Paper Players Tic Tac Toe

Jaydee has a fun Tic Tac Toe chart for our challenge this week at The Paper Players! I went with the first vertical row with fall, orange and leaves as elements on my card. 

I started by white embossing the pumpkin image (Ornate Leaves set by Simon Says Stamp) on white cardstock, then brushed on Carved Pumpkin distress oxide ink and fussy cut it. The watercolored leaves - Falling Leaves by My Favorite Things - were leftovers from a previous project.

I smooshed Fossilized Amber and Peeled Paint distress oxide inks on the background. After it dried, I die cut with the Crimped Frame die by The Greetery. It's hard to see, but the vertical Early Espresso strip was run through the crimper. The kraft frame is an old die by Verve.

For more inspiration from the rest of the talented design team, please check out their creations HERE.  Hope to see you in the gallery!                                                         ~Wanda

Paper Players

How do these weeks roll around so quickly?! We're into September and the leaves are starting to turn and fall already here in VA. When Ann shared her beautiful color challenge for this week's Paper Players challenge, I knew I wanted to watercolor some leaves!

STAMPS: Simple Strips Background (Taylored Expressions).
PAPER: Ranger watercolor CS; True Black, White - PTI. Unsure of blue color since it was in my leftover pile.
INK: Versamark.
DIES: Striped Sentiment Stripe Cover Panel by MFT; Simple Strips by Taylored Expressions; Small and Large Marianna Vine Background by Poppystamps.

For more inspiration from the rest of the talented design team, please check out their creations HERE.  Hope to see you in the gallery! Have a blessed day!                         ~Wanda   

Color Throwdown #548

It's Wednesday and that means a new Color Throwdown Challenge is up and running! Lynn is hosting this week and has some really pretty colors for us: pink, aqua, lavender and mint. I initially was going to take a very literal interpretation of the photo, but then had an about face and went with a messy watercoloring look with these florals - Hello Lovely - by Concord and 9th.

Here is my enabler's list...
STAMPS: Hello Lovely (Concord and 9th).
PAPER: Ranger watercolor cardstock; True Black (PTI); Black and White Stripes 6x6" pad (MFT).
INK: Milled Lavender, Worn Lipstick, Cracked Pistachio, Peacock Feathers Distress Oxide inks by Ranger; Memento Tuxedo Black. A pale blue Zig watercolor brush marker was used to add some shadows.
DIES: Hello and Thanks Duo dies by Reverse Confetti.

We'd love to have you play along with us this week! For more inspiration from the rest of the talented design team, you can visit their links below.

   Amy Rohl     

Amy Rysavy

 Barbara Anders
Broni Holcombe
Jodi Collin
Lisa Henke
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put  
Vickie Zimmer
 Wanda Cullen (you are here)

CAS One Layer Card

This week's Paper Players Challenge is to create a one layer wonder...clean and simple card! I guess my brain was still in rainbow mode because I went for my Pelikan watercolor palette (made in Germany) and added 7 colors to a panel of Ranger water color cardstock...drying each color as I added it.  I then splattered some of the paints over the base before adding the die cut "you" and triple stamping the rest of the sentiment in Versafine Onyx Black ink using a MISTI.

STAMPS: You (The Stamp Market).
DIES: You (The Stamp Market); Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-Namics (My Favorite Things).   

We'd love to have you join in this challenge!  For more inspiration from the rest of the talented design team, please check out their creations HERE.

Color Throwdown #503

Happy hump day once again! It's time for a new Color Throwdown Challenge and Broni has some great classic colors for us this week! LOVE working with red, green and gray and remember...you can add neutrals if you like! 

It's been awhile since I've used the Fantasy Floral die set by Altenew and I felt the florals would really pop against a stenciled brick background pattern. 

I first water colored a variety of shades of red over a 4 1/4" x

5 1/2" panel, then repeated the process using several shades of green.  I splattered a darker shade of green over the leaves after they were die cut.

PAPER: Ranger watercolor cardstock; Black Licorice (MFT), Classic Crest Solar White CS.
DIES: Fancy Words (Reverse Confetti), Stitched Fishtail Flags STAX Die-Namics (My Favorite Things), Fantasy Floral Die (Altenew).
MISC: TCW Mini Bricks stencil; Clear dew drops; Mijello Mission Gold paints.

For more inspiration from the rest of the design team, click on their blog links below:

 Amy Rohl  

Amy Rysavy 

Barbara Anders

Broni Holcombe
Jodi Collins
Lisa Henke
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put  
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen (you are here)
Kathy Schweinfurth - Stamps at Play - July Guest Designer

Color Throwdown #455

Happy Wednesday! It's time for a new Color Throwdown Challenge and Jodi is hosting this week with the following yummy color palette: aqua, light pink, lavender and white! 

Here is my take on the colors...

I started by smooshing some distress inks on Ranger watercolor cardstock, then layered a die cut frame over it.  Triple stamping the sentiment x 3 with my MISTI made a bolder look and I highlighted with some fussy cut flowers. I added black Enamel Accents to the flower centers.  Here is my enabler's list:

STAMPS: You by The Stamp Market.
PAPER: Ranger watercolor CS; Iced Aqua (Reverse Confetti) and White (PTI).
INK: Peacock Feathers, Wilted Violet, Spun Sugar distress inks by Tim Holtz; Iced Aqua, Grape Soda, Piggy Bank dye ink by Reverse Confetti.
DIES: Noted: Scalloped A2 Vertical Die by PTI; You by The Stamp Market.

Congratulations to our guest star stamper this week - Lucie from LucieG Cards!  Be sure and stop by her blog to say hello!

We'd love to have you joining us in the challenge this week! For more details on how to play along, head over to the Color Throwdown Blog and you'll find the information on the right sidebar!  You can also visit the rest of the design team's creations for more inspiration by clicking on the links below:

Amy Rohl 
Amy Rysavy
Barbara Anders  
Broni Holcombe
Jodi Collins 
Lisa Henke
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put  
Vickie Zimmer 
Wanda Cullen (you are here)   

Sheri Gilson - August Guest Designer

Color Throwdown

Hey Color Throwdown fans! I'm hosting this week's challenge and was inspired by this beachy photo to use dark red, blue, golden yellow and white as the color palette! 

Here is my take on it...

I started with Hero Arts fun Color Layering Seahorse stamp set with matching dies.  After smooshing some Mermaid Lagoon distress ink on the background, I then added modeling paste with a stencil.  

I'm using the layout from the current Fusion Card Challenge.  Because of the seahorse image's orientation, I flipped the corner collage element to the right side. 

Here's my enablers list:
STAMPS: Color Layering Seahorse (Hero Arts).
PAPER: Ranger watercolor cardstock; Black Licorice (MFT); White (PTI).
INK: Versamark; Mermaid Lagoon distress ink; Fairy Dust, Silver Lining, Falling For Blue, Falling Star, Hayride, Gala Red - all pure color dye inks by WPlus9.
DIES: Seahorse (Hero Arts); Fishtail Flags Die-Namics (MFT); All Framed Up (Reverse Confetti).
MISC: Clear dew drops, Liquitex light modeling paste; TCW Mini Specimens stencil (a Rebekah Meier design): Pure White Opaque embossing powder by Altenew.

It's a new month, so that means we get to announce a new guest designer!  A big welcome to the talented Tracey McNeely of In My Creative Opinion blog!  Can't wait to see what you create this month!

Our guest star stamper this week is Tara Chaussee of Secret Bees Studio!  Congrats, Tara! 

For more details on how to play along, head over to the Color Throwdown Blog and you'll find the information on the right sidebar!  You can also visit the rest of the design team's creations for more inspiration by clicking on the links below:

Amy Rohl 
Amy Rysavy
Barbara Anders  
Broni Holcombe
Jodi Collins 
Lisa Henke
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put  
Vickie Zimmer 
Wanda Cullen (you are here)   

Tracey McNeely - July Guest Designer

Sure hope to see you in the gallery!

Cupcakes Inspiration

 

I was scouting around for some new challenges and found the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge that has this photo for inspiration and also has a watercolor theme. It was perfect to create a Father's Day card for my dad! 

 I was inspired by the green and blue cupcake (also my dad's favorite colors) and used Pelikan paints to create a watercolor wash over the white embossed Abstract Triangles background stamp by Simon Says Stamp.  

I masked off a portion of an old sentiment stamp by Darcie's and paired it with the "happy" die (WPlus9's Happy Trio set).  I stacked two white dies then offset it over one black die to create a shadow effect.  I scattered a variety of stitched stars (Lil' Inker Designs) over the background.  

Now I need to get this into the mailbox ASAP!  Thanks so much for stopping by.  Heading out to work in a few minutes.

CAS(E) This Sketch

I managed to whip up this quick CAS design for the new CAS(E) This Sketch challenge by using some leftover elements from previous projects. The striped border was stamped using MFT's diagonal stripe background and Grape Soda ink (Reverse Confetti).  I used Grape Soda cardstock (RC) and die cut the open dotted border (RC's Edge Essentials). The gold embossed bamboo rose (Altenew) was colored with Zig clean color brush markers.  The only new items were the lovely sentiment stamp and die combo from The Stamp Market - called "You".  I adhered some clear dew drop embellishments with SU's fine tip glue pen.

Thanks for stopping by...I'm heading off to work in a bit.  

Loose Watercoloring

Good Thursday everyone! I was up rather late last night finishing this card for the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge and for Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where the theme is "A Bit of Sparkle".  I wanted to try some "loose" watercoloring which I always struggle with.  The OCD side of me thinks I need to fill in the coloring space - lol - so it's difficult to leave white space.  My sparkle elements are the gold foil stripes, gold embossing and clear sequins.  I colored using Zig Clean Color brush markers.

STAMPS: Bamboo Rose (Altenew).
PAPER: Blush and Mint (Recollections); Ranger watercolor CS.
INK: Versamark.
DIES: Bamboo Rose (Altenew); Stitched Rectangle (Lil' Inker Designs). 

Color Throwdown

It's that time again...another awesome color combo - coral, yellow, green and white - is on board for the Color Throwdown Challenge! It's also that time of the year when my age bumps up another notch - otherwise known as my birthday! I'll be heading out to work this afternoon so celebrating will have to happen another day!  🎂

Back to my card...I was tempted to go with florals, but this new butterfly cover plate die by PTI was calling my name!  I smooshed distress inks (Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Abandoned Coral, Mowed Lawn, Twisted Citron) on Ranger watercolor CS for the background.  I added Ken Oliver's Stick It adhesive paper to the back of some white CS prior to die cutting with my Big Shot.  Wow, does that step ever make it easy to adhere a large and fairly intricate die to a card!  

I then struggled with how I was going to add a sentiment, but white embossing on a vellum "belly band" came to the rescue.

STAMPS - Side by Side Sentiments by PTI.

DIES - Cover Plate: Butterfly Hope by PTI.

We're happy to have Annie Rosenstiel of Annie Rose Makes Things joining us as our Guest Star Stamper this week!  Be sure to stop by her blog and see her gorgeous take on the colors!

 

For more details on how to play along, head over to the Color Throwdown Blog and you'll find the information on the right sidebar!  You can also visit the rest of the design team's creations for more inspiration by clicking on the links below:

Amy Rohl 
Amy Rysavy
Barbara Anders  
Broni Holcombe (sitting it out this month) 
Jodi Collins 
Lisa Henke
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put  
Vickie Zimmer 
Wanda Cullen (you are here)  
Jeanne Jachna - April Guest Designer

Purple Haze

I had a special request for a card from a coworker. He wanted purple and black colors, so when I saw the new Card Concept Challenge, I wanted to share it there as well!  I chose the mixed

media style since I used at least 2 different mediums - watercoloring and texture paste - on my card.  The sentiment was computer generated (this is a special saying between him and his fiance`).  I used Mijello Mission Gold paints to watercolor the background.  I then splattered Black Soot distress ink and added Wendy Vecchi metallic silver embossing paste using a Heidi Swapp stencil.  The purple zigzag edge is from my fave Reverse Confetti die set - Edge Essentials.  I also die cut RC's Butterfly Dreams large butterfly out of vellum.  Over that, I layered Concord and 9th's Floral and Flutter die cut butterfly.  

Thanks so much for stopping by!  It's an overcast day here in VA but I'm feeling great knowing I have a 3 day weekend off work starting tomorrow!

Color Throwdown

Happy Wednesday everyone! Lisa Henke has a really sweet color palette for the new Color Throwdown Challenge: light yellow, green and blue! It totally inspired me to create something with Simon Says Stamp's Spring Flowers stamp set!  Thankfully, I don't need a sympathy card, but it's always good to have one on reserve.  

I white embossed the images on Ranger watercolor cardstock, then loosely watercolored using distress inks and markers.  I've been wanting to create some wide stripes with a flat edge brush and was happy how these turned out using Tumbled Glass distress ink.  The border includes a die from Reverse Confetti's Edge Essentials - a must have die set for that awesome finishing touch on a card!  I was too chicken to add splatters without using a more controlled method of just stamping with a splatter stamp from SU's Gorgeous Grunge set.  The sentiment die was cut twice and is by Simon Says Stamp.

I'm also entering this card for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where "anything goes" for the theme this week.

Congrats to Cheryl McAskill of A Stampin' Holiday, our guest star stamper this week!
Also, we have to sadly say goodbye to Lisa Lara who graced us with her talents during March as our guest designer.  Thanks, Lisa!  Stay tuned next week to meet our April guestie.

For more details on how to play along, head over to the Color Throwdown Blog and you'll find the information on the right sidebar!  You can also visit the rest of the design team's creations for more inspiration by clicking on the links below:

Amy Rohl 
Amy Rysavy
Barbara Anders  
Broni Holcombe   
Jodi Collins 
Lisa Henke
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put  
Vickie Zimmer 
Wanda Cullen (you are here)  
Lisa Lara - March Guest Designer

Vintage Flowers

Hope you're having a terrific Thursday! I'm joining in three challenges with this card: Altenew's March Inspiration Challenge, CAS(E) This Sketch and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge to use more than one die or punch!  I discovered a quick and easy way to do a background color wash by scribbling distress ink markers on watercolor cardstock, spritzing several times with water, then gently blending with a brush.  I used Squeezed Lemonade, Carved Pumpkin and Festive

Berries markers.  The 3 step stamping on the flowers was done using SU inks: Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango and Real Red.  I then fussy cut and popped the flowers with foam tape.  Dies are by Memory Box - Hello Script, Small Mariana Vine Outline, Large Marianna Vine Background.

Thanks for stopping by...now I'm heading out to do some shopping!  :-)

Faux Dip Dye Technique

Happy Sunday everyone! It's a gloomy, rainy day in VA but I'll take it, because it means I have a great excuse to get inky! After seeing Kristina Werner's Faux Dip Dye with Watercolor tutorial, I knew I wanted to try this technique. I used my Mijello Mission Gold watercolor palette with yellow/orange/red tones rather than pink and red.  I thought it would be a better fit for a masculine Valentine.  I was also anxious to try out the Stick It adhesive paper to adhere the large intricate dye (Big Valentine's Day by Simon Says Stamp - oops, I see it's OOS) and it was SOOO much easier and cleaner than my usual method of adding glue with a glue stick! 

I'm entering this into the CAS on Sunday challenge where they are celebrating their 100th challenge with a theme of hearts.


 

Color Throwdown #407

Here we are with another Color Throwdown Challenge for you and Lori has some fabulous summery colors - lime green, yellow and blue!  I first dabbled with some yellow and green watercoloring using an angled brush.  I thought I was going to add blue butterflies, but suddenly I changed direction and decided on this sentiment and bird die by Concord and 9th.  

Generally, watercolors lighten up considerably when you dry them, but I'm finding out that Gold Class Mission watercolors stay much darker than distress inks that I often use.  The blue is a little darker than I planned, but hey...we always say as long as it's close and we're having fun...it's a go!  Besides...it was late at night and I simply didn't want to do it over - lol!  

STAMPS: By Your Side (Concord and 9th).
PAPER: Key Lime Collection by Bo Bunny; Ranger watercolor CS.
DIES: By Your Side Bird Die (Concord and 9th); Edge Essentials Confetti Cuts (Reverse Confetti).

Congrats to our guest star stamper - Karen Davis of Karen Creates Cards!  Be sure to stop by her blog and say hello.

Sadly, this is the last week for our uber talented August guest designer - Wanda Guess!  Her work is so inspiring!  But...stay tuned...next week we'll announce a new guestie.

To get all the details on how to play along with the challenge, please go to the Color Throwdown blog and check out the info on the right sidebar!  You can also check out the rest of the design teams' creations for more inspiration on the CTD blog.. or you can clink on their blog links below.
Amy Rohl 
Amy Rysavy
Barbara Anders  
Broni Holcombe   
Jodi Collins 
Lisa Henke
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put  
Vickie Zimmer 
Wanda Cullen (you are here) 
Wanda Guess - August Guest Designer