Simple Watercolor Leaves ~ CCMC430

Happy Thursday my fellow stampers!  It's time for another Create with Connie and Mary challenge!  It's color week and boy, these colors really WERE a challenge for me to use!!!!  

This was my third creation using this trio.

These colors remind me of Halloween, and I don't really have any Halloween stamps.  I spent A TON of time searching for ideas and inspiration of the non-Halloween kind.  Leaves seemed to be the most logical direction to go in, but I didn't really feel it.  My first card was a shaker night sky scene with black silhouette trees, but I put too many shakers in and it ended up hiding the trees....so I scrapped that one.  My second incarnation was a pumpkin made from the hydrangea/tree top die from Beautiful Branches thinlits.  The whole thing turned out too busy for my liking.  SO.....I finally turned to my good old watercoloring  and watercolor paper (which makes everything look good) and decided on leaves (back to my original thoughts) done up in a simple pattern.  I mean, sometimes less is more, right?  That's the approach I finally took.  I do have to say I'm happy with the way it turned out although it is far from one of my favorite cards. 

Everything looks better with the Cable Knit embossing folder, so of course I had to pull that out, once again.  Have I mentioned how much I LOVE this folder?  LOL. 

I am super excited to see what ideas you guys come up with using these colors.  I'll probably be saying a lot of "why didn't I think of that"!  

Make sure you check out the other designers amazing cards at CCMC and share some love with them!

Thanks for taking a peek and have a blessed day!

Jenny 

Season of Joy Winter Scene ~ CCMC429, ATSM216

Happy Thursday fellow stampers!  Create with Connie and Mary time again!  This is sketch week.  

The ladies at CCMC have come up with some wonderful designs of this sketch, so make sure you hop over to the blog and check them out....and leave some comments.  We always love to hear your feedback!  I know I sure do appreciate the comments!

I'm also entering my card in Addicted to Stamps and More anything goes challenge! 

I used a technique called triple time stamping (mine is only doubled though).  I thought it would be cool to carry out the tree row over the whole card but still be a focus on the main panel.  I used the Pretty Pines stamps and dies again for the accessory on the side.  I chose to go with softer, wintery, rustic colors.  I really like the Soft Sky, Pool Party and Crumb Cake against the darker Chocolate Chip and black.  

The last thing I did was splatter the whole card with Wink of Stella.  It adds a nice subtle sparkle!

Thanks for taking a peek and have a blessed day!

Jenny

Plaid Deer ~ HSS249, Merry Monday 218

Hello everyone!  What a wonderful sketch we've got for you this time over at Hand Stamped Sentiments!   As usual our challenge runs for two weeks, so you have plenty of time to play along...or enter a few times if you'd like!

I went with a Christmas theme again this week and used the inspiration from Merry Monday 218 to help me along.  I'm a sucker for plaid and I especially love plaid at Christmas.  Another thing I love is this now retired deer head image from the set called {Remembering Christmas}.  I stamped the image of the reverse side of the red plaid and fussy cut it out.  I thought the coordinating tree DSP made a complimentary background from my deer.   

The sparkle snowflake is a packaging decoration I've been hanging onto since last Christmas.  I though it was too pretty to toss in the garbage and I figured I could recycle it onto a card someday.  It fits on this one nicely, I think.  I layered one of the wooden snowflakes from last year's holiday catalog on top of it as well.  

A few layered banners and my card is complete.  I just couldn't manage to place the doily element into this theme, but for the most part I adhered to the sketch pretty well!

Here's a list of my supplies.....

Stamps: Remembering Christmas

Ink: Black, Versamark

Paper: Warmth and Cheer, Black, Real Red, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Wooden Snowflake, Burlap Ribbon, White EP, Sparkle snowflake (recycled)

Pretty Little Beach ~ CCMC428, NAC182

Hey stampers!  Look at this gorgeous color combination we've go for you at Create with Connie and Mary Thursday Challenge this week!  So fun!  I also used the sketch from Nacho Average Challenge 182 to help me along with my design.

I SOOOO wanted to go Christmas with these colors like a few of my fellow designers did (and all their cards are gorgeous, BTW!) but I was itching to use the palm tree out of the new {Totally Trees} set.  I must confess that this tree is the one and only reason I wanted this set.  The other images are fantastic, but the palm tree stood out to me right away.  I don't believe I have any other sets in my possession that include a palm tree.  

I figured these colors would lend themselves nicely to a beach scene.  Who doesn't love a pink sunset, right?  Gorgeous!  Someday I'm actually going to see a beach sunset in person.  For now, I'll settle for looking at them in pictures and keep dreaming!

I sponged the colors on for the sky and water, using a circle mask to make the setting sun.  I also used the long "ground" image from the tree set to add waves into the water.  I really love the way it looks, too!  For the sand, I punched an oval out of Crumb Cake cardstock, crumpled it up and distressed it until the layers of cardstock started to come apart.  I carefully peeled them apart and what was left was a smoother side and a textured side that looks a little like suede.  I sponged some Crumb Cake ink onto the suede side, which I thought nicely reassembled sand.

I stamped the tree in Chocolate Chip ink and the leaves in Pear Pizzazz.  I fussy cut it out and gently bent the trunk of the tree as the image is pretty straight up and down.  I like the slightly bent look.  

I layered on some Botanical Builder framelits flowers in the coordinating colors to add to the tropical feel.  

for the vertical panel I finally got a chance to use my Irresistibly Floral Specialty DSP!  I sponged some pool party onto the paper and magically watched the flowers appear!  How fun is that?!?!!

Lastly, I layered the whole thing on a base of white cardstock that I embossed with my Petal Burst EF.  The petals kind of mimic the leaves of the palm tree.  

Here's a list of my supplies....

Stamps: Totally Trees

Ink: Pool Party, Pear Pizzazz, Sweet Sugarplum, Chocolate Chip, and Crumb Cake

Paper: Irresistibly Floral DSP, Pear Pizzazz, Sweet Sugarplum, Crumb Cake, Pool Party

Accessories: Botanical Builder Framelits, Petal Burst EF, Rhinestones, Oval punch

Thanks for taking a peek and have a blessed day!

Jenny

Comfort and Joy Pines ~ CCMC427, CTC98

Hello stamping friends!  It's Thursday and that mean we have another wonderful challenge for you at Create with Connie and Mary!

To help me complete my card I used the inspiration from CASEing the Catty 98, which showcases the Warmth and Cheer section of the holiday catalog.

When I first saw our sketch for this week I was a little perplexed.  Then the idea hit me like a ton of bricks....If I flipped the sketch upside down, I could make this look like a pine tree bough with the Pretty Pines Thinlits and then hang an ornament from the junction of the branches!  I was super excited about my idea and love the way it turned out! 

I've said before that I just can't get enough of this Cable Knit embossing folder.  I just love the texture it gives and the pattern is warm and welcoming!  The Pretty Pines Thinlits are another favorite of mine....I love that warm, cozy theme!

I hope you'll find time to join us in this interesting sketch this week at CCMC. 

Merry and Bright Red Bird Scene ~ HSS248, The Challenge #80

Hello everyone!  Happy Tuesday!  It's time again for another Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge.  We've got a bright and cheerful color combination for you this go around.  I also used the sketch from The Challenge #80 to complete my card.

I actually find these colors really nice for Christmas!  It's something a little bit different.  

Here's a list of my supplies.....

Stamps: Happy Scenes, Holly Jolly Greetings

Ink: Black, Pool Party, Real Red, Bermuda Bay

Paper: Warmth and Cheer DSP, White, Bermuda Bay, Real Red, Pool Party

Accessories: Layering Circle Thinlits, Christmas Greeting thinlits, Cable Knit EF, Bermuda Bay Sequin Trim

I hope you'll find time to join us at Hand Stamped Sentiments!  Our challenges always run for two weeks!

Thanks for taking a peek and have a blessed day!

Jenny