National Arizona Day

This week for the Free 4 All Challenge we are featuring National Arizona Day as our challenge!  We can use anything that makes us think of Arizona.  Traditional Southwest colors, landscapes, icons, etc. The challenges at Splitcoaststampers are free to play, I would love to see your take on the challenge!  

For my card I made a background with colors I think of as southwest colors.  I also used the deer from the Southwest Icons Die Set.  This card was given to my husband for Father's Day. He planned amazing trips to Arizona and Utah when our kids were still at home!  Happy memories.  

Items Used:

Southwest Icons

Alpha Sayings Dad

Rounded Rectangle 2

Rounded Corner Sentiments 2

Thanks for looking!  

 

Joy!

When I thought of Joy for this week's Free 4 All Challenge, December was still some ways away.  It's easy to think of Joy and December when it hasn't happened yet!  Ha! 

 I love December and Christmas.  It also happens to be my birth month so there is a lot of joy happening!  However, now that I am smack dab in the middle of December, I am finding that there is a lot I am not loving this year.   I don't love that I have missed over a week of December happenings being sick this year!  It means I probably won't get out Christmas cards and I have no idea what gifts I am giving!  I haven't been to a store since before Thanksgiving!  So yikes. However, the bottom line is those are just things and stuff.  Maybe there is a reason that the Grinch Stole Christmas has always been my favorite Christmas show!  Moment by moment there is a lot to be joyful over!  So here are three cards that just won't ignore joy!  

I hope you are gliding through December!  Leave me a note and let me know how you are doing, good or bad!

****

First, up is this cool seamless shaker card!  These are so much fun to make.  I took JOY in being released from having to use foam layers to make a shaker!!! 

****Edited to add instructions.  So sorry, I was feeling rough and didn't have the energy to tell you how I did this! I was hoping to find a video from Mary who taught this in a class, I took.  I couldn't find hers but I did find a video from JD.   I used stamp packaging to make this shaker.  You can also find pockets.  Scrapbook.com is sold out right now but you can take a look HERE to get an idea of what you are looking for.  You can see in the stamp pocket that you can purchase that the corners are mitered.  I did that myself with stamp packaging.  

Step 1:  create your card front, add die-cuts, sentiment, etc.  Step 2: cut a piece of very thin acetate or stamp packaging larger than your background so that you can fold it over and adhere it(about a 1/2 inch larger on each side).  Place your card front(background piece) face down on the acetate.  Place sturdy, double-sided tape on the edges of the card (you should be looking at the backside of the card front and placing the tape on the backside).  Step 3: Remove tape backing on 3 sides of the card. Fold acetate or packaging around the card and adhere to the sticky back.  Now you have a sealed card front with one side open.  Ste 4: fill the card with your choice of sequins and shaker mix.  Step 5: Fold over the 4th edge of acetate and adhere to the back of the card front.  Step 6: cover the back with sturdy double-sided tape.  Remove tape backing and adhere to a folded card base!  Easy Peasy.  

Bells and background stamps are a thing of joy!

A textured wreath adds welcome to any door (or card) and that is a pretty joyful thing!

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I really would love to hear how you are doing and what brings you joy this year so leave me a comment and let me know!   

Today's Featured Items

JOY (word die)

Summer Bouquet

Holiday Holly Background Stamp

Small Bell Ornament

Wreath

        

       

                        

 

Watercolor Sky

 (Affiliate links used when possible which means when you click a link and order from my link I receive a small commission without any additional cost added to you.  Thanks so much!)

Hi!  It's Wednesday and that means it's time for a new Watercolor Wednesday Challenge at SCS.  I also checked out this week's Art Nudge and found that the challenges were made for each other!   

I followed the second technique on the video that Brenda shared with us at WCW.  I found this method to be relaxing and fun.  I used my best paper Fabriano 100% Cotton Extra White Watercolor Paper and Winsor & Newton Watercolor.  My dear friend squeezed some paint onto a watercolor sheet, let dry, then sent me some sample colors to try!  I really thought a lot about what sentiment to use, in the end, I settled on My Prayers by Impression Obsession.

My color palette was determined by Art Nudge #33. 

   

I am also playing along with the SCS Teapot Challenge.  The challenge is to represent how we have felt in 2020.  I love expressing myself in my art so I couldn't resist this challenge.  I have had so many days where I woke up feeling blue in 2020.  So I have bright blue clouds.  My clouds seem to be moving quickly across the sky and I have felt tossed and windblown for much of 2020.  I have also prayed for more friends and more people that I don't actually know during 2020 and finally, I love looking at the clouds.  I have had a lot more time to take walks and take in the beauty of the sky in 2020.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  We hope you will join us for the challenges mentioned above!  I would love to see a representation of how you have felt in 2020!

Featured Products in today's post: