Thursday, February 16, 2017

Love Always

Hi everyone.  Today is a reminder that there's just over a week left to play in the CAS Watercolour February Challenge - Love.  Create a CAS card that has some sort of watercolouring or watercolour look, and join us.  You can use watercolour paints, distress inks, dye inks, brushos, gelatos, etc.


I recently bought a few dies from a new-to-me company "Gina Marie Designs", including the heart used above.  My sweet friend Marcia has several of their beautiful dies, which she used to send me some die-cuts.  I really like their designs so had to buy some for myself. :)  I found I need to run them through my big shot several times adding paper shims to get a clean cut. It could very well be my Big Shot that is the problem as it's getting really old.  In the end, with a little extra elbow grease, I'm really happy with the designs I bought.

The heart above was die-cut from watercolour paper and smooshed with concentrated liquid watercolours.  I dried the first layer of smooshing and then used a paintbrush to add more of the red and purple watercolours to deepen the colours on the heart.  Once dry, I coated it (twice) with Wink of Stella to give it lots of shine (which doesn't show in the photo).

The card front was die-cut with the same heart and inlayed with the watercoloured heart.  A white heat embossed black banner sentiment was added to finish the card.

I hope you'll check out our reminder post ... lots of inspiration from our talented Design Team and our special Guest Designer Michelle.  Check it out HERE.

I'm also playing along with a few challenges.  Lots of challenges out there with Hearts/Love as the theme. :)

Challenges:
AAA Cards #83 - Shape your Love
CASology #236 - Romance
Inkspirational #128 - Photo Inspiration






Thanks for coming by for a visit!






Stamps:  Fond Expressions 7 (STAMPlorations)
Paper:  White card base (Neenah); Watercolour (Arches 140 lb. cold press); Black (SU!)
Ink:  Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  ?? die (Gina Marie Designs), Red and Purple Liquid Watercolour Concentrate (Dick Blick), Wink of Stella, White embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour February Challenge - Love
AAA Cards #83 - Shape your Love
CASology #236 - Romance
Inkspirational #128 - Photo Inspiration

39 comments:

nancy littrell said...

Wow...Stunning rich colors for your very detailed die cut inlaid heart! I love your sentiment too my friend. TFS Loll. Hugs

Canonbury creations said...

Lovely heart card Loll such a beautiful intricate design.
Val x

HJ said...

I love the heart die!! It is so elegant and the design of your card really makes it pop. Love the coloring. Have a great day!

Vicki Dutcher said...

Such a pretty die heart - I too just recently found Gina Marie dies - I love them and the price is fabulous :)

Faith A at Daffodil Cards said...

Beautiful card.
Faith
x

Unknown said...

Absolutely gorgeous ! Such a beautiful CAS card ! Thanks for sharing and for inspiring.
Izzy Scrap

Nstiz said...

What a gorgeous die cut heart, Loll! It looks absolutely stunning with your black banner and white embossed sentiment! Love this!

Susan said...

Loll, those colours are stunning and it must be so gorgeous with two layers of Wink of Stella! What a wonderful way to use that heart die - and worth the effort!

Ceal said...

Loll, this is Gorgeous! thanks for playing along with us at AAA Cards!

My Card Attic: Hazel said...

Such a striking design Loll! Love the simplicity and the boldness! Have a lovely evening! Have a wonderful day my friend! Luv n’ Hugs. Hazel xx
My Card Attic

MaryH said...

It's gorgeous, and the heart smoosh has lots of shiny dimension to it. I love the GMarie dies too (and the price point is excellent). Great look with this die, Miss L. TFS & Hugs

Nonni said...

Your watercolored and winked heart looks fantastic Loll! Such an elegant and also cute design, really love this! Thanks for joining us at Inkspirational!

Mrs A. said...

Your watercoloured heart looks fab . Not heard of this company before. My big shot takes several passes to get a clean cut now but I have had it 6 yrs and it was secondhand when I bought it from eBay but as you say layering up with shims get the desired cut in the end. Either that or muscles I didn't know existed.!! Hugs Mrs A.

Colleen said...

Awesome card Loll...that Marcia is an enabler isn't she? Since seeing some of her die cuts I have purchased several Gina Maria Designs also. I love your heart and all the gorgeous color you used for it!!

Pat said...

The beautifully bright red and purple look fabulous on this die cut heart Loll, and the white on black sentiment goes so prettily. x

Bonnie said...

This is a pretty heart die, Loll! I love the colors of the smooshing and bet it really sparkles IRL! The white embossed sentiment on the black really stands out!

Christine Alexander said...

love the rich colours of the inks, the heart looks so pretty against the white background.

kiwimeskreations said...

Stunning card Loll - I can just see the WoS!! It must be really sparkly IRL!
Blessings
Maxine

sandie said...

Fabulous card Loll, love all the sparkle and deep colour, what an elegant die. Thanks for joining AAA and Ink

Laura said...

Such a beautiful card, Loll!!

Petra Swart said...

WOW, that is such a fantastic heart die, Loll and I love how you have coloured it!!!! Simply beautiful!!!!!
Have a great day!!!!
Hugz

Ros Crawford said...

This is so beautiful! Thanks so much for playing along at Inkspirational!

Sue said...

Very elegant, Loll. I love the beautiful die and pretty sentiment.

Heidi MyLittleStampingBlog said...

Wonderful heart, I love the colors and the sentient on black is a nice classy touch!

Harriet Skelly said...

That heart die is absolutely gorgeous - so intricate! I haven't heard of Gina Marie dies - need to look into them. You are such an enabler Loll - and I mean that in the nicest way! Hugs.

JosieD said...

Striking card, Loll! Love the die smooshed with those vibrant colors and then inlaid plus the touch of black with white embossed sentiment.

Karen Dunbrook said...

love this Loll...so pretty and elegant.
xx Karen

Mac Mable said...

Such a pretty die with gorgeous colours. Th in laying gives your card a lovely layered effect with the bulk. Beautiful card x

TK said...

Beautiful! Wish we could see that shimmer too...

Happy Dance said...

CAS perfection, Loll. That heart was well worth the trouble it caused you; it's just gorgeous. And the colors... Rich and beautiful. Love the white-on-black sentiment, too. Really a pretty card!! Have a great Sunday. Bev

Brenda said...

I love Gina Marie dies! They are so affordable and she has such beautiful ones! I haven't had any problems with cutting in my Big Shot though, but this is an intricate die too. I haven't seen this heart die though and I am totally smitten with it and how you used it on your card Loll. It is just stunning and love the black sentiment strip with the embossed white sentiment. Just beautiful! Hugs, Brenda

Marcia Hill said...

Beautiful, beautiful card Loll! I LOVE the colors in that GORGEOUS heart...so pretty! I'm glad you're enjoying the Gina Marie Design dies, but bummed you're having trouble getting clean cuts! I have had no problems with mine, and in fact I got an new electronic die cutting machine (Sizzix) for Christmas, and I don't use a shim or anything else when die cutting and get a perfect cut with only one pass through. I do know die cutting machines loosen up after time though, and maybe that's why you're having problems? Wish there was a way to tighten them up again!! My old (OLD)Cuttlebug got so loose I was putting all kinds of shims in just to get it to cut! But anyway, lovely card Loll!! :0)

Judy1223 said...

Loll, that is a beautiful die cut heart...thanks for the heads up about the Gina Marie dies. So pretty and unique! I love the sentiment banner, too...such a great CAS layout! Thanks for joining us at CASology this week!

Julia Aston said...

what a gorgeous delicate die cut heart Loo - the red is just SO vibrant against the white - and the pop of the black sentiment strip is striking! A beautiful LOVE card!! Julia xx

Jen W. said...

That die is gorgeous, Loll, especially with those rich colours and all the sparkle! Thanks for playing along with CASology this week!

Jo said...

Inlaying that gorgeous heart was so smart. It truly gives it another dimension.
Perfectly CAStastic, xx

Sheila H said...

Some of my friends have Gina Marie dies, Loll. The ones they have cut nicely. This is so pretty.

BożenA said...

Beautiful card of love. I love the color depth of the heart seen an extra dimension to the card. Great design.
Hugs,
BożenA xx

Barb Ghig said...

My first comment just flew into cyberspace...I am so sorry to have gotten behind on my visits...again, as I do LOVE to visit your blog, Loll! This is such a gorgeous CAS card! Your inlaid heart is just beautiful, and I love how you added dimension with your watercolors! I'll bet it's amazing IRL, too :) Hugs, Barb