runway inspired challenge #68 - time to soar

I'm still trying to hone my watercoloring skills.  Not sure how people make it look so easy!  Here's a card I made using Avery Elle's Look Up stamp set.  I just love the handwriting and doodly-ness of this set.

I'm submitting my card to the Runway Inspired Challenge, where we used this pretty shoe as inspiration. (Yes, I totally goofed on the color match....I thought it was purple, pink and light brown.   Well, at least I got the light brown???)

I first heat embossed the sentiment in white.  Then I used a combo of distress inks, colored pencils and watercolors for the background.

I cut square sequins so that they looked more like diamonds.

For a closeup of the matchy-matchy sequins...

Thanks for taking a look!  Would LOVE some feedback...and some pointers on how to improve my watercoloring:)

Supplies:
Stamps: Avery Elle Look Up
Inks: Derwent Inktense pencils, Koi watercolors, Tim Holtz distress ink (picked raspberry)
Other: sequins

cas(e) this sketch #93: boo-tastic

I decided to give this week's CAS(E) this Sketch challenge one more try, since I felt like my previous entry didn't really come close to the sketch.  Here's my second card...

 

...using this sketch.

Wish I hadn't blended the moonlight so low, but hey, I'm learning from my mistakes and will make sure I fix this the next time I make one of these cards.

I'm sure I'll make several of these cards using Mama Elephant's Boo-tastic.  I mean, look at these cuties' faces!!!!  And, now that Mama Elephant has dies (Creative Cuts) for this stamp set, everything comes together so nicely.  I'm a sucker for tiny dies...like those little candies.  C'mon now...

Thanks for taking a look!

Supplies:
Stamps: Mama Elephant (Boo-tastic)
Dies: Mama Elephant (Boo-tastic)
Inks: Copic markers; Memento (tuxedo black); Memento Luxe (dandelion); Tim Holtz distress (wild honey)
Other: Wink of Stella glitter brush (clear)

cas(e) this sketch #93: ka-pow!

I was so excited to ink up the Super Duo set that my sister got for me. It was designed by Mama Elephant for Simon Says Stamp. I used the cute superkid for my card, which I'm submitting to the CAS(E) this Sketch challenge.

Here's the sketch that I used...

Though its hard to tell, I used the sketch:) The little strip with the sentiment was translated into the cityscape with the sentiment that was moved down.  The tilted frame is now a tilted power blast for the superkid to stand on.

Thanks for taking a look!

Supplies:

Stamps: Mama Elephant for Simon Says Stamp (Super Duo)

Dies: Mama Elephant for Simon Says Stamp (Crusader Kids); Mama Elephant (Cityscape)

Inks: Versamark (onyx black); Memento Luxe (dandelion); Copic markers

casology week 113: grass

Today I completed the last of three thank you cards my co-worker asked me to make for her.  I'm submitting this card to CASology, where our cue card is grass.

I first stamped the tree, tufts of grass, little flowers, and snail.  Then I used a combo of colored pencils and distress ink to color everything for a water color look.  Though its hard to tell, I used a gold pen for some of the flower centers.  Once everything was dry, I stamped the sentiment.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Please leave some constructive feedback in the comment section.  I'm always striving to improve my cardmaking skills.

Supplies:
Stamps: Avery Elle (Red & Goldie); Mama Elephant (Tree Friends)
Inks: Derwent Inktense pencils; Tim Holtz Distress (festive berries; picked raspberry)
Other: gold pen

fusion card challenge - shiny pink

It's my first time playing along with the Fusion Card Challenge.  I saw Kimberly's card and was blown away, so decided to put something together myself.  Here's my card.

Here's the photo inspiration and sketch.  Being a newbie, I just used the photo as inspiration.  Next time, I'll go for the fusion of the two.  Baby steps:)

I'm working on Hawaiian-theme cards for a co-worker to give to her friends that hosted her recent stay in Hawaii.  So, I stamped these lovely flowers and watercolored them in the hottest pink I had.  I even resisted the urge to color in the leaves green so that I could keep this card as pink as possible.  And, I ended up liking the uncolored leaves:)

As a nod to the photo inspirations shiny pink car, I added a touch of gold shimmery splatters.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Stamps: Mama Elephant (Many Thanks); Mama Elephant + Simon Says Stamp (Summer Garden)
Inks: Derwent Inktense pencils; Tim Holtz Distress (picked raspberry); Versamark (onyx black)
Other: Wink of Stella brush pen (black, gold) 

moxie fab world's fabulous friday - getting fancy

I'm playing along with the following challenge: Moxie Fab World's Fabulous Friday: Getting Fancy!  Here's the inspiration photo.

My co-worker asked me to make her some thank you cards to send to her friend's family that generously hosted her during her trip to Hawaii last week.  I'm all about showing gratitude, so I was happy to take on this project.  I picked some of the colors from the Moxie Fab photo, thought about all the pretty flowers in Hawaii, and made this...

Initially my card only had 7 flowers, but I kept getting my inky fingers all over, so had to fussy cut even more flowers to cover the splotches up:)

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you have a great week:)

Supplies:
Stamps: Mama Elephant Water Blooms
Inks: Delicata (golden glitz); Memento Luxe (love letter, pear tart, sweet plum); Versamark (onyx black)

casology #112: three

I made this card for the CASology Week 112 challenge, where we are using the cue card "three".

My dad and I made this card.  He advised me on the colors and placement of the sentiment:)

I am blessed to belong to a loving family that takes care of each other.  My dad hasn't been feeling well, so I'm home to help him get better.  I'm not the only one.  The other day, his sisters-in-law came by with food and fresh fruit. They also brought plants for my dad to add to his garden.  My dad asked me to make thank you cards for them, as well as other friends and family who have been so kind and thoughtful.  This card...its just the beginning.

Thank you for coming by.

Stamps: Avery Elle - Modern Leaves; Mama Elephant + Simon Says Stamp  - Summer Garden

exciting news!!!

I'm so excited to share the news that I will be joining the Avery Elle Challenge Design Team.  Woot woot!  I would like to say thank you to Jamie and Karolyn who have been so warm and welcoming to me.  You two ladies are so incredibly sweet and fun, and I'm so excited to join the team.  For you...

I first learned about Avery Elle when I attended Damask Love Live in Berkeley last summer.  In the workshop we got to use Avery Elle's Petals and Stems and Oh Happy Day stamps sets.  I remember how much I loved the flower images and sentiments, and I still have vivid memories of the beautiful creations we all made using them.   So, you could imagine how excited I was when Jamie and Karolyn first reached out to me about this challenge team opportunity.  I thought for sure they had the wrong person.  I'm so thankful they're taking a chance on me and for encouraging me to create.

And, I'm thankful that I get to join such talented ladies on the Avery Elle Challenge Design Team.  Please check out the AEI♥U Challenge for links to their blogs.  Lots and lots of talent, I tell ya.

Looking forward to contributing to this team and seeing the projects that all ya'll artists create:)

Supplies:
Stamps: Red and Goldie, Storybook

mama elephant and me: paper piecing and thank you

Welcome to the September challenge for Mama Elephant and Me!  This month we're combining one of my favorite techniques with my favorite kind of card to make...

For my card, I used the Geotagged set and combined pretty paper to piece together the luggage trio.

Call me crazy, but I find paper piecing to be oddly relaxing.

I finished off my card with a paper pieced teddy bear from Nursery Deco and the sentiment from Around We Go.

This card will be sent to my host from my recent trip to Montreal.  She made me feel right at home during my trip, even putting a stuffed animal hedge hog on my bed.  (I didn't have a hedge hog stamp, so thought the teddy bear would do just fine).  Merci to my host!

Hope you can play along with us!  Here are the rules for joining the party:

Your entry must use at least one Mama Elephant stamp

Your entry must be based on the challenge/inspiration source provided

Your entry must link back to this blog post along with the graphic image

Winner gets featured here and a stamp set of choice

Deadline is September 28th

Link up using the Inlinkz on the bottom of the Mama Elephant and Me challenge post

Have fun, stamp, stamp, stamp!!!

Thank you for coming by. Woot woot!

Supplies:
Stamps: Around We Go, Geotagged, Nursery Deco