Y'all ready for a few cards?

If I didn't bore ya to tears with the post about my soap-making experience earlier, maybe I can entertain you with some crafting eye candy. Either way, thanks for sticking with me!This card was super easy to make. The entire front - frame, flower, butterfly & grungy colors was e-mailed to me by the UBER talented Leanne Ellis. I simply added the sentiment (from TAC's "Inspirational Sayings" T-2105) in Rich Cocoa Memento Ink, homemade glimmer mist spritzes in bronze & pearl, and black floral trim. It made a beautifully elegant sympathy card for a friend in Pennsylvania whose granddaughter was lost in a tragic car accident last week.

This little darling WAS going to be entered into two challenges - the Sugar Bowl & Copic Colour Challenge, but I was too late, thanks to my sinus infection. It is currently traveling to Coweta, Oklahoma to my "mom by heart" for Mother's Day.
Blue background cardstock is from The Paper Studio. All patterned papers are from Prima's "Nursery Tales" paper collection. COPIC markers used for this project:B00, BV00, YG03, BV04, V01, 100, C1, C5, C7, YG06, RV11, V04, YR00, E02, Y00, Y11, & Y21

This is another beauty that showcases Leanne's incredible talent. I'm telling ya, she can e-mail me ANY TIME! *LOL* The black heart was a stamp from Lil See Ds & I just added the black rick-rack trim. I think my mother-in-law will love it!

This one is for my mother-in-law, but from the boys. I used some more of Leanne's artwork, added a touch of color with my COPICs, colored some chipboard with E49, then used Perfect Medium & bronze pearls to make the photo corners.Looks amazing & I think Mimi will get a kick out of it!This card is going to my gramma. She was never really a "dress" gal herself, but she always did the girly-girl thing for me, my sister, & my girl cousins. I remember, she bought me the prettiest lilac colored formal for my 8th grade graduation...LOVED it!Template for the dress can be found HERE. Paper is from My Mind's Eye, ribbon is colored to coordinate with COPIC markers, & the entire card was distressed with Ranger Ink in vintage photo.
That's it for me...I'm still not back to 100%, so I need to call it a day! Tomorrow....colored satin ribbons & MAYBE a painted project. Thanks for stopping by!!

So what if....

the Indianapolis Colts had won the Super Bowl, you ask? Okay, so maybe YOU didn't ask, but someone DID ask that I share the blue and white project I had waiting in the wings for this last K.I.S.S. I mentioned on Sunday that I had a project in each team's colors for my K.I.S.S. project and was waiting for the final score. If Peyton had stayed in peak performance & had led his team to victory, my post would have included this:Very simple but very pretty. I used a distressed blue dotted paper from the Scrapbook/Craft section of King's (a local northern Utah store) that I picked up a couple of summers ago, a white heart paper doily, two blue silk flowers, and a half pearl. I really like how it turned out.

Now this darling image below is "Manga Boy" from Funky Kits, UK. Chris got him (& a few others) for me as an early Valentine's gift and in celebration of the Colts making it to the Super Bowl. I had stamped the image last week as soon as I had him mounted on cling cushion, but didn't get to "play" with him till last night. He's just OODLES of fun to color with my COPIC markers & I've got some ideas to change up his look a bit for future cards. You know, make him not so conservative or traditional and more....Manga. *LOL* Right now, he kinda looks like my scruffy-headed boys!This is another image that Chris got for me from Funky Kits. I just love Leanne Ellis & I've played with her artwork, with her permission, on here before. I'm entering this lovely in Frosted Designs "Valentine Challenge" because they want you to use ANYTHING BUT pink or red. This definitely qualifies! *LOL* I used a brown patterned background paper from MME, paper doily inked with Ranger Distress colors of Tea Dye, Vintage Photo, and Walnut Stain. I used a blending stump, a bit of water and the same inks to color the image. The hearts & wings are "sugared" with antique linen Distress Stickles.I have also had a request to show how I made that flower last week. Well, when I made one Sunday for the Saints card, I made sure I took pix of the steps I used to make them. I also made some in different sizes, as well. As soon as I have all the pictures watermarked, I'll post them for you.

Thanks for stopping by & have a great rest of your day!!

Keepin' It Simple Sunday - Special Edition

I say "special" because, well, it IS. I sent off a request to an artist that I've admired for some time now, e-mailed her some of the cards that I had made with her work, and asked her permission to share them with you.

I'm humbled, honored, and tickled pink that she kindly said YES! {Dork Dancing} So, without further fanfare, my cards for Keepin It Simple Sunday featuring the artwork of the EXTREMELY talented Leanne Ellis....{applause}

"Complicated"

"Gifted"

"Pursuit of Happiness"

"Sincerely"

"Sincerely" (close-up)

"Time"

Card ingredients:
papers from My Mind's Eye, K&Co, Making Memories, & ProvoCraft
digital paper from Wench'd Grafix (punhed strip used in "Pursuit of Happiness")
punches from Martha Stewart & EK Success
Memento Inks in London Fog ("Sincerely" & "Pursuit of Happiness") and Tuxedo Black ("Gifted") from Tsukeniko
Ranger Distress Inks - walnut ("Time") and vintage photo ("Complicated")
Distress tool from Heidi Swapp ("Time")
paper doily ("Gifted")
COPIC markers used to accent the lovely sepia & black/white artwork
"Thinking of You" and "I miss you!" stamps from The Angel Company

I'd like to say a BIG thank you to Leanne for so generously allowing me to use her beautiful artwork. I really had a great time putting these pieces together & will be doing more in the future {wink}. I hope you all agree that Keepin' It Simple doesn't mean that you have to sacrifice beauty.

Thanks for stopping by & have a great rest of your day!!