November Beautiful Blossoms Challenge : Fuchsia Postcard

Happy November, Challenge Friends!! Can you believe the year is almost over! We've had so many challenges and inspirations together. I love it!

This month's November inspiration photo is my absolute favorite of the year!! Look at those deep blues, magentas, golds, and purples! So beautiful and what I'd consider quintessentially traditional fall colors. I love, love them!

As you can tell, I was completely inspired by the colors in the photo. But this time, I wanted to try to capture the color intensity in watercolors. So, I found an old postcard with watercolor paper, and decided I was going to go as intense with my shading as I possibly could.

To start my watercoloring, I taped off the edges of the postcard to create a "frame" for interest. I used Distress Inks and Aqua Markers to color my image in. My image is from Heartfelt Creations, called "Fuchsias". After coloring in my image, I sponged in some Antique Linen and Old Paper Distress Inks along the bottom half and around the image, I painted a blue 'haze' with the Distress Ink, then sponged just a little of the Old Paper Distress Ink around the top half of the card.

I love how it turned out! I just have to seal it so that when I want to send it out to someone, if it rains or gets wet, it won't smear. 

I can't wait to see all the creations submitted this month and see how you all used the colors! Until then, happy Crafting!

Classic Design Challenge : Scottish Lass

 Hello and welcome back to another Classic Design Team Challenge. I missed last month's challenge after an unfortunate two week internet outage, but I'm back with this month's inspiration.

This month we are featuring Moondrea Designs and we had plenty to choose from!! I chose the design I did because I immediately pictured a Scottish princess in contemplation.

I printed off the image, then colored it in with Copics. After coloring it in, I cut the image out with a die I bought from Amazon, which I matted with 49 & Market paper that I die cut with a MFT Scalloped Rectangle. I found some old DP that I used as my background paper, then matted with a co-ordinating cardstock. I layered a leftover piece of lace, swirly pearls, and pieced together flower and leaves. 

I love how it all turned out!! I'm glad I chose the deep green to really contrast with her red hair, it all looks so pretty.

I'm so glad you joined me for another Classic Design Team Challenge. Join us next month for another Classic Challenge! Have a great day!

Father's Day

 Hello and welcome back, Friends!

I have another blog challenged card to share with you, and as you can see, it's a Father's Day card. I know it is rather early to even think about Father's Day, but it fit in so well with some other blog challenges, it was too perfect to pass up.

I chose Flourishes "In Nature" stamp set that I colored in with Copics - choosing to predominantly use mainly blues and greens to keep it masculine. I cut out the image with My Favorite Thing's Double Stitched Rectangles, and then cut the paper under it with the same die. I added a small die cut and stamped out my sentiment from Crafter's Companion called "Sentiments" set. I then took Simple Stories "Teal" and used my Scor-Pal and embossed a "frame" a 1/4" from the edge, all around my cardstock. Then I put popdots under my darker green paper with my image, and centered it over my blue Simple Stories cardstock, for added interest and dimension. 

I love how this turned out. I kept it as CAS and masculine as I possibly could. My only wish is that I had a "Father's Day" stamp with a little less "fuss and frill" to it, so it really would be completely masculine.

I created this card for the following blog challenges :

~ A Cherry on Top (using their Card Sketch) : Card Sketch

~ Freshly Made Sketches : Card Sketch

~ Inspired By : Boys Room (Masculine/Blues/Greens)

~ Word Art Wednesday : Anything Goes

~ Krafty Chicks : Masculine

~ DL.Art : Anything Goes

~ Paper Funday Challenges : Anything Goes w/ Optional Monochrome Twist

That's all I have today Friends, but I hope to see you for another card post from blog challenges, soon!

Have a great Crafting Day!

Let's Chill

 Ok Friends, I'm back with a fun card that's my new favorite! I just love Anita Jeram's images of the cute cat's holding ice cream!

I stamped out the images from Colorado Craft Company, called "Ice Cream Day" diecut them out and colored in with Copics. I cut out a frame with Stitched Scalloped Rectangles from MFT, in Bazzil "Chiffon" cardstock. I matted the scalloped rectangle with Echo Park's DP called "Kitty Plaid", and laid a Doodlebug Design "Mint" doily on top. After adding my doily, I put extra thick popdots under one of my images and thinner popdots under another image, for depth. I added a diecut tag from Momma Elephant's "Framed Tags", and stamped my sentiment from Colorado Craft's "Slimline Ice Cream" set, and added some candy dots from Bo Bunny's "Willow & Sage". 

I love the fun colors and images and how they turned out! Every time I look at it, it makes me smile :)

I created this card for the following Challenges.

Polkadoodles Card & Crafting : Anything Goes

The Outlawz Challenges : Use Blue

Stamping Sensations : Anything Goes

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends : Anything Goes

Love to Scrap : Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday : Anything Goes

Ok, Crafty Friends, that's it for me today. Have a great crafting day!

God Gives Me a New Song

 Life has gotten so busy lately!! Hopefully, it will start to slow down soon. Winter is coming and with that, a slower way of life.... I hope. That's my intentions anyway! 😄

My good friend, Rebekah, has the sweetest parents, whom I met over the summer and have gotten close to.  Joy, Rebekah's Mom, sends me random beautiful handmade cards she's made on the computer. I wanted to send her a simple card that would make it through the postal system with minimal damage, but still look pretty.

I chose to use Power Poppy's "Helping Hands" stamp, featuring a sweet bird, chirping a melody.

I stamped out my image and colored it in with Copics, then cut it out with Mama Elephant's "Framed Tags : Union Square" die. 

Then I picked a background design paper from Mintay Papers "Peony Garden" collection, and adhered it to a diecut scalloped edges card, that I cut from Kat Scrappiness "Stitched Frame" die.

After that, I added popdots under the main image and centered it on the card, then I added some green pearls from Honey Bee's "Pastel" collection. Inside I stamped a Bible verse about how God gives us a new song.

I think it turned out nice. I love how CAS it looks :) 

May Your Blessings Abound

 Have you ever had a card come together so quickly that it hardly took any effort? Yep! That's this card.

I stamped out some Peas from the Garden Fresh set and colored them in with Copics.

I picked a green polka dot paper from Mintay Papers for a little interest, and pop off of the forest green cardstock. I used a punch to punch out a scalloped border to make it fancy.

Everything came together so quickly and easily! My only regret is that I didn't stitch along my card to add that little "extra" something to elevate it. But hey, it is what it is. I still like how it turned out.

Lift Up My Eyes

Hello again Friends! Today I have a Clean And Simple card to share.  

A few weeks ago I got a message from a friend I'd lost touch with, telling me that he was in the hospital and his body was essentially breaking down to the point of paralysis. My heart broke for him and I created this no frills, simple card, to be and encouragement.

I used a leafy stamp from an Altenew set called "Rosy Blooms" and watercolored it with a combination of Aqua Markers and Arteza watercolor brushes. I paired the image with a verse from Verve Stamps I've had for years, to offer encouragement.

I matted it with Bazzil "Jade" green cardstock and cut a decorative edged bottom with a Spellbinders die. Then added a watercolored butterfly I put Popdots under it to give it lift and dimension so it looks like it just landed on the leaf, and some pearl gems to finish the card.

I kept it clean, simple, and as masculine as I could, keeping the focus on the message and not the image, for once.

I hope it brings the encouragement and comfort, that I'd try to give if I was able to see him in person.

Fuchsia Flowers

 I made a couple of watercolor Postcards just for fun, a while back and decided I should post them.

One of the Postcards I watercolored was of a Fuchsia vine. I decided I was going to use some pretty strong colors on the flowers instead of using some softer colors I would normally like to use for this image, for no reason other than to do something different.

I believe this is a stamp set from Stampendous or Heartfelt Creations I stamped and colored in using Distress Inks and my Aqua watercolor markers. After coloring the image, I sponged a background and border in with more Distress Inks.

This isn't the most prominent image I've ever made or anything, but there's beauty in the simplicity of all art and I love that. I love the shadows and colors I chose for the flowers. They're so unique and different, I love how it turned out, and if I tried to create those flowers again I'd never be able to duplicate them, and I love that.

Apple Postcard

I love apples and I'm getting excited that fall is here so I can go apple picking!! I LOVE Fall and I Love Apple Picking!! I always look forward to crisp air, hot apple cider, and warm caramel to dip my apple slices in :) I don't know about you, but there's just something about fall and apples that make me giddy, happy, and cozy all at once.

I made this watercolored postcard on a whim years ago while I was just playing around with my watercolor paints. I actually painted the picture first and realized it would make a great Postcard instead of just a greeting card image.

I used Power Poppy's "Apples in Season" stamp set that I colored in using Distress Inks and watercolor markers. I added the lines with a fine line pen, and then sponged on a border and background color using the Distress Inks again. Super Simple! 

I kept the Postcard sweet and simple, just letting the image shine, as it should. By just playing around and experimenting, I think I stumbled upon creating a sweet looking Postcard by accident. 

Now that I'm hungry and inspired, I'm off to go Apple Picking!

Especially For You

 My grandma loved Iris flowers so much that she was always giving them away every fall when she would separate them out, and buying or trading in for new ones. When she went to sell her house she asked if I wanted any of her precious Iris plants, but living in the California desert, I knew they'd absolutely wither and burn in the heat. So I passed up the opportunity to have some heirloom flowers. I wish I had taken a few anyway, since she passed away within 4 months of her moving out. 

I don't have any pictures of her many gardens or of her beautiful Iris flowers, so I had to remember them from memories as a child and of the ones she gave my Mom.

I chose a stamped image that'd I stamped out a few years ago. I can't remember if it's from Flourishes (a stamp company that closed years ago) or if it's from Power Poppy. I matted it on some 4x6 Paper Studio patterned paper. I stamped my sentiment from Penny Black's "Treasured Sentiments" set. Then I mounted the image and the patterned paper on Bazzil's "Aspen" cardstock and cut out a decorative edge at the bottom using a retired die from MFT (I can't remember the die name).

I kept everything pretty clean and simple. I was going to stitch around the card but my sewing machine kept eating up the paper, so I cut it down and decided I'll work on the sewing machine later and cut away the chewed up paper before I lose it all and I have no card left! Oh well. Things happen.

I'll be back next week with another card, and until then, take care!

Jennifer Nilsson Designs

Hello and good morning crafting friends, I have some great news I am excited to share! I accepted a position on Jennifer Nilsson's Digital Arts design team! She has amazing designs and an amazing team of talented ladies on it! I am honored to be on the team with each one of them.

Jennifer has many, many, cute designs to choose from and that made it difficult to chose just one to debut on my blog. But because I just think snowmen are cute, I decided to use the Gift of Love snowman from her many designs.

I decided to color the image in tones of blues and teals, in my take on a "sepia" tone look. Instead of using browns and neutrals, I used blues in my image, ribbon, cardstock, and papers.

There are many ways to find Jennifer's art and be inspired by the team! You can follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, and her blog page for many ways to hear about news, sales, tutorials, fun challenges, and so much more! Don't forget to also sign up for her newsletter! Every newsletter she sends out is chock full ideas, challenges, news and freebies! You can find a sign up link for her news letter on her blog and Facebook group.


Etsy : Jennifer Nilsson Art

Miss Daisy : Jennifer Nilsson Art

Blog : Jennifer Nilsson Art Digital Designs

Pintrest : Jennifer Nilsson Art Digital Designs

Facebook : Jennifer Nilsson's Digital Art Group

Thank you for stopping by and be sure to stop by Jennifer's blog and check out the rest of Jennifer's design team!

~ Amanda