WWC310 - Marsha's Challenge: All About Occasions

 Yappy Birthday Card using Mama Elephant’s Playful Pups stamp set

Hello and welcome!  We are making "Occasions" cards at Watercooler Wednesday and I made a fun puppy themed birthday card.  Marsha is our hostess.

Big changes at Watercooler Wednesday!  We are going to a bi-weekly format so this challenge will conclude on Monday, March 8th and winners will be announced on Tuesday, March 9th.  

I used one of my longtime favorite stamp sets:  Mama Elephant's Playful Pups.  I lightly penciled in two lines and then stamped my images within this band. I then erased the pencil and Copic colored my pups.   I like the clean happy look of this card.

We hope to see your card in our gallery.  You can access the challenge website HERE.

This is my last challenge on the design team for Watercooler Wednesday.  I’ve loved seeing all your beautiful creations over the last few years and I will be looking for your future projects on Instagram. 

Take care,

Karen

WWC309 - Dawn's Challenge: Anything Masculine Goes

 

Masculine Get Well Card

Hello and welcome!  This is my design team card for this week's Watercooler Wednesday "Masculine" Challenge and Dawn is our hostess.

I made a cheeky get well card using Simon Says Stamp Stacking Animals and this big bold sentiment from the Ranger Letter It Greetings stamp set.  I also added a bit of Nuvo Crystal Glaze to the two beaks. 

We would love to see your card in our gallery.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen 

WWC308 - Tristan's Challenge: All About Occasions

 Hello and welcome!  We are making "Occasion" cards this week at Watercooler Wednesday and Tristan is our hostess.

I created a simple silhouette card using Altenew's just released Tall Foliage set.  I masked the edges of my slimline panel and then ink blended my background.  After the panel was completely dry I  black heat embossed this pretty sketchy flower.  This is a pretty card that was fairly quick to make.  

We would love to see your card in our GALLERY.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

WWC307 - Heidi's Challenge: Anything Feminine Goes

 

Hello and welcome.  This is my design team card for this week's Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and Heidi is our hostess.

I love succulents and cacti and thought a row of them would make a cheerful get well card.  I colored with my trusty Copic markers.

We would love to see your card in our gallery.  You can reach the challenge website here.

Supplies:  Fiskars "Stuck on You" and Papertrey sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

WWC306 - Michelle's Challenge: All About Occasions

 

Hello and welcome.  For the The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge, I've created a mixed media card for my design team project and I love the shimmer and shine it has in person.  This card was so fun to make!

My Process:

I tore three snippets of book text from a dictionary and then glued them to a card panel with gesso and a wet brush.  I used gel medium then the page and then another layer of gel medium.

I added a layer of gesso over the top and dried.

Next I added some pencil scribbles and doodles.

I dipped the panel in a combination of die ink mixed with shimmer spray.  Dried then repeated.  This gives gorgeous shine to the card.  

I heat embossed the image and sentiment and mounted on a colored A2 card base.

Supplies:

Altenew Best Mom stamp

Altenew Iridescent Shimmer Spray

Dye Ink

Gesso

Multimedia Gel

Embossing Powder

Text from a Dictionary

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

WWC304 - Kath's Challenge: All About Occasions

 

Hello and welcome!  This is my design team card for Watercooler Wednesday's "All About Occasions" Challenge.  Kath is our hostess.

I wanted to make a mixed media card and this is the bold look I came up with.  I started by spreading gesso on the cardstock with a card.  I let it dry and then used diluted watercolors to paint my background.  After the panel was dry, I spritzed it with shimmer spray,  which gives the background a pretty sheen.  Next I stamped with the script background stamp.  I finished by heat embossing the tree.  I wanted a lot of texture so I heat embossed the tree twice. 

Supplies:

Crackerbox and Suzy Tree Whimsy Stamp

Altenew Essential Sentiment Strips Sentiment

MFT Romantic Script Background Stamp

Altenew Iridescent Shimmer Spray

Frayed Burlap Distress Ink (for script)

Gesso

Watercolor

Black Heat Embossing

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

WWC303 - Karen's Challenge: Anything Feminine Goes

 

Hello and welcome!  I am so excited to be hosting our challenge this week at Watercooler Wednesday where our theme is "feminine".  I created a monochromatic vintage look card using stamps from a collection of companies.

I started by playing around with my layout and when I was happy with the look I stamped and heat embossed the images in brown on tan card stock.  I then aged the panel using mocha die ink.

This is a very different card for me, but I like the look.

Supplies:

Altenew Block Print Stamp

Altenew Pinstripe (sentiment)

Altenew Mocha Dye Ink

Pink and Main Pattern Maker

Pink Fresh Studio Scootin By

My Monthly Hero April 2017 (dress and poodle) which unfortunately is sold out.

I hope to see your card in our gallery this week.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

WWC302 - Marsha's Special 3-Week Challenge

Cheers to each of you!  We are changing things up at Watercooler Wednesday and are having a three week "Anything Goes" end of year challenge.  I created a card I thought would be fun and festive for New Years.

Supplies:

• Honey Bee Square Window Trio
• Hand Inked Blue Background panel
• Clearly Besotted Raise a Glass stamp
• Tonic Nuvo Crystal Glaze

We would love to see your creation in our gallery.

I am also playing along with:

The Mix It Up Clean and Simple Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

WWC301 - Dawn's Challenge: All About Occasions

 

Don't you just love "twofer" cards?  This card is the second from a pair of mixed media thank you cards that I made.  Click here to see the first card.  I created this one for  Watercooler Wednesday's  All About Occasions Challenge and Dawn is this week's hostess.

I was wanting to make some thank you cards to use this month and thought aqua, silver and white would be festive, bright and seasonal.

My Process:

• I glued the die-cut Altenew Mega T from my first card to a watercolor paper panel. I then painted over the top of the card with gel media.
• I added a layer of gesso and dried.
• I mixed Mermaid Lagoon distress ink and Shimmer Spray and painted a layer on the card.
• I pounced some Versamark ink across the panel and silver heat embossed.
• I mixed a more concentrated mermaid lagoon and shimmer spray combination and brushed on random areas.
• Buffed the embossing with a baby wipe to clean up and enhance the shine.
• I added a die cut thanks sentiment. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Karen 

WWC300 - Tristan's Challenge: Anything Feminine Goes

Hello and welcome!  There is a lot of "new" on the card that I created for this week's Watercooler Wednesday challenge.  I love ink blending and have been wanting to try Altenew's Ink Blending Tool so I recently purchased the large blender and this was my first time giving it a "go".   I was immediately impressed by how well the blender worked my background.  We are making "feminine" cards this week  so I went with some fun bright coral, pink and purple for my background.  This is a new color combination for me, but I really like it and will definitely use it again.  

A while back, I won some stamps from Crackerbox and Suzy and I wanted to use their Christmas tree, which I thought was quite girly too.  

I started my project by masking off the bottom of my card panel and then began my ink blending.  I created a crude tree mask with a post-it and  added white pigment dots with a fun stamp.  After that was dry I added the script stamp.  I didn't want the script to be uniform so I dabbed off some of the ink prior to stamping.  Last, I heat embossed the the tree.  

What is new for me on this card:

Altenew's Ink Blending Tool for the background

Crackerbox and Suzy's Christmas Tree Fancy Swirl

The Distress Ink background combo (coral, raspberry, seedless preserves)

MFT's Romantic Script (I purchased this months ago but had not used it yet)

Supplies:

Crackerbox and Suzy Christmas Tree Fancy Swirl

Altenew Large Ink Blending Tool

Altenew Pinstripe (dots)

MFT Romantic Script

Hero Arts Unicorn Pigment Ink

Distress Ink:  Abandoned Coral, Pickled Raspberry and Seedless Preserves (Ink Blending)

Distress Ink: Frayed Burlap (background script)

Black heat embossing

Bristol Cardstock

I am also playing along with:

Allsorts: Christmas Flowers, Wreaths and Trees Challenge  I am playing along with my Christmas Tree.

Krafty Chicks All Occasions Challenge  I made a holiday card

Love to Craft December Anything Goes Challenge

I am so happy you stopped by!

Karen

WWC299 - Heidi's Challenge: All About Occasions

 

Hello, hello and welcome!  We are creating "Occasion" cards this week at Watercooler Wednesday and we would love to see your card in our gallery.  Heidi is our hostess.   I made a Mixed Media encouragement card.

I really like the rustic vintage brick background combined with the heat embossed spray of flowers.  

This background was made by hand-dipping the background in diluted die ink and custom tinting my embossing paste.  

• I mixed brown ink with water and Irridescent Shimmer Spray and then dipped a piece of Bristol cardstock into the puddle.  I dried the panel and then repeated.
• I blended my Embossing Paste with brown ink for the bricks.  
• I swiped the embossing paste over my stencil with a palette knife.  I wanted a rough look so I didn't cover the entire stencil and I made sure there was a variety of thickness to the paste. 
• While the embossing paste was wet, I sprinkled just a bit of brown metallic embossing powder on the paste, wiped most of it off and then heat set. I love the texture and interest it adds. 
• I heat embossed Altenew's Best Mom spray (in brown metalic) and then die-cut the image.  

I am also playing along with:

Mix It Up - Make Your Own Background

The Flower Challenge - Use A Sentiment

Creative Artiste Challenge #66

Tic Tac Toe  I chose diagonal top right to bottom left.  Brown, ink blending and metallic.

UPDATE:  I was so pleased to see my card was a Team Pick at Tic Tac Toe.

I am so pleased that you stopped by!

Karen

WWC298 - Kath's Challenge: Anything Masculine Goes

 

Hello, hello and welcome!  In my family "puppy" cards are always a hit and I created this one for Watercooler Wednesday's Challenge.  Kath is our hostess this week and we would love for you to play along.

This week we are creating masculine cards and I used MFT's Lucky Dog stamp and die bundle along with Honey Bee Stamps Square Window Trio. 

I die cut the three window frames,  Copic colored and die cut the pups and hand inked the background panel for a bright bold look.  

I am also playing along at:

Love to Craft Challenge  Anything Goes

Inkspirational "Frame It" I framed each of my cute pups.

Always Fun Challenges Anything Goes

UPDATE:  I was so pleased to see this card was a top pick at The Inkspirational "Frame It" Challenge!

I am so happy you stopped by today!

Karen

WWC297 - Helen's Challenge: All About Occasions

 

Hello, hello and welcome!  This week we are creating "occasion cards" at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and we would love to see your card in our gallery.  Helen is our hostess.  This week I chose to made a mixed media card.

I love that there are really no rules with mixed media. It seems the best thing to do is lay out your messiest supplies and then select a bunch for each card.  Do not be a minimalist when experimenting with multi-media.

The background was made by hand-dipping the panel and custom tinting my embossing paste.  

• I mixed Zig Cobalt Blue with water and Irridescent Shimmer Spray and then dipped a piece of Bristol cardstock into the colorful puddle.  I dried the panel and then repeated.
• I tinted my Embossing Paste with Carved Pumpkin distress ink for a fallish vibe.  
• I swiped the embossing paste over my stencil with a palette knife.  I wanted a rough look so I didn't cover the entire stencil and I made sure there was a variety of thickness to the paste. 
• While the embossing paste was wet, I sprinkled just a bit of Peach Embossing Powder on the paste and then heat set. I love the texture and interest it adds. 
• I heat embossed Weekend Doodles, watercolored with my Zig markers and then die-cut the image.  
• I added a bit of Painted Grid Washi Tape to the sentiment strip and assembled.  

I really like the texture on this card.

I am also playing along with:

Mix It Up Challenge - Make Your Own Background.

Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenge

UPDATE:  I am was pleased to discover that this card was chosen as a "Top Pick" at The Mix It Up Challenge!

I am so pleased that you stopped by!

Karen

WWC296 - Michelle's Challenge: Anything Feminine Goes

 

Hello, hello and welcome!  This week we are creating feminine cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and we would love to see your creation in our gallery.  Michelle is our hostess this week.  

I've had my eye on the Altenew Hibiscus Garden 3D die set for sometime and finally bought it.  I wanted to use seasonal jewel tones  so I die cut my pieces from Altenew's Enchanting Washes Cardstock.  I like the gorgeous colors and the fact that it is thick like cardstock.  For the leaves I ink blendeded  4 colors of green on watercolor paper.  My background is a light watercolor wash where I then softened the edges with a towel so it fades out.  I dried the panel and then  added purple and black paint spatters.  Next I mixed gesso with Iridescent Shimmer Spray and added more splatters.  I assembled and paired with a Bold Envelope and my birthday card is now ready to mail.

I am also playing along with:

Festive Friday FF0071 I included die cuts, patterned paper (hibiscus), flowers and sentiment.  

UPDATE:  I was excited to see my card was selected as a "Festive Fave"!

Crafty Hazel Nuts Patterned Paper Challenge  I used Altenew Enchanting Washes Patterned Cardstock for the two hibiscus.

Karen

WWC294 - Marsha's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Masculine Twist

 

Hello, hello and welcome!  This week we are creating masculine cards at Watercooler Wednesday.  I've made a fun mixed media card using Altenew's Mega T Aphabet die and thanks die.

My Process:

• I started with a 140 lb weight watercolor panel and then die cut the T. 
• With a wide rough brush (I used a house painting trim brush) I applied a layer of gesso and then dried. 
• Using a Carved Pumpkin mini distress ink cube I dabbed orange on the panel in random locations.  
• I sprayed Iridescent Shimmer Spray to the panel which moved the distress ink around a bit and then dried with a heat tool.
• I added another layer of randomly dabbed Carved Pumpkin Distress Ink which I again activated with the shimmer spray and then dried.
• I then mixed gesso with Mermaid Lagoon distress ink and applied with a strip of cardstock for a rustic feel.  I then tinted the gesso a bit darker with the same distress ink and applied a bit more with the cardstock strip.  This way I have two shades of aqua on the card which I think gives added interest. Dry.
• I dabbed a bit of Versamark ink on the panel, sprinkled on gold embossing powder and rubbed off most of it so that there were just touches of gold on the panel.  I heat set.
• I die cut the thanks die from turquoise card stock.
• I added the T panel to a cream colored A2 cardbase and glued on the sentiment.

This thank you card was so fun to make! There is a gorgeous shimmery sheen that does not photograph well, but the card just glows in person.

I am also playing along with:

Cardz for Guyz Colors of Autumn and Fall

The Card Concept #142 Autumn Bounty

Simon Says Stamp "Layer It Up"  I used 7 layers of gesso, distress ink, shimmer spray, embossing powder plus two die cut layers.  

I am so glad that you stopped by!

Karen 

WWC292 - Dawn's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Feminine Twist

 Hello, hello and welcome!  I created this card for this week's Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  I recently took Altenew's Artist's Watercolor 101 course taught by Emily Midgett and the last class was on painting "white" flowers.  Such a pretty look but I had never attempted anything like it.

I started by heat embossing these big beautiful blooms (Picket Fence Studio Lily Coloring Class stamp).  Next I created a diluted grey watercolor halo around the flowers.  I started close to the image and then pulled the water out with a damp brush.  To ensure my brush didn't have too much water I dabbed it on a stamp shammy. This really helps me control the amount of water I use.  I let this layer dry completely.

Next I started on the blooms.  I added very diluted grey shadows but remembered it is important to leave some uncolored white areas so the flower appears to be white.  I then added bits of diluted blue and pink. Lastly, to brighten the bloom, I added hints of yellow to the edges of the petals.

I finished the background by adding diluted blue up close the the bloom and then moving the watercolor around the panel.  I did the same with pink and yellow so the colors of the flower and background were the same. 

This watercolor technique is very delicate and understated but is beautiful in person!

I am also playing along with:

Rainbow Card Challenge #22 Smoky Slate

Thank you for stopping by!

Karen

WWC291 - Fifth Week Anything Goes Challenge

Summer technically just ended but I have one more card with the summery colors I love.  I had a scrap of striped background left from a card I made a few weeks ago that was too pretty to throw away so I made it into a card for Watercooler Wednesday's Anything Goes Challenge.  I think bright and happy always works for birthdays.  The background uses the same colors as the striped panel.

Here is a link if you would like to see the original card I made with the watercolor panel.

I am also playing along at:

Make My Monday: Use Your Scraps

Supplies Used:

Altenew Watercolor Stripes Stencil

Altenew Doodle Blooms stamp and die bundle

Jillibean Soup Enjoy sentiment

Distress Inks

UPDATE:  I was so pleased to see my card recognized as a Top Pick at Make My Monday Use Your Scraps!

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

WWC289 - Heidi's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Masculine Twist

Hello, hello...so glad you stopped  by!  This week is all about masculine cards at Watercooler Wednesday and Heidi is our hostess.

I created a silhouette card with a darling die-cut puppy and cake toting bear.  My background is a second generation wash using three colors of distress ink:  Twisted citron, cracked pistachio and lucky clover.  I made a background for a different card and still had ink left over, so I sopped it up on a Bristol panel.  I thought the greens did a good job of simulating the forest.

Supplies Used:

Spellbinder's Lets All Party die

Memory Box Grand Forest Archway

SSS Birthday Word Mix 1 sentiment

We would love to see your card in our gallery this week!

Karen

WWC287 - Helen's Challenge: Anything Goes With A Feminine Twist

Hello, hello and welcome!  I can't believe it is September already.  This week at Watercooler Wednesday we are creating feminine cards and Helen is our hostess.  

I did a bit of loosed watercoloring with Nuvo Shimmer Powders.  I very loosely painted the wreath and then made a coordinating background by sopping up the leftover pigment with watercolor paper. The secret to the background is to layer the color, dry and repeat.  It is hard to tell in the photograph, but there is a beautiful shimmer to the card.  I had enough pigment left that I made a second background to use on a future card.

Supplies:

Altenew Weekend Doodles stamp and die bundle

Tonic Nuvo Shimmer Powder (hydrated into a watercolor)

The Greetery Crimped Frame die

We would love to see your creation in our gallery.

Karen

WWC286 - Marsha's Challenge: All About Occasions

Happy Wednesday!  We are creating Occasion cards this week at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and Marsha is our hostess.  I did some tone on tone Polychromo coloring on this thank you card.

I stamped the Inked Lotus with blue ink on blue paper and then used blue, green and white colored pencils to shade the image. I die cut and then adhered to a background of designer paper.  Last, I added soft blue, green and clear sequins to finish the project.

Altenew Inked Lotus stamp and die bundle (flower and sentiment)

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen