Well, we’re about to put another challenge into the books! It’s time to get ready for next month’s challenge… “thinking of you”. Sometimes I use a “thinking of you” sentiment just because it seems to go with pretty much any design. However, there are definitely designs that really convey that you are thinking of someone. I’ll give you an example when we launch the challenge next week.
Today’s card is mostly white, but it has a lot of different textures and elements… vellum, pearls, ribbon, stitching. I realized that I don’t have a lot of butterfly stamps. I pulled out my old Hero Arts Antique Engravings set. I bet a lot of you have this set – it was so popular for a long time. I don’t think you can get it anywhere other than eBay now.
I rarely make a card without a sentiment, but I didn’t want to disrupt the white with a sentiment. If you wanted to incorporate one, I would probably set it just underneath the butterfly. I will probably use this card as a simple note card.
Thank you for being so understanding about my vacation last week! All of you were so kind in the comments and I appreciate it so much. It was a great time… I added a few photos at the end of the post.
I have another card for you in the spirit of the August Monochromatic Challenge. This time I’m using a Zig marker on some colored cardstock. It was such an easy card!
While we were in Colorado, we did a ropes course at the top of the mountain. It was so much fun! Plus the weather and scenery were fantastic. Here are all of us ready to go:
The girl in the middle is a friend of the family who came with us. Here I am pretty much in control:
And here I am not in control at all. Courtney is in front of me:
All of us finished the entire course, which took several hours. I felt very accomplished afterward. 🙂
On Monday I announced that I would be posting throwbacks on Wednesday and Friday of this week while I am on vacation. Thus, we have “Throwback Friday”. 🙂
I can’t believe I made this card 3 years ago! Time flies when you’re having fun. I chose this one because it’s one of my favorites. I love little critters, especially the front and back stamps. You’ll have to go to the post to see the inside of the card – you won’t regret it.
See the post for details and a video. Have a wonderful day!
On Monday I announced that I would be posting throwbacks on Wednesday and Friday of this week while I am on vacation. Thus, we have “Throwback Wednesday”. 🙂
In the spirit of the Monochromatic Challenge, I thought I would throwback to a monochromatic card I made using a stencil blotting technique:
See the post for details and a video. Have a wonderful day!
Today I’m trying out some of my new Stampin’ Up! colors. I love them! The smooth coverage is beautiful. Be sure to use Stampin’ Up! cardstock with them – it really makes a huge difference with the quality of the stamping.
I used my MISTI to get my stamps perfectly aligned for the pattern. I think back to when the Misti first came out. I was very skeptical about it. I thought it was just a luxury item and not worth the cost. Seriously, I was wrong, wrong, wrong. It’s one of my favorite tools that has lots of uses.
For today’s card, I heat embossed two images (the sentiment and the feather), then used Peerless watercolors on top of them. You could do this with any sentiment underneath a stamped image that has some solid parts to it. Go through your stamp collection and see what would work!
Here is a close-up of the double emboss:
I used my craft-foam-trick for flattening out my watercolor cardstock. One thing I didn’t mention in the video is that this trick works well because I am using thin watercolor paper. As a result, the watercolor paper can take the shape of the foam.
One oops – in the video I said the circle sizes were 4 and 4 1/4″. They are actually 4 1/2 and 4 3/4″. Sorry about that!
I’ve got another example of a monochromatic card for this month’s challenge. I went with all tones of red, along with kraft, black, and white. I used the Wreath Turnabout that I used on this card. I love that this set contains two completely different wreath looks. They are both so pretty!
I used Distress Oxide inks because they work great on kraft cardstock. You can see another example of it HERE. A close-up of the stamping:
Welcome to the next monthly Challenge! This month is about monochromatic cards… cards with one main color. You can include any neutral you want (black, white, brown, kraft, etc.), but you should stick with one actual color for the card. You can also use multiple tones of the color you choose.
The last day to submit your entry is Friday, August 31st, 11:59pm CT. One random winner will be selected from all entries and announced on Saturday, September 1st.
The giveaway will be a $25 gift voucher to Simon Says Stamp, one of my favorite stores!
Okay, just to recap the main rules:
Use a single color in your card.
You can submit as many entries as you like! However, please submit only one entry per card.
After submitting your entry, leave a comment on the entry just before yours.
Leave more comments on entries, if you’re so inclined. 🙂
To be eligible for a prize, you must be an active member of LiveLoveCards at the time the winner is announced and your card must have been made in the current month.
I used Wilted Violet Distress Oxide ink, which allows you to get a unique, interesting look with multiple layers. My sentiment is popped up in the middle using craft foam. Here is a close-up:
Have fun with the challenge. I look forward to seeing what you come up with!
Card made with a Power Poppy set called "Orchids Rock", stamped with Versafine black ink and colored with a black, gray and white Prismacolor pencils.
Thinking of You
I made this for a guy (obviously) who is facing serious illness. The woodgrain is from ms. sparkle & co. (from JoAnnes bargain bin) and I have had the tree stamp forever - no idea where it is from.
This card was made with the Power Poppy set called "Countryside Bouquet Delux", stamped with Versamark and heat embossed in white. I sponged the image with Picked Raspberries Distress Ink and then, went over the petals with a wet brush to remove some of the ink. I added a big of highlights with my white Prismacolor pencil.
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MFT stamp set, lots of yellow.
Yellow roses
I found the card design on Pinterest. The only info I could find was 1.bp.blogspot.com, which is not a valid url. I liked the yellow and gray combos that some people did in last month’s challenge, so I have it a go. My version is color pencil - half was done in Prismacolor , the other half in Polychromos. On this paper from Michaels, I think the Polychromos were brighter and had a smoother application.
So Sweet
I'm afraid that this card borders on cheating. A sister of my best friend knitted the little baby sweater. I simply put it on some card stock and added the sentiment - a die by Sizzix. But is IS all one color...
Maria Rodriguez
Card made with the Papertray Ink stamp and die set called "Feathery Finnery", heat embossed in black and white.
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Clearly besotted stamps. Green!
Welcome Baby
Made this card with my sister, to welcome our new grand niece!
A Beachy Hello
Inspired by Yana Smakula for Hero Arts. Description on my blog. Pattyspassions.com
Have a Jawsome Day
Description on my blog. Pattyspassions.com
So Thankful.JPG
I was inspired by a video by Melanie Muenchinger on Simon Says Stamp blog today. I chose peach tones. The stamps used are Gina K Designs Painted Autumn for the sentiment, and Sending Love for the floral vine stamp. I used watercolor paper, a waterbrush, and inks from Hero Arts and Lawn Fawn.
Sympathy card
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I am having fun with the SU Blended Seasons stamp set and dies. After watching Darlene's video with her large flower and Zig Clean Color markers, I wanted to try her technique. I am not that close, but I enjoyed coloring. I used SU Blackberry Bliss paper and marker. I used my Signo White Gel Pen for the center of each flower. I didn't add sentiment. Sometimes it is nice to leave it off and place it inside. Thanks for looking. Lisa
Blue butterfly
I got this Stampin Up die and couldn't wait to use it. Paper background is from Hobby Lobby's Peaceful Meadows card-stock pad. Solid card-stock and rhinestones were from my stash.
Thinking about you
Larissa from Card-e-licious inspired me to make this card. I love these critters. They're colored with copics.
Birthday Card
Shades of blue! Die cut a window in the card and added patterned paper with a computer generated sentiment. Inside the balloons are on a pop up panel.
Birthday Card
Shades of orange...the background is patterned paper, balloons are die cut with the centers inlaid and embossed with white pearl embossing powder over spiced marmalade oxide ink. The chunky glitter is suppose to look like confetti (not to sure that I like the look :-() Creating monochromatic cards is a challenge!
Maria Rodriguez
Card made with the sadly retired Stampin' Up! die set called "Botanical Blooms"
Maria Rodriguez
Card made with another sadly retired SU die set called "Pretty Pines".
Maria Rodriguez
I can't remember where the big die came from, the little Christmas ornament is from Memory Box.
Pink and Silver Birthday
I made this card as a challenge to use scraps of SU papers given to me by my SU demonstrator. The sentiment is the top half of a die by Sizzix that says Happy Birthday to You,
Sailboat Happy Birthday.
This is another card using a Jolee embellishment that I have had forever. The paper is from Peaceful Meadows paper pad - by Hobby Lobby.
Monochrome Meercat Card
This Meercat Stamp was made from a drawing and purchased as a one-off on Ebay. I used neutral Prismacolor pencils to make it look as real to life as possible.
Gold
Was asked to make a 50th anniversary card. Came up with this. Gold is a color, right?
Mr & Mrs wedding card
I really like the "less is more" concept here. Fun and easy to make. The words are computer generated.
Blue Balloons
Stamp: Wonky Backdrop by Julie Ebersole
Ink: Bold Summer Sky by Hero Arts (swiped on stamp)
Die cuts: Avery Elle
Glitter Paper: DCWV
Sentiment: handwriting
Thank you card
This was done using the new Ranger Alcohol Lift Ink.
Butterfly Sympathy Card
This card is all white and I thought it was beautiful to use as a sympathy card. I used the stitched rectangle dies, a Martha Stewart Butterfly punch and the rose embossing folder is from Stampin Up. the sentiment is SU Teeny Tiny Wishes.
Monochromatic Sympathy Card
This card uses SU Mocha Morning designer series paper and the sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp.
Blue Sympathy Card
This card uses the Altenew monochrome washi tape rolls and covers the whole background of this card. The sentiment is from SU Warmest Regards. I tend to use monochromatic cards for sympathy cards as I believe they are calming.
Thinking of You Monochromatic Cards
These two cards use SU Because I Care stamp set and the sentiment is also from SU called Oval All.
Wedding card
This all white card is hard to photograph with my camera. It is a glossy silvery white die cut on white card stock. I embossed the edge, Both the die and the embossing strip are by Cuttlebug.
Masculine TV Birthday Card
For this card I used the TV Shaker Die by SSS along with the sentiment by SU called Big Day. The background paper is by SU as well called Adventure Bound.
Thanks to a suggestion by Patty and Andrea, I made a Christmas card. This background was made using Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers with a tiny bit of blending with water. Image and sentiment are from Avery Elle Merry Flowers.
Embossed stars
Silver embossed stars
Patterned Paper Starburst
Henna Flowers
Sympathy Card
Background is the Sizzix roses embossing folder with Abandoned Coral ink rubbed over the raise portion. The rose bouquet and leaves are cut on my electronic cutting machine. The leaves were colored with Abandoned Coral Oxide ink and the roses were colored with Spectrum Noir Alcohol markers. Sentiment from Our Daily Bread Sympathy stamp
Sympathy Card
Background distress ink clean up from mat...not sure of the color. Flowers & shadow cut from electronic cutting machine; top layer colored with Antique Linen Oxide ink. Sentiment from Our Daily Bread Sympathy stamp & cut. Studio Katia gold crystals.
This month’s random winner of the Simon Says Stamp $25 gift voucher is entry #8 by Barb H. I’m highlighting another card by Barb below, but I like this one too – blue and tan. Congrats Barb!
Onto the highlights…
There were several cards that used blue and green – I love this combo! I especially loved this one by Annie A.:
I love the pattern she created, and I also love how she incorporated the same colored cardstock. Notice how the pattern turns white on the cardstock – such a great detail!
Next is this pink, green, and turquoise combo by Caly:
I love Caly’s clean style. The balance of color with the white is awesome, and her shades of each color are the same degree of brightness – I’m not sure what the technical term is – maybe saturation? I don’t know – all I know is that it looks good!
Another combo I really liked is this one by Barb H.:
I’m not sure I’ve used pink, orange and green together yet – I’ll have to add it to my list! Orange and green aren’t my favorite colors, but when you add pink, they suddenly are. 🙂
Finally, there were quite a few people who used yellow and gray together – I never would have put those two together in my head, but it’s a very soothing combination. Here are a couple… the first is by Alma and the second is by Maggi:
Thanks again to everyone who submitted a card. I love seeing your creations. I’ll be back soon with the launch of the August Monochromatic Challenge. Hope you have a great day!
