Splashes of Watercolor

E-Team Blog Hop - Faux Postage

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Hello, everyone!  It's been a while since we've had an E-Team Blog  Hop!  Have you missed us?  We've sure missed sharing our fun creative experiences with you!

This month, our super-creative leader, Daisy, has given us the mission to travel back in time to one of the very first techniques any of us probably learned ….Faux Postage!  It had been a long, long time for me!

Let's take care of the blog hop details first:

• Be sure to visit all the design team's blogs and leave comments along the way.
• Comments can be left beginning today, Friday, March 30, through Sunday, April 1st.
• Two random winners will be chosen from the E-Team blogs to each win a $25 eclectic Paperie gift voucher.
• Winners will be announced on Monday, April 2nd, on the eP blog.

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To start on my project, I turned to the ultimate place for templates and tutorials: Splitcoaststampers.  Here's the link to the Faux Postage tutorial.  This is where I found the template to I wanted to use.

I printed the template on plain copy paper and taped an acrylic sheet that I pulled from some stamp set packaging over it with painters tape.  I used my craft knife and ruler to cut closely around the dotted template lines.

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The mask doesn't have to be perfectly cut by any means.  Mine sure wasn't!  Using the same 2 pieces of painters tape, I taped the acrylic mask over a piece of white cardstock on which I had printed the template again.  Then I stamped my Orchid image from Flourishes.

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I also stamped the image on a Post-It note, cut it out, and placed it on top of my main image.  I wanted to color the background the easy way, by airbrushing with my Copic markers.

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When the background was finished, I removed the Post-It note mask and the acrylic mask, which I taped directly onto the tutorial for future use.

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Now my image is ready to color.  Any blank spaces in between the flowers that couldn't be airbrushed were just filled in by coloring with my T3 Copic marker.

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And here's the finished card.

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After choosing the card base shape and the basic green layer, I just pulled out some scraps until I found the colors I liked with the image.  I layered them randomly before placing the image layer on top. Then I finished the card with some May Arts ribbon and a scalloped circle sentiment layer.

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Now it's time to move on to see the fabulous creations that the other E-Team members have prepared for you!  Be ready to be WOWed!!

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Starla wasn't able to play along this time, but please stop by to leave her some love anyway!

Thanks so much for taking time to drop in today. I love it when you visit, and when you leave comments!  Have a great weekend!

Bewildered and Found - a new A Day For Daisies release

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I am in love.  In love with these new gorgeous images of innocence from A Day For Daisies.  I couldn't wait to color "Bewildered" and give her a cute little pink streak in her hair!

The new challenge at the ADFD blog is to use "Found papers".  I used a small dessert doily that I brought home from Olive Garden behind the image.  The leaves were cut from a smooth kraft-colored packaging insert and the partial scalloped circle of a page was left over from another project.

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The pink layer and the trimmed girl image are both popped up on foam tape.

I used this week's CardPatterns Sketch #158 too.

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We would LOVE if you'd play along in the "Found papers" challenge!   I had fun looking around for something to use on my card!  I bet you would too!

Check out what the talented ADFD design team has colored up for your viewing pleasure.

Thanks so much for stopping in to look!  I'll be posting a new E-Team project in a little while, so I hope you'll come back.  I also hope your weekend is marvelous and full of fun!

 

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Kick Some Grass! - Color Throwdown #185

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Hey there, everyone!  It's my week to host the Color Throwdown challenge and I'm so excited for you to see this color combo!

I found my inspiration photo on Pinterest and loved how it took me right back to my childhood….the bicycle AND the wall paper!  LOL!!

Here's the photo and the colors I've chosen:

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Great, huh?

I decided to also use this week's Fall to Layout FTL183.  It's just perfect!

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I pulled out this darling bunny from the Kick Some Grass stamp set from The Cat's Pajamas, keeping in mind that Easter is fast approaching and I have quite a few children to make cards for!  I'm sure one of them will adore this little guy!  This also qualifies for the TCPTUES202 challenge to use a grassy product!

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I'd like to take a moment to thank my dear friend, Bev, for agreeing to be this month's Guest Designer.  It's much appreciated, sweet lady!!

Now it's time to hop on over to check out all the gorgeous inspiration from the design team:

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Thanks so much for stopping by!  If you can, please come back on Friday.  I'll have a project using a new A Day For Daisies image (so fun!), and that's also the day for the next E-Team blog hop!!  Woo hoo!  This month we're doing Faux!!

 

A Day For Daisies Oval Bird Cage

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Happy Friday!  The start of the weekend is definitely a reason to celebrate!  But so is a new release from A Day For Daisies!

It's Spring now, right?  So why not bring on the birds!  This new release is such a great tribute to our fine feathered friends.  You can check out all the new images at the ADFD blog or at the ADFD Etsy Shop. 

I've chosen to play with the Oval Bird Cage image.  How sweet is this?!!

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I printed it, colored it with my Copic markers and cut it out.  The layer directly beneath it (the "window") is white cardstock which I swiped a few times with my Ranger Distress Stain in Tumbled Glass.  It matches the Copic B00 and B01 combo perfectly!

I've done a little stitching on the card and tied up some of the layers with some seam binding and 3 different colors of twine from the Twinery: Blossom, Honeydew, and Caribbean.

I've used the MOJO233 sketch for my layout this week.  Here it is:

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I hope you all are going to have a lovely weekend.  I'd love to say I'm going to the premiere of The Hunger Games tonight, but alas I'm currently at Myrtle Beach.  So sad, huh?   I'll definitely be seeing the movie next weekend though with a crowd of friends/tributes!  So don't tell me how wonderful it is until I've seen it too!  Promise?  Thanks!

 

Hello, Spring! - Color Throwdown #184

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It's so hard to believe that it's been in the 80's here.  For over a week.  In March.  But I truly love it!  All the flowers are in bloom; the bees are buzzing; the lawn mowers are roaring (or puttering); and I'm just waiting for the hummingbirds to show up!

So I decided to celebrate Spring using my Spring Sketches stamp set from Our Craft Lounge and this week's Color Throwdown combo, as chosen by our sweet and super-talented friend, Barbara.

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The tulip on my card is 3 layers and the leaf is 2; both popped up on foam tape.  I colored around the border of the Lacey Oval die cut with a Copic markers to make it look like it's got several layers.  I just love the deep purple of this tulip!

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I hope you'll decide to play along with us!  Your colors don't have to be a perfect match, but try to keep them close.  You can find all the details on the CTD blog.

Now how about checking out the beautiful creations of the other DT members:

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Thanks so much for stopping in today!  I hope to see you back on Friday for another new release from A Day For Daisies!

 

Happy Birdie with an Orange Balloon!

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Hi, y'all!  It's Friday and time to give you a peek at one of the new A Day For Daisies "Blue Birdie" images.  I love this sweet little fellow pulling his pretty orange balloon!

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We also have a new challenge starting today at the ADFD blog …."Shades of Blue".  I used a couple of different shades on my card, and I also used this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge 154.

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My little guy was colored with Copic markers then I sprinkled some Ranger Star Dust Stickles around him and his balloon.  (Click on the picture to see it larger.)

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Check out the new images at the ADFD blog.  They're also available at the A Day For Daisies main site and the ADFD Etsy shop.

And we'd love it if you'd play along in the "Shades of Blue" challenge with us!

Thanks so much for dropping in on your busy Friday.  I hope you have a fabulous weekend!  It's gonna be warm (in the 80's) and sunny here.  I can't wait!

 

It's a Fabulous Florals Garden!

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Hey there!  I can't believe this is Our Craft Lounge's last day of showing off our May Arts goodness!  I've had so much fun playing with these gorgeous ribbons and I still have so many more!  You know you'll be seeing many more creations using them from me in the future!

Today is also the start of a new challenge at the OCL blog.  It's OCL109 - Pretty Petals.  We're supposed to use flowers on our creations.  That's an easy task for everyone!

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I wanted to create an entire garden, but instead of using flower embellishments, I decided to stamp my garden and create a paper flower for the focal point.  I used the Fabulous Florals stamp set from Our Craft Lounge ….probably my most favorite floral stamp set ever!

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I stamped a piece of white cardstock in Lucky Limeade and Pool Party colored flowers with a couple of black outlined leaves, then I cut around one edge.  This was popped up onto another piece of white cardstock, embossed using the Plaid embossing folder from Sizzix.

I tied bows using 3 different May Arts ribbons.  They're scrumptious!  The aqua has just enough body to shape it easily and the black is velvet!  Yummy!!

The larger flower was stamped twice in Versamark, clear embossed, then cut out.  I trimmed out every other petal on the top flower and inked the center and edges with some of the Lucky Limeade ink.  A tiny black flower was stamped in black Versafine ink and embossed for the center.  This large flower is popped up on several layers of foam mounting tape.

If you look closely at the top of the card, you can see that I stamped a couple of the flowers on the inside of the card as well.

Well, that's it for today's Our Craft Lounge card.  I hope you'll play along in the challenge and be sure to leave comments on all the participating team member's blogs today for a chance to win some of the May Arts ribbon!

I'll be posting a new A Day For Daisies card using one of the new release images a little later.  Be sure to check back for that!

Dandelion Wishes - Color Throwdown #183

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Hi, everyone!  Welcome! 

Today is the start of a new Color Throwdown challenge and day 2 for me of using my Our Craft Lounge  stamps along with beautiful May Arts ribbon.

Here's this week's CTD challenge colors, as chosen by the oh-so-talented Wanda:

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Beautiful colors that pulled me right outdoors to find even more inspiration!  It feels like Spring time already here in South Carolina.  Everything's in bloom and the weather is nice and warm.  I've been on the lookout for butterflies and hummingbirds! 

Speaking of Spring time creatures, I've always LOVED the Butterfly Kisses stamp set from Our Craft Lounge.  So I paired it up with gorgeous May Arts ribbon and a piece of Brenda Walton Flora & Fauna paper from K & Company.

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Be sure to play along in the Color Throwdown challenge with us!  Here's some great inspiration from my CTD sisters:

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Also be sure to leave a comment here on my post to be entered to win some gorgeous May Arts ribbon for yourself from Our Craft Lounge.  There are more ways to enter.  Check them out on the OCL blog.

Thank you for visiting today.  I love it when you do!

 

Hippity Hoppity with May Arts!

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Good Tuesday morning, everyone!  I'm really excited that the Our Craft Lounge  design team gets to work (ok, so it's really play) with beautiful May Arts  ribbons & trims this week!  Thanks so much to May Arts  for being so generous and sharing so much delicious goodness with us!

You'll want to check the OCL Blog  each day for the rest of this week for everyone who is playing along.   Now don’t forget to leave some love everywhere each and every day this week because there will be FIVE prize packages of blog candy this week!

I chose to use the adorable Hippity Hoppity stamp set today to create a frilly, girly Easter card.

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I used the gorgeous wide striped grosgrain, cut on the ends with pinking shears and layered into a flat bow, as the base for my circles and lacey circles, topped with Easter bunny fun!  There's also some of the yummy sheer/ombre ribbon tied into a bow directly beneath the lacey pink circle.  Mr. Hoppity is colored with Copics; and everything is layered atop a paper doily.

Now here's some info about how you can enter to win some of this May Arts  yumminess for yourself!

There will be 5 Prize Packages given away this week.  You have lots of ways to enter EVERY SINGLE DAY this week + one BONUS entry!

Daily leave 1 comment on each…
1. the OCL Blog (please leave contact info),
2. each designer’s blog playing along that day, and
3. our Facebook page.

BONUS ENTRY: If you “LIKE” OCL on Facebook, you’ll get a bonus entry (as long as you tell us you did it) ~ if you've already "liked" us, let us know that too!

There will be 5 random comments chosen this weekend and the winners will be announced next Tuesday, March 20th on the OCL Blog.

Thanks so much for stopping in today.  Be sure to check in again tomorrow for another OCL card along with the latest Color Throwdown challenge!

 

Violets in My Hair - a new release from A Day For Daisies

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Oh my!  This new release from A Day For Daisies is so awesome!  You won't believe the gorgeous images that Tammy Siemers Thompson has created for you this week!  Awesome, I tell you!

I also have to say I was a little intimidated to color the beautiful Violets in My Hair image that I chose.  Long hair AND a beautiful face to color?  Oh my!  So I practiced on a few images and finally finished one that I really liked.  (I've labeled which Copic markers I've used for her hair, face, etc. on the photo at the bottom of the post.  Click on it to see it larger.)

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When I first saw this image uncolored, I thought she looked like Kate Hudson.  But as I colored her, she began to look more and more like Julie Chan!  Go figure!

I also used the Card Patterns sketch #155 for this week.  It's great!

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You can check out this new image and all the others of the new release at the ADFD blog and the main A Day For Daisies website.  You can also purchase them at the ADFD Etsy shop!

Thanks for visiting with me on your busy Friday!  I'm boy-sitting with my 2 older grandsons ALL weekend!  This should be exciting!

Have a great weekend!