Special Holiday Card

In the midnight hour, I made 3 of these cards for our three adult children and their families.  I hand cut white paper for the snow, glued it up and added glitter.  
glitter, glitter everywhere!

Materials:
Lawn Fawn Upon A Star stamp and die sets
Carta Bella Merry Christmas Sleigh die set
from stash:  
STAMPENDOUS Crystal Snow ultra fine white glitter  Archival Brilliance moonlight white embossing powder, Copics
Memento Tuxedo Black dye ink

Entering

The Library Challenge: #49 Anthology--pick a previous book.  I chose All Creatures Great and Small  I'm 8 x

Winter Wonderland End of Year Anything Christmas Goes
I'm #221 x

Aud Sentiments Challenge:  #242 Christmas/Winter plus a sentiment I'm 177 x

Crimbo Crackers #200 Couples I'm 8 x

Cute Card Thursday #614 Anything Goes I'm 48 x

Christmas at Sweet Stampin:   December Critters I'm 54 x

Cuttlebug Mania  Light  I''m 5 x

Shopping Our Stash  #410 Happy Holidays  I'm 123 x

Holiday Tags

Even though art is important to me, I never seem to have enough time for homemade cards at the holidays.  Here are some quick tags I was able to put together. I made 6 of these for art friends, but have photos of 4. 

I used some Julie Nutting Hancock Park patterned tags as a base for my holiday tags.  Tim Holtz' Idea-ology Christmas Paper Dolls were the inspiration for my themes.  It was great to use all the bits and bobs I've collected over the years for the finishing touches.  

Entering 

More Mixed Media Challenge Anything Goes  Optional White  I'm 27 x

A Vintage Journey: Holly Jolly I'm 38 x

Winter Wonderland End of Year Anything Christmas Goes
I'm 217 x

Aud Sentiments Challenge:  #242 Christmas/Winter plus a sentiment I'm 169 x

CRAFT Challenge Blog:  #539 Christmas the last stretch 
I'm #48 x

Through the Purple Haze #162 Let It Snow I'm 57 x

{PIN}spirational Challenge #254  I'm 12 x

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop Final

Here is my last card for the Fall-Winter 2019 Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.

I used a digital image from super sponsor JessicaLynnOriginal and a stamped sentiment from super sponsor STAMPlorations.  I watercolored the digital image and added glitter pen to the red bow and berries. 

I cut a slit to create a gift card holder before mounting onto Graphic 45 patterned paper.  Then everything was placed on a red greeting card,

Entering this card here:

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop  I'm #1190

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop Continued

I had planned to post a card every day during the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop, but the stars didn't align.  My computer crashed big time.  The great fear was that I had lost all my files.  Fortunately, my external hard drive had an old backup still on it with all the files.  Whew!

Finally I can post my second card.

This is the square version for Linky posting. 

Here is a closeup of the card for judging/commenting purposes:

The digital image is from blog hop Super Sponsor STAMPlorations.  I colored it with Derwent Intense water soluble Ink Pencils.

I created the background with Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Inks in Rusty Hinge, Mustard Seed and a little Bundled Sage, using the spritz and swipe method.  I also used the inks to edge the colored image paper. I placed a Darice Holly and Leaves Die Cut Embossing Folder over the orange background.

Entering this card here:

Coffee Lovers Fall/winter 2019 Blog Hop I'm #820


STAMPlorations Never Ending Anything Goes Challenge
I'm #3380


Always Fun Challenges #135 Water Colors I'm #4 x


The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog Fabulous Fall I'm #2
random winner!!!!

The Card Concept #123 Thanksgiving Table I'm #2 x
I was inspired by the pumpkin and the autumn colors of the flowers to create a clean and layered mixed media card.


Try It On Tuesdays Colours of Autumn I'm #35 x

OUTLAWZ Festive Fridays Nov 1-15 and I'm #83 for the gallery   winner announced mid Nov x

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop Day 1 Tea Card

It's that time of year again for coffee themed cards and a hop!

Here is my first entry. 

It's a simple card made from a journal card from DOODLEBUG DESIGN INC Cream and Sugar.  I added layers of card stock and touched it up with a white Signo pen and a Sakura clear glitter gel pen.

Obviously the card features tea cups.  This hop includes tea and hot chocolate.

Entering this card here:

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop Entry #1 I'm entry #93

One More Day

I just completed the Gecko Galz Annual Tricks and Treats blog hop.  This annual event gives you lots of free digital images and chances for prizes.  It ends tomorrow, Oct. 27, so be sure to find time to hop, collect your treats, and be inspired by the Design Team .

Catching Up

It's been awhile since I posted.  We've been remodeling our old house, and I've been away helping with our new granddaughter.  

Althouigh I haven't entered challenges to post until now, I did enter a couple of local art shows.  I won 2nd place at our local Old Settlers Art Show in the 2-D category.  This is a paper collage and acrylic paint piece entitled Lost Love.  I also had entered it and was accepted in a juried art show whose theme was Out on a Limb.  My theme is Cio-Cio San's unrequited love for Lt. Pinkerton in the Pucini opera, Madama Butterfly.  She goes out on a limb waiting for his return, only to find he rejects her.  

I finally had time to make some cards for family birthdays and would like to submit them for on-line challenges.  I tried out some new products.

I made my first slider card.  I used Taylored Expressions On the right Track-Build a Scene die for the slider. The town is a digi from Vera Lane Studio which I printed onto a card.  The girl is a digi from Pixel Scrapper which I fussy cut and put on pennies for my slider.  We gave our granddaughter a new bike for her birthday.  I thought this was the perfect card to go with it.

Entering the following challenges:

Tuesday Throwdown #438 My Grafico-Color Inspiration #13

OUTLAWZ  

Festive Fridays August 9-22 Birthday or Anything Goes

For this card, it was the first time I used my Ranger Distress Oxide Inks (I know--I'm a bit behind the times.)  I also used my new Tri-Blend by Spectrum Noir to color my hero, a rubber stamp from Viva Las Vegas Stamps. Words are computer generated and outlined with pen.

Entering the following challenges:

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #123 #4

The Male Room #117 Our 6th Birthday #48

OUTLAWZ

sitewide#107

Saturday Paper A La Mode: August 3-16 Super Hero

Be Brave Explore

Here is another Wanderlust 2019 lesson, this one from Kasia on patterns.
My patterns were pieces of gelli plate prints and other acrylic paint scraps cut into circles.  The photo is of my cousin.  I added some rubber stamping and stenciling.

Products:
STAMPlorations clear stamp sets including: Art Marks (fly high) and  Bold Sentiments Explore
Paper Artsy EclecTica EEA02 rubber stamp set Be Bold Be Brave
Stencils, ARTplorations Bubbles, Stencil Girl, and  drywall tape used as a stencil. 
acrylic paints
black Pitt pen
black pencil for shading

Sharing at:

Art Journal Journey  - Where Erika has given us the May theme: In the Sky/In the Air. #214

Entering:

Craft Stamper Take It Make It:May Challenge Inspiration #97

STAMPlorations May Mixed Media: #41

River Walk Journal Spread

This is my take on Clare Etheridge's Wanderlust 2019 lesson Sketches Down the River..

My torn papers are my own Spanish Marbeling created in a class years ago.  I finally got to put some of that paper to use.  I'm happy with the calming effect of minimalist work on these journal pages.

I recently spent some time on Sanibel Island in Florida.  On one of my morning walks I found this see turtle wrapped in what appears to be a plastic bag.  I believe in the campaign to save the turtles and other sea life that mistake plastic for food.  At the shell show, I saw displays on how sea life attaches to the garbage in the ocean.  We must protect the ecosystems of our oceans and rivers.  I liked how this art journaling lesson gave me a creative outlet for this topic.

Entering:

International Art and Soul #58 Ecology/Environmental Conservation I'm #6

More Mixed Media Challenge: May Optional Pink I'm #25 x

Spring Coffee to Go

Another watercolor card using a digital image from Shery Russ at STAMPlorations.

ENTERING:

Coffee Loving Cardmakers Spring 2019 Blog Hop  #1169

STAMPlorations  Never Ending Anything Goes Challenge #3073

Butterfly Coffee Cup Card

Here is another card I made.

I'm using my new watercolor pencils:  Spectrum Noir and InkTense.  I added some sparkle.
My butterfly is layered with a Stampin' Up die (pink one) and a Martha Stewart punch (blue one).

The digital image is a freebie from STAMPlorations, super sponsor for the Coffee Loving blog hop.

Entering:  

Coffee Loving Cardmakers Spring 2019 Blog Hop  #1145

STAMPlorations Cutplorations May Challenge:  Things With Wings #9


and  STAMPlorations Things With Wings Linky Party #45

Stenciled Birthday Card

I made this card for a very special young woman in our family.

Materials:

STAMPlorations:
Clear Stamp Party Time:  inside sentiment: Happy belated birthday
Clear Stamp Heaven Sent: word girl
CUTplortions thin metal die: Birthday
ARTplorations Stencil:  Faces: Pensive

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Dina Wakley Media: Heavy Body Acrylic Paint:  Black

Flowers from stash

Entering:

STAMPlorations May CAS Challenge  #30




STAMPlorations May Mixed Media Challenge #12



Fab and Funky Challenge #439 Anything Goes  #23

Mix It Up Challenge #24 Anything Goes #29

Die Cut Divas:  Flowers All Year Round in May #34

Beverage and Macaron Shaker Card

I started with an Elizabeth Craft Designs stencil, using Derwent InkTense pencils and Spectrum Noir Aqua Blend pencils to color the beans and roses through the stencil.  When I finished, I thought the beans looked more like macarons, so I stamped and die cut a macaron from Avery Elle to add to the design. Sentiment is from the same stamp set using Hero Arts Shadow Ink Cornflower mid-tone. The diecut card and shaker are Jillibean.

Entering:

Coffee Loving Cardmakers Spring 2019 Blog Hop  #631 second entry

613 Avenue Create Challenge #221 Anything Goes with Optional Twist Shaker Card month of May #12 x

Three Amigos Food and Drink #76

Double Trouble Challenge #28:  spring/summer (Thing 1) (I just celebrated a big birthday and am sending a thank you card for my awesome gift) and I love flavored coffee and macarons (Thing 3) and get an extra entry for Three Amigos link up (Thing 2) #30 x

The Crafter's Cafe Challenge #218 Make Your Own Background and Use Dies or Punch
#57 x

Just Us Girls Challenge #486 Word Week Movement until May 9 #16 x


AAA Cards CAS Game #139  #61 x

Shaker Thank You Card

I recently celebrated a big birthday and am making thank you cards.  Here's my first one:

Materials:

Jillibean Coffee Cup Shaker (plastic shaker cup die cut) and Coffee Cup Card (with pre die cut to hold shaker)

Paper Smooches Cyber Cafe stamps:  coffee bean and sentiment

Authentique patterned paper

Inks:
Memento: Rose Bud, New Sprout, Dandelion
My Favorite Things: Latte
Stampin' Up Early Espresso
Ranger Wendy Vecchi Archival Ink: Forget Me Not

Coffee beans


Entering:

Coffee Loving Cardmakers Spring 2019 Blog Hop #584

613 Avenue Create Challenge #221 Anything Goes with Optional Twist Shaker Card month of May #11

D.L. Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #243 Theme: Coffee,Tea or Chocolate until May 30 #9

The Crafter's Cafe Challenge #218 Make Your Own Background and Use Dies or Punch
#51 x

Just Us Girls Challenge #486 Word Week Movement until May 9 #14 x

Typography Journal Page

Here is my journal page from the Wanderlust 2019 January lessons on typography .  I've combined  Eliza's Mini Art Jar with Athanasia's composition ideas.  I thought the typography theme was fitting for my uncle-in-law Joe who was a newspaper publisher.  

 Materials:

*Lots of Tim Holtz products, both old and new--grunge board letters, paper doll and word strips,Salvage stickers, Bungled Sage distress ink

*Wendy Vecchi's Lower Case Art rubber stamps from Stamper's Anonymous

*Melody Ross (Brave Girls Club) typewriter graphic

*Sticko letter circle stickers

*typography dictionary page strips for background

*acrylic paints

*black ink and Sharpie

*sequin waste for circle stencil

Sharing at Art Journal Journey where this month's theme from Rike is The Colour Yellow

Entering:

Avenue 613 : Challenge 218 Anything Goes (I did not use the optional twist) #33 x

International Art and Soul:  Challenge 51 Make Your Own Background #10 x

The Library Challenge: #26  The Note   This is a new challenge for me--I looked for the rules but didn't see if it's cards only.  #4 x

A Inky Mess Challenge #27 Anything Mixed Media Goes #15 x

Altered Eclectics February New Year New Challenge:  Anything Goes Altered Art or Mixed Media #9 x

Mix It Up: Challenge 22 Anything Goes (I did not do optional twist) #13  WINNER!

Creative Artiste Challenge #46 Anything Mixed Media Goes #17 x
More Mixed Media Challenge: February  Anything Goes with optional red (I did not do option) #1x
Craft Stamper Magazine:  February Take It Make It Challenge:  Anything Goes-Take a Stamp and Make Something.  I'm #85 x

Documenting the Polar Vortex

I'm taking a digital Project Life 2019 scrapbooking class from Jessica Sprague.  This includes learning a lot about my PhotoShop Elements 2018 software.  I've revamped the end of the month summary page to make a special digital layout to document the Polar Vortex.

Digital Materials:
Jessica Sprague basic layout including blank word strips
Imagine That! Arabesque snowflake overlay paper and title Baby It's Cold Outside
Pixel Scrapper Digital Scrapbooking:  Windy and Cold title
Designer Digitals: Kay Pertiet Frosted Fun shivering girl
Weather Images in photo strip from Facebook news sites: NASA, WGN,

Regarding Google + accounts.  I didn't take advantage of this feature but many people did.  However, I did have the account so I have no idea how I've been affected.  I do know that any comments left on my blog through Google + will disappear --which is very disappointing. The upside: if you aren't a Google + person, you can now leave comments on my blog.   If you are not a Google + person and are wondering what is going on, here is the message:

Following the announcement of Google+ API deprecation scheduled for March 2019, a number of changes will be made to Blogger’s Google+ integration on 4 February 2019. 

Google+ widgets: Support for the “+1 Button”, “Google+ Followers” and “Google+ Badge” widgets in Layout will no longer be available. All instances of these widgets will be removed from your blog. 

+1 buttons: The +1/G+ buttons and Google+ share links below blog posts and in the navigation bar will be removed. 

Please note that if you have a custom template that includes Google+ features, you may need to update your template. Please contact your template supplier for advice. 

Google+ Comments: Support for Google+ comments will be turned down, and all blogs using Google+ comments will be reverted back to using Blogger comments. Unfortunately, comments posted as Google+ comments cannot be migrated to Blogger and will no longer appear on your blog. 

Have heART Journal Page

I'm participating in Wanderlust 2019.  I can't share the details of the first lesson, but I can tell you it involved my initials--HH--, dictionary pages consisting of "h" words, words describing me that start with the letter "h", acrylic paint and watercolor crayons in a color that was calling my name (my favorite color is blue), and stencils.

This month at Art Journal Journaling, the prompt is geometric shapes.  I have rectangular blue strips of paper and white circles from a stencil.  Then there's that heart that mysteriously showed up in the background which led to the title.  

Entering:

More Mixed Media Challenge:  Anything Goes With Optional Blue   I'm #19 x

Gecko Galz Papercrafting Facebook Challenge Group:  January--Bookmark or Journal Page.  I used the artist from the Edwardian Beauties digital collage sheet  x

OUTLAWZ challenge:  site wide #102
Twisted Thursday Jan 3-16: Anything Goes
Festive Friday January:  Anything Goes


We Love 2 Create: January #1 Anything Creative Mixed Media Goes I'm  #36 x

613 Avenue Create Challenge #217 Anything Goes--Optional Twist Water Colors--- I used water color crayons as one of my mediums.  I'm #81 x

Pop Up Box Cards

My art group met to play with the Lawn Fawn pop up box die.  Those who had used the die showed the rest of us how to assemble the box.  They also brought us some previously die cut inserts.  

It was a great learning experience for me.  Since then I've watched the Lawn Fawn video on their latest die, the mini pop up box and am very tempted to buy it.

Here is the box card I made using PhotoPlay Paper's Flannel Shirt two-sided scrapbook paper from their Ocanada Christmas collection.

Entering this card here:

Pile It On Challenge #149 Shaped Card til Jan 5 I'm #36 x

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge: Anything as long as it's Christmas Challenge #418 til Jan 4  I'm #70 x

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #562 Anything Goes I'm #110 x

Winter Wonderland End Of Year Anything Christmas Goes Challenge til Jan 3 I'm #228 x

OUTLAWZ site wide January I'm #5
                    Festive Friday Anything Goes or Christmas  til Jan 10
                    Twisted Thursday Anything Goes til Jan 3