Beautiful Blossoms Challenge #21 - Sep/Oct 2024

Hello Crafty Friends and Happy Sunday to you. Today begins a new challenge month at The Beautiful Blossoms Challenge Blog.  Our optional mood board contains gorgeous seasonal colors, which inspired my card today.

For my card, I've used the "Like a Sunflower" Stamp Set from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  I stamped onto Tim Holtz watercolor paper and water colored using my Gansai Tambi paints.

After the paint was dry, I masked off the edges of the panel using Pixie Tape from iCraft and lightly inked around the inside of the masked area using Catherine Pooler inks.  This method was directly inspired by Jill Foster with Penny Black.

I've kept the design simple, the cardbase is Pecan Pie card from Stampin' Up, the green mat is Mossy Meadow, also from Stampin' Up.  Lastly, I've added clear droplets from Kat Scrappiness.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set as the image.

I hope you'll pop over to the challenge and share your Floral Focused projects with us.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Creative Crafters

Sparkles Monthly

613 Avenue Create

We Love Stamping

Crafty Catz

Outlawz Festive Friday

Simply Create Too

Double D

Word Art Wednesday

Penny's Challenges

I Spy with My Little Eye

Creative Inspiration

Beautiful Holiday Moments

Hello Crafty Friends and Happy Sunday!  Today's share features another set purchased during the Simon Says Stamp Stamptember 2022 Event.  This set is the collab with Memory Box and the set is Beautiful Moments.

This stamp set isn't necesarily a holiday set; there are no holiday sentiments included, however the florals are so versatile I created a holiday card using the colors I like at Christmas time, along with a Christmas sentiment.

The florals have been watercolored using Gansai Tambi watercolors and die cut with the coordinating dies.  The background panel along with the gold strip have been embossed with a very old Snowflake folder from Darice; I wish the background embossing showed better in the photo.

The sentiment is from an old Christmas Joy stamp set from Cardz TV and I've splattered the pieces with gold watercolor paint.  The focal and sentiment have been popped on craft foam and gold sequins added for that final bit of bling (it is Christmas afterall and the more Bling the better IMHO)

Thanks for visiting me today!  Until next time, Happy Crafting.

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

Stamping Sensations

We Love Stamping

Corrosive Challenge

A Very Vintage Christmas

Beyond the Blue

Let's Squash It

CYHTP

Happy Little Stampers Watercolor Challenge

QKR Stampede

Crafter's Cafe

Nature Silhouettes

Hello and thanks for stopping in.  Nothing is more appealing to me than silhouette images set against a colorful background.  The concept for this card came to me a few nights ago and I had to sit down and make it happen today.  Does that ever happen to you?  You get an idea in your head and can't wait until you can sit down and make something with that idea?

I loosely watercolored a small background panel of watercolor card using Picked Raspberry, Peacock Feathers and Cracked Pistachio Distress Inks.  I've had the nature foliage dies in my stash and bring them out when I want to add fillers to floral arrangements.  This time, my idea was to let the die cuts be a focal set of images.  I die cut them from 110 lb black card for stability.

Once dried, I splattered the background with white acrylic gloss spray and the silhouettes with gold watercolor paint.  The sentiment is from the Altenew Beautiful Quotes Stamp Set.  The foliage has been adhered flat to the panel, the panel and sentiment strip have been popped on craft foam for dimention and clear sequins added for added interest.

I love this color combination and will ink blend the same 3 colors next time for a different look.  Thanks for visiting and until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Allsorts

Krafty Chicks

SSS Wed Challenge

Word Art Wednesday

TTCRD

SSS Mon Challenge - What's Love Got To Do With It....because of the sentiment

Double Trouble

Use Your Stuff

Happy Little Stampers Watercolor Challenge

Creative Crafters

Crafting Happiness

Love to Craft

Bold Blooms Instagram Hop - Varada Sharma Designs

Hello Crafty Friends!  Today the team at Varada Sharma Designs is hosting an Instagram Hop and there are (3) $10 Gift Vouchers up for Grabs.  You can find the 1st Hop Stop HERE starting at 10 AM CST (11 AM EST).

We are celebrating the new Bold Blooms Release and for my team project, I've created a standard A2 sized card using the Forever Love Set; just one of the sets in this newest release.

To start, I printed the image on mixed media card as I wanted to watercolor and needed a paper that can handle the water.  Using Gansai Tambi Watercolors, I've loosely painted the image and matted with black card before adhering to the cardbase.

I've splattered black watercolor paint over the panel and added the sentiment strip; the sentiment is part of the new Morning Glory Set from this release and has been popped on craft foam for dimesnion.  Lastly, I've added blue gems to finish the design.

Please join us on Instagram for the Hop today.  There is more inspiration using this new release there and we would love to have you join us!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

CD Sunday

Corrosive Challenge

All Sorts

Creatalicious

Crafting Happiness

NBUS

A Perfect Time to Craft

Clever Dexter

Crafts Galore Encore

Mirtillamente

Your Scrapbook Place

Word Art Wednesday

Rise and Shine

Happy Saturday!  It's time to Rise, Shine and be Sparkly.  I've a quick post today sharing a card created with my new Visible Image Set titled Rise and Shine.  This set has become a favorite of mine already.

I love the elements in this set and I purchased primarily for Art Journaling but it created a lovely card too.  This card measures 5.5" square; you can compare the size of the Sun to the size of the card.

The images were stamped and heat embossed on watercolor card and panel was trimmed to allow a black mat to be placed behind.

Using Gansai Tambi watercolors, the panel was colored and splattered with white and silver splatters.  No additional bells and whistles were added, I wanted this card to shine on it's own.

That's all I have for you today.  Have a great day and until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

All Sorts

Gem of a Challenge

Polkadoodles

Crafty Calendar

The Fairy and the Unicorn

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Outlawz Festive Friday

Krafty Chicks

AYLI = my go to layout is an A2 but I also love creating 5.5" square cards

Crafting Happiness

  

Happy Birthday Watercolor Roses

Hi Crafty Friends!  Today's mini slimline card features Watercolor Roses from Hot Off the Press/Paper Wishes and watercoloring using Gansai Tambi watercolor paints.

To start, I stamped and heat embossed the image on Canson multi media paper primarily because it's thinner than watercolor paper, can take the water and is lighter in color.  Also, this stamp set is silicone and not photopolymer so I was pleasantly pleased at how well it stamped.  My experience with most silicone stamps are they do not stamp well, spread out with pressure and the image is not crisp.  This stamp was non of that.

I've painted the image and background with Gansai Tambi watercolors, stamped and heat embossed the sentiment adhering to the card panel with craft foam.  The panel and mat are adhered to a 110 lb. card base of Neenah Solar White Classic Crest card.

Lastly, I've added splattered of Gold paint, White Acrylic Gloss Spray and Ivory Pearl Mix Gems from Kat Scrappiness.  While creating the card, the Yellow Rose of Texas tune kept popping in my head.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

CCC Digi Creations

River of Creativity

Creative Moments

Creative Craft Cottage

Happy Little Stampers Watercolor Challenge

Chocolate Baroque

Dare 2B Artsy

Stamping Sensations

Inspiration Station Challenge #10 - My Pet Fish

Hello Friends and Happy Monday!  Today begins a new challenge at the Inspiration Station and the inspiration photo is a group of colorful fish.  

When I saw this photo, I knew exactly what I wanted to create for my design team project.  Using the Pet Goldfish stamp set from Hero Arts, I stamped and watercolored 2 goldfish and Seaweed.

I needed to craft a fish bowl so I searched through my dies and found a circle die with a flat bottom.  After die cutting a piece of watercolor card, I trimmed the rounded side and had my fishbowl.  I watercolored the die cut and punched a pile of mini hearts to serve as the rocks.  Once the panel was dry, I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment, fussy cut the images and built up the scene.  The patterned papers are scraps left from a Bo Bunny 12x12 scrapbook pack 

This was a fun project and I enjoyed the creating process.  It was fun to think outside the box and use what I had on hand to create a "fishbowl".  We hope you'll join us for the challenge at the Inspiration Station, we would love to see how the photo inspires you.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Crafting Happiness

Get Creative

Avenue 613

Three Room Studio

Gem of a Challenge

Polkadoodles

Cute Card Thursday

World Wide Open DT Challenge

Altenew AECP - All About Layering 3

Hello Friends and Happy Friday!  Today I'm sharing my submission for the Altenew Academy All About Layering 3 course.  This course goes further in depth with instruction on multi-layer stamping and has lots of great tips and tricks to get a perfect layered image.

For my class project, I've used the new Altenew Bearded Iris Layering Stamp and Coordinating Die Bundle to create my A2 sized card. This is the newest set in the Build-a-Flower monthly subscription plan and it's a beauty.  

To start my card, I brought out the color wheel for a bit of color wheel theory on the design of this card.  I decided upon an Analogous + Complimentary color scheme.  For those not familar, Analogous are colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel and Complimentary are colors that are directly opposite each other.  So, my floral is stamp layered with Analogous colors and the background is a complimetary color.  

I stamped and heat embossed one of the iris images (this set contains 2 floral images) using embossing ink and Fine Detail Gold Embossing Power on Strathmore Watercolor card.  I started the stamp layering process with the other floral image in the set, first with the outline using black pigment ink and the layers using different shades of yellows and oranges.  The floral has 4 layers; the stem and leaf having 2.  The floral was a bit more intricate to line up but in no way difficult, just a bit of patience.

Setting aside the die cut floral, I watercolored the embossed panel with a light purple wash.  Purple is the complimentary color I mentioned earlier, it is complimentary to the yellow/orange floral.  With my heat tool and being careful not to skorch the embossing, I dried the panel thoroughly and adhered to the card base.  The sentiment was created using a manual Dymo Label Maker.  

The final touch to my assignment was adding faux lilac colored gems.  I hope you've enjoyed my post today, and appreciate you visiting.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

Supplies Used:

Altenew Bearded Iris Layering Stamp and Coordinating Die Bundle

Neenah Solar White Classic Crest 110 lb card base

Strathmore Watercolor Card

Catherine Pooler Inks

Versafine Pigment Ink

Versamark Embossing Ink

Ranger Fine Detail Embossing Powder

Gansai Tambi Watercolors

Art Glitter Glue Liquid Adhesive

Art Class Faux Gems

Dymo Label Maker

Challenges Entered:

Cardz TV

Creative Fingers

Outlawz Festive Friday

Paperbabe

Pattie's Creation

Creative Knockouts

Simon Says Stamp

Snarky Stampers

Dreaming of Scrap

Wildflower Bouquet

Hello and Happy Sunday Crafty Friends!  This weekend, I've dug deep into the stash to use what hasn't seen the light of day in some time to create some cards.  Today's card features Wildflower Die cuts, Embossing and Watercoloring.

Going through my stash of dies, I found these delicate wildflowers.  Using Strathmore water color paper, I cut and watercolored them, creating a bouquet.  I stamped the sentiment, embossed the panel using a Brick/Stone Wall embossing folder and mounted on foam pads. The mat of Ombre Paper is from the Pink & Main Summer Splash 6x6 paper pad.  Lastly, added a simple twine bow and Wink of Stella to the Bouquet.

I've enjoyed the re-discovery of products in my stash, I've also found items I'd forgotten about, which was a nice surprise.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

*Challenges Entered:

Avenue 613

Corrosive Challenge

QKR Stampede

Happy Little Stampers Die Challenge

Sparkles

Kat Scrappiness June Challenge

Classic Design Challenge

Your Scrapbook Place

Lotus with Lots of Love

Hello Friends and Happy Thursday!  Todays card features Lotus Blooms, Lily Pads, Watercoloring, Die Cutting and a Gelli Plate Background.

I stamped, heat embossed and watercolored the Altenew Lotus from the Paint-A-Flower Stamp Set for June 2021.  I die cut the focal image and mat using the Essentials Diagonal Stitched Circles from Pink Fresh Studios and placed on a background I created last year using my Gelli Plate.  The sentiment is from the Lotus set and has been heat embossed with fine detail white powder from Ranger.  Lastly, cream twine and sequins were added for additional interest.

Thanks for stopping by!  Until next time, Happy Crafting.

Donna

**Challenges Entered:
Aud Sentiments
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Cute Card Thursday
Sisterhood of Crafters
Happy Little Stampers Watercolor
Creative Moments
Creative Craft Cottage

Let's Craft and Create

Your Next Stamp

You're a Limited Edition

Hello and Happy Sunday!  I trust you've had an enjoyable weekend thus far.  Today's make and share features watercolor, stamping, butterflies and heat embossing.

This card measures 5" square and I started with watercoloring a panel of Tim Holtz Watercolor paper with Salty Ocean and Cracked Pistachio Distress Inks.  After fully drying, I stamped butterflies from the Gina K. Designs Beautiful Butterflies Stamp set using Sea Glass Dye Ink, also from Gina K.  I was going for a monochrome background with a large focal Butterfly, which I heat embossed with Fine Detail White Powder.  

I wanted more texture to the piece so I inked the edges with VersaMark and sprinkled Oceanic Embossing Powder from WOW!  Happy with the edges, I mounted the panel on foam strips and placed on the card base.  The sentiment strip is a CZ Designs from Simon Says Stamp and lastly, placed clear water droplet gems for additional texture and interest.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

613 Avenue Create

Stamping Sensations - It's hard to pick 1 fav technique but I do love heat embossing

Gina K. Designs June Challenge

Happy Little Stampers Watercolor Challenge

A Bit More Time to Craft

A Bit More Time to Craft Extra

A Perfect Time to Craft

2 Crafty Critter Crazies

Classic Design Challenge

Crafts Galore Encore

Chocolate Baroque

Hope Blooms

Hello and Happy Wednesday, I hope your week is going great!  Today's make and share features a large bouquet, heat embossing and watercoloring.

This card measures 5" square, the floral bouquet and sentiment are part of the Altenew Simply Spring stamp set.  This image is huge, as you can see, I trimmed some off (which hurt my heart) so I could arrange it on the card front.  

I heat embossed using copper embossing powder and watercolored, cut out with the coordinating dies and mounted on foam pads for dimension.  The designer papers are from the Bo Bunny "Family Heirlooms Collection".  I stamped the sentiment on a snippet of the designer paper using Charcoal Brown ink by Gina K. Designs.  Finishing up, I added a Polka Dot Ribbon, Bow and faux Pearls for interest.  My attempt at a "Vintage" theme.

I would like to remind you of my challenge at The Inspiration Station.  Please visit and be inspired by the photo and enter your design!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Lil Red Wagon

House that Stamps Built

Addicted to Stamps and More

Double D Challenges - Orange, Pink and Yellow Poppies in the Bouquet

Penny's Challenges

Sisterhood of Crafters

Word Art Wednesday

Simon Says Stamp Wed. Challenge

Creative Moments

Cardz TV #141

Crafting Happiness

Make The Cards

As You Like It - I go between watercolor and alcohol marker as a fav to add color

Outlawz Twist Thursday

 

Illuminating Marigolds

Hello and Happy Wednesday!  Today's make and share features some cheerful marigolds and a Pantone Color Scheme.

The Pantone Color of the Year 2021 is actually two colors - Yellow (or Illuminating) and Ultimate Gray.  I have been wanting to create a project using this color scheme, so putting my thinking cap on...I received the Altenew Smiles and Hugs Stamp Set with Coordinating dies as a Mother's Day gift so here was my chance to create a Pantone card featuring some cheery Marigolds.

I stamped and heat embossed the images and watercolored them using Arteza Real Brush Markers.  Using the coordinating dies, I cut the flowers and leaves and placed the arrangement on a scrap of designer paper from The Paper Studio.

I heat embossed the sentiment, which is from the same stamp set, popped the strips along with the flower in the front on foam pads and lastly, added Nuvo Drops to accent the design.

Have you created a Pantone project yet?  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Penny's Challenges

The Sisterhood of Crafters

Word Art Wednesday

Crafty Creations

Creative Inspirations

Crafty Gals Corner

Try It On Tuesday

Altenew May Inspiration Challenge

Incy Wincy

A Place to Start

Avenue 613

Fab N' Funky

Aud Sentiments

Stamping Sensations

Freestyle Watercolor Florals

Hello and Happy Friday!  The weekend has finally arrived and today flew by but I did manage some crafty time this afternoon.  I dusted off the Gansai Tambi Watercolors to loosely paint this gorgeous floral from Altenew.  It's the newest Paint-a-Flower Outline Stamp Set for April Subscribers named Coral Sunset.

I was inspired by the gorgeous projects using this stamp set that I found while scrolling through Pinterest.  I stamped and heat embossed the image on Strathmore 500 Series Ready Cut watercolor paper, then  "freestyle" painted the image with soft lavender and blue tones.  Once dry, I stamped the sentiment in the lower right corner and splattered with black watercolor paint.  The panel is adhered to the card base, no layering used in this design.  

If you've not tried "Freestyle" watercoloring. give it a go...it's so freeing to not worry about how well you watercolor because it will always look pretty!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Outlawz Festive Fridays

Paperbabe

Scrapping 4 Fun

Your Next Stamp

Crafting Happiness

Altenew April Inspiration Challenge  #AltenewChallenge

Adventure is Worthwhile

Hello and Happy Tuesday!  Today's make and share features a stamped pair of Giraffes, a Watercolor Sunset, heat embossing and die cutting.  

I was gifted this stamp set along with designer papers and chipboard embellishments from a dear friend in Northamptonshire UK.  She received the lot as a free gift with purchase of a cardmaking magazine and stated it wasn't her cuppa tea.  She was so lovely to send it all to me so I had to make her a card with the gift.

I die cut an aperture in the designer paper and stamped the images to appear as though they were peeking out of the foliage.  I watercolored a sunset background using Arteza Real Brush Markers, stamped and heat embossed a black piece of card using gold powder and put it all together with a sentiment strip from the Tim Holtz "Small Talk" strips pack. 

I'm rather pleased with the outcome and I hope she likes it as well.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Crafty Sentiments

Digi Choosday

Try It On Tuesday - Inspired by the Song "Africa" by Toto

Unicorn Challenge

Crafting Happiness

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

Outlawz Monday Greetings

Use Your Stuff - Inspired by the book "Giraffes Can't Dance" by Giles Andreae

International Art & Soul

Dragonfly Dreams

 

Beauty is Everywhere

Happy Sunday to you, I hope you have a wonderfully blessed day.  My make and share today is a card size I usually don't make and features flora, fauna, ink, mirror card, a rainbow and a bit of water coloring.

Beauty is everywhere is the theme and using stamps from several sets I created a 5"x 7" card with 6 different mini vignettes.  Each square is 2", I used distress inks and water to add color.  I backed each mini square with black card and mounted them flat on a piece of mirror card.  Funny thing, I couldn't take a picture straight down because my reflection was in the picture, so I took a picture from the bottom up.  Finishing up, I mounted the sentiment on foam pads and added flat back crystal drops for added interest.  

I hope you take some time this coming week to find your Beauty...it's all around you...start by looking in the mirror!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Avenue 613 Create

Dragonfly Dreams

Angie's Digital Stamps

Corrosive Challenge

Creative Knockouts

Stamping Sensations

Lavinia World Challenges

Through the Purple Haze

Word Art Wednesday

Creative Inspirations

Dream Fairy

Hello and Happy Monday!

Today I'm sharing a card I created using Gansai Tambi Watercolors, Canson Watercolor Card, Neenah Cardstock, Glitter Cardstock and die cuts for the Fairy, the Frame and the word Dream.

I needed a quick card and this was actually quicker than I though it would be to create.   I added small gems for the added sparkle - it's a Fairy and all Fairies need Sparkle!

I am going to send it to one of my card swap partners in the Facebook Group Card Making Tips.  I enjoy exchanging cards with other card makers; some of my swap buddies have been from Germany, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada, Scotland, Ireland, England as well as the U.S.A.  

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you were inspired to try watercoloring in your card making.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Card has been entered in the following challenges: Cardz TV #58, Crafting from the Heart #217, Artistic Inspirations #205, Aurora Wings

Watercolor Illustrations: Fruits and Veggies

Hello Everyone!  I hope all is well with you and yours!

I am creating watercolor illustrations of fruits and veggies with the thought of framing them and hanging around my kitchen.  They are small , measuring approximately 5" x 5".  I wonder if I should have made them bigger......or purchase a large frame and add more than one inside the frame.

Honestly, I'm very new to this medium (watercolor) and was frightened to go any larger than 6" x 6".  I've got to get out of my comfort zone and just go for it!!  I sketched all the images, using the inspiration I found by googling pics of watercolor fruits and veggies.   I hope you can tell what they are :p

The illustrations measures approx. 4.5" x 5".  I used the Tansai Gambi watercolors on Canson 140 lb. watercolor paper.  Stay tuned for more fruits and veggies!