Happy Friday!!!

....Woohoo!!   Friday is here at last and today and today I'm looking forward to going to the hair salon for a little "pampering" and then hitting my craftroom to get started on some new projects.  I have two birthday's coming up, a Graduation and Mother's Day, so lots to keep me busy, not to mention my tasks as part of the awesome new a2z Scrapbooking Supplies Design Team!   Yes, I'm still very excited about being on the team and happy I can finally tell you all about it!

     I've had a super creative week and I guess I can thank all the rainy weather we've had for that.  On top of that I also went to "Card Club" at my LSS on Tuesday and our theme this month was "Creative Backgrounds".   As always, I didn't finish any of the cards that day, but have worked on them more since and now have several ready to share.

     This first card "Happy Bee Day" is super easy and oh so cute.  It was super easy to create and all you need is some a light color cardstock for your background and this super cute little "Bees" Embossing folder by Elizabeth Crafts.  You then emboss the bees into your cardstock, we used a pretty yellow in class, and then take one of your favorite black inks pads and putting pad to paper you rub it all over the card to color the background, making sure you are coloring the side where the bees are embossed 'into' the background, NOT the side where they would be raised.   I used a Black Soot Distress Ink pad and it worked perfect.  I also changed my sentiment and added this one, which is from Simon Says Stamp.  I thought it was perfect for the card.   I also have now purchased this embossing folder so I can make more cards like this!

   And here are two cards where we used re-inkers, shimmer mist and a variety of stencils to create this really pretty backgrounds.  We used LaBlanche's Speciality Paper, which takes the inks beautifully.

        This next card features a fun, embossed and textured shimmer background made from "Shimmer Sheetz" that were embossed and then lightly sanded and colored with Staz-on colored ink!   I love the outcome and am still working on a second card using this same technique!  Stay Tuned!

   And next are two of my favorites, both of these were created using Stencils with Distress Inks.   This first card features two stencils by Memory Box, that I had to have after making this card, which I will be giving to my Mom, on Mother's Day!  I know she will love it and I can't wait to create more in this style using my new stencil sets!! 

I am submitting this card to this week's "Anything Goes" Challenge over at the 

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge Blog!!    

   These stencils are also from Memory Box and for this card we used Watercolor Paper for our stenciling, after creating a fun and easy watercolor background.  We also used another set of floral stencils on the card base page, and did that in colors to match.   

   My next card is one I just finished up and it's for two challenges, both of which wanted me to create a card that tied into my "favorite color" and I'm sure the majority of you all that that is Purple!   This card started with me picking out an image I wanted to color, and I chose this "Watering Can" flower image, which is a digi image from Bugaboo Stamps.  I colored it with my Copic markers and used a variety of BV colors along with a few V Shades.   I layered it onto a light shade of Lilac Layering Paper and then added that to some "Periwinkle Purple" cardstock, I had in my stash.   I stamped my Sentiment with Hero's Soft Purple Ink and added a hint to sparkle to my flowers, using my Clear Wink of Stella Marker!   Hope you like it!!

  I am submitting my "Purplicious Card" to both of these color inspired challenges:

•  The Pink Elephant - TPE # 248 - Use Your Favorite Pastel Colors
• The Card Concept - Challenge # 9 - Monochromatic Purple

   And to finish up, these are the rest of the cards that I have been working on today!  I think this sweet flying "SeaGull" card is also very cool.

    My final card is another background card that I created at home today, after using some of the new ideas we did in class.  I used a combination of Distress Inks, which I inked right onto my craft mat, and then sprayed them with Perfect Pearls Mist and swiped my card back and forth in shimmer color.  After that dried, I took this "Hero Arts Border Stencil" and used it along with two Distress Inks (Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint) and added some green to the background.  I then took one of my new Penny Black Dahlia Wooden stamp inked it in black Versafine and stamped it over the background and then used Memento Markers and a waterbrush to quickly color in the flowers and leaves to match my green and blue theme.  I finished it off by adding some Prima Gems and a the "Happy Everything" sentiment, also from Penny Black.  

    Thanks for stopping by and please be sure to stop by by again tomorrow, as I will have more cards to  share along with a special shout out to one of my online "crafty" friends!