Watercolors & Rainbow - Oh My! Mixed Media Card

It's a new month! And that means rainbows! And glitter!! Right?!

Well, ok, not necessarily, I guess... but for my purposes we're going to pretend that a new month means rainbows and glitter because that's exactly what I've got to show you today.  

This card was inspired by the new challenge over at The Mixed Media Card Challenge, which happens to be - you guessed it - RAINBOWS! 

With the option of Dragonflies.But since I don't have any dragonfly stamps you get to see a boat instead. Taaa daaaaa!

This card began when I pulled this piece of watercolor paper that I had created an ombre rainbow on and then didn't know what to do with it. I stared at and decided to go all happy and nautical. 

I stamped and cut out some images from the Simon Says Stamp Sailing stamp set. I colored the boat with Spectrum Noir Markers and then I used some stripedy paper and sponged it with Distress Inks. To finish it all out, I added some sequin stars for additional shimmer and Wink of Stellad my clouds. 


All done! 

I'm also sending this cute little guy sailing to play in:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - ATG 
Mixed Media World - Under the Sea
The Paper Players - (I chose beach, patterned paper, red) 
Time Out Challenges - I was inspired by the drippy rainbow print

Rainbow Stamped Happy Birthday Card

This week I had a little bit of time to play in my craft room and accomplish something other than design team responsibilities. Winnie and Walter happens to be one of my fave stamp companies and I hadn't pulled out the sets I own in awhile. 

Time to remedy that! I thought to myself. 

So I went to their blog and found the latest Gossip Column Challenge with Taheerah Atchi. Taheerah does such a good job of explaining new trends and this month's focus was on Spectrum.

Spectrum! Perfect because I L-O-V-E all things bright and rainbowy. I stamped some stars and watercolored them with a bevy of colors. Then I used a HAPPY die cut and watercolored that alllllll blue. 

STAMPS USED: Winnie & Walter - The Big the Bold The Happy and Big Bang Confetti,
  DIES USED: Winnie & Walter, In a Word: Happy Cutaway

I then took another sheet of watercolor paper and created the full spectrum of rainbowy color to have a fun background for my focal image. Last but not least, I added some sequins that shimmered in sun, too! 

I'm also going to link this up to:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - ATG

Addicted to Stamps & More - Clean and Simple

Thanks for popping by! 

PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTT - 

Just a reminder that you have 3 days left to play in my birthday challenge and have a chance to win part of $100 in prizes I'm giving away!

Link up your cards here. 

Messy Stars - Mixed Media Card

Ok, so ya'll know I love a good process photoshow explanation for my blog posts, but I'm gonna apologize here because while I was making this card I SUCKED at taking any photos. 

Do you ever just get in the mood to play and then totally lose yourself in the artsy process? That's what happened here and it was soooooo liberating. So... sorry not sorry? Ok, I am a little bit sorry. But also not. 

If you want to talk about an explosion of fun, that's sort of what happened here. I just kept adding and adding and adding layers of mixed media until I was happy with what was going on. 

I made the background using Distress Spray Stains, frantage, starry washi tape, gesso, stamps from the Balloons and Banners STAMPloration set, and a gel pen.  

Since the theme of the month over at STAMPlortions challenge is STAMPS and STARS, you can tell why this is ridden with starry wonderment. 

 If you haven't played along at STAMPlorations yet - consider this  your reminder to get your but in gear! You can use either the theme or the sketch OR both! 

My center star was made by coloring with yellow gelatos. I hated that so I dipped it in distress ink. Still wasn't what I was going for so I added Blue Patina Perfect Pearls and then I was happy!! Mixed media cards are cool like that. Just keep adding til you're happy. 

The coolest part of the card was this bubbly little center piece. I had some black gemstone adhesive paper from DCWV and I gessoed over it. Then I sprayed it with Distress Spray stains and darkened the border of it with a gelato crayon. 

All in all I think it's wicked cool. 

I'm also going to play along in the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge where their theme is also Stars, Aud Sentiments (anything goes), and the Male Room (Blue, Red + One Color - My color is  hints of yellow!)

 

 Thanks for popping by!!

------------------------------------------

PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTT - 

Have you played along in my

30th Birthday Challenge

yet?? 

I'm giving away over $100 in prizes! 

It's My 30th Birthday! And I'm Partying with Prizes!

Woop Woooooooop! 

Today is the day where I enter the decade of the big three - OH!

That's right! I turned 30!!

And I'm partying down in the bloggy way by throwing a Birthday Bash with a card linkup party. And I know I'm supposed to get gifts for my b-day, but I thought it would be nice to GIVE some gifts too, to thank all of my amazing followers for cheering me on for the past two years. So read on to learn what I've got in store for you. 

The Mood Board:

So let's explain how this party works:

1. Look at that fancy mood board and find something you like! Here are some ideas:

• A bright bold explosion of colors
• Circular shapes
• Distressed, rusty elements
• Unique angles
• Trees
• Artsy fartsy experimentation

2. Make a card

3. Follow my blog (most of my giveaways are open whether or not you're a follower, but for my birthday bash I like to celebrate with friends - old and new alike!)

4. Make a blog post using the graphic and a link back here and link up your card at the bottom of this post.

Of course, I had to make a card myself!

I'm sure you can tell which picture was my inspiration for this guy - the tree! I made it using Distress Paint. All those little dots are individual brushstrokes. 

Since we're celebrating birthdays, I'm also playing along at Seize the Birthday where the theme is Bold & Bright. 

Now for prizes! 30 is a big year so I've got some BIG prizes to give away for those who are linking up to my birthday bash.

Prize 1 & 2 - STAMPlorations Gift Cards

I'm giving away 2 gift cards to STAMPlorations for $20 each (a big thanks to Shery for donating the second card - what a sweetie!!)

Prize 3 - A complete Fossilized Amber Set

Prize 4 - 2 packs of Copic Caio Markers

Prize 5 - A Bundle of Fun

So there you have it! I hope you'll party along with me! 

Link up here:

***NOTE***

InLinkz is deciding to be a poop and not working for some people (though most don't have issues). If you can't link up, just leave your link in the comments section and I will add it. :) Thank you!

An InLinkz Link-up

Inlaid Die Cutting - Flower Power Card

As with many things in my life, I saw this wicked cool card on Pinterest and wanted to give the technique a go. So I Pinned it, then - naturally - waited a few months... and of course had NO idea which of my Pinterest boards it belonged to and could never find it again. 

Sigh*

So I am trying what I think was the technique, but I'm not sure. :) Either way, I like how the finished product turned out so here it goes on my blog. 

My Aunt Julie, Aunt Jerrie, and my momma came for a visit to play in my new crafty space, and this was one of the projects we all did together. Aunt Julie had brought some pieces of from an adult coloring book and we each took a sheet that we liked.

We used different sizes of circles to die cut three circular areas out of the coloring sheet. 

We colored the images within the die cut circles and then put them back in their rightful positions. 

So in the end, you have areas of popped color. I think it creates such a visually striking effect and it's totally a technique I plan to try again in the future. Since I didn't want to cover up the pretty background, I added a simple vellum overlay of a sentiment. 

I'm going to link this card up to:
Simon Says Stamp Monday - Flora & Fauna
Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes with Die Cuts
Addicted to Stamps & More - Make your Mark


Psssssssttttt.... Be sure to come back on Sunday for a special announcement/party/woooooooooooooooooo! I might be turning the big three-oh and I just MIGHT have a birthday bash planned for all of my bloggy friends. ;) 

Wedding Season!- Stamped Wedding Card

I don't know about you, but I've depleted my stock of wedding cards pretty quickly this summer. It seems like everyone and their dogs are merrily walking down an aisle somewhere. Meanwhile, I am happily walking down the aisle of my local craft store to pick up more supplies for wedding season.

This card was inspired by the latest STAMPlorations theme and sketch challenge. Every month we give  you a new theme & a new sketch. You can choose to use either the sketch or the theme OR both - so many options! And you DO NOT have to use STAMPlorations products to play along.  So get creating already. 

This month's theme is Stamps & Stars, and I chose to ignore that altogether. Instead, I got all rebellious with the sketch by using the basic outline and adding a couple more layers. hehe. 

>>I'm such a rebel.<<

Here it is in all its glittery glory! I think it turned out oh-so-elegant. 

Supplies List - STAMPS: STAMPlorations Vignette: Ever After, PAPER: Recollections,
RIBBON: Verve Signature Ribbon Collection. EMBELLISHMENTS: BoBunny

I hope I'll see your project in the STAMPlorations challenge gallery this month! We've got some AWESOMESAUCE prizes for the winning creations. 

Speaking of challenges - I'm going to play along in some too!
Aud Sentiments - For a Girl + Sentiment
Crafty Gals Corner - Lots of Layers

P.S. - while you're over at the STAMPlorations blog, check out my very first piece of blackout poetry on this Spotlight post. 

 
Blackout poetry is something I've long admired and never undertaken. Let me know what you think!
 

Happiest of Birthdays to the Happiest of Bosses

Light the candles! Sing the songs! Open the presents!
It's the birthday of our fearless STAMPlorations leader, Shery Russ!

We're having a surprise hippity hop to say HAPPY B-DIZZLE in the craftiest way we know how.

My card brings together some mixed media with a background made of Distress Crayons and gold texture paste. I used a golden sun die cut, some gemstones, and pre-typed sentiments from Tim Holtz.

I wanted to go with a sun motif because Shery is absolutely the sunshine in all of our STAMPlorations girls' lives. She is so generous, kind, and super talented to boot. 

Wishing you a day filled with sunshine - today and always, Shery!

This card was inspired by the moodboard up at the Lawnscaping Challenge: I loved the summery yellows/golds and teals, as well as that cross art shape.

I'm also going to link it up to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - Anything Goes.

Thanks for popping by! Have a lovely day!