Altenew Academy day 3 (and 2)

I'm still playing catch up in the One-Layer Wonders class over at the Altenew Academy.  I am determined that I WILL finish it.  My coloring/learning time is just as important as getting chores done, working, taking care of the family and so on.  This is my Mantra today!  It's hard to allow myself the time some days.

Anywho, you're probably more interested in seeing what I've been learning!  Here is my homework for day 3.

So much about this card was outside my comfort zone but I just went for it!  If Kelly Latevola says anyone can do it...then that includes me!  I adore how it turned out!

Supplies I used are:

Distress Oxide inks-Seedless Preserves, Bundled Sage, Worn Lipstick, Fired Brick and Cracked Pistachio

Stamp sets--WPlus9 Hibiscus Bouqet and Simon Says Stamp Handlettered Encouragement

Copic markers-  N1, 3 & 5, V05, RV21, G43 & G02

I did complete my day 2 homework I just didn't get a chance to get a good picture until now.  So here is day 2.

I had a little trouble with splotchy ink but I'm pleased with the look overall!

I used Copic markers for the shading but I didn't write down which colors.  I used Crystal Stickles.

Stamps used Altenew Pattern Play Hexagon, Lawn Fawn Violet's ABCs and the small sentiment is from Concord & 9th.  Heart die from my collection for the shape mask.

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kristina

Altenew Academy day 1

I'm a little behind the game but I just signed up today for the One-Layer Wonders Class at Altenew Academy. It is being taught by the always funny, always wonderful Kelly Latevola.  I hadn't planned on taking this class (I'm behind on several) but I saw so many gorgeous class examples by students that I just had to sign up! 

So here is my day 1 homework...just a little behind!  Baground stamp is from The Ton Stamps, the word "you" is from CTMH and "beautiful" is from Concord & 9th.

Stay tuned...more lessons and homework to come!

~Kristina

Coloring Challenge day 13

Hi one and all!  I've got a quick post to share with you today!  I have been playing along with Kathy Racoosin's 30 day coloring challenge and I actually completed a full card!  You can find more details about the challenge on Kathy's blog right HERE.  The main point is just that you color a little bit every day for 30 days in a row.  That's it!  Five minutes all you have?? Fine!  Colored one leaf?  Awesome!  Can't play every day?  No problem!  Play along when you can!  Super easy and super fun!

So, here's my project for today!

I started by smooshing three different colors of Distress Oxide inks directly onto watercolor cardstock.  I used Shaded Lilac, Wilted Violet and Seedless Preserves.  I then sprayed it liberally with a pearl shimmer spray.  I soaked up bits here and there with a paper towel and dryed it with my heat gun.  I felt a few spots were splotchy yet so I repeated.  Once it was dry, I sprayed it with clean water and blotted it up with a paper towel.  Then I just stared at it.  It was lovely but I had no clue what to do with it!

I looked around on my very messy craft desk and a stamp set jumped out at me.  It's from Gina K Designs and is called Through Thick and Thin.  You can find it on Gina's website HERE.  I stamped the images using my Misti just in case I didn't get good coverage since I was stamping on watercolor paper.  Once that was finished I thought about it a little more.  What could I do to add a little something extra to this piece?  Copic markers!!  I took T3 and T1 and went around the outside of all the flowers.  I loved it so much I also added the same two colors to the shadowed areas of the stamp.

Then I couldn't decide where to put a sentiment over all of that loveliness, so I didn't!  I cut it out with two different stitched rectangle dies from MFT stamps.  The outside layer I adhered directly to the card base and used craft foam on the center layer.  I happened to have a little baggie of sequins laying out that were the perfect accent.  And that's it!

One close up picture just because!

Hope you find time to join in!

~Kristina

Coffee Lovers take 3

Woot!  I had a goal to get three cards made for this round of the Coffee Lovers blog hop.  I am happy to say that I did it! 

Go HERE to get details and link up!

My last two cards have been coffee colored so I wanted to try something a bit more vibrant.

To create the plaid background I busted out my brand new Sketched Stripes background stamp set from Concord & 9th.  It's so much fun!  I used Berry Burst and Lemon Lime Twist inks from Stampin Up!  I cut the word "coffee" out with the Stitched Alphabet dies from My Favorite things.  I set the plaid letters aside and cut them again out of the Berry Burst cardstock and white.  I glued the white and Berry Burst layers together.

I adhered the plaid piece on to a Lemon Lime Twist panel with a layer of foam tape.  This was then glued onto a white card base.  I put glue in the open letter areas and carefully added the letters in.  They are slightly recessed since the base is popped up on foam tape.  

I really wanted the card to say "Coffee Understands" but I searched through my coffee sets and a few others and couldn't find any with the word "understands".  So I went to the internet, found a new font that I thought went well and printed it directly onto another piece of the lime cardstock.  I cut it out and glued it directly onto the plaid piece.  Of course, I had to add sequins for a little sparkle and I called it done. #springsummer2018clh

Hope you like it!

~Kristina

Coffee Lovers take two!

Hidey ho crafty friends!  I am back with a second card for the Coffee Lovers blog hop!  Remember, you can find full details and the link up right HERE.

Today's post is another quickie!  So let's start with a picture of my completed card!

For this card I started with a piece of watercolor paper.  I embossed the coffee image with white embossing powder.  This cup is from the Altenew Coffee with a Splash set.  I've been trying to find a way to use this set and this was the perfect chance.  I then blended on three different colors of distress ink for an ombre look.  I used Antique Linen, Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso.  I splattered on clean water, let it sit for a few moments and then blotted it up with a paper towel.

Once it was dry I added the sentiment from The Ton's Caffiene Crush set.  I used Versafine black ink and clear embossing powder.  I used my corner chomper to round two of the corners.  I added craft foam to the back and glued it to a white card base.  For the final little bit of shine, I added Ivory crystals from Pretty Pink Posh.  Ta da!

I am hopeful that I can get at least one more card made before the challenge is over.  Thanks for popping in!

~Kristina

Coffee Lovers Blog hop

Just a quickie post today to share the first card I have completed for the Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers blog hop!

You can find full details on how to participate and link up HERE.

And here is my card!

I'm so thrilled with how this card turned out!  It was an idea that popped in my brain and actually translated out to a card!  Yay me!

Background was created using alcohol inks and Yupo paper.  I used Latte, Hazelnut, Espresso and gold mixative.  After it was dry I glued on all those THIN coffee cup die cuts.  The die is quite lovely and is made by Poppy Stamps.  It is called Morning Cup.  The sentiment stamp is from SugarPea Designs and is called Perfect blend.  I believe the die I used to cut out the square is from My Favorite things.  And that's it!

Hope you all get a chance to play along.  I hope to be back with another card or maybe two! #springsummer2018clh

~Kristina

Color Throwdown #493

Howdy, howdy!  I can't believe it but I managed to complete a card for the second week in a row to play along with the Color Throwdown Challenge!  Here are this weeks colors.

I started off my card by pulling out two distress ink colors that I thought fit the color scheme--Peacock Feathers and Twisted Citron.  They happen to be two of my favorite distress ink colors.  They are just so darn bright and happy!

I cut a piece of watercolor paper down to A2 size.  I then went to town with ink smooshing.  I just tapped the ink pads directly onto my craft mat, spritzed with water (mixed with Perfect Pearls) and laid my paper on top.  I dried the paper and then went back for more color.  Once I was happy with it I pulled out one of my newest dies.  I am so happy to finally have it as I had to wait almost five weeks for it to arrive!  It is the Feathers in the Wind set from Stephanie Low and Spellbinders.

I cut the feather out using the piece of paper I had ink smooshed.  I also cut the shadow layer out of white and adhered together.  The sentiment is from a Simon Says Stamp set called Hand Lettered Encouragement.  I stamped it on white paper and sponged it with a little bit of each of the two distress ink colors.

I found a piece of cardstock in my collection that went really well with my smooshed piece but I felt it was too plain.  I found a lovely embossing folder in my collection and ran it through my Cuttlebug.  For even more interest it splattered it with the distress inks and a little bit of white.  This was then adhered to a white card base.

I played around until I was happy with the placement of the feather and the sentiment.  The sentiment was adhered directly to the aqua paper.  I used foam tape to pop up the feather.  And since I can't leave things alone, I added a few sequins for extra bling!

You can find full challenge details and the place where you can link up your creation right HERE.

Hope to see you all again soon!
~Kristina