What's on My Kitchen Counter

I just love the new Good Morning Magnolia stamp set from SU!  I have seen some awesome cards made with the large magnolia, but I love the little budding magnolia just as much.  I have three of them on my card today. My inspiration was the Global Design Project Sketch - #GDP194. This sketch worked so well with these pretty flowers.  I stamped 6 of them, colored them with a bit of water color, fussy cut them, layered them up, and then glittered them up with SU! Dazzling Diamonds.  Underneath the flower is the cool flourish that comes with the set.  The sentiment is so perfect for a friend facing some tough times - I know several friends this could go to.  I love this card so much that I am working on a scrapbook page that is very similar.  Many hugz, Nancy

I have been on a stripe kick lately.  They are so easy to do and always look fabulous.  Today, I have a card and a scrapbook layout done with red and blue water colored stripes. This card was done with thicker, darker stripes. After the stripes had set a minute, I splashed on some water and then patted it off with a paper towel.  The water distressing gives it cool look don't you think? After I dried the paper a bit with a heat tool, I stamped on the DRS Designs Script Font Background image in Versafine Black Onyx.  I wanted to feature the  Made In the USA Circle  image, so I stamped it and then punched it out with a SU! Circle Punch.  I experimented with different colors for the circle, but clean white looked best.  I popped the circle up with foam tape so it stands out even more.  I was going for a bit of a vintage look so I sponged some Vintage Photo Distress Ink on the edges to age it a bit. For my scrapbook page, I used the same water colors (from my cheap $9 set from

I finally opened and figured out the Sprocket printer I bought several months ago.  I have to say I love it!  I started my 6x8 scrapbook of things stuck in my head this year.  Here are a few of the pages I did.  I also did some journaling in my 100 days of Less Hustle and More Jesus book as well: Made a few cards using DRS Designs images (new stuff mixed with older stuff).  See the stars and stripes wave on both cards?  Hope you have a great weekend - thanks for visiting! Hugz

I have been attempting some improved color blending....I am still not there but I am getting better thanks to tips from friends and a few videos.  Today's colors are from the GDP13 ( Global Design Project 193; #GDP193 )  and my technique is from Splitcoaststampers.com - TLC746 - use ink blending on a project. I did two panels of ink blending using the GDP colors.  I then stamped on a sentiment from the SU! set Rooted in Nature.  I die cut my butterflies from an old SU! Butterfly Thinlet (using the other panel I made.  A few glitter glue dots to show the butterfly flight patterns and it was done. I plan to continue my ink blending adventure.  It is the darker colors that are getting me (along with my impatience). Hope you have a great week! Hugz, Nancy

I embarked on a new journey this week when I started a Devotional Journal called 100 Days of Less Hustle, More Jesus by Shannon Noel  (currently $15.29 with Prime on Amazon).  Shannon is the creator of Illustrated Faith so you know the accents and concepts are solid. This devotional/journal is designed help us slow down, reduce a bit of stress and anxiety, and, in Amazon's words: " understand and relate to God's promises in a way you never have before. These biblical truths will come to life through color and illustration and will inspire your own creativity and your personal walk with God as you fall in love with your bible all over again." Each day has the devotion, some fun accents, and a space you to journal, draw, paint, stamp, etc.  I have decided that I will sketch and journal and even add some highlights from each day on my pages.  I may add some receipts, ticket stubbs or pictures along the way, but right now it is just me and my pens and pencils.  

My baby, Alex, turned 24 today.  Later today we are having a birthday celebration with a cookie cake and her favorite thing to eat - Poppyseed Chicken.  I realized this morning that I had not yet made a card, so I made one up really fast using the GDP192 Case the Designer Challenge as my inspiration.  This pretty card by Charlet Mallett was the perfect thing to get me started. I had limited time this morning before work plus I had to cook the chicken for the poppyseed chicken tonight as well. No time to color so I slapped down some aluminum foil and swiped my yellow, pink, and green inks on it.  Next, I splashed on some water with my fingers and dipped my paper into the inks.  I dried the paper with a heat gun and stamped the flowers from SU! Tea Together.  Next, I stamped the teacup, fussy cut it, and then sponged around it with some brown (this is my vintage daughter).  I cut out the flowers and arranged them on the teacup.  The card was looking plain so I painted on some pi

Playing with one of my favorite sets today:  SU! Petal Pallet.  I just never get tired of those roses and that pretty bird! The other day, my Son-in-law said that aluminum foil can be used for just about anything.  I told him I use it for crafting all the time - not sure he believed me.   I demonstrated how I use it today.  I started this card with a sheet of aluminum foil.  I swiped my inks on it, splashed it with water, and dipped in my base panel.  I love this technique, I allows you to make matching dp for any image or card.  After I got the desired effect, I hit the panel with the heat gun a bit and set it aside to dry fully.   Next, I stamped the images and sponged on color. I fussy cut some roses and leaves from another sheet and sponged them as well.  To finish this up, I added in some old ribbon, a bit of glitter, and popped everything up.  The sentiment is from Strong and Beautiful (SU!).   I am entering this card in the Global Design Project Challenge - #GDP191 .