My New Ficus!!

If you follow my blog regularly, you know that I am super selective about doing product reviews.  I won't do them unless it is something that I really like and use.  When Commercial Palm Trees contacted me, I was skeptical.  I not normally a fan of artificial plants because they usually look so fake and plastic.  I poked around their website, their stuff looked really nice, so I agreed. 

Wow!  Super nice!  Check it out:

 Look how real the leaves look, even close up:

I am pleasantly surprised at the realistic details, like the different shades on each leaf for veining and the wood trunk.  There are not our mothers' plastic plants!  While the pot is pretty, I will probably replace it with a fabulous ceramic planter from the 1950s I have from my mother. 

*Full disclosure, I received the tree in exchange for reviewing the item.  If I didn't like it, I would have sent it back and not posted anything.  

Watercolor Poinsettias

Poinsettias are so pretty for Christmas!  I stamped them on Strathemore paper, and colored using Distress Oxides and a water brush. 

 I layered them onto Lawn Fawn Perfect Plaid paper, and created a gate-fold card.  The Recollections sentiment I used has a gap in the "s" of Christmas that I didn't think looked right, so I filled it in using a dental pick.  Even my smallest brushes were too wide.

Sharing this with Jingle Belles challenge is "A Coloring We Will Go".   Come play along with us at Words 2 Craft By for our Blizzard of Kisses challenge!!

W2CB #50 - Blizzard of Kisses

This month's challenge is drawn from these words:

 

This wonderful background die is a blizzard of kisses in my mind!!!

 Spellbinder die background, Hero Arts Prayers stamp/die set.  

Can't wait to see how you interpret these words!  Please share your creations with us at Words 2 Craft By!!

Make a Wish

Where Creativity Meets C9's challenge is Watercolor.  

I made a background using oxide inks, stamped the bold sentiment is jet black ink, and layered with a black card base. 

Valentines for Family

I like to send Valentines to family and friends, not just to my husband.  It can be hard to make a love card that isn't romantic.  The Color Throwdown color challenge is perfect for this!

The pale pink parchment background contrasts well with the grey overlay cut with a Spellbinder Shapeability Cascading Hearts die.  The red lettering cut with an older Sizzix die didn't show up very well, so I cut a second set out of the pale pink as a shadow.

Love is in the air...

I am sure you are tired of my obsession with Oxide ink.  Get over it :) because I can't help myself!!! 

This is an older Sizzix embossing folder that hasn't loved.  Mainly because I struggled to highlight the embossing without smearing.  Thus my love of oxide.  Since it is between a pigment and a dye, you can still move it around after it is on the paper.  So forgiving!!

I used Offray white ribbon, SU! Rose ribbon, and added a hand cut heart.  Sharing this with the Shopping Our Stash He Loves Me challenge and the  Try Stampin' on Tuesday Sponging challenge.  Only a few more days to play along with us at Words 2 Craft By!  The linky will be open through February 7!!

CAS-ual Fridays Hearts

The CAS-ual Fridays challenge is Hearts, Hearts, and More Hearts!

CAS-ual Fridays sentiment.  I bought the die secondhand, not sure of the creator.  This is a  smaller (5"x3.5") card.  Come play along with us at Words 2 Craft By for our New Beginnings challenge through February 7!!

Black & White Challenge

Cards in Envy has a black and white challenge.  

Sizzix die cut sentiment, stash doily and paper, Divine Swirls embossing.  Come play along with us at Words 2 Craft By for our New Beginnings challenge - through February 7!

Soft Spring Colors

This is a pastel variation on yesterday's Bright Spring Colors post.  

I used the same Oxide inks as with yesterday's background - Salty Ocean, Fossilized Amber, Cracked Pistachio, and Pickled Raspberry - but with a much lighter touch.  Love how the doily made the card even softer.  Love this color combo suggested by The Color Throwdown:

Bright, Spring Colors!!

I am (NOT) ready for 6 more weeks of Ohio winter.  Tired of drab, neutral colors!!!

The Color Throwdown has just the challenge to beat the winter blahs:

I heat embossed a Catherine Pooler background stamp, and inked the paper with some beautiful Oxide Inks.  The sentiment is really old SU, layered with a Spellbinder scalloped square.  Ribbon and solid paper from stash.  Just a few more days to play along with the Words 2 Craft By New Beginnings challenge!!!