Christmas in July!

Okay, so I am totally getting into this Christmas in July theme going on at Simon Says Stamp. I have so many Christmas card ideas that I almost forget it's the middle of summer and super hot outside!

This card is another entry for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Christmas in July. This is also another entry for the watercolor Work it Wednesday Challenge. 

I am really into repeated image background stamping and coloring right now, so I knew that was the look I wanted to create for this card. I first laid down a very light watercolor wash of number 49 Gold watercolor from the Prima Shimmering Lights watercolor pan set. The shimmer is very, very subtle, but still beautiful.  After it dried, I laid down the images and sentiment stamps from the Simon Says Stamp Christmas Essentials stamp set. Next, I used my Mini Misti stamping tool to repeatedly stamp the images on watercolor paper. I laid down the sentiment stamp only to arrange the image stamps around it because before I stamped, I removed the sentiment stamp so I only stamped the images. This way, I ensured I left a space big enough for me to stamp the sentiment later.

Next, I watercolor painted the images. Instead of using watercolors though, I decided to paint with Distress Ink. I used the colors Festive Berries, Pine Needles, Evergreen Bough, Fired Brick, and Walnut Stain. After the images dried, I added some white, acrylic paint splatters. Finally, I heat embossed the sentiment using Ranger Black Sparkle embossing powder.

I am really happy how this card turned out. I am still practicing my watercolor skills, and will continue to do so because with each card I feel more confident in my watercolor painting ability! Thanks for stopping by!

Here's any entry in to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes. They are showcasing Art Impression Products. This is also an entry for July's Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday Challenge. The theme is watercolors!

I have to be completely honest about this card. I really struggled with it. I love the look of watercolor painting. I am very new to it, and having trouble finding my knack for it. So, for this card, I decided to really push myself and not give up on watercoloring. I know that with more and more practice I will get better. In fact, I can't get better unless I practice. So although I am not 100% happy with my watercoloring, this card was also a practice in committing to finish a card that I felt unsure about the outcome because of my inexperience with watercolor. In the end, it is a cute card and anyone I know would be happy to receive it.

I used a variety of Prima watercolors, and then after it was dry I added a few details with some gel pens. I orginially planned on this being a one-layer card, but the sentiment I stamped above the image was fuzzy, so I stamped it again, this time on a piece of Neenah Desert Storm cardstock and popped it up with foam tape.  Honestly, I am still unsure about this card, but I will keep it, and I will keep practicing watercoloring!

This is my second entry in to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes. They are showcasing Art Impressions Products. I am having so much fun entering in to these challenges. First, it's exciting for the chance to win some cool stuff. Second, it really does challenge my creativity. Third (and maybe most important to me), I am sharing my work. I love cardmaking and I think I love sharing my cards just as much. I find myself being less critical about my work because giving someone a handmade card tells that person you really care about them, so they are not going care if you colored a millimeter outside the lines, or made some other "mistake." They are just going to love it and feel good because they know someone cares about them. So this makes me feel less critical about what I create (which feels really good!), so I feel more free to try new things and be okay with how it turns out (no matter how it turns out). Plus, there's always a backside of the paper so if I do really screw up then I can just flip it over and start again!

For this project I used Copic markers. I am so freakin' proud of this card. I purposely left the card design very simple because the focal point of this card is really the image. I just added a touch of Wink of Stella, cut out with a stitched die, and mounted the piece on some fun foam. Art Impressions has such cute stamp sets with some really funny sentiments. I didn't make this card with anyone in mind, but I know I'll find the right person to give it to. It's so cute! I love it!

This post is for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge: Anything Goes. They are showcasing Art Impressions Products. I had been eyeing several stamp sets, so I thought that this would be a perfect time to pick up a few sets.

For this project, I used the large image from the Road Trip stamp set and a sentiment from the Got Style stamp set. I stamped the image on Neenah Desert Storm cardstock in Basic Black archival ink by Stampin' Up!. I have been really in to colored pencils lately, especially colored pencils on kraft paper. It actually didn't take me very long to color. With each card I make, I get better with that particular medium. I really like colored pencils, they are a slow medium, but I think what draws me to them is the high amount of control I have with them because it takes awhile to build the layers of color.

I used Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, then when I was completely finished, I outlined everything with a black 0.1 Copic pen. Outlining really makes a huge difference! It's such a small, extra thing that really adds so much to the project. Lastly, I spritzed a very, very light layer of Perfect Pearls mixed with water and die cut with the largest Simon Says Stamp Wonky Rectangles Die. I made this card for a friend of mine, and I can't wait to give it to her. It's so cute!

This post is my second entry in to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge.

For this card, I used the Watercolor Winter stamp set from Stampin Up (a really old stamp set) with the Wreath Builder stencil from Gina K. The sentiment is from the Naughty and Nice Elves by Simon Says Stamp. I heat embossed the sentiment with Black Sparkle embossing powder from Ranger. Finally, I added red sequins with a drop of clear Nuvo drops over top. The white paper is Neenah Solar White cardstock and the card is made from Neenah Desert Storm cardstock. I really like this little card! Thanks! Bye!

This is my first blog post, and it's my first time entering a project into a Monday Challenge at Simon Says Stamp blog. This is the Krafty Christmas challenge.

I used the Naughty & Nice Elves stamp set from Simon Says Stamp. I colored the image with Copic Markers and fussy cut them out. I popped them up with foam tape. For the background, I did a very light watercolor wash using Prima watercolors. Then I added some black splatter with acrylic paint. The small sentiment is from an old october afternoon stamp set I bought many, many years ago. I also added some Wink of Stella to the elves' cheeks. I had a lot of fun making this card, and I know I'll definitely be entering in more challenges with Simon Says Stamp.