Diva Inspiration with Altenew

Hello Diva friends - I'm part of the last of the month inspiration at Die Cut Divas. Our August challenge with Altenew and watercoloring ends today at 9pm Pacific time. There's still time to play along!!

Here's my inspiration card:

Supplies: Paper - DCWV Ms Sparkle A2 card;

Strathmore 140lb Watercolor Paper

Stamps - Altenew Book Club;

Sunny Studio Inside Greetings Birthday

Dies - Altenew Book Club;

A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop

Other - CZ Design Sentiment Strips Reverse Christmas; 

Distress Reinkers - Festive Berries, Tumbled Glass, Lucky Clover, 

Peeled Paint, Worn Lipstick

Parklane (JoAnn's brand) gems

Thanks to Arlene for sending me a stamped/die cut bookplate - love this image and it was so fun to watercolor!! I popped it atop another piece of the print I had made for my August 21st card. I had watercolored one of the rose layers, as well as leafy ones, on this piece. It also got a spritz from my bottle of green reinker/water/perfect pearl mist I had made years ago (still good!!).

The Happy sentiment strip came from a Christmas packet that includes words Merry and Happy to go along with Christmas, depending on what side of the pond you live. I simply put all the Happys with the birthday sentiment strips! I stamped the birthday from a cute Sunny Studio set - love the font on that one! Added some gems - done!

Please check at Die Cut Divas tomorrow for another challenge and then on September 3rd for the winner of our August challenge ($20 gift card courtesy of Altenew).

Thanks for stopping!

Red poinsettia on pink mini slimline

Hey crafty friends - Happy Monday, at least where I am in the world! Hope I'm not stretching the inspiration photo for the current Christmas Kickstart challenge but I was inspired to combine many elements, none too obvious, for my card. This is my third and final entry.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white; Hero Arts pine;

Momenta watercolor print; Paper Studio Holiday

Dies - Hero Arts Paper Layering Poinsettia;

A Jillian Vance Design Mini Slimline Backdrop Set;

My Favorite Things Blueprints 21 (retired);

retired alphabet, Taylored Expression, I think

Other - Park Lane gems;

CZ Designs Sentiment Strips Reverse Christmas

I spotted some pink ornaments on the tree so was inspired to use a pink background. The rich red in the striped packages directed me to a red poinsettia. I used the green from the tree banner for my circles (inspired by the hanging circles) with the pop of the white for letters. Thanks to Jo and elf Hilary for a fun challenge!!

That's it for today. I'll be back tomorrow with some last of the month inspiration for our Die Cut Diva watercoloring challenge - hope to see you in our gallery! Thanks for stopping by!!

Bee Happy Anniversary

Hey crafty friends - I'm back with an anniversary card for a friend and her hubby who love bee themed stuff. I've made them other cards with bees but I really had fun with this one!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white, Paper Studio solids

Cut & Emboss - Momenta Bee Happy

Dies - Spellbinders Hex Kaleidoscope Slimline

Stamps - Hero Arts Everyday Sayings

Other - Crystal Stickles, Stamp-on-it vellum,

Pink and Main enamel stickers,

Taylored Expressions Pineapple ink,

CZ Design Sentiment Strips Reverse Happy

Momenta (I buy at Hobby Lobby) has some fabulous cut and emboss sets with a ridiculously low price. Plus I got the Bee Happy on special 40% off when I was out shopping last month - yay! Still working off Let's Squash It's theme to emboss non paper, I embossed some golden vellum with a white panel behind for stability. Because the vellum piece was a smaller layer, some edges embossed into the white so I didn't really want to use it alone (suppose I could've trimmed it off, oh well). I simply colored the raised areas and used it behind my vellum for some interest.

The set comes with the hexagon, sentiment die, bee and some flowers - so fun. I had just rec'd my August Spellbinders kits and the Large Die has some hexagons - a bit bigger than the Momenta set but I just trimmed one of my test cuts. Thought the yellow would be fun with my gold vellum. The little Happy strip used to be Happy to be Alive - I cut the happy off of sentiments I won't use! I die cut two bees and backed the bodies with yellow and the wings with vellum, adding Stickles to the latter.

I'm adding this to Darnell's NBUS Challenge 29 since both my Bee Happy and Hex sets are getting first play today. I've already maxed out on entries to the current Let's Squash It!! Challenge but check it out if you've embossed anything unusual - you have til the 31st to play!

Thanks for stopping!

Embossing on vinyl

Hey everyone - I said I'd be back with an embossed piece of vinyl for my third & final entry to the current Let's Squash It!! challenge. Here it is:

Supplies: Paper - Paper Studio solids;

Sunny Studio Flirty Flowers

Vinyl - Paper Studio Bright Abstract

Embossing Folder - Sunny Studio Cable Knit

Dies - Sunny Studio Blooming Frame

Elizabeth Craft Design Small Butterfly (retired)

When I was out shopping for interesting materials to emboss, I specifically looked for leather and used it on card two**  (card one was on vellum). I'd gone to Hobby Lobby and found some gorgeous colors. They also have a large selection of vinyl, both in rolls and 12x12" sheets. Picked up this crazy abstract print in one of the latter. Embossed it adding a scrap piece of card stock for stability.

The vinyl has an adhesive backing which, when I removed it, was beautifully embossed! I used it for a bonus card.

Add'l supplies: Die - Hero Arts Nesting Oval Infinity Dies

Other - Pink and Main enamel dot

The material was tricky to adhere but the Tombow multi medium tacky glue worked perfectly, along with putting some weight on it. Same with the strip of vinyl, then the paper oval needed it to stick to the vinyl...

The loose piece of black card stock I tossed in with the vinyl also got embossed so I have a threefer!

Add'l supplies: Paper - Michael's Recollections Halloween

Stamps - Avery Elle Seasonal Simple Sentiments

Other - Park Lane gems

** Noticed that my card two for Let's Squash It!! was very similar to card one - sorry about that! Not to worry, the post for card two also contained a second card with another piece of embossed leather and a totally different design. And if that wasn't enough, I remodeled card two after posting it! I added some thin frames from Honey Bee for a more graphic look. What do you think of the update?

Thanks to Gail and Jo, plus guest Jane, for all the fun embossing uncommon materials this month!!

Thanks to you for stopping by - wishing you a crafty day!

Flower Bouquet for an Anniversary

Hey crafty friends - when my friend Rosemary (Hey There .... Rosigrl!) posted this beauty with a Hero Arts floral bouquet, I realized I hadn't shared the card I made on 8/15 with that image! Here's my version:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white; Momenta watercolor print

Stamps - Hero Arts Togetherness Flower Bouquet &

Everyday Sayings

Dies - A Jillian Vance Design Mini Slimline Backdrop Set;

Hero Arts Togetherness Bouquet Frame Cuts;

Kat Scrappiness Mini Slimline Diamond Wire and Woodgrain Frame

Other - Copic Markers, foam tape

I made a mini slimline with white card stock then added a panel of rainbow blended patterned paper cut with an AJVD dot stitched rectangle. The black trellis layer came from my sister Diva Arlene (A Bit of This and That) - thanks again, Arlene!! I stamped, die cut & colored the bouquet with Copic Markers and added a few die cut leaves behind (from unknown - found in my bits box). My die cutting on the bouquet went a bit wonky so I trimmed the excess border on some areas. The sentiment comes from a 2010 Hero Arts set that continues to be available - it's in my "favorites" box in the crafty stash for all the occasions it covers. Love, love, love it!!

This card went to my dear friend-like-a-sister, Connie & her hubby who celebrated last Friday. I'd add it to Watercooler Wednesday but I've already hit the limit of 3 for their All Occasions Challenge which ends later today. But it does fit the current The Flower Challenge where I don't think I've played before. I see their sponsor is Rachel Vass who has sponsored us at Die Cut Divas - love her floral images!!

That's it for now - hope you have a crafty day!!

More CAS ornaments

How's your weekend going? I've been working on my Christmas cards & getting a bunch done. I thought I'd skate in with another entry for the current CAS Christmas Card Challenge with Decorations as the theme.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white; Tim Holtz kraft metallic;

Hero Arts Foliage Layering Paper (retired);

Paper Studio Holiday and green A2 card

Dies - Birch Press Design Ornament Basics &

Flicker Ornament Layer Set;

Sunny Studio Quad Window Circle (flowers)

Other - clear gems; foam tape;

CZ Designs Sentiment Strips Reverse Christmas

This is a similar design to my previous entry but I left off the bow and the sentiment landed below the ornament as Marcia did with her beautiful stenciled Radiant ornament. The green portion on my ornament is actually the leftover piece from cutting Flicker Layer A. I simply added it to a plain ornament diecut and popped the flowers atop. So quick & easy - very fun to put together! Here are a couple more with the same design:

Card at left only has Flicker Layer C (cut in glitter paper) atop a plain ornament cut in a soft variegated green. The card at right has all three layers.

That's it for today - thanks for stopping!

A Garden Pick Thank You

Hey there - I'm sharing today's card for inspiration at Die Cut Divas. You can find the supply list and card details below, plus a bonus card! We have Altenew as this month's fabulous sponsor with watercoloring as our theme.

Supplies: Paper - DCWV Ms Sparkle A2 card;

Strathmore 140lb Watercolor Paper (wcp)

Dies - Altenew Garden Picks 3D Die Set;

A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop

Other - Distress Reinkers - Worn Lipstick, Festive Berries

Squeezed Lemonade, Lucky Clover & Shabby Shutters;

Simon Say Stamp Sentiment Strips Thanks; foam tape;

Parklane (JoAnn's brand) gems

For this one, I simply watercolored an Altenew flower and some leaves (die cut from Strathmore wcp), using a large piece of Strathmore wcp as a work surface. Kathy from The Daily Marker calls this print-making coloring. So fun! I used Distress Reinkers - so easy to use full strength & mixed with water too! I also have some mini-misters filled with reinker/water & Perfect Pearls - gave the background a hefty spritz with a green one. I die cut part of my print with a stitched rectangle & adhered to a card. Added a sentiment strip, plus the assembled die cut flower & leaves - done! The flower has 6 layers and the littlest ones are a bit fiddly but I love, love, love this die set!! You can see a fave of mine from last year using the print-making coloring technique HERE, if interested.

Here's my bonus card:

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Dove A2 card;

Strathmore 140lb Cold Press watercolor paper (wcp)

Stamp - Altenew Poppy Arrangement 

Die - Altenew Poppy Arrangement

Stencil - Memory Box Diamond Texture (retired)

Inks - Tumbled Glass & Tea Dye Distress;

Taylored Expressions Salt Water Taffy

Other - Distress Reinkers - same as above;

Simon Say Stamp Sentiment Strips Thanks; foam tape

I stamped the poppies on watercolor paper and painted them using Distress Reinkers & a little water. Die cut them with the coordinating die. I held them above a top fold A2 card to eyeball placement. Blended Tumbled Glass onto the card and then stenciled some diamond texture where I knew it would show beyond the poppies. Adhered the poppies with glue on bottom half and foam tape on upper. Added a sentiment strip - done! I definitely need more practice watercoloring but I enjoy it!

I hope you were inspired to join our August Challenge at Die Cut Divas. You can use Altenew products but it's not required. However, you must use a die cut or embossing folder and watercoloring. The challenge ends at 9pm Pacific Time on August 31st so there's still plenty of time.

Thanks for stopping and have a Die Cut Diva Day!!