Shabby Chic or Vintage

Back again with a couple of cards to share with everyone and I really don't know if they would be considered Shabby, Vintage or Chic, but you can call them whatever fits your style.  With the grandkids back with their parents I am finding that I have lots of time to try new things so I decided to venture outside my comfort zone a bit.

I've been dabbling with watercolor and mixed media and believe me I have messed up quite a bit, but isn't that expected when we craft or go about learning. Anyway despite the mistakes I did manage to salvage a couple of cards (out of about 5) that I am okay with sharing so here we go.

My first card reflects my attempt with mixed media.  I used a slew of products such as gesso, texture paste, lace, chipboard, die cuts, stencils and my newest powders from Finnibar.  The designer paper is from Prima "Royal Menagerie" and the florals are all from my Wild Orchids stash.  

I also did a bit of stitching and added touches of acrylic paint and stickles. Lastly I created a matching envelope and finished the inside to match the theme outside.

I'd like to enter this card in a few challenges:

Simply Papercraft - #49 Anything Goes (8/24)

Morgan's Artworld - #15 Anything Goes (8/10)

Daring Cardmakers - August Elemental Inspiration (8/10)

Creative Artiste - #29 Anything Mixed Media

My second card was inspired by one I saw on pinterest although I didn't take it as far as the one I saw.  I didn't add very much since the paper was gorgeous with its own flowers.  Again my designer papers are by Prima, although this collection is "Tales of You & Me."

I did a bit of distressing around the edges and added a few butterflies and lace to add a bit of interest.  It didn't take very long to create this card so I thought to create a matching envelope with the leftover pieces.

I'd like to enter the following challenges.

Making Memories - #8 Anything Goes/One for the Ladies

Emerald City - #2 Anything Goes (8/23)

Creative Fingers - #135 Anything Goes

Colour Crazy - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by and 

I hope to see you again real soon.  

Sending hugs from Texas

~Lesia~

Time Out 4 Mema

Hello my crafty friends.  Mema, here with a short time-out for crafting.  Yep this summer I had the honor of being a full time grandma for my two youngest grandsons and it has been a doosie of a summer.  I'm down to the wire with only one more week to go before I can return these two rambunctious boys to their parents and perhaps I can get caught up on all my crafting that I've had to put on hold.  At the moment they are gone with my granddaughter for an evening of bowling which means I get a time-out to craft with you guys.

Below is a quick peek at my boys.

I do have a few cards I'd like to share so without further ado I'll get to it because I never know when I will hear someone yelling "Mema".

First up is a card I completed using my newly acquired Stamp Press from Tim Holtz and Altenew Stamps and inks.  After stamping out the images I used my Brother Scan N Cut to fussy cut them with a border and then used dimensional dots to add depth.  The doily is a die cut I picked up at convention.

Entering this card in the following challenges:

Scrapper's Delight - #68 Anything Goes (7/28)

Emerald City Crafts - #1 Anything Goes (7/27)

Morgan's Artworld - #14 Anything Goes (7/27)

Craft Rocket - #39 Anything Goes (7/29)

I am really proud of how my second card turned out.  The stamp is from Power Poppy and I colored it using copic markers.  The designer paper is from my stash of Maja Design paper that I have in a bag so I don't know from which collection it came.  A very simple card that I think turned out rather cute.

Entering this card in the following challenges:
Crafting with Friends - #48 Anything Goes (8/01)
Fussy and Fancy - #192 Anything Goes (8/02)
Simply Papercraft - #48 Anything Goes (7/23)
Crafting With Attitude - #29 Anything Goes (7/31)

Lastly is a card I created after seeing one on pinterest that I liked.  Instead of using markers I decided to use my prismacolor pencils for this one.  I enjoy switching it up sometimes.  The image is a House Mouse design from Stampendous and die cuts are by Cheery Lynn.  Another simple card that I hope you like.

Entering this card in the following challenges:
Color Crazy - #29 Anything Goes
Making Memories - #7 Anything Goes But Square
Crafty Calendar Challenge - Anything Goes (7/28)

All this posting and trying to get caught up has left me a bit thirsty so I think I'll end this post with some refreshing ice tea and maybe ice cream later.  Here in Texas temperatures are reaching as high as 104F degrees.  Now that's HOT!

Until next time

Hugs from Texas

Lesia

Poppy Power Images

Hello crafty friends-today I want to share two cards with you.  One is for Father's Day which will be here soon and the other is to celebrate Spring and the many blooms that have opened in my yard creating a beautiful frame in front of my windows.

I found both my images over at Poppy Power.  Marcella Hawley is one talented lady and her stamps (rubber and digital) are simply gorgeous and I love coloring them.  

To sweeten things Rhea, of Passionate Paper Creations provides you with a coloring template to get you started.  Her work is fabulous and while I may never reach her level of coloring, I do enjoy trying to repeat her combinations.

Moving forward with my cards, I'll start with the Father's Day card.

As I mentioned earlier the image is from Poppy Power and the title is "Fly Guy".


The paper is from My Mind's Eye but due to the disarray of my paper I can't began to tell you what collection it came from. Orange and brown is one of my favorite combinations for creating masculine cards and this paper was perfect for this card.

I colored my image with copics and I mean I used a slew of them.  I added a few buttons but didn't get the effect I was going for but that's how it goes sometimes when crafting. The inside uses leftover paper from the stack but I haven't taken time to take a photo yet.

I'd like to enter this card in a couple of challenges:

Digi Choosday Crafting- Anything Goes
Everybody Art Challenge -#404 Anything Goes
Cards und More - #185 Father's Day
Cardz 4 Guys - #170 Favorite Color Combo

My second card is all about the color yellow. I love this image and had lots of fun coloring it.

This image is called "Dancing Daffodils" and I colored it with almost 15 different copic markers.

I used the Sizzix pierced ovals to cut out the image and then adhered it to Spellbinders Floral Oval die-cut.  

I used paper from the "Park-bench" collection by Fancy Pants. I thought the yellow with grey/gray accents was perfect for my daffodils.

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Whoopsie Daisy - Tic Tac Toe
Crafting from the Heart - #161 ATG
Artistic Inspirations - #180 Flower Theme
Die Cutting Divas - #319 ATG
Create and Makes - #12 ATG/Use Yellow

Well my crafty friends, this is all I have for tonight.

Thanks for stopping by

Sending hugs from Texas

~Lesia

Spectrum Noir Practice

Hello Everyone!  I have been trying to live up to my resolution to use what I have in my stash (especially paper) and to try new techniques although my passion is coloring with copics and making cards. I am hoping that learning new techniques will only widen my horizon for what I already love and that I will be able to incorporate my new techniques into my cards and other projects. 

I've been playing with my coloring media..copic, spectrum noir, pro markers, distress markers, aqua markers, and etc.  Below are two examples of what my coloring with spectrum noir looks like.  I am not as comfortable with any other marker as I am with copic markers but I am trying.

The good news is I didn't buy anything extra to create these cards..in fact I used scraps that I tend to hoard (can't throw anything away).  I was very pleased that I was able to do that.  Being retired means I've had to make some adjustments on the way I manage both my time and my funds.

Okay I am going to move forward and share with you my cards.

Card 1

Card 2

Both cards uses digi images that I have on a CD and I can't begin to tell you anything about them. The papers are from different collections by My Mind's Eye and Basic Grey.  I think card 1 was made using papers from Basic Grey "Olivia" and card 2 used papers from MME "Sunshine".

The image on each card was colored with Spectrum Noir markers and in some areas I used Prismacolor Pencils to darken the shadows.

The inside of each card used scrap papers leftover from the same paper collection I used on the front of the card.

I hope to enter the following challenges:

Inspiration Destination - #128 ATG (5/25)(MM53)

Creative Moments - #118 ATG/No Twist (5/28)(MM42)

Crafty Creations - #341 ATG (5/23)(MM171)

Crafty Girls - #36 ATG (5/30)(MM167)

Crafting With Attitude - #27 ATG (MM194)

Aud Sentiments - #180 ATG/A Sentiment (MM51)

Thanks for stopping by!

Sending Hugs from Texas

Lesia

Crayon Time

Hi all!  I am so excited because I recently got Tim Holtz's crayon markers and began to play with them.  They are very similar to Gelatos and yet there are differences between them.  I decided to see how other crafters were applying them to their projects and after much review I had enough information to create the two cards below.

This media is definitely one that I will need to practice with because I am so NOT accustomed to working with pigment inks.  Anyway here are my first attempts at creating backgrounds using Tim Holtz crayons.

Card 1

To create this first card I used Set 1 or "Brights" to color my background.  I started with a piece of watercolor cardstock cut at 5 x 4.  

Next I started adding color to the cardstock using the crayons in the order they were packed. Once that was completed, using my fingers as my tool I began to blend the colors. 

I placed a droplet of water on my craft sheet to keep my fingertips wet as I blended my background. The crayons blended really well and they do create new colors when they overlap which I discovered quite quickly.  

While the background was drying I started working on the rest of the card.  I used a Martha Stewart border punch to create the band and both a circle punch and a scalloped circle punch to create the greeting. The words were stamped and then cut with a border using my Brother Scan 'N' Cut. Lastly I added a few pearls and completed the inside to match.

Card 2 

My second card was an attempt to use the resist technique with the crayons.  First I taped down my cardstock and then laid a stencil over it.  Using my crayons I lightly dabbed/colored the stencil randomly being careful not to move the stencil. Then without any water I used my fingers to finish blending the crayons into the stencil.

Next I removed the stencil and allowed the coloring to dry. Once the first part of my background was dry I moved on to inking the cardstock using distress ink "tumbled glass" covering the entire piece of cardstock and the crayon resisted the ink...pretty darn cool!

I cut the cardstock at a slant to allow for my greeting which I popped up to add dimension. Lastly I added a few stars that I cut and layered using Quick Kutz "Nesting Starburst" dies. My final step was to complete the inside using left-over scraps and a few extra stars.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

The Crafty Addicts - #36 ATG/Die-cuts (6/3)(MM152)

Inspiration Destination - #128 ATG (5/30)(MM39)

Fab n Funky - #351 Create Background (5/22) (MM19)

Creative Moments - #118 ATG/No Twist (5/28)(MM42)

Crafty Creations - #341 ATG (5/23)(MM151)

Crafty Girls - #36 ATG (5/30)(MM152)

Crafting With Attitude - #27 ATG (5/24) (MM175)

Aud Sentiments - #180 ATG/Sentiment (5/30)(MM11)

Thanks for stopping by!

Sending Hugs from Texas

Lesia

Take the Wheel

Hello y'all.  The flowers in my flowerbed are starting to add colors of yellow, purple and blue all around my patio and along the front of my home, so I decided to create a card to reflect my beautiful blooms and my belief in the resurrection of Jesus.  I truly believe that if we trust in God and allow him to take the wheel he will guide our lives through the ups and the downs.  

Hope this card will inspire and encourage you or simply bring a smile to your face.

The image is from Gracielle Design and if you haven't visited her shop please do. Her work is amazing!  I won two of her designs in a previous challenge and am so glad I found her.

The paper is from Maja Designs but I can't seem to remember the name of the collection.  I colored my image with Copics and used Distress Inks on the edges.

I added a few Recollection flowers, used a Fiskar punch to add some corners and the white dots I did with a gel pen. Lastly I added stickles to the flowers and used a flag die to cut the greeting which was also courtesy of Gracielle Designs.

The inside is clean, simple and plain using scraps from the same paper collection.  The personal message space was created using Spellbinder dies and Martha Stewart punches.

That's all I have for this post and would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Great Impressions - April Showers Bring May Flowers (4/30)(MM13)
Dragonfly Dreams - Anything Goes (4/29)(MM90)
Dare2BArtzy - Anything Goes (5/6)(MM51)
613 Avenue Create - #196 Anything Goes/Spring (5/6)(MM222)

Thanks for stopping by 

and I hope you will visit again soon.

Sending Hugs From Texas

~Lesia