Aloha friends! Happy Monday?? Already!? I hope you had a really nice weekend! For lots of people it was the weekend to prepare the kiddos to go back to school. Wow, seems like Summer really is coming to a close. I was in the studio yesterday trying to shake off my crabby mood (because of this lingering cold) and I was looking for some inspiration. Well, I hopped over to the MFT Challenge Blog and saw the current Sketch Challenge, and that was that! Inspired! And I was cheered right up. Lost myself in stamping and coloring for most of the afternoon.
I think that I might be ready to move on to Fall crafting now. Fall is coming and that's my favorite season. Football starts in a couple of weeks... But, I wanted to make one last super SUMMER card using the new Polynesian Paradise Stamps and Dies from MFT. These beauties have been sitting on my desk for a week or so. LOVE. Seriously Torico knocked this set out of the park.
Here's my little hula girl saying Aloha to you!
I colored my images with the Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers. These colors are so vivid, they were the perfect choice of medium for this project. I stamped and colored almost all of the images so I could have choices when it came to laying out my final card. Pretty much I'm obsessed with pineapples right now!! And see the hot pink pineapple background? That's a giant stamp too! OMG.
Can't get more preppy than hot pink and lime green! YUM. Here's a close up of my coloring I did on the flowers. I used the inks with a water brush first and let them dry. Then I went back in with the marker and colored over the top of the watercoloring. I think I like this new technique. I wanted the flowers to really pop. I took a white gel pen (MY FAVORITE ONE IS THIS ONE) and made little dots on my images.
Here is the sketch image.
CLICK HERE TO ENTER YOUR CARD TOO!
I made a soft blue sky background for my hula honey using some Broken China Distress Ink and a sponge dauber. For my sentiment, I stamped and white embossed on crisp black paper. Still loving that trend too! Most of the flower pieces are popped up with foam tape.
This card brings back such good memories of our vacation several years ago to the islands of Hawaii! When we were in Hawaii, we saw sooooo many different colors of Plumeria flowers. They are so dreamy and beautiful. And that scent is what I imagine heaven will smell like. I have never seen anything more beautiful. I can close my eyes and be transported back.... This particular color of plumeria was my favorite -- yellow and pink on the same flower. I tried to replicate it with my coloring!
Here is the color I was trying to get! Is this not the prettiest thing ever? Can you smell it? I wish my computer had scratch-n-sniff! LOL.
I have a funny story to share with you about the Plumeria flowers. On our Hawaii trip I kept looking everywhere for Plumerias. Every time we saw gardens, or flowers or some pretty scenery I kept looking...and looking. How come I never saw any I wondered.... Then, one day, on Maui, we rented a convertible and went driving up the mountain. We were at a stop sign and I looked up to the sky. And, bam, right there over me was.... a Plumeria TREE! Yes, they grow on trees! The entire time I had been looking at the ground for FLOWERS! LOL. Oh gosh, I still haven't lived that down. We still chuckle at that one. And, of course, for the rest of our trip we saw them everywhere! We even found a Plumeria farm in Kona and they had set out a big cooler full of ice cold Plumeria leis with a can for money on the top. Let me tell you, nothing feels more wonderful than an ice cold floral lei around your hot neck! It's fun to remember these things. What are your favorite tropical memories?? I'd love to hear!
Have a fabulous week my friends! XOXO
You've been spotted!
http://www.cardchallenges.com/2015/09/youve-been-spotted-september-1-2015.html?m=1
Susan R. Opel
Creative Ambassador for My Favorite Things
Posted by: Susan R. Opel | 09/01/2015 at 05:05 AM
I am in paradise just looking at your lovely card!!! Awesome and so full of rich, gorgeous color and details that only YOU know how to add perfectly!!
Posted by: Taunya Butler | 08/20/2015 at 03:57 PM
This card is so pretty!
Posted by: Jamie Vanskiver | 08/20/2015 at 02:26 PM
Gorgeous summery card! I love, love, love how you painted the flowers and it was nice of you to show us your inspiration. very tropical looking! I thought I was ready for fall and even made some H'ween cards. Then I come to work every day and sit in a frozen meat locker.. so yeah, summery cards are better!
Posted by: Princess Judy | 08/18/2015 at 11:23 AM
beautiful card and I agree with you, fall means football which in the midwest takes our minds off of colder weather coming. Do you have any favorite "football" stamp sets?
someday I dream/hope to go to Hawaii...
Posted by: Vickiw | 08/18/2015 at 07:07 AM
The plumeria was a wonderful inspiration for your adorable card, Wanda - your colouring of the image is perfect! Gotta love those funny stories as we go through life, to recall over and over and share a laugh - there's nothing nicer than that!
Posted by: Susi Kelly | 08/18/2015 at 04:54 AM
Love this card Wanda!
Posted by: Celeste Goff | 08/18/2015 at 04:14 AM
Loved your story about this floral tree! What beautiful flowers and this pineapple backgound...oh so prep and you must do that again in a yellow and a green and keep the preepy live!
Posted by: Patti Willey | 08/18/2015 at 02:59 AM
LOVE your card so VERY much Wanda!!!
wished i could smell the flowers..I don't know them..or heard of them..since I never been to tropical places...but they looks so gorgeous..the Plumeria!
loved you story about them...
Hugs Holly.
Posted by: Holly Saveur | 08/18/2015 at 02:38 AM
This is absolute beautiful! Love your photographs too that you share. They are so clear and crisp! what kind of camera and lens do you use to shoot these? Just love your card! I have this set but now I want that pineapple background! Love it in the pink!
Posted by: tricia barber | 08/17/2015 at 07:13 PM
We've had so many wonderful trips to the Big Island's Kohala coast--and so many unforgettable whale-watching trips. I love the place!
And your card is so pretty--I love those pink pineapples.
Did I see pink tint on your instagram pic? Fun!
Posted by: Julie | 08/17/2015 at 02:00 PM
Saw this on Instagram and had to come read all about it! Loved it so much I went right to the MFT site and bought the stamp set, dies and BG pineapple stamp, so in love with the little pineapples! Thanks so much for this amazing inspiration in this card. Also thought I could do without the Zig markers, but not sure now! Darn you! ;)
Posted by: Julene | 08/17/2015 at 01:33 PM
OMG! I LOVE LOVE this card! The colors you used are beautiful. Loved reading about the coloring. Haven't tried Zig markers yet & thanks for the tip on the white pen...I have yet to find the perfect one! You inspired me to get some stamps out & I may just have to order this Polynesian set 😉
Posted by: Linda G | 08/17/2015 at 10:35 AM
Wanda, this card is jaw-droppingly beautiful! Your coloring is amazing, and your attention to detail is fantastic! Thank you for playing along with the MFT Sketch Challenge!
Posted by: Veronica Z | 08/17/2015 at 10:26 AM