myasperations 4-19-24

     I am honored to have served as a Guest Designer for Beccy Muir at Beccy’s Place and am now one of her “Contributors” (which means that she provides me with digis or clear stamp sets several times a year and I get to create cards or other items with them!) It is always fun to see the images Beccy invites me to use and this time my card features Beccy’s new sets named Bountiful Balloons. I used 1 pre-colored digi (mainly because Beccy’s coloring is always stellar) plus 2 sentiments from the set. After enlarging a Happy Birthday sentiment to fit across the bottom of an A2-sized card front, I positioned the line of balloons to “float” about the letters. I added shading  (depth) to the sentiment with a grey marker,  and a bit of highlighting to the balloons with a white colored pencil and white gel pen. The balloons were then finished by first gently providing the look of translucency by adding various "layers" behind several of the lighter-colored balloons. “Strings” were  then  lightly sketched between the balloons and letters and little bows were added. (I first sketched the strings and bows with a pencil and then traced over them with a permanent fine-line pen, but if you have a steady hand, you might be able to skip the pencil step!) 

   If you follow my blog, you'll know that I usually try to match the inside of my cards to the front. So... this time I used a single balloon, backed by a scrap of the patterned paper used on the front. After adhering a sentiment tag, I "anchored" the balloon to it by sketching its tail wrapped around the tag so it can't float away up, up and away!  

Supplies: 

·   Precolored Digi and Sentiments from Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Bountiful Balloons)

·   A bit of shading/layering with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and highlighting with white colored pencil and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Sparkly Star Stickers- Hobby Lobby

·   Pioneer Black Photo corners- available from several sources

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Colorful Options Monthly Challenge: April Pastels  (optional rainbow)      

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #643-644

Outlawz- Tuesday Color Challenge- Color Wheel 

Outlawz Challenge- April 2024 Linky

     This second card features another fun Beccy’s Place digi set that I recently added to my collection. I love that Beccy names all of her characters, and this beautiful flamingo is named “Carole”! One of my sisters, named Carol (no ‘e’), is a talented magician (I mean hair stylist!)  I’ve appreciated how she has helped to tame my mane for many decades.  She is truly a Rock Star! So this card will be sent to her. That said, I already printed off the other flock members, (Kenneth, Beverly, and Cecil) so watch for them to show up on cards in the near future! 

     I’m entering my card into several challenges including Park Hopping-My Happy Place (This is another of my favorite challenges… as it has introduced me to many new amusement parks. This flamingo card was inspired by: Kilimanjaro Safari in Animal Kingdom, Disneyworld, FL)

Supplies: 

·   Precolored Digi and Sentiment from Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Flockstar)

·   A bit of highlighting added with Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Upcycled calendar page, pink feathers, and other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge- Anything Goes (optional: Baby Animals) 

Park Hopping-My Happy Place (April)       Kilimanjaro Safari 

Beccy’s Place Challenge- April   

        Since I’m a Contributor for Beccy’s Place, I’m entering just for fun! 

     A few years ago I discovered a great group on FB named Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers {BYSHC}. They offer monthly Christmas-themed sketch challenges, plus they host Linky parties several times a year that include lots of wonderful prizes and the groups sponsor is so gracious and kind!) 

       This is my first entry into their annual Sping into Christmas Linky Party. I’m also entering it into several other challenges including ABC Christmas Challenge:  H is for Hats (Although it is small, Santa is wearing his iconic hat!) and Passion for Markers: Check It Out (the diecut lettering was first cut out of green checked paper, which provides a contrast to the gold and black die-cut sentiment. This challenge also requires that there must be hand-coloring on the card. The mini Santa didn’t require very many colors or coloring, however, I did use a white gel pen to add the texture of thick curls to the little guy's beard!)

Supplies: 

·   Santa Claus-Hero Arts Wood Mount Stamp (Retired)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Front Sentiment “Merry Christmas ”- My Favorite Things Die-Namics  (Retired)

·   Inside Sentiment “Jingle All the Way”-Freebie from TLC Creates FB you can find HERE

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday (Christmas)

ABC Christmas Challenge-H and I are for…? ‘H is for Hats’.

BYSHC Spring into Christmas 2024 Linky Party        

Passion for Markers Challenge- Week #735: Check It Out