Watercolor Blog Hop!

Woo-hoo, it's Friday, people!   Thank heavens....I've had a rough week.   My computer's hard drive went kaput, so I lost a TON of photos and had to spend loads of time reinstalling programs, etc. UGH!  And I also lost my Photoshop Elements, so I'm looking for a new editing program.   Any suggestions are welcome!   I tried PicMonkey for today's card....

So - on to today's card for the Watercolor Blog Hop!   I used my new Zig Real Brush markers to create a soft purple and teal watercolor background and then went over it with some Perfect Pearls Mist.   The feathers, from the Jane's Doodles 'Wise Owl' set were embossed with black embossing powder.   To add some interest to the card, I sliced the background apart and tucked the sentiment ("Giving Thanks" from Simon Says Stamp) right in between.   And of course, since this hop is sponsored by Pretty Pink Posh, I had to add some sequins!!   I used Graphite and Sparkling Clear....

I hope you have time to enter this hop....it's sure to be a fun one!   Now I'm off to go check out all the other amazing cards!   Have a great weekend!

Thanks A Bunch - And a Cool Technique!

Hi there, crafty friends!    Today's card uses one of my very favorite Newton's Nook Designs stamp sets - Beautiful Blossoms!  I wanted to use the colors in the Inky Paws Challenge (going on now!   Click here!!), and I thought I'd try an oldie but goodie as far as techniques go!  I'm not sure of the technical name for this, but I'd call it a Distress Resist, I guess! I think it looks so cool....like I used a bunch of colors of embossing powder!   But nope!   That's just ink and plain old clear embossing powder!  Here's a photo tutorial of how I did it! 

1. Gather your supplies - I used three shades of Hero Arts shadow inks (Mint Julep, Pale Tomato and Soft Cantaloupe), white cardstock, ink daubers, Versamark, clear embossing powder, Black Soot Distress Ink and the Beautiful Blossoms stamp set.

2. Use your daubers to blend the colors onto white cardstock.   Don't worry if it doesn't look great!

3. Position your stamp so it covers a little of each color and stamp using Versamark.   Heat emboss with clear EP.

4.  Here's where the magic happens!   Cover the entire thing with the Black Soot Distress Ink.   Go heavy so it is nice and bold!!

5.   Use a cloth or piece of paper towel to buff the image and get any residual black off of the clear embossing powder.

6.   Sit back and admire your awesome image! :)

That's it for today....hope you enjoyed this technique!   Let me know if you try it and how it turns out for you!

Newton's Nook Designs May Release - Years of Cheers

It's day three of Newton's Nook Designs' May release!   Today's set is called Years of Cheers (isn't that so cute!) - and this is the PERFECT set for weddings and anniversaries!  

This set came at a great time, because friends of ours got married a couple of weeks ago out of state and I needed to make a card to send to them!  I used an embossing folder on cream cardstock for the background - I had planned to emboss the champagne glasses right in the center of the embossed panel, but I decided they'd POP so much more on black!  So I cut out the center of the embossed panel and stamped the sentiment and champagne glasses directly onto the black cardstock base.   I added some gold paper to the edges of the embossed piece and then foam mounted that over top of the base.   I love how simple and elegant this turned out!

The new stamp sets will be available for purchase tomorrow!   I hope you've been inspired the last few days.  There are still a few more stops on the hop - head over to Yuki's blog to see what she's created!

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Would you like to win “Years of Cheers”?

This set will be given away to ONE lucky winner! 

Here's how to win: 

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below)! The winner will be chosen at random from the collective blog release posts. Make sure to check out each of their blogs and comment for your chance to win. You will not know which blog has been chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning! You have until Thursday, May 14th at 9pm CDT to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, May 15th. 

Check out all the awesome Design Team Blogs below to enter:

Newton's Nook Designs

Taheerah Atchia

Lydia Evans

Larissa Heskett

Samantha Mann

Crafty Math-Chick

Jess Moyer

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Kimberly Rendino

Yukari Yoshioka

Jenn Shurkus - Guest Designer

Newton's Nook Designs May Release - Newton's Sick Day

Hi friends!   It's time for the Newton's Nook Designs May release!   There are some ADORABLE sets this month....and guess what?   We get to start with Newton!   I love all of the little 'extras' in this set - the Band-Aid, the prescription bottle, the tissues.....so cute! 

For today's card, I watercolored and fussy cut poor injured Newton and used foam tape to mount him in front of his medicine.   The background was stamped with those adorable 'extras' from the set!  The sentiment is soooo perfect for a cat lover!   

Would you like to win “Newton’s Sick Day”?

This set will be given away to ONE lucky winner! 

Here's how to win: 

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below)! The winner will be chosen at random from the collective blog release posts. Make sure to check out each of their blogs and comment for your chance to win. You will not know which blog has been chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning! You have until Thursday, May 14th at 9pm CDT to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, May 15th. 

Check out all the awesome Design Team Blogs below to enter:

Newton's Nook Designs

Taheerah Atchia

Lydia Evans

Larissa Heskett

Samantha Mann

Crafty Math-Chick

Jess Moyer

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Kimberly Rendino

Yukari Yoshioka

Jenn Shurkus - Guest Designer

Hello!

Hi friends!   I had a chance to play with the new Hero Arts ombre ink pads last weekend, and I'm in love!   I used the gorgeous Newton's Nook Designs Fanciful Florals set and repeatedly stamped the flower until my card front was filled.   The little dot clusters filled in any empty spots, and some sparkling clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh added a little bling to the flower centers. I love how this turned out!   For some reason it feels a bit tropical to me....like a Hawaiian shirt or something!   And those little flourishes/stems remind me of waves!   I think I may need a vacation, lol!

Have a great week!


CHALLENGES:

(Anything Goes)

May Flowers Blog Hop with Newton's Nook!

Happy May Day!!   To celebrate, Newton's Nook Designs is having a fun "May Flowers" blog hop!   Plus....there are prizes to be won and a sale going on at NND as well!  Scroll down for more details.

I used the new set Fanciful Florals, to create this simple card.   Each of the flowers is stamped in a lighter color, and then the edges were rolled in a darker shade.    A few sequins from Pretty Pink Posh finish the card off!   Your next stop on the hop is Yuki's blog!

Newton's Nook Designs is having a SALE!

Do you love our flower stamps? Grab them up and any of your other favorites this weekend with FREE SHIPPING* Now through May 3. Use Code: MAYDAY

* Offer good on new retail orders of in-stock items only, while supplies last. 

Expires Midnight CST, May 3, 2015

AND a Giveaway! 

Want a chance to win a $10 store credit? We're picking 2 lucky winners!

Here's how to win:

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team blogs (see list below)! Two winners will be chosen at random from the collective blog hop posts. Make sure to check out each of their blogs and comment for your chance to win. You will not know which blog has been chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning! You have until Sunday, May 3rd at 9pm CDT to comment -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Monday, May 4th.

Check out all the awesome Design Team Blogs below to enter:

Newton's Nook Designs

Taheerah Atchia

Lydia Evans

Larissa Heskett

Samantha Mann

Crafty Math-Chick

Jess Moyer

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Kimberly Rendino

Yukari Yoshioka

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CHALLENGES

Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday (something with yellow)

Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes

The Card Concept (Clean & Simple)

Wish You Were Here! Inky Paws Challenge #20

Happy Friday!    I'm stopping in today with a card for the Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge.   It's a sketch this time.   Head over to the NND blog for more details!  Link up your take on the sketch for a chance to WIN!

STAMPS USED:

Delightful Doxies

Newton's Summer Vacation