First Card for Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

It's time for the summer Coffee Lovers' Blog Hop.  I've visited most the the sponsor sites and snagged some of their generous freebies.  I'm short on time so these digis were perfect for cards I need to make quickly.

Here's the first one--a pre-colored Coffee and Sunshine digi from super sponsor Kadoodle Bug Designs.  I added background paper from Imagine That! digistamp and typed some text before printing it out.  After placing my digi composition on card stock, I added some Stampin' Up die butterflies. I got this card just in time for the retirement party.

Entering:

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop:  I'm #211

OUTLAWZ June #135 and Monday Greetings Challenge--Summer Relaxation and Twisted Thursdays--Fun in the Sun

Mini Accordian Art Journal

Gill has chosen Elegance and Grunge for our May Art Journal Journey. (#10)

I decided to complete an accordian journal.  Each page of the accordian fold is 4.5x4.5 inches.  Please click on the photo to see it enlarged.

I made the covers last year as part of the Wanderlust on-line class but never did anything with the inside.  

This year's Wanderlust on-line class just had a lesson from Kasia which encouraged us to "think small" and create small pages as part of a mini journal. She inspired me to finaly create pages for my journal--which included gluing them onto the inside of the covers.  I painted the blank pages with liquid watercolors and then added lots of items from my stash. My theme was artful, to go with the stenciled word on my cover.

As I continue to struggle with my art style, I need to remember to be present not perfect. I completed these journal pages in total abandon of any preconceived notions of style, technique, or rules. I trusted my inner artist. This is an authentic expression of me.  

Materials
long stamp on left from a workshop I took years ago--repurposed
girl on bike digi  from Sharon Dewi Stolpe at Pixel Scrappers
Tall Town digis from Vera Lane Studio
Artisan One collage sheet from Red Lead Paperworks
cloth ribbon and balloon from Websters Pages
butterfly from Prima Garden Fable
Christy Tomlinson She Art Paper Dolls Bits and Pieces from Pink Paislee--girl on right actually from the packaging
Artist's Loft Liquid Watercolors- blue and green (and black for shading)
Wherever you go, go with all your heart STAMPlorations Shery Russ Designs Born to Roam clear stamp set
See the artist within rubber stamp from Red Lead Paperworks

Entering:

Love to Create Challenge #9:  Anything Creative Mixed Media Goes #18x

Path of Positivity Challenge #49 Present Not Perfect #2

Mixed Media World Challenge #24:  Anything Goes with a Twist: Use Watercolors #48 closes May 12 x

A Inky Mess Challenge #10 Anything Goes #8 winner!

Digital Layout

Regretfully, I completed my design team term at the end of April for Imagine That! digistamp.  I love Kris' digi files and will continue to use them. To prove that point, here I am already using her brand new May releases, Girls Night In, Slumber Party, and Bedtime Monique.  I made a digital two page scrapbook spread, adding in papers and trims from other Imagine That! files in my stash.  I'm really only saying good-bye to the DT requirements. It's been a great ten months, 3 as GDT, 7 as DT.

Entering this here:

Digitally Made:  Challenge #1 Anything Goes I'm #3

Crocs and Gators

When I was little, one of my favorite sayings to share was, "See you later alligator...After awhile crocodile". It was like I was privy to a little secret--the cleverness of language.  

When Kris came up with this Imagine That! digi set, I just had to work with it and pass down the clever sentiment to my grandchildren.  I just purchased a teeshirt for my grandson that has this sentiment on it, one half on the front, the other half on the back.  Just like my card!  

Gator Strong


This special fold card is perfect for the project. I colored the images with pencils and then fussy cut them.  I used distress ink/water with a brayer on the card: Faded Jeans, Salty Ocean, Tumbled Glass, Weathered Wood, Pine Needles, Vintage Photo, and Mowed Lawn.  While cleaning up the craft room, I came across a green label from some Christmas paper.  I used the grass die.

Since I'm a stickler for accuracy, I looked up the difference between crocs and gators so that I'd use the appropriate image with the correct sentiment.


From Live Science: HERE

• Snout shape: Alligators have wider, U-shaped snouts, while crocodile front ends are more pointed and V-shaped.
• Toothy grin: When their snouts are shut, crocodiles look like they're flashing a toothy grin, as the fourth tooth on each side of the lower jaw sticks up over the upper lip. For alligators, the upper jaw is wider than the lower one, so when they close their mouths, all their teeth are hidden.
• Home base: Crocodiles tend to live in saltwater habitats, while alligators hang out in freshwater marshes and lakes.

I'm entering some Animal challenges with this card.

Cupcake Inspiration:  #404 Animals #48 x

2  Crafty Critter Crazies:  Challenge #1 Must Have a Critter #139 x

Sweet Stampers Challenge:  #6 Animals #104 until May 8

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #67 Animal Cookies #13 until May 3
Imagine That! digistamp is one of the sponsors x

Pile It On #129 Interactive #77 until May 6

and of course

OUTLAWZ:  Twisted Thursday Anything Goes

Art Journaling about Paris in Springtime

For the month of April at Art Journal Journey, Hazel has asked us to climb aboard the magical mystery bus to see where it takes each of us in our art. This time I went to Paris. (This is my second journaling post, this time #99)

Do you have a plethora of finished and unfinished projects laying around?  The two page spread was the start of a Stamped Art Journal Pocket Page as taugt by Rachel Greig for Wanderlust 2016.  As usual, I started out strong, using distress inks and various stamps to create my background. One prominently used is STAMPlorations Born to Roam clear stamp set by Shery Russ.  I cut out a few items from one of my many Graphic 45 Curtain Call collection.Then there it sat--for almost a year!  I dug out a postcard I made when I was on the Gecko Galz design team.  At first I was going to tuck it into the pocket, then I decided to put it on top--most likely breaking some rules about focal points on a two page spread. But everyting flows for me!  FINALLY I have finished the "unfinished" journal pages and used up one of the many finished projects (postcard) laying around.  

Thank you, Hazel, for motivating me with your prompt to finally get these pages done!

Entering this here:

Creative Artiste Mixed Media:  Anything Goes I'm #54x

A Inky Mess #9 Anything Goes #16


Mixed Media World #24 Anything Mixed Media Goes I'm #24 until May 11 x

We Love to Create:  #8 Anything Creative/Mixed Media #17 x

STAMPlorations Sketch and/or Theme for April-- left side of journal page is sketch on it's side. I'm #39  Winners announced April 10 x