Autumn Card

Welcome to my studio!  Today I am sharing a card that I made using digital stamps from Autumn's Gift Set by Beverly Cole at The Artsystamper Shop.  Using Photoshop I arranged the Pumpkin and Leaf stamps with sentiment(in brown) and printed on Ivory CS. I added a bit more orange with Copics to the colored images and sponged the edges of the panel with DOI Antique Linen. Attached to a card base of Dark Brown CS.  I am entering this in the Monochromatic Challenge #3 at Artsystamper Digitals Challenges - use any color, as long as it is only 1 color plus natural beiges and tans or black and white. Maybe I should have used another color for the base?
Other Challenge:
Double D Challenges: Neutral Fall. Mood board below. 









Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

On The Beach-A Good Life

Hello!  I came across a printed photo on watercolor paper in my "saved box" and thought it would make a perfect entry for the On the Beach challenge at Cards in Envy.  I made this photo at Captiva Island and had enhanced it with Photo Shop making it appear to be a Watercolor and then saved it for another day. Also had added some highlights with pencil and white gel pen.  To complete the card,   I first just stamped a sentiment (MFP) (see first photo without birds and footprints below left) with Vintage Photo Distress Oxide ink but then added birds and footprints with more stamps(Gina K)  in my stash.  I used a Kraft mat and a Coral card base.  I was pleased how my "photo"/"watercolor"  card turned out.

Have a great day!
I love reading your comments. Theresa
Shown right-another card made earlier with this photo:

Life at the Beach

Hello!  My card today was created with a photo that I made at the beach on Captiva Island last year.  I thought it would make a great card with a few enhancements made with Photoshop making the photo appear as a watercolor.  I printed the photo on watercolor paper after doing some editing and eliminating the blackbirds. (see original photo below)  I added some color highlights using color pencils on the sand, beach,  umbrellas,  and chairs.  I stamped a GKD sentiment with Memento Espresso Truffle ink and adhered the image to a GKD card stock to finish.   I really enjoy creating cards with my own photos as well as stamping and coloring images.  I hope this card is considered for the challenges that I am entering even though it was made with only one sentiment stamp.

Challenges:

Just Us Girls Challenge: #399 Photo Week-Summer Vacation.  The challenge photo reminded me of my photo below  so I used it to create my entry.

Make My Monday: Challenge #49 Summer Brights---bright yellow and bright blues from a sunny day.

Crazy 4 Challenges: C4C 391 Include some water on your card. 

I call this scene "The Yellow Brigade".  These chairs and umbrellas were set up

early every morning by a group of vacationers during some of the weeks that we

were on the beach in Captiva.  I photographed it several times from different

angles over the past few years.  This was one of my favorite  artistic shots.

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Happy 97 Years Young

Hello!  Today I have the longest/widest card that I have ever made.  I created this birthday card for my Mother who will be 97 years young on the 20th...... a candle for each year!  I was inspired by a card that I saw at Fab 'n' Funky challenges made by Ginny. See her card on her blog My5Bratz Creations here. 
I must admit I took a short cut and printed my card using Photoshop and Print Shop  instead of cutting the candles like Ginny.  I used Cheery Lynn Dies for the Happy Birthday and cut the number 97 with my Cameo. After assembling the card, I added some sparkle to each candle with Clearstar pen and Red Glitter Stickles.

Challenges:
Fab 'n' Funky Challenges:  #333 Birthday with a Number. Thanks for the inspiration, Ginny!
Shopping Our Stash Weekly Challenges: Stickle Me Elmo! Use Stickles or a similar product.  Used Clear Star Pen and Red Glitter Stickles on candle flames, all 97!
Simon Wednesday Challenge: Simon Says Winter Birthday. I may be "stretching" this card to fit a Winter Birthday challenge but the birthday is in the winter and all those candles warm things up.
Seize the Birthday: Anything Goes for Birthday

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Photo for a Photo Inspiration

Hello!  Today I have something a bit different for a Photo Inspiration challenge.....I used  one of my own photos instead of a stamped image.  I think that is allowed?? maybe??   And I did do stamping for the sentiment.  When I saw the inspiration from What If? Wednesday challenge, I thought of a photo that I had made and tweaked in Photoshop to give  it a look of watercolor.  I thought Why Not?  Use it.
I cropped, resized, and printed the image on White CS.  After trimming I assembled the card with a Black card base, a layer of woodgrain patterned paper from MME embossed with a Darice Wood Grain EF, and a strip of Black CS stamped with a Repeat Impressions sentiment. That was stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with White EP.  I used a layout from Tuesday Morning Sketch(below) from last week's challenge shown below.   Too late for that challenge but I thought the sketch was just right to use with the photo.
Challenges:
The House That Stamps Built: What If? Wednesday Photo Inspiration J1516. Inspired by the Pelican and Wood.
Time Out Challenges: Masculine with optional twist of Mixed Media. Use stamps and ink plus 2 other elements that add texture and/or dimension.  I did use stamping with Versamark, die cuts for dimension, and dry embossing for texture.  I think the use of a photo qualifies as Mixed Media.
Happy Little Stampers: June Mixed Media Challenge Texture.  I have added texture with dry embossing of the pattern background and heat embossing of the sentiment.







Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Sunny Day with Sunflowers

 

Welcome to the studio!  Today I have been playing with Power Poppy new Sunflower digital image and created a bouquet of  sunflowers  using Photoshop.  This is kind of like using the masking technique with stamps but I layered and grouped the sunflowers digitally and printed as one image.  I am showing the stamp from Power Poppy below which shows the single sunflower that I used.  To be able to alter and change digital images is one of the benefits of using Digis.

After printing the image on white CS, I colored with Copics Y13,17,38,E34,37,97, YG 03,63,9,95. I framed this with a Layer of GKD Fresh Asparagus CS to which I made an opening with an Oval die.  This was embossed with Cuttlebug EF Anna Griffin Acanthus.  I used this EF because I think the embossed design has a vintage feel.  I sponged the image and embossed surface with Distress Ink Antique  Linen to also add to the aged look that I was going for. I used a card base of rust/brown CS. The sentiment from Power Poppy Summer Harvest was heat embossed on clear vellum with Wow Chestnut EP and attached with vellum tape. 

 

Challenges:
The Shabby Tea Room:  The challenge for Week #258 ABC-123 is to make a card inspired by the photo on the right.   I was inspired by the sunflowers and colors.  To tie in with the title of the challenge, I used 1-2-3 Sunflowers in my design.

Power Poppy: Power & Spark Challenge is Shabby & Chic.  I used sponging with distress inks and embossing that gave this card some shabbiness and I think the Sunflowers are so Chic, don't you. 

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Jacob Turns 4

Hello!  Today I have a fun card that I made for my great-nephew who celebrates his 4th Birthday this week.  He is such a super little boy that I had to make him a Super Hero Card.  I used Silhouette files and my Cameo to cut out the Super Hero Boy and Sentiment.  I used Photoshop to print Jacob's face to personalize his card. I used a Crate Paper pattern as the background for the image. I hope he thinks this is a Super card!

Challenge:
Simon Wednesday Challenge: Simon says Friends or Superhero
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge: Always about pattern paper.

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Lego Birthday

 

 Hello!  Today I am sharing a fun Birthday Card that I made for my great-nephew who is a Wiz building with Legos.  Using Silhouette files with my Cameo to print and cut images and number, the digital papers purchased from Etsy store, and Photoshop Elements I created this project.  I even used a hole punch to create dots that I glued on the Lego blocks in the paper to create some dimension and texture. I also used Glossy Accents on the image for some shine and popped it up with foam tape.  I downloaded a special Lego Font for the sentiment and verse inside.

Challenge to enter:
Seize the Birthday: Anything goes.


Used Blue, White, Yellow Cardstocks and Lego Pattern Paper.
I enjoy all your comments. Thank you. Theresa

Bluebird of Happiness

Digi Sketch

Sometimes a card comes to me quickly and out of nowhere.  I combined several inspirations and ideas in this card.  First, I have several digis from A Day For Daisies that I have not used and wanted to play with one of them .  I played around on Photoshop with the digi Free Hand Bird with Musical Notes to color the image using shades of blue and then cut it out using an oval die letting the bird's  tail extend out a bit. Using copics B0000 and B21, I added some shading to the image. Inspired by the musical notes on the bird, I decided to stay with a musical theme. I embossed a mat of blue CS with Cuttlebug Allegro EF and colored the edges and raised design with Memento Summer Sky ink. I placed this on a card base of the same blue CS and added the image following the sketch to the right.  I stamped a sentiment from Flourishes Kid's Play set with Memento Tuxedo Black ink that kept with musical theme.  Remember the song Don't Worry, Be Happy?
How about the Bluebird of Happiness?

Challenges:
A Day For Daisies Blog: Make a monochrome card. Guess their new release called Blue Birdie got me thinking of Blue Birds and thus the subject of my card.
Digi Sketch Challenge: Sketch challenge on upper right with a theme shades of blue. Tied in with my thoughts of a blue bird.
Party Time Tuesday: Anything Goes

I enjoy all your comments. Thank you. Theresa
Choose a song to play by clicking on a video below-
You will have to go to my blog if you are opening this in email.
Top:  Don't Worry, Be Happy

Bottom: Bluebird of Happiness

Happy Occasion

Hello again.   I am sharing an anniversary card that I made for a friend celebrating 50 years of marriage  this month.  My card is fairly simple but I hope it is elegant.  I printed the sentiment in gold on white CS using Photoshop and placed it in a frame cut with Nesties Scalloped Oval Dies.  This was attached with pop up dots to the Gold Metallic Cardstock card base that I embossed with Cuttlebug  EF Kassie's Brocade.   I cut the right edge with  Martha Stewart Border punch and added delicate pearls.   I added an Organza Ribbon with Gold Thread to the left side.  For the inside, I printed my personalized message in gold on Parchment Paper.

Challenges to enter:
Mod Squad Challenge: Make an Anniversary card.
The Ribbon Girl Blog:  June Challenge is to use numbers. I used the number 50!
The Crafting Café: June challenge is Love and Marriage.  There has to be a lot of love in 50 years of marriage.
I enjoy all your comments. Thank you. Theresa

Card from My Garden

 

Sometimes I love making cards with photographs.  I am sharing this card that I made just for fun using a photo of one of my gardens from last June.  This card was not made for any challenges but I felt compelled to create it.  Using Photoshop Elements, I used some filters in editing to give a more artistic look to the picture making it more of a painting than a photo. The look is very subtle and may not be seen that well.  I used a card base of Bazzill Textured cardstock and a mat of multi colored pattern paper from Color Wash pad from  Pinkpaislee which has a great watercolor look.  I simply attached the printed image.  I also added a border of embossed flower with a Cuttlebug EF and a sentiment from Paper and Such stamps with Memento Lilac Posies ink. This picture was shot by my favorite photographer, Al, my DH.

What is growing in your garden?  Maybe you'll find a card there!
 I enjoy all your comments. Thank you. Theresa

Happy 5th Birthday Alex

Welcome! I forgot to share this card that I made for my great-nephew's 5th  birthday last week.  I always try to personalize childrens' cards and I thought using a picture of Alex would surprise him. I simply scanned a picture of him and placed his head on a digi image "Balloon Trevor" from C.C. Designs. I colored with Copics.I used a card base of white, red layers, and a layer of a digi plaid paper from Summer Driggs. Added some stripe ribbon and a 3D cut out balloon with string attached with pop up dots. The plaid layer was embossed with Cuttlebug Wicker Weave for texture. Love how cute his image turned out. I used Photoshop for editing the photo and combining the photo and image and also for the sentiment and printing the inside of his card.

Challenges to enter:
Sweet 'n' Sassy: Interior Decorating Challenge-do inside of card. Used digi image and digi paper.
Papertake Weekly: Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes

I enjoy all your comments. Thank you. Theresa

Botanical Vintage

I am beginning to be more comfortable doing vintage cards but have a lot more to accomplish. The challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow this week is all about neutrals. Create a vintage, primitive or shabby chic card in neutral colors, preferably off-white, kraft or gray.  I started with a color graphic of Hollyhocks shown below that I found here at The Graphics Fairy, a great source of many lovely graphics. I changed the image to a sepia color using Photoshop Elements which I thought looked great for this challenge. I printed the image on watercolor paper giving it a more vintage look and also distressed the edges with distress ink. I used a square card base of Ivory CS. I layered the base with a frame of parchment paper cut out with Martha Stewart Double Loops punches and aged with distress ink. On the center of the frame I placed a square mat of Gold CS and attached the image. Finished with a double loop bow of ivory satin ribbon. Used Ranger Distress Inks Brushed Corduroy and Tea Dye. May have to print this image and frame for hanging.
Other Challenges:
Charisma: Use Distressing on card.


Download from
http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/

 



I will be doing more with these lovely vintage prints from The Graphics Fairy. Hope you like what you see.
I enjoy all your comments. Thank you. Theresa

Wishes for a Birthday

This was a fun card to make using The Print Shop and Photoshop. I found this backdrop of skies, clouds, and rainbow and sized for a card and printed on White CS. The butterfly is PS clipart that I printed and cut,shaped  and attached with glue.  Added some sparkle with a Sakura glitter pen to butterfly and rainbow. The sentiment is a Mark's Finest Paper stamp from "Happy Pansies" stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa. I distressed the edge of the image and attached to a card base of yellow CS.

Challenges:
Flutter By  Wednesday's: Open challenge with a butterfly.
Little Red Wagon Challenge: Theme is Animals.

Thanks for stopping by! Theresa

More Cards from Florida

This is my second post today.  Since I have been spending so much time at the beach, I was inspired to make this card with a photo of a beach scene and also used sand on the card for texture.  I printed this photo on card stock.  I spread  glue and adhered sand from the beach on a section of the picture.  The glue applicator actually made ridges which makes the sand look as if it had just been raked. I used a Sakura glitter pen to highlight the clouds and waves which I hope is visible to you. May show if you click on photo to enlarge. Used Cuttlebug EF Swiss Dot to emboss a glossy white mat and layered on a Bazzill Cocoa mat and then attached all to a white base card. Distressed the edges of the mats for even more texture. Photo of card sort of distorted look of card edges. Did not use a sentiment. Will stamp one when I use card.

Challenges:
Wee Memories Challenge: Theme is "source of inspiration".  My source as you see is nature - a scene at the beach.
AllSorts Challenge: Theme is "Inspired by Nature".

The beach scene is better than a snow scene  which is what it is a home.
Thanks for stopping by! Theresa

"There's Magic in the Air" Challenge

My friend Olga  brings us this week's "There's Magic in the Air" challenge. She wants us to use "any acquired Paper Cupcake (click to shop) image" and 1,2,3 Create! What does that mean? Well, she wants you to use on your project : 1 Paper Cupcake image (your choice) ; 2 ribbons ;  3 buttons.

I chose to use "Hello Cupcake", the Paper Cupcake image designed by Nina that is offered free at TMITA this week. Love all the designs by Nina. You must check out her store for more great images.                    

I printed out the image after resizing and coloring with Photoshop. I added some more coloring details with markers and added some glaze to flowers, cupcake and butterfly. Placed image edged with a ribbon on a pink mat cut with a square nesties. Used yellow cs for base and added a mat from Easter patterned paper scraps. Added the second ribbon and 3 buttons to finish my card. 1, 2 ,3 and I am done. Finished with an Easter verse on the inside
but did not make a picture.
 
Have a hippity, hoppity Day!
Thanks for hopping by my way!
Theresa
 
 

Spring Colors for Just Us Girls Challenge 25

At Just Us Girls this week, Lisa challenged us to use spring colors ......light brown, yellow, blue, and green...that she found in this picture (left) in the Pottery Barn Kids website....she is looking for our creations to include these colors.

My inspiration to use these colors was a digital image by Inger Harding that I found on her website http://simplyinger.blogspot.com/.

My blogger friend Sue led me to her beautiful images.  I colored this image "Flowers for You" using Photoshop because I am still having a hard time coloring with my injured hand. Used a glaze pen on flowers. After resizing and printing the image, I cut it using an oval die and mounted with dimensionals on a scalloped oval of green CS. Placed this on a yellow mat embossed with CB Swiss Dots and then layered onto a green mat. Used white CS for my base. Stamped sentiment on oval and added a blue ribbon and bow. To have CS that matched exactly with my image, I printed the yellow and green CS with Photoshop using the eyedropper to pull colors from the image.  I finished the back of the card using the image, my logo, and the date. I often use this layout on the back of my cards.

Stamps: Sentiment GKD-Spring Florals Set

Digital Image: "Flowers for You"- Inger Harding

Paper: Pure Luxury White-GKD

           Yellow and Green-printed on Pure Luxury White

Ribbon: From Stash

I am looking forward to the day that I can pick a bouquet of flowers from my garden.

Sending you a bouquet of good wishes for a great day!

Theresa

May You Find the Rainbow's End at TMITA

There's Magic in the Air has a challenge from Danielle this week. She wants us to use the  image "Pot of Gold" from Paper Cupcakes (freebie) and use the colors "green & gold" (the image can be many colors) with the added bonus of using metal somewhere on your card/creation (brad, charm, eyelets, etc.). What a fun challenge!!

Through the Magic of Photoshop, I digitally created this card. I colored the image with Photoshop using paint can and special effects. I found a digital paper of shamrocks online (Papercraft Inspirations) and re-colored  to green and gold. Added "mat" of green and used a small green "mat" for my sentiment that I typed with PS. Added 2 brads with shamrocks design. (Actually the brads are images of metal brads that I found online and copied and moved onto the card). This will be a great card to send for St. Patrick's Day.

I hope next week I can make a "real"card for TMITA's challenge. I know this card cannot qualify for the random drawing because there is no metal.... but it was fun to play with this image and thru the magic of Photoshop added some "metal brads".
Click on card to see closer.

Happy St. Patrick's Day....everyone is Irish on March 17!

Theresa

Digital Easter Bunny Card

I recently received from my blogger friend Sue a link to some beautiful digital images from Harding Designs. These freebies can be downloaded from Inger Harding at simplyinger.blogspot.com. Please check out Inger's lovely designs. I had also seen one of Inger's designs on my friend  Olga's blog (click to view).

Using Photoshop, I colored the bunny using different special effects on different areas of the image. I used a background from the kids selection called daisy that I added a special effect from the filter option (custom) that looks as if I had embossed it with Cuttlebug's Swiss Dot folder. Also used a photo effect that gave the bunny a look of being dimensional (card on left).

Did another card (right card) that I changed some of the special effects used in the final steps to give a totally different look. More of a embossed look. Think I like the one on the right card the best. It is fun to experiment with different elements. Never know what I'll get!

Which card do you like?

Thanks for hopping by to see my bunnies!

Theresa

Making a Digital Card-Simplified- and a DH Challenge

Since I cannot papercraft  cards, I have not been able to enter many challenges online with the exception of  TMITA who does not object to digitally created cards being entered in their wonderful challenges.  Thanks to the gals over at There's Magic in the Air for being so supportive of my "digital"cards.

It is no fun to make cards for challenges and not being able to share them. One stamping site requested that I remove all my digitally created cards from my album on their site which I promptly did ......I did not know that I was breaking the rules..... they only allow  papercraft cards.  (I really did not expect digital cards to be eligible for a challenge prize but thought they could be in my albums.)  Maybe I should create a website for challenges for only digitally made projects?  LOL!

My cast will be removed March 18 and none too soon because I miss making cards and participating in challenges. My DH, feeling sorry that I am lacking challenges, challenged me to make a card with some of his great photographs that he has made during our stay here in FL. So I accepted his challenge and created this
Get Well Card :




Inside of card

Used photographs made at Bailey Tract on Sanibel Island. Using Photoshop, I created a "mat" with background of leaves that I gave a textured look. Used a frame to surround the picture for another mat look. Added text.  Using the same "mat" on inside, I used a rectangle shape in white to create a "mat" for second  picture and sentiment.

So many have asked how to make digital cards on Photoshop that I am going to try to list some of the steps I used in making the card front above. There are numerous ways to do different effects....no set way...best to experiment. My technique is SELF-TAUGHT. This is just one of many ways to create a card.

1. In upper toolbar, under FILE (far left on top toolbar). select NEW, open blank file - select size (ie 5.5" wide and 4.25"height);  select background (white, color,or transparent). Click OK to open in work area. Will  also show in photo bin.

2. Next, choose a background (or just fill with a color). In ARTWORK and EFFECTS find option Artwork then find Backgrounds (options on left side) and then find Nature (options on right side). Scroll to find Leaves and click apply. Background of leaves will appear on Blank File. 

3. To give the background a textured look, find Special Effects ( another option in Artwork and Effects). On this card I chose Photo Effects (options on left side) and Image Effects (options on right side) and selected Lizard Skin (scroll down to see choices). Select apply and your background of leaves becomes textured.

4.Flatten your image. Select Layer in top tool bar and click on "Flatten Image".  You can choose to do later ...just merges layers together before adding in an image or picture.

5.Now you can open a picture or an image to add to your card. Click on FILE (far left on top toolbar). Click on OPEN...go to choice of picture to open. Picture will appear in workspace and in photo bin. Once picture or digital image is edited to your liking you can now add a frame as I did. Or choose another way to present.

6. Add frame ...Under Artwork and Effects...go to Artwork...select Frames in left options and select Professional in right options. I selected 4x5Tranparency as my frame. Click apply to add choice of frame. Then adust size of picture and frame.

7. To add picture to "Mat Background", bring "Mat" back into workspace and then drag picture on to the mat. Using the MOVE tool from tools (usually at left of screen or may be at bottom), adjust placement and size of image.

8. Use TEXT tool to add sentiment. Flatten Image again.

Remember to save your project as you work. Also you can always backup and make changes using Undo History. Once you flatten an image, you can not change what is on screen but you can delete Flatten Image to return to previous state.  This is a simplified  list of steps and certainly not a complete lesson but just hope  it gives you an idea how to begin.

Thanks for dropping by. See ya later, alligator!
Theresa