The No Rulz Blog Hop Sponsored by the Love to Scrap Challenge Blog

It's summer and it's hot, so let's break it up a bit! The Love To Scrap! Challenge Blog Design Team is happy to bring you our "No Rulz!" Blog Hop! We're being sponsored by River City Rubber Works! Come hop with us for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate!

As you hop, leave comments! The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win!

All of the LTSCB designers are creating Anything Goes inspiration projects for our blog hop. Everyone participating in the blog hop is invited to link up a 'No Rulz' project for extra entry/entries into the drawing! No rules for this challenge!

Here is the line-up:

Ann
Annette (You are here)
Aunty Sue
Brenda
Cristina
Frezja
Heather
Julie
Leslie
Tammy
Tina

We hope you are enjoying the hop and if you get lost along the way - or if you landed here in the middle of the hop and want to join in the fun - head over to the Love To Scrap!Challenge Blog to read all the details and start from the beginning!

Happy Hopping!

This is my first blog hop and I am excited to be sharing the following card with you. It is made with a great River City image set called Pine and Holly Set. This set includes colored and black and white images. I used colored images on this card.

The background image needed some dressing up, so I applied green Stickles to the pine tree on the right and the branches on the left. I hand cut the holly pieces and brushed them with Wink of Stella. I also applied some green stickles to the leaves. I covered the inside embossed snowflakes with Wink of Stella also.

Recipe:

5X7 red card base

DP from old Christmas pack that I've had for years

White cardstock: both inside and out were embossed with a Darice snowflake folder. On the inside piece I used a Tim Holtz embossing diffuser to leave a blank space for stamping the saying.

Red cardstock for matting image

Images from Pine and Holly set

Silver glittered tulle and silver ribbon

Green Stickles and Wink of Stella Clear Glitter brush pen

Remember: There's no Rules but to enter for the prize you need to leave a comment. 

Next you will head over to Aunty Sue. Have fun. We hope to see creations from you!

LTSCB Challenge 56 Its Anything Goes

It’s time for another great challenge over at the Love to Scrap Challenge Blog. After the major faux pas with the last challenge, I am going to make sure this one goes live properly. We have a great challenge of “Anything Goes” Everyone always loves these because the sky’s the limit on creative possibilities. The only rule: You must have some kind of stamping on your project! It can be traditional or digital, we don’t care. We just want to see your amazing work! Here are our sponsors:

A Day For Daisies

Prize: $12 gift certificate (equal to 3 images of choice) to the shop at www.adayfordaisies.com

Doodle Pantry

Prize: $10 gift certificate

If it fits, enter your project into their challenge: http://doodlepantryblog.com/

River City Rubber Works

Prize: $25 gift certificate to winner

I have been playing around with some new products and stuff that I’ve had for a really long time. I am working with River City’s Lighthouse. I love this image because it is so versatile. You can use it for men or women and for just about any occasion. I’ve made two cards in the past week using this image. I am just posting my recent one on the challenge blog, but I am including both here for you to see. I made a birthday card and a Father’s day card-both for men. I tried to stay pretty simple in embellishments so that they wouldn’t look to girly. I have been playing around with my new dies from ODBD as well. I really like these dies and used them on both cards. Since there are 2 cards, it is a somewhat lengthy post.

Here’s my Father’s Day Card:

I used for my background ODBD die Sunburst Background CSBD99. This die also embosses, but instead of embossing with my vagabond I used the die as a stencil. I ran it through the Vagabond to cut it out and then I chalked the exposed places and covered them with embossing paste. I needed a bigger palate knife or something because I had a hard time covering the whole image. I was surprised that the paste was still usable. I have had it for over 5 years. I was hoping it would dry clear so that the chalk would be visible, but it was a pearl finish. I sprinkled translucent glitter over it while it was still wet. After it dried I colored over it with a copic marker to make it more yellow. Then I traced the inside of another ODBD die onto my image and fussy cut it. I wanted the shape of the die but wanted to leave the top of the lighthouse open. After I got it finished I realized that I could have cut the image with the die and then printed a second one and cut out the lighthouse to mount over it. I could have even popped it up for some dimension. Oh well, maybe next time. The die used was from the ODBD Antique Labels and Border CSBD26 set. The image is colored with copics. I made a handcut pennant and used my Gellyroll Clear Stardust pen to make faux stitching. The cloud is another ODBD die called Clouds and raindrops CSBD93. The waves were made with a punch from Tonic Studios called Waves (easy enough to remember right?). It works with their border system, but I usually use them without it. Both sentiments are from the ODBD set called Good Man. I also used the gelly roll pen to glitter the waves, lighthouse, and cloud. This card has a lot of sparkle but, unfortunately, you can't see it in the photos

Here’s the birthday card:

I was dabbling in watercolor techniques so this image is colored with Inktense pencils using a foam brush to spread the colors of the sky and a paintbrush to do the other parts. I was going for a colorful sunset type sky. No textured background, but I still used the Antique Labels die and Waves border punch. This time I added a piece of burlay ribbon and mounted some sea embellies that I made with my Mod Podge Mod Melts and mold. The melts are white (they come in different colors) so I gave them some color with the inktense pencils and paintbrush. I added pearl beads also for a little glitz since some oysters live in the ocean. I was in a hurry on it so I don’t think I decorated the inside since I didn’t take a picture of it. I put a little drop of yellow stickles in the lighthouses of both cards. This birthday sentiment came the Scrapbook Queen.

That’s it for my post. I hope you’ll head over to the LTSCB to check out the rest of the DTs amazing talent and join us for “Anything Goes”. Click the link on the sidebar. You have 2 weeks to enter. Good Luck and God Bless.

Sneak Peek for LTSCB Challenge 56

I made this card using the sketch over at Our Daily Bread Designs. It is for my DT creation for the LTSCB Challenge #56. After I did the card and looked at the post for the ODBD challenge, I realized that the challenge ends before ours starts. Ugg! I have been really messing up lately. I think my brain is on Summer Vacation.

Anyway I am sharing just a sneak peek so that I can enter the challenge. For the full scoop on this card and our great challenge at LTSCB join us on Monday.

Here's the link to the ODBD Shining the Light Sketch Challenge:

http://ourdailybreaddesignsblog.blogspot.com/

3rd Watercolor Card

Here's the 3rd card:

For this third card, I again broke out the Gelatos. This time I colored right onto the watercolor paper. I then used my foam brush and finger to wet and blend. I went over it multiple times to get to where I was somewhat satisfied. I then stamped the bird onto white cardstock and used a nib to color it with Distress Inks stamped onto my craft mat and sprayed with water. I used my Wink of Stella Clear and Pink Glitter pens on the flowers, leaves, and parts of the bird and dotted the bird’s eye with Inkssentials White Enamel Accents. I fussy cut the image and mounted it with foam tape.

My granddaughter (who is 5) wanted to put a cloud in the sky and she wanted to put it right in the middle of the top. To do that and still have room for a sentiment, I stamped the sentiment onto the cloud. It was too white so I took my Wild Honey sponge dauber and inked the edges to tone it down. Wink of Stella gave it a bit of sparkle. It too is popped up with foam tape. I added pearls to the corners because I thought the top was too bare.

Now for the inside. Do not make the colossal mistake that I did. I don’t think I’ve ever done this before. I stamped the sentiment UPSIDE DOWN!!  OHHH NOOO!!! I had this card almost finishedL. What to do? I was running out of time and didn’t want to redo it. Instead, I cheated. I cut out another piece of 4 ¼ x 5 ½ cardstock, redid the background and mounted it over the mistake. It doesn’t look as good, but it isn’t bad. If I wouldn’t have told you, you would never have known. I used just one Gelato to do the inside color block. The sentiment is another one from ODBD. I colored the flowers with my Worn Lipstick Distress Marker. I then took a wet foam brush and wet them. I did them one at a time. I put it onto my tea towel (the same kind Tim Holtz uses) and blotted it to take some of the ink off. Then I flicked Picked Raspberry and dried them with the heat tool and attached them to the card with Glossy Accents. I put a bubblegum sprinkle in the center of each one.

Recipe:

White cardstock base 8 ½ x 5 ½ folded in half

Watercolor paper 4 ¼ x 5 ½

Gelatoes: Cotton Candy, Boysenberry, Lemon, and Mango

Stampendous Cling Nested Bird Stamp

Outside Sentiment: Pure Innocence You’re so Tweet by My Favorite Things

Inside Sentiment: ODBD Nu. 6

Distress Inks: Gathered Twigs, Vintage Photo, Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry, Peeled Paint, and Mowed Lawn, Wild Honey

Color Me Crazy Flower Layers by Petaloo

Cloud dies from the Cloud and Raindrop set by ODBD

Wink of Stella Clear and Pink Glitter brush pens, Black Archival Ink, Doodlebug Design Sprinkles-Bubblegum assortment

One last entry into Pretty Pink Posh's Watercolor Blog Hop.

Well, this is the last of my watercolor cards. I hope you enjoyed them. I really enjoyed making them. Next Monday it will be time for another challenge over at the Love to Scrap Challenge Blog. I hope you will check back to see what I create for it:) It's not to late for this time around. Make a masculine card and join us Here,

Watercolor Card #2 for the Watercolor Blog Hop

This is my second card for the blog hop. 

The first thing I did was stamp my “Hello” with Versamark and emboss it with white embossing powder. Then I did the background using Distress Inks Picked Raspberry, Broken China, Dusty Concorde, Mowed Lawn, and Wild Honey. I stamped them onto my craft mat and sprayed them with water to make a wash. Then, using a wet foam brush, I applied each color. I rinsed my brush out every time. I wiped off the image with a paper towel and dried it with the heat tool. I applied clear Dew Drops and applied them to the front. I applied Shabby White Frantage to the corners.

For the inside I did the same technique only I applied it a little differently. I do not have very many friendship stamps to put on the inside of my cards. I got some brand new stamps and dies from Our Daily Bread Designs. I decided to use one of the sayings from the June release called Sunshine Blessings so I added the sun that came in the set also. I forgot to use Archival Ink and accidently used Momento Black to stamp the sun. When I colored it with the wet foam brush mixed with Wild Honey it faded a little. I refreshed the lines and face with a black Glaze pen and cut it out with scissors.

                                                                                

White cardstock base 8 ½ x 5 ½

Watercolor cardstock 4 ¼ x 5 ½

“Hello” from Altenew Quilled Elegance set

Inside sentiment and sun from ODBD Sunshine Blessings set

Distress Inks: Picked Raspberry, Peacock Feathers, Dusty Concorde, Wild Honey, and Mowed Lawn

Shabby White Frantage

Dew Drops

Wink of Stella Clear Glitter brush pen (on the sun)

This is going into the Pretty Pink Posh Blog Hop contest as well.

Pretty Pink Posh Watercolor Blog Hop

Hi everybody. I’ve got some cards to share for this fantastic blog hop that I came across and decided to  try to enter. It’s the Pretty Pink PoshWatercolor Blog Hop. I saw some fantastic cards and great techniques. I just happened to need 3 watercolor cards for Card Club tomorrow night so it was a really convenient that I saw this on MarkerPop’s blog. They are one of the sponsors and some of their DT made excellent cards. I am going to do 3 different posts using 3 different techniques so I hope you will check them all out.

Here is my first card. It was inspired by a card I saw on the blog hop made by Donna Mikasa:

I do not have the Zig Kuretake Clean Color Brush markers that she used and I have no idea how she made her background, but I think it is fabulous. I tried to imitate it using Gelatos mixed with water. I did not even come close, but I like this too. I colored on an acrylic stamp block and sprayed it with water. The first time I tried to mix everything I ended up with a lot of brown mud. I wiped it off and tried again. This time I used my finger and did very little blending. I then smooshed it onto watercolor paper that I cut the same size as my A2 card base. I didn’t like how it turned out so I took one of the sponges that came with the gelatos and wet it. Then I ran it over the gelatoes a color at a time and sponged it over the original colors to blend and soften. It looked better.

My butterfly is cut out of a Monster Energy Drink Can. I don’t agree with drinking energy drinks but the cans are pretty. I tell my son to save the cans for me. The white cans are textured and have a background design.

I stamped my sentiment with Archival Ink.

The inside was done just using the sponge and gelatos.

I stamped my sentiment with Archival Ink.

The inside was done just using the sponge and gelatos. It gave a softer, more muted look.

Recipe:

White cardstock 8 ½ x 5 ½ folded in half for base

Watercolor paper 4 ¼ x 5 ½

Gelatos: Cotton Candy, Lemon, Tangerine, Grape

Dew Drops colored with Copics

Butterfly Die DCN016 by Ellentina Cutting Dies (comes in a set with DCN016A)

Outside sentiment Altenew Quilled Elegance set

Inside sentiment: Stampin’ Up (Old set not sure of name)

I am entering this in the Pretty Pink Posh Watercolor Blog Hop Here

LTSCB Challenge: Male Call

Oh My Goodness! I am not sure what happened but Leslie emailed me that this did not go live. So a HUUUGE apology to everyone: to LTSCB owner Leslie Turner for not fulfilling my duties (it was not intentional), to Stamps on Fire for not giving their great image proper exposure, and to everyone who wanted to see this before now. Below is the post that should have been live on June 1st. I was never able to get with my nephew to get pics so be warned that they are bad.


Okay everyone, it's time once again to get your thinking caps on and get the creativity flowin'. This time around we want to see your masculine cards over at the Love to Scrap Challenge Blog. Our sponsors for this challenge are:

Craft Classes Online (formerly My Creative Classroom)

Prize: 1 free seat to any CCO online workshop listed on website

www.CraftClassesOnline.com

Lawn Fawn

Prize: Stamp set and 6x6 pad

Imagine That! digis by Kris

Prize: $10 gift certificate

If it fits, enter your project into their challenge: http://imaginethatdigistamp.blogspot.com/

Stamps on Fire

Prize: 20% off website certificate to winner

Wow! We have 4 sponsors this time and one lucky winner will receive a free on-line class. How great is that?!

I got to work with a stamp from Stamps on Fire called Stagecoach. At first I was a little concerned about what I would do with this image. It is a little out of my comfort zone, but God soon took care of my dilemma and put an idea into my head. Lucky for me I needed a card for my nephew's 13th birthday. Here is what God came up with:

Oh Dear!! I'm not sure what happened to my pictures. My camera must have been on the wrong setting. How disappointing! Believe it or not this card is kraft and red. I used an A7 kraft base and some red DP that I thought looked like bandana (or handkerchief) material. The image is stamped on white cardstock using brown Memento ink. The sentiment is some letter stickers that I have had for years. They too look like bandana material and match the paper well. I added burlap, jute, and buttons for my elements. I was so proud of the cowboy boots on the inside. They were drawn by my husband from a picture I found on the web. He did such a great job. The inside saying was my own that I printed on the computer. I colored the boots and hat with Distress Markers and the spurs were colored with gold Wink of Stella glitter pens.

I am going to have to visit my nephew and get new pics, but for now these will have to do. Sorry about this goof. I hope you will still join in on our challenge. My DT teamies have some great stuff for you to look at. Pop over to the blog via my link on the side and check it out. You have two weeks from June 1st.