2026: Watercolor + TapeRunner + MORE Sympathy Cards

Hello again, sweet friends! 

I'm back to share MORE creations... unfortunately, I needed to make MORE sympathy cards (again). 

 

I wanted to try something new for these designs. I was inspired by a craft that my Mom, older brother, and his family helped me create during their spring break (MORE on that soon👀)- watercoloring! 

 

I watercolored some background pieces and used them behind some die cut cover pieces. What really surprised me is that the TapeRunner adhesive was strong enough to hold the watercolor paper to the cardbase. If you have worked with watercolors before, then you know it warps the paper/etc. But all of the TapeRunner adhesive did it's job and held strong!!!!  

I used the TR pink adhesive on the first card, and the TR retractable adhesive on the second set. I used adhesive on the cardbase, watercolor panel, and die cut cover panel! I'm really loving that retractable adhesive- it's so easy to use! Just click and adhere! 

I loooooooooooove how these turned out. I pray that they bring comfort and peace to our friends during this difficult time ❤️

That's it for me today.

THANKS so much for stopping by! MORE to come 💌

Be blessed ❤️

Sav

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Technique Tuesday: Birthday Celebration and Promo [cards #50-54,61,63]

Hello, friends! 

I'm super excited to be back today sharing MORE Technique Tuesday creations!!! 

I love being challenged to create using certain products and a theme or design style. It really helps me get into my creative flow! Sometimes I think outside the box, and sometimes I follow the theme exactly the way it was presented. Either way- I enjoy "specifics" that aid in pushing my creativity 😉 

The challenge/request: TT is celebrating BIRTHDAYS! And they have offered up a wonderful code for your purchase: 

25% off your ENTIRE purchase using code HAPPYBDAY 

Free shipping on orders over $75

Sale runs from March 20-27

Now is your chance to get so many wonderful Technique Tuesday goodies--- they have sooooooo many birthday collections HERE!! Head over to their shop NOW!!! **Wait--- finish reading my post and then head over there😉 

Thanks for continuing to read my post:) Back to the challenge of creating birthday projects--- this was a much needed challenge for me as we have 14 different birthdays and celebrations during the month of March! I was blessed to get the Happy Hummingbirds stamps and matching dies for my creations. I couldn't be happier with how each card turned out. I created a mixture of designs- watercolor is a main feature, but I also did CAS and layered. I love love love each of these designs! 

You might notice that I mix and match stamp/die sets for these creations- that's a favorite technique of mine!! I also use the Bowl Bouquet stamps and the Iris stamps/dies. 

Techniques: watercoloring, dry embossing, stamping, layering, CAS

Techniques: embossing, stamping, layering, CAS

Techniques: watercoloring, stamping, layering, mixing and matching stamps/dies

Techniques: watercoloring, embossing, stamping, layering, patterned paper, mixing and matching stamps/dies

I hope you are inspired by these TT birthday cards-- you can NEVER have too many birthday cards in your stash:) It literally is ALWAYS someone's birthday. LOL! 

Be sure to check out the BIRTHDAY collection of stamps and dies, as well as bundles, HERE on the Technique Tuesday website! And don't forget about their SALE!!! 

THANKS so much for stopping by! 

Be blessed ❤️

Sav

Technique Tuesday: Watercolor Christmas cards

Hello, friends! 

I'm super excited to be back today sharing MORE Technique Tuesday creations!!! 

I love being challenged to create using certain products and a theme or design style. It really helps me get into my creative flow! Sometimes I think outside the box, and sometimes I follow the theme exactly the way it was presented. Either way- I enjoy "specifics" that aid in pushing my creativity 😉 

The challenge/request: TT requested watercolor Christmas cards. Sounds easy and the ideas started to flow quickly! That was until I realized I wasn't doing the challenge or request correctly 🤦🏼‍♀️ I had forgotten to use watercoloring! LOL Don't worry! I completed the challenge, and I really love how everything turned out:) 

The first few creations use the TT Sweater Weather die. I went really simple with this first card **NOTE: Simple doesn't always mean easy! LOL! I embossed the die multiple times on a piece of watercolored paper, and a reflective silver Washi tape, dainty thread and bow, as well as a sentiment and confetti pieces added just the right finishing touches to this card. It's simple yet packed with detail all from that die! 

This card is perfect for mass producing with different watercolored backgrounds or as holiday Thank Yous or even as a smaller version too. Honestly, this die and card design could be used for just about any occasion with a flip of the colors and sentiments! I love it! 

Techniques: watercoloring, dry embossing, stamping, layering, CAS

The next two cards are a combo. One uses the scraps from the previous design, which is another thing I love- using up scraps for all projects:)

Both cards use the TT Sweater Weather die as the main design. I paper pieced the die image after running it through a die cut machine multiple times on the card base. 

Q: Where's the watercoloring element?

A: It might be hard to see in the first card, but the little green pieces from the die were watercolored. I used the scrap from this watercolored piece of paper for my next card! 

Techniques: watercoloring, die cutting, stamping, embossing, layering

Here's the scrap! I love how this card turned out-- all that gold and green together with a maroon bow! BEAUTIFUL! This color combo and design makes me think of fancy holiday parties and gatherings! 

Techniques: watercoloring, die cutting, layering, CAS, using scraps

I went with a silhouette design next. The perfect stamp bundle for this creation is the TT Nativity Silhouettes and Christ is Born sets! Another simple card for the win! The hardest part of this design was creating the watercolored background! LOL! I just couldn't get the navy-black color I wanted. I tried multiple times. This piece probably dried three or four times before getting just the right color for the night sky. #worththewait 

You might think that masking the sentiment and nativity scene so that I could emboss with two different colors would be the hardest part- but not for me! One of my favorite techniques is masking sentiments/images:) 

Techniques: watercoloring, stamping, masking, embossing, CAS

And finally, I wanted to finish with a fun & cute design (which is really my style-- however, I went with a CAS + one layered fun & cute card.... which is NOT my style! LOL!). I used the TT Hello Winter stamp set- perfect for fun & cute! 

There are three steps for this card: stamping, embossing, and coloring. Super EASY! I did add a some fluffy elements to the boots and jacket so it wasn't sooooooo one layered:) LOL! 

As soon as I sent this photo to Trav (for his approval), he responded with "You say that all the time!" I live in Florida, and I'm honestly COLD almost ALL the time (our thermostat is set to 78* most of the year)!!! 

Techniques: watercoloring, stamping, embossing, CAS, one layer

I hope this helps you get into the holiday spirit--- Christmas will be here before you know it! 

Be sure to check out the Christmas & Winter Collection of stamps and dies, as well as bundles, HERE on the Technique Tuesday website!

THANKS so much for stopping by! 

Be blessed ❤️

Sav

first try rejects and the final project after try #2

Hello, friends! 

I have soooooooooooo many projects to share... and I've come up with a quick way to share them all within a few posts. You might be seeing lots of different designs (and not a lot of details) per post to make it easier on me! LOL! 

Today I'm sharing a project that I created in April for a sweet and dear friend, Kim! I love celebrating her birthday and this year she turned 50. That meant I needed to make a super special birthday card. 

I had a few ideas that included watercoloring a piece of paper one solid color. I tried this with a teal and navy (you can see them in the watercolor bin). I thought that I could then add colors to the areas where the flowers would be... but that didn't work out at all! #totalfail I set those two papers aside and started again focusing on watercoloring after I die cut the paper with the design first. I posted about it HERE on Instagram. 

HERE's stage two. It's looking much better than my first attempt! 

I finished this card and absolutely loved the design! Best fail ever! I think Kim enjoyed it too. My mom loved it so much that she requested I make another one just like it. *It was hard to replicate but I did it for my mom! LOL! 

Supplies: The Stamp Market watercolor palette, Just Add Flowers stamp set, Floral Cuts cover die

So what did I do with the first try rejects? Well... I used them for another project two weeks later! It took me that long to figure out what I wanted to do with them. The papers were watercolored teal and navy with different hues and markings. I wanted that to stand out and so I used them on a CAS white card base with a few die cuts and sentiments. EASY! And to be honest, I love how they turned out! Rejects aren't really rejects unless you throw it away. #lifelesson 

This "Thank You" card was created for a sweet couple that became family to me during Covid. They took private aqua fitness classes from me to stay active before they moved back home to WI. I knew the husband loved flowers (his wife's name is Rose! LOL!), so I made a simple white embossed flower bouquet the focal point of this card design. 

Supplies: The Stamp Market watercolor palette, Framed Floral, Gorgeous Greetings, Emboss ink

The navy rejected paper was big enough to make two cards! I love the bold navy with the white background.

Supplies: The Stamp Market watercolor palette, Botanical Print, Botanical Beauty die, Palm Leaf die, Navy/Slate paper and ink

I never throw anything away, and it's a good thing! These cards are some of my favorite! And I learned that rejections are not always bad; good can still come from it. 

That's it for me today. I will be sharing more soon! THANKS so much for stopping by!    

Be blessed ❤️

Sav 

Imagine Crafts: Photographic Smile VIDEO

Hello, friends:)

I'm super excited today to share another Imagine Crafts video! Click HERE or HERE to check it out:) 

I used my Tsukineko Memento dye inks and Ink Potion No. 9 spray to color some vellum! SO EASY! It's like watercoloring but without brushes:) I also made some splatters using my Fireworks Bamboo Leaves spray! LOVE this spray!!! So pretty! ***Be sure to change your settings to HD before watching! THANKS:) 

I hope that you will stop over on the Imagine Crafts blog to check out my video and leave some love!!! Or click HERE to watch the video on YouTube or HERE on Vimeo.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Be blessed:)

Paper Smooches SPARKS: May Designer Drafts challenge

Hello, friends:}

Today we start another weekly challenge over at Paper Smooches SPARKS blog!! This week we are sharing a DESIGNER DRAFT challenge. 

This week we are inspired by the following sketch:

**Sentiments can be placed anywhere on the sketch.

Ok.... so.... I went a bit abstract for this sketch.... that's typical for me:) Here's how I followed the sketch: 

• I used the tan background as my cardbase.
• The green piece was created using "watercolors".
• The orange strip became a sentiment.
• The half circle was made into another sentiment and die cut.
  

I looooooove that watercoloring- I used Tsukineko Radiant Neon Electric Orange and Coral inks for this design!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE! I also love the washed out edges... that was made by spraying Ink Potion No. 9 on my watercolor design. This is probably my fav watercoloring ever! 

I cut up a sentiment from the Paper Smooches Happy Birthday set and stamped another one from the Chit Chat set. Then I die cut the Smooches Birthday Words sentiment using Chickaniddy Crafts Silver Surfer foil paper! LOOOOOOVE! 

That's it for me today--but be sure to stop by the other Paper Smooches SPARKS DT members' blogs, get inspired, and leave them some love. ***This is actually the last PSS challenge for these gals. I'm so thankful that I was able to work with them-- it has been a blast! I love each of their styles and designs-- I've been blown away with each of their creations!! Please stop by their blog and let them know you love their work too!

Isha

Katie

Rachel

Taheerah

Trisha

And don't forget to stop by the Paper Smooches SPARKS blog for more details!!!! This challenge ends May 31st. I cannot wait to see what you make!!! 

THANKS so much for stopping by! Be blessed:}

Paper Smooches SPARKS: May Picture Perfect challenge

Hello, friends:}

Today we start another weekly challenge over at Paper Smooches SPARKS blog!! This week is a Picture Perfect challenge.  

This week we are inspired by the following picture:

Picture: Credit

So... sometimes I wonder how people are inspired by the photos because their card DOES NOT match the inspiration! Well.... here's my thinking for this card: 

• I liked the dyed table clothes and thought I could watercolor something like that.
• I liked the metallic ball decorations on the table... they made me think of brads.
• This photo looks like it's a Mardi Gras party/decorations.... parties are for celebrating...so I went with a graduation card. 
• I see there are three color choices for this photo... I went with three colors on my card.
• This photo is busy... I went CAS. That's not similar at all:)

That being said... I understand if you don't like my interpretation! LOL! Trav seems to LOOOOOVE it! And this is a special card for our friend Daria who just graduated from Nyack University this past Saturday! HOOOOOORAY! Huge congrats, Daria:) 

 

Daria is soooooo amazing! We are so proud of her!!! 

I used some Tsukineko Memento Angel Pink and Morocco dye inks as watercolors by mixing these inks with Ink Potion No. 9. WOW~ looooooooooove how easy it was to turn these inks into watercolors! I embossed sentiments from the Paper Smooches Bold Buzzwords and Seeing Stars sets using Imagine Crafts black embossing powder. I added a bit of neon washi tape and brads to finish the card. CAS! LOOOOOOVE! 

You can kind of see the dyed look at the bottom of my card.... kind of:)

That's it for me today--but be sure to stop by the other Paper Smooches SPARKS DT members' blogs and leave them some love. 

Clare

Erin

Karin

And don't forget to stop by the Paper Smooches SPARKS blog for more details. This challenge ends May 17th. I cannot wait to see what you make--I actually can't wait to see what you are inspired by in this photo!!

THANKS so much for stopping by! Be blessed:}