February's Challenge

Hello there,

I am participating in the February Card Chain Challenge. This is so fun!!! Not only do you get to make a card for someone in particular... but you also receive a card from someone... YAY!!! There are so many women participating, and as you know, we are all so different in what we like to make, that it's always a lovely surprise to receive a card from another crafter!!! If you have not participated in this challenge, you must try it!!  You won't be sorry, I promise!!!

So here's what I sent off to my friend, Janis Woolbright. We had been paired up before, and then I signed up to follow her blog, so I know her a little bit. And it was like meeting an old friend!!! What a treat!!!

This is a stamp of long ago from Lily of the Valley stamps in Australia. I have loved their stamps for a long time. They have all kinds of images but these with the little girls are just my favorite. It's like watching my kids play dress-up.

I colored the girls with my pencils. I find that easier than trying to water color all those small details. I also wrote a part of a scripture (Psalm 23) around the oval after I adhered it to the back. As you can see, the front of my card has a real cute cut out so that the girls are adhered to the back of the card and the image shows through. I also used an embossing folder on the front since it is just a white card.

The front still needed something else so I searched around for a large sentiment that would fit. I have a Silhouette Cameo that I use a lot for sentiments and I found this one that really fit. I had just used that "you are loved" on another card and thought it would work perfectly here also. Hunted around for a paper and a cute polka dot paper was just right... I also included in the envelope a little paper clip of a cat. Janis adores cats!!!

So there we are, 

A fun card for a "hope to meet someday crafter"

Elena

I love JADE!!! My favorite gem ha ha...

The color is GREEN!!!

Welcome to the Rainbow Card Challenge for March. You can make any type of card as long as the colors are monochromatic green. 

This one was not hard for me. I had just learned a new technique for making back-grounds and was in the mood for trying it out. I saw this technique on Bonnie Klass' blog and then watched a video by Eileen Godwin on YouTube. So I ended up making 4 cards with the same background but using different colors. And I loved them all!!! I can see that I will be using this technique quite a lot to make cards with the same technique but different designs.

So here's my card:

Here's a close up of the leaf:

 

The background is done by using a straight edge (I used a plastic sheet that some stamps came on) and applying color off the edge on to paper in short strokes. You really need to watch the video to see clearly how it's done. So then you keep moving the edge around at different angles and applying colors in the same color family but different shades.

Once you get your colors how you want it, pick out some stencils to lay down and color on top. This is what gives it the interest and makes it pop. I used 3 different stencils in different spots and in deeper shades. When that's done you can stamp a stamp right on top of the image or stamp separately and color, fussy cut and apply.

I made a yellow background with blue/purple flowers attached on top and I liked that a lot.

This is very versatile and a great go-to when you need a card quickly. Once you get that background colored, you're almost done!!!

Embrace your crafty self...

Elena

Is this February???

Hello, thank you for visiting me.

This is my first February in Arizona!!! It's hard to wrap my head around this winter season when flowers are still blooming (we have beautiful roses right outside our window). The desert looks just like the desert does all year long. And I don't have a winter coat or boots!!! We do get pretty cool during the night and right now the temps have dipped to the 50's and rainy during the day. But most of the time the sun is shining and that makes it feel wonderful...

So now that I've filled you in on my little neck of the woods, I'll go on and share with you the card that I made for the Rainbow Card Challenge. Here's the inspiration for the month of February:

Beautiful, isn't it??

But mauve???

I don't even have a mauve color in my assortment of ink pads, water colors, pencils, and pens. But, as I was sorting through my stash of inks I found two, that when blended together, came out looking pretty much like mauve. They were the "Dew Drop Multi Surface Chalk Ink" in Perfect Plumeria and Sahara Sand. I bought these years ago, so I don't even know if they sell them any more. AND, I had a piece of paper large enough to make the frame for my card that was the perfect mauve with white polka dots color. YAY!!!

So here's my card:

The flower is from Ellen Hutson. I have used it many times already. It's such a nice, large, flower that it fits in with a lot of cards I like to make. I stamped it in black. Colored it with the Sahara Sand first, then touched it with just a light Plumeria. And it worked!!!

The background is a die cut lattice (sort of). 

I had to cut the frame by hand, using a ruler. I don't have a frame die... I really need to get that because I like a frame on almost all of my cards. That would save me time and a headache... definitely on my to do list!!!

Sorry about the second close up picture is down here. My computer is really giving me trouble. UGH!!! Another thing gone wrong!!!

So I will end here.

THANK YOU for visiting.

Blessings,

Elena