Tuesday, September 1, 2026

September 2026 Monthly Challenge

 Happy September, everyone! Summer is drawing to a close and it is almost fall! It feels like summer was just starting.


For my September project, I am using my favorite puppy that I haven’t used in quite a while. He’s sitting in a flower garden enjoying the beautiful end-of-summer day.


To begin my project, I inked the puppy in Pumice Stone Distress Ink, stamped off once onto watercolor paper, and then stamped in the middle of my watercolor paper. I then inked the rocks in Pumice stone, stamped off on watercolor paper, and stamped the rocks to the left. Next, I added a grass line using #15 olive green to set up my scene. I painted the puppy first, using mainly #54 burnt umber and shading with #45 sepia. I left areas of his face lighter and once he was dry, I used my Micron to color his eyes and nose – leaving a highlight on each. I then painted the rocks, starting with #40 brownish grey to add shadows toward the lower portion of the rocks. I then added shading with #21 dark grey, #45 sepia and #15 olive green. Rocks are multiple shades of color, so a variety of colors helps. Using the fine tip on my #40 brownish grey, I added some accents where the rocks meet to add darker shading.

I put the sky in next using #75 sky blue, keeping it lighter where I had flowers planned. I find it easier than trying to work around the flowers once they are stamped. Once the sky was in place, I stamped grass in repeat along my grass line next to the puppy and rocks, mainly using the teeny tiny grass from Foliage Set 1 and also stamped the grass stamp from WC Tree Set 2 a couple times to the right of the puppy. I masked off the rocks and used a positioner to place the tall flowers from Foliage Set 7 to the left of the rocks. I inked the foliage with #15 olive green and the flower buds with #79 grape and then added a little #8 violet at the base for shading. Once the flower was stamped, I carefully dabbed at the flower buds with my paintbrush. I also carefully touched my brush to the leaves of the foliage, but avoided the stems.

I stamped the tall blue flowers from Foliage Set 7 on the right side of my project – also using a stamp positioner for placement. I inked the foliage in #15 olive green and the flowers in #29 Prussian Blue. I then carefully touched my brush to each flower bud and leaf. I then stamped the flower bunch from Foliage Set 7, inking the foliage with #15 olive green and the flowers with #96 auburgine. I used the stamp positioner for placement and again, touched my brush to each flower and a few of the leaves.

I then used the small dot flower from the WC Mini Flower Set and inked it in #43 brilliant yellow. I stamped it in repeat above the grass line on the left and right edge of my project. There was a small gap between the grass line and the puppy, so I used the fine tip on my #15 olive green and added a few blades of grass. I then used my fine tip on my #8 violet and added a few dots to the top of the grass stems for random wildflowers.

I then added a wash of #15 olive green for the foreground, making sure to have light and dark areas, especially under the dog to create a shadow. It needed a little more, so then I used #45 sepia to also add a wash of brown, leaving light and dark areas. I felt that something was needed above the rocks, so I added a small butterfly from My Joy Set. I stamped it in Pumice Stone and used #8 violet, #79 grape and #3 blue to paint the wings. Once it was dry, I used my Micron to add the body and very small antennae. I also used Dr PH Martin’s Bleed Proof White to add some dots to the grass and the yellow dot flowers. I cut a simple frame from black cardstock to mount my project and then used single sheet of background paper to cover my card front.

I still use Marvy Le Plume markers for my projects.  Most of these can be converted to Tombow colors, but choose colors that work for you. These just happen to be some of my go-to colors for any project I work on. (Here is the link for the Tombow conversion chart: https://www.artimpressions.com/shop/art-impressions-most-loved-color-conversion-chart/)



Happy Stamping! As always, I hope you will give this project a try! Don’t forget to
enter the Monthly Challenge for a chance to win a free stamp set of your choice!

Accessories:

Pumice Stone Distress Ink

#1 Connoisseur Brush

#4 Connoisseur Brush

Marvy Markers

           

      


What a sweet and beautiful card from Debbie.
Now let's see who our August winners were.

#10 came up first so Kathy R. wins a free stamp set from Art Impressions.
Please contact Leah at
Feedback@artimpressions.com

    

#1 Bev Sizemore and #8 Patty S. have won a freebie from me.
Please email me with your full name and address at Renee@artimpressions.com
and I'll send you photos of the freebies I currently have available.

Congratulations to all of our winners and thank you Debbie for you hard work and inspiration!

What will you guys create for September?
We can't wait to see.

Here are the rules...

✻ Please make a new card or handmade crafty creation using either stamps, dies and or designer paper from Art Impressions. You can make any item you wish; this is not limited to cards! (unless specified)

✻ Limit two submissions per person.
✻Lucky Random Winner will receive a free 
stamp set from Art Impressions
 ✻Please include your first name and last initial on your submission. You may include your entire last name, but it's not necessary.
✻We love to comment on your entries, but keep in mind if you use a private group or a platform that you need to sign up for, we probably won't be able to.
✻ The Ai Challenge is open to everyone, international submissions are welcome!
✻ Include a link back to the Ai Blog or grab our button on the top right of our sidebar!
✻ Share the Ai love if you can, by clicking and commenting on your fellow crafters.
✻ Make sure to get your link up by the deadline to enter your creations.
✻ Good luck and happy stamping! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

3 comments:

Debbie H said...

Congratulations to the winners! Kathy, Bev and Patty -- thank you for entering your projects in the challenge. It is so much fun to see the creativity in your beautiful cards!

Gennette H. said...

This is so adorable Debbie! Love that little dog!
Congratulations Kathy, Bev, and Patty!

Steph said...

Hi Debbie--thanks for providing the details of how you created this beautiful and adorable scene. I'm going to try adding the sky before I add foliage on my next project--I like that look. And the butterfly and its colors are a perfect addition. Thanks again!