Happy Birthday, Alex!

 My wonderful little great nephew is one today!  I *may* have ordered this stamp set especially with him in mind...  I made his card using the cute Barnyard Animal Cubbies stamp and die set from Art Impressions:

This is so easy to die cut and stamp - especially doing multiples with my Misti, then everything was coloured up with Copic markers and adhered to the base with some 3D adhesive.  You can colour up as many animals as you like, and decide where they go.  So cute!

Happy Birthday, Alex!

Exclusive Art Impressions Christmas Train!

 You're going to want to hurry on over to the Simon Says Stamp website to get the limited edition Christmas Train stamp and die set by Art Impressions.  This was SO fun to colour!

Using my Misti, I die cut, then stamped each of the images, and coloured them up with my Copic markers.  I loved the pretty sky made by Lynn Dionne a few weeks ago on the Ai blog, so I did my ink blended version using Distress Oxide inks, then spattered it with white paint to look like a starry sky.  

I arranged all the little pieces where I wanted them and glued them down, then attached it over my stitched hillside with some 3D foam adhesive.  A little festive sentiment went in the top corner.  These usually sell out pretty quickly, so go check it out now on the SSS website!

New Nautical Art Impressions

 It's our last week of new releases of Art Impressions Watercolour stamps.  I have three of the new sets incorporated into my project today.

I stamped the largest image from 5465 - WC Cliffs Set on my Canson XL Watercolor Paper using #969/565 Tombow Dual Brush Markers, then did the same with my image from 5466 - WC Lighthouse Set.  Using the leaves from 5372 - WC Mini Foliage, I added some trees in #177/249, and added a wash of green to the grass area.  With #493, I painted in the line of the water, and a wash of it beside the cliffs, and then dabbed some onto the sky to define where my clouds would be.  I used #N55 and #565 to create my stormy sky, and also painted them into the crevices of the cliff.  To warm up the cliffs and rocks, I added #992 and #969.  I used the grey and blue to paint in shadows on the lighthouse and cottage, and to darken the windows, and then painted in #856 mixed with a little #969 to make a duller red for the roofs and chimneys.

I added #528 and #565 to the water to give it some deeper tones, and then with my #N55, I added the seagulls from 5473 - WC Seagull Set to the sky.  This makes a great masculine card!

2021 Coffee Lover's Fall/Winter Blog Hop

 Happy to be playing along with the 2021 Coffee Lover's Fall/Winter Blog Hop!  I haven't missed one yet.  I'm even happier to be using some Simon Says Stamp exclusive products designed by the amazing Miriam Pranter.  I've been saving them for a few weeks, now!  Here is a 5 3/4" square card using Drink Coffee sentiment set and the Coffee Drinks background cling set:

If you look closely at my background - the stamp is the negative around all kinds of coffee drinks (Mocha, Espresso, Frappuccino etc.).  I played around with four Distress inks, before spritzing with water and stamping onto my watercolour paper.  Not my usual thing, and I love it :o)

Of course, it wouldn't be a Coffee Lover's hop if I didn't add a little something Verve to my card, so I've used some of Julee's cute to-go cups coloured in Copic markers.

New Ai Foundations Stamps

 If you're a fan of the new Foundation line of Watercolour stamps from Art Impressions, you'll be excited to know that there are 3 new sets releasing on the Ai blog today!

I'm excited to share a slimline card using the new 5469 - WC Foundations Watering Cans:

With a large image like this one, I like to use my Misti, to ensure that I get a complete impression of my image.  I die cut my Canson XL Watercolour paper, lined up the image in my Misti (leaving enough room for the sentiment at the bottom), then coloured the entire stamp in Tombow Dual Brush Marker #969 Chocolate, and #565 Deep Blue, and stamped it.  After pulling out the colour from the stamped images, I picked my colour palette of #757 Port Red, #528 Navy, and #565 to paint in the watering cans, adding layers of colour where they would be darkest at the edges, and leaving highlights in their middles.  I used the same three colours along with #761 Carnation to stamp my flowers, then used #177 Dark Jade and #126 Light Olive to add in some foliage.  The stamp sets are numerous - so you can see them listed below.  I added a few small branches in #969, and painted in the post in a combo of #992 Sand and #969.  I added some grass in #177, and painted in a watery shade of #528 to suggest a sky.

The sentiment from the Exclusive Hydrangea Set was gold embossed on vellum, and adhered across the bottom, after I had matted the image in coordinating cardstock.  Be sure to check out the Ai blog on Saturday, to see what Dot and Tricia have to share, too!

Art Impressions Winter release

 I have some brand new Art Impressions Watercolour images to share today!  This is the first of three Watercolour releases for the next few Thursdays on the Ai blog.  Here is 5467 - WC Snowmen Set:

This is the cutest set, including snowmen of all different sizes, along with a sleigh and a cartload of snowballs.  Great for holiday or winter cards!  I made a card and a tag, adding in mountains from 5198 - WC Mountain Set and the trees from 5060 - WC Snowman Set.

Everything was stamped and painted with my Tombow Dual Brush Markers, and I added some chunky glitter to the trees and mountains for a little sparkle.  The tag is diecut with the 5132 Stitched Tag Dies.

Be sure to see what Tricia and Dot have to share on the Ai blog this Saturday!  There is a wonderful wreath stamp set being released as well.