Simply Create Too challenge no. 132, Favorite Color

Hi Friends,

Here in Arizona, we continue to have lovely weather. But my heart is so heavy for my state neighbors to the west. Entire neighborhoods leveled by fire. I just can't fathom how overwhelming an experience such as this must be. On the news, I listened to a woman who had been in the Las Vegas disaster, only to return to her home in CA which is heavily damaged by the fire. It can be so very difficult to understand why God allows so many troubles to some people. I pray they can rest in the knowledge that he has a plan.

So at Simply Create Too, we have an an easy going challenge...at least it was for me. These are not my favorite colors to dress in, but I love to make cards with them and also to decorate my space with. I love this bike riding frog from Inkadinkadoo. It was simple to brushstroke some watercolor onto watercolor paper and stamp him. I added a simple sentiment and matted him on a dry embossed card.

The weekend is here, so find a bit of time to join our challenge. We'd love to see what you create.

Blessings,

Erica

Less Is More Challenge no. 347

Hi friends,

It's sketch time at Less Is More. That's always fun and I'm on a roll this month. Or should I say, I'm on a donut? Awful pun, huh. Just keep reading and looking. You'll see what I mean.

We have a Krispy Crème shop not far from us. At least one of my family passes by it once a day. Talk about will-power! Then we have a Dunkin' Donuts on the way to work for one of my family and we have an Express Donuts...a kind of mom & pop shop that has whatever the other two shops don't. There's no reason to bake in my house anymore. I never did get around to mastering donuts anyway.

This set was on sale at a big box craft store, so I had to buy it given the above right? It's by Jillibean Soup and I have never owned any of their stamps,

I hope you get to have some sketchy fun at LIM. And if you need some inspiration, find a donut shop and buy a dozen or so.

Blessings,
Erica

Less Is More Challenge no. 346

Here we go. I'm on a streak, albeit only two. It must be that it is cooling down here in AZ...only expected to be 98 today. I walked my dog today and it was actually almost cool this morning.

Less Is More is thinking breezy and it didn't take me long to pull out this sentiment from Stampendous and the pretty feather from Momenta Stamps. I think I did them justice. I was thinking about a one layer card, but I did feel it didn't a little extra something and didn't feel the Nuvo drops...my go-to quick embellishment...would work.

Heading out to run some errands now before it gets to that 98 degrees. Enjoy you day and do try to squeeze in some CAS stamping. It's good for the soul.

Blessings,

Erica

Less Is More Challenge, #345

I know, I know, don't ask. It's been forever and I don't exactly have what one can call a decent excuse. It's just life.

Trying to be better about challenges, here I go with LIM.

When I saw this image from Technique Junkies I knew I simply had to have it. It easy peasy to color and the sentiment is perfect. It reminds me of a saying I used to use often "Put your big deal panties on and deal." If I ever find this sentiment in a stamp, I'm buying it too.

So I stamped this on Michaels Recollections 110 lb. c.s., in SU basic grey. It's impossible to tell it's gray and I'm unsure why I didn't use black, as later, I stamped using the same c.s., but in in several brands of black ink I had on-hand. I also tried it in white and was 95% satisfied. I didn't feel it necessary to any other embellishments, so just colored in pink and blue pencils and told myself I was done.

Prays for all those who are in shelters and missing their stamping weekends in the US. We're certainly having some weather struggles here.

Be blessed,
Erica

Father's Day card

Hello Everyone,
Thought I'd pop onto my blog and show you the only Father's Day card I needed to make this year.
When I saw this image from Sugar Pea Designs, I couldn't resist. I jumped on Pinterest to get inspiration from my 'Just the sketch" board. I used my new Tim Holtz oxide distress ink pads to color the fossilized amber diecut mat. These pads are freakin' awesome. If you use a MISTI, you can use them to stamp sentiments. I'm on a quest to get my ink pad numbers to a reasonable number --- say 50 or so. You don't want to know how many I have now. I can purge some older inkpads that don't allow you to use watercolors and/or copics.

So here's my card.

Isn't he just the most adorable? His weight has sparkly Wink of Stella in silver on it. The sentiment is from a tiny set from Technique Tuesday. My son-in-law is a lay pastor at our church, and always says, "That's how I roll." I used Prima Julie Nutting watercolor pencils for hair and skin tones. These pencils are proving to be very useful. My SIL is bald, so I only had to color skin...yippie, not my fave body part to color. Everything else on this card is from my stash.

I am entering my card here Tuesday Throwdown, For the Men.

Let's see your Father's Day cards. We all know we don't have enough masculine cares in our stashes.

Blessings,

Erifca

Simply Create Too Challenge no. 128, Summer Fun

Hi everyone.

It's been quite some time since I've blogged and my mojo hasn't been on its game. I've made the obligatory graduation card, and a birthday card now and then, but nothing spectacular. I've joined in on a swap or two, but didn't remember to take photos of my work. Then I took off for a few days of planned vacation with my daughter who had to work and grand-daughter. We went to Wash. D.C. I've never done so much walking in my life. It is indeed a walking city with every major museum having free admission, we did our best to enjoy the culture.

Simply Create Too has its monthly challenge this month and so I put together this cute card using a frog image that I think is perfect for summertime. The dsp paper is from an old pad and so is the sentiment. I had fun water-coloring with Zig water-color brushes and I do feel like I'm improving using this medium of coloring.\

And just for fun I entered my card here,  Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog
I hope you get a chance this month to play along with our challenge. It's all about summer too.

Blessings,
Erica

Dear Me...Challenge #126 at Simply Create Too

I just checked my blog and was amazed at the date I last posted! This certainly hasn't been my intention. I sort of thought I'd post at least weekly. Especially since I am a member of a design team. I won't go on and on, nor will I commit to rectify the situation. Obviously, I'm busy and have not set my blog as a priority.

So here is my card for Simply Create Too Anniversary challenge. I hope you can join us sooner than later.

This is a white card that I embossed with an embossing folder I used a Spellbinders die for the frame and the sentiment is from a very old set that I've tossed the packaging for. Pearls are the only embellishments. I'll keep this one in my stash until it's needed.

Have a blessed weekend.

Erica

Simply Create Too challenge no. 124, Love

Hi Everyone,

I couldn't make up my mind which of these to submit for our challenge over at Simply Create Too, so I put in both and told our leader to choose one or use both. She did the latter. They're quite different, one soft and pretty and the other bold and in your face.

I hope you will get some time to play with us. We now run our challenge for an entire month -- plenty of time to get your creative mojo on.

Should any one commenting want details, let me know in your comment and I'll  tell all.

Have a blessed weekend.
Erica

Maymay Stamp of the Month

Hi friends,
Do you subscribe to monthly stamping clubs where you get a stamp set or a complete kit to design with? I do and I really enjoy them. You can usually find plenty of You Tube tutorials on how to get plenty of use out of them and often there are Facebook groups where you can get ideas and post your own creations. So, Maymay is one of the companies I subscribes to. She's on Patreon and her sets are reasonable priced in comparison to several others.

I made this card using the January set. I used the emboss resist technique with Tim Holtz distress stamps. I used a Spellbinders die and white white embossing powder on a black piece of paper. The base is white, but them embossed. I thought a little slant of the sentiment would add interest and the red glittery heart is a little extra I almost didn't put on, but I'm liking it now.

I love the sentiment and I have a friend in mind I will be sending it to.

Blessings,

Erica

Less Is More Challenge, no. 311

ello friends,

The year is fully underway...difficult to believe the first month is more than half over. So much for small talk, on to my card post for Less Is More. It's one layer week. I'm not the best at these, but practice makes perfect, so I had a go at it. I often see people use kraft cardstock for the "white space" in an LIM card, and so I decided to try it too. Let's see what you think.

Most of these stamps are from  sets I didn't keep the packaging for and the words are from two different sets...packaging gone again, but quite ancient I think. I also used a die from Tim Holtz to "impress" a heart into the paper, and without ever lifting it out, I taped it to secure it in the back.

I think it's called an inlay technique.  I will cover this up before sending it. I colored with pencils and used wink of stella to punch it up, so the little cup and spoon are quite glittery. I used a white gel pen for the inside rim. I think it takes away from the cup a bit and next time I'll just use a light beige pencil instead.

I hope you'll get some time to play with the LIM challenge this week.

Blessings,

Erica

New Year 2017

Happy New Year stamper and crafty friends. I am looking forward to a healthy, joyful and prosperous time in my life.

Here is a card I sent out to those I missed sending Christmas cards to. Unfortunately, I spent far too much time making tags, teacher gifts and church volunteer gifts to complete my Christmas card-giving list...even though it was a short one. This seems to happen as one ages. Not sure I'm fond of this happening.

I kept it simple with white and gold embossing and an embossing folder with a few scattered sequins.

I am wishing all my readers a peaceful year filled with crafty goodness and love to share.

Blessings,
Erica