Art Journaling - Tagents & Tactics No. 1 - Starburst

I did it! I finally got rolling (properly) with my Art Journal thanks to this thread on Splitcoaststampers and these prompts on Daisy Yellow Art.  And yeah, I started thinking about this page when the prompt was put to my attention on Splitcoaststampers.  It really took me that long and several attempts to get to this point where I am happy with it.

I will be honest.  I was very hung up on doing it "right" instead of just doing it.  Finally I decided it is my journal and whatever the prompt I can't do it wrong because I am doing it for me and if someone else likes it then that is ok too.

This first page for me was a trip down memory lane.  Every time I wanted to start the Starburst screamed Sunburst to me and "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles.  So I based this page on my memories of that song including writing out the lyrics and journaling about when it was "my song" in a play.

I think my favorite part of this page is the floating feathers and maybe the multicolored rain! oh and the blue and green waves...

Ingredients
Canson XL Mixed Media 14" x 11" pad
Copic Multiliners
Koi Water Colors

New Home, New door, New step, New plaque, New plants...

So with just about everyone I know (slight exaggeration but only slight) moving this summer, at some point I came upon this idea that it would be cool to do a door/doorstep card and have light come through the glass of the door.  Although there are many beautiful door dies out there, I didn't really feel the need to invest in them.  I used what I have.  So with a combination of Spellbinders rectangles and long rectangles this is what I came up with after a bazillion passes through the die cutter.  Now, I know it doesn't look like the typical "American" door, but that is okay because it wasn't going to an American but rather to my MIL in England and they do have front doors like this (although I don't know what her current front door looks like).
  

They also have wall plaques with their house numbers on.  Again I don't know if she does but I thought she might appreciate the detail, though admittedly it is probably too small to read.  The vines around the door were a "save" I dropped some extra color on the front of the card after I was well into the construction process and had to camouflage the area to hide it.

I knew when I was laying out this card that I wanted a potted plant next to the door as my MIL loves to garden and has been a long time member of many gardening clubs.  I initially was going to stamp a Kitchen sink Hydrangea but the proportions were just too big for what I was trying to do.  I searched out my old, trusty See D's stamps and found just what I needed, well almost.  I found a beautiful bouquet in a vase.  Well, who sits a vase on their front step.  The same set had a flower pot, so I did a bit of masking and came up with this arrangement.

I played a bit with my watercolors and color mixing especially with the purple/yellow to get a brown middle that fits.

Now I just hopes she likes it!

Ingredients:

Card size - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2";

Cardstock - Recollections 65lb: Ivory, Red, Gray; Vellum;

Stamps - See D's: Floral, Whimsical Garden; JustRiteStampers - Special Occasions;

Ink - Archival ink, Memento - GrayFlannel, Cottage Ivy, New Sprout, Northern Pine, Pear Tart; Versamark, Delicata Golden Glitz

Color - Koi Watercolors;

Accessories - Spellbinders dies, UTEE

Yappy Barkday!

Giddy with excitement! I was drawn to win a High Hopes challenge a couple of weeks ago and then asked if I wanted to be a guest for a challenge.  YES! was my answer and here is my card.  The challenge is Blue, Brown, Cream/White.  OK, I have to admit to adding a bit of black in there, but it is only a little.

I added a bit of sparkle with Copic Spica Atyou pens. On the hats and bows/ribbons.  I have been having sparkle envy with everyone's Wink of Stella.  I think it is just enough especially as this is for a guy.

Ingredients
Card Size - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Cardstock - Artist Loft: watercolor; Recollections: Kraft, Navy 65lb;
Stamps - High Hopes Stamps: Brutus, Scotty Dog, Odie Dog, party hat two, single present; Studio G: alphabet stamps;
Ink - Memento: Tuxedo Black, Nautical Blue, Danube Blue, Bahama Blue;
Color - Copics; Koi Watercolors; Spica Atyou;
Accessories - Polka Dots embossing folder; Dimensional tape; Eyelets; Twine.

You're snow n'ice

I made this card for the High Hopes Challenge Ice or Snow .  I knew I wanted to use this bear but it tested my abilities to make a slope and background. I accented the snow flakes with Stickles for a bit more pizzazz.  I think it works or at least I hope it does.  I based the coloring on my eldest's school colors so will probably send this to him at some point in the school year.

I thought of the blog title after I took the picture - I'll probably add that to the front somewhere because it fits before I send it off.

Ingredients
Card size - 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Cardstock - Artist Loft: Watercolor paper; Recollections: Kraft 65lb;
Stamps - High Hopes Stamps: Bearly Swooshin', Snow Background;
Ink- Archival: black; Memento: Summer Sky;
Color - Koi Watercolor
Accessories - Diamond Stickles

Crafting with Lindsay, the Frugalcrafter, - Hummingbird

We are so lucky to have someone like Lindsay to share her talents and teaching with us mere wannabes.  This is a complete CASE of her recent Hummingbird card tutorial.  This was another card I made for my husband for his birthday.  He loves birds.  He isn't a twitcher though has a friend that is.

I watched Lindsay's tutorial and then followed along a bit but did my own thing as well.  I will say I think I need to loosen up a bit with my drawing and paint strokes although I am quite happy with how this turned out.  Well, I'm quite happy until I go and look at Lindsay's original!!! LOL! gotta keep trying.

Ingredients
Card Size - 5" × 6-7/8"(127 mm × 175 mm)
Cardstock - Strathmore Watercolor card
Color - Koi watercolors, Twinkling H20s

Captain America die cut card.

This is one of the cards I made for my husband's birthday (the irony is he is English).  I hope by now he appreciates my humor.

I can't remember exactly where I saw this idea of inlaying the die cuts to create the shield.  It definitely isn't my idea.

I have to say if I did this card again I would put the shield a little higher on my card but generally like the way it came out.  It looks even lower in the picture.  It is centered on the card but looks low.

Ingredients
Card size - 8.5 in x 5.5 in;
Cardstock - Recollections 110 lb white, 65lb white, blue, red;
Accessories - Spellbinders Nestabilities - circles, stars.

What's Up?

I created this card for High Hopes blog challenge Fall Colors.  I always think of browns, reds, oranges and golds when I think fall and hope this card conveys that.

I have wanted to make this card for a long time, like ever since I bought the stamps!!!  So I thought this was a good opportunity to combine it with the challenge.

The image is stamped with Rich Cocoa and watercolored with Inktense pencils.  I'm still working on my Inktense technique.  I did run into a bit of trouble with the watercolor paper pilling where I was working it too much, but I like the effect it left.

I won't say I'm 100% happy with this card - I like the background and mat, I like the image and idea.  I wanted Henrietta to pop more - maybe some colored pencils would help but I'm a bit worried about introducing them when the paper was already pilling.  Think I better call it a good job done and move on!

Psst - that apostrophe on the "what's" totally had to improvise it from the "!".  I think it worked.

Ingredients
Card size - 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches;
Cardstock - Recollections: kraft, red; Artist Loft: Watercolor;
Stamps - High Hopes: Henriettas backside, chicken prints; Studio G: alphabet;
Ink - Memento: Rich Cocoa;
Color - Derwent Inktense.