Dot Coloring

Hello! We have a new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs. The challenge theme is Summer/Beach And/Or Animals. Thank you to our two sponsors for this challenge. We appreciate you.

I printed the image on Neenah Solar White cardstock. This is my first try in dot coloring. I could not appreciate my progress that I thought I was going to stop. When situations like this happen to me, I walk away and come back later to whatever I am working on. Got to let loose of the frustration, right? Most of the time, I see the project differently when I come back to it that I end up finishing it. That is the case on this project. Good thing that I did not give up on it. 

After I colored the image, I traced the lines with a black gel pen to make the outline bold. 

This is my first time to use the Spellbinder Glimmer Hot Foil System in a project. I am so glad that it is compatible with my Sizzix. I look forward to creating more projects using this machine. I am also looking forward to adding more hot foil plates and glimmer foil to my craft stash.

I fussy cut the oval centerpiece to create a window. I blended ink over the foiled cardstock with Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Antique Linen. I wiped the foiled area with a dry rag to remove any excess ink. 

The sentiment I am using is from Simon Says Stamp Best Mom Ever stamp set. I heat embossed the sentiment using Hero Arts White embossing powder. 

I adhered the colored image underneath the window panel, making sure the image is centered. I embellished the foiled frame with Pretty Pink Posh Rose sequins.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope to see your creations at the challenge blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Image Sponsor

I am sharing this creation at

August 2021 Challenge #8~What's Your Style? #12: I love to color!

Challenge #163~Anything Goes #42

Color Inspired Greeting Card

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I have a new card created with the colors of the latest Color Hues challenge, Lime Green and Aqua, as inspiration. 

I am using the Trinity Stamps Crafty Post 3x4 Stamp & Postcard Die Bundle. I created my own background by repeatedly stamping the postage stamp on a watercolor paper cut at 5 1/2" x 4 1/4". I used Versafine Onyx Black ink to stamp the image. I used the Misti Stamping Tool so I can move my paper in relation to the stamp and hopefully come up with equal spacing in between the stamped impression. The Misti Stamping Tool also helped me re-stamp the image again especially on this textured paper. 

After I filled up most of the panel, I sped dry the panel with the heating tool. I colored the image with Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Twisted Citron and Tumbled Glass to follow the color scheme. 

I heat embossed a scrap white cardstock with Wow! Embossing Powders Jealous Guy and Primary Blue Topaz. I am just so lucky that I have embossing powders that match the color scheme. I die cut the embossed cardstock with the heart die in the set. To make the hearts puffier looking, I added two more layers of embossing powder. I adhered this to the center of the postage stamp image.

I colored the background with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Tea Dye. 

For the sentiment, I die cut the word Hello, which is also included in the set, on black cardstock and a teal cardstock. I adhered three layers of this sentiment die cut with the black die cut on top creating some dimension. I cut the shadow on white cardstock. 

I masked a part of the stamp to create the strip sentiment. I stamped the sentiment using Versafine Onyx Black ink. I heat embossed this with clear embossing powder. I die cut this using a sentiment strip die. I adhered this to the watercolored panel with the sentiment strip tucked in between the Hello sentiment die cut and the shadow die.

I trimmed off a fourth of an inch from the edges. I adhered this to a teal cardstock cut at 5 1/2" x 4 1/4". I added some shimmer to the word Hello using Zig Wink Of Stella Shimmer Pen.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope this card gives you some inspiration on how to use your small stamp images into creating your own made background. 

I added the link above to the Trinity Stamp product I used on this card which is highlighted for your convenience. There is no additional cost to you should you decide to purchase this product. Thank you for your support. And, as always, have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Color Hues: The Color Challenge #18

Ironed On Chair Pouch And String Bag Backpack For School

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. For today's post, I honed my sewing skills to create my 4th grader's Chair Pouch and Art String Bag. His chair pouch is a hand me down from his brothers. It is now frayed from overuse. So this is his new one. I have extra fabric so I created a string bag to match.

There are several string bag backpack tutorials online. The one that helped me for this string bag that I created is by Lorrie Nunemaker. But I did modify her design. Instead of using fabric to hold the the string bag rope, I am using eyelets to thread the rope through. Got to use those eyelets and grommets in my stash. 

The name of the student is usually machine embroidered on the chair pouch and string bag backpack. I don't know how to do machine embroidery. So, I turn to my handy Cricut and its variety of Iron On materials for this purpose. My 4th grader chose the iron on colors and the font. And before I forget, he also chose the fabric. 

I am using the Aloha! Summer Font from Creative Fabrica. I love the offset function of Cricut since I also love sentiment dies with shadow dies in the paper crafting world.

The tricky part for me is ironing on the material. I don't have the Cricut Easy Press so I am only using my handy dandy iron. I always put a parchment paper in between the iron on material and the iron. Somehow, with the holographic iron on, I needed to burnish the material into the fabric using the scraper. That was the only way the material adhered to the fabric. Same thing goes with the glittered iron on. 

There was a little glue seepage on the glittered letter but otherwise, the result looks very cool. My son loves it.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Challenge 561~Anything Goes #26

July 2021~Anything Goes #20

Christmas Free Standing Pop Up Card

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I created this card for several reasons. One of them is to join in Mama Elephant's Guest Designer Call. I love Mama Elephant products. I am glad that they have monthly challenges again which they have at Discord. 

Another reason why I created this card is...well, it is about time to use this stamp set! I bought this stamp set with my sister in mind because she loves cats and has a lot of cats, and it has be a while since I bought this stamp set. Now is the best opportunity to show what I can create using this stamp. 

I stamped the image from the Mama Elephant Oh Kitty Tree stamp set on Neenah Solar White cardstock with the use of the Misti Stamping Tool. I colored the image with Copic markers. I colored the cats with my sister's cats and some cats from the Studio Ghibli The Cat Returns in mind. My sister's cats are mostly tuxedo cats. I added glitter to the stars, ornaments and bows using a shimmer pen. 

This is a type of card that I really wish I can make a video showing the step by step process of creating it. Somehow, I am lost explaining the steps in words. I do have a video below of how interactive this card is. I hope you like it. If you have any questions, feel free to drop one in the comments section.

This is a short post than my usual since. Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B. 

I am sharing this creation at

Mama Elephant Discord Channel

Hero Arts Blog #15

Glittery Floral Card

Hello! We have a new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs. The challenge theme is Red/White/Blue +/Or Sparkly/Glitter. We have two sponsors for this challenge. I am using an image from one of our sponsors. 

I challenged myself to combine both challenge themes on my card. I printed the image on Neenah Solar White Cardstock. I colored the image using Copic markers. I die cut the floral panel using the third largest rectangle die from the Hero Arts Rectangle Nesting dies. I covered this panel with a double adhesive sheet. I ran a scraper over the panel to make sure that the adhesive is well adhered to the panel. I partly removed the backing sheet and poured Elizabeth Crafts Microfine Glitter on the exposed adhesive. I continued this process until all the adhesive is covered with glitter. Covering the glittered panel with the backing sheet, I ran the scraper again over the backing sheet, going back and forth, to make sure that the glitter sticks to the adhesive. After I removed the backing sheet, I burnished the glitter by rubbing my finger all over the panel. This type of glitter changes to a shiny finish after burnishing. I used a Swiffer cloth to remove any excess glitter.

I cut a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" red cardstock. I drew a line around the edges using a glue pen. I poured red glittered embossing powder to this and heat set it. 

I adhered the colored panel to this red cardstock panel with fun foam for some dimension. 

For the sentiment, I die cut the word 'hello' on a red cardstock and two times on white cardstock. I embossed the red sentiment die cut with the same red glitter embossing powder I used for the outline. I adhered the sentiment die cuts on top of each other. I created a supplemental sentiment strip by stamping the sentiment on the same red cardstock using Versamark ink. I heat embossed this with white embossing powder. I die cut it into a strip using an Avery Elle Simple Sentiments die. The sentiment is from Hero Arts Hello Stamps And Cuts. I adhered both to the colored panel.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope to see your creations at the challenge blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Image Sponsor

Rainbow Colored Greeting Card

Hello! I created this card with the Karin Markers July Colors as inspiration. I am using a Strathmore Watercolor paper cut at 5 1/2" x 4 1/4". I used the grid lines on my magnetic mat to create the triangles, putting a tick mark on the edges of the paper. 

I did one color at a time. I applied painter's tape from one tick mark to the other. I applied the pigment heavily on the wide base of the triangle. I spread this pigment using a wet brush. Don't make it too wet to avoid bleeding. You can see this on the yellow and green area of my front panel. Also, re-use the painter's tape for the same color only. Sometimes, the pigment stays on the painter's tape. Introducing a new color ends up with the mixture of the new color and the color on the painter's tape. Another tip in creating a design like this is make sure the tape is adhered really well. This keeps the water and the pigment where you want it. 

If you noticed, there are bubbles on the colored panel. I lifted off the Karin pigment with the use of a wet brush and a paper towel. I am using the Trinity Stamps Tree Of Lights Stencil to add the water lifted dots on each painted triangle to create a bokeh effect. Who said that we can only used these stencils for Christmas, right? I did the color lifting after painting each triangular segment which I dried with a heat gun before doing the color lifting. I also heat dried this after I did the color lifting. In this process, do not over saturate the area to prevent the water from seeping under the stencil. Taping the stencil over the colored panel is very helpful. This allows you to hold the wet brush with one hand and a paper towel for dabbing with the other. 

I stamped the sentiment from the TS So Appreciative 4x6 stamp set on a Grafix Dura-Bright black film. I prepped the area first with anti-static tool. I stamped the sentiment using Versamark ink. I embossed this with white embossing powder. I painted the insides of the letters with a mixed red Karin and a white pearl Finetec paint. I set this aside to dry.

I die cut the watercolored panel with the coordinating die from the TS So Appreciative Coordinating die set. I adhered the black embossed panel on the back of the colored panel, lining up the sentiment so that it shows through the open window. 

The stamp set came with a dashed line stamp which I used in between the triangles for a faux stitched look.

I added the links above to the Trinity Stamp products I used on this card which I highlighted for your convenience. There is no additional cost to you should you decide to purchase any of these products. Thank you for your support. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Karin Colors Art Competition~July 2021

Sketch Inspired Scrapbook Layout (New To My Stash #18)

Hello! Welcome back to another New To My Stash post. For today's project, I am using the Lawn Fawn Spooky Village stamp set and coordinating die.

I created this with the Scrapbook And Cards sketch below as inspiration. The theme of the sketch is Halloween and having the 4 photos on the layout gives me an opportunity to feature the bumble bee costume worn by all of my sons. 

I stamped the houses from the Lawn Fawn Spooky Village stamp set on Neenah Solar White cardstock. I colored the images with Copic markers. I die cut the images using the coordinating dies.

I printed my sons' photos using the Canon TS Series PIXMA TS9521C printer. I am amazed by the photo quality with the use of this printer especially the print on glossy photo paper. 

My scrapbook layout is sized at 8" x 11". Not a lot of space to work around. Instead of matting the paper, I added strips of patterned paper around it. I used patterned papers from different companies, My Mine's Eye, Carta Bella and Doodlebug. 

For my journaling, I decided to make it interactive by posting a question, hoping that my sons, when they grow up, will be able to recognize themselves as a toddler. I used a My Favorite Things Wonky Stitched Circle die to die cut the journal piece. I used a typewriter for the blurb.

The tag is hidden behind the blurb panel which is adhered on two sides only so I can insert the tag behind the panel. I added sticker numbers on each photo which correspond with the trivia answer.

And since my Halloween supplies are out, I decided to create this bonus card using the same supplies.

I created a kid's birthday card using the image that I cut out of the blurb panel. The sentiment strip is from the cut apart patterned paper sheet. The striped panel are left overs that are not large enough for a a card panel so I put two scrap papers together. The seam looks like a part of the design. I could have added stitching but I was going for a quick card. I added purple star brads to fill the space next to the sentiment. It also matches the purple of the main image.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.