Welcome to my blog!

Thanks for visiting my blog. As the title suggests, I love to scrapbook, stamp, and sing! I will share cards and scrapbook pages I create, as well as information about my music - Barbershop harmony.

Thursday, June 17, 2021

Sunshine and watercoloring

Mornin' crafty friends! I've been working on an idea for the current Let's Squash It!! challenge and it all came together this morning. I included sunshine so made a second card to play along at the current Twofer Challenge too - gotta love getting two cards done this early!! Here's the Twofer:


My element in common is the sunray stamp; it's from a My Monthly Hero kit which I hadn't used yet. On the retirement card I used it once, on the thanks card I flipped it to stamp a full circle  - made into a flower. 

The Squash It challenge is to emboss a nature item and watercolor. My starting point was the Tall Pines embossing folder embossed into watercolor paper. I sectioned off the two banks and then watercolored a lake, sunrise and sky, then carefully watercolored the trees - got a bit messy in spots, oh well... Next I stamped the sun and rays, then the duck and cattails, finally the sentiment. The card will go to a guy friend so I kept it manly. What do you think of my cloudy sky? I was quite happy with how it turned out just swiping & splotching some blue around. Here's a closer look:

Supplies: Paper - Ms Sparkle & Co A2 card;
Strathmore 140lb cold press
Watercolors - Tim Holtz Distress Reinkers
Paper Smooches All Year Cheer (NIB)
Ink - Taylored Expressions Oreo
Embossing Folder - Tim Holtz Tall Pines (retired)

For the thank you card, I started by stamping the rays twice on watercolor paper and then filled in the center with some Mustard Seed reinker. Then added a bit of Worn Lipstick. Then I hand drew a stem and leaves with Twisted Citron and Rustic Wilderness. Once dry I stamped the sentiment, die cut with a dot stitched rectangle, matted with black & added to the card. Popped a gem on the flower for some interest - done!

Additional supplies - Momenta and Doodlebug paper,
Honey bee gem; Hero Arts Say it All sentiment;
A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop

Since my sunray got first play today, I'm also entering the retirement card in the current NBUS challenge. Also in Watercooler Wednesdays All Occasion challenge. Thanks to all for the fun challenges and thanks to you for visiting!!

 

 





20 comments:

Betty said...

love how you made the sunray into a flower - very clever!

Cat Craig said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cat Craig said...

Linda, loving this set of twofer's. Such a soothing summer look!

Jean said...

Super creative use of the sun! Both cards are terrific.

Darnell said...

I so admire your ability to take an embossing folder and turn it into a remarkable painting, Linda. You should do another one and frame it for hanging in your home! Yes, I do love how you did the sky, but I love all the other scenic elements, as well! And your thank you card is both beautiful and clever ~ well done turning a sunset image into a gorgeous flower! I love the addition of the Worn Lipstick and the great background, border, and perfect bling punctuation. Thank you for playing in TCC #39 and sharing with everyone at NBUS! Hugs, Darnell

Tina Z. said...

wow, so creative and beautiful!

Marcia Hill said...

Two FABULOUS cards Linda and both just perfect for our sunshine twofer challenge!! The scene you created for the retirement card is AWESOME!! I love LOVE all the elements you added to this beautifully water colored card...I would have framed it too! And your flower card is so bright and cheerful, and YAY to you for using the image twice to make it into the flower...awesome idea! Thanks so much for sharing both these beauties with us at The Twofer Challenge Linda!! Hugs, Marcia :0)

Bonnie Lynn said...

Oh wow! I saw your retirement card on the NBUS challenge and got a twofer deal!! Both cards are just awesome and really catch your eye.

Tristan said...

Love that scene you've created on the retirement card Linda. Awesome cloudy sky, it could see myself relaxing on the banks. Thanks for joining us at the WWC. Tristan DT.

Greta said...

Your cloudy sky looks fabulous, Linda! Super clever to make a flower from the sun ray stamp--love it!

Dotty Jo said...

Brilliant twofering, Linda. It took me a while to figure out how you'd created both cards. You are clever! Thanks for joining the fun again at Let's Squash It! Jo x

Dawn T said...

two awesome cards Linda. How different the stamp looks on each one. Love them both. THanks for sharing with us at Watercooler Wednesday as well. Love seeing my friends entering the challenge.

oldpunca said...

Wonderful take on sunshine Twofer Challenge, Linda. I like your retirement card very much. it is amazing how you colored water and sky. Fabulous scene. Thank you card is very cheerful and colorful. You've turned sun rays very smart and innovative into the bloom. Thank you for joining us at TCC Sunshine Challenge. Sonja

Angelnorth said...

Love your watercoloured pine tree scene (and I agree, the sky turned out great!) and so clever to make the sun burst stamp into a flower, looks really effective, Linda!

Anita in France said...

What a wonderful sunrise-over-the-lake scene you created, Linda ... it's so calm and relaxing ... perfect for a retirement card! Your sunny bloom is delicious ... sweet, happy and radiating warmth ... lovely! Thanks so much for playing along with us at Twofer! Anita :)

Lucy E. said...

Two beautiful cards! I love the lake scene-looks like a nice peaceful place to be.

Created by Kath said...

Your Retirement card is amazing! Thanks for joining us at Watercooler Wednesday Challenge!

Helen said...

Love this wonderfully peaceful scene you've created on your Retirement card Linda!! Such a clever twofer set of cards!! So creative! :)

Anke said...

WOW your retirement card is absolutely stunning and the flower card is so beautiful, fantastic idea with the sunrise stamp, two wonderful cards.

Anke

ionabunny said...

Gorgeous how you turned the embossed pines into an awesome scene and splendiferous use of the sunrise stamp on both cards. Thanks for joining the fun at Let's Squash It! Hugz