Inspiration Station Challenge #36

Hello and Happy Monday!  It was a hot, rainy and humid weekend here so I had an opportunity to work on home projects and design team obligations.  I'm beyond ready for a break in the heat, rain and humidity.  

Today begins a new bi-weekly challenge at The Inspiration Station Challenge Blog.  Inspiration Photo #36 for this round is:

I was inspired to create a water themed card and remembered I had a stamp set from Whimsy Stamps that I've not opened yet.  It's the Life is Cool set and features some lounging Quokka's on their pool floats enjoying a hot and humid day (hmmm..what I should be doing but the rain is cramping my style).

The images have been colored with Prismacolor Pencils, fussy cut and popped on craft foam.  The "pool" background is an ink blended panel using 3 shades of Catherine Pooler Inks, spalttered with water, white acrylic gloss spray and shimmer spray.

I've cut a frame using a stitched rectangle die, out of designer card that has a whitewashed wood appearance.  The sentiments are part of the stamp set and have been adhered flat to the panel.  Lastly, clear droplets have been added for additional interest, adding to the water theme.  I should be starting Autumn projects and will start soon, in the meantime I will carry on with Summer!

Please drop by the challenge and enter to win a gift voucher from Whimsy Stamps.  We would enjoy seeing how the photo inspires your projects.  

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna  

**Challenges Entered:

Ally's Angels

Crafter's Cafe

QKR Stampede

WWO DT Challenge

Papercraft Challenge

Creative Crafting Uncles

Double Trouble

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

2 Crafty Critter Crazies

Crafty Friends

Mirtillamente

Crafty Animals

Pin-spirational

Sweetheart Florals from Varada Sharma Designs

Hello Friends and Happy Thursday!  Today I'm sharing a card created with the lovely Sweetheart Floral Digital Stamp from Varada Sharma Designs.  This set contains one large floral image and 9 mix and match sentiments.  

I've kept the design CAS and colored the image using Staedtler Watercolor Pencils.  I forget I have these pencils in my stash and it was nice to use them again.  The image was printed on Canson Mixed Media paper to handle the water.

I've cut the focal panel using a stitched rectangle die from Kat Scrappiness, the sentiment has been cut with a nesting circle die, also from Kat Scrappiness.  The "Hello" is included in this digi set.  The focal panel and sentiment were backed with black card, the sentiment was popped on craft foam and all were adhered to a card base of 110 lb. Neenah Classic Crest Solar White card.

To finish, I've added nest of gold thread behind the sentiment and a few iridescent gold sequins for added interest and shine.

Thanks for visiting me today and until net time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

C.R.A.F.T

Craft Rocket

Happy Little Stampers Watercolor

TIOT

NBUS

Pearly Sparkles

A Perfect Time to Craft

Crafts Galore Encore

DL. Art

Sheepski Designs

Cheers Friend!

Hello Friends and Happy Wednesday!  This week is scootin' right along.  I some time to play at the craft table last night and thought experimenting with geometric patterns was a good idea.  I came up with a Birthday Card for a friend living in the U.K.

My card today was inspired by Ardyth Percy-Robb and the card she posted on Instagram yesterday.  I love how Ardyth thinks outside the box with her designs, never uses patterned papers and always has the most amazing ink blended color combos.  Check her You Tube channel HERE.

For my card, I ink blended a white card panel with Catherine Pooler Cranberry Fizz, Catching Rays and Over Coffee Inks.  I splattered the panel with water as CP inks are water reactive and dried with my heat tool.  I proceeded to cut the blended panel into 1/4" strips along with strips of gold mirror card.

I did a dry run, arranging the strips in a pleasing pattern and once I was happy with the layout, I snapped a reference photo. I then proceeded to adhere the strips to a white card panel that measures 3.75" x 5". 

I trimmed the overhanging strips around all 4 sides and adhered the panel to a black mat, then to a cardbase of 110 lb. Neenah Solar White Classic Crest card.  I die cut the sentiments and ahered flat to the card front and called this card complete.  No bells and whistles were added, I think the mirror card is enough shine.

I like experimenting with geometric shapes and I like using card designs like this for masucline cards.  It takes the guess work out of deciding on a design - just go geometric!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Penny's Challenges

Word Art Wednesday

Creative Inspiration

Creative Fingers

SSS Mon Challenge

4-Season Challenge

Through the Purple Haze

2 Sisters on a Blog

Country View Challenge

Moving Along with the Times

 

Little Dude Back to School at Digi Choosday

Hi Friends and Happy Tuesday!  Today begins a new bi-weekly challenge round at the Polkadoodles Digi Choosday Challenge Blog.  It's all about Back to School and the design team has come up with lovely inspiration projects using this theme.

My design team project features the Student/School Little Dude image.  This would make a wonderful card to give a little dude on his 1st day back to school.

I've colored this Little Dude up using alcohol markers, the papers used here are a bonus addition to this digi set.  The set also contains bonus sentiments however my sentiment is from Gina K. Designs and has been stamped/heat embossed.

Please stop by and join us at the challenge this round.  My teammates have created some wonderful projects and we love seeing everyone's entries.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

TTCRD

Crafting Happiness

Get Creative

Path of Positivity

A Place to Start

LeAnn's World

CD Sunday

INTAAS

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

613 Avenue Create

All Sorts

Crafty Calendar

Cheers to Pour Decisions

Hello and Happy Monday!  I hope your weekend was wonderful and you did something you enjoy.  Today I'm featuring a Mixed Media Tag created featuring the Cheers to Pour Decisions Digital Stamp from Polkadot Orchard.

Using a pre-cut watercolor tag from Joggles, I've adhered snippets of decoupage papers from Studio Light and Washi Tape from my Stash.

I've printed the image using a Laser Printer and hot foiled using a laminator.  I've also colored her skin using alcohol markers.  I thought about leaving the skin uncolored but decided it would look better colored.  

Thanks for stopping by today, until next time - Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

SSS Mon Challenge

Mixed Media Lovers

Creative Artiste

Alphabet Challenge - Interest is Wine Tasting LOL

Everybody Art

Outlawz PAM

The Paper Funday Challenge - ATG with Opt. Friendship

Hello Friends and Happy Wednesday!  Today begins a new challenge month at The Paper Funday Challenge Blog with a theme of Always Anything Goes with the optional Twist of Friendship.  The generous sponsors this month are Star Stampz and Fred, She Said.  

For my team project this month, I had the pleasure of using the Growing Together digital stamp from Fred, She Said to create an A2 sized card in a landscape format.

I love the sketchy way the flowers are drawn and I wanted lots of bright color so I re-discovered my Staedtler Watercolor Pencils and decided to watercolor using them.  The image is printed on mixed media paper because it handles water very well yet it's not as thick as watercolor paper and perfect for cardmaking.

I almost added color to the background but decided to leave it bright white.  I'm glad I did, I like the CAS feel of the focal panel.  I matted with black card and adhered to a cardbase of 110 lb. Neenah Solar White Classic Crest card.  The sentiment is from Varada Sharma Designs and is part of the Sweetheart Digital Stamp Set.  Lastly, I've added Black Nuvo Drops to the flower centers, no bells and whistles this time. 

Please join us this month at The Paper Funday Challenge.  We love seeing all the lovely projects and are always inspired.  In turn, we hope to inspire you with our projects.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Penny's Challenges

Word Art Wednesday

Creative Inspirations

Elliebelle's Crafty Wednesday

Try It On Tuesday

TTCRD

Path of Positivity

Happy Little Stampers Watercolor Challenge

Creative Moments

Creatalicious

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge - Narly Mermaid

Hello Everyone and Welcome Back!  It's a new challenge week at Pammie's Inky Pinkies and our sponsor this challenge is Newton's Nook.  For my team project, I've created a fun card using the Narly Mermaids Stamp set from Newton's Nook (this set may now be retired as I was unable to find it in the shop).  I did locate it at The Frantic Stamper HERE.

To create my card, I started by stamping the little images included in the stamp set to create a background panel.  I decided to keep the panel black and white.  I've die cut an oval panel using a die from Alina Crafts and stenciled using the Waves Stencil from Sugar Pea Designs and Distress Oxide Inks.

To give the water scene more interest, I've splattered the panel lightly with water.  Distress Oxide Inks are water reactive, so the results were "bubbles".  After the oval was dry, I stamped the sentiment directly to the die cut and weaved Baker's Twine through the fancy scalloped edge.

The mermaid was colored using alcohol markers and has been adhered flat to the panel.  The panel has been popped on craft foam for dimension and clear sequins added for additional "bubbles".

Please join in the fun at Pammie's Inky Pinkies this week...you just may be a winner!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

WWO DT Challenge

INTAAS

Daring Cardmakers

My Time to Craft

Creative Friday

Creative Crafters

Moving Along with the Times

Pearly Sparkles

Mirtillamente

Your Scrapbook Place

Jan's Digi Stamps Challenge - Angels Heard on High

Hello Again and Welcome Back!  We're cruising along with challenge start-ups today and the next one up is Jan's Digi Stamps Challenges.  It's a new month and Jan has released 2 new sets for August:  Angels Heard on High and Crafty Friends.

Jan is also having a huge sale on Gertrude and Friends Sets this month.  You can find that Sale HERE.

For my team project, I've used the new Angels Heard on High image to create a CAS Holiday card; only featuring a few Pops of Color.

Such a sweet image and an easy color; I've used alcohol markers for the focal coloring.  The patterned paper is from The Paper Studio "Rustic Noel" 6x6 paper pack.  

I added iridescent clear sequins for shine along with using a Sparkle Gelly Roll pen on the Halos and wings; the sparkle is always hard to capture in photos.

Please join us at the Jan's Challenge Blog this month and we hope you'll find some inspiration there!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Dream Valley

Creative Knockouts

Christmas with the Cuties

12 Months of Christmas

Mirtillamente

CD Sunday Plus

Peace On Earth Christmas

Dare 2B Artsy

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas

Send A Smile 4 Kids

My Time to Craft Christmas

Creative Crafters

Inspiration Station Challenge - Animal Kingdom

Hi Friends and Welcome Back!  Today begins a new bi-weekly challenge round at The Inspiration Station and the inspiration photo prompt features a menagerie of animals:

Our Sponsor this challenge is the generous Conie Fong, who has kindly provided a 25% off discount on shop purchases, valid through the 14th of August for blog visitors and challenge players.  Visit the Conie Fong Shop HERE and use INSPIRATIONSTATION25 at checkout for a 25% off discount.

The challenge photo prompt inspired me to use the Camel Trio Digital Set from Angie Blom for my team project!  The Camels are just too adorable and I couldn't help but smile while I was coloring them up...especially the one in the back with the cheesy (and toothy) grin!

I used a snippet of patterned paper from a Kat Scrappiness Paper Pack along with black card to create a background.  The focal image and mat have been cut using nesting circle dies from Kat Scrappiness and mounted on craft foam for dimension.

I've colored the images with alcohol markers and the sentiment is included in the digi stamp set.  The sentiment strip has also been popped on craft foam for dimension as well.

Please join us at The Inspiration Station this round and don't forget to visit our sponsor Conie Fong and use your 25% off discount!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

SSS Mon Challenge

2 Crafty Critter Crazies

Crafty Animals

Country View Crafts

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper

Pearly Sparkles

QKR Stampede

Cards Galore Encore

Mirtillamente

CD Sunday

Creative Knockouts

AAA Birthday

Once Upon a Time

The Four Seasons Challenge - Pineapple Crush

Hello Crafty Friends and Happy 1st Day of August.  The year is flying by and we are that much closer to Christmas...but I digress.  It's a busy Monday; I have 4 posts scheduled for today so let's get started!

Today begins a new challenge month at The Four Seasons Challenge Blog and this is the last month for a Summer Theme.  The inspiration prompt features lots of color and color inspired my team project.

I love to create with lots of color and I've had the lovely Pineapple Crush set from Impression Obsession in my stash for a while and have never used so when I saw the inspiration photo, I knew exactly this set was the one to use.

Pineapple Crush is a layering set but there are so many ways to stamp the designs without actually layering them.  Also, this is a 5x7" card; a size I seldom create but I wanted to create a landscape format and wanted to stamp 3 of the images so it looked best as a 5x7.   

Using complimentary Catherine Pooler Inks, I stamp layered the pineapples and mini hibiscus flowers.  To be honest, the hibiscus are small and I was having trouble lining them up so I decided to just stamp and if they didn't line up perfectly, they would just look "artsy".

To finish the design, I've added gold iridescent sequins along with black and gold twine.  We hope to see your lovely Summer themed projects at The Four Seasons Challenge this month.  Next month we enter Autumn and then the holiday season...I know, I know!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Crafty Friends

Incy Wincy

We Love Stamping

Art Impressions

Crafting Happiness

A Perfect Time to Craft

Carlin's Card Paradise

Mirtillamente

Creatalicious

Moving Along with the Times

NBUS

SSS Wed Challenge