Birdbrain

There are some really fun digital stamps at From The Heart Stamps. This one is called Spectacular Birdbrain and just makes me laugh.

I colored the image with watercolor markers. I searched my paper file for a swimming themed DP. Found this one from Doodlebug called Bellyflop Splash. LOL! How could I not use that one? The waves in the background is from SU. And the pebble circle from the scraps pile. I just couldn't resist adding googly eyes inside those big spectacles.  Inside I did a duplicate image and cut out just the glasses. The sentiment is done via computer. I think it is probably from my Hallmark program.

Is this not just a fun summer birthday card?
I used Tuesday Morning Sketches

And the rotated version of  Joanne's sketch at The Paper Players.

Stay Cool

I am an ice cream addict. There, I admitted it. Is there a self help group for that? LOL. Not sure I really want a cure though. Our Sunday night dinner is usually an ice cream treat as long as the drive in stays open for the season. In cooler months, we will get our ice cream and stand in front of the fireplace to eat it.

 

I have found a cool (pun intended) new challenge that also offers free digis. All you have to do is enter a card using the month's image and you will receive the next month's free. It is From The Heart Stamps.  They have other challenges and blogs posts too. You can also purchase their digis.
The sentiment and ice creams are the June featured stamp. Good thing they offer a full month to enter. It took me awhile to get to this one. I colored the image with Tombow markers. I used hot summer sun background paper to contrast the coolness of the ice cream.I have had this sheet of DP in my file for a long time and can't remember where it is from. It is a 2-sided. The other side is only the sunbursts patterns, which was what I intended to use. But when I turned the piece over to apply tape, I found it had the plain slanted area. I decided it made a great point of interest.
Base of the card is SU Tangelo Twist.
This one will be a hit for Send A Smile 4 Kids.
Hope you all are staying cool this summer and enjoying an ice cream treat.

Watercolor Pencils

A friend is taking watercoloring art class and was telling me about watercolor pencils. I came home and looked up some demos on YouTube and really like the look. So, I purchased Faber Castell watercolor pencils at Hobby Lobby. This is after the first tutorial on trying out different colors and shades. Another on my bucket list of new techniques!

This is my second practice piece. It looks like the sketch at Pals Paper Arts.

I added the sentiment from SU. Makes a really quick CAS card.
Remains to be seen what a more complicated design will look like. Will keep practicing and see if I end up liking anything.

Flip Flops Wading in the Creek

I can't believe I actually made 3 cards and did 3 blogs today. I told you I was in need of intensive crafty therapy.
It is officially summer and hot!, hot!, hot! My A/C went out yesterday and we couldn't get service until this morning. Finally cooling down in here. So a little wading in the creek with the flip flops on is definitely called for.

I made some waves from blue scraps with an old die cut system from Creative Memories. Then a strip of "creek rocks" DP from my scrap file on the right. The sentiment is from Water Color Words by SU. I think the font looks a bit like waves. It is done with Tempting Turquoise. I stamped 3 sets of flip flops (Lockhart Stamp Co.) on scraps, colored them with pencils and fussy cut. They are each popped up on foam tape.
The design is a sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches

Curious George

My kids (and me too) loved Curious George books when they were young. And they followed that with reading the stories to their children. When I visited my daughter recently we were looking for something in her craft supplies and found this Curious George stamp. She let me have since she wasn't using it anymore. Continuing my craft "therapy" today, I whipped up this quick CAS card.

I put George on a space walk floating up there in the corner. Colored him with water color markers and added Crystal effects to his helmet. The Birthday is a banner die from Die Versions. I tethered it to the Curious George image to make him look like he is taking a space walk. I masked off the birthday word from an old Inkadinkadoo stamp and just used the "happy". A few stars punched from silver glitter paper light up George's sky.
I will also be adding this to my collection for Send A Smile 4 Kids whose challenge this week is puches/diecuts.
I used the sketch from  CAS)E) this Sketch and rotated it.

Shaker Dinosaur

I have been away for a couple of weeks and then got home and had to deal with some issues with my Mother who lives in an assisted living.
I am so in need of crafting "therapy". And I am really behind in my resolve to try new techniques. So I made a shaker card. I know that is an old technique but this is actually the first one I've made.

The paper is from Botanical Blooms from SU. I completely covered the card base with the paper and then die cut a frame of the same paper with stitched rectangle frame from Lawn Fawn. "Danny Dinosaur" is from Stampabilities, stamped on a scrap of white, colored and then cut out and secured to the background. Sequins are from SU. I did the sentiment via computer and then punched it out with an SU label punch. I know some kid will love this card.
I am adding this to my collection for  Send a Smile 4 Kids whose challenge is punches/die cuts.

Fern Frames

By rotating and flipping this sketch from Pals Paper Arts

Using paper and dies from SU's Botanical Blooms, I came up with

The frames are from Lawn Fawn. Sentiment is an old one without a label.

Inside is another frame and a sentiment I did via computer.

Loving all the possibilities I have been able to produce with this SU bundle. I think it might be the most versatile one they have ever done.

Dance

My card for Tuesday Morning Sketches this week has a sweet little girl dancing in the grass.

The image is from the out of business The Angel Company. I use this little girl a lot for cards that I send to Send A Smile 4 Kids  Little girls love to dress up and twirl around and dance. The card base is Tempting Turquoise from SU as well as the polka dot background. I colored the image with colored pencils. Brown dots are from scrap stash. I added the pink/white twine to copy the flower and bow in her hair. The letters are die cut from Tim Holtz have a litttle rhythm going. That way, I don't have to get them perfectly spaced and lined up-haha!
Here is the sketch I followed:

Ice Cream Treats

What kid--or even adult, especially this one--doesn't like ice cream: cones, sundaes, sodas, blizzards?
Our tradition in the summer is to go out for ice cream treats every Sunday evening. So for Anything Goes 4 Kids at Send A Smile 4 Kids I chose some ice cream theme paper from SU (couple of years old).

Sentiment is from My Favorite Things. I had a small scrap of the polka dotted paper that reminds me of the sprinkles on top of the cones. I used a clear star gel pen to color over the dots for some glimmer. Then I put a drop of Crystal Effects on each cherry. Unfortunately neither of those photographed well.
I used the sketch from Mojo Monday

Father's Day for My Guys

My husband is famous among familly and friends for his after lunch naps. So I just had to make his Father's Day card with a nap theme.

This sentiment is in my Hallmark program using a dog theme. But DH is more of a cat person so I changed up the wording.. I didn't have a sleeping cat stamp so went to clip art. Doesn't he look so cute and peaceful stretched out for his nap? The inside says "This cat suggests taking a nap!"
The design is from the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches

Using the same sketch, I have two more
For my son-in-law who will just be getting back from working at Senior High Beach Retreat at his church

And for my son

YO!

I will admit, I am totally out of touch with teenagers today. Do they still play with yo-yos? And do the use the term YO!  I will have to get with it soon as I will have a teenage grand daughter next year.

I have both on a card today to send to Send A Smile 4 Kids

The yo-yos are from Boys Will Be Boys from SU. Colored with water color markers. The words are die cuts from Tim Holtz alphabet. I tied on a piece of linen cord to represent the yo-yo strings.

I used the inspiration sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch!

Flip Flops

What is the saying? "It's summertime and the livin' is easy" And summertime means break out the flip flops. Although the teenagers here in southern Indiana even wear flip flops in winter.

I had a scrap of "water paper" that was just meant for this scene. On the small white piece, I sponged on SU's Baked Brown Sugar at the bottom and then stamped the sandcastle in the same color.The sandcastle is from an old stamp whose label is long lost.. Somehow I always get that sandcastle a little tilted. Sure hope it doesn't fall down. Then I stamped some sandpipers from SU Wetlands and colored a little turquoise around them. Then sponged on some turquoise water and Pool Party Sky. The sun is Daffodil Delight applied with a q-tip. Flip flops are another of the old stamps, colored and fussy cut. I like to use raffia ribbon on beach cards. It reminds me of the sea oats on the dunes. Does it all make you run to the beach for some summer fun?
Inside, I added a seashell and colored it lightly with pencils.

I am entering the Tuesday Morning Sketches