Flowers of Hope

Ever have one of those days when you just need to cheer yourself up?  That's been my today.  I have some stressful days and weeks ahead of me and something that always cheers me up and gives me hope are pretty flowers. I made these using one of my favorite stamp sets, Bloomin' Birthday Stamp & Die Combo by Taylored Expressions.

Usually, when I use my Distress Oxide Inks, I add water but today I simply stamped the colors and made these pretty flowers.  I love the way these inks look even without the addition of water.

Stamp Set:  Bloomin' Birthday Stamp & Die Combo (Taylored Expressions); Distress Oxide Inks:  Faded Jeans, Fired Brick, Peeled Paint, Wild Honey; Cardstock:  Night of Navy (Stampin' Up!), Sugar Cube (Taylored Expressions); Other:  Sugar Cube Enamel Dots, Sunshine Wishes Dies (Stampin' Up!)

The sketch I used are from the CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge.  It's the second step in their Design Team process.  For all the challenge details and to share your project, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping by the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #136 - Gail's "All About Birthdays" Challenge

Today Gail is hosting our "All About Birthdays" challenge over at the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  For the background, I blended three Distress Oxide Inks onto Glossy White paper.  Then, I spritzed it with water and dried it with a heat tool.  Once dry, I rubbed the paper with a paper towel to bring back the glossy look of the paper.  It looks like its been polished although it doesn't show up well in the photo.

Stamp Set:  Perfect Pairings; Distress Oxide Inks:  Fossilized Amber, Lucky Clover, Wilted Violet; Inks:  Melon Mambo, Tuxedo Black Memento; Cardstock:  Glossy White, Melon Mambo; Other:  Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies, White Blizzard Glitter Drops (Nuvo)

For all the challenge details and to share your project, visit the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge by clicking the image below.  We'd love to have you join us.  You have until Monday, September 18th at 6:00 p.m. Central Time to link up your project.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #134 - "Anything Goes"

Hooray!  It's an "Anything Goes" challenge at the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge which means it's the fifth Wednesday of the month.  I'm so glad we have this challenge in our line-up.  It gives me the change to share some of the things I work on that might otherwise never make it to my blog.

This is a card I did in my Distress Oxide Inks class at Taylored Expressions.  Don't those butterflies just seem like they are going to fly right off the card?  The colors are so vibrant and you don't always have to use water with the inks.

For all the challenge details and to share your project, visit the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge by clicking the image below.  We'd love to have you join us.  You have until Monday, September 4th at 6:00 p.m. Central Time to link up your project.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Thinking of You Butterfly

For today's card, I definitely got my fingers inky.  Distress Oxide Inks, smushing, and water make for a messy combination.  But, the results can be amazing.  Actually, I made several backgrounds using different colors and you'll see those in the days to come.  But for today, here is the background I created for the CAS(E) this Sketch and the Sunday Stamps challenges.

The background colors are Candied Apple, Fossilized Amber and Spiced Marmalade.  Each layer of color was applied separately and dried between each application.  If you don't, you wind up with an ugly, muddy color that just has no future.  When I reached the point where I liked what I saw, I stopped adding colors.  I just simply like the way things just happen with those inks.

To make the butterfly, I first added some Fossilized Amber to a piece of watercolor paper then, stamped the butterfly from the Butterfly Basics stamp set.  I used the Butterflies Thinlits Dies by Stampin' Up! to cut it out.  The body of the butterfly is cut from Basic Black using the Simply Stamped - Butterflies Dies by Taylored Expressions. The sentiment was stamped on the strip that was cut off of the background layer and stamped in Basic Black Archival ink.  It's from the Colorful Seasons stamp set by Stampin' Up!  A few yellow sequins and it was finished.

Stamp Set:  Butterfly Basics, Colorful Season (sentiment); Distress Oxide Inks:  Candied Apple, Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade (Tim Holtz by Ranger); Ink:  Basic Black Archival, Calypso Coral; Cardstock:  Calypso Coral, Watercolor Paper (Strathmore), Whisper White Thick; Other:  Butterflies Thinlits Dies, Simply Stamped - Butterflies Dies (Taylored Expressions). Stampin' Up! product unless otherwise noted.

The sketch I used is from the CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge.  For all the challenge details and to share your project, click the image below.

The colors I used are from the Sunday Stamps Challenge.  For all the challenge details and to share your project, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping by the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

With Sympathy

A good friend's sister passed away recently and today found me in the craft room making a sympathy card.  I know she loves orange, so I included it in the design.  She's a redhead so wearing orange, other than in her shoes, is out of the question.  So, I always use orange somewhere in each card I design to give to her.  It's a tradition and this card for her was no exception.

Stamp Sets:  Background Bits, Flower Shop, God's Blessings (inside sentiment), Teeny Tiny Wishes; Distress Oxide Inks:  Fossilized Amber, Peeled Paint, Salty Ocean, Spiced Marmalade; Ink:  Soft Suede; Cardstock:  Watercolor Paper (Strathmore), Whisper White; Patterned Paper:  Golden Grove (Kaiser Craft); Other:  Pansy Punch, Golden Harvest Glitter Drops (Nuvo)

The sketch I used is from the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  For all the challenge details and to share your project, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Enjoy Your Day

To beat the oppressive heat we are experiencing here in Iowa, I've been spending a lot of my time in my craft room.  When you have temperatures in the 90 and 100 degree range along with heat indices of 100 to 115 degrees, you definitely need to stay out of the heat.

Today I was playing around with some of my Distress Oxide Inks and thought how would they look on Kraft paper?  So, I cut the bird out of Kraft paper and sponged him with Fossilized Amber ink, dropped some water drops on it and patted them off with a paper towel.  I love the way it looks.  It definitely gave a bit of dimension to him.  I did the same with the banners I punched from the Kraft paper.  For those I used Fossilized Amber, Peeled Paint and Spiced Amber.    The sentiment was stamped in Vintage Photo.  Even the burlap paper layer has the color of Kraft.

Now I'm off to do my chores and get things ready for tomorrow when a sweet friend is coming over to spend some time crafting with me.  With her busy schedule, I know I'm going to totally enjoy my time with her.

Stamp Set:  Butterfly Basics - background on sentiment strip (Stampin' Up!), Zinnia Bouquet - sentiment (Taylored Expressions); Distress Oxide Inks:  Fossilized Amber, Peeled Paint, Spiced Marmalade, Vintage Photo (Tim Holtz); Cardstock:  Kraft (DCWV), Very Vanilla (Stampin' Up!); Patterned Paper:  5th Avenue 6x6 Paper Pad, Burlap Paper Stack (DCWV); Other:  Caged Bird Die (Tim Holtz), Triple Banner Punch (Stampin' Up!), Rhinestone

The sketch I used is from the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  For all the challenge details and to share your project, click the image below.

The use of Kraft paper is from City Crafter Challenge Blog.   For all the challenge details and to share your project, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping by the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Believe

After watching a Tim Holtz video yesterday, I decided to give the Distress Oxide inks a try on Glossy White cardstock. What you can't see in the photo is the overall shiny look to the card.  I must say that I do like the look of them on the glossy.

It was a bit of a learning curve for me but I am happy with the outcome.  One of the thing I discovered is once completely dry, the color will rub off on your fingers.  To eliminate this for the recipient, I simply went over it gently with a paper towel.  It took off all the "chalky" feel and left a very nice shiny look.  It's the only time I have known these inks to rub off.  On the other papers I've used them on that does not happen.  By completely dry, I mean that I dried each layer of color I applied with my heat tool then, set it aside to dry overnight.

Stamp Set:  Believe (Momenta); Distress Oxide Inks:  Faded Jeans, Fossilized Amber, Peeled Paint, Spiced Marmalade, Vintage Photo, Wilted Violet, Worn Lipstick (Tim Holtz); Cardstock:  Always Artichoke, Glossy White (both Stampin' Up!); Other:  Sequins, White Blizzard Glitter Drops (Nuvo)

The sketch I used is from the CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge.  For all the challenge details and to share your project, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping by the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Just a Note

Time does fly when you are busy.  Top that off with not feeling well and that explains why it's been a while since I've been able to sit and create.  Today I'm sharing my water-colored butterflies with you.  I love those Distress Oxide inks and just can't seem to get enough of them.  This is another of my note cards that I like to keep on hand.

Now I'm on my way to watch the final episode of Downton Abbey.  I'm still not feeling too perky so I'm taking it easy today.

Stamp Set:  Simply Stamped - Butterflies (Taylored Expressions); Distress Oxide Inks:  Faded Jeans, Fossilized Amber, Peeled Paint, Spiced Marmalade, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz by Ranger); Ink:  Basic Gray; Cardstock:  Basic Gray, Whisper White (both Stampin' Up!), Watercolor Paper (Strathmore); Other:  Simply Stamped - Butterflies Dies (Taylored Expressions), Succulent Framelits Dies (Stampin' Up!)

The theme I used is from the CAS Watercolour Card Challenge.  For my butterflies, which are the watercolor focal for my card, I stamped the images onto watercolor paper and spritzed them with water to get the water colored look.  The Distress Oxide inks work great for this.  The die-cut flowers were lightly tapped on the ink pad to give them a bit of color.

For all the challenge details and to share your project, click the image below.

So glad you stopped by the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Birthday Stars

Well, it's been one of those days.  My poor car has an issue and I was not sure it was going to get resolved but I'm so pleased and thankful that come tomorrow I'll have my little burgundy car back on the road taking me wherever I want to go.  I'm happy!

Today I'm sharing another card I made using the Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Inks.  It's a bright cheerful card and I know one of my grandchildren will love it.

The birthday theme challenge at The Paper Players Challenge was the perfect place to show off another of my distress oxide inks card I made at a recent Taylored Expressions class. They really are a lot of fun and you can do so many different things with them.

For all the challenge details and to share your project, click the image below.

So glad you stopped by the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Hello Friend

One of the things I love about living where I do, is that I have a local stamp company right in my own back yard.  Taylored Expressions is just a hop, skip and jump away.  It gives me lots of opportunities to attend all kinds of classes.

The last one I attended was all about Tim Holtz's Distress Oxide Inks.  It was so much fun learning different ways to use them.  I thought this one would fit perfectly with The Flower Challenge this month.  I love how easy it is to blend the colors and get just the look you want.

An "anything goes" challenge has always been one of my favorites which is why I was so excited when I saw this week's challenge at The Flower Challenge.  It gave me a chance to show off one of the cards I made using Distress Oxide Inks. 

For all the challenge details and to share your project, click the image below.

So glad you stopped by the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

An Oxide Ink Background

Today finds me combining challenges and playing with my new Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Inks.  It's my first chance to do so since I purchased them.  They are a lot of fun.  I love that you can keep adding layers of color until you get the look you want or like best.  You have to dry them between applications to keep them from turning muddy but it's so worth the effort.

Stamp Set: Thankful Life - sentiment (Stampin' Up!); Distress Oxide Inks:  Faded Jeans, Fossilized Amber, Peeled Paint, Spiced Marmalade, Worn Lipstick (Tim Holtz by Ranger); Ink:  Dapper Denim (Stampin' Up!); Cardstock:  Dapper Denim, Shimmery White, Whisper White (all Stampin' Up!); Other:  Postage Stamp Stacklets (Taylored Expressions), Sequins

The sketch from The Paper Players Challenge was perfect for making my own background layer.  At first I wasn't so sure about it but kept adding layers of color and I finally had a background I liked. 

For all the challenge details and to share your project, click the image below.

Adding a Taylored Expressions Postage Stamp Stacklets die-cut, which is part of The Male Room Challenge, let me showcase that great sentiment from the Thankful Life stamp set by Stampin' Up!  A few sequins and perfect guy card is created.

For all the challenge details and to share your project, click the image below.

So glad you stopped by the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha