Monarch Butterfly

Apparently I've been in a watercoloring mood!

This stamp is from Northwoods Rubber Stamps, and it's called Monarch Butterfly . Is this not a beautiful stamp, or what? And it's pretty versatile. You could use most any sentiment inside this card and it would be appropriate.

I stamped on watercolor paper using Versafine Onyx Black, and embossed with JudiKins Detail Clear embossing powder. The image was colored and shaded with Tombow water based markers and a blender pen.

I am certainly no watercolor expert, but I can tell you a couple of things that work for me. I always start with the lightest shade of a color first. For example, in this image, I colored all the light yellow area first. Then I went back with a medium yellow and blended into the light yellow. You will also notice an orange shade, which I colored last...layering over the other two yellows, blending together.

I use the same approach for all colors...lightest first, then medium, then the darkest. Blend all together with a blender pen. I know I made it sound pretty simplistic, but honestly that's all there is to my approach. It just takes a little practice.

So...that's it for tonight. Tomorrow is a Monday (Ugh!) so I know you are all excited about that. I hope you have a happy week, and tune in again soon.

Diamond Buck

This is another masculine card for the men in your life.

This stamp is called Diamond Buck and it's from Northwoods Rubber Stamps. Northwoods is a great company. Their red rubber is deeply etched, and they have a wonderful selection of those hard-to-find masculine images, as well as others.

I stamped on watercolor paper using Versafine Onyx Black ink, then embossed with JudiKins Detail Clear embossing powder. The image was colored using Tombow markers and a blender pen. After coloring, I trimmed closely to the edge, and layered with coordinating cardstock.

The background for the card was stamped with JudiKins Stone Background stamp in Versafine Onyx Black ink. Although it's a little hard to tell from the photograph, I distressed the bottom edge of the front of the note card.

Most any sentiment would be appropriate for this card. Since I don't have a particular occasion in mind for it right now I chose Thinking of You. The ribbon is a metallic copper from May Arts.

Thanks for stopping in. I sincerely appreciate your comments and continued support.

Walk In The Spring....

Yesterday I promised to give you all a break from my Stampendous cards, so this is something entirely different.

(For those of you who don't know, you can click on the card to enlarge it for more detail.)

The stamp is called Walk In The Spring and it's from Northwoods Rubber Stamps. Isn't that a beautiful image? Northwoods has some very fine stamps. You can see them here .

I stamped the image on watercolor paper using Versafine Onyx Black ink, then embossed with JudiKins Detail Clear embossing powder.

The image was colored using Tombow Markers and a blender pen. I can assure you that this is much easier than it looks. I taught a class using Northwoods rubber stamps at my store a year or so ago, and every student walked away saying how much simpler it is that it looks. And then end result has such a "WOW" effect that the recipient of the card is always so pleased.

So....try it. You'll like it!

Ruffled Bloom

Okay....just indulge me with one more Stampendous card, and then I'll try to move on to something else. LOL!

This stamp is called Ruffled Bloom and it is from Stampendous. I stamped it with Versafine Onyx Black ink, then embossed with JudiKins Detail Clear embossing powder. The image was colored using Tombow markers and a blender pen, then cut along the outer edges.

To make a background for the flower I cut a square of light blue vellum, then a slightly larger square of light blue cardstock. I used the corner rounder on both layers, then placed them in a diamond shape on the card.

The verse from Printworks is Laughs in Flowers and tends to be one of my "go to" stamps. It was also stamped with Versafine and embossed with JudiKins Clear Detail embossing powder on the light blue vellum. Both the sentiment layer and its background cardstock layer were punched with the corner rounder.

To complete the card, I added a bead of Waterfall Stickles Glitter Glue around the edge of each of the two layered panels, as well as on the ruffled portions of the flower. I used a bit of Yellow Stickles in the center of the flower.

I hope you all had a great 4th of July. I do so appreciate your stopping by.

Ruffled Butterfly

I DO love this stamp! It is called Ruffled Butterfly and it is made by Stampendous.

I stamped it on watercolor paper using Versafine Onyx Black ink, then colored and blended using my Tombow markers. After coloring I added PearlEx applied with Future Floor wax for sheen and a pearlescent look. After a few moments when it was dry, I applied Crystal Stickles Glitter Glue to the antenna and around the ruffles on the wings. I love the sparkle and dimension you can get from Stickles.

The sentiment is from Penny Black, and the ribbon is by May Arts. I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but this ribbon is gorgeous! The background paper is from a mat stack by DCWV called Pocket full of Posies.

After assembling the card I laid a bead of Crystal Stickles Glitter Glue around the edge of the two main panels.

I hope you all have a happy and safe holiday tomorrow. As for me, I plan to spend my day in the pool! :-)

Tall Blossoms

When I first saw this stamp, I knew I had to have it. It's just a cinch for making quick and easy cards that don't look quite so quick and easy. I can tell that this is a stamp I will be using again and again.

First, I stamped Tall Blossoms on watercolor paper using Ancient Page Lime Green ink. Then I used my Tombow markers to color the flowers in colors that coordinate with the paper. I added a little dot of Yellow Stickles Glitter Glue in the center of each flower just for a little sparkle and dimension.

The corners of the stamped panel and the patterned paper panel were punched with the Concave Corner Adorner punch, then matted with coordinating paper layers.

The final touch is the May Arts ribbon tied around the flower panel.

See...I told you it was quick and easy!

It's A Jungle Out There.....

Some days...that is soooooooo true! LOL!

I couldn't resist playing with my new Stampendous stamps today. The Chitango Safari monkey is just too cute. I stamped him with Versafine Onyx Black ink on watercolor paper, then embossed with detail clear embossing powder. Tombow markers were used to color and blend the image.

The colored panel was punched with the Marvy Mega Circle punch. I used my Coluzzle circle template to make a slightly larger circle in green, then used my Marvy Giga circle to punch the tan colored background. The doodling on the scalloped punch was done with the fine point of a brown Tombow marker.

The background for the card was stamped with Palm Fronds using Ancient Page Pine ink. The sentiment It's A Jungle was stamped with VersaMark Ink , then embossed using JudiKins Copper embossing powder.

I think I will send this card to my grands. They will get a real chuckle out of it, and that will make me happy. There is nothing better than their sweet smiles! :-)

Here's to a great 4th of July week...and a happy Monday!