Sunflower Shower Finale!

I attended a bridal shower last week and since the invitation was so pretty - I thought I'd make a card to match.  I was pleased to see that there were a TON of sunflowers at the shower - so my card definitely matched the theme!

I used a Rubber Stampede image a few times around the edges and a PTI sentiment on vellum:

Here's the invite and my card:

And since this is the final day of the blog for a bit........here's an extra card I made and wanted to post using my favorite Hero Arts stamp and Inktense pencils.  I used some acetate for the sentiment so it didn't take away form the image:

Just wanted to say THANK YOU to those of you who have followed my blog and been kind enough to comment on my postings!  And a bigger Thank You for those of you who have ordered from me!

I will continue to make custom cards and/or projects for anyone who needs something - so feel free to email me at  maclovello @ yahoo .com



Thanks for your visit!

New Nest.........

We had new neighbors move in behind our house - so I created this card for them using some My Mind's Eye paper, a Darcie's sentiment and a wood house embellie.

Now we're really not too happy about the placement of their hammock and screaming kids in relation to our pool area.......but what can you do?!

Thanks for your visit!

Inktense Rainbow......

Here's the second encouragement card I sent out to a friend this past week. It's a total inspired from Jennifer McGuire's card found HERE - although I used my Inktense Pencils instead of Distress Markers:

I started scribbling all the rainbow colors on watercolor paper.  Then brushing them with a wet brush.  After heat setting, I repeated the process for more intense color.  Once dry again, I used this PTI sentiment and cut off the bottom part of the rainbow banner.  Before adhering it to the card base, I flicked each color of the rainbow on to the base for the splatter look!  Lastly, I added some black gems.

Make sure to come back to the blog tomorrow morning........because I need YOU!!!!!!!!!  :)

Thanks for your visit!

Sending Hugs

Happy Friday!!!!!!!!  I've had a couple of friends needing some hugs and encouragement lately - so I colored up this Penny Black image with my prisma pencils and sent it off to one of them this week.

I used a Tim Holtz embossing folder in the background and my Lawn Fawn banner die cut and sentiment. I actually forgot I had the banner outline stamp so it looks a little bland, but I did ink the edges so it pops out a bit!

Have a great weekend!!!!!!

Thanks for your visit!

Muse#26 - Friendship Owls

Darlene made me do it!  Yup - she made me purchase this Stampin' Up Owl punch.  I mean - if you go to her blog and see what she creates with it - she'll make you buy it too!!!

Here's what I came up with:

I just love these little guys!  She even created wings from a scallop punch - so I snagged that idea from her too!

I used my Impression Obsession tree branch/leaf dies for these guys to be chillin' out on.  I should of done a bit more on the background, but these three amigos have been sitting on my craft desk for about two weeks waiting their turn, so I really just wanted to finally put them to use!  The sentiment is from Inky Antics.

Whattia think? You tempted to make a purchase? (Make sure to go see Darlene's blog!)

I'm entering this card in the Muse Challenge#26

Thanks for your visit!

Sending you sunshine and laughter

Hope you had a nice 4th!  I'm off for a run this morning and then a 2pm massage! (MUCH NEEDED!!)

Here's another card I made last week using my Inktense pencils.

Not much to really discuss!  Have a great weekend!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your visit!

Delight in Life!

Hey Friends - just quickly popping in to share a card I made last week out of my 'smooshed' Distress Ink leftovers and a Penny Black image:

I can't remember who makes the sentiment - and honestly - I'm too lazy to get up and look!

Have a great day!


Thanks for your visit!

Sent with Love.......

I really love Distress Inks!  The simplest way to use them is the 'smoosh' method.  Emboss a stamp on watercolor paper, smoosh a few colors on your craft mat, spritz with water and smoosh your watercolor paper on top!

That's exactly what I did with this Penny Black stamp and I love the result!  I cut out the card base from a Nestability die and added some stamps to that for some background!

Hope you play with your Distress Inks this weekend!!!

Thanks for your visit!

Find Your Destination

This week's CAS-ual Friday Challenge#105 is called "Mapquest".  I grabbed my My Mind's Eye paper pack and found this 'travel' paper and thought it was great for this challenge:

I carefully cut the word "destination' from another piece from the pack and used my Lawn Fawn letters to stamp out "Find Your".  I added a Unity arrow and I'm thinking it doesn't get much more CAS than this!

Have a great Thursday!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your visit!

SSSC186: You are loved

More fun playing with the images I colored on Sunday.  These are Penny Black flowers that I colored with my Prisma pencils and popped up on the card.

I used the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge#186 for the layout.  And, here's the sketch if you want to play along!

Have a great day!!

Thanks for your visit!

All things grow with love......

TGIF again :)  Quick post today!

Here's a Stamping Bella image I colored with my Inktense watercolor pencils.  Yes - I've been using them A LOT lately - but I did pull out my prisma pencils this week - so they got some love too (lol).

The flowers are so gorgeous here in CT right now, I was very inspired to make a colorful window box!

Here's a second card using the same image plus a PTI sentiment

Hope you have a great day!!!!

Thanks for your visit!

More fun with Inktense pencils

Yes........I'm still playing and learning to use these Inktense pencils!  Here's a card I made over the weekend for no particular reason than just to play around:

I'm really pleased how this came out!  I scribbled blocks of color along the left hand side of the panel and then heavily spritzed it with water and let it run down the other side.  After it dried, I repeated the process again.

Then I stamped this Stamping Bella flower stamp and used a PTI sentiment.  To add a little interest to the background, I embossed a Cuttlebug folder!

On a side note - I decided to try and raise funds for my half marathon in July.  Here's the link to my fundraising page.  The beneficiary is Running for Rescues  - a Connecticut charity that helps homeless animals:

Maria's Half Marathon Fundraising Page

Thanks for your visit!

Watercolor Flowers

A bloggy friend sent me a BOATLOAD of Hero Arts stamps for me to sell in the charity tag sale we held in April.  She told me if I saw any that I liked to pluck them out - and although I liked A LOT of them - I only picked out 4 stamps out of the probable 100 she sent! (The goal was to fundraise, not increase my hoard - LOL)

Three of the 4 stamps I chose were these HA watercolor flowers - which I finally used and turned into these cards.  Pretty simple in layout - so they went pretty fast!

For each flower I used the Tim Holtz watercolor pens then spritzed with water and stamped on watercolor paper.  The background stamp is a HA/Basic Grey cling stamp and finished each card off with a MFT sentiment.

I really love how these came out and will have to keep these flowers in mind when I need to put together a quick card!!

Thanks for your visit!

Cas(e)#30 - Thoughts of you

Wow - it's Friday already!  I actually got some crafty time in this week with cardmaking.  At first, I felt like I lost my cardmaking mojo and yes - some creations did land in the garbage, but I pushed through.

Yesterday, I played along with the CAS(E) This Sketch! #30 challenge.

Sadly, a friend's family members were one one of the unfortunate victims of last weeks Oklahoma tornado.  We wanted to send some gift cards down to them in order to help them a bit, so I made this card.

I used my Papertrey Ink mailbox stamp and my *new* Inktense watercolor pencils (you'll be seeing a lot of these used!).  I followed the sketch below - but it was a little too 'boring' so I decided to try my hand and hand-line drawing down the sides........ummm, a bit shaky - lol.  So, I added some doodling to take some of the attention off the wonky lines.

On a side note..........I'd like to introduce you to our new foster dog - Roosevelt!

Isn't he adorable???  He's at my house to 'hopefully' get some socialization and not be SO afraid of strangers.

He's definitely made himself comfortable.  Last Friday, when he came home and got into this bed with Sweet Pea.........she STRONGLY made him aware she didn't want him there.  But......I guess she gave in!

Now..........he's taken over!! LOL

 It's an exhausting life at my house apparently!!!

And this ADORABLE quick video of Buddy 'teaching' Rosie to sing at sirens!

(Make sure to turn your volume up!!)

Have a great weekend!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your visit!

ABNH#22 - You are Original.......

Remember a few weeks ago.....I mentioned a second generation card on THIS POST?........well, I'm finally posting it! LOL

This background happened after heavily spraying a Hero Arts large floral background stamp with water and then laying it down on a Dylusion sprayed background. (Sounds confusing huh?)  On the original card I was using the water on the stamp to pull away color on the background.....so when I lift the stamp I had this beautiful array of color that I re-stamped for this background. Yummy!

I used a Simon Says Stamp embossed in white and added a few gems for the banner.  I'm entering this card in the A Blog Called Hero Challenge#22 - Freestyle

Hope you're having a great Saturday!!!!!!!


Thanks for your visit!

Life is nothing without friendship!

Hello again!!  Thanks for coming to visit today!   Here's a card I made on Thursday and will enter in two challenges:  CAS(E) This Sketch! #16 and The Play Date Cafe #170:

I grabbed my MME papers which were perfect for the color challenge.  I laid out my papers but wasn't sure what I was going to use for my main image.  I looked through my rarely used Sizzlets and found the vase.  So I decided to color up a There She Goes buttercup to put in it.  I ran the vase through a Cuttlebug embossing folder for dimension.

Here are the challenges:

OK! Have a great day!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your visit!

TMS#186 - Ciao Bella

TGIF Everyone!!!  Hope you had a good week!  I've got a BUSY day today!  Spin Class, Aqua Therapy and Acupuncture for Nolie, then Physical Therapy for me.

Here's a card I'll submit for the Tuesday Morning Sketch Challenge#186:

I colored Miss Tilda up last week and she found herself on this card yesterday.  I used MME papers and a MFT sentiment.

Short and sweet!  Hope you have a great day!!!!!!


Thanks for your visit!