*WHEW*

What a wild weekend!! I counted birds non-stop for four days and had a TON of fun doing it!! Currently, my little dinky town is NUMBER FOUR in the ENTIRE NATION for number of bird count checklists submitted to the Great Backyard Bird Count! We are running with the big dawgs now, baby!!! We are in a list that includes large metro areas like Atlanta, GA, and Charlotte, NC, and Tallahassee, FL. Also, our city beat out all the other participating locations in South Carolina. AND, we beat our all-time high record of number of checklists submitted! I know, I know... I AM A BIRD NERD! ;-)

But now it's back to the real world! I have managed to put off all house work for 4 days, so I might not have too much time for card making today. I miss creating!! =D


~Cynthia

Through the Gate

Through the Gate
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

I was back on Shelley Starkis' blog yesterday and she posted a beautiful card for the Jac-Inks' sketch challenge. She stamped little rabbits on a bench in front of a sunrise--and I thought it was SO CUTE!! I kinda did the same thing...without a bench or rabbits or really the hot orange sunrise she used either. Heh.

I *did* however use the idea of a large oval and some sunshine. I think mine turned out more like an English garden, early morning, with fog. What do you think?? =D

I used a Nestabilities oval die for my shape, temporarily taped the negative of that onto an ivory cardblank. I sponged yellow ink all over the oval then taped down a round die cut shape for my sun. Next I sponged some yellow, orange, and a bit of black Distress Ink all around.

I left the die cuts in place to stamp the gate and the trees (in Black Soot Distress Ink). Then I peeled those off carefully and stamped (also in Black Soot Distress Ink) my birthday sentiment below the image. (In case you haven't noticed, I LOVE LOVE LOVE that Hero Arts set--Classic Messages. The font is small and very professional looking.)

And that was it! The card doesn't look a BIT like Shelley's, but I kind of like it. =D


Supplies:
Paper: Recollections (ivory cardblank)
Stamps: Stampscape (Pine Tree--196F); Hero Arts (Classic Messages set, sentiment); Art Impressions (gate: I-2450)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Dried Marigold, Orange Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Black Soot)


Have a wonderfully creative day!! And thanks for stopping by!

~Cynthia

Trial and Error and Error and Error

Trial and Error and Error and Error
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

OK, this is the last in the series of CASE'ing the Less Is More cards.

First off, I used a larger tree stamp (in Walnut Stain Ink) on the same small clear block (in Tea Dye Ink). This was bad. You could barely see the tree. It looked like a huge brown blob.

Sadness.

So I cut that card up. Then I tried it again with different inks.

It looked like some sort of sci-fi experiment.

So I cut that card up. Then I tried it with a lighter ink and a different tree stamp.

Ahhh....much better!!!

Here I've used Antique Linen Ink on the clear block then stamped one of Michael's dollar bin stamps. I also colored the tree trunk and leaves with watercolor pencils. I added the sentiment beneath the block stamp.

Then I layered all my mistake-filled layers on a kraft cardblank and called it a day.



Supplies:
Paper: The Paper Studio (kraft cardblank); Recollections (white cardblanks)
Stamps: Hero Arts (Classic Messages set); Hampton Arts/Studio G (birthday stamp)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Antique Linen, Walnut Stain)
ETC: Artist's Loft (watercolor pencils); clear stamping block; Glue Glider Pro



Here's my shameless plug of the week:

Starting this Friday, the Great Backyard Bird Count runs through Monday. This is a fun citizen-science project run by Cornell University and Audubon. All you have to do is count the birds you see in your yard, or wherever you see birds, and post them on the GBBC website. It's free and fun! The website is www dot birdsource dot org/gbbc I've been participating for six years now and I love the competition between birdwatchers from different states and counties within states. Plus, it helps the scientists at Cornell gather huge amounts of information about bird populations and migrations. You can do as many (or as few) counts as you would like or are able to. And you don't need to be a 'professional' or 'expert' birdwatcher! Whatever you can do really does make a difference! I'm participating again this year, so I probably won't be making many cards or posting much here this weekend. Please consider participating if you can. :-)

*shameless plug end*


Happy Wednesday to ya! ;-)

~Cynthia

Sunny, with a chance of off-centeredness

Sunny, with a chance of off-centeredness
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

This card just makes me laugh...in all the WRONG ways!! =D

It looks like some sort of lion thing gone wrong. Maybe if I added a few stick legs......

I was attempting to continue my CASE'ing of cards on the Less Is More blog. *sigh*

I stamped the same inked-up clear block as I did in yesterday's card. I stamped a larger flower image this time. Waaaaaay too big of a flower image. Way.

I do like the colors though and I will try this combo again in the future. Just with a different flower stamp. :-)

Yep.


Supplies (but don't try this at home, kids!):
Paper: Recollections (white cardblank)
Stamp: Inkadinkado (Garden Delight set); Hero Arts (Classic Messages set)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Dried Marigold, Mustard Seed)
ETC: Clear stamp block


After our beautiful 70 degree sunny day on Monday, we're back into the 40s and cloudy today. Maybe I'll find the mojo to make more sunny cards! ;-)


~Cynthia

Am I Blue?

Am I Blue?
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

This sweet little simple card is another CASE of the fabulous cardmakers over on Less Is More. This week's challenge was to make a one layer card with a flower or tree image.

I CASE'd Chrissie's card--she's one of the challenge creators.

I did mine a bit differently than hers though. I used the "ink up your clear block" technique and used it as a stamp. Then in a darker ink, I stamped the flower image slightly outside the block of color.

I guess this would be a masculine card, but the colors make me sad. Kind of like a rainy day. The card is growing on me though....


Supplies:
Paper: Recollections (white cardblank)
Stamps: Inkadinkado (Garden Delight set); Hero Arts (Classic Mesages set)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Inks (Tumbled Glass, Faded Jeans)
ETC: Clear Stamp Block (Can't remember where I got it!)


Happy Monday, all! ;-)

~Cynthia

Blue Birthday

Blue Birthday
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Here's another card I've shamelessly CASE'd! This is from a new (to me) blog I found a few days ago. I LOVE this crafter's style! Her name is Shelley Starkis and her blog is called Shelley's Stamping Ground.

This card is also a take on the "Less Is More" blog's one layer challenge. Shelley followed their directions and used pink, black and white. I just changed Shelley's colors and made it a birthday card.

I stamped the flowers in Broken China and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink. I stamped the sentiment below the flowers, then drew a line around the images. The white on white look is pretty cool for this card.

Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (white cardstock); Recollections (white cardblank)
Stamps: Stampin Up (Pocket Silhouettes); Hero Arts (Classic Messages)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Broken China, Tumbled Glass)
ETC: Pigment Pro (black pen); Tim Holtz Ruler; Glue Glider Pro

The beautiful sun is shining again today! I hope to get all my housework done so I can sit in the sun and craft!!! ;-) Happy Saturday to ya!

~Cynthia

Celebrate!

Celebrate!
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Shamelessly copied from this week's Fall-to Layout (FTL 127) from Clean & Simple Stamping. =D

Well, OK, not exactly, but I did get the idea from them!

Once again, I find myself apologizing for the crappy photo. I don't know what happens. I took it in broad, beautiful sunlight....and I ended up with a very shadowy picture.

*sigh*

All I can say is, in real life it's darn pretty. Heh.

I cut a piece of green cardstock and ran it through the Cuttlebug with a borders embossing folder. I adhered that to the left side of the cardblank....which is totally ivory and not some funky gray color. Grrr.

Then I cut a piece of an ivory cardblank, stamped the little bouquet on it and used watercolor pencils to color the leaves and the bow. I used Bundled Sage Distress Ink on the stamp, which matched the green cardstock. The watercolor pencil is slightly lighter in color so the Bundled Sage became almost a shadow beneath the pencil color.

I added a skinny piece of purple cardstock beneath the ivory/bouquet and stamped the sentiment below it in Dusty Concord Distress Ink, which matches the purple cardstock.

Inside I stamped Happy Birthday in Dusty Concord.


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (green and purple cardstock); Recollections (ivory cardblank)
Stamps: PSX (bouquet); Hero Arts (Birthday Messages set)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Bundled Sage, Dusty Concord)
ETC: Cuttlebug (With Love embossing folder border set) (Say THAT four times real fast!!); Glue Glider Pro; Artist's Loft and Koh-I-Noor (watercolor pencils)



I finally found a bit of time to venture into the craft room today! YAY! I hope you find time to be creative too! And Happy Weekend! =D

~Cynthia