"Just A Little Inky"

Hello to all the beautiful people on this Thursday, March 5, 2020.
Let's keep praying for the people in Nashville, Tenn.  Some have loss their lives and many have lost their homes due to the tornado this week.  Tragedy can strike at any time to anyone.

Experiencing a little change in my craft space today, I pulled out those long forgotten distress inks.
No general idea in mind, I just started inking some water color paper and blending several distress inks to get a look.  After inking, I had a die cut on my desk that I used along with more inks.
Take a look at the result I achieved:

I'm sorry my picture is a little wonky.  I didn't want to take another one (lol).

This will not go to any particular person.  I just wanted to get a little inky.  I really did get a little inky because I forgot to put my gloves on to protect my fingers.   Here's a little tip to use with inky fingers;  I went to my kitchen and put some salt inside my palms along with a few drops of water to make a paste.  I rubbed my fingers in the salty paste to remove the ink.  Believe me when I tell you,  it worked.  But...I love gloves.  They don't require all that extra work. (lol)

I have some folks that need encouragement.  I've verbally talked with them when they have felt "some kind of way".  I make cards to give to them after our conversations to remind them that it is not the end and they are not the only people with issues that are not solvable.
Here is a card for my latest person:

"Find Your Courage"
cardstock: Neenah white; Recollections black and pink; Recollections water colored cardstock
embellishments: Little Birdie "Gianna Birds and Berries handmade flowers; 49 and Market Ethereal epoxy gems; Cosmo Cricket tiny text
an entry for https://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

Try something different that you have not tried in a long time.  Make sure it is something that will relax your mind, body and soul.  This will refresh you so that you can continue on with encouragement, kindness and love.

Sending you a hug and love,
Lois 

"Let's Emboss And Use Distress Inks"

Hello Crafting Friends,
I'm sharing cards in which I used two methods to achieve a desired look...embossing and inking with Distress inks.
I've had these embossing folders for some time and very seldom pull them out to use.  I have been organizing and coming across items that I needed to throw away;  needed to be used up; needed to be used again.  Today was the day that I was not going to use a die cut or hand made flower...just simply embossing.  On the watercolor paper I used, the embossing needed a little highlight so one would be able to make out the design.  This is where I pulled out the distress inks to highlight some of the areas.
Take a look at the two cards I'm sharing:

entry for
http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

 "Be truly glad.  There is Wonderful Joy Ahead., 1 Peter 3:6
Items Used:
Cardstock: PaperandMore teal blue for base; Hunkydory blue and white pattern paper for layering; Recollections black cardstock for layering; Bristol watercolor paper
embossing folder: Spellbinders Floral Label Four
Ranger Distress inks... and Nuvo "golden sunset" glitter drops
sentiment: Janet Dunn "faith"

"Be Strong and take heart"
Items Used:
cardstock: Recollections teal blue, burnt orange and black for layering; watercolor paper
embossing folder: Spellbinders "Delightful Daisies"
Ranger distress inks and Nuvo "golden sunset glitter drops"
sentiment: American Craft "bible journaling"

What are you finding among your crafting supplies that you have not used in a long time?
Activate those items and make something new.

Thanks for viewing and commenting.

Sending you a hug and love,
Lois

"You Make Me Smile"

Hello to Tuesday, September 5, 2017.

It's great to be back today wishing all of my friends, followers, visitors and viewers a happy day.

They are back in school...all the children in my neighborhood.  That yellow bus came, picked up and hopefully and prayerfully dropped them off at the elementary, middle and high school this morning.
Summer was extraordinary eventful and fun but it is time to get back to learning some great facts and information.
In talking with my grand on yesterday, she is still so excited with her school year so far.  She's beginning her third week today in fourth grade.   Some of the things she told me really made me smile.  I've taken that joy and  titled my card with it this morning (You Make Me Smile).  Since I didn't adorn it with a lot of bulk...this will make a good donation into my give-away box for the soldiers.

First, using Neenah white cardstock, a word processing program on my computer and my printer, I typed and printed out the sentiment.  I cut the cardstock down to the A2 size.
Next, I used a circle die on the cardstock so I could color within the circle.  I used three distress inks (stormy sky, abandoned coral and scattered straw).
I stamped the floral images with black archival ink using the Kaisercraft Lilac Whisper clear stamps set.  The flowers were colored with pink, purple and green watercolor markers.
I attached a green bow made with Offray ribbon to the bottom of the flower.  To finish off the card, I placed a beach chair from Recollections dimensional stickers at the bottom of the circle and applied droplets of Ranger's hydrangea liquid pearl to the upper and bottom right corners.

Yes, you  also make me smile (my crafting friends and viewers).
This card will be added to http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

Tim Holtz's distress inks

Kaisercraft Lilac Whisper clear stamps

Ranger hydrangea liquid pearls

Thanks for your time to come and view with me today.  It is always  a pleasure knowing that you continue to support my work and leave such beautiful comments.  Come again and I hope something you see will spark you to CASE this card.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Cozy Warm And Bright Christmas"

Happy Tuesday, August 15, 2017.
Hello to all my friends, followers, visitors and viewers.
Toady is the second workday for this week not unless you went to work on the weekend or started your work week on Sunday.  Nevertheless, we are here sharing and interacting with one another.

The National Day Calendar for today reports that it is NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY and NATIONAL LEMON MERINGUE PIE DAY.
Here is the reason for celebrating:
"National Relaxation Day is  time to slow down, unwind and relax!
It is an important day as we all need a break from the fast-paced and often hectic lifestyles we live. Taking time to recuperate and rejuvenate our tired minds and bodies may help prevent many health risks.  Like the founder of this day suggested, too much work can make us sick, run down, tired and that’s just wrong.
Are you hungry? Pie lovers and lemon lovers from across the country get your forks ready. August 15th is National Lemon Meringue Pie Day."

I'm going to have a hard time trying to celebrate both of these.  My weekend was very relaxing as well as yesterday so I'm going to do something that needs to be done today.  It will not be stressful and my body will not get tired.  I have to skip the pie because I'm working on keeping my glucose level in the normal range.  My LAB report last week shows my A1C at a reasonable level and I want to keep it that way.  To work on being healthy can be challenging when certain foods are presented to you.  I see it but I have resistance to stay away from so many sweet treats.

I hope you are not tired of the holiday cards I have been making.  I'm considering making something different tomorrow but don't hold me to that consideration.  If I have an idea in my mind. I have to get it out and onto paper before it goes away.
This one will also be seen at http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com  and
 http://themerrychristmaschallenge.blogspot.ca/2017/08/challenge-29-anything-christmas-goes.html

Enabler's List:
Cardstock: Neenah white; Recollection black; Hunkydory Adorable Scorable "Penguin Party"
die: Cottage Cutz "Christmas Winter Night"
stamp: Hero Arts "Holiday Sentiments"
inks: Distress inks (scattered straw, cracked pistachio, peeled paint, pumice stone, hickory smoke, rusty hinge, ground espresso, fired brick); NUVO autumn red crystal drops; NUVO crystal glaze; black Archival ink;  iridescent glitter

Hoping, as you plan for the holidays, that it will be cozy, warm and bright!
Thanks so much for viewing.  Thanks for the lovely comments.  Come again and I hope something you see is not disappointing.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Fun-Day Friday From My Stash"

Hello everyone.
It's Friday and you know what that means for me.
I pick from my stash things that may or may not end up in the trash one day.  I keep them for a while and when items start falling out or I get tired of looking at the overflow they are donated to my garbage.
When you peer at the focal image you will remember something similar to this that was done on Thursday, July 6, 2017 on this blog:  http://lilartsywoman.blogspot.com/2017/07/i-created-background-using-distress.html.
This card front was left over from that experiment.
Today, I added some stamping to the front, some dimensional flower stickers, a poppy stamp die, another water colored piece with a sentiment from Kaisercraft stamp.

 
entry for
http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com Anything Goes Challenge #294-#295

I took a picture of the stamp I used.  I don't have the package it came out of therefore I don't know the name.  If anyone  can tell me the name of this stamp, I would appreciate it so very much.

Some of the items used: pink, green blue, purple distress inks; water color black ink; white gel pen; Kaisercraft "lilac whisper" clear stamp; Poppy Stamp "River Faerie" die; Recollections dimensional flower stickers; NUVO crystal glaze

Thanks so much for stopping by and viewing this project.  Your visit and comment are always welcome.
Have yourself a marvelous weekend.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Be In Hope and In Prayer"

Hello to all on this Monday, July 17, 2017.
The weekend was fun, relaxing, enjoyable, refreshing and it needs to be repeated.
How did you manage?  Was there fun in your activities?

It's fun -day -Monday and I tried to keep my card really simple today.  My fingers did get a little messy but not that much.  I was focus on something soft and not too harsh.
I used  versa Mark ink,  white embossing powder, distress inks, clear stamps and liquid pearls.

 

Technique:

• Start with a piece of Strathmore Bristol smooth cardstock cut at the A2 size (4.25 x 5.5). 
• Using two stamps from Inkadinkado "beauty stems, the dove from Recollection "faith" stamp set along with the Misti stamping tool, stamp those items using Versa Mark ink and then use white embossing powder (heated).
• Use distress inks (not oxide) very lightly in the following colors spun sugar; fossilized amber; cracked pistachio.  Make sure the sentiment area is lightly ink.
• Use a sentiment from the Recollections "faith" clear stamp and stamp it in the lower right corner using black archival ink.
• Add the Ranger "liquid pearls" to the floral vines and next to the sentiment
• Layer your focal piece before adhering it to the Neenah white base cardstock

Below, from left to right are items used: Recollection "faith" clear stamps; Inkadinkado "beauty stem" clear stamps; Ranger mini distress inks; Ranger liquid pearls. 

This sentiment says it all when things may not be going good in your life but you haven't given up.  God is still in the healing and fixing business...we must be joyful in hope faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12).  Sometimes when you look around and think things over...it (the problem) could be worse than what it is at the moment.

Thanks for your precious time in viewing and commenting.  It is appreciated.
Come again to see what I'm doing.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

" Will We See The Cherry Blossoms In DC"

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Hello followers, visitors, viewers and friends.
Push through today and Friday and then you can have some fun.  I know you can and I know you will.
While we were having those warm days when the calendar was still saying winter on the East Coast, a lot of trees and flowers started budding and blooming. 
I'm not that far from Washington, DC.  The news reporters  kept reporting that the cherry blossom trees were blooming earlier than usual around the end of February. However, we've had snow and cold weather in the last weeks that had some effect on the blossoms that were on the trees and those that were beginning to form.   
The National Cherry Blossom Festival, an annual springtime celebration, attracts visitors from all over the world to Washington, D.C.  The Festival runs March 15 through April 16.  You can imagine the number of people who are on Spring Break attending this Festival and having a marvelous time visiting other areas around the White House. 
My card today reflects this occasion and the report of the cold weather not really keeping the blooms from blossoming or the people from visiting.

To make this card I:
1. Use a Ranger Craft Tag to do my coloring on.  I used various colors of Distress inks to color my background along with a stencil (cracked pistachio, scattered straw, stormy sky, peeled paint and twisted citron).
2.  I cut out the Cherry Blossom from the Spellbinders die using craft paper and scrap cardstock.
3. I added the liquid pearl to the center of each flower (pink).
4. The bird was added to the branch.  The bird is a patch I had in my file from years ago.
5. The sentiment which were words I typed and printed using my computer and printer.  Each one was cut out and placed on the tag.  The tag was layered on top of a brown Recollections piece of cardstock.
6.  I cut out a piece of DCWV "the Far East" cardstock paper to fit the length and width of the tag. This was also layered with a piece of brown Recollections piece of cardstock.
7. I used a Neenah white sheet of cardstock to make the card base.

Ranger liquid pearls

Ranger Distress inks

Spellbinders Cherry Blossoms die

 Thanks once again for viewing with me today.  If you get a chance before the April 16 and don't live that far from Washington, DC, visit the Cherry Blossom Festival. You could also visit the other attractions in this area .  There are various places of interest.

Come again.  I enjoy your visitation.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"SMILE...Flowers On Canvas"

Friday, March 3, 2017

Hello friends, followers, visitors and viewers.
Thank you so much for viewing this blog today and any day during this week.  We have been in my paper flower garden all week.  Every card that was posted this week had something to do with flowers.  If you missed any of the posting, just scroll through the "previous post" at the bottom to revisit what you missed or to just take another look.

Well, we are starting the great task of having a nice weekend.  The traditional winter weather is back along with coats, hats, boots and long sleeves.  It will not stop the fun.  We will just wrap up and enjoy this happy time.

Today's card started with a piece of canvas cut to card size.
I cut out a die from Sizzix "Garden Greens" and used the negative space as a stencil.
I used Ranger "peeled paint" and "twisted citron" to color in the greenery.
I also stamped the flower from Penny Black's "blooming garden" stamp onto the canvas and about four times on Neenah white cardstock.
To color the image, I used "abandoned coral" Distress Marker, "cherry" and "evergreen" American Crafts memory markers.
I cut out the four flowers  and de·cou·page them onto the canvas.
The die cuts from Sizzix "Garden Greens" were placed around the flowers.
The word "smile" was cut from Sizzix "friendship words: Script.
Nuvo "copper penny crystal drops were used.

I usually try to tie together something from the National Day Calendar.  What shall we celebrate today?
NATIONAL I WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY DAY
National I Want You to be Happy Day is observed annually on March 3.  This day was created as a day encouraging us to do something to make others happy.  Putting a smile on someone’s face tends to put one on ours, too.

Here is the card to share with you today:

 

Views of the card.
entry for www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

Supplies used from left to right:

• Sizzix Friendship Words:Script
• Sizzix Garden Greens
• Ranger peeled paint and twisted citron Distress Ink
• Nuvo crystal drops and Distress Ink Markers
• American Craft memory markers

Sizzix Big Shot Machine

Your presence here this week has been a blessing.  Thank you for viewing and leaving your comments and likes.  It takes people like you to keep me crafting along with those who receive my cards.

Enjoy your weekend either in the humid weather or in the cold weather...make it a great one!

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"I Just Want To See You Smile"

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Good Thursday morning to all my friends, followers, visitors and viewers.
Thank you so much for your comments on the cards I have been making.  Thank you for just stopping to say, "I hope you're doing okay".  Thank you for sharing something you've seen on my blog with others who may not be a follower or a viewer. Thank you, Thank you!

"Baby, it's cold outside".  The wind is blowing...no snow as of yet. I'm not waiting for it either.  Once is enough for me and we've had an enormous amount to satisfy my love for it back in January.  We also had a few flakes and sleet this past Sunday morning.  Warm thoughts and warm temperatures ...just what a cold nature girl requires at the moment.

Today, I just want to have some fun and to put a smile on your face. 
I attempted to put some elements on some paper and dress them up on a card base. I was trying out a stamp from Jane Davenport on a piece of cardstock and decided to add other things around it.  Take a look and enjoy...SMILE if you want to:

entry for Word Art Wednesday

Anything Goes - Challenge Weeks #268-269

Items used to make the card

Jane Davenport Acrylic stamps

Inkadinkado "beauty stems"

Darice "bee buzzing" embossing folder

Tim Holtz stampers anonymous "bubble" stencil

I also used some distress inks: scattered straw, abandoned coral and twisted citron and black ink for the stenciling

Bling stickers were added to the end of each dragonfly

Liquid Pearls was added to the lips

I love to see you smile when you're having a good day.  I'm assuming your day is as good as it can get.  It can't get any better than what it is at the moment.  Enjoy it!!!

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Fun With So Many Techniques"

Welcome to Monday friends, followers, visitors and viewers.
 According to the temperature, it doesn't appear as if Spring really wants to be the main season at this time.  How many of you had to pull out your winter garments on yesterday (if you live on the East Coast) and put them back on? I did, and I was nice and comfy  with a smile on my face as I watched some people shivering because they didn't dress accordingly.
My card for today appears as if I didn't know where to stop with the techniques I was using.  I first pulled out a piece of Ranger water color paper.  I used light blue at the top and a darker blue at the bottom.  Then, I added some gesso with a stencil.  After the drying period, I decided to add more color ( orange, pink, and yellow) in various spots. Using my Spellbinders Romantic Vine die, I cut out the image using a piece of distressed water colored paper that I had on my desk. The colors I had used on the distressed piece went very well with my latest water colored piece.  Instead of cutting out more images, I used two doilies from my stash that coordinated with the colors on my paper. Next, I found a flower that would blend in with everything I had used.  I layered everything together and now I'm stuck with what sentiment to include.   Guess what, I'm saving this one for one of those special occasion when I need any of the following cards: "Thank You",  "Thinking of You",  " With Heartfelt Sympathy", "Hello" or "Happy Birthday".
To a special person who I told to look on my blog:  What kind of sentiment would you like to see on this card?  Send me a private message and this could be in your mailbox before the week is out (smile).
Here is my share for today:

Thanks for viewing with me today.  Create by using more than one technique today.

Sending you a hug and Love,

Lois