Valentine House by Reneé Matarese

 Hello Ai fans!

Today I've created a little Valentine décor for my fireplace mantle.

I fell in love with the 6114 – Box Village Template Dies the second I saw them.
I envisioned so many different seasons and themes for it.

This time, I went with a Valentine's Day theme and added a button door knob because this was also created for our Button Up challenge.

I added a large heart from the 5952 – Portfolio Template Die Set.

One really cute feature of the house is that the front door opens if you want it to. I didn't put anything inside the door this time so I just glued it shut.

So far we've seen lots of winter/gingerbread house versions of this set.
I can't wait to see some with some spring colors and flowers.

"Sow Kindness, Harvest Friendship" and "Game Day!" Cards by Diane Mason

  Hello, and welcome back for Watercolor Weekend!

Tomorrow marks the first day of fall here in the U.S. After a long, hot summer, many of us are eager for the cool, crisp air, vibrant autumn leaves, football games, and harvest celebrations that this season brings. To celebrate, I have two cards for you today that capture the essence of this colorful season.

"Sow Kindness, Harvest Friendship" Card:

I love decorating my home for fall with all the rich autumn colors and cozy seasonal décor. When I think of this time of year, I picture vibrant leaves, pumpkins, and harvest-inspired touches—and that’s exactly what inspired my first card today! The 5507 – Harvest Together Set is perfect for capturing that feeling, with two adorable scarecrows (boy and girl), cheerful crows, a sunflower birdhouse, and plenty of fall sentiments to choose from.

I just adore the happy little girl scarecrow from the 5507 set! For this card, I wanted to build a scene with the scarecrow girl, the birdhouse, and the perching crow. I like to imagine the crow isn’t afraid of her at all—instead, he’s more like a little friend. She looks absolutely delighted to see him!

Whenever I create a scene, I always start with a quick “blueprint” to plan out how I’d like everything arranged.

Once I finalized the layout of the scene, I stamped the images onto Canson XL watercolor paper. I began by inking the scarecrow girl with 947. Using my placement blueprint, I inked the crow’s body with 565/969 and its beak and legs with 026. Following the same blueprint, I inked the birdhouse with 947. Before stamping it, I applied Post-it tape masks over the scarecrow and crow where the birdhouse would overlap. After removing the masks, the birdhouse appeared behind the scarecrow, with the crow perched on the roof. Finally, I used a damp brush to pull color from the stamped images, adding contours and shadows.

Here is a list of colors I used for this card:

• Crow: N25 (body), 025, 026 (feet and beak)
• Scarecrow Girl: 850, 910, 912 (face and hands)
• Cheeks, Nose, Eyebrows, Neck String: 905, 925
• Hair: 025, 026
• Shirt: 947 (plaid)
• Pants: 177
• Apron: 990, 992 (apron), 925 (patch pocket)
• Sunflowers: 022, 026 (petals),177, 133 (leaves and stems), and 969 (flower centers)
• Hat: 905, (hat), 925 (patch)
• Basket: 977, 969
• Apples: 856 (red), 025, 026 (yellow),133, 177 (green), 969 (stems)
• Boots: 947
• Birdhouse: 856, 565, 969, (house), 977 (roof), 990, 992 (trim, stand and post), 969 (woodgrain)
• Foliage and grass: 177
• Sky: 526

To ground the images, I added grass from the 4051 – WC Foliage Set 1 and foliage from the 5476 – Foliage Set 5, both inked in 177, to complete the scene.

Next, I used the largest stitched oval from the 5065 – Oval Double Stitched Dies to cut a window from an A2-sized piece of patterned paper. I centered the painting behind the opening and adhered both onto a brown cardstock base.

For the sentiment, I stamped “Sow Kindness, Harvest Friendship” from the 5507 set with VersaFine Vintage Sepia ink onto yellow cardstock, then die-cut it with a banner die from the 5952 – Portfolio Template Die Set. I trimmed the right side of the banner and popped it up with foam tape for dimension.

For the inside of the card, I stamped the sentiment in Vintage Sepia ink onto a stitched white cardstock rectangle and added a strip of patterned paper along the bottom edge. The fall leaves were die-cut from colorful paper scraps using the 5783 – Fall Leaf Frame Die Set.

I love how this sweet fall card came together! With its cheerful friendship theme, it’s the perfect card to pop in the mail to a friend and send a little Happy Autumn cheer! 🍂✨

“Game Day!” Card:

Obviously, fall means football! For years after graduating college, my husband and I would load up the car and head back to our Midwestern alma mater to cheer on the Missouri Tigers. Those trips hold so many great memories. So, when I spotted the striped overlay stamp for the giant drink tumbler in the 5928 – Stay Hydrated set, I immediately thought it would be perfect for dressing up this sassy gal in black and gold—ready to head off to the game and cheer on the Tigers!

Here is a list of colors I used for this card:

• Hair: 025, 977
• Cheeks: watery mix of 856
• Lips: 837
• Face, Hands, and Ankles: 910, 920
• Shirt: 025, 026
• Top: 025, N25 (stripes)
• Sunglasses, Purse, Pants, Shoes: N25
• Drink Tumbler: 025, 026 (cup), N52, 565 (lid & straw)
• Football: 947
• Megaphone: 025, 026 (megaphone), Winsor & Newton Ink – Silver (handle and mouthpiece.
• Shine marks on sunglasses: Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof White

To create the football field background, I die-cut a piece of green cardstock using the largest die from 5062 – Rounded Rectangle A2 Double Stitched Dies. I added three 1/8-inch strips of white cardstock for the field lines and die-cut the line numbers from white cardstock with the 5562 – Journal Letter Die Set.

Since I planned to adhere the field to a black card base, I wanted to add a pop of visual interest and tie in the team colors of black and gold. To do this, I traced around the outside edge of the largest rounded rectangle die onto yellow cardstock to create a mat, then hand-cut it with scissors.

The megaphone and football, both from 5510 – Sport Accessories, made perfect embellishments for this sporty card. For the sentiment, I typed “Game Day!” on my computer, printed it onto white cardstock, and die-cut it with a banner die from 5952 – Portfolio Template Die Set. I also matted the banner with yellow cardstock for an extra touch of team spirit.

To finish, I popped up the sassy girl with her tumbler, the megaphone, football, and sentiment with foam tape for dimension.

I always like to finish the inside of the card. For this one, I stamped a sentiment from the same set (5928) in VersaFine Onyx Black ink. To carry the football field theme inside, I added a strip of green cardstock for a pop of color. Go Tigers! 🐯 🏈🖤💛

That’s all for now—thanks so much for stopping by for Watercolor Weekend! I hope you enjoyed today’s fall card projects. If you feel inspired to create your own version of this card and show off your team spirit in your team colors, be sure to tag us on social media—we’d love to see it! Until next time, Happy Painting!

Tonight We Fly! by Reneé Matarese

 Hello Ai fans!

Who is a fan of all things spooky like I am?
I start work back at school today so for me, summer is officially over and fall is here.

I was inspired by a black lacy butterfly adorned with jewels in the Michael's Halloween Dept. and came up with this card.
  


I used lots of sets from Art Impressions to create my card and you can find everything linked below.

The matte for the butterfly was made using the double stitched hexagons. The butterfly is from the Gift Card Pocket Dies.

I used other things that "fly" on my card too. The raven, bats, web and spider are from the Halloween Front and Back Fence set. Although spiders don't technically fly, if you Google "flying spiders," you'll see plenty of them. Eek and GAG!

Tonight We Fly is from the Halloween Sentiments Set and it's stamped on a banner from the Portfolio Dies Set.

One last thing...paint.

I used the Winsor & Newton Gold paint to paint some cardstock that I then cut a matte for using the butterfly to trace. I wanted his wings to really pop so I added the gold under them. I also used Dr. Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White to paint the silk strand that the spider is dangling from.

Birdie Betty ~Swingin' Through Retirement by Reneé Matarese

 Hello Ai fans!

I hope you're all enjoying our Sports and Leisure challenge!

For this challenge, I chose to use Birdie Betty.

She's one of the new Ai People that were released in July.

The designer paper is from 6072 – Father’s Day Paper Pack.

Her earrings and glasses were done with my Signo Pigment Ink Gel Pen – Gold.

The sentiments were stamped on 5726 – Nested Circle Dies and a banner from 5952 – Portfolio Template Die Set.

It was the Ai People (aka Golden Oldies back then) that first drew me to Art Impressions. I'm thrilled that Bonnie continues to add more of these fun characters all these years later.

Betty's card was cut using 5463 – Slimline Dies Set.

There are fun paper packs to coordinate with all of the new ladies.

Birdie Betty goes with this pack.

6101 – Golf Paper Pack

If you or someone you know is a fan of GOLF, check out this section.

Copics used:

C, N2, BG90, BG53, BG000, R81, E02, E43, E50, E7

Lying about your age? by Sharon Caudle

 Hello AI Fans!!

Ok, who is really honest about how old they are? I must admit, I am. LOL! I've earned every one of my gray hairs in my 68 years on this earth and I'm proud to say it.  I love Bonnie's funny stamps and sentiments and used a great one for my card I'm showing you today. It also happens to fit right into the new challenge Stitches and Scallops! I started with #5114 Never Too Old set from Art Impressions Laugh Lines. After stamping her with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, I colored her with Copic markers which I've listed for you below. At the end of this post, you will find a list of links to the products I used to create the card. It's kind of hard to see, but I swirled my Copic blending pen around on her dress to try and make it look like a brocade. I just thought she looks like she would wear a brocade dress. :) 

So that's it for me today. Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit and until next time - stay crafty!!

Copic markers used:

E000, 00, 11, 21, and 23

B00, 93, 95, 97, and 99

R02, 20, 81, 83, and 85

YG61 and 63

W3, 4, and 5

Let Them Eat Cake Challenge by Sharon Caudle

 Hello AI Fans! 

Today I have a card that is for our current challenge which is Let Them Eat Cake! I chose to use one of the new Match Book sets. The Match Book line is so cute and FUN!! I just love all the fun that is packed into such a tiny little package! I started off with #6013 MB Bakery. I stamped the images onto Copic friendly paper and then used the colors I've listed below. For the front of the envelope, I featured a piece of cake from #5793 Mini Journal Birthday Set. If you haven't created something for the challenge yet, you still have some time left! You could win a free stamp set of your choice and who doesn't love free??!! 

So that's it for me today! Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit and until next time - stay crafty!!

Copic markers used:

E21, 23, 25, 31, 33, 35, 39,40,41, 43, 51, 53, and 55

BV0000, 000, 01, 02, 04, 13, and 17

RV00, 02, 32, and 34

R20, 22, 24, 81, and 83

B000, 00, and 02

T1 and 3

Happy Graduation! by Reneé Matarese

 Hello Ai fans!

I'm sure lots of you attended some sort of graduation or moving up ceremony or party this season.

For me, it was my youngest niece's high school graduation.

I made her a portfolio type card in her school colors.

On the front I used a die from the 5952 – Portfolio Template Die Set that I stamped IT'S YOUR DAY! onto which is from the 5735 – Birthday Sentiment Set. The border was made using the new 5972 – BJ Decorative Margin Dies. The cute bow is from 5811 – Gift Card Pocket Dies. I secured it shut with a 5967 – Hook & Loop Fasteners.

Next, we open it up to find HAPPY and 2025 cut from 5911 – Large Number Die Set and 5910 – Large Letter Die Set. They were all cut from a piece of paper from 6072 – Father’s Day Paper Pack. The little pocket that we put her check in and the stars are all from Portfolio set as well. The stars are covered in Wink of Stella.

Now onto the back of the card where I personalized it.

I used another birthday sentiment and a few more dies from the Portfolio to matte and frame it. I wrote my note to her underneath that.

Happy Graduation beautiful Brynn!

New Corner Bookmark Dies by Sharon Caudle

 Hello AI Fans!

If you haven't seen the new Corner Bookmark Die set from Art Impressions, I think you're in for a real treat!! These are so beautiful and look amazing when you slip it into your book to mark your page. Just grab a few pages in your book and slip it right over the corner.  They go together so easily and I think they make a big impression when you see them. They're beautiful either painted with your water colors or with Copic markers as these are. I just had fun and chose some cute images from the Mushroom Cubbies to use on this batch.  But I really love the one I made just using the flower dies that come with the Bookmark Set. I think a set of these would be a perfect gift for that book lover in your life!! 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit today and until next time - stay crafty!!