We Love You, Dawn! Official Blog Hop

I put everything else on hold today (well, yesterday too) and got my fingers inky for a VERY special reason...Dawn McVey.

Dawn is a sparkling light in the crafting community.  She designs for Papertrey Ink, which led me to her blog and eventually Instagram.  I have been admiring her gorgeous handiwork for years while also following and praying for her health struggles.  No matter what direction her struggle has taken, Dawn has been perpetually positive and has let nothing dull her amazing, sparkling smile.  She is an inspiration to everyone who has crossed her path, myself included.  It would be Dawn's fault completely that I am trying my hand at growing succulents, lol. She just makes it look so EASY!  ;)

Well, Dawn just received a new small intestine in one of the riskiest transplant surgeries available...and so far, thank the Lord, her body is accepting it!  It is an absolute miracle for her and her family, and the crafty community that loves her is coming together to brighten her room and keep her spirits high with as many cards as we can in the official We Love You, Dawn Blog Hop!  Here's mine!

I immediately knew which sentiment I was going to use on her card...because Dawn IS sparkle!  I wanted to use her Raspberry Suite Floral Sketches which are designed to add your own color...

I was able to successfully watercolor the flowers, and also added some more blooms from a separate sheet.  After it was all attached, I used my white gel pen and shimmer pen to add some flair.

I hope these watercolor blooms brighten her day as much as her constant positivity has brightened mine!  Here's the link to the rest of the hop!

Products I used...

-Papertrey Ink: Raspberry Suite Floral Sketches, Shakers and Sprinkles Make It Market Kit, Sparkle and Shine Stamps

-Lawn Fawn:  How You Been? Stamp set and coordinating Die

-Close to My Heart:  Sparkles, Silver Shimmer Trim, Charcoal and Black Exclusive Dye Ink, Watercolors, Watercolor Brushes

-Copic Toner Grey 0

One More Watercolor

I had some more watercolored paper to use after my jawsome shark, so I decided to use up some other stamped and colored Lawn Fawn images and die cuts in my stash.

And if you're going to make a card, you might as well make it a shaker!!! Am I right?   ;)

Shaker window cards are deceptively easy to create if you have some clear packaging (for instance from those cricut cartridges you bought, lol,) 3D foam, and a handful of items to create the "shake." It also makes it super easier if you have any die cuts.  I used my Oval Thin Cuts from CTMH, loose sequins from my stash and added some paper fish from the Mermaid for You stamps and dies that I had already created.  I colored all my images with the ShinHan Touch Twin Alcohol Ink Markers and Copics. 

That adorable plaid paper is also from Lawn Fawn. I drool over it each time I see it!  My watercolor supplies and white dots are from Close to My Heart.  I used the leftover MCT stitched frame from my jawsome card, and just trimmed it to the right size...it is definitely times like these that I am happy to be a hoarder keeper of paper scraps!

Finally I used some loose twine and die cut banners from the LF Box Card Die set to create my sentiment.  The alphabet letters are the Pen Pal Alphabet by CTMH.  This is definitely one of my go-to alphas!

It was GREAT to use up some of the leftovers piling up on my workspace!  Are you a scrap keeper or tosser?  

Join in on the challenge here!

ALL SIZES!!!!  Lowest price will be FREE so place your orders accordingly or contact me for help.  :)

Storybook Alphabet (not included in Stampaganza)

Freshly Made Jawsome!

Whew!  Just when I was on a roll yesterday, my internet decided to conk out...but it's back in business this morning, so lets get this thing posted!

I simply CANNOT get enough of this little guy right now...he's just THAT jawsome.  I combined the current challenges from Lawn Fawnatics and Freshly Made Sketches to give myself a good excuse to play with him again!  ;)

I also found a GREAT place to take some shots of my creations!  I don't have a dedicated space yet for this purpose, but this is the best I have found yet!

As you can see, I flipped the FMS sketch on its side so I could incorporate that fabulous Word Bubble Border die.  This was the springboard for my entire card!  :)

I haven't used my watercolors as much as I would like, so I was just trying to get a nice and subtle ombre of color in the ocean water.  I also tried a little water splatter on the finished watercolor background.  I'll have to play a bit more to get the results I wanted...I think it was too dry already.

See the layer of lined vellum that mats the watercolor?  Love that subtle addition...

So, this inside sentiment goes against every one of my "mom" instincts, (and I can't count the number of times I have told the girls to not use that word) but I just could not resist!!!

Isn't it PERFECT!?!?!  Duh!  Too fun.

Thanks for popping in to take a peek!  :)

Here is a list of my supplies for this one:

Close to My Heart products with links to my website
Value Pack White Card Bases with Envelopes
Uptown Fundamentals (striped vellum sheet)
Prickly Pear Sequins
Archival Ink
Watercolor Paints
Watercolor Paper
Watercolor Brushes
Waterbrush Small

Other Products:
MFT Stitched Rectangle Dies
Lawn Fawn Duh-Nuh Stamps and Dies
Lawn Fawn Word Bubble Border Die
Lawn Fawn Ocean Waves Accents
Lawn Fawn Let's Polka Sequins
Pretty Pink Posh Sequins
Copics Sketch T0, T3, O
Memento Ink Tuxedo Black