Holy Guacamole!

Wow ... April was incredibly fassst!   So May is here folks, and  I've come to enable your grocery list.  Why?  In 3 more days, it will be Cinco de Mayo!  I won't be in Texas that day, but I know the same fun foods can be found up in OK.   I'll admit that one of my favorite snacks is guacamole ... sincerely.  How about you?

My upcoming card was inspired by this week's Freshly Made Sketches #386 challenge.

For the fun angle on the white layer, I first cut card stock to the same 4.25" width as the top-fold card.  Then I drew very light pencil lines to create the angle for trimming in my paper cutter.  For the green texture paste, I put a small amount of white embossing paste onto a large stamp block, then added a couple of drops of ink refill. Once thoroughly mixed, it was ready to be spread across the stencil with a plastic palette spatula.  So easy!  Tex's Tip: Just remember, it's easier to wash texture pastes from your tools & stencils before it dries.  

The only change I made to the sketch was adding a monotone circle frame around the sentiment on both the front and the inside.  

To create the angular shape on the inside, I laid 2 scrap pieces of paper across the bottom part of the inside.  After laying the Happy Dots stencil atop the paper masks, I inked the small masked area with a Clarity brush.   This fun Happy Dots stencil is from A Colorful Life Designs, while all of the cute are from the same Darcie's stamp set, 'Holy Guacamole'.  Use code BevFan10 for a 10% discount on your stencils! 

I hope you found some inspiration here today.  Thanks a bunch for visiting.  

Note:  Compensated affiliate links are used when possible.  When you place an order after clicking one of my links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you.  Thanks so much for using my links and supporting this blog.  

Inky (((huggss))),

Supplies Used:
STAMPS:  'Holy Guacamole' (Darcie's heart & home)
INKS:  Memento Tuxedo, Wild Wasabi
PAPERS:  Neenah Classic Solar White, Pear
ACCESSORIES:  Happy Dots stencil (A Colorful Life Designs), Copic markers (list below), Wendy Vecchi's Embossing Paste, pear ink refill, Clarity stencil brushes, circle dies

Copics used:
E17, E15, E13, E11, E21, G20, Y11, YG00, YG0000, G94, G43, G40

Keep Calm & Behave Yourself!

Today's card is a combination of something old plus something new!  Not only is this an image of a 1950's Corvette, but it's also a  Rubbernecker rubber stamp that I've had since 2009. 

That 'aging' works well for the Retro Rubber Challenge #109!  As such, it's well past time to bring it out to play on the stampy table again.  Takes one right back to those vintage "beach" movies from the 1960's ... Vroom-vroom! 

I love the sense of bold forward motion given by the new 'Mid Century Boomerangs' stencil from A Colorful Life Designs.  Silver Embossing Paste was applied through the stencil for the horizontal metallic + black strip.  Tex's Tip:  When using a texture paste, be sure to wash your stencil right away to easily remove the paste from the stencil.  Soaking in a tray of water will be helpful if a sink isn't readily handy. 

Next I lightly brushed gray ink onto the central area of the white card layer.  Although this layer adds no texture, it does continue the visual flow & direction.

Finally it's all topped off with a cool, single sentiment from Technique Junkies, easily placed with my Misti positioner.  The windshield is shiny & dimensional with Glossy Accents and a Gelly Pen gives a metallic look to the 'chrome' elements.  

Ready, set, Vroom-vroom!

Psssst!  For 10% savings on the stencil, use code BevFan10 .

Compensated affiliate links are used when possible.  When you place an order after clicking one of my links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you.  Thanks so much for using my links and supporting this blog.  

Inky (((hugs))),

Supplies used:

STAMPS:  'Corvette' (Rubbernecker), 'Behave Yourself' (Technique Junkies)

INKS:  Memento Tuxedo, VersaFine Onyx (sentiment), soft gray

PAPERS:  Nina Solar Classic white, black, turquoise

ACCESSORIES:  'Mid Century Boomerangs' stencil (A Colorful Life Designs), Life Changing Blender Brushes (Picket Fence Studios), Wendy Vecchi's Silver Embossing Paste, Adorn-it Jewels, Gelly Pen (silver), Ranger Glossy Accents

CHALLENGE:  RRCB109   Retro Rubber Challenge #109

For ever and ever and ever!

Now that I've colored this sweet little image .... I feel rather self-obligated to color a few more across Spring, 2019.  Why?  This cute little girl with her bottle of bubbles totally takes me 'back home' to yesteryear where "Tiny Town USA" is the home of my beloved Oklahoma roots.  Tex's Tip:  Always remember where your roots are planted.   Oh to know how many bottles of bubbles we girlfriends used to happily fill the air with bubbles destined to carry our laughter and special wishes up into the summery skies.   Ahhhhhhh!

Aiming for a very CAS (clean & simple) style, I first stamped & Copic colored 'Kylee Boo', then masked the colored image to create a more complete scene all on just one image layer.  This is where I brought in the new 'Deckled Rectangles' Marvelous Masks from A Colorful Life Designs as seen in the following photo tutorial of my masking process.  

Stamp Kylee Boo (Picket Fence Studios) image onto Neenah Solar Classic cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. 

Color image with Copic markers:  E000, E11, E13, E40, E41, E43, E44, RV34, R81, RV00.

Cover image with mask stamped & cut from Eclipse masking tape.  Alternately you could use a sticky note or printer paper as a mask as well.

Secure the Deckled Rectangles - Marvelous Masks stencil in desired position with painters tape.  Use my code: BevFan10 for a 10% discount on these masks!  Alternates include Purple tape, washi tape, masking tape, Scotch tape, etc.  Note that the image layer is also held in place with Purple tape.

Using Life Changing Blender Brushes (Picket Fence Studios), apply Distress Oxides Spun Sugar ink within the deckled rectangle.

Apply Distress Oxides Broken China ink, blending into the Spun Sugar ink as desired.  

Remove the mask to reveal the colored 1-layer scene.

Return to the stamp, still in place within the Misti stamp positioner.  Cover the parts of the stamp that do not need to be inked.  I use Scotch tape for most selective masking tasks.

Now ink up just the 'bubbles' with Memento London Fog ink, and stamp.  Tex's Tip:  Remember to remove the inked tape before you stamp!!

The Misti once again enabled me to position the sentiment just where I wanted it to be.  Afterwards, I trimmed the image layer to be used as a lifted element on the card front.  During that process, I realized it was just a little too plain for me.  That's when I decided to use a larger Deckled Rectangle mask to ink up part of the card front with Broken China ink, creating the colored layer seen beneath the image.  Bubbles were enhanced with Viva's Perlen-Pen.

I'm happy to play in the Addicted to Stamps and More! challenge #337 this week!

Hopefully you've been inspired to add a bit of creative time to your world very soon!

Inky (((hugs))),

Challenge=  Addicted to Stamps and More!:  Challenge #337

Calling You!

Oh how I've been looking forward to getting things all inky!  Spring has landed in Texas ... then left ... and returned a couple of times.  Everyone is hoping that it's here to linger this time.   




I spotted a cute sketch challenge yesterday, CAS Colors & Sketches Challenge #316.  It seemed just right for a darling, uninked (virgin?) stamp & sentiment by DeNami Design.  I had actually purchased these stamps a few years ago when DeNami was still presenting in the Spring/Summer stamp shows here in Texas.  

For the off-balance panel, I brushed Daffodil Delight ink onto the new 'Groovy Flowers' stencil from A Colorful Life Designs.  Use my code: BevFan10 for a 10% discount! The bright & cheerful colors are from this week's SCS Color Challenge, CC734:  Berry Burst, Daffodil Delight, & Grapefruit Grove.  It was quick & fun to color the bitty little image with Copic markers.

Now, don't you feel the need to call & catch up with a good friend?

Inky {{{huggss}}},

Supplies Used:

STAMPS:  DeNami Designs

INKS:  Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaFine Onyx Black, Daffodil Delight

PAPERS:  Neenah Solar Classic, Berry Burst

ACCESSORIES:  Groovy Flowers stencil, Copic markers, Life Changing Blender Brushes, Little B circle dies, Martha Stewart border punch

Peach Rain

So do you ever start working on something with no particular recipient in mind?

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That's how today's card started.  I spotted the Fusion Challenge - 'Paris Rain', and quickly had an idea of what I might do ... ... and so it began!

The large image space drew my attention right away, and both my aqua painter brush plus watercolor paper were within reach. 
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Let's be honest ... I do have a LOT of stamps.  But I do not have the Eiffel tower, etc.  No problem!  I wanted this happy image from 'Beautiful You' to be 'dancing in the rain', so the image was stamped, then stamped again on some Eclipse masking tape.  The mask protected the central image while I lightly washed the paper as though it were a rainy day.  

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While that was drying, I worked on color selection and chose the additional stamps.  All the while, I still didn't really have a recipient in mind for the card-to-be, until I heard about a friend from my stamping group.  With that cyber shoulder-tap, I knew the exact purpose of this creation.

Don't you love it when that happens?

The framing around the sentiment was stamped with the leaf image from Kinda Eclectic as seen creating the surrounding foliage on the card's front.
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Psssst!  Sale-A-Bration ends next week!  
Thanks for using my March Host Code on your 
final orders this month!   March Host Code QZ7R3NTD 

Click to shop!

  Inky (((hugs))),

Product List

Beautiful You Clear-Mount Stamp Set [143637] $28.00	Kinda Eclectic Clear-Mount Stamp Set [135350] $20.00	Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies [145372] $30.00	Aqua Painters [103954] $17.00	Watercolor Paper [122959] $5.00	Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush [141897] $8.00	Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad [140931] $7.00
Peekaboo Peach Classic Stampin' Pad [141398] $6.50	Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad [131180] $6.50	Soft Sky Classic Stampin' Pad [131181] $6.50	Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad [126978] $6.50	Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad [126975] $6.50	Peekaboo Peach 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [141417] $8.00

Slow Down, Valentine!

A pair of Canadian geese are flying over just as I'm beginning to write.  I wonder if they're speaking honking in goose-love language?  More likely one is honking to the other, 'Slow down! You move too fast!'

Once upon a time I created lots of cards in square form.  But in recent years, I rarely use a square for the card's shape.  Maybe my own subconscious way to save the few cents of extra postage?    Seems silly when it's really an enjoyable space with which to create!

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  This valentine's rich contrast comes from the Sending Love paper stack peeking from behind the black heart cut-out.  It's really an easy-to-create design created with the Sweet + Sassy framelits.  The small white heart shapes are from the Love Notes framelits, cut after stamping the tiny hugs and kisses from Sealed with Love.  That bitty red heart?  Guesses?  It's from the Confetti Hearts punch! 

I'm tickled to play along in the SU! Only Challenges #167 and this week's F4A367 challenge at SCS. 
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A little carryover in design from front to inside seals the deal!  I hope you like it!  

It's easy to shop for the items I've used by just clicking on any item in the following product list.  I so appreciate your online orders!  Remember, it's Sale-A-Bration time, so each $50 purchase earns a choice from the SAB catalog!  You can download a copy from the right-side column, then let me know if you need catalogs sent to you.  ** Or, do as 3 stampers have done here in the past 2 weeks and purchase the starter kit to get your wish list and 2 extra stamp sets for just $99 + free shipping!  Pop an email to me any time if you have any questions.   

Inky (((hugggsss))),

Product List

Sealed With Love Photopolymer Stamp Set [142815] $21.00	Sealed With Love Photopolymer Bundle [144705] $45.75	Sweet & Sassy Framelits Dies [141707] $35.00	Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies [137547] $40.00
Confetti Hearts Border Punch [137415] $22.00	Metallics Sequin Assortment [138390] $5.00	Sending Love Designer Series Paper Stack [142733] $10.00	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [126949] $6.50
Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121045] $8.00	Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102482] $8.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.00	Fine-Tip Glue Pen [138309] $7.00
Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00	Big Shot Magnetic Platform [130658] $40.00	Big Shot [143263] $110.00	Simply Scored [122334] $30.00