Splashes of Watercolor

I made 7 of these Star Photo Ornaments, one for each of our grandkids.  They’re easy really.  And I’ve got step by step instructions for you.

First, I have to mention that I was totally inspired by Anabelle O’Malley’s star ornament.  I was quite taken with it and knew as soon as I saw it that I needed to use the design for photo ornmaments.

So here are the instructions, using white star-shaped cookie cutters that I picked up at Michael’s.

And that’s it!  If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

Thanks for visiting me today!

• Stamps: none
  
• Paper: white
  
• Ink: computer (fonts used are Saginaw and Calibri)
  
• Other: photos, star cookie cutters, metal hole punch, red line tape, ribbon, 1 3/8″ circle punch, bells and various beads, silver, cord, craft needle

Done in 2 days –

Hardly any stamping (mostly the sentiments inside) –

And this was only the final round to complete this year’s cards.

WHEW!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

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Do you ever just KNOW how an image has to be used?  I’m absolutely in love with this Little Angel from Just For Fun Rubber Stamps.  And I knew she needed to be water colored and used on a shabby chic card.

The image is actually a square one but I wanted a circle on my card, so a circle Nestabilities die took care of that for me.  The base of the card is vintage cream (Papertrey Ink) and all the edges are sponged with Ranger Distress antique linen ink.  I did a lot of glittering everywhere too!  You can see it better in the detail shots below.

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The image was stamped in black StazOn and then watercolored using reinkers.  The sentiment was also stamped on watercolor paper with antique linen ink, then again using a glue pad.  The DecoArt Glamour Dust was then added.

Here are a couple of detail shots~

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I used Laura’s sketch 41 from the 2 Sketches 4 You blog, but took a little liberty and added the circle.  I hope that’s ok.

• Stamps: Little Angel (G3275), Screen Frame (H2486), Hope sentiment (AA3306) – Just For Fun Rubber Stamps
• Paper: water color paper, sketch paper, vintage cream (PTI), soft sky, pink pirouette
  
• Ink: StazOn black, Ranger Distress– antique linen & brushed corduroy, vintage cream (PTI), SU reinkers: blush blossom, barely banana, pink pirouette, soft sky
  
• Other: water brush, ink blending tool, Ranger Distress stickles – rock candy, clear EP, Tim Holtz grungeboard – plain elements, corner rounder punch, Palette stamp & stick glue pad, DecoArt Glamour Dust, crocheted lace, oval & circle Nestabilities, Prima flower (Ellen Hutson store), satin ribbon (Taylored Expresssions), pearl sticker (Recollections), foam tape
  

Surprise!  Another Christmas card from me!  I’m slowly getting to my target number.

This one uses an image that I’ve loved from the moment I saw it!  It’s called So Be Good from Just For Fun Rubber Stamps.   And no coloring!  I just stamped it in Archival ink on my patterned paper from My Mind’s Eye, tore and inked the edges, added a medium thick layer of Ranger Distress crackle paint (in rock candy, of course!), then started layering.

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The chocolate layer was run through the Cuttlebug using the Snowflakes folder then I spread some Ranger Star Dust stickles over the snowflakes on the edges with my finger.

That’s it!  One more down and ??? to go.  I don’t even really want to count!!

Thanks for stopping to look!  I really appreciate your visits!

• Stamps: So Be Good(G3274) (Just For Fun Rubber Stamps)
  
• Paper: aqua mist (Papertrey Ink), chocolate chip, Merry Days of Christmas & Snowed In collections (My Mind’s Eye)
  
• Ink: Ranger Archival – coffee, Ranger Distress – brushed corduroy
• Other: sponge dabber, Ranger Distress crackle paint – rock candy, CB Snowflakes folder, Ranger Stickles – Star Dust, corner punch, ribbon, decorative pins

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This is my last post as an Angels Landing design team member.  I’m very sad to leave this great team of wonderfully talented ladies.  Judi Maddigan is SO VERY gifted as an artist and such a great pleasure to work with.  I’m grateful to her for allowing me to play with her adorable images and I wish her all the best for a wonderful and prosperous future.

Our challenge this week was a Seasonal Celebration.   Since I’ve had grandkids, each year both of my daughters and their families come to my house early in December and they all help me decorate my Christmas tree.  We have such fun and it really sets the tone for a joyous and grateful season of celebration for us all.

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I’ve used the Seasons Tweetings cardinal to create a new ornament to add to my tree this year.  The base is a wooden snowflake.  I added glass glitter, a little lace, a silk flower also coated with glitter, and some tiny garnet colored microbeads.  The cardinal is layered and the top layer has a fine coat of Distress Stickles in rock candy, for just a touch of shimmer.

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Please be sure to check out all the other Seasonal Celebrations of the design team by choosing the links you’ll find at the Angels Landing blog.

Thanks for stopping by!!

• Stamps: Seasons Tweetings (Angels Landing)
• Paper: Neenah white
  
• Ink: Ranger Distress antique linen
  
• Other: wooden snowflake, silk flower, Ranger Glossy Accents, Sulyn glass glitter, FloraCraft Diamond Dust, lace, silver cord, Martha Stewart glass microbeads, Ranger Distress stickles – rock candy, Quickie glue pen, sponge dabber, foam tape, velvet ribbon, Copic markers:

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Well, everyone, this is our last Color Throwdown challenge of 2009.  But don’t worry, we’ll definitely be back after the holidays with more fun and challenges for you!

The super fun and talented Tammy is our hostess this week and  she’s laid down a challenge of great fun colors!

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Our sponsor this week is There She Goes and they sent the design team some super fun images to work with!  I got the Birdie Wishes set (09-0083) which is a set of 29 stamps!!  It’s adorable and not just for Christmas.  There’s also  a birthday sentiment as well as a couple of more.  Just darling!

I did, however,  create another Christmas card.  Still plugging away at those!

Well, fun images deserve fun papers, so I pulled out an assortment of My Mind’s Eye papers from eclectic Paperie and just had the best time creating!

The little bird was embossed on the polka dot paper using Versamark and real red ink.  I used the Sizzlits Little Leaves die for the branches and the Bigz Top Note die as a background to the main layer which was cut with the Labels Four Nestabilities die.  The bird, his wing, the ornament, and the sentiment oval are all popped up on foam tape.

Please visit the Color Throwdown blog for all the challenge details and play along with us!  We always enjoy seeing your fantastic creations!  Then head to the DT’s blogs for some wonderful inspiration:

Barbara * Cathy *Danielle

LeAnne * Tammy * Carol (Guest Designer for December)

Thanks for stopping to visit!  An Angels Landing Seasonal Celebration project is coming up very soon!  Please come back!

• Stamps: BirdieWishes (09-0083) (There She Goes)
  
• Paper: Neenah white, real red, kiwi kiss,always artichoke, Whirlybird & Colorful Christmas collections (My Mind’s Eye)
• Ink: real red, kiwi kiss, going gray, always artichoke, only orange; Versamark; Versafine onyx black; Ranger Distress antique linen
• Other: clear EP, Labels Four & petite oval Nestabilities, Sizzlits Little Leaves, Bigz Top Note, sponge dabber, ribbon, foam tape
  

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I’m still working on my Christmas cards, folks.  Am I close to panic?  You betcha!!

Thankfully, this card came together so easily!  I had a small sketch pad on my  desk and pulled out a page, wondering how it would take stamping.

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Using a Ranger mini mister, I spritzed the paper lightly with water, then stamped the solid poinsettia image from the Happy Holly-days set (Our Craft Lounge) in Ranger worn lipstick ink.  The outline was then stamped in fired brick.  I masked the flower and stamped the holly branch in peeled paint and used a water brush to lightly color in the leaves and berries.

When those were dry I stamped the sentiment, and cut it out with a Labels One Nestabilities die.

Earlier as I was crimping thin cardstock to insert when stuffing my bulkier Christmas cards for mailing, I thought about how long it’s been since I actually used a pieced of crimped cardstock on one of my cards.  So I used the crimper on the chocolate  strip, then added the ribbon and button, both tied with twine.

Well, back to the drawing board, so to speak.  Got lots to do!  Thanks so much for visiting!!

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• Stamps: Happy Holly-days (Our Craft Lounge)
  
• Paper: sketch pad paper, wild wasabi, chocolate chip, Santa’s Forest – the Merry Days of Christmas (My Mind’s Eye)
  
• Ink: Ranger Distress – worn lipstick, fired brick, peeled paint, Versafine onyx black
  
• Other: Ranger mini mister, water brush, Labels One Nestabilities, crimper, Basic Grey button, PTI twine, May Arts ribbon, foam tape

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This week’s design team challenge at the Angels Landing blog is to finish the edges of our cards.

I’ve finished the edges of my scalloped circle card front with sponging and a line of pink stickles.  I also finished the edges of the patterned paper on the inside of the easel card by using a Fiskars Threading Water punch.  Even the little scalloped sentiment circle edges were finished by sponging them.

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Head over to the Angels Landing blog for links to check out all the cool ways the design team members have finished their card edges.

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• Stamps: Polar Bear Cubs (Angels Landing), Holiday Greetings (AMuse), snowflake (Studio G)
• Paper: Neenah white, baja breeze, soft sky, Colorful Christmas “Snowflake Stripes” (My Mind’s Eye)
  
• Ink: computer, purely pomegranate, soft sky
  
• Other: scallop circle Nestabilities, Fiskars Threading water punch, sponge dabber, Stardust & Pink Stickles, pom pom, scallop circle punch, button (PTI), Ranger Glossy Accents, silver cord, foam tape, Copic markers:

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This week I’m hosting the  Color Throwdown challenge, and our sponsor is My Favorite Things!  Woo hoo!  Everybody loves MFT!!  Hey, did you know that I was a Guest Designer for them way back in October 2007?  Yep, I was!  That was before I even had a blog!

If you play along with us you have a chance to win a prize from them or even to become our Featured Stamper this week.  You can use whatever colors you have that are similar to this week’s choices, inspired by Basic Grey’s Eskimo Kisses.

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I chose to work with Grow Love, Plant a Tree for my card.  I LOVE this set!  Even though it’s not a Christmas set, I’ve used it with the seasonal paper for a winter-into-spring card.  See the snow on the ground?

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The pom poms represent bunches of leaves that are starting to sprout in the springtime.  Yeah, whatever….I just wanted to make some of the cool pom pom flowers that I saw on Dawn McVey’s blog!  She was inspired by the flower arrangement that Wendy Smedley made.

The bark on the tree was made by first coloring the tree trunk with Copic markers (E00, YG91, E71, E74, E77), and then touching the brush tip of the colorless blender marker to it.  Oh, and I used last week’s sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You too.

Thanks for stopping by to check things out today.  Be sure to stop by my fellow CTD designers’ blogs for more inspiration:

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Barbara * Cathy *Danielle

LeAnne * Tammy * Carol (Guest Designer for December)

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Please stop back by later for this week’s Angel Landing DT challenge card!  We’re finishing our edges this week!

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• Stamps: Grow Love, Plant a Tree (My Favorite Things)
  
• Paper: Neenah white, riding hood red, pretty in pink, Eskimo Kisses 6×6 pad (Basic Grey), Classic K Margo mat pad (K & Company), Fresh Paint glitter paper  (K & Company)
• Ink: Memento rich cocoa, versamark, Ranger Distress – broken china & antique linen
  
• Other: 3/4″ circle punch, punch & mat, silver brads, corner rounder punch, Swiss Dots CB folder, clear embossing powder, Martha Stewart double loop border punc, riding hood red ribbon, sponge dabbers, foam tape, Copic markers

I’m very excited to announce that I’ve been chosen to be on the Couture Cardstock design team!  And I’m very honored to be designing alongside some VERY talented ladies!!  You can find their names and links in my sidebar.  Check ’em out!  You can see the full announcement on the Couture Cardstock blog.

The cardstock collections are wonderfully varied. There are different named collections, monochromatic family collections, specialty papers, and chipboard, and the variety of weights and textures is just amazing! AND they have watercolor paper and the most wonderful “One Sheet Wonder” which is specifically suited to alcohol inks. YES!!!

I’ll be at the Couture Cardstock booth at CHA in Anaheim. Please be sure to stop in and say hello if you’re going to be there too!