Year in Review

Greetings! As 2013 comes to a close, in less than an hour where I live, I wish each of you the very happiest of New Years in 2014.  As promised, below are my favorite posts of 2013 from my blog as I reflect back.  I look forward to 2014 and seeing more of you and your blogs!  God Bless You!

Merry

Howdy Cowgirl

Eye See You

Steampunk in Black and White

Sewing Mends the Soul

Celebrating Autumn

Oh So Pretty

Capture the Moment

Sailing, Sailing

Gone Fishing

Make a Wish

Wedded Bliss

Before I go, I also wanted to share a photo of my precious grandchildren taken at our home on Christmas Day 2013.

You May Say I'm A Dreamer....

Greetings dear friends!  I hope each of you had a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends.  This year sure went fast! Already it is time for the final challenge of 2013 over at Fashionable Stamping Challenge.  This time around, we have a color challenge for you!  The colors are:  Chocolate, Raspberry and Cream!  Our sponsor at FSC is FlonzCraft and one lucky participant will win a $20 Gift Voucher!  For my own card, the focal stamps are from FlonzCraft.  My two oldest grandchildren both take piano lessons, so when I saw these images, I knew I wanted to acquire and use them. The images around the edges are complimentary stamps from Crafty Individuals.  The sentiment is from Artistic Outpost.  I cannot read this sentiment without hearing the lyrics in my head!  Inks used include Gathered Twig and Picked Raspberry Distress Inks.  The paper doily was painted with more Picked Raspberry Distress Paint.  Lace, trim, paper flowers and a seam binding bow complete my card.  I hope you will pop on over to FSC and see what the rest of the Design Team have dreamed up to inspire you and then I hope you, in turn, will inspire us with a project of your own.  Please take care and I hope you will stop back in a few days when I post my favorite projects for 2013 and share a photo of my grandchildren from Christmas!  Hugs, Yvonne

Celebrate

Merry Christmas!  It's Wednesday, and time for another Word Wednesday Challenge over at 365 Cards.  Our word this time is "Celebration."  I chose to work with the "Auld Lang Syne" plate of images from Artistic Outpost.  To add a bit of sparkle, the matting is gold metallic, the sparkly stars are by Tim Holtz, the dancer was dressed in Ranger Stickles and a final touch of gold embroidered stars on the ribbon.  I look forward to seeing what you come up with for your project!  I am also submitting my card to the December Referral Program at Artistic Outpost.  Hugs, Yvonne

Vintage Merry Christmas

Greetings! It's time for another challenge over at Inkspirational and this week it's Anything Goes!  I hope you will pop on over to Inkspirational to see what the rest of the Design Team have created to inspire you.  We hope, too, that you will submit a project of your own for us to enjoy.  For my own project, I began with a gorgeous vintage image from NiceCrane Designs, matted it with gold metallic paper and layered it over a white doily that was layered onto a blue metallic panel that was decorated with white rub-ons from Tim Holtz.  A bit of stamping with images from Artistic Outpost were inked with black StazOn Ink and a bit of glitter glue.  All were mounted onto a white card base.  Thanks for stopping by!  Hugs, Yvonne

Happy New Year!

Greetings!  It's time for another Word Wednesday Challenge over at 365 Cards.  Our word this week is "New."  I immediately knew that I wanted to make a card for the New Year.  Looking through my gorgeous "Gecko Galz" images, I found this beautiful and fun-filled image of two children and a snow man celebrating the new year.  I enlarged the image to better fit my 8x8 inch card, backed it with snowflake background paper and layered it with a doily to the card front.  The snowflakes are Tim Holtz Rub Ons.  The sentiment is from Artistic Outpost and was stamped with Midnight Blue StazOn Ink.  A simple vintage seam binding bow completes my card.  I look forward to seeing what you might come up with for your project.  Thanks so much for dropping by today!  Hugs, Yvonne

Joyeux Noel

Greetings!  So nice of all of you to drop by today.  My post today is for the Word Wednesday Challenge over at 365 Cards.  Our word this week is "Soft."  I chose this beautifully soft NiceCrane Designs focal image.  The die cut is by Alterations and was painted with Ranger Crackle Paint in Milled Lavender.  The background and sentiment by Oxford Impressions were stamped with Regal Purple StazOn Ink.  Distress Glitter in Rock Candy was added to the card for sparkle.  I look forward to seeing what you create for the challenge.  Hugs, Yvonne

Noel, Noel

Greetings!  Just a quick post to share with you another card created with one of those lovely NiceCrane Design images.  I layered the image over several sizes of paper doilies.  Tucked behind the image is an image by Oxford Impressions.  The corner images and sentiment are from the same plate by Oxford Impressions.  

Finishing touches include paper flowers, Dresden Snowflakes by Retro Art Cafe, some gem pearls and vintage seam binding.  I hope you are having a good weekend.  Thanks as always for dropping by. Yvonne

Seasons Greetings

Greetings! It is time once again for a new challenge over at Inkspirational.  This time, we are working from the Photo below as inspiration.  You will want to be sure to pop over and see what the rest of the design team has created and I hope you will consider entering a project of your own.

For my card, I was inspired by the colors and the bird.  I chose a set of images from Oxford Impressions for my card.  StazOn Ink and Distress Markers were used to color in the image.  Old Page Distress Ink was blended over the images to mute the color a bit.  Thanks for dropping by.  Hugs, Yvonne

Merry

I recently rediscovered NiceCrane and just fell in love with their vintage Christmas images.  I just had to use one right away!  I kept the tones of my card to Vintage Photo, Kraft and Bright White.  I am so far behind with being ready for the Holidays! How about you? The next few weeks should be quite interesting.  Hoping all of you are doing well. I am also submitting this over at Our Creative Corner where the theme is a Neutral Vintage Christmas. Hugs, Yvonne

The Beauty of the Season

Greetings!  It is Wednesday and time for another Word Challenge over at 365 Cards.  Our word this week is "Feathered."  How will you interpret the challenge?  I chose to work with this gorgeous plate of images from Artistic Outpost called MidWinter.  Most of the images were stamped with Timber Brown StazOn Ink and the images were colored in with Fired Brick, Walnut Stain and Iced Spruce Distress Inks. I added Clear Rock Candy Distress Glitter for sparkle.  It can be seen a bit better in the closeup below.  

I look forward to seeing what you come up with for today's challenge.  I am also submitting today's card for the December Referral Program over at Artistic Outpost.  Thanks for stopping by! Hugs, Yvonne

Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

Greetings and welcome to all my new and faithful followers.  There's a new challenge over at Fashionable Stamping Challenge and this time you will have all of December to submit your project.  Our theme is "In the Holiday Spirit" and Anything Goes!  Please pop over to see what my brilliant Design Team Sisters have dreamed up for you and then I hope you will submit an entry of your own.  One lucky submitter will win a $20 gift voucher from our sponsor "FlonzCraft."  For my own piece I began with a piece of background paper by Tim Holtz.  The focal image is a new image by Crafty Individuals, which was painted with Distress Markers and glittered with Distress Glitter.  The sentiment, bear, candy cane and train engine at the bottom of the page are by Oxford Impressions.  The Dresden Tree is from Retro Art Cafe. Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs, Yvonne 

Thanksgiving Blessings

Greetings Followers!  Today's post is for Word Wednesday over at 365 Cards.  Our word this week is "Thankful."  I was excited to be able to ink up this adorable pilgrim child by Lost Coast Design.  I stamped the focal image onto a manila tag, added some vines by Artistic Outpost along the bottom of the tag and distressed the entire tag with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  The digital image to the right of the focal image, the leaves at the top and the sentiment are all by Gecko Galz.  I stained a paper doily with Wild Honey Distress Stain and layered all the pieces over a white card blank that was distressed with Vintage Photo and Wild Honey Distress Stain.  A bit of spritz and flick technique and the corners were stamped with a complimentary stamp I received recently from Crafty Individuals. The pumpkin dye cuts were left over from an earlier project as was the seam binding bow that was colored with Distress Paint. A bit of brown burlap string and some buttons from my stash from my stash complete my card.  For those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, Happy Thanksgiving.  It is nice to stop for a day and give thanks for all the blessings in our lives, to eat too much and spend time with family.  Hugs, Yvonne

Do You Believe in Santa and the North Pole?

Greetings! The weeks fly by and it is already time for a new challenge over at Inkspirational! This time, our challenge is "Anything Goes." I hope you will pop over and check out the beautiful samples created by the Design Team! I chose to use images from Red Lead and papers by Tim Holtz. I added a map of the a North Pole, also by Tim Holtz as it seemed appropriate! I hope you will join our challenge over the next two weeks! Thanks for dropping by! Yvonne

Happy Christmas!

Greetings! It has been ages since I have made a card for a challenge over at Make My Monday.  I noticed their theme this week was to create a Holiday Project around "Santa, The Big Guy."  I just acquired this gorgeous set of images from Artistic Outpost called Snowy Woods and thought I would join MMM's challenge.  I began with a background paper from Tim Holtz, which I distressed with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  The focal image and sentiment were stamped with Fired Brick Distress Ink and the edges were blended with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. The focal image in my mind carries the card so I kept my embellishments to a minimum.  The burlap, snowflake, button and burlap string are thank you gifts from The Funkie Junkie Boutique.  The tartan plaid bow, game piece and cheese cloth are from my stash.  I am also entering my card over at the November Artistic Outpost Referral Program.  Thanks for dropping by! Hugs, Yvonne

Tie Down Your Business and Sail Away...

Greetings and a special thank you to my recent followers!  My card today is for the this week's "Word Wednesday" over at 365 Cards. Our word this week is "Tropical."  I am in full gear now for Thanksgiving and Christmas cards, so I needed to take a step back to give this one some thought.  And alas, my dear husband and I had planned to be living at the beach by now so all of my obvious "tropical" stamp images are far, far away, as are all of my fall and winter clothing, which is another story.  And so, in sorting through my present stash, I remembered this gorgeous plate of images I purchased recently from Non Sequitur. The white card background was blended with Tumbled Glass and Vintage Photo Distress Inks. The images were stamped with Jet Black StazOn Ink, water colored with Distress Markers and distressed with more Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  After doing the spritz and flick technique, I felt the background still needed something so I added some rays of sunshine, vintage style, using one of Tim Holtz's stencils.  It was not what I might have created if I had my "tropical" stash at hand, but I truly love the vintage feel that resulted.  I hope you will consider joining in our challenge.  Thanks so much for dropping by.  Yvonne

Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Man

Greetings dear followers and those just visiting.  I truly appreciate every one of your visits.  It is once again time for another challenge over at Fashionable Stamping Challenge.  This time around, our challenge is to create a Christmas Card using a Shabby Chic Style. Now the term "Shabby Chic" probably means different things to different artists.  For me, it meant roughing up the edges of matting which were inked with Pumice Stone Distress Ink and then spritzed and flicked, tearing parts of the matting and fraying the ribbon. A measure of music and sentiment, all by Red Lead were added next. For my focal point, I chose this beautiful trio of angels, also by Red Lead, which I stamped, trimmed and water colored with Distress Markers and mounted to a doily that was distressed with Distress Inks and added to the matting.  The adorned matting was then layered onto a beautiful piece of handmade paper that was sent to me by a blogging friend, Darlene.  A gold charm by Red Lead was repainted silver with Crackle Paint and added to the card front, along with a few pearl gems.  I hope you will pop over to FSC and see what my Design Team Sisters have created to inspire you, and then create and submit a project of your own.  Remember, one lucky participant will win a $20 gift voucher from our sponsor, FlonzCraft.  Thanks for stopping by.  Yvonne

Howdy Cowgirl!

Greetings! It's another challenge for Word Wednesday over at 365 Cards.  Our Word this week is "Flag."  I immediately thought of this plate of stamps from Artistic Outpost, which includes flags.  The focal image was stamped twice, once with Red StazOn Ink and once with Black StazOn Ink.  The cowgirl was trimmed, water colored with Distress Ink and added to the the other image.  The edges were distressed with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and then matted with black paper and assembled over another panel of white card that was stamped repeatedly with a cow print, distressed and matted and added to the card base.  The word "Cowgirl" was created with chipboard letters by Alterations and were painted with Faded Jeans Crackle Paint. Embellishments by Alterations (tickets, paper string and a game piece) complete my card. I am also entering my card at the November Artistic Outpost Referral Program. Thanks for stopping by. Yvonne 

White on White for Christmas

Greetings!  The weeks roll by and already it is time for another bi-weekly challenge over at Inkspirational!  This time we have a color challenge:  White on White.  

I think "White on White" is very elegant, and I LOVE to see others who work comfortably, and often, in this color palette.  I have probably only made one other card in " White on White" for another challenge last year.  Hence, I was a bit apprehensive about my own creation.  After studying a few other "White on White" creations, I determined that texture with fibers and embossing can take your project a long way.  Although your project may be all white, raised surfaces allow for better photography.  I began by embossing "Merry Christmas, a Star Border and Ornaments, all by Tim Holtz Alterations onto white card.  The focal panel was wrapped with white lace and matted to multiple white mats.  The ornaments were layered with stars cut from the star border die cut. Ranger White Pearls were also added.  A bit of white seam binding fashioned into a bow completes my card.  I hope you will check out the gorgeous creations by the rest of the Design Team and then create a beauty of a project of your own to share with us. Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hugs, Yvonne

In a Land, Far, Far Away...

Greetings!  It's Wednesday and time for another Word Wednesday Challenge over at 365 Cards.  Our word this week is "Super."  My first thought was to make a card with Superman on it, but since all those types of items are safely packed away and down at the beach, I decided to go in another direction.  Instead, I thought of this huge, beautiful flower by Paper Artsy.  To further enhance the size of the flower, I selected a smaller image of a beautiful little girl trying to catch bubbles that is by Lost Coast Designs. The background was distressed with Iced Spruce and Black Soot Distress Ink. The sentiment along the bottom is a rub-on by 7 Gypsies.  I thought it appropriate as I was trying to give an illusion of a fantasy card!  I cannot wait to see what you come up with for your own card. Thanks for stopping by. Hugs, Yvonne

The First Thanksgiving

Greetings!  Just a card to share with you today for the current challenge over at Frilly and Funkie where the theme is "Thanksgiving!"  I really enjoyed making this card.  I just love vintage images of Thanksgiving and these beauties are from Gecko Galz.  I matted the images and layered them over a doily that I colored with Tea Dye Distress Stain.  The corners were stamped with Timber Brown StazOn Ink using a stamp included with a purchase of Gelatos.  Simple embellishments include a scrap of vintage lace and a seam binding bow, also dyed with Tea Dye Distress Stain.  Thanks for stopping by today! Hugs, Yvonne

Eye See You!

Hello faithful followers! I am having one of those days when I have multiple Design Team Posts to share with you, so thank you in advance for your patience.  The tag above is for the newest challenge over at Fashionable Stamping Challenge, where my Design Team Sister, Laura Bomber, has chosen for us to create a project "Without Using Ink."  We are permitted to use ink for coloring in.  As always, our challenge is supported by FlonzCraft and one lucky participant at the end of the challenge will be chosen to receive a gift voucher for $20.  Now if you follow my blog on a regular bases, you know that I am primarily a card maker!  I thought I was going to die when I had to make my first tag for FSC back in 2011!  For some reason, I just thought this would be a good challenge to use a tag.  I began by smooshing various fall colored Distress Paints onto my Craft Mat.  A bit of water mist came next and then I dragged my tag through the paints for my background color.  I would normally distress the edges with Vintage Photo or another color of Distress Ink, but I resisted and instead used some Gathered Twigs Distress Paint with a blending tool. Next, I embossed the tag with some White Embossing Paste by Dreamworks through a Tim Holtz stencil.  In the center of the tag, I pounced Black Soot DP through another Tim Holtz stencil.  The focal image by Lost Coast Design was stamped with more Black Soot DP and colored in with the allowed Distress Markers.  For more contrast, I added Idea-ology Rub-ons onto the tag. I painted several chipboard pieces with more Black Soot DP and dabbed some Spiced Marmalade DP onto a wood piece by Idea-ology.  The gauze behind the focal image and at the top of the tag where colored with more Distress Paints as was the metal tag.  I must say, I was out of my comfort zone for this challenge on many fronts and kept trying to reach for my ink pads, but that's why it is a challenge, yes?!  I'm glad I gave it a go, and I hope you will stop by FSC to see what the rest of the Design Team has created and then make a project of your own.  Thanks for dropping by!  Yvonne

Steampunk in Black and White

Greetings dear friends!  Thanks so much for stopping by today.  My card above is for the current challenge over at Eclectic Ellapu, which is "Black and White."  I do not often work in just black and white, but I really do like this color combination and found this to be a very enjoyable challenge. Beginning with a blank white card base, I used Wendy Vecchi's Black Embossing Paste with a Tim Holtz Stencil in the upper left corner.  Various black and white tissue tapes by Idea-ology were added next.  Also by Idea-ology, are the rub-ons I added to the card front.  The images, inked for the first time, are by Lost Coast Designs.  The sentiments are by Artistic Outpost.  Buttons and Idea-ology Sprockets, which were painted with Black Soot Distress Paint complete my card.  This is our last challenge until the new year.  I hope you will stop over and see all the gorgeous samples by the rest of the Design Team, and then, create a project of your own.  

I am also entering my card over at Our Creative Corner where they are having a Steampunk Challenge with Tic Tac Toe, having used Gears, Texture (buttons) and Transport.  What a fun challenge!

Thanks so much for stopping.  Hugs, Yvonne

365 Cards Blog Hop!

Greetings!  There's a "Free For All:  Rock Your Sytle" blog hop going on over at 365 Cards!  Each Design Team Member was asked to create a card in a style that we enjoy, with a caveat, we are to work with a package of goodies that our leader, Pam, sent to us.  Now for me, my favorite style is retro/vintage.  I LOVE the days gone by.  One of my all time favorite designers that I began following soon after starting to blog is Lynne Montcrieff of Adorn.  I am so drawn to her pieces.  They are always vintage, done with great restraint and I love how she uses just littlest bit of fabric and/or lace or fibers to create her card.  She make her own dyes, recycles shower curtains, and much more. She inspires me!  For my card above, I created a card that reminded me of one of the cards that Lynne created for a recent Take Ten Publication. I layered orange fabric to a card base, tucked a scrap of a vellum bag by Fancy Pants behind it, stamped a great retro pickup truck by Paper Artsy onto scrap card stock, added faux stitching and added it to the card front.  A bit of washi tape by My Mind's Eye, a sprocket by Idea-olgy, and a baker's twine bow by American Crafts were added next.  A bit of vintage style fabric was added next along with several words by Artistic Outpost.  I had a lot of fun and hope you will pop on over to see what the rest of the Design Team have created for you. 

Audrey http://organisedmess.blogspot.com/
Carla http://paperpastorale.blogspot.com/
Letisha http://letishainc.blogspot.com.au/
Janice http://twin2u2designs.blogspot.com/
Jennifer http://glitterinmyhair.blogspot.com/
Michelle http://scraposition.blogspot.com/
Pam http://pamcards.blogspot.com/
Ruth http://witchyfingers.blogspot.co.uk/
Victoria http://vmellifuousmusings.blogspot.com/
Wendy http://scrappydayinparadise.blogspot.com/
Yvonne http://www.journeyintoartistry.blogspot.com/  (You are here)

Now it is your turn! Create a card to link up to 365 Cards choosing the style of one of the 365 Card Designers by November 4, 2013 for a chance to win a package of goodies similar to those we received for the Blog Hop. Good luck!

Hugs, Yvonne
  

Moon Glow

This post is for the Wednesday Challenge over at 365 Cards. Today, our challenge is to create a card with as many items as you can that begin with the letter "R."  I chose to create a card with autumnal images featuring this gorgeous image of a Raven by Red Lead as is the chipboard tree. The image was layered over an orange tag, which was distressed with Black Soot Distress Ink and stenciled with the new Shattered Stencil by Tim Holtz and a one by Red Lead.  The rustling leaves clip art is from Gecko Galz, as are the pumpkins and Autumn Harvest sentiment.  The various elements were layered over an 8 x 8 card that was distressed with Vintage Photo DI and Idea-ology Tissue Tape.  I apologize for the delay in posting today.  My PC developed a virus recently and had to be hospitalized.  All is well now!  Looking forward to seeing what you come up with for today's challenge!  Hugs, Yvonne

Blessings

Greetings!  My post today is entitled Blessings.  It is for the current challenge over at Inkspirational where we are challenged to create a project that is inspired by the gorgeous photo below.  

Before I continue talking about my card, I wanted to let you know, as valued friends, that my dear husband who has been battling cancer these past ten years, has suffered with several strokes this past week.  He is home now, and recovering.  Progress is slow, but we have much to be thankful for.  He can still see, talk and walk though the has lost use of his one hand.  As artists, we use our hands nearly every day in delight of our quest to create art.  How thankful I am for each day I still have this tactile function.  The doctor thinks with time and hard work he will regain use of his hand, so are thankful for that as well.  

For my card, I began with an 8 x 8 card base, which I distressed with Spiced Marmalade and Vintage Photo Distress Inks.  I spritzed and flicked a bit of water on as well.  The beautiful image in the center of my wreath is from Gecko Galz.

The wreath was made from several die cuts and Grunge Board, all by Tim Holtz Alterations and Idea-ology. The pieces were painted with Ranger Rock Candy Crackle Paint and then using the Colored Crackle process I learned in Creative Chemistry 102, I blended various Distress Paints with a Blender Tool onto the pieces.  Next I used Tea Dye Distress Stain.  I think Vintage Photo Distress Stain would have been gorgeous, but alas, I do not have one.  

The pieces were assembled in a circle around the focal image.  A filigree metal corner, a complimentary piece from Linda Coughlin with an order from The Funkie Junkie Boutique and a vintage seam binding bow came next.  A simple sentiment by Gecko Galz completes my card. 

I hope you will pop over to Inkspirational to see what the rest of the Design team have dreamed up to inspire you and then consider joining us for our challenge!  Thank you so much for dropping by today my friends.  Love, Yvonne

Tis Harvest Time

Greetings!  It is Wednesday and time for another Word Wednesday Card over at 365 Cards.  This week, our word is "Harvest." Our sponsor this week is DRS Designs.  The beautiful digis, the shock of wheat and the sentiment are by DRS Designs and were printed onto canvas paper, trimmed and water colored with Distress Ink.  The background was done with Distress Paints and the focal image is by Gecko Galz.  

I look forward to seeing what you come up with for your card. Thanks so much for stopping by.  Hugs, Yvonne

Scary Cats and Pumpkins

Greetings! It's time for a new challenge over at Eclectic Ellapu! Our challenge this week is to create a project around Halloween. For my own card, I began with white card, stamping with a scary cat and the moon in the corner.  Next, the cat and moon by Red Lead were tinted with Gelatos. The bats and raven are stencils by Red Lead.  The card was then distressed with Wild Honey and Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  The sentiment is also by Red Lead, as are the Dresden cat and spider web.  The focal image is by Gecko Galz. A bit of seam binding and bakers twine complete my card.  Please check out Eclectic Ellapu to see all the great inspiration pieces and I hope you will consider creating a project of your own. Happy crafting!  Best, Yvonne

Let's Bake a Cake!

Hello!  The weeks fly by and here we are once again ready for a new challenge over at Fashionable Stamping Challenge.  This time around, we are challenged to create a card!  No tags, or other projects please.  For my own card, I began with an 8 x 8 card base. Using Tim Holtz Stencils and Black Soot and Festive Berries Distress Inks, I added stripes and random dots.  Next, using Wendy Vecchi Black Embossing Paste, I added stars using another Tim Holtz Stencil.  The focal images include the Blueprint Cupcake by Stampers Anonymous for Tim Holtz and two images from FlonzCraft.  Aren't they absolutely adorable?  To go along with the vintage color palette, I distressed all the edges with Pumice Stone Distress Ink. I hope you will stop over to FSC and see what the rest of the Design Team has come up with and I sure hope you will submit a card of your own.  One lucky participant will win a $20 Gift Voucher for FlonzCraft, our generous supplier.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  Yvonne

Sewing Mends the Soul

Greetings my ever faithful followers.  I truly value your continued support and visits my to blog.  This week over at 365 Cards, the theme is Vintage, and for Wednesday, we are ask to create a card with vintage goodness that includes fabric in some way.  I had all sorts of thoughts about stamping on white or ivory fabric, but realized when I sat down to craft that all of my fabric is packed away and stored at the beach!  And so I moved on to Plan B! Back in the 80s, my former mother-in-law gave me a package of fabric squares suited to quilting.  I decided to work with a piece of blue gingham and stamped this new to me, adorable vintage little girl's dress with Black StazOn Ink.  The dress and all of the background stamps and sentiments are from Red Lead.  This was my first opportunity to ink them up and I must say they have fast become favorites of mine.  A hint of color was added to several of the buttons using Gelatos and my finger to blend.  I found the background to show through the fabric of the dress so I backed the dress with white card and trimmed it close to the fabric before adding it to the card front.  The entire base was distressed with Old Paper and Tumbled Glass Distress Inks.  I grunged up the dress with Old Paper as well as it seemed to bright white next to the background.  A bit of spritz and flick followed.  A seam binding bow, safety pin and some buttons came next.  The panel was matted with black paper and layered to an 8x8 card base. I look forward to seeing what you dream up for your own project. Thanks for stopping by.  Yvonne

Explore, Discover, Dream

Greetings!  Just a quick post today before I head out to a Stamp Show in my hometown.  While cleaning up my art studio recently, I came across this card that I made recently for a challenge, but decided in the end to create something else.  As part of my studio clean up, I have packed away my beloved beach/ocean items. So for one last time, until next summer, here is a card I made celebrating my love of the beach.  The image is from Red Lead, the sentiments are from Artistic Outpost.  The background was done with Distress Inks.  I hope you are having a great weekend!  Hugs, Yvonne

Harvest Time

Greetings! Back today with an Inkspiration Post for our new challenge.  Please note, our challenges are now bi-weekly and beginning with this challenge will occur on Saturdays.  This time around, our challenge is simply:  Anything Goes.  It has been a super busy week for me and when I sat down to create my piece I realized the sky was the limit which can sometimes be daunting, at least for me.  I decided to look through my Gecko Galz images and found this beautiful image of a girl holding harvested wheat in black and white and from there everything feel into place.  I toyed with painting or using PanPastels on the card front but in the end decided to leave it white so the black and white image would pop. I purchased these gorgeous leaf dies by Tim Holtz late last fall and never had a chance to use them.  I had a lot of fun cutting them from white card and then chose a bunch of different autumn like Distress Inks to color them.  I added script text from Artistic Outpost using Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  A bit of water drops using the spritz method came next.  I recently purchased the TH pumpkin and acorn dies, colored them with Gelatos and think they are nice addition.  Some black and white baker's twine and some brass leaves, a gift from Linda Coughlin with a purchase from her Funky Junkie Boutique and my card is complete.  Thanks so much for stopping by. Please stop over to Inkspiration to see what the rest of the team has to share with you and then I hope you will submit a project of your own.  Hugs, Yvonne