Sunshine In the Sky

I made this layout for the LM# 442- Look Up At The Sky Day Challenge with Lasting Memories Layout Challenges. The background paper and title- Sunshine In The Sky- are from Craft Smith Watercolor Paper Pad. The stamped images are from Unity Stamp Company A Girl & Her Adventures stamp set. I stamped them with VersaFine Onyx Black pigment ink using my Tim Holtz Tonic Studios Stamping Platform. The tag is from K&Company Abrianna Tag Pad. I wrote on the tag with an orange glitter pen that is part of a set that I bought from Five Below. I wrote that the pictures are of the sunrise on the way to the Grand Canyon, Arizona September 17, 2017. The twine is Cherry Limeade from Trendy Twine. I went to Arizona for a Scrap and Stamp Expo in Mesa, Arizona September 15 and 16 with my friend Laura and we visited her family as well as The Grand Canyon while we were in Arizona for about a week. We wanted to see the sunrise over the Grand Canyon, but got there just after the sunrise so these pics were taken on the highway on the way there.

A close-up of the tag

Rain Rain Go Away Blog Hop

Thank you for joining us for  

the Rain Rain Go Away BLOG HOP

This is a blog hop featuring projects with rain, clouds, umbrellas, or rainbows!

You should have arrived from 

(Connie http://conniecancrop.blogspot.com), if not,

Connie Can Crop , is the beginning of this interactive hop! 

This is a one day blog hop, but you have until Sunday at 10pm to finish hopping and leaving your love for all of these talented crafters.

We have four awesome sponsors for this hop!!

Laura McGinnis (Cowtown Creates)

 has graciously donated a $20 gift certificate to shop her online store

AND

Sunflower Holli

is giving away this gorgeous Easter kit by Simple Stories

AND

Crazy About Cards

is giving away this awesome package containing a wreath kit, a stamp set, 2 rolls of twine, and 2 rolls of washi tape

AND

Liz with Love 
is donating an awesome envelope punch board, stickers, and a pen.

What do you need to do to win? Easy... become  a follower of each of the fabulous blogs in this hop and leave each of them a comment letting them know what you like best about their projects. Free Shipping to our USA friends but Worldwide will be asked to pay shipping if they win.

You will have until 10 pm Sunday to finish the hop and leave your comments on every blog to be eligible to win. 

Winners will be announced on Wednesday 4/17/19 at Connie Can Crop.

Be sure to follow everyone and leave a comment along the way!

Now onto my cards. Grab a cup of your favorite beverage and be prepared for a long post. I decided to make 2 cards for this hop. The first card is a stamp from Unity Stamp Company- Realize- the entire image is one stamp and I colored it in with Marvy Uchida Color In Watercolor Twist colored pencils and stamped it with VersaFine black onyx ink. The pink card base is from Recollections Dreamscape 8.5" x 11" Paper Collection. I stamped the image on typing paper and then added it to the Dreamscape paper. I know the image is a little off centered, but that's what makes it unique! I added Lincraft Crystal stickers to the lighthouse and the opposite corners to help the flow of the card. The yellow paper behind the sentiment- I don't think you realize how amazing you are- is from my stash.

 I thought the card above doesn't really have anything to do with rain, but does have a cloud in it so it kind of fits this hop. So, I decided to make the following card. The blue card base is also from Recollections Dreamscape collection. I didn't really measure either card, but the card above will come closer to fitting in an A2 envelope obviously. I trimmed the blue card stock against the size of the Harmony Girl stamped image also from Unity. I stamped Harmony Girl with Gina K Designs Amalgam ink and then colored in the image with the same Watercolor pencils as above on Canson Acrylic/Water Color Mix Media paper. I then added Tim Holtz Oxide Peeled Paint, Candy Apple, and Tea Dye inks with a Ranger sponge dauber. The watercolor pencils comes with a paint brush so I blended all the inks with water and some of the colored pencils. I made sure I didn't brush around her face or legs so the skin color wouldn't blend in. The circle patterned paper is from Colorbok Spring Morning Pattern Pack that I trimmed to fit on the card behind the watercolor image. I stamped the sentiment- don't wait for the storm to pass learn to dance in the rain with Tim Holtz Distress Twisted Citron ink on the same watercolor paper and fussy cut around it. I used the same crystal stickers as before. The pink corner piece is from Gemini by Crafter's Companion Cut and Emboss set from the same Dreamscape set. 

That's all I have for you today, but I did want to tell you about my friend, Laura. She's the one from Stampin' Up who's giving away the $20 gift certificate. She is at Stampin' Up OnStage this weekend in Charlotte, NC with her mom and sister and a bunch of other women. This is her second time at OnStage. She's a new demonstrator to Stampin' Up and  loves it. She has a group of ladies that meet with her on Saturdays at the library for a Stampin' Up workshop and she attends a stamping crop every Tuesday afternoon in the same library classroom. Her husband even helps her get ready for her workshops and helped her get ready for OnStage. I went to visit them last summer and was surprised to see him making cards. I just wanted to give a little plug for Laura so everyone would know more about her. We met here in NC back in 2012 and they now live in FL on a horse ranch and also have a cow, 3 dogs, 3 cats, 2 fish, and just started raising baby chickens. Laura is an animal lover and her husband takes care of the ranch with her help. She also works at a horse ranch away from home. 

Be sure to hop over to my friend Rebecca B (http://makinwithbacon.blogspot.com/) where I'm sure she has a great project to share!

Here's our line up in case you get lost along the way.

Connie

Amanda 

Rebecca B.

EK

Nikki 

Holli

Kim

Shannon 

Jearise

Cindy

 Alicia

Veronica

Liz

Sarah 

Julia

Tristan

Sue K.

Miranda 

Rebecca Ann

Charlotte

Be sure to join us next month for our
Tea Time Blog hop!

Thank You For Being A Friend

I made this card for Challenge #105 with Always Fun Challenges. The challenge is to use flowers on your project. I decided to use Allure border background from Unity Stamp Company and Lil Bunny Peeps for the sentiment- Thank You For Being A Friend, also from Unity. I used VersaFine Onyx Black pigment ink on both stamps and colored the flowers in with Marvy Uchida ColorIn Watercolor Twist Colored Pencils. The paper is from Neenah Bright Creative Collection 8.5 x 11 Premium Cardstock that I trimmed down around the background and decided to fold it in half above the background. I saw I stamped it a little crooked on the paper, but it's not that bad. I was gonna add some twine, but I like it as is. I didn't color in all of the stamped background because of all the small details and my colored pencils are not fine tip. I have to admit I don't well with measurements, so I eyeball everything and just go with it. I love making it my own unique way! Thanks for looking. Please join me on Saturday, April 13, for a Rain, Rain Go Away Blog Hop that I'm participating in. You may actually get to win a $20 gift certificate to my friend's Stampin' Up website!

Art

 I followed the above sketch from Scrap Our Stash Saturday Cartoon Inspired Sketch Challenge. I chose Harmony Bear from the Care Bears above. I used Craft Creations LTD Purple Texture With Gold Foil paper and My Mind's Eye Bramble Rose No. 2 paper pad for the stripes, sunflower background, and the purple middle strip. The title- Art- letters from the alphabet that I cut out and journaling circle are from Colorbok Homemade Paper Plus paper pad. The flowers are the colors of the flower on the Care Bear's stomach and are made by Recollections. The pictures are of North Carolina lighthouses painted on both sides of the electrical meters and the cardinal stamp is painted on the A/C unit- both downtown Washington, NC outside the Visitor Center. The purple paper is close to the same purple as Harmony Bear. You can find this purple gold foil paper at White Rose Crafts. I wrote in the journaling circle that I love NC lighthouses and I saw these painted on the electrical meters and had to take a pic. The cardinal stamp was painted on the A/C unit.

Thanks for looking and have a great week!