"Black Parrot" and "Green Wave" Tulips (Ugly version vs pretty version)

Aloha, all,

Part 1 of 2: The "Black Parrot" Tulips (or

as I view these: Ugly & Pretty)

Did you know there are tulips that are almost all black or deep, deep bluish purple? I've seen pictures but I don't recall seeing them growing. North of Seattle, Washington are tulip farms! Each spring, as far as your eyes can see, are rows and rows of solid colors - one row red, another yellow, another white. You can turn around in a circle and see colors, in perfect rows from anywhere you look. It is breathtaking!

I didn't want to just use blacks and navy to color flowers, so I added pinks and lavenders, too. First I Masked the bottom or first layer of flowers and using the new-to-me "Life Changing Blender Brushes" from Picket Fence Stamps. Yup, they are even easier to use than Clarity brushes or sponging tools. I sponged pink and blue distress inks into a rectangle, ever so slightly. Then I colored the flowers on the card base.

After printing another digi of the tulips onto cardstock, I colored and fussy cut the flowers and leaves. Finally, I popped them on fussy cut pieces of foam. It's sort of like the old decoupage 3D look. I regret adding the Spectrum Noir sparkle marker over the flowers but I'll just tuck that bit of experience into the deep cobwebs in my mind. I'll also add the "don't use super dark blues on flower edges even if they look black in real life" because they just take too much attention from the rest of the flower and scene.


Stamps: "Tulips" digital from Power Poppy (Tulips (and Peonies) are each on sale now for $2.49)
Cardstock: Neenah Solar White 110#
Copic Markers, Color Pencils, distress inks
Adhesive Foam, Scor Tape, Spectrum Noir Sparkle Marker, Sequins from Pretty Pink Posh

I'm sorry, these are ugly to me. But I'm posting them

just to show what not to do. Blech.

A ton of work ends up yucky.

Part 2 of 2: The "Green Wave" Tulips

So these turned out more eye pleasing. Seriously, what a long weekend of trying to capture realistic colors in a tulip LOLOLOL!

Same digi, different colors, Copic markers, no pencils, no sparkly marker. 

Don't say I'm not brave LOL. I'm even

posting ugly up there.

Mahalo for stopping by ♥

Rocking Horse

Giddy up, partners!!!

Yay, I finally need a Welcome Baby card! Don't wooden rocking horses bring back nostalgic memories? Handmade wooden rocking horses are a true work of love and heart!

The rocking horse image below warmed my heart and made me smile. I hope you like it, too. It's in a stamp set that is on super sale right now at Paper Smooches for just (ready?) $6.50!!! They have quite a bit on sale right now. Just click on the "sale" link -- dies start at $2.15! Lots of stamp sets are under $8.00. I just missed the February card challenge but enjoyed coloring this cutie in neutrals and as CAS as possible (for me).


Stamp Set: Knick Knacks by Paper Smooches
Cardstock: GKD 120# white and Neenah Desert Sand
Ink: Memento Tan
Wonky and Stitched Dies by Gina Marie; Heart die by Paper Smooches
Prismacolor and Crayola Color Pencils
Sakura Clear Sparkle Gel Pen, Glossy Accents, Score Tool (for the wood floor) Gold Mirror card, plain twine, craft foam & Scor Tape

Mahalo for coming by the blog!ra

The Calla or Peace Lily

Aloha!

The Calla Lily. It is not a lily at all. The botanist made a boo boo and it just stuck being called a lily. However, it is a cousin to the Anthurium - a red, heart shaped flower with yellow spike in the center. And what do Calla Lilies and the box jellyfish have in common? Neither need a mate to reproduce! ;)

Here is a lovely painting by Henri Matisse depicting his interpretation of these gorgeous flowers:

by Henri Matisse

The Calla Lily comes in a rainbow of colors. This one started out as a white one, but evolved into lime yellow. It's colored with a strange combination of color pencils, Copic markers and Memento markers. Then I covered it with clear sparkly marker - it glows.


Stamp Set: Elegant Florals by Theresa Momber for GKD, as well as the sentiment in Gina's Stippled Flowers set; Background is MFT Bundles of Flowers
Cardstock: Neenah 110# white and Bazzill lime color
Inks: Gina K. Designs
Crayola and Prismacolor Pencils, Copic and Memento markers
Nuvo Clear Sparkle Marker
Yellow dots by W+9; Oval & scallop dies by Spellbinders; Corner Rounder; ribbon, craft foam layer & glue dots

Thank you for coming by!!!

You Light Me Up

Aloha!

It's a sunny and warm day here, very warm after the cold snap (cold for us). It was 19 degrees above us on the mountains and it was brutal for a few days. Felt like central Oregon, the high desert, during the winter cold. I won't try to convince you lololol!

Here is a Lawn Fawnatics Color Challenge I would like to try and play along with:

When I was a little girl of about 4-7 we lived in Tennessee, way out in the country. I remember riding a bike down empty back roads through green, rolling hills to go visit a super sweet teenage girl who used to let me ride her big horse. She would walk ahead of the horse while holding the reins, letting me ride slowly through a meadow filled with tall grasses and flowers. Some early evenings my brothers and I used to run around to catch fireflies in an old jar. They used to have a little stanky metallic smell. They were beautiful to me and we let them go after an hour or so. Now for this card :) 

Aiming for a nighttime sky, I used watercolor paper and the ink smoosh technique. I was inspired by Kristina Werner who was inspired by Laura Bassen. It is a popular, easier technique but it took me about 10 tries to get an acceptable color. I have no idea what I did with my watercolors, so I used markers instead.

After coloring and die cutting the fireflies, I adhered them to circle punched vellum pieces. I covered the background layer with copious Wink of Stella clear to give it some major sparkle, as well as covering the fireflies. Then I heat embossed the sentiment with a silvery gold embossing powder on vellum and that's about it. Took me a couple of days because of how slow I'm getting :D

Stamp Set: "Summer Charm" by Lawn Fawn

Watercolor paper by Strathmore

Background: Tombow Markers, water and Wink of Stella

Fireflies: Copic Markers, Wink of Stella

VersaMark and Platinum embossing powder by Simon Says Stamp

Vellum Glue Dots & Scortape; Round paper punch; craft foam

Sequins by Pretty Pink Posh

Mahalo so much for stopping by!

Panda Mail

Aloha!

Here is a card for our sweet, hardworking, never-complain mail lady ♥  I've been thinking about how long it's been since giving her any kind of recognition so today is the day.

Today is the first day I haven't needed to wear enough clothes to look like someone from the Yukon since last Friday. Low 70s is more like it for this time of year and that's what the scene is about. No brutal winds or downed trees, calm ocean with no white caps :)  Boy, do I feel for everyone who is covered over in snow, ice and darkness right now. Big hugs!!!


Stamp Set: "Incoming Mail" and the palm tree from "Summer Days," both by Mama Elephant: Starry Sky background by Hero Arts (embossed on the white layer)
Inks: Memento (sponging) and Copic markers; VersaMark
Cardstock by GKD
Spectrum Noir clear sparkle pen and Sharpie White paint marker
Hero Arts Clear embossing powder

Mahalo for coming by!!! ♥

Lots of Lavender

Aloha!

Here is another CAS card using an easy technique to get a bit of stained-glass look to any lined image. Just heat emboss it, preferably with a metal finish powder. Take any markers, (water or alcohol) and tap different colors inside each small area, just like a stained glass piece might have. You can create this on cardstock, acetate or vellum. If you use vellum, the colors will look best if you add them to the back side of the embossed layer. I used a scoring tool to create a border as well as a die to cut a zigzag finish.

I made several of this design, then embossed different sentiments to adhere when it's time.


Stamp Set: "Lots of Lavender" by Stampin' Up
Inks: Coloring with Copic Markers
Cardstock: GKD 120#
MFT zigzag die
Silver Embossing Powder; VersaMark; Corner Rounder Punch

Thank you for stopping by! Here's to an early spring for those

of you living in the bitter cold areas!

Layered Flower Hello

Aloha friends!

This is a simple, quick card. I sent it to a lady who works at our health insurance company because she helps us to qualify for lower costs, reviewing and renewing our application every six months. This went with our latest renewal paperwork. Without that help, we could not afford 90% of the care and medications we receive! Here's to people who really help the community :D !!!

You can see I tried to poke a few holes by using the piercing tool, but it ended up getting cut off during the final process. There are few left on there. I love when the sentiments can be curved into different shapes! Thank you for stopping by, and here's to an end to the brutal cold in the midwest & east of the US and Canada!


Stamp Set: Altenew Majestic Bloom; Hello by Hero Arts
Inks: Simon Says Stamp
Cardstock: Gina K. Designs
Corner Rounder; Red gems; piercing tool; Wink of Stella (all over the flower)

Mahalo for stopping by!

And here is a warm hug filled with aloha for you ♥

Pink & Coral Healing Thoughts

Aloha,

I'm still here!

I stamped a background stamp and heat embossed it in Silver Pearl. The frosted vellum circle on top is stamped with a flower bouquet,. LOL I thought these were dahlias until OOPS I looked again and saw daffodils! So just think of this as creative license and I made up some coral pink flowers of an unknown variety. I then colored the image on the backside of the vellum. Taking a rounded stylus, I gently pushed the flowers and leaves forward for some dimension. I used some white drops, some crystal glitter drops discreetly and then added the twine bow. The colors are corals and pinks with white.

PS I highly recommend taking the Color Pencil online class that Sandy Allnock teaches. You will go from beginning to moderate-moderate/advanced in her class (your level will depend on the hours, practice, homework and continued practice you put into her classes). There are hours of videos, samples, downloads, color charts (including her color pencil hex chart based on the Copic marker hex chart she developed). You will be amazed at all the techniques she will show you and the different materials you can color on. Here is the link to her class (I don't get anything for recommending her to you, but I am one of the moderators in her Facebook students group page). You can always join her FB group if you take one of her classes. Here you go: Color Pencil Jump Start online class


Stamps: Power Poppy "Daffodil Bouquet;" the sentiment is from GKD Stipple Flowers and the lace border inside and out is from GKD Petite Borders. On the inside are roses from Scrapbooking Made Simple; I'm not sure who made the background with the diamond dots.
Cardstock: Neenah White 110#, SU Pink Pirouette; Graffix Vellum
Inks: VersaMark, Memento
Embossing Powders: GKD Fine White; Silver Pearl by WOW
Die Cuts: Scrapbooking Made Simple Circles
Prismacolor Pencils
Ranger White Enamel Accents; Ice Stickles Diamond
Adhesive Foam; glue dots

It took a bunch of tries to get a photo. I couldn't get the lighting, colors or hues correct. I'm sorry I let the twine cover up the sentiment, grrrr. It says "Sending healing thoughts."

Thank you so much for visiting ♥

Hanging Garden

Aloha!

I'm in love with this stamp set. It has 3 different flower baskets. Hanging baskets of flowers are really miniature yards, aren't they? Long ago we lived in Europe and been back only once. When we saw the hanging baskets on the house corners and balconies, bursting with colors in giant round orbs, the houses looked more fitted for fairy tale books of long ago. And walking through little villages, baskets of flowers hanging everywhere, well, it felt like walking into those books, a dreamland.

A few days ago a neighbor brought up some of her Yellow Jasmine plant, root and all, for us to grow. She knew I admired hers and had trouble locating any for sale on this side of the island. She's very thoughtful and giving! The fragrance of Yellow Ginger is heavenly and stronger at night. We hope to plant it by our bedroom window and dream of even farther-away places! This is a very simple thank you card for her surprise gift.


Stamp Set: Hanging Garden by Stampin Up
Cardstock: GKD & Neenah; Yellow SU
Inks: Versafine Sepia
Colored with Copic Markers, with a sheer, hazy light blue of powdered color pencil around the top layer of the cardfront.
Cross-stitch Gina Marie Rectangle Die
White Foam for layering
Spectrum Noir Sparkle Glitter Pen (on the birds & flowers)
2 wood bird elements by Studio Calico (colored with Blue Copic Markers)
Tonic Clear Blue Drops; Viva Decor Gold Drops; Glossy Accents (on the birds and flowers)
Clear Sparkle Jelly Roll pen for the wiring on the basket


There is a lot of sparkle on the front, and another hanging basket waiting inside. 

Mahalo for stopping by!

Dahlias

Aloha, friends!

I'm in a vellum rut lol!

Using the same technique as yesterday's post, I stamped the image onto vellum. I used a heat tool to dry the dye ink (otherwise it can smear on smooth surfaces). I colored the image in from the back side using color pencils. For this card I used a stylus/embossing tool to create a circle around the flowers. Simply take a round die and hold it carefully over the image. Use the stylus softly to trace the circle inside of the die. Presto - you have a nice, quiet frame.

Use the next largest circle die to cut out the image. If you wish, cut a layer from another circle die to back the vellum with some color and adhere them together.

That was pretty much it. I hope you give coloring pencils onto vellum a try!


Stamp Set: "Beautiful Bouquets, Dahlias" by W+9
Cardstock: Graffix Vellum, Neenah Ivory, MFT Gray, Bazzill Pink
Inks: SSS Cobblestone
Prismacolor Pencils
Dies by Spellbinder (Circles and Scalloped Circles)
Glue Dots Vellum Sheet Adhesive & wet glue
Cropadile Corner Chomper
Embossing Folder by Sizzix "Berry Splash"; Stylus
Tiny little pink rhinestones and eensy pink flowers from my stash

Mahalo for visiting!

Soft Flowers

Aloha, dear friends,

Have you ever used color pencils on vellum? Try it. You get such a gentle look.

I stamped the image in a soft neutral, then colored it with really inexpensive Crayola pencils :D    I used some white pigment ink all over the back of it, as well as over the embossed layer behind it - this pops the layer and the background a bit. Inside the card is the elegant sympathy sentiment from  Thinking of You by Flourishes.

I learned more intricate ways to apply color pencils to various mediums in the Color Pencil Jump Start Class taught by Sandy Allnock. 


Stamp Sets: Flourishes "Bees & Blossoms" and "Thinking of You"
Cardstock: Neenah Ivory 80#, Bazzill Light Blue, and Graffix Vellum
Inks: VersaFine Soft Gray, Memento Sky Blue, GKD White Pigment
Crayola Color Pencils (yes, they work great)
Embossing Folder: "Tea Party" by QuicKutz
SMS Oval Dies
Silk Ribbon; Nuvo Sea Breeze Translucent Drops; Glue Dots Vellum Adhesive Sheets

Mahalo for stopping by!!!

Play In The Leaves

Aloha,

Is there a change in the air where you live? Is it a little crisper than in midsummer? Here's to Fall! I made a little Hispanic girl for today & I know just the right girlfriend to send her to :)

This is a technique using color pencils but to create a more "watercolor" look to it. I didn't even know that was possible. But this girl (me) is almost done with the Color Pencil Jump Start Class taught by Sandy Allnock. I also used one of the Autumn Scenes Class she teaches to create a simple fall-colored scene.

i

Stamp Set: "Jumping For Joy" by My Favorite Things, Pure Innocence
Cardstock: Neenah 110#, Bazzill Grapefruit Bliss Yellow & Watermelon Red, Stampin Up DP 2018-2020 In Color Grapefruit Grove Striped and Dotted
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black & marker (outlining)
Prismacolor Pencils & Gamsol
Sharpie White Paint
Simon Says Stamp Postage Rectangle Die; Gina Marie Crosstitch Rectangle Die
Yellow & White Twine; Tomato color satin ribbon

Mahalo for stopping by!

We are praying for those on the east coast

in this monster storm ♥

Hummingbirds

Aloha!

I've been coloring, adhering and cutting with one arm for months (and making a mess of things). It's 3 weeks post op wrist surgery. They had to cut off some of the bone and, meh, too gnarly to discuss.

It took me ten weeks to finish a simple project of 21 cards, moving as fast as a snail on double stick tape.

I stamped all the hummingbirds and then colored them with Copic markers. I fussy cut them out and put those aside (weeks ago).

Using the Spotlighting Technique I colored a circle of the flower image, then ran this layer through an embossing folder, some with embossed corners, and others with debossing. The insides have flowers & the envelopes have autumn-y leaves and sunflowers.

i

Stamp Sets: Hummingbird (Our Daily Bread); Flowers (GKD On My Mind and In My Heart); Leaves and Flowers on envelopes (GKD Heartfelt)
Inks: Versafine Black, GKD (Almagam & autumn set), Distress Inks (autumn colors); Copic Markers
Cardstock: GKD
Embossing Folder: Corners & Damask by Sizzix
Wink of Stella; Adhesive Foam Tape; Clear Rhinestone

PS - Kindly disregard the rhinestone 

that moved when I snapped the picture. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

Mahalo for stopping by-I've missed you 🤗

Summer Dandelion

Aloha ♥

You know how you get an idea and run with it, then wake up in a ditch? That's how I felt when I stepped back and really looked at this card. I put too many wind marks on the dandelion head. So now it looks like 1) there is a hurricane-force gust on top of her head or 2) she is reaching up to catch a comet. Plus, if you look at her fur, there appears to be far too much static electricity in the air. But you know me - it's going on the blog anyway :D Thank you for coming over!

Stamp Set: "Wish" by Purple Onion Designs
Cardstock: GKD
Ink: Brilliance Moonlight White
Prismacolor Pencils
Sharpie White Paint Marker
Sequins & Stickles Diamond Glitter

 Mahalo for stopping by ♥

Just Cruisin'

Aloha!

Here's a cute little hedgehog on his way to work or a vacation, not sure which. I can tell you that he has a BUMPY ride lol! I was going to make a cobblestone road and it ended up being more of a dirt and rock path! Still studying color pencils in an online class by Sandy Allnock. Here is a link to view all of her classes:

Online Art Classes by Sandy Allnock

This is a section "Intensifying Color" using opposite or contrasting colors, Lesson 5.

Stamp Set: Purple Onion Designs, Cruiser
Cardstock: GKD
Ink: Simon Says Stamp "Fossil" (pale gray for no line on the scooter and hedgehog)
Prismacolor Pencils
Gamsol & Paper Stumps
Sharpie White Paint Marker
Scallop Rectangle Dies by Gina Marie

Mahalo for visiting & leaving some love ♥