Thursday, December 17, 2015

IO Challenge- Snowy Wishes


It might be December, but it sure doesn't feel like it here.  I can't believe it has been in the 60's and 70's.  I am happy enough picturing snowy wishes on cards rather than in person.

To make the card, I used the Winter Nightscape J7791.  The nice thing about that stamp is that you can ink it up in one color (in this case VersaFine Majestic Blue), and stamp it once.  It gives detailed trees in the front and fainter trees in the background.  Very quick and easy!


I added Christmas Wishes B14287 in the same blue ink.  For the snowflakes, I used dies from the Small Snowflake Set DIE100-F. 

The smaller snowflakes directly to the card, but for the largest snowflake, I first cut out the die:


 Then placed foam tape behind the center holes and sprinkled it with glitter:


The nice thing about doing it this way is that I could add foam tape to a detailed die and then hide that tape behind the glitter.  

Want to have more snowy inspiration?  Check out the other designers:
 

Thursday, December 3, 2015

IO "Love You More" Blog Hop




Are you ready to start thinking about somethng other than holiday cards?  Impression Obsession has a brand new release of Valentine images that I know you are going to love. In celebration, we are having a one day blog hop with lots of information as well as a chance to win a Gift Certificate.

The hop will start today with a list of participants on the Impression Obsession Blog at 6am EST. Visit our fabulous IO Design Team’s projects with our stamps on their blogs (only one comment per blog please).

The more blogs you visit … the better chance you will have to win a $25 Impression Obsession Gift Certificate!!!

Comment entries will be open until 9pm CT on Sunday December 6th and a winner will be announced Monday December 7th. Good luck!

All of the new stamps you'll be seeing on the hop are available NOW!

Hop List:



For my card today, I wanted to do something a bit different from more traditional pinks and reds.  I have to admit that the Daisy Heart Reverse image (F16200) inspired me to work with whites and yellows.  

I started with heavy weight vellum and embossed the image as well as the Picot Ribbon Love saying (C19054) with white embossing powder.  I then cut out a white frame using the All-in-One Frames Rectangle 2 die (DIE291-WW) and glued the vellum behind the frame. To finish the card, I popped the frame up with foam tape over some yellow cardstock and a white card.

Here is a hint about the coloring on the card- I was able to color the centers of the flowers and the word "love" with a yellow Copic marker because alcohol ink is able to dry on both embossing powder and the slick surface of vellum.  It is hard to tell from the picture, but I embossed the word "love" on the front of the vellum and colored it on the back side of the vellum.  This is a close up of the coloring of the flowers:


Thursday, November 19, 2015

IO Challenge- Season's Greetings


Am I the only one finding it really hard to believe that Thanksgiving is next week?  Now is the time to be finishing up your holiday cards! 

For my card today, I used the IO Wreath F16128 with colors for winter.  Of course, you could just as easily change out the colors to make a lovely autumnal wreath.  I stamped the wreath onto watercolor paper with black Versafine ink and then colored everything with Peerless watercolors.  To finish the card, I added the Tis the Season saying. 

Need a little more seasonal inspiration?  Don't forget to visit the other designers!

Thursday, November 5, 2015

IO Challenge- Give Thanks


I have a feeling that most of the challenge cards today by the design team are going to be Thanksgiving cards.  After all, that makes the most sense given the theme and the close proximity to Thanksgiving.  However, today is my friend Tricia's birthday, and I wanted to make a card for her instead.

Tricia is a friend that I have had for over 30 years.  It blows my mind that I am old enough to have had a friend that long, but there you have it.  We met in junior high when my family moved back to the States and I was starting a new school.  She disliked me instantly because the teacher sat me next to her in art class and she no longer had her her cushy extra desk space.  I managed to win her over, and the rest is history.  We have grown up together, and although a lot has changed since my invasion of her personal desk space, our friendship has remained a solid constant in my life.  I cannot begin to say how thankful I am to have her as a friend.   Happy birthday, Trish.

My card today uses the faux batik technique.  I stamped the Rose Leaf Branch onto mulberry paper with versafine ink and embossed it with clear powder.  I then sprayed it with green inks and ironed the piece to remove the embossing powder.  I then put white cardstock behind the mulberry to make the leaves pop and then layered the card.  I finished by adding a saying from the Friends Collection clear set.

I hope everyone takes a little bit of time today to give thanks to a special blessing in their life.

Want to see how the other designers give thanks?  Visit the other DT member blogs:
 

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Happy Halloween!


Well, somehow the end of October is here, and I am running out of time to share some Halloween cards with you.  The first card is with a Haunted House stamp and some Peerless Watercolors.  I love an image that I can just stamp and then sit by the tv coloring.  Having all the detail included on the stamp is nice because then I don't have to do any planning of what I should stamp where.  All that work is done for me.  Nice.


Next is a card stamped with the Pumpkin with Text and Happy Halloween saying before adding the Border Duo Die on the side.  My favorite thing about Halloween coloring is that complementary colors work so well together.  Bring on the lime greens and purples!

 Finally....spiders.  Creepy crawly spiders.  If you need to scare someone for Halloween, you really can't beat spiders.  The last card uses the Spider Background as well as the Turn Back sentiment.  The oval to frame the sentiment is from the All in One Frames Ovals die. 

Have a Happy Halloween!

Thursday, October 15, 2015

IO Challenge- Feeling Blue


I hope you aren't really feeling blue today, but rather are inspired by a color challenge.  For today's card, I made a super-quick and easy card.  The Trees and Lake stamp is just one image that stamps both the trees and the reflection.  There is no need to try and create your own reflection with the stamp. 

To make the card, I brayered glossy cardstock with the Blue Breeze Kaleidacolor ink, let it dry, and then embossed the image on top with black embossing powder.  I used blue ink, but you could easily change the mood by changing the color of ink you choose.  You can also use one color of ink above the trees (think sunrise or sunset) and a different color for the water.  There are definitely a lot of possiblilities.


Need more "blue" inspiration?  Be sure to visit the other designers:

Friday, October 9, 2015

IO Die Hop- Day 2- Detatchable Ornament

Welcome to the Impression Obsession Fall Designer Die Hop!
We have some beautiful new dies to share AND Gift Certificates to give away!
The hop will start each day with a list of participants on the Impression Obsession Blog at 6am EST. Each day pay us a visit here and then head over and see our fabulous IO Design Team’s projects with our new dies on their blogs (only one comment per blog per day please).
The more blogs you visit each day… the better chance you will have to win a $25 Impression Obsession Gift Certificate!!!
We will have two days of blog hopping (October 8th and 9th) and THREE prizes!
There will be a prize for each of the two hop days (comment entries open until 10pm CT each day) and a bonus prize will be awarded on the final day of our hop from all the comments left for both days. Comment entries will stay open until Friday at 10PM CT. Winners will be announced the following day. Good luck!
So….if you miss a day or time deadline your comments will still count for a chance to win a $25 Impression Obsession Gift Certificate!
All of the new dies you'll be seeing on the hop are available NOW! www.iostamps.com
 
For my card today, I used the new Lg Poinsettia Set and cut out an assortment of felt leaves.  It is important when you are die cutting with felt that you use a good quality felt that wont fray as you cut it.  I used 100% wool felt.  Remember that the green leaves of the poinsettia as the same as the red.  They only differ in color.  I layered the pieces and added some natural twine.  The felt ornament is detatchable from the card so that it can be used independently of the card.  Good quality felt is pricier, so why not make an embelishment that can be used over and over again?

Here is a close up of the ornament:
 
 
To finish the card, I used the Gingham Cover a Card and the Peace saying.

Here are the designers participating in today's hop:
 

Thursday, October 8, 2015

IO Die Blog Hop- Day 1



Welcome to the Impression Obsession Fall Designer Die Hop!

We have some beautiful new dies to share AND Gift Certificates to give away!

The hop will start each day with a list of participants on the Impression Obsession Blog at 6am EST. Each day pay us a visit here and then head over and see our fabulous IO Design Team’s projects with our new dies on their blogs (only one comment per blog per day please).

The more blogs you visit each day… the better chance you will have to win a $25 Impression Obsession Gift Certificate!!!

We will have two days of blog hopping (October 8th and 9th) and THREE prizes!

There will be a prize for each of the two hop days (comment entries open until 10pm CT each day) and a bonus prize will be awarded on the final day of our hop from all the comments left for both days. Comment entries will stay open until Friday at 10PM CT. Winners will be announced the following day. Good luck!

So….if you miss a day or time deadline your comments will still count for a chance to win a $25 Impression Obsession Gift Certificate!

All of the new dies you'll be seeing on the hop are available NOW! www.iostamps.com

For my card today, I used the brand new  Halloween Landscape Layers.  The set comes with two layers, but I cut an extra layer of the graves with crosses.  For each layer, I went progressively darker from light grey to black.  I added a bit of yellow paper behind the jack o'lantern faces so that they would stand out more and the popped up the entire landscape scene on top of a background I created with glossy paper and alcohol inks.

Today's Blog Hop Participants:

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Memory Box Blog Blitz


Greetings everyone.  This week Memory Box is hosting a blog blitz to introduce you to the Winter 2015 release.  There are two chances/day to win one of the new products, so you won't want to miss it.

Here was my contribution to the week:


You can see the original post on the Outside the Box blog here.  The original post also has a couple of other coloring options for the birds as well as a chance to win the new Three Little Birds stamp.  Good luck!

Thursday, October 1, 2015

IO Challenge- Autumn Florals

Greetings everyone. Can you believe that it is already October? How did that happen?  Today's challenge celebrates Autumn and all the pretty floral colors.  I chose to use the Celebrate Possibility image that could be colored in any color palette you choose.  I happened to choose some reds, oranges, yellows, and rust.  I also like to contrast yellows and oranges with a little purple to make pop.   To make the card, I used an assortment of watercolors and colored pencils.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Happy Haunting


I have a confession to make.  To me, nothing quite says Halloween like candy corn.  I love candy corn stamps, embellishments, paper, and basically any way that you can decorate with candy corn.  If you have seen my Halloween cards over the years, you know that candy corn is featured predominantly.  The only thing I don't like about candy corn is the taste.  It is a bit ironic.

For my card today, I used the new Eat Candy Corn clear set (CL591) which had both the the build a candy corn pieces as well as the saying.  For the bottom of the card, I stamped an image from the Grunge Building Borders clear set (CL601) in both orange and black.

Need more Halloween inspiration?  Be sure to check out the other designers:

 

Thursday, August 20, 2015

IO Challenge- Say it Big


Sometimes you see a stamp that just speaks to you.  I knew that the Quirky Loves Crazy stamp (G17071) would be perfect to use on cards for my friends.  I think we actually take pride in being a little quirky and crazy.

To make the card, I started with watercolor paper, wet it, and then painted it with Peerless watercolors.  I then added the owls, which were also colored with watercolor paint.  The owls are actually one stamp called Owl on Head (D7801).  To me, it looks like one is doing a little tap dance on top of another tap dancing owl.  I might be reading too much into the stamp, but that is what I see.  :)

Need more big saying inspiration?  Be sure to check out the other designers:

Thursday, August 6, 2015

IO Challenge- Fall Colors








Is it just me, or is summer just zipping by?  It is already time to start thinking about fall and all the gorgeous fall colors.


For my card, I wanted to play with the new Fall Pumpkin image (E16123).  It just lends itself to using the orange, gold, and olive colors I wanted.  I created my own background with the Starburst Cover a Card (CC221).  I embossed it in gold powder and then colored it with an assortment of Distress Markers.  I then used the same markers to color my pumpkin.  To finish the card, I used the Fall Blessings (C19008) saying.

Want more Fall color inspiration?  Check out the other designers:


 

Friday, July 17, 2015

Impression Obsession Blog Hop- Day 3

Welcome to the 2015 Impression Obsession Fall/Winter Release Blog Hop!

We have some beautiful new stamps to share AND Gift Certificates to give away!

The hop will start each day with a list of participants on the Impression Obsession Blog at 6am EST. Each day pay us a visit here and then head over and see our fabulous IO Design Team’s projects with our new stamps on their blogs (only one comment per blog per day please). Comment as you hop. Each comment that you leave gives you a chance to win!!!

The more blogs you visit each day… the better chance you will have to win a $25 Impression Obsession Gift Certificate!!!

Every day (Monday July 15th – July 17th), one of the IO designer blogs will be chosen randomly and a winner will be selected from comments on that blog at 10pm CT. The winner will be announced the following day along with the participating blogs for that day.

Two prizes will be awarded on the last day of the hop. One will be for Friday’s comments and another will be chosen from all the comments left throughout the week. So….if you miss a day or time deadline your comments will still count for a chance to win a $25 Impression Obsession Gift Certificate! Both Friday winners will be announced on the IO Blog on Saturday, July 18th.

All of the new stamps you’ll be seeing on the hop are available NOW! at www.iostamps.com


One of the exciting things about the new Impression Obsession release is that they have a new stamp designer.  His name is Seth Apter, and Mixed Media artists are going to love him!

For my card, I combined three of his images- Asteroid Belt, Atmosphere, and Solar Eclipse.  Fun names, huh?  I stamped them all onto watercolor paper with black versafine ink and then colored the piece with Peerless watercolors.  To finish the card, I added my saying and layered the pieces.

Items Used:
Atmosphere E18012
Asteroid Belt H18004
Solar Eclipse D18015
Friends Are For B14497

Don't forget to visit the other designers for more inspiration!


 

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Impression Obsession Blog Hop Day 2

Welcome to the 2015 Impression Obsession Fall/Winter Release Blog Hop!

We have some beautiful new stamps to share AND Gift Certificates to give away!

The hop will start each day with a list of participants on the Impression Obsession Blog at 6am EST. Each day pay us a visit here and then head over and see our fabulous IO Design Team’s projects with our new stamps on their blogs (only one comment per blog per day please). Comment as you hop. Each comment that you leave gives you a chance to win!!!

The more blogs you visit each day… the better chance you will have to win a $25 Impression Obsession Gift Certificate!!!

Every day (Monday July 15th – July 17th), one of the IO designer blogs will be chosen randomly and a winner will be selected from comments on that blog at 10pm CT. The winner will be announced the following day along with the participating blogs for that day.

Two prizes will be awarded on the last day of the hop. One will be for Friday’s comments and another will be chosen from all the comments left throughout the week. So….if you miss a day or time deadline your comments will still count for a chance to win a $25 Impression Obsession Gift Certificate! Both Friday winners will be announced on the IO Blog on Saturday, July 18th.

All of the new stamps you’ll be seeing on the hop are available NOW! at www.iostamps.com


Today I thought I would share a holiday card using two new clear sets.  One is called Spread Christmas Cheer, and it contains the saying and the little jingle bells.  The other is called Snow Flourish and it contains the snowflake border background.

To make the cards, I stamped the snowflake border repeatedly onto white cardstock with a light blue ink.  I embossed the bells on metallic gold paper in gold embossing powder and then cut them out.  To finish the card, I rounded some corners, popped up the bells with some foam tape, and added my saying.

Items Used:

Don't forget to check out the other designers!



Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Impression Obsession Blog Hop Day 1

Welcome to the 2015 Impression Obsession Fall/Winter Release Blog Hop!

We have some beautiful new stamps to share AND Gift Certificates to give away!

The hop will start each day with a list of participants on the Impression Obsession Blog at 6am EST. Each day pay us a visit here and then head over and see our fabulous IO Design Team’s projects with our new stamps on their blogs (only one comment per blog per day please). Comment as you hop. Each comment that you leave gives you a chance to win!!!

The more blogs you visit each day… the better chance you will have to win a $25 Impression Obsession Gift Certificate!!!

Every day (Monday July 15th – July 17th), one of the IO designer blogs will be chosen randomly and a winner will be selected from comments on that blog at 10pm CT. The winner will be announced the following day along with the participating blogs for that day.

Two prizes will be awarded on the last day of the hop. One will be for Friday’s comments and another will be chosen from all the comments left throughout the week. So….if you miss a day or time deadline your comments will still count for a chance to win a $25 Impression Obsession Gift Certificate! Both Friday winners will be announced on the IO Blog on Saturday, July 18th.

All of the new stamps you’ll be seeing on the hop are available NOW! at www.iostamps.com


I hope you are in the mood for new products from Impression Obsession. There gorgeous new designs forFall and winter as well as great sayings and fun image to color (like the ones I used today).

I love the new birdie saying for a couple of reasons. First, it is much larger than others I have seen and therefore really stands out on the card. Second, it can be finished on the inside for a variety of occasions. A little birdie told me....it's your birthday, you're having a baby, you got a promotion, you needed a hug, etc...

For my card, I stamped the hexagons and bird onto watercolor paper and then colored them with Peerless watercolors. I then cut out the bird, popped it up on my card with foam tape and added the saying.

Items used:

Psst C17072

Bird D17072

Hexagon from a Balzar Designs cling set called Summer 3144-LG

Don't forget to visit the other designers and leave comments for chances to win!

 

Anna Wight
Daniela Dobson
Dina Kowal
Ellen Taylor
Jeanne Streiff
Karen Amidon
Kittie Caracciolo
Laura Fulcher
Vicki Garrett