Mother's Day

 

 

Greetings! With Mother's Day soon upon us, it is fitting that the new challenge over at Eclectic Ellapu is "Mother's Day!" For my own card, I pulled out this image by Pam Carriker for Stampington, as I found to be very nurturing. The quote is by Alison Bomber for Paper Artsy. The background stencil is by Tim Holt and the background panel was sprayed with Dylusions Ink. I hope that you will stop over to see what the rest of the design team have created to inspire you and we hope that you will consider sharing a creation of your own over at Eclectic Ellapu! Thanks for stopping by!

Rain Man

 

Greetings! A bit of a delay in posting the current challenge for Inkspirational! My post today is for the Photo Inkspiration Challenge shown below. 

 

I was most excited about this challenge, as I love architecture and the umbrella man in the photo immediately made me think of an image I could use! The buildings, by Paper Artsy, were stamped onto scrap paper, trimmed and distressed with various shades of Distress Ink, Iced Spruce and Faded Jeans, as was the umbrella man by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, and the card panel.  The rain drops are by Designs by Ryn and were stamped directly onto the distressed card panel. The other images were added and some Stickles were added to the rain drops. I hope that you will pop over to see all the other cool designs by the rest of the design team and then consider creating one of your own to share with us. Thanks for dropping by! Best, Yvonne

 



You are....

 

Greetings! This post is for the new April challenge over at Eclectic Ellapu, where the theme is "Anything Goes." This theme always provides an opportunity to pull out a new set of stamps that you have been itching to use, but just hasn't lined up with a particular challenge theme.  I hope that you will pop over to see all the cool projects that the design team have dreamed up to share with you, and then consider sharing one of your own with us!

 

For my own card, I worked with a piece of mixed media paper that was included in an order of art supplies I recently received.  I was skeptical about how water color would work, but must say I was pleased with how well it held up.  The paper did wave a bit and I apologize for one spot on my card that is a bit lumpy! I chose to work with some rather new images from Paper Artsy. The background was done with Infusions, also by Paper Artsy.  If you are viewing this on the first of April, here's wishing you and your family a blessed Easter. Hugs, Yvonne

Spring has returned!

 

Greetings! I am back today with a new post. There's a new challenge that begins today over at Fashionable Stamping Challenge where the theme is "Springtime." I hope that you will top over to see all the inspired projects the design team has created to inspire you and that you will consider creating a project of your own to share with us.  Please remember that we are a stamp challenge, so stamping must be the focal point of your project. One lucky participant will win a free stamp image from our generous vendor Ink Art Designs.  A warm welcome to Hanne, who joins us as our next design team member.

 

For my own project, I used some very old images, which remain among my favorites, by Artistic Outpost, on a water color panel. The sentiment is one of Alison Bomber's for Paper Artsy. Thanks so much for stopping by. Hugs, Yvonne

Octobers

Greetings! The weeks roll by and we are back again with a new challenge over at Inkspirational. This time we are working from the photo below.

I hope that you will pop on over to see all the unique takes by the rest of the Design Team and then consider making one of your own to share with us!

For my own card, I worked for the first time with Infusions by Paper Artsy to create my inky background.  The stamped images are by Artistic Outpost and the sentiment is also by Paper Artsy. 

Thanks for stopping by! Best, Yvonne





Eternity

 

 

Greetings! It is time once again for a new challenge over at Inkspirational. This time, we are to create a project based on the photo below. 

 

 

This was fun! I fashioned the boards from water color paper that I colored with Distress Ink Oxides and burnished the edges with Gathered Twigs Distress Inks. The seashells by Oxford Impressions were stamped in various colors of ink on scrap card and layered onto the panel. The bottle is a stamp by Paper Artsy, the sentiment is by Red Lead Paperworks and the flowers are by Donna Downey for Unity Stamps. I hope you will pop over to see all the creative makes by the rest of the Design Team and then consider joining us with a project of your own. Thanks for stopping by.  I truly appreciate your visit and your comments. Hugs, Yvonne

 

 

 

Gone Fishing

 

Greetings and thank you for stopping by my blog! My card today is for the latest challenge over at Fashionable Stamping Challenge.  Our theme, "Gone Fishing." You can make a project with anything about fish, or even a boat on the sea! My card is quite simple, but I really was trying to capture just what was happening under the surface of the water, rather than the bottom of the ocean! I hope you will stop over to FSC and see all the awe-inspiring makes of the design team for further inspiration and then consider sharing a make of your own with us.  Please remember that we are a stamping challenge, so stamping needs to be the focal point of your piece.  One lucky participant will be selected to win a free stamp by our sponsor, Ink Art Designs.

 

 

For my piece, I began with a watercolor panel. I smooshed various Distress Ink Oxides onto a craft mat, one at a time, spritzed with water and mopped up the inkiness.  I sprinkled water onto the panel and heat set it. It lacked the dimension I was seek so I added spritzes of Distress Ink Sprays in Faded Blue Jeans and Broken China. The hook, sentiments, and fish are all by Paper Artsy and some of my favorite images.  Not sure why I am enthralled by fish, but I am always on the lookout for a new fish stamp! I think I am amazed at how many different fish God created! After stamping the fish on scrap water color paper, I put down more Distress Ink Oxides on my craft mat, spritzed with water and dragged the fish through the inkiness. I also added some color with TomBow Markers and a water pen. To finish off my card, I added sequins by Red Lead Paperworks.

 

We look forward to seeing what you are inspired to make! Thanks for stopping by. Best, Yvonne

 

 

Lots of Windows!

 

Greetings! I can only think it has to do with losing Jack, but I must apologize for my delay in posting several projects that were due this weekend.  For my first post, I have created a card for the new challenge over at Inkspirational where the theme is "windows!" I do hope that you will pop on over to see the varied, and delightful offerings of the rest of the Design Team. 

 

 

After carefully looking through all my stamps and stencils, the only windows I had were huge (9"x12") so I opted to ink up this new to me stamp of a building with lots of windows by Paper Artsy.  I tried a new ink pad by Catherine Pooler.  All I can say is wow! If you struggle to get full coverage, struggle no more! The buildings were watercolored with TomBow Markers and I doodled around the border with an Ultrafine Sharpie. A few spritzes of Distress Ink splattered with a brush completes my card.  Thanks for everyone's patience.  Hugs, Yvonne

Graffiti

Greetings! The weeks roll by and already it is time for another challenge over at Inkspirational.  The theme this time is Graffiti Art! I had to look that one up on the Internet! Fortunately for you, the design team while give you lots of examples to inspire you!

 

 

 

For my own car, I began by stamping this cute little guy by Paper Artsy onto a water color panel.  I dropped several colors of Dr. PH Martin Inks onto the panel and then blew them around! The sentiments by Unity were stamped on scrap card stock and adhered to the panel. The panel was matted and adhered to a card base.

 

I look forward to seeing what you come up with for your project!  Thanks for stopping by! Best, Yvonne



Graffiti Stamping Ink Challenge April 22

Lest We Forget

 

I was mesmerized, recently, when I saw this new to me stamp set by Paper Artsy. It was perfect for creating a card for Memorial Day, which we celebrate here in the USA.  With deepest gratitude for all who paid the ultimate price. Thank you for stopping by. Yvonne





The Unexamined Life

 

Greetings! Welcome back to the first challenge for 2015 for Fashionable Stamping Challenge.  Our theme is to create a project with something new:  stash, technique, a resolution, etc.  The sky's the limit, just be certain to making stamping the focal part of your project since we are a stamping challenge!  I hope you will pop over to see what the Design Team have dreamed up to inspire you and then submit a piece of your own for a chance to be the lucky winner of a $20 gift voucher from our generous sponsor FlonzCraft.  For my own project, I decided to ink up a bunch of images that I had not yet gotten to.  The focal image is from The Love Story by Oxford Impressions, as are the sentiments, and the gorgeous feathers are by Paper Artsy.  The birds are an old friend by Artistic Outpost.  The card base was spritzed with Rusty Hinge Distress Spray Stain, used for the first time, and the edges of the card were distressed with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  Thanks so much for stopping by today.  Hugs, Yvonne

A Very Special Birthday

Greetings!  It is time, once again, for a new challenge over at Fashionable Stamping Challenge!  Our theme this time is to create a card or project for a "Special Birthday."  My son and I both have a birthday during the month of September, so I decided to make a card for him.  I had originally thought I would ink up this gorgeous Paper Artsy stamp for Mother's Day, given the sentiment along the side, but it works for this occasion, as well.  I began by creating my background using various Distress Paints and Distress Inks.  The colors were a bit deeper than I wanted, so I brushed a very light layer of Gesso over the top and it muted it beautifully.  Next using Vintage Photo and Gathered Twigs Distress Inks, I stenciled feathers around the edges using a stencil from The Crafters Workshop.  The focal image was stamped with Watering Can Archival Ink.  The sentiment by Artistic Outpost was also stamped with the same ink.  Some black and white twine and vintage buttons complete my card.  I hope you will pop on over to FSC to see what the rest of the Design Team have created to inspire you and then we hope you will share one of your own creations with us, as well. Please remember we are a stamping challenge, so no digis.  As always, our sponsor FlonzCraft has a $20 gift voucher for one lucky participant.  Thanks for stopping by.  Hugs, Yvonne

So Good To Be Back - Flowers for Fashionable Stamping Challenge

Greetings!  It is good to be back after a four month hiatus from Blogland!  I am so thankful for each of you, dear friends, who have inquired, prayed, and sent encouragement to me while my husband was recovering from a major stroke back in February.  He was away in rehab for three months and I am so happy to have him back home.  The first few weeks were an adjustment, but we have settled into a routine and he was the first to encourage me to return to my art.  And so, for my very first post, I think it is fitting that it be for the very first Design Team that I was ever on, Fashionable Stamping Challenges.  My thanks to everyone of the Design Teams for allowing me this time away and letting me know I was welcome back when I was ready.  The challenge this time around at FSC is Flowers!  I love flowers, often they are the subject of my water colors, but I do not have a lot of flower stamps.  As I went through my stamps, I came across these two beauties from Paper Artsy! I stamped them with Black Archival Ink, trimmed them and water colored them with Ranger Distress Inks.  The card base was stenciled with a Tim Holtz Stencils and Wendy Vecchi Black Embossing Paste.  The bumble bees by Red Lead are rather large, but are proportioned well to the focal images, don't you think?  The balance of the card base was filled in with some images from Artistic Outpost. A few scraps of vintage dictionary page and some very old craft thread complete my card.  I hope you will stop over to FSC to see the gorgeous samples my Design Team Sisters have created and considered sharing one of your own with us.  As always, there is a prize to be awarded for one of the submitters by our generous FlonzCraft.  Thanks, again, for dropping by and for all your comments.  They mean so much to me.  Best, Yvonne

Going Fast

Greetings everyone!  I am a bit late with my post today.  My dear husband, as some of you know, has been battling a very severe health issue for over a decade, and these past few months have been particularly challenging.  That aside, I am happy to share with you my latest post for the newest challenge over at Fashionable Stamping Challenge where the theme is "Anything Goes!"  It was a good excuse to pull out some new stamps from Paper Artsy and a new stencil from Tim Holtz!  I began by smooshing Distress Inks on my Craft Mat, spritzing with water and pulling by card front through the puddles of inkiness.  The images were stamped with Black StazOn Ink onto the inked card front.  The sentiments by Artistic Outpost were stamped onto scrap card stock, edged with a black pen and added to the card front.  Using one of Tim's newest stencils, I added a bit of Mowed Lawn Distress Paint to Embossing Paste and pushed it through the stencil.  Embellishments include Black Liquid Pearls, Chit Chat Stickers and Idea-ology Mini Gears.  I hope you will pop over to FSC to check out the rest of the Design Team's gorgeous inspiration pieces and then submit one of your own for a possible gift voucher for $20 from our generous sponsor, FlonzCraft.  Thank you for dropping by.  Hugs, Yvonne

Sentimental Travel, Adventure

Greetings!  Thank you for stopping by.  My post tonight is for the newest Challenge over at Fashionable Stamping Challenge where the theme is to create a project by layering on at least three stamp images.  I probably took my card one step further by stamping multiple images on three layers! I began by spritzing my card base with a variety of Dylusions Sprays.  The images, all by Paper Artsy, were stamped next onto the prepared card base.  A tag was prepared next using Distress Stains, and the edges were distressed.  More Paper Artsy images were inked onto the tag. The focal image was stamped onto a card stock scrap, dredged through Distress Ink and then distressed around the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and mounted onto the tag with foam dots.  A bit of paper string and metal cogs, both by Tim Hotlz' Alterations and some ChitChat Stickers complete my card. I hope you will check out the inspiration pieces of my Design Team Sisters and then create a project of your own.  Our generous sponsor, FlonzCraft, has a $20 gift voucher for one lucky participant.  My card was inspired by a creation by Helen Chilton's piece over at Paper Artsy. I was taken in by her variegated background and her stamp images. 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

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
  

Seaside, Fresh Air

Greetings! It is once again time for a new challenge over at Fashionable Stamping Challenge!  This time, our theme is "Can You Resist?"  Now I must admit, I had several false starts with this one.  I do not do a lot of techniques well that involve resist.  After viewing several You Tube Videos and having less success than I wanted, I totally started over when my eyes came across a Ranger Resist Ink pad.  Several collage stamp images by Red Lead Stamps were inked with the Resist Ink and stamped onto Specialty Paper. Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn and Vintage Photo Distress Ink were sponged over the paper until the beautiful collaged starfish, and shells appeared.  Sentiments from Paper Artsy were stamped in Timber Brown StazOn Ink.  A light house from PA was stamped onto Specialty Paper, trimmed and mounted to the card panel.  Cheese cloth was added to the left lower corner and shells, a starfish and baby sand dollar were adhered.  The prepared panel was matted with brown card stock, wrapped with burlap string and added to a card base.  You will surely be inspired by all the beautiful inspiration pieces of the Design Team.  As always, our generous sponsor is FlonzCraft and one lucky winner will win a $20 gift voucher.  I hope you will join us. Best wishes, Yvonne

She Sends You Hope and Heart

Greetings! It is Saturday, and time for another Challenge by the Pink Team over at Eclectic Ellapu!  Our theme this week is very appropriate given it is summer.  We are to create projects around the theme of "Flowers!"  I must admit, I had numerous false starts on creating my own project.  I am some nearly three weeks away from my art studio and still working from a very limited selection of images and probably even more limited collection of embellishments.  Finally, my card came together in my mind while I battled insomnia last evening!  I began with a black pre-folded card. This beautiful flower by Paper Artsy was stamped using Broken China and Peeled Paint Distress Paint.  I really like how it contrasts with the black card stock and Distress Ink would not have shown up if I placed it directly on the black card stock.  Some more Distress Paint in Wild Honey and Antique Linen was pressed through a Dylusions Stencil. The sentiment is by Red Lead and was distressed around the edges with Peeled Paint Distress Ink.  Simple embellishments include Tissue Tape by Idea-ology, buttons and burlap string and some vintage seam binding.  I hope you will pop over to EE to see the absolutely breathtaking inspiration pieces of the rest of the Pink Design Team and then submit a piece of your own.  Go on, get inky! Hugs, Yvonne

Jump for Joy!

Greetings!  It's Saturday, and the Pink Team's turn over at Eclectic Ellapu for a new challenge.  This time, we are asked to create a project around summer and sunshine.  

I chose to work with this beautiful set of images from Crafty Individuals.  As soon as I saw this set, I was drawn to it.  I love the beach, and the young ladies just embody that free spirit you have for a day at the beach.  

I began by smooshing Bundled Sage, Broken China, Salty Ocean, Peeled Paint and Burnished Brass Distress Paints on my Craft Pad and spritzing with water.  I dragged my card stock through it and spritzed more water until I was satisfied with the marbling.  The edges were distressed and torn and the then mounted to a blue mat and the card base.  The images were stamped with Timber Brown StazOn Ink and adhered to Crunchy Wax Paper by Paper Artsy using Kraft Photo Corners.  I lightly water colored the images with Distress Markers.  I decided to add the white ribbon along the bottom as the stars added sparkle and reminded me a bit of star fish.  I added some cheese cloth to the card front, bits of burlap string and some metal sea charms.  Can you smell the salt air?!  I sure hope you will check out the rest of the Design Teams projects and then share your own with us.  I am also submitting this card to the current Sea, Sun and Beach challenge at Crafty Individuals.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  Best, Yvonne