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Simon Says: Winter Blues | Monday Blog Challenge

It's been eons since I've participated in any challenges, so was grateful when a friend suggested that a card I'd posted to Instagram would meet the criteria for this one: Winter Blues over at the Simon Says Stamp blog. 

The paper is Crate Paper, from the 6 x 6 pad, Paper Heart collection. I used a Tim Holtz embossing folder, die cuts from Crate Paper (probably one of the Maggie Holmes lines), and a Papertrey Ink sentiment stamp. 

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Love is in the Air

I used this adorable Lawn Fawn stamp set, which is more of a winter/holiday set, to make a Valentine. Since my penguin is carving a heart into the ice with his skates, this wasn't too much of a cognitive leap! I used Heidi Swapp Color Shine in Blush for the background -- I painted it on, rather than spraying, since I wanted more opaque coverage. Prior to that I mixed some color from a Guava gelato stick with texture paste and added textured hearts through a Heidi Swapp stencil. The red hearts and the penguin are colored with Derwent Inktense pencils; I like taking color off the pencils with my water brush. I added a few enamel hearts, in case the love theme wasn't completely apparent already. :) The background paper is from My Minds Eye, as is the velvety scalloped ribbon.  [The links are to the products I own, available at Simon Says Stamp, just as a thanks for their challenges! I'm entering this in the Monday challenge.]

Thanks for visiting!

~ Laura

 

Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2016: January | Simon Says Stamp: Love is in the Air

Our creative muse Tim Holtz is putting a spin on his 12 Tags inspiration project this year -- he's mixing techniques from the past. This month he used the chalkboard technique and the industrious metal technique.

I have to say that I almost didn't participate, not because I don't enjoy Tim's techniques, but because just coming off all the color of Christmas, I couldn't handle all the black! So, I decided that if there can be green chalkboards, maybe there can also be red ones and went with an entirely different color for my monochromatic tag below.

I substituted red alcohol ink for the distress paint Tim used in his metal technique -- I only have three colors of distress paint at the moment and red isn't one of them. I did have the foil tape and used a heart embossing folder. I only have the mini blueprint stamps, so chose the globe. I used regular white embossing powder (don't have the frosted kind) and used a piece of chalk and my fingers to add a bit of chalky background. 

To join in or check out all the creations, just click the image at the top of this post!

Additionally, the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge this week is "Love is in the Air," and we are asked to include the color red. So, I'm submitting this tag for that challenge!

Thanks for visiting.

~ Laura 

Simon Says Stamp Challenges

The Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge this week is "Stencil It" and I used my Faber Castell gelatos through a stencil to create this card. Oddly enough,  the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge this week is . . . wait for it: "Ombre!" 

So, I'm posting this to both challenges. 

I used a Hero Arts stamp set (CL567) for the sentiment, some American Crafts sheer ribbon, enamel hearts from MME, and Derwent Inktense pencils to color the tag. 

[Note: These are not affiliate links, it's just my way of saying thanks to SSS for hosting the challenges each week.]

SSS Monday Challenge: Winter Wonderland

I haven't had a chance to participate in a challenge in quite a while, but am on vacation this week -- hurray! The Simon Says Stamp Monday blog challenge for the last two weeks of the year is "Winter Wonderland," which I thought dovetailed nicely with an adorable little Lawn Fawn stamp set I recently purchased. 

The penguin and its heart skating pattern, as well as the snowflakes, are from Lawn Fawn and the sentiment is from Papertrey Ink. I did not intend to add in the purple color, but had used a scrap piece of cardstock to mask the snowy hill shape and there was purple on the back side which activated when I used water. Oops! So, I went with it and added a bit more. And now I've got a birthday card for my sister-in-law. :)

Lots of Dimension on this Valentine!

It's fun to make a super dimensional card knowing that it won't have to be put in the mail -- this one is for my girlie. :)

I was going to submit this for the Simon Says Stamp "H is for . . . " challenge, but forgot to post it yesterday. Instead, serendipitously, it fits this week's "Red and Pink" challenge on the Monday Challenge Blog, too!

The paper is My Mind's Eye, the heart stencil is Heidi Swapp, the doily is from Hobby Lobby's store brand, the two top hearts were stamped with Hero Arts stamps, and the ink is Picked Raspberry distress ink. The bow and the drawstring bag were from gifts and it makes me happy to use them on something! [The links are to the same or similar item in the SSS store.]

Simon Says Stamp challenge: Be Bold

This week the SSS Monday Challenge blog design team is being bold with bright ink, large stamps, or both!  I made a card and used the brightest orange ink I have -- Spiced Marmalade distress ink -- and used Versamark on glossy cardstock to make a resist. This card is for my nephew -- I like to send back-to-school cards to my nephew and nieces when I can make the time for it, since I don't see them as often as I'd like. 

 

 

 

 

Two clean and simple cards

I stamped with some of my favorite Hero Arts stamps and "watercolored" with distress inks and distress markers. I'm linking up with the Simon Says Stamp D is for Distress challenge this week! 

Tag It: Simon Says Stamp challenge

I made this card today and realized that it matches up with the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge this week, so I'm linking up!

The card base was inked up with Salty Ocean and Dusty Concord distress inks. The tag was swirled around in wet pink Heidi Swapp Color Mist in my misting box; it picked up some gold and other colors from previous projects and I really like how it came out. The floral stamp is a favorite of mine from Hero Arts; the sentiment is HA as well. The lovely blue bauble at the top is Bazzill. I swiped silver metallic ink around the edges of the card to coordinate with the silver Thickers -- the 25th is our silver anniversary, so had to have some silver on there! (Yes, the card is for my husband -- 25 years this May!) 

Thanks for looking! 

~ Laura 

A is for . . . art journal

In response to the Simon Says Stamp "A is for  . . . " challenge, I made a spread in my art journal. I created the background with three colors of Glimmer mist and Color Shine mist, then stamped using Tim Holtz and Hero Arts stamps with Ranger archival ink. I added a quote from Chinese philospher Chuang-tzu (Zhuangzi) and some paper butterflies.