random reflections

Belated Birthday Post

The card was not belated, but the posting of it is. Yesterday was Adam's birthday, and although I had a text "conversation" with him, I didn't get a birthday post up. Recently I purchased a die from Reverse Confetti, "Stitched Rays." I was quite sure I could use it in a variety of ways, but doing a masculine birthday card wasn't my first thought. Until I pulled it out, though, I was struggling to come up with a card I liked. 

It isn't actually a die, but embosses the design without the use of an embossing pad. Under the circle sentiment is a smaller circle that is embossed. I used two of my favorite grays, Simon Says "Smoke" and "Slate," embossing an image from Papertrey's "Initial Sentiments: Birthday" in silver on a stitched circle die. The smaller sentiment is also from the same set. A simple, but somewhat graphic design, and one I'll probably use again.

Once I settled on the "Stitched Rays" die the card came together very quickly. Sometimes the search is far longer than the actual execution of the card!

 

Less is More: CASE a Card

This week's challenge at Less is More is to CASE this card:

I loved the blue flower and used it for my inspiration. I turned the card around so that it's vertical rather than horizontal since the flower I chose is a tall one from Altenew's "Beautiful Lady" set, a set I've owned for quite some time, and never used. Not sure why since I do like it a lot.

I embossed the image in black and then watercolored it with my Gansai Tambi watercolors. The original card had a die cut sentiment cut from silver glitter. It's hard to see in the photograph but I added silver dots to the tops of the stamens in the stamped image. I didn't think a silver sentiment (also from "Beautiful Lady") would be as attractive on this card as the black embossed one. 

I die cut the watercolored image with a WPlus9 stitched rectangle from their "Gift Card Layers" set and adhered it to a white card. It doesn't get a lot more CAS than this, and I'm very happy with it.

#The100DayProject: Week 1and 2 Challenges

Today marks the beginning of Week 2 for #The100WeekProject. I managed to create a new card every day last week with a new technique, a new stamp set, a new design, or a long-neglected stamp set. The email today from the organizers of this creative project asked if we needed to make any adjustments to our project. I'm not sure a card-a-day is a realistic goal, so there may be days when I work on a technique, and it may (or may not) result in a card. One technique I tried this week appeared to be a fail, but I ended up being able to use it for a card after all. Failed techniques will count, too. Actually I ended up with eleven new cards for the week, some of which I posted here, here, and here. Today I thought I'd share two more cards I made for current challenges.

One of the techniques high on my list to try was color blending. I've tried it several times with the sponge blenders by Rangers, but have never been really happy with the results. This week I used the two new Distress Oxide inks that came with the April Simon Says stamp kit:  "Squeezed Lemonade" and Mermaid Lagoon." Instead of the sponge blenders, I pulled out my Clarity Stencil Brushes, and I was much happier with the results. These colors are the two main colors in the current Time Out Challenge: 

Here's the card. I photographed it with the brushes so you could see them. They are unlike any of the older stencil brushes I own. I also used the stamp set from the kit, "Beautiful Day."

After blending the two colors, I added stamped images in black as well as a sentiment in the bright yellow space. I colored in a few places on the butterflies with Copic markers and added a few colored sequins.

Another "top of the list technique" was to try the Gina K Wreath Builder set. This is a unique set that comes with two stencils to help you build a wreath that can be used with a wide variety of stamps. As always, it took me a couple of tries before I came up with a design I liked. This card fits the bill for the Inspired by the Little Things Challenge this week.

All the stamps are from the Wreath Builder stamp set. The sentiment circle was cut with a "Stitched Circles" die from Simon Says, and then it was all adhered to a mat of Bright Buttercup and a square card made from Green Parakeet (both PTI.)

The finishing touch was the addition of a tiny white pearl in the center of each main flower. 

One way I've managed to keep up with the project along with my other commitments is to decide on a technique or stamp set the night before. Then, at least, I'm not on a search the next day.

 

 

 

 

 

Freshly Made Sketches

As soon as I saw the current sketch at Freshly Made Sketches, I knew I wanted to participate. Nonetheless, it took me nearly all week to get to it. I finally had a few extra minutes this afternoon.

It's definitely a "clean and simple" sketch, so right up my alley. I recently bought Reverse Confetti's "Tall Blooms," and thought a couple of the images would be perfect for this. I started with  premade A4 card by Paper Source, and added two black strips of paper. I die cut and stamped two of the blooms and colored them with Copic markers. 

I tied the blooms together with a piece of white baker's twine before adhering them to the card. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's "Gathered Garden." The reorganization of my stamps a couple of weeks ago has proven to be a great move. All of a sudden, I'm "discovering" stamp sets I haven't touched in quite awhile.

I'm quite sure I'll use this sketch again. It was a quick, easy card to complete, and I love the A4 size for thank you notes. Off to see what others have created with this sketch before this challenge closes tomorrow. 

Brushed Birds X2

Yesterday I happened upon two challenges I wasn't familiar with at the Desert Diva's blog. Both challenges focus on birds this month/week. 

I love the idea of a watercolor challenge, and Seize the Birthday has an optional "topper" and this week it is birds. That discovery set the subject for today's #100DayProject. A few weeks ago, a friend loaned me her "Brushed Birds" stamp and die set. While I had it, I stamped several birds and die cut them. I never did make a card with any of them so I'm please to have a chance to use some of them. I watercolored the background, and then watercolored a brand new die I purchased from Impression Obsession called "Leafy Branch." I've never thought to watercolor a die before, but in this case, I think it was perfect.

I love this sentiment from "Year of the Flower: Violet," another set I haven't had out in over a year. The inside sentiment is a birthday greeting, but I didn't photograph it. Here's a closer look:

The second card started out the same way, but ended up being a landscape design with two different birds.

The sentiment on this card also came from an oldie, but goodie, Papertrey Inks "Autumn Abundance." I stamped the sentiments on both cards with Dark Chocolate Ink which seemed to coordinate well with the watercolored branch.

One big advantage of the #100DayProject is the number of birthday cards I'm creating. With 25 birthdays and anniversaries to celebrate in April and May, I need them all! Off to link up with the CAS Watercolour and Seize the Birthday challenges.

A Little Sunshine

Yesterday’s card was not part of my #100DayProject, but today’s is. It’s a new technique introduced (to me) on Monday by Papertrey Ink’s Stephanie Gold for their Make It Monday challenge, using outline images.

My card uses two older stamp sets by Papertrey Ink. The first, “Still Life: Summer,” is a Mini Market Kit, and although I’ve used the dies and the patterned papers, I don’t think I’ve ever broken out the stamp set. The other is “ Hello, Sunshine,” a set that’s been idle for a number of years. It's one of the sets that resurfaced when I reorganized my stamps a few weeks ago.

For the solid image, I used two circles from Simon Says’ “Scribbled Flowers” set. They were stamped in Bright Buttercup, and the outline image in Harvest Gold . I added a few outline leaves from “Still Life: Summer” in Green Parakeet. The sentiment is from "Hello, Sunshine" and seems a perfect fit for the card.

I’m also entering this in the current Time Out challenge. The inspiration for my card actually came from the lemons under the pretty Forsythia bouquet in their inspiration photo.

Although we’re just a few days in, I’m enjoying the #100DayProject. It’s nice to be focusing on a new technique or stamp set each day and not thinking about where it might take you in the end.

Happy Birthday--Simon Says

It's Simon Says 9th birthday, and the party is starting on the Wednesday Challenge Blog with birthday cards.

It's also the first birthday of one of our good friend's daughters. Not long ago, I purchased the Mama Elephant's "Fly With Me" set. I just couldn't resist the cute little elephants flying with balloons.

I stamped and colored the images with Copic markers. I didn't purchase the dies, so I had to fussy cut them, but it didn't turn out to be too difficult. The clouds die cuts are by Papertrey Ink. I die cut a #1 with a PTI "Block Numbers" from one balloon, colored it, and inlaid it. Once that was done, I arranged the images on a piece of MFT: Watercolor Wash paper that had been die cut with a WPlus9 die from the "Gift Card Layers" set, and adhered to a white card base. 

Finally, I stamped the sentiment from Papertrey Ink's "Birthday Bash," (an oldie but goodie) on the front. Happy Birthday to Simon Says. It's a great place to shop online now that there are no longer any independent stamp stores in our area, and their blog provides daily inspiration! 

 

#The100DayProject: Day 1

Last year I took on the #The100DayProject for the first time, completing 100 sketches over the 3+ months of the project. I thought about taking on the same project again this year, since sketching seems to be one of my creative endeavors that often ends up on the back burner.

Recently, however, I reorganized (and purged) my large collection of stamps. In the process I found multiple sets that have seen little (or no) love. Then I realized that my Pinterest board titled Cards: Techniques had over 150 pins. Not all those pins represent new techniques for me, but many do. So this year I've decided to try the #100DayProject again by committing to try a new technique, or use a new or unloved stamp set every day. Some days (most, I hope) will result in a card or two. But some days it may just be an opportunity to play around with the creative process. One goal is to master the art of ink blending which always seems to be a challenge for me. I’d also like to improve in my use of layering stamps, as well. Then there are all those pins . . . some represent style more than technique, but each time I pinned the card it was something about the technique that appealed to me. I also have a Pinterest board titled: Cards: Design, so I may take on a few of those as well. Hopefully, at the end of the project, I’ll have a stash of cards put away.

Today is Day 1. The project's goal is to post one photo every day to Instagram, but we all know how reliable I am about that! I am planning to blog at least once a week with some of the techniques I’ve tried, and a couple of the cards I made. That seems a bit more doable.

Today I started with a design I saw just this week on Heather Nichols blog. It's a new design for me (the white outline with a colored image on top) and a new technique (watercoloring on Bristol paper with Zig pens). When I went to find a stamp that would work with this design I was surprised to discover that with all the floral images I own, I have almost no floral stamps that include a grouping of flowers. I was short on time, so trying to mask and stamp a floral group seemed out of the question. Then I discovered the Penny Black "Botanical Notes." It's a stamp I've owned for several years and used only once or twice---a long time ago. So there it is: a new design, a new technique, and a seldom used stamp. I doubt I'll hit all of those categories each day, but it should be a fun project.

I love the bright orange on the gray paper, and I like the white outline images as well. I'm curious to see if I can get this design to work with other stamps sets. 

I haven't decided yet whether to add a sentiment strip to the front or not. If I do, I'll emboss one on a black or vellum banner. The card itself will work for more than one occasion, so I'll just wait and see.

I've given some thought to how I might keep up with this project when we travel, which we certainly will during the next 100 days, but I think it will be doable. If some days don't work out, I'll double up---I have no issue with that, but I do expect to have attempted 100 techniques, designs, or cards with an unused/unloved stamp set.