the white card on top of one color to pick up some color, rotated the card and placed on another and so on.  I dried with my heat tool and repeated the process until I was happy with the result.

I used the "left over" piece of star from the die cutting process to pop up on foam and placed in the middle of the cut out for some dimension.  I heat embossed the sentiment on Vellum, for the finishing touch and sparkle I added clear sequins here and there.

The 2nd card was a bit simpler in design using an unbranded dies from AliExpress and Distress Inks in the following colors:  Seedless Preserves, Peacock Feathers and Aged Mahogany.   I heat embossed over the word Lovely with Ranger Black Embossing Powder for some shine and thickness.  For the finishing touch, I used Tonic Nuvo Drops in Crystal for some interest.  

If I may say so myself, this is my favorite of the group!  This time I used the Distress Inks in the colors Salty Ocean, Peacock Feathers and Chipped Sapphire to create this awesome background.  I ran the card mat through the Cuttlebug using an Embossing folder with a Burst pattern.  I die cut the middle and the dimensional piece with 2 unbranded dies from AliExpress.  The Dream wording is also an unbranded die that I heat embossed with Ranger Black Embossing Powder.  I again used Nuvo Drops in Crystal to add some interest. 

Last but not least, I wanted to see how the colors would look against a Kraft colored card.  The Distress Colors I used here were:  Mowed Lawn, Tea Dye and Spiced Marmalade.  I cut 1/2 inch strips and die cut a circle for the focal point.  The front of the card was embossed using an embossing folder with dandelion images.

The flower die cut was colored using Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Inks in the colors Spiced Marmalade and Peeled Paint.  The sentiment was heat embossed with Ranger Black Embossing Powder.  I finished the card by placing Nuvo Drops in Bronze around the card.

I hope you enjoyed today's blog post and until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

** I support the following challenges:  CardzTV Anything Goes Challenge #48, CardzTV Anyting Goes Challenge #49