Turtle Day!

Aloha! Yes, I made that up. I have no idea if there is a turtle day... but my card is about turtles!

Another week went by! How does time keep getting faster? I remember how badly I wanted to turn 18. That seemed to take FOREVER. Then I wanted to be 21. That took a long time, too. After that? Time flew by faster than a spring melt over a waterfall. And each decade the water falls even faster :(

I'm a turtle. Even a slower turtle with each passing day, week, year. However, our daughter in law loves loves loves sea turtles so this is a Thinking of You card for her. She has re-entered the work force as a teacher again since our youngest grandchild is in elementary school!

The main image is inside the card with a peek a boo circle on the front. The background (inside) is just a bit of sponged Tumbled Glass distress ink and a hint of Broken China ink. Using a Heidi Swapp heart stencil, I sponged some GKD white as well as Broken China distress ink through to make light and dark heart bubbles lol!!!

The turtles are stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink then are colored them with Prismacolor pencils and gamsol. Fussy cut and glue to ocean background. I stamped the starfish and corals with pink and gray Memento inks and used pencils and Memento markers to color them, using Sakura Clear Star gel pen to highlight all the bubbles and sand and sea weed.

Using the Pear Tart Memento marker, just sketch in sea weed. Color with Memento New Sprout and Bamboo markers. Brush Wink of Stella over the images, adding 3D crystal lacquer to the turtle shells which makes them mega glossy and glass-like, and call it done :D


Stamp Sets: "Cool Dude" (turtles and star fish, coral) and "In Print" (sentiment) all by Clearly Besotted
Tumbled Glass Distress Ink; GKD white ink
Memento Markers and Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Sakura Clear gel pen
Robin's Nest "Dew Drops" in "water" colors
Simon Says Stamp "Double Stitched" circle dies
Darice "Waves" embossing folder
Heidi Swapp Hearts stencil
Aqua and white baker's twine, Dries Clear Adhesive, 3D Crystal Lacquer
VersaMark, Liquid Platinum embossing powder, Wink of Stella, corner rounder

Front :) 

Inside :)

Hi Sweet Turtle!!!

Filled with love ♥

Thank you for stopping by!

Aloha!!!!

Dogwood Blossoms Anniversary

Aloha!

Still hot out, yes? Here, too - blah, I'm melting! I have visions of rolling in the snow without much on, let me tell you.

Susie is hosting a challenge on StampTV and it's a SKETCH! If you know me, you know that sketch challenges make me *shudder*!!! But I'm giving it the old college try and hope that you do, too!!!

Here is the sketch:

This is an anniversary card for friends in BC, Canada. I looked up their "flower" for the province, and it is dogwood blossoms primarily, but some people also want the rhododendron as their flower. I put dogwoods on the front and a fuchsia color rhodie inside the card. I need to make a bigger envelope for this extended type of topper card (can't remember what these are called). 

Using both sizes of butterflies and the mini dogwood blossom from the stamp set,, I stamped the background of the base card. Looking back, I wish I would have used 120# GKD cardstock for the image because the gold cord is causing bumps on the 80# Neenah layer :/ (Me no happy. Might just tear it off and do over.)

The dogwood blossoms are first colored with Prismacolor pencils, then gamsol, then a little deeper color of greens using Copic markers. I covered the centers with dollops of Glossy Accents but don't like how that turned out either. So I tried adding Perfect Pearls in Opal. Wiped that off but left a kind of sheen. (Yup, probably will tear off and do over). To help "cover" all the boo boos, I painted on a thin coat of Mod Podge over the leaves, then sprinkled a bit of glitter into the centers. (Definitely going to tear off and do over). But the picture feels good enough in this heat to upload into the STV gallery, whew! This is reality cardmaking people!

Stamp Sets: Stately Flowers #10 (dogwood) and #4 (rhodies), Lacy Borders (sentiment), all by Gina K. Designs

Cardstock: GKD 120# White (base) and Grass Green (layers), Neenah white for panels

Dies: Simon Says Stamp Postage (image), Frames (green layer); Spellbinders "Reflective Moment" for green layer behind sentiment)

Inks: Images stamped with Pear Pizzaz by SU

Copic Markers and Prismacolor Pencils

VersaFine black ink and Silver Pearl embossing powder (sentiment)

Glossy Accents, Prisma color glitter, gold cord, Dries Clear, Mod Podge, Scor Tape, Wink of Stella (on the background butterflies)

Thank you for stopping by!!!

With ♥ Aloha ♥

Emboss Resist with Distress Inks

Aloha!

This is likely one of my favorite techniques to use - emboss resist. Whether it's using clear or white heat embossed powders, the resist technique is fun and no two project will look alike.

When using a wet baby wipe or small paper towel, wiping off the embossed image after inking will leave a whiter halo around the image because the moisture lifts the ink from the paper. This time it didn't turn out like I hoped, but it will be ok. Using a fine tipped paint brush, touch the wet brush to the distress inks and you can create small dots. I covered those with small mounds of Glossy Accents.

This card is very flat, without any bumpy embellishments because it will be international mail.

Stamp Sets: Simon Says Stamp "Hi Lovely" (flower image); GKD "Assorted Greetings" and the background is Impression Obsessions "Dragonflies"
Inks: VersaMark and VersaFine Black
Distress Inks "Blueprint Sketch, Mermaid Lagoon, Cracked Pistachio, Mustard Seed"

Distress Inks "Blueprint Sketch, Mermaid Lagoon, Cracked Pistachio, Mustard Seed"

Cardstocks: GKD White 120# white, Neenah 80# white (focal image), AC Black (layering & sentiment), Gafix Vellum (small scallop layer behind focal image)

GKD "Clear" and "White" Fine Detail Embossing Powder
Anna Griffin "Scallop Border" die (vellum layer)
Glossy Accents
Dries Clear liquid adhesive (to adhere all the layers including to the slick embossed card base)

Mahalo for stopping by!

I hope you have a great week coming up ♥ Aloha!

Watercolor Poppies

Aloha ♥

Midweek already. The year is more than half over - it flies by faster and faster!

Here is a watercolor poppy card. It's for the Unity Color Challenge.

If you have not tried the Bristol White Watercolor paper yet, boy, are YOU in for a real treat! If feels as smooth as Gina K. Designs smooth 120# cardstock. If you do use wet on wet or lots of water, the paper can pill a little bit but cleans up nicely with a little rag or tissue/paper towel.

This is a fairly simple, straightforward card but had to let it dry since yesterday because the jar is covered in 3D Crystal Lacquer and the dots are Ranger Enamel Accents - takes a good, long time to dry everything. Then using a pair of scissors, I scraped the edging for a little distress look.

Stamp Set: "As We Go Along" by Unity; "Irish Blessing" verse by SU (on red layer)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (poppies); VersaFine Smoke Grey (verse layer)
Cardstock GKD white and red cardstock, AC black cardstock; Strathmore Bristol 300 Series           Watercolor tablet  (my new favorite watercolor paper I think)
Paint: Zig Clean Color Real Brushtip
Prismacolor Pencils
3D Crystal Lacquer, Ranger Enamel Accents Black and White, Memory Keepers Black Floss
Dries Clear, Tape Runner

Mahalo for stopping by !!

With aloha ♥

Jelly School

Aloha ♥

I've just been laying down in front of the ac, hoping for clouds to cool us off. So I've been coloring away. This is a Back to School card for one of our grandchildren!

Here is a school of jelly fish. I don't even know if they travel in schools or bunches or flocks. But for now, I'll call it a school.

Using distress inks, sponge one layer with blues and greens, then spritz with a perfect pearl spray for bubbles. Let dry. Using a stencil, press VersaMark through bubbles or circle shapes. Dry brush perfect pearls for a shiny finish of bubbles.

On another layer sponge on the pinks and oranges for the jellies. Spritz with Perfect Pearl spray and let dry. For me it's way easier to die cut first, then line up the image and stamp the faces on. I cannot do it the stamp first, cut later method. After stamping the faces on, (they are already die cut) I put liquid adhesive on the backs of the jellies, put them in diagonal pattern onto the ocean, then added glass droplets for more bubbles. And here is the jelly school, college, family...

Entered into the Pattern Palooza Challenge at Lawnscaping

Stamp & Die Set: "So Jelly" by Lawn Fawn
Cardstock: GKD 120# base, Neenah 80# white for distressing/cutting
Gina Marie Cross Stitch Rectangles

Distress Inks (Jellies: Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry, Worn Lipstick, Fossilized Amber; Ocean: Mermaid Lagoon, Peacock Feathers, Cracked Pistachio)
Robin's Nest Dew Drops
Perfect Pearls
VersaMark
Dries Clear Adhesive, tape runner, homemade Perfect Pearl spray

Thank you for stopping by!!!

With mahalo ♥

Jelly School

Aloha ♥

I've just been laying down in front of the ac, hoping for clouds to cool us off. So I've been coloring away. This is a Back to School card for one of our grandchildren!

Here is a school of jelly fish. I don't even know if they travel in schools or bunches or flocks. But for now, I'll call it a school.

Using distress inks, sponge one layer with blues and greens, then spritz with a perfect pearl spray for bubbles. Let dry. Using a stencil, press VersaMark through bubbles or circle shapes. Dry brush perfect pearls for a shiny finish of bubbles.

On another layer sponge on the pinks and oranges for the jellies. For me it's way easier to die cut first, then line up the image and stamp the faces on. I cannot do it the stamp first, cut later method. After stamping the faces on, (they are already die cut) I put liquid adhesive on the backs of the jellies, put them in diagonal pattern onto the ocean, then added glass droplets for more bubbles. And here is the jelly school, college, family...

Entered into the Pattern Palooza Challenge at Lawnscaping

Stamp & Die Set: "So Jelly" by Lawn Fawn
Cardstock: GKD 120# base, Neenah 80# white for distressing/cutting
Gina Marie Cross Stitch Rectangles

Distress Inks (Jellies: Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry, Worn Lipstick, Fossilized Amber; Ocean: Mermaid Lagoon, Peacock Feathers, Cracked Pistachio)
Robin's Nest Dew Drops
Perfect Pearls
VersaMark
Dries Clear Adhesive, tape runner, homemade Perfect Pearl spray

Thank you for stopping by!!!

With mahalo ♥

Snow Bunnies

Aloha,

I'm melting, how 'bout you? Life close to the equator = almost 90 degrees inside bedroom with the a/c on. All I can think of is laying down on some snow. The next best thing? Make a snow card! These little bunnies are throwing snow balls at the target hanging on the tree. The tails are white flocked and this made Bruce laugh!!

I missed the deadline, but that's ok with me. So glad I could just play!!! Thi is for Gina K. Designs latest Sparkle and Shine.


Stamp Set: "Ready, Set, Snow!" by GKD
Cardstock: GKD PL white 120# & AC black layering, Neenah solar white layering
Inks: Memento blues and the black marker (for drawing in the scene)
DoodleBug White Flock & Flower Soft Adhesive (for the bunny tails)
Diamond Stickles
Copic Markers (Bs and CGs)
SU Snowflake Epoxy embellie

Thank you for stopping by and sharing your love!!! 

Aloha ♥

For Niki's Parents

Aloha dear ones,

A few months ago, a friend I've known since junior high school and her husband lost their daughter, Niki, suddenly. One day she was feeling ill, the next day she died. Tragedies can happen out of the blue, suddenly, and leave a trail of intense pain. Niki leaves behind a little baby boy and her husband, as well as her parents and more family, friends, coworkers.

Her mom expresses her grief on FB. It is unthinkable when a loved one dies, but losing a child is a pain that is like no other pain.

Niki absolutely loved the Seattle Seahawks (the colors on the card) and Pumpkin Spice Lattes (PSL). When I saw the coffee cup die from MFT, I knew a special card for Niki was going to pour out of me. I hope it makes her parents smile through their tears, and that with time and faith, their intense pain will begin to heal.


Dies: My Favorite Things Die Namics LLD Coffee Cup (and red heart); SB Opulent Ovals
Lettering: SU Alphabet/Numerals/Symbols Rotary Stamp
Cardstock: Gina K. Designs; Silver Mirror cardstock; Neenah Solar White
Inks: Memento
Embossing Folders: Diamond Plate (blue layer), Stylish Stripes (lime green layer), Darice Damask (white base)
Blue Rhinestones (Kaisercraft)
Dries Clear, Glossy Accents, silver cording, corner rounder, tape runner

Mahalo for stopping by!

Make each & every day count ♥ Aloha ♥