Inhale Confidence!

Hi y'all!  Here's a card with a very simple watercolor approach.  Don't get me wrong .... While I adore looking at watercolored images & cards that amaze my eyes, I'd be here all month plus more trying to replicate an ooooh-ahhhhhh.  It's okay .... always have something to reach for ahead.  ;)

My plan was to create something with splattered inks.  I first brushed from my Altenew watercolors onto watercolor paper, leaving brush marks along the sides.  When dry, I used VersaMark ink to stamp the images and heat embossed in white.  As you can see, I did layer color just a little bit in the leaves.  However, watercoloring all in one sitting without dry time between layers results in a softer gradient blend. 

Time for the Misti, and my other favorite tool, the Cut-Align rulers.  Together these make picky placement so much easier so the Picket Fence Studios sentiment on vellum was easily lined up & placed.

News!  I've been loving on some new stamps recently, so stay tuned for a new stamp set coming in a few days!

Inky (((hugs))),

Relax! Unwind!

Raise your hand if you're tired of being semi-permanently grounded by a pandemic, a.k.a living in time-out/grounded!  
Me too.  So here's an idea for being kind to yourself ... aaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!  

A bubble bath fan since childhood, it's a great treat these days when I can truly appreciate the relaxation given by super-warm, lightly scented water.  (Not to mention seeing how many bubbles can be scooped up in one hand.)   😊

Achieving the shimmery look of bubbles behind the tub is easy by using Pixie Spray to affix the 'Suds Stream' stencil to card stock.  Then just sponge VersaMark onto the stencil until smoothly covered.  Gently lift the stencil away from one corner to the other, and heat emboss with embossing tinsel (embossing powder that contains fine glitter).

Randomly placed smudges of Diamond Stickles adds to the iridescent look of the bath bubbles, along with a blending of light shades of Copics







***You're welcome to use my code, BevFan10, for a discount whenever shopping from A Colorful Life Designs.

Off we go to the first full weekend of Summer 2020!   My your weekend bring smiles and your soaking include delightful bubbles.

Inky (((hugs))),

Products Used:
STAMPS:  Pampered Benton (Inky Antics)
INKS:  VersaMark, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers
PAPERS:  Glossy White, Neenah Solar Classic White, Sea Foam, Blackberry
ACCESSORIES:  'Suds Stream' stencil (A Colorful Life Designs),  MFT Skinny Strips Die-namics, Cut-Align Ruler, Mini Misti, Ranger Embossing Tinsel - Bridal, Pixie Spray, Stickles Diamonds, Gina K 'Connect' glue, sequins, sponge

A Little Brand Spankin' New + a Little Catch-up

Ooooops!  September whooshed in upon us, schedules changed, classes started, and now it's about to leave ("leaf"?) us behind!  Time to share the latest, and share a little catch-up!

First, for those s-s-Special people in your heart ... 

Card #1 features A Colorful Life's delightful, new  "Dragon Skin" stencil, with stamps from Inky Antics.  It started with the Smooshed Stencil technique as mentioned on Splitcoaststampers, but I added a blend of colors through the stencil after doing the smooshing for a better visual of the scales.  Mermaid & dragon lovers, this one is a must ... just sayin'.

Moving on the Fall theme ...

If you haven't already added the new 'Skeleton Leaf' stencil to your stash, it's time.  For card #2, I simply applied Distress Oxides Spiced Marmalade through the stencil for this striking Fall background.  Plus, the jam-packed Marvelous Masks Pumpkins was used to easily add a pumpkin next to the cute little guy from Darcie's stamps.

Halloween fans, this one's for you!

Seriously ... this Fancy Web stencil is delightfully fun & fancy! Maybe not this Crazy Cat's 'meow', but I couldn't resist.  I poked through my stamps stash to find this collection from Tim Holtz (Crazy Cats), Rubbernecker (spider), and Our Craft Lounge (sentiment).  The web is stenciled atop glossy white card stock, so there's an eery sheen when held in the just-right light. 

All of these stencils are from this month's new release over at A Colorful Life designs for your inky pleasures!  Use code BevFan10 any time on your stencil orders from A Colorful Life for added savings.  Affiliated links are used at no cost to you.  

Inky (((hugs))),

Bunny Paints Ahead!

It's coming!  Get ready!

Bunny is working just a wee bit ahead, but that's because he has such an enormous egg order to fulfill for Easter egg hunts in a few short weeks.

I think bunny is honoring his previous egg-painting mentors while he remembers the fun-filled painting marathons of his youth.  If you look closely, you might see some of them appearing to watch over bunny's painting progress.  In reality, I used the 'Shadow Bunnies' stencil from A Colorful Life Designs!  

The bunny stamp is one of my long-treasured oldies from Inky Antics.  I paper pieced the egg with some saved 6x6 scrapbook paper.  Please be sweet and don't expect me to reveal how long I hold onto such treasures.  Thanks.

Inky ((huggss)),

Betting on Giraffes?

Have you ever been in the middle of your own virtual-version of the movie, "Groundhog's Day"?  Well, just color me groundhog brown ... until tomorrow by noon, hopefully.   Yes, I appreciate your crossed fingers.  Now, on to the stampy side of life!

During little bitty breaks in the previously mentioned groundhog day-turned-week, I found some bits of relief at my stamp table.  The other pesky parts of the week caused me to shift focus to the fun factor in stamping.  Sooooo, I inked up a new stencil from A Colorful Life Designs and paired it with a new stamp set!

No special technique was needed for this basic use of the 'Crocodile' stencil.  Vintage Photo Distress Ink was applied with a Clairity brush.  Oh ... Yes, I used a crocodile stencil for this sweet giraffe's setting.  That's the first thing I envisioned when I spotted the stencil.  

Now what about that 'betting' mentioned at the top?  It's mentioned on the card's interior ... ...

Gerry giraffe and his punny sentiments are from the Inky Antics 'Ellie & Gerry' stamp set just released at January's Creativation. 

Thanks for visiting!  Guess I'll get back to crossing my fingers for an end of my current groundhog cycle sometime tomorrow.  Here's to normal scheduling in your new week!

Inky (((huggss))),

C'mon & Take the Dare!

It's here!   The annual week of Dare to Get Dirty challenges over at Splitcoaststampers is here!   

Although each day this week will bring some special new challenges, I'm actually more of a "turtle" stamper .... keep a steady pace, hurry isn't good, "channel the hare" ... you know what I mean.    
  This one is for Dina's challenge, DTGD18dini:    

I could quietly tell you that my fingers were ink-free during the making of this one .... but truth is my style ... even when it's ugly.  Yes ... a few fingers on each hand briefly bore evidence of inky play yesterday from the sponging of piggy's turf, and the splattering of the background.  

BTW ... both the pig pen dirt and the splatters are Distress Oxide - Walnut Stain.  For the splatters I simply wiped ink directly only an acrylic block, then loaded a watercolor brush with water, mixed it up, and splattered from the brush.  

Since the image area was created by masking, masking again, and even a third round of masking for the splatter process, the only true dimension is via the lifted little sentiment banner.  

This darling stamp + sentiment are both from Inky Antics.  It was fun to bring them out for some inky play again! 

Check back very soon for more.   Inky stuff is on a roll here!

Inky (((hugs))),

Bev Gerard

Supplies used include:  

Stamps:  Inky Antics

Inks:  Distress Oxides - Walnut Stain + Tumbled Glass, VersaFine Sepia, 

     Memento Tuxedo Black

Papers:  Neenah, Recollections Kraft

Accessories:  Spellbinders Labels 2;  The Stamps of Life banner die, sponges, Eclipse tape, watercolor brush

Purrrrtty Awesome Stampy Guests & a Card Drive

Last week's studio guests were delightful stampy friends from Colorado and Oklahoma ... and oh did we stamp!!   Since we had the treat of a few days together, we could literally just leave our in-process creations laying on the stampy table until getting back to it the next morning.   Very cool.  No rushing to get it all stamped, colored, plus complete the chatting!  Photo is (L-R) Lee Murphy, myself, and Misti Oblander.  

Well, it's been a very long time since my Copic markers came out of hiding, #backthereinthestoragehideaway .  But, we do make exceptions for stampy friends.  When said friends departed, those markers were still sitting right here on the stamp table.  Hmmmmmm.  Then, the Falliday Fest kicked in like a stampy vortex ... and ... 

it was really just too tempting!  Add those coloring tools just "sitting there" to the card drive for the Humane Society ... and there you have it.  This adorable kitty had been just waiting to pounce out of the stamp set ... resistance was truly futile.

It was very natural to pick up the cool grays to begin very basic coloring.  I was actually enjoying the entire process ... but editing the photos today and sharing is actually bringing out some tears that seem always easy to come.  I have crayon colored her, colored with Prisma pencils, and now used a primary touch with Copics with my Symphony in mind.  Barely 5 pounds of a 19-year treasure in my heart.  My coloring skills have waned without keeping up practice, but she is always my purrrrrrty inspiration.   {{{heart}}}

So much different that what I normally share, huh?  This one includes a banner of long-retired SU dsp, a Wendy Vecchi stencil (Hello!  It's polka dots!),  'twas nearly a 1-layer card (but I caved), and now I really want to make a few more for the card drive of TY cards for those who adopt or foster animals from the Humane Society.  Probably going to need to act on that urge.  ;)  If you would like to join in, check out this challenge over at Splitcoaststampers!

Hope you've found a bit of inspiration today! I do love doing what I do. 

Inky (((hugs))),

~