Tag Archives: art

The Watcher in Red

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Hey everyone, it’s CZ!
I’m thrilled to be back with another piece to showcase. This month’s Colorful Options Challenge celebrates the richness of Red—from soft berry hues to bold and festive crimson—and Park Hopping My Happy Place is filled with HHN cheer. Here’s my interpretation of the two!

When I first saw this month’s Colorful Options board—all those gorgeous reds—I immediately pictured a mysterious forest alive with glowing embers. Rather than leaning into classic Christmas sparkle, the scene took on a deep, moody energy. I guess I’m still hanging onto my Halloween vibe just a little! The glowing eyes peering from the shadows add a sense of quiet magic and mischief, as if something is out there…waiting.

Though the palette feels warm and festive, I love that it also leaves room for curiosity and imagination—more twilight wonder than holiday twinkle. The tension between cozy red and shadowy mystery makes this piece one of my favorites. It hints at a story just beyond the trees, inviting you to step closer and discover what’s hidden there. Although Park Hopping My Happy Place’s inspo board is themed to shopping, it is an anything goes based on theme parks and as such, my theme is clearly more of a Halloween Horror Nights than shopping inspired.

Thanks so much for stopping by—can’t wait to see what you create this month!

Until next time, keep creating!!

—CZ

A Road into the Ember Night

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Hey everyone, it’s CZ! I’m thrilled to be back with another piece to showcase. This month’s Colorful Options Challenge celebrates the bold and dramatic combination of Luxury Black punched with Orange and Park Hopping My Happy Place is a beautiful board of Sugar Skulls. Here’s my combination of the two.

When I first saw this month’s Colorful Options Challenge board—Luxury Black punched with Orange—I immediately pictured a glowing road cutting through the night. The fiery orange against the deep black felt both bold and mysterious, like a secret journey waiting to happen.

If you look closely, you’ll find a little black cat sitting along the roadside, a nod to the cat in both inspiration boards. I added it as a quiet companion on the journey—small but watchful, like it’s guiding you forward. It’s one of my favorite parts of the painting because it gives the scene a hint of story and wonder.

Make sure you join in on the blog or on Instagram for your chance to win a gift certificate of your choice (Simon Says Stamp, Scrapbook.com, or Amazon). Visit the challenge to check out the amazing creations from the talented Design Teams. You can’t win without entering! Come join the fun!!

Until next time, keep creating!!

Hawaii Day 2025

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Hey everyone! Colorful Options is celebrating Hawaii Day!

I have created a card and envelope as my design team contribution.

Over at the Colorful Options Challenge, play along with the colors of our Hawaii Day Inspiration Board, or choose a color from the monthly challenge that you enjoy, or blend the two together. So many Options!!!

This challenge will run alongside our regular monthly challenge from Sunday 8/10 through Saturday 8/16.  

Make sure you join in on the blog or on Instagram for your chance to win a gift certificate of your choice (Simon Says Stamp, Scrapbook.com, or Amazon). Visit the challenge to check out the amazing creations from the talented Design Team. You can’t win without entering! Come join the fun!!

I did add a few items to this set to make a mail mix. My thought is to send a “bouquet in an envelope” to help spread a little cheer. The tuck-ins include a floral post card, a cheery blossoms cachet, a packet of forget-me-nots, and a flowering butterfly.

Wishing all the entrants good luck! Have fun, everyone!

Penelope

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Hey everyone, it’s CZ! I’m thrilled to be back with another piece to showcase. Today, I’m bringing you a butterfly in acrylics. I hope you enjoy exploring this painting as much as I enjoyed creating it! Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

I drew inspiration from the neutral shades on the Colorful Options Challenge and the butteflies from Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival for Park Hopping My Happy Place’s challenge.

This month at the Colorful Options Challenge, we’re embracing neutrals! If this palette doesn’t inspire you, join us with a rainbow-inspired make instead.

Over at Park Hopping My Happy Place, the inspiration board celebrates pools and some beautiful, vibrant images, but don’t forget that Park Hopping is an anything-goes challenge. If our current inspiration board isn’t your thing, check out our Inspiration Page for more ideas, and what I did this month.

Make sure you join in on the blog or on Instagram for your chance to win a gift certificate of your choice (Simon Says Stamp, Scrapbook.com, or Amazon). Visit the challenge to check out the amazing creations from the talented Design Teams. You can’t win without entering! Come join the fun!!

Until next time, keep creating!!

This is the Way – May 2025

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Hey everyone! Welcome back to another month of exciting challenges!

For the Park Hopping My Happy Place challenge, I have created a card and envelope set for you to enjoy. I’m back to working with some very simple mixed media. Stencils, paint, foundry wax — and then… some fun.

The buttons, trading card, and sticker are “tuck-ins” for this set. Do you like to add any “extras” when you send cards? Let me know in the comments below. 😁

This month, we are excited to announce a collaboration between the Colorful Options Challenge and the Park Hopping My Happy Place Challenge! If the current month’s theme isn’t your style, don’t worry! You have the freedom to select any theme inspired by theme parks.

Remember, Park Hopping My Happy Place embraces an anything-goes philosophy, which means you can draw from a wide range of inspirations beyond just the inspiration of the month; the inspiration photo serves solely as a launching point. For those seeking further inspiration, check out the inspiration page for more ideas, themes, and IPs.

Make sure you join in on the blog or on Instagram for your chance to win a gift certificate of your choice (Simon Says Stamp, Scrapbook.com, or Amazon). Visit the challenge to check out the amazing creations from the talented Design Team. You can’t win without entering! Come join the fun!!

At Park Hopping My Happy Place, you have until Saturday, May 31st, 12:00noon US CST time, which translates to 6:00am on Sunday, June 1st in the UK or 7:00am on Sunday, June 1st in CET.

If you’re looking to recreate this set, here’s what you’ll need:

Wishing all the entrants good luck! Have fun, everyone!

Pi Day 2025

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Hey everyone! Colorful Options is celebrating Pi Day!

I have created a group of small gift cards with envelopes for this challenge.

Over at the Colorful Options Challenge, play along with the colors of our Pi Day Inspiration Board, or choose a color from a pie that you enjoy! 

This challenge will run alongside our regular monthly challenge from Pi Day Friday 3.14 through Thursday 3.20.  

Make sure you join in on the blog or on Instagram for your chance to win a gift certificate of your choice (Simon Says Stamp, Scrapbook.com, or Amazon). Visit the challenge to check out the amazing creations from the talented Design Team. You can’t win without entering! Come join the fun!!

If you’re looking to recreate these cards, here’s what you’ll need:

  • Papers: Arteza water color paper, White White by Fabriano, copy paper for the envelopes
  • Distress Sprays in Lumberjack Red, Picked Raspberry, Saltwater Taffy
  • Distress Mica Stain in Fortune Teller
  • Distress Spritz in Picked Raspberry
  • Stencils from my stash
  • Hero Arts White embossing powder
  • Distress Embossing Ink
  • Gina K flower stamps
  • embellishments: charms, Kreinek thread, eyelets

Wishing all the entrants good luck! Have fun, everyone!

A Path of Serenity

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Hey everyone, it’s CZ! I’m thrilled to be back with another piece to showcase. Today, I’m bringing you a landscape in acrylics. I hope you enjoy exploring this painting as much as I enjoyed creating it! Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

I drew inspiration from the beautiful shades of green featured on the Colorful Options Challenge and the gorgeous foliage from Park Hopping My Happy Place’s inspiration board.

This month at the Colorful Options Challenge, we’re embracing green! Pick a shade of green you like and join in the fun. If this color doesn’t inspire you, join us with a rainbow-inspired make instead.

Over at Park Hopping My Happy Place, the inspiration board celebrates Marching into Spring and some beautiful pastel images; but, don’t forget that Park Hopping is an anything-goes challenge. If our current inspiration board isn’t your thing, check out our Inspiration Page for more ideas.

Make sure you join in on the blog or on Instagram for your chance to win a gift certificate of your choice (Simon Says Stamp, Scrapbook.com, or Amazon). Visit the challenge to check out the amazing creations from the talented Design Teams. You can’t win without entering! Come join the fun!!

Until next time, keep creating!!

March 2025

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Hey everyone! Welcome back to another month of exciting challenges!

I have created a palette of rainbow cards for you to enjoy this month. I’m back to working some very simple mixed media today.

Over at the Colorful Options Challenge, there’s a stunning photo inspiration board celebrating the color green. If this month’s color isn’t your style, join me with a rainbow-inspired project instead.

Make sure you join in on the blog or on Instagram for your chance to win a gift certificate of your choice (Simon Says Stamp, Scrapbook.com, or Amazon). Visit the challenge to check out the amazing creations from the talented Design Team. You can’t win without entering! Come join the fun!!

You have until Friday, March 28th, 11:59pm US CST time, which translates to 5:59am on Saturday, March 29th in the UK or 6:59am on Saturday, March 29th in CET.

If you’re looking to recreate this card, here’s what you’ll need:

  • Papers: Arteza water color paper, colored paper & vellum from the stash
  • Distress Watercolor Pencils
  • Liquitex Ivor Black
  • Sizzix Dies Shadowscript #2
  • Tim Holtz Ideology Small Talk
  • Tim Holtz Sizzix 3D embossing folder Texture Fades

Wishing all the entrants good luck! Have fun, everyone!

Meet CZ: Inspiring Creativity

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Hello, fellow creatives! My name is CZ, and I’m passionate about art—especially painting. Today, I’m excited to share with you an acrylic on canvas painting I’ve created. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed bringing it to life!

I drew inspiration from the beautiful shades of pink featured on both the Colorful Options Challenge and the Park Hopping My Happy Place inspiration boards.

This month at the Colorful Options Challenge, we’re embracing all the Valentine’s Day vibes! Pick a color found on the inspiration board above and play along. If none of the colors inspire you, join us with a rainbow inspired make instead.

Over at Park Hopping My Happy Place, the inspiration board celebrates the same; but, don’t forget that Park Hopping is an anything-goes challenge. If our current inspiration board isn’t your thing, check out our Inspiration Page for more idea.

Make sure you join in on the blog or on Instagram for your chance to win a gift certificate of your choice (Simon Says Stamp, Scrapbook.com, or Amazon). Visit the challenge to check out the amazing creations from the talented Design Teams. You can’t win without entering! Come join the fun!!

For both challenges, you have until Friday, February 28th, 11:59pm US CST time, which translates to 5:59am on Saturday, March 1st in the UK or 6:59am on Saturday, March 1st in CET.

Wishing you a happy & creative February!

Peace & Joy to All

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Hello crafters, I’m back with another fun, square-shaped card! It seems like my creative mojo has taken a square turn—sometimes, that’s just how inspiration strikes!

Lately, I’ve been diving into the world of collage art, following some incredible artists on YouTube. Honestly, I find this technique quite challenging; it often ends up looking like something I made in kindergarten! 😂

So, when Mr. Wheel picked collage as yesterday’s project, I was thrilled to embrace the challenge. For this card, I drew inspiration from a beautiful journal page by MaremiSmallArt. Let’s get crafting!

Here is a list of the products I used if you want to also try your had at collage:

  • Azteca watercolor paper, paper from the stash: green
  • Distress Oxide Paint: Lumberjack Red, Mowed lawn, Lost Shadow
  • White & clear Gesso
  • Liquitex Soft Body Acrylic: Unbleached Titanium, Titanium White, Ivory Black
  • Distress Collage Medium
  • Disstress Oxide Archival in Rustic Wilderness
  • Washi Tape: TH, red&white from the stash
  • Tim Holtz Sticker Book: Postmarked
  • Stampers Anonymous, Tim Holtz: Tiny Text Christmas CMS 424, Grunged CMS402
  • Tim Holtz Ideology Collage Paper: Christmas/Noel

Feel free to follow along with Maremi in the link above, or read on for my description.

  1. Prepare Your Base: Cut a watercolor panel to a 4.5-inch square.
  2. Create Your Collage: Tear the notes page and Ginger Toffee descriptions to your desired size, then glue them onto the panel using collage medium.
  3. Add Decorative Elements: Layer on pieces of washi tape and stamps or stickers as you like.
  4. Highlight the Poinsettia: Tear the collage paper to isolate the poinsettia, then adhere it with collage medium. Allow everything to dry completely.
  5. Blend Your Colors: Start blending your background using Unbleached White, Titanium White, Lost Shadow, and Mowed Lawn paints. Let this layer dry.
  6. Enhance the Poinsettia Leaves: Use Lumberjack Red, Ivory Black, and Mowed Lawn paints to enhance the leaves of the poinsettia.
  7. Add Some Texture: Once the paint is dry, create a splatter effect with white paint and allow it to dry again.
  8. Finish with Details: Using archival ink and a round stamp, add some details and stamp your sentiment.
  9. Layer Your Card: Finally, ink the edges of your card, center your sentiment, and assemble the layers.

Challenges entered: