You Inspire Me

 I had horrible dreams last night - actually early this morning - and woke up sobbing. It's not a fun way to start the day. I've been super busy the last week so I'm taking today to spend in my craft room. It always helps my mental health to be creative and artsy.

I'd like to enter this card below into:

The Paper Players #781

Try it On Tuesday - Make Your Own Background

I created the background by ink smooshing yellow & gray inks on a piece of watercolor paper. I then used black texture paste (Tim Holtz/Ranger) applied through my Geometric Butterfly stencil from A Colorful Life Designs (use code JennFan10 for 10% off!) and let it dry. I stamped the sentiment (an old one from My Favorite Things) with Versafine Black and embossed with a clear, sparkly embossing powder. Peace.

Collect Beautiful Moments & A Special Place

 Hello there!  I have been having fun playing with my art journal and mixed media techniques lately - I don't know about you, but I have an absolutely HUGE stash of cards, so I'm trying to create things other than cards!  Today I have a little ATC to share - I love making ATC's and I love gifting them away.  I'd like to enter this one into the following challenges:

Tagalongs & ATC's - AG/Optional Blossoms, Butterflies, Birds

Let's Craft & Create #230 - AG/Optional Butterflies

Try it on Tuesday - Make Your Own Background

AllSorts #847 - AG/Optional In the Garden

Shopping Our Stash #571 - I Don't Sweat, I Sparkle!

I used an old stencil from my stash on the background of the ATC, I love using Distress Oxide Inks and spritzing with water for that aged/vintage look. I had a scrap piece of watercolor paper in my stash that had been distressed with purple oxide inks, so I stamped the script stamp (Hero Arts) on it before die cutting the butterfly from it, then sponged the edges with black ink and attached it to the ATC with foam dots just down the center of the butterfly so the wings would curl up a bit. I added some rhinestone stickers for sparkle and a sticker sentiment from a Tim Holtz book, then sponged the edges of the ATC with more black ink. 

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And next up is another fun, snarky card - hee hee - this one is for the following challenges:

Stencil Fun April - AG/Optional Rainbow Colors

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Make Someone Smile

Colorful Options - Rainbow or Yellow

I used my Distress Crayons through the Mid Century Double Rainbow stencil from A Colorful Life Designs (you can use code JennFan10 for 10% off your entire order at the shop). After using the crayon directly through the stencil on the right side, I spritzed it with water and lay it down on the left side and let it dry. I stamped the sentiment from the Roadies 69 set at Ink Road Stamps at the top with Versafine Black and embossed with clear embossing powder. I used my Cloudy Sky Scene Fancy Die from Hero Arts and layered them along the bottom. Peace.

BEE Yourself!

 Hello friends! I love making bee cards - this one is for the following challenges:

Sunday Stamps #383 - Sketch

Pammie's Inky Pinkies - Anything Goes

The Four Seasons - Spring

Wednesday's Creative Inspiration - Spring/Easter

We Love Stamping - Spring

I had this background in my stash, so I grabbed it and used the Fancy Honeycomb Die from Hero Arts on it. I stamped the sentiment (stamps from the Bee Hive set at Colorado Craft Company) directly on the card and then the bee separately with Versafine Black and embossed both clear embossing powder. I colored the bee with Copics, fussy cut, and attached with foam dots. I attached the panel to a white cardstock base and flicked a bit of gold Mica Spray Stain on it. Peace.

The Secret Ingredient is Love

 I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

The Outlawz April Twisted Challenge - Sketch

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Food and/or Drink

Simon Says Stamp Monday - Bright & Cheerful

Love Those Pretty Patterned Papers - AG/Optional Spring Flowers

Time Out #310 - Sweet Treats

Papers are from Doodlebug Designs - I LOVE my new scalloped edge square die from Taylored Expressions! Stamps are from the Bake Me Happy set at Colorado Craft Company, colored with Copics. Peace.

You're Old.

 A friend of mine asked me to make her a snarky birthday card for her hubby who was turning 60 this week - mission accepted!  I'd like to enter this into the following challenges:

AAA Colourful #26

The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - H is for Happy Birthday

Die Cut Divas - Anniversary or Birthday Card

I used the Dotted Cover Die cut from Pink & Main cut from Secret Sea cardstock (Stampin' Up!). The strips of orange cardstock were die cut from the Rectangle Strip Card Mat Die from Jaded Blossom. I'm sorry I cannot remember the manufacturer of the number dies! The sentiments are from the Snarky Cat Thoughts stamp set at Unity Stamp Co., stamped with Versafine Black and embossed with clear embossing powder. Peace.

Stay Strong

Totally forgot to post this in time for the Try a Sketch on Tuesday challenge, but that's the sketch I followed for this card:

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #215 - Rainy Days

Wednesday's Creative Inspiration - Easter/Spring

We Love Stamping - Spring

Fab n' Funky - Easter/Spring

Papercraft Challenge #128 - AG/Optional Joy of Spring

Double Trouble #214 - 3,2,1 Recipe (3 patterned papers, 2 colors from color wheel, 1 image)

My papers are from My Mind's Eye, an old 6x6 pad. The stamp is also an old one from CC Designs, colored with Copics and fussy cut before attaching to the card with foam dimensional tape. Peace. 

Twirly Mask Stencil - A Colorful Life Designs

 Good morning!  I can't believe it but I slept for almost TWELVE hours last night!  I must have really needed it! We had a long, busy weekend - fun - and I never sleep well when I have stuff going on, it's hard for me to turn off my brain. This is a quiet week for me thankfully!

I know I talk about the reverse stencil technique often, and I wanted to share 2 cards today where I use the same stencil but I use it traditionally on the first card, and in reverse on the second. Here we go!

This Twirly Mask stencil is from the April release at

You can get 10% off your order by using code JennFan10:

I had a piece of watercolor paper in my background stash that just had some yellow & blue inks on it, so I grabbed that. I applied some Spiced Marmalade Distress Oxide Ink through the stencil quite heavily, then spritzed with water and let dry. I stamped Hello friend several times with Versafine Black and embossed with clear embossing powder. I stamped the shell with flowers from Pink & Main's Floral Shells set with Versafine Black and embossed with clear embossing powder. I colored with Copics and attached with foam dimensional tape.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Art Nudge April #426B

Pammie's Inky Pinkies - Anything Goes

Crafty Gals Corner #276 - Spring

Stamping Sensation April - AG/Optional Inspired by Nature

Triple B - Birds, Butterflies, Blooms

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Now here's where I took the already-inked-up stencil and spritzed it with water, then lay it down on another scrap piece of watercolor paper in my stash that already had the blue ink on it - I love the blue and orange color combo. I let the stencil sit while it dried, then sponged the edges with some more blue ink and mounted it on an orange cardstock base. I die cut the flower from white cardstock and attached with a fine point glue applicator, then added a tiny sticker sentiment:

I'd like to enter this one into the following challenges:

AllSorts #847 - AG/Optional In the Garden

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

Paper Funday #86 - AG/Optional Die Cuts/Punches

Thanks for visiting! Peace.