Friday, March 29, 2019

31 Days of Crafting - Day Twenty-Nine - What's Your Spirit Animal?

FULL DISCLOSURE: This was gonna be one of my ridiculous, limited brand ambassador posts, but since the company whose other designers look like they created cards for five year olds with NO experience crafting whatsoever didn't want me, I don't want them.  I decided to share these cards anyways because, you know what, they're already made.  Whatever.


Just a few challenges:



Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!

Monday, March 25, 2019

**ANYTHING MIXED MEDIA GOES** New Challenge with A Inky Mess!!

Hi everyone!!  It's the 25th and that means a new challenge at A Inky Mess!!  Our theme is always Anything Mixed Media Goes!  I had a blast this month creating a layered oceanic card.



Just a few challenges:


Be sure to visit the blog and see what the rest of the DT created  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!!

Saturday, March 23, 2019

31 Days of Crafting - Day Twenty-Three - Coffee Makes Me Awesome

Happy Saturday!!  I should state a strange fact: I both LOVE and HATE coffee. I love coffee things--candy, ice cream, mugs, scarves--but I don't like drinking coffee.  I think it's awful.  Aren't I weird??  So when I say I love coffee people are always giving me the sideeye when I don't drink it.  But anyways, I really love making coffee-themed cards.  I had a blast making this one.


Just a few challenges:


Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!

Friday, March 22, 2019

Thursday, March 21, 2019

31 Days of Crafting - Day Twenty-One - Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys

Sometimes I like to make "sentiment only" cards. You know what I mean.  No images, no coloring.  I let the words do the talking on this one, literally.   Sure the background papers help, but this card is just me venting to the world.


We all feel this way, don't we???

(EDITED TO ADD: the monkeys have taken over in the Cook County ASA's office, no????)

Just a few challenges:


Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!!

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

31 Days of Crafting - Day Nineteen - Sequined Hello

Happy Tuesday!!  I'm running around like a crazy person today trying to organize a paint pour party for this weekend so this will be short and sweet.  I needed a quick card and I love how this came out.  I need to use sequins more often!!  They're not just for shakers ya'all!



Just a few challenges:


Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!

Monday, March 18, 2019

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!!!!!!!!

Updating this post to say that the giveaway is OFFICIALLY CLOSED and isn't happening.  Long story, not sure I feel like bitching about it here.  But I bitch a lot on Twitter so you may wanna check there.

This was so much fun.  I gathered a bunch of scraps from the Watercolor Paper Pad and created the patchwork backgrounds.  Then I added the Hello die cut sentiment, which I cut three times and glued together for dimension.



Just a few challenges:


Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!

So Sweet and Thoughtful - Brea Reese Brand Ambassador Post

Hi everyone!  I've got a new Brea Reese Brand Ambassador post for you today, with a watercolored fruit card.  I've been really into lemons this year, in my decor and of course in my crafting.  I wanted to play around with my new Watercolor Pencils so I picked this fun and fruity image to work with.  The pencils come in two color groups, Jewel and Classic.  I used colors from both for this card.  When using watercolor pencils, I like to color the outlines and scribble in the center, blend with a water brush, then layer darker colors.  For the sentiment strip, I scribbled the pencil all over but then got called away and didn't blend it right away.  The lines didn't blur as much once the pencil had some time to set, giving me some awesome texture that mimicked clouds.  I can tell I'm going to be using these pencils a lot.


And we have some exciting news to share!!  Brea Reese products are now being sold at Target!!  There are some fabulous gift sets and they're the perfect way to jump into Brea Reese if you haven't already!!

Be sure to check out the Classic Watercolor Pencils and all the other Brea Reese products!!  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!

Sunday, March 17, 2019

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!!!!

**GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

Quite frankly I could share some choice reasons why, but I prefer to be more positive on my blog.  You might check my Twitter page though.

Today I made something for St. Patrick's Day that is still NOT a St. Patrick's Day card.



I used the Metallic Ink paper pad for my background.  Then I used the Hello Fetti dies for the sentiment.   The shamrock is left over from a card I made earlier this week.

Just a few challenges for this card:


Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!!

Saturday, March 16, 2019

31 Days of Crafting - Day Sixteen - Shattered Dreams

Happy Saturday!!!  The radio stations here are having an all-80s weekend which is my favorite kind of music.  A few of the songs I hadn't heard in awhile so I pulled out my old CDs and one in particular really stuck with me. Remember "Shattered Dreams"?  That was a great song. Anyways, I was playing that song on repeat and this card came together.  The background looks like shattered gems or rocks and I just love how it turned out. Plus it's PURPLE, which is my favorite color.  I hadn't made a mostly-purple card in a bit and they always make me happy.

I also kind of think it's Twilight-inspired.  The colors, the dreamcatcher, makes me wanna watch the movies.


(It looks WAY more purple than pink in person.  And the dream is actually silver but it kinda looks rose in this picture. It's REALLY gloomy today, makes for bad photos.)

Just a few challenges:


Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting!  Laters!!

Friday, March 15, 2019

Thursday, March 14, 2019

31 Days of Crafting - Day Fourteen - I Come In Peace!

I protect the gammaquadrant from the threat of invasion, I come in peace!!  Toy Story is one of the greatest movies ever made,  IMNSHO.  It's clever, cute, and who doesn't love toys??  Buzz Lightyear has always been my brother's favorite, so I made him this card for his birthday.


Yeah, yeah, the front is awesome, look inside!!



Just a few challenges:





Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

31 Days of Crafting - Day Thirteen - Happy Ken Day!!!

Happy Hump Day!!!  I'll bet some of you think today is a celebration of guys named Ken, but in actuality it's a day to honor Barbie's boyfriend!  Ya'all already know I love Barbie, and I celebrated her birthday with a special card on Saturday.  I thought Ken should be celebrated too, but I didn't make a birthday card this year I went with a love card.  After all, Barbie and Ken have had an on-off relationship for 58 years!!


Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

I Feel Lucky - Brea Reese Brand Ambassador Post

Hi everyone!  I've got a new Brea Reese Brand Ambassador post for you today, sharing a lovely lucky card!  I wanted to make a green card that referenced St. Patrick's Day without actually being a St. Patrick's Day card.  Make sense?


First I created my background panel.  I thought of it as painting a rainbow, but all in shades of greens.  I used a combination of the shades in the Jewel and Classic Professional Watercolors and the Core Colors Watercolor Pan sets.  Then I took a scrap of Watercolor Paper and just literally dropped blobs of all the shades of green watercolor onto it, letting them blend and flow.  After it dried I stamped the shamrocks and fussy-cut them out.  I love how the different shades make them look almost glowy in spots. 

Be sure to check out the Core Colors Watercolor Pan and all the other Brea Reese products!!  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!

Monday, March 11, 2019

31 Days of Crafting - Day Eleven - Sweet New Year!

Happy Monday!  A quick detour from my shopping day to share this fun New Year's card.  As you know I'm trying to work harder at making seasonal cards all year long this year so I'm not so swamped from November-January.  It's going okay so far.  I just looooooove how this card came out.  The photos just don't show how sparkly and shimmery it is in person.



Just a few challenges:



Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!!

Sunday, March 10, 2019

31 Days of Crafting - Day Ten - SLAY DAY 2019!!!!

Happy Slay Day!!!  Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered twenty-two years ago today!  I can't actually believe it was that long ago.  I was actually not instantly a fan.  I'm not even sure why I stuck with it, but eventually I came to loooooove Buffy.  Season 3 is my favorite.  I like to make cards celebrating pop culture and things I love, so I made this.


I don't usually put things inside my cards, but I couldn't help myself with this one!


Just a few challenges:


Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!!

Saturday, March 9, 2019

31 Days of Crafting - Day Nine - Happy Sweet Sixty Barbie!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARBIE!!!

Ya'all know this day is really important to me. I've loved Barbie dolls since I was three years old.  Today she's sixty years old, and I think that's the most remarkable thing.  Every year I celebrate the doll that brought me so much joy as a child, even as a tween.  She's still bringing me joy, just in a different way.


I rarely put details inside my cards, but I did add something inside this one, because it's a special card.


And I just wanted to share the showcase photo I took of this card, too.  I never had an original Barbie of course, but she's very very special.  I found these minis last year at a Hallmark, and I adore them.  The one on the left is Totally Hair Barbie, who was my favorite doll I ever had.  I had really long hair as a child so this was super special to me.  The doll on the right, of course, is the original 1959 Ponytail Barbie. Can you believe she was $3?  Outfits were $1.  Crazy!!!



Just a few challenges:




Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!!

Friday, March 8, 2019

31 Days of Crafting - Day Eight - My Favorite Women

Happy Friday!!!  I know everyone is all celebrating "strong women" today and superheroes and crap for International Women's Day.  That's all well and good, but as much as I like say, Catwoman, real strength doesn't come from superhero power.  The strongest bond women have is that between a mother and a daughter.  So today I'm celebrating my favorite mother/daughter duo, the Gilmore Girls. Even though Rory didn't prioritize her mother the way her mother prioritized her, they have an amazing relationship.  I'm lucky to have that kind of relationship with my mother.


Some challenges for this card:


Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!!

Thursday, March 7, 2019

31 Days of Crafting - Day Seven - Love The Game

Happy Thursday!  I've got a fun sports-themed slider card to share with you today. I don't make many sports themed cards, but I was pretty happy with how this one turned out. (Soccer is actually the only sport I've ever played!)




Just a few challenges:




Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting!  Laters!!

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

31 Days of Crafting - Day Six - Rainbow Celebrate

Good morning!  I needed a quick card and literally made this in minutes with scraps.  I LOVE scrap cards.



Just a few challenges:




Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!!

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Hello Peony - Momenta Brand Ambassador Post

Happy Tuesday!!  I've got a new Momenta Brand Ambassador post for you today, sharing a bright and happy Hello card!!!  I used the Peony Paper Pad for my backing and cut the card fronts into strips to create interest.  I layered five Hello die cuts to create dimension.  I love that technique to make a sentiment die stick out.  The Hello Fetti die set has several great sentiments for cards.


I love how this card turned out with this paper.  I'm going to be using it a lot as spring approaches and all this snow starts to melt!!


I like to create in multiples :D

Be sure to check out the Peony Paper Pad and all the other fun Momenta products!  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!

Monday, March 4, 2019

31 Days of Crafting - Day Four - Off the Deep End

You were expecting a mermaid card when you read that title, weren't you??

GUESS AGAIN!!!

I have now seen A Star Is Born in the theatre three times, and I just cannot get over this film.  Music and art and love.....I felt every emotion in that movie and I'm not ashamed to say that I sobbed.  Lady Gaga was a goddess and well, before this movie I didn't like Bradley Cooper at all and now I would see something else he was in just to see him so that's a big deal for me (I'm picky about actors in films).  If you haven't seen it, please see it. Not on TV, go see it in the theatre, it's an amazing experience.

(The soundtrack is also amazing, FYI.)

Anyways, I found myself thinking of Ally while coloring this image and before I knew it, I was coloring her hair to match Ally's after that crooked manager gets a hold of her and bam, this card came together.  (I may have played "Shallow" a few times while making this, too.)


**There's more story to this card but I'll put it far down at the bottom of the post for those of you who haven't seen it and don't want the film spoiled!!!**


Lotsa challenges because I LOVE this card just like I LOVE that movie!!!!!:


Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting.  Laters!!







*****I like to come up with stories when I make art.  I feel like this card represents that Ally took off for the East Coast after Jack died, to get away from everything.  Staring at the snow gave her the perspective to go back to her real self.  Her old hair, Jack's band, rock instead of pop.*****

Sunday, March 3, 2019

**ANYTHING GOES** New Challenge with Angie's Digi Stamps!!!

Hi everyone!  It's the first Sunday of the month and that means it's time for a new challenge at Angie's Digi Stamps!!  Our theme is always Anything Goes and we don't have a twist this month!!  I made an Eastery card to give to one of the kids I babysit.



Just a few challenges:



Be sure to visit the blog to see what the rest of the DT created and to enter this month's challenge!  Thanks so much for looking and happy crafting!  Laters!!

Saturday, March 2, 2019

Friday, March 1, 2019

31 Days of Crafting - Day One - NO APOLOGIES!!!!!

HAPPY NATIONAL CRAFT MONTH!!!!!  Today is the first day of my month-long celebration of crating!!!!  This year though, I kinda want to start out with a message.....

As artists, I think we feel pressure to.....I don't know if conform is the right word, but sometimes we feel like we have to create what others create.  You know, one person buys a stamp, everyone buys that stamp.  That kind of thing.  Well I don't feel that way.  And that non-conformist attitude extends to how I feel about EVERYTHING.  My opinions are my opinions and if you don't like them, oh well, it's how I feel.  I'll be the first to admit that I get defensive about, say, my fandoms.  I'm just a passionate person.  And I got some nasty messages on IG recently, and this is how I decided to handle them.


I am who I am.  No apologies!!

Just a few challenges:


Thanks so much and happy crafting.  Laters!!!