Birthday Blooms

Last week when I stamped and watercolored the Graceful Garden rose, I started this card.

I had to stop before I started with the white, when I came back to it the next day I decided I liked it as is. A customer saw this and asked for it to be added to the card buffet, so I did ;).

The card stock is Soft Suede and Whisper White. The image and greeting are both from Birthday Blooms and are stamped in Soft Suede ink. The watercoloring is done with Soft Suede ink.

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge 125 - Kath's Christmas Challenge

It was my turn to host a challenge and I chose a Christmas Challenge with an added twist,  non-traditional Christmas colors.

The colors I used are Basic Black, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Melon Mambo and Lemon Lime Twist, almost traditional but still non-traditional.
I used all retired stamps for my card.

I stamped the poinsettia on Whisper White Cardstock with Basic Gray ink on a scrap of Whisper White I stamped the image twice and colored the image with Melon Mambo and Lemon Lime Twist. I fussy cut them out, cutting only the center petals from the second flower and popping it up on the first with Dimensionals. I stamped the sentiment on another scrap with Lemon Lime Twist and cut it out with a banner Framelit, I sponged the edge of the banner lightly with Melon Mambo.

Check out the projects that the artists at Watercooler Wednesday Challenges have created then take the challenge and link your creation to the challenge post.

Graceful Garden

The card on page 163 of the annual catalog, using Floral Statements, was the inspiration for this card. 

The card stock used is Soft Suede and Whisper White. The rose was stamped with Soft Suede ink and watercolored with Soft Suede and White ink (yes I forgot there is a white watercolor pencil, next time...). I rounded the corner using the Envelope Punch Board.  I will experiment so more white white watercoloring and see I come up with, this might show up in an upcoming Card Buffet.

This Little Piggy

This Little Piggy was one that was on the to of my list for my first order from the new catalog.

Stacking pigs is a fun way to use the set. This card will be one of the choices you can make in card buffets over the next two weeks.

Card stock used is Blushing Bride, Early Espresso and Thick Whisper White. The image is stamped on the Whisper White with Basic Gray ink and colored with Watercolor Pencils.

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge 124 - Fiona's Masculine Anything Goes Challenge

Fiona hosted this week's challenge.

Masculine cards make me stretch myself.  I've had the stamp set Country Livin' since it came and I'm finally using it.  I thought the boot image would be great with the Faux Leather technique.

I heated tan fun foam with my heat gun until it started shrinking and was shiny, I pressed the stamp,  inked with Early Espresso ink, into the hot fun foam. It leaves a debossed image in the fun foam. I cut the fun foam and a piece of Dapper Denim cardstock with the largest circle Stitched Shapes Framelits(the fun foam shrinks that much). 

The card base is Thick Whisper White and the layer is Pool Party sponged with Dapper Denim ink.

I used a thinlit from Eastern Medallions Thinlits and a Circle from Layering Circle Framelits to cut the Silver Foil and the same circle to cut Dapper Denim cardstock. I used a 1" strip of Wood Textures DSP as well as a coil of string I had on hand.

 Check out the projects that the artists at Watercooler Wednesday Challenges have created then take the challenge and link your creation to the challenge post. 

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge123 - Marsha's "Fireworks" Theme Challenge

Marsha gave us a real challenge! Stampin' UP! doesn't have any firework stamps so I had to work with retired items to make this card.

The cardstock is Whisper White and Night of Navy. The firework is Red Glimmer Paper I used retired framelits from Botanical Builder (flower centers) and Thinlit from Timeless Tags.  The greeting is from retired Birthday Blast and heat embossed with Real Red glittery embossing powder. 

Check out the projects that the artists at Watercooler Wednesday Challenges have created then take the challenge and link your creation to the challenge post. 

Magical Mermaid

This is the second set that I watercolored from my new order.

The card base  is Thick Whisper White layered with Emerald Envy and Watercolor paper. I stamped the images with Basic Gray, I stamped the seaweed 4 times at various heights. The inks I used are Emerald Envy, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight and Calypso Coral for the Mermaid. The seaweed is Cajun Craze, Old Olive and Wild Wasabi. The sand and shells are Crumb Cake Calypso Coral and Cajun Craze.

June's Hostess code is: X44GEKDZ 

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge 122 - Libby's Feminine "Anything Goes" Challenge

Libby is hosting a Feminine challenge this week!

Sadly the Botanical Blooms stamp set and the framelits just retired, sometimes I work ahead with our challenges so I made this card last month.

The cardstockI used is Whisper White and Melon Mambo for the card base and layers the flower are Berry Blast, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight. Basic Black and Crushed Curry.  The ink is Wild Wasabi and Garden Green for the leaves and Berry Blast for the Greeting from Stylized Birthday.

Check out the projects that the artists at Watercooler Wednesday Challenges have created then take the challenge and link your creation to the challenge post. 

Climbing Orchids

One of the first stamps I wanted for this year's catalog was Climbing Orchids(143723), with the Orchid Builder Framelits(143747). Bundled(145334) you save 10%.

The card base is Thick Whisper White(140272). Layered Flirty Flamingo(141416) and Whisper White(100730) Cardstock. On the Whisper White Layer, I used Embossing Paste(141979) with the brick mask from Pattern Party Decorative Masks(144130). This was my first time using Embossing Paste and I love how easy it is to use and how nice of a background it makes.

I did use a scrap of  Lemon Lime Twist(144245) for the stem. The stem is the branch from Seasonal Layers Thinlits(143751).

I stamped Orchid petals with Flirty Flamingo Ink(141397) on a piece of Whisper White cardstock. The centers were stamped with So Saffron (126957) and Flirty Flamingo inks.  After cutting the images out I curled the edges of the petals putting each flower together with Mini Glue Dots(103683), I popped the images up with Dimensionals(104430).

I left it without a sentiment because I figured I could choose one for the inside when I was ready to give it someone.

Graceful Garden

My First order from the new Stampin' UP! catalog arrived yesterday. Hostesses in June when having a workshop that reaches $350 US get an additional $35 in benefits. I had to take advantage of that. Instead of spreading my spending over a few orders I did it all at once!

Here is the first card I made using Graceful Gardens(wood mount- 143846 and clear mount-143849). I'll share others as the weeks go on,

The card base is Thick Whisper White(140272) layered with Melon Mambo(115320) and Whisper White(100730) cardstocks. On the top layer, I stamped the lattice image with Pool Party(126982) ink. The sentiment is stamped with Basic Gray(140932)ink. I stamped the rose on Watercolor Paper(122959) with Basic Gray and color it with ink and Aqua Painter(103954). I used Melon Mambo(126948) and Garden Green(126973) ink.  After fussy cutting the rose, I popped it up with Dimensionals.

I have some practicing to do to get my watercoloring back to what it once was. I bought several sets to practice on :).

Hostess code for June is: X44GEKDZ

King of the Grill!

While I wait for the new catalog to go live I decided to pull out a long retired stamp set.  King of the Grill makes a great Father's Day or birthday card.

I stamped the image on Shimmer White cardstock with Basic Gray ink and colored it with the Watercolor Pencils. The Designer Series Paper is Eastern Palace Specialty DSP.

My husband has his birthday as well as Father's Day this month! He may get this card. Then again he bought a Harley last night so maybe I better get One Wild Ride out and ink it up.