Serendipity Stamps Autumn/Halloween Hop

I am delighted to be taking part in the 2014 Autumn/Halloween Hop for Serendipity Stamps!

If you are hopping along, you should have reached me from MARY's BLOG.  If you'd like to start from the beginning you can find all the details at MARY's BLOG.

For my card, I chose to showcase the fun and delightful Serendipity Stamps image of "Kitty and Jack".  I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto X-Press It cardstock.  I colored the image with Copic markers and did some shading with Prismacolor Pencils.  The circled the image with a Nestabilites die, and then framed it with black cardstock.  Patterned paper from K&Company was framed with black cardstock and serves as the card front.  Baker's Twine and a button were adhered to a card.  And the fun sentiment of "Boo", also from Serendipity Stamps, was stamped with Versafine Onyx Black.  I randomly cut around the stamped sentiment and outlined with a black marker.

Be sure to visit the blogs of the Serendipity Design Team to view some wonderfully awesome creations.  Make sure you comment on the blogs by September 1st because Mary will award one lucky commenter a $20 gift code off their next order from Serendipity Stamps.

There is a second chance to win also.  Just like and share Serendipity's Facebook page.  Someone will receive a $20 gift code off their next order just for doing that.

Here's the order of the hop, in case you get lost:

Mary's Blog  

Kecia Waters (you are here)

Jeanne Jachna 

Jenny Gropp 

Julie Warner 

Karen Amidon 

Marybeth Lopez 

Miriam Napier 

Vickie Zimmer
 

Thank you to Serendipity Stamps for a wonderful month of guest designing.  It has been a pleasure and lots of fun.  Now, you are on your way to JEANNE JACHNA's BLOG as you continue through the hop.

Back to School

Well, the time has come.  A great summer it has been.  I can't wait for the next one, LOL!

So, I start back to work on Thursday.  What does that mean for the blog?  Still posts on Monday for sure, and at least one other post during the week.   Just no extras, you know.  At least until I get back into a routine and can keep my eyes open.

This is an image from Sassy Cheryl's digital set "Overload at School".  I'm sure I will feel this at times and so will my students.  It's a part of the process, I think.  Anyway, I printed the image onto X-Press It cardstock, and had lots of fun coloring it with Copic markers.  Framed in black cardstock, and one layer is patterned paper from Little Yellow Bicycle.  I'm loving that vibrant blue, along with the primary colors I used for the image.

The sentiment came from an old set from My Favorite Things, and the flag was cut with a MFT die-namics.  A button and some twine complete the details on this card.

Thanks so much for hanging with me during the summer months.  There were times when the creative juices were truly rolling.  Here's to a great fall, and a great school year.  Stick with me.

Frank In Stitches

Here's my first Halloween card of the season.  You can read all about it over on the A Jillian Vance Design blog.  I LOVE making Halloween cards.  So many fun colors.

Things you might need to know...the stamp set is from AJVD's "Frank N Candy" designed by Whimsie Doodles.   The patterned paper is a scrap from K&Company.  And things you probably know...Copic markers, X-Press It cardstock, Memento Tuxedo Black, and Versafine Onxy Black.

Have a wonderful Monday, as good as a Monday can be. 

Bearly In School

Well, most students and teachers are back to school now and are probably thinking they've "bearly" started the year.  I haven't even started back yet, so they are ahead of me, LOL.

This is a digital image from Squigglefly called "Bearly In School", illustrated by Sandra Caldwell.  I think it is a cutie.

I printed the image onto X-Press It cardstock and colored with Copics.  I cut the image panel into a circle with a Nestabilities die and framed it with black cardstock. 

I stamped a background stamp from Hero Arts called "Thank You Definition" with Versafine Onyx Black onto a piece of kraft.  I framed the panel with black cardstock and then electric blue cardstock.

The word "thanks" was cut from black cardstock from a freebie die I received from Taylored Expressions at Stampaway a couple of weeks ago.  It worked perfectly.  Thanks, Taylored Expressions!

A button and Baker's Twine put the finishing touches on this card.

You might be noticing that I rounded all the corners.  I did that to play in the current challenge on the Squigglefly Blog called "Round the Corners".  Hope you join in on the fun.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!  There's another post coming in a few hours!

Floral Framed Rose

I'm still enjoying my time as Guest Designer for Serendipity Stamps.  I told you earlier in the month that I'd be back with that GORGEOUS "Rose" image.  And this time I've paired it with the BEAUTIFUL "Floral Frame" die, also from Serendipity Stamps.  I'm telling you this, Serendipity Stamps makes it rather easy to create special cards, that's for sure.

To make this card, I first cut a piece of white textured cardstock from the floral frame die which is a part of Serendipity's  "Floral Frame & Embellishment Dies".  Once seeing how pretty this really was, I decided that I definitely wanted to pop up this die with dimensional tape so its beauty could be truly be admired on this white palette that I wanted to use.

Then, I stamped the "Rose" image with Memento Tuxedo Black onto X-Press It cardstock.  I found the portion of the image I wanted to be in the frame, and then cut it so it would fit nicely into the frame.  I colored the image with Copic markers, and some slight Prismacolor pencil shading. 

Finishing touches on this card include the use of sheer white ribbon, and a black pear pin that attaches the tag where Serendipity Stamps' "Miss You" was stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.

Don't forget that this month on the Serendipity Stamps Challenge Blog the challenge is "Miss You".  Don't forget to link up your creations for a chance to win!  Don't "miss" out!  Head on over to the blog for some more inspiration from the TALENTED Design Team.

Thanks again to Serendipity Stamps for letting me join in on the fun this month.  I'll be back later in the month with something rather spook-tacular for Serendipity Stamps.  Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Cawl, Cawl, Cawl

The weather is feeling like fall, even though it is still August.  I'm going to take it as a sign that perhaps I should start rolling out some fall cards.  Here's my first fall card of the season and it is featured on the A Jillian Vance Design blog.  Go check it out.

If you're curious about the stamps used on this card, I used the AJVD limited edition "Happy Harvest" stamp set designed by Becky Schultea.  I colored the image with Copic markers and did some shading with Prismacolor pencils.  So glad to have my pencils close by, because I struggle with Copic yellows.  It truly is like a crap shoot when I use them, LOL.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!  More cards to come this week so make sure you return!

Goldfish

Lookie at this gorgeous fish image I bought last weekend at Stampaway from Impression Obsession.  LOVE!  So fun to color!

To make this card, I stamped the image of "Goldfish" from Impression Obsession with Stazon Jet Black onto Strathmore Mixed Media Paper.  I colored the image with Prismacolor pencils and did a quick wash for the background with a Derwent Inktense pencil (Mallard Green).  Three small glass beads are acting as bubbles.  I framed the image with black cardstock.  I thought it looked decent to use a white card base.

I'm entering this into the current Impression Obsession Challenge "Clean and Simple".  I hope I win because I wanted SO MUCH at their booth, LOL!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today!

Inktensing at the Beach

Most people take towels, bathing suits, etc to the beach.  I do too.  But what I also take are my pencils.  This year, I took my Prismacolor pencils as well as my neglected Derwent Inktense Pencils.  I colored this up on my oceanfront balcony one afternoon, because I burn rather easily.

I stamped the image from the Kraftin' Kimmie set "Totally Tubular" (illustrated by Cheryl Grant) with Stazon Jet Black onto Strathmore Mixed Media paper.  I colored her with Derwent Inktense pencils.  The "sand" is from Mudd Puddles and was given to me by my sassy sister Linda Compton. It was awesome to meet her.

I kept the card very CAS, because I think the coloring pops with the white.  I simply used my Scor-It to give the edges some texture.

Here's another card, made the same way, though I lost a little control of the flesh tones on the poor little guy's face, LOL.  I'll post it any way...

The only thing I did with this Kraftin Kimmie image was stamp an old Stampin' Up canvas background stamp with ColorBox Frost White to attempt to lighten things up.  Patterned papers from Lasting Impressions and Pebbles.  I guess the card isn't too terrible.  Just not as good as the first one.  Which is why I must practice, practice, practice with those Intense pencils.

I am going to enter the one I like (LOL) into Kraftin Kimmie's Challenge #242 which is "Outdoor Activities".  There is no finer outdoor activity than being at the beach!

Smiling Crab with Colored Pencils

I wasn't sure what to call this blog post.  The crab doesn't actually have colored pencils.  Wouldn't that be something if he did!  I guess what I'm trying to say is that this image was colored with Prismacolor pencils.  No Gamsol or blending pencils, just pencils.

FYI, if you live in my area, I will be teaching a colored pencil class later this month at Scrapbook Art.  Call the store to sign up.  You can get vibrant results with Prismacolor pencils, as you do with Copics.

It is Monday which means it is my turn over at the A Jillian Vance Design blog.  You can read all the deets about this card right over there.

I've got lots of cards to share with you.  Stay tuned!

Isn't That Charming?

I'm here today with a digital image from Squigglefly.  It is called "Female Singer" from James Horvath.  I made this for the current challenge on the Squigglefly Challenge Blog, "Isn't That Charming?"  The challenge is to use a charm on your card.

I found the pink musical note and the word "Rock" in a clearance bin at Hobbylobby (go me!).  I thought they worked perfectly with James Horvath's image "Female Singer".  I originally colored her with blue and purple hair, but my husband said it looked hideous, LOL.  So, I changed it. 

Colored with Copic markers onto X-Press it cardstock.  A MFT die-namics cut the window like shape for the image.  Two little pieces of musical confetti make up the other two musical notes on this card.  A panel of patterned paper from Bella Blvd was framed with black and white cardstock.  Some Baker's Twine was used to help secure the charms.

Head on over to the Squigglefly Blog this week and play along. I'm sure you will rock this challenge, LOL.  Squigglefly asked me to join in on the fun every two weeks, so come back to my blog see more a little later this month.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

Just Bee-cause

This card is a result of me playing around in the Dare To Get Dirty Challenges over on Splitcoast Stampers.

To make this CAS card, I stenciled some hexagons using Distress Ink Scattered Straw and ColorBox Chalk Amber Clay.  Using a Memento Tuxedo Black marker, I inked a portion of the Stamps Happen stamp called "Bees" and directly stamped over the stenciling.  I proceeded to color the bee with Copic markers and slight shading with Prismacolor pencils.  The sentiment is from Repeat Impressions and was stamped with Versafine Onyx Black.

I did all of this, and realized I used Georgia Pacific cardstock...not my go to for Copic coloring.  But, oh well.  I do like the overall results.

Back again tomorrow, with two posts!

Miss You Rose

I'm taken by how GORGEOUS this rose image is!  So, you can imagine my delight when the wonderful folks at Serendipity Stamps asked me to join them this August as Guest Designer.  Yes!  Yes!  Yes!

Each month the Serendipity Stamps Challenge Blog posts a new challenge.  This month, the challenge is to create a CAS card with the theme "I Miss You".  Sure hope you'll join in on the fun.  Head on over to the blog for some FABULOUS Design Team inspiration!

To make my CAS "I Miss You" card, I stamped this beautiful "Rose" image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto X-Press It cardstock.  I colored the image with Copic markers and Prismacolor pencils.  I stippled Distress Ink Scattered Straw onto the cardstock, as well as lightly misted some Gold Shimmer Spritz from Tsukineko. 

The sentiment, "Miss You (small)", is also from Serendipity Stamps and was stamped with Versafine Onxy Black. 

I framed the image panel with black cardstock, and placed at a slight angle onto a white card base.  I attached a small loop of gold ribbon along the side of the card.

I truly enjoyed the process of coloring this image and making this card.  Thanks to Serendipity Stamps for the invitation!  Please join us on the Serendipity Stamps Challenge Blog for all of the fun. 

I'll be back with another card later this month for Serendipity Stamps, and you can bet that I'll be choosing to use this gorgeous rose again!

Cake Walk

Making this card has made me hungry for birthday cake, LOL.  It features an adorable image from Sassy Cheryl's "Callie Celebrates" digital stamp set. 

I printed the image onto X-Press It cardstock and then colored with Copic markers.  The sentiment is from Repeate Impressions and was stamped with Versafine Onyx Black. 

The patterned paper is from Doodlebug Designs.  A MFT die-namics cut the pennant flag, where a button and Baker's Twine complete the details of this CAS card.

I should at least go get some lunch now, LOL!  Come back tomorrow to see another card.  Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Sea the Seahorse

Sea-ing the sea last week certainly made me smile last week, and I hope this card I made makes you smile too.

Made with AJVD's "Seas The Day" by Whimsie Doodles. The adorable seahorse was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black onto X-Press It cardstock.  I colored it with Copic markers. I used light blue vellum and acetate to create the oval scene, scribbling some Copic marker directly onto the acetate. The ric-rac is made from felt and was cut with a die.  Clear buttons and Baker's Twine complete this card.

I love to sea the sea!  And cards with creatures from the sea!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today!  More to come this week, so I do hope you visit again.