Day 7 and just an image

I colored. That is all I accomplished today. Between all the little people pooping on the floor, spitting up, needing snacks, changing diapers, filling sippy cups, and, and, and... it is 11pm and I finally got a second to color a thing!

I needed it too!!!

Day 6 and I felt like Dory!

Have you seen that movie, the one where the blue fish continues to say Just keep swimming... ?

This card was my keep swimming moment of the week, for sure!

I embossed the image on white bristol smooth cardstock. I had envisioned water coloring these flowers with sepia tones. I did what I thought would have accomplished just that but, it did not look nice at all. I almost threw this card panel away. I never do that, but I almost did.

I got up from the craft desk and did some housework and went back to it. I figured I could splatter brown and gold splats on the image and maybe that would help. NOPE, still hated it.

I got out a stamp set that has splatters and swatches you can stamp so it looks random but it really is controlled... I stamped that on the image. STILL HATED IT!

I left it alone for a little while and did more housework. When I went back to my desk I actually picked it up to throw it away and then decided, to ink blend over it because maybe it would help. I thought it couldn't hurt. I was ready to throw it out anyway. So I ink blended distress oxide inks over the entire panel, image and all. AND... it looked like leather. I actually sort of liked it.

I decided to stamp a sentiment and then use those zig clean color real brush markers to add some deeper color inside the sentiment letters.

I layered the panel onto a piece of gold tonic cardstock and then onto dark brown.

I love how this ended up. It looks so regal and beautiful and stunning and warm and I was so excited to share it. 

Moral of the story for day 6 of this coloring challenge, keep swimming, that blue fish has it right.

Teachers Gonna Teach

I was blessed with the opportunity to create Teacher Appreciation cards for a school in Ohio where my best friend's son attends. Being tasked with 67 cards was sort of a challenge but I didn't want to bow out. 

I found this adorable paper pad by Doodlebug and decided I'd make the cards from that single pad of paper. That way they coordinate but wouldn't be the same. 

I also used several coordinating images from several companies, Simon Says Stamp, Tim Holtz, Lawn Fawn and a few others. Each card has the same basic sketch used and the same sentiment on the outside and inside (we can always count on you). 

I took a few photos so I could represent the multiple images and papers used. 

Tim Holtz Image

 Whipper Snapper Design Image








Tim Holtz Image









Whipper Snapper

 Tim Holtz

Tim Holtz

Lawn Fawn

Diana Girl: Growing in Unity Day 5

Today is the last and final day for me to be the returning Growing in Unity Girl this week. So far this week we have played with Ink Smooshing, Heat Embossing, Texture Paste, Black and white images, and now, COLOR, GLORIOUS COLOR!!!

I bring you day 5.

Two cards made using bright colors and patterns. One with pattern using dies and the other with pattern using patterned paper.

Diana Girl

This is the Diana Girl Stamp from Angie Blom and it is one of my favorite from the Angie Girl line. She exhibits the strength each woman has inside her and I love how empowered I can make someone feel when I send them a card using this image. 

For this beautiful, colorful, powerful card, I used the new Birch Press Dazzle Layering dies for the background. These are really neat and you layer the three die cuts to create this intricate pattern. Eye catching and bold, am I right? 

I went with the tried and true Copic Coloring for the Diana girl  and just fussy cut her out and popped her up on foam tape. Simple, more simple than it looks, for sure! 

The second card I wanted to show was this one.

You Make Cute Babies

As you can see, this is a very colorful and bold card as well. Almost all the colors are a result of the adorable paper, excluding the one bit of coloring on the heart. This card also uses simple layering of die cuts to create a cohesive looking card. 

Don't forget to leave a comment below for your chance to win some Unity Stamps!

(be sure to go back and leave comments on all this week's blog posts for more chances)

Products used to create these cards:

Diana Girl

Diana Girl stamp set can be purchased here: 

Diana Girl

Birch Press Dazzle Layering Dies

Copic Markers

3M foam tape

Michael's card stock

SSS stitched banner dies

You Make Cute Babies

You make cute babies stamp set can be purchased here;

You Make Cute Babies

Doodle bug patterned paper

SSS Intense black ink

3M foam tape

Copic R27 & R29

Unicorns & Rainbows: Growing in Unity Day 1

Hi Everyone, 

My name is Renee and I am one of the Growing in Unity girls for the week. I've been paper crafting for almost 20 years (I just gasped at that too). I started out with scrapbooks when I was pregnant with my oldest son, now almost 19 and have since switched almost exclusively to card making. I love the instant gratification cards bring. 

As I said, I started nearly 20 years ago while pregnant with my first son and just a few short weeks ago my husband and I welcomed collective baby number 7! We are a big blended family and our kids range from almost 19 to 5 weeks old. 

We endured a tragedy in 2013 when our 10 day old daughter Delaney passed away. Since then it has been my sole mission to spread joy and happiness. Although she did not pass away from cancer, I felt the people battling cancer were feeling the same helpless feelings my husband and I were while we watched our daughter struggle and fight. So, I've been sending cards of hope to cancer patients for the last 3 1/2 years, mostly anonymously, always full of love and hope. Unity has been a huge part of this because they carry such an amazing line of cancer stamps (so grateful for that, btw). 

This week I want to focus on techniques and bright fun cards. I hope you enjoy my cards as much as I do. Today's technique is INK SMOOSHING. By pressing the distress ink pads down on a piece of acetate and spritzing the pigment with water and dabbing your paper into the ink pool, you can create some really interesting and beautiful designs, images and backgrounds. 

My first card this week required me to step outside my crafty comfort zone, completely. I'm not usually a fan of ink smooshing because it delivers results that are less than ... controlled... and I'm a pretty clean and simple card maker. The background on this card is rainbow ink smooshing, what else would you think would be appropriate for this super cute Unicorn by Susan Weckesser?

This set is called Unicorns & Rainbows and comes with 6 red rubber stamps. I used three image stamps and the sentiment to create this card.

I paper pieced the cute unicorn and cloud onto the background, colored the rainbow with some fun copic markers and added some sparkle to the unicorn. How much fun is this card!












Be sure to leave a comment below for your change to win some fun stamps from Unity Stamp Company!



The products used to create this bright and cheery card are:

Unity Stamp Co Unicorns & Rainbows available here:
Unicorns & Rainbows

Ranger Distress Inks:
Candied Apple
Carved Pumpkin
Mustard Seed
Lucky Clover
Blueprint Sketch
Wilted Violet

Additional Products Used:
A Muse Studio Landscape die- cloud border
Mama Elephant Die- Park Ave. Frame
Copic Markers- Rainbow colors
PPP sequins
Tim Holtz water color paper
Spectrum noir sparkle overlay pen

Day 30 of the 30 Day Coloring Challenge!!!

Day 30 of the 30 Day Coloring Challenge put on by The Daily Marker. Check out all the entries, use hashtag #thedailymarker30day to check them out.

Today I started creating inventory for Craft Fair Season. I made 16 of these cards using different Designer papers.

All basically colored the same but different enough. I even used "craft herpes" I mean... glitter...

Day 28 of the 30 Day Coloring Challenge

Day 28 of the 30 Day Coloring Challenge put on by the Daily Marker. Anyone can still play along use hashtag #thedailymarker30day

The image used is actually a free image that came with a card makers magazine. I used cream colored card stock and Copic Markers to color the image. Used a white gel pen to add the dot details.

Day 27 of the 30 Day Coloring Challenge

Day 27 of the 30 Day Coloring Challenge by The Daily Marker. Anyone can play along still use hashtag #thedailymarker30day

I chose my color combination today based on a color challenge put on by Splitcoast Stampers. The colors were a dusty purple, greyed olive and light teal.

I believe this AngieGirl stamp named Harmony Girl is a new stamp. Available at Unity Stamp Company's online store.

Stamping and coloring on the designer paper actually makes this image appear softer. I love how this turned out.

Day 19 of the 30 Day Coloring Challenge

Day 19 of the 30 Day Coloring Challenge by The Daily Marker includes this adorable card!

Anyone can play along with the Coloring Challenge just use hashtag #thedailymarker30day

Today I wanted to show that a card doesn't have to have tons of layers or images or take a ton of time. This simple image was colored using a few Copic markers and then cut out, fussy cut. I used some foam adhesive to pop it up on a plain sugar card base. Stamped a sentiment from the same stamp set and it was a great card.

How cute is this little fudge pop? I mean, adorable, right?  I just didn't have the heart to make him share the spotlight with any other image.

A Muse Studio Products Used:

Cardstock- Sugar

Copic Markers

3D Foam Adhesive

Stamp set- We All Scream


These products and more can be purchased at: Renee's A Muse Studio Store

Day 17 of the 30 Day Coloring Challenge... and a sneak peek

Day 17 of the 30 Day Coloring Challenge is a sneak peek at a new set by A Muse Studio that will be available starting March 1st. The set is called Crazy Friends and it has some of the funniest sentiments. There are also matching dies.

As always, you can play along with the 30 day challenge by using hashtag #thedailymarker30day

So back to the card. I was having trouble with inspiration when it came to making a card. I have been being mommy to a very crabby 8 month old little boy for days now and I am mentally exhausted. So, I turned to the Mojo Monday sketch challenge and to Always Playing with Paper's color challenge.

I could have stamped the flowers directly onto this panel but it was an after thought. So I used the coordinating die to cut it out perfectly. I colored the image using Copic Markers. 

The cups were stamped onto the matching die cut using a stamp positioner, then colored using Copic Markers. A thin layer of quickie glue and some glitter on the hearts and these cups were perfect. They are actually stacked on two additional die cuts for a little depth. They were the original intended image for this card but when I started putting it together I knew it needed something more. And that is really how the flowers happened. 

P.S. I need a new camera or better lighting or something because these colors are not photographing as they appear in person. And that makes me pretty sad. 

A Muse Studio Products Used:

Card Stock

Sugar

Pebble Petite Hexagon

Apple Reverse Polka dot

Apple Petite Hexagon

Diamond Glitter

Tag Bundle Die Set

3D Foam Adhesive

And the Crazy Friends Stamp and Die sets. (these are available through pre-order now... contact me for further details)

These items and more can be purchased online at: www.amusestudio.com/reneemoran

find me on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/becauseofdelaneyjane

or: www.facebook.com/reneemoranandamusestudio

Day 16 in the 30 Day Coloring Challenge

Day 16 of 30 in The Daily Marker's 30 day coloring challenge. Anyone can still play along. Just use hashtag #thedailymarker30day

Copics and my comfort zone returned with this one.

Day 13 of the 30 Day Coloring Challenge

Day 13 of the 30 day Coloring Challenge by the daily marker, and this is my coloring for the day.

Anyone can play along, just use the hashtag #thedailymarker30day.

This seems like a lot more work than it really was. I stamped the poppy image and colored it with Copic Markers. I trimmed out the poppy leaving a slight white border on one side and the rest of the paper on the other. I stamped the sentiment in Versamark Ink and heat embossed with Ranger Ultrafine Gold embossing powder. Then stamped the rest of the sentiment on white and again embossed. Popped the white sentiment "beautiful" up on foam adhesive.


A Muse Products Used:

Cardstock
Sugar
Onyx

Stamps
Stained Glass Poppy
Hello Gorgeous

Copic Markers
3D Foam Adhesive

A Muse products can be purchased here: Renee's A Muse Studio Store