August Rudolph Days

Hi everyone.  Time for the August Rudolph Days Challenge that runs each month from the 25th to end of month.  I've been playing along each month, building my stash of Christmas cards. :)

Before I get to the details of how I made this, I want to apologize for not getting around blogland to visit and comment, and I don't see it getting much better in the near future.  A couple of days after bringing Jessie home, a renovation was started on my house.  Not the best timing, but happy it is happening!  My house is now a construction zone which takes up time and is very challenging with a puppy!  Today the contractors are not here ... and Jessie was tired and needed a nap.  My chance to get a card made. :)

On to the card ... quick and easy (or clean and simple). :)  Won this Square framed Joy die from Memory Box and this is the first time using it.  I LOVE IT!  So simple, yet elegant.  I cut four and layered them together with glue to create a thick die-cut.  Added three glitter snowflakes to create a white-on-white card.  Happy with the results.

Close-up ...

Not easy to photograph an all white card with glitter, but did my best.  This would be a good design to make several for my stash and for donating.

Jessie's slept the whole time I was making my card, so that was a bonus! :)

* * * * *

Ozzy and Jessie (and Jeremy)

Went for a doggie playday at my mom's the other day.  My nephew just adopted a sweet Springer Spaniel pup, named Ozzy.  This is their second time together playing.  They took a break to cuddle with Jer.  Aren't they adorable together??

Violeta (Jer's dog - my granddoggie) was there too ... she's so pretty!

Violeta

Paper:  White card stock (Neenah); Iridescent glitter paper (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Joy Journal Frame die (Memory Box), Small Snowflakes dies (Impression Obsession), small pearl

Challenges:
August Rudolph Days - Anything Goes Christmas

Magical Butterflies

Hi everyone.  This card is a reminder for the CAS Stencil August Challenge.  There's only a week left to play along before the challenge closes.

This month is hosted by Robyn, and she wants us to use sprays through a stencil for our cards.

I used a new-to-me stencil to create a beautiful kaleidoscope of butterflies soaring through the air.  I added some magical powders to a mister to create a spray for the stencil.  It turned out well, but very soft purple, with lots of liquid, so I sprinkled more powder over top.  Once completely dry, I tapped off the excess powder so the background remained white.

I added a clear heat embossed black sentiment on a torn vellum banner to finish the card.

Close-up ...

We are joined by our wonderful Guest Designer, Hilary and Amy this month.  Check out the reminder post to see their beautiful sprayed stencil card, along with the amazing cards from our designers.

I hope to see you in our gallery!

Adding this to the CAS Watercolour August Challenge - Colourful Butterflies.

Stamps:  Up, Up and Away Sentiments (Papertrey Ink)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Vellum
Ink:  Versamark
Accessories & Tools: Water mister, Lindy's magicals (Witch's Potion Purple), Butterfly stencil (Funky Fossil), white embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Stencil August Challenge - Sprays
CAS Watercolour August Challenge - Colourful Butterflies

Christmas Trio

Hi everyone.  Today's card is a reminder for the CAS Christmas Challenge - Glitter, which is hosted by me this month.

I do love to add a bit of sparkle to some of my Christmas cards.  I recently bought this beautiful stamp and this is the first time inking it up.  I stamped onto mixed media paper with Versamark and heat embossed in liquid platinum.  I watercoloured the images with dye inks and then went over them with the corresponding colour in glitter glue.  It's an easy way to add lots of sparkle to your images.  I just used a paint brush, making sure to wash it out thoroughly when I was done.

Here's a close-up ...

Kept it simple by adding a very small sentiment, which is heat embossed in white.

I have another card with the same image (this was the first one I made).  I used red card stock for the base and watercoloured in lighter colours, adding the glitter glue on top.  The image and sentiment are both heat embossed in liquid platinum.  I like my second version better (card at the top).  Shows you that making a few small changes made a big impact on the design.

I hope you'll find time to check out the challenge blog to see the wonderful and glittery reminder ards from our Designers, and special Guest Designer, Michelle.

There's still a week left to play along.  Come join us and build your stash of Christmas cards so you'll have them ready to be written and mailed when the time comes.  Won't be long now!

Stamps:  Floral Holiday Trio (Magenta); Snowglobe Sentiments (My Favorite Things)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Real Red (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Twisted Citron, Candied Apple (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Liquid Platinum embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, water brush, green glitter glue, red glitter glue, paint brush

Challenges:
CAS Christmas August Challenge - Glitter

Colourful Butterfly

Hi everyone.  Time for the reminder post for CAS Watercolour.  There's just over one week left to play along before the challenge closes on Aug. 24th at midnight PDST.

Our host this month is Marcia and she has us creating colourful butterflies ... the gallery is full of amazing cards!  And we are thrilled to have Amy as our Guest Designer this month!

I started by stamping my butterfly with Versamark and heat embossing with Princess Gold embossing powder.  It has more of a yellowy-gold colour, which I love.

The butterfly was watercoloured with distress inks in light orange, dark orange, and pink (my favourite colours).  I wanted to add wink of stella but both my pens were dry.  I sprayed just a little glimmer mist onto my palette and used a brush to add over the butterfly.  Worked great.

The butterfly was fussy-cut and popped up on the card base.  A gold embossed sentment on black banner was added over top to finish the card.

Here's a close-up ... you can really see the shine of the embossing powder and a bit of the shimmer on the watercoloured bits. :)

Please check out the reminder post on the challenge blog to see the beautiful butterfly cards from our Designers, and wonderful Guest Designer, Amy.

Then come play along!  Hope to see you in the gallery!

Stamps: Flutterby (IndigoBlu); Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress inks:  Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon, Picked Raspberry (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Princess Gold Embossing Powder (Ranger), heat tool, water brush

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour August Challenge - Colourful Butterflies

Butterfly Love

Hi everyone.  Welcome to the reminder post for August's CAS Mix Up Challenge - Paper Towel, hosted by me! :)

The butterfly is cut from a piece of mop-up paper towel.  I picked one that had a lot of blue and purple, glued it to a piece of card stock, and then cut out this beautiful butterfly die that I won recently at the Memory Box Challenge.  I die-cut the butterfly topper from white card stock and tacked it over top, leaving most of it free flowing from the butterfly.  A piece of smooshed pale blue watercoloured panel from my stash was used for the background, along with a die-cut antique frame.  A simple sentiment was stamped in silver delicata ink.

My card has watercolouring, smooshing, die-cutting, stamping and paper towel  ...

Here's a close-up ...

I hope you'll have time to check out the reminder post to see the amazing, CAS Mixed Media cards using paper towels from our Designers and Guest Designer, Betty.  There's still over a week to play along.  Hope you'll join us!

Since I've used a watercoloured Colourful Butterfly on my card, I'm sending this over to August's CAS Watercolour Challenge as well.

* * * * *

Jessie

Hanging with Jeremy

Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Mixed media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Tumbled Glass (Tim Holtz); Silver Delicata (Tsukineko)
Accessories & Tools:  Paper towel used to mop up left over Lindy's Magicals, Flitter Side Butterfly die (Memory Box), Antique Frames die (Penny Black)

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up August Challenge - Paper Towel
CAS Watercolour August Challenge - Colourful Butterflies

Blended DOX Inks

Hi everyone.  Sharing another card made at the May ESCR (Eat, Sleep, Craft, Repeat) Retreat.  This blended DOX ink background with heat embossed white image technique was led by Linda (Lin's Craft Corner).  I really enjoyed trying out a combination of three shades of green / blue to create this background.  We all took lots of time with the blending to make sure it was smooth ... what a difference.  And the white flower just pops off the colours.  I thought it needed something else, so splattered water over top, using a paper towel to dry off exposing the light droplets pattern.  A simple white heat embossed sentiment on black banner finishes the card.

Here's a close-up ...

This is a fun and easy technique with beautiful results.  Thanks for sharing Linda!!

One more photo share from the retreat ...

Happy times.

(photo by Darnell)

(l to r)  Linda, Nancy, Colleen, Bonnie

Stamps:  special sentiments (Penny black)
Paper:  White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  DOX inks:  Twisted Citron, Lucky Clover, Peacock Feathers (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories & Tools: sponges, white embossing powder, heat tool

In the Studio with Fran and Deb

Hi everyone  Had a wonderful day in the studio a couple of weeks ago with two of my dear friends that I have know for over 30 years.  We used to work together and we've always crafted together. :)

Fran and Deb came for a day of making pretty cards as well as lunch out to celebrate birthdays.  It was a lot of fun.  They started by creating three sponged cards.  Above is the sample card I made for them.  It uses a new-to-me stencil from Magenta that I HAD to HAVE after seeing my dear friend, Christine, use it on this amazing card!

Isn't this stencil fun and cheerful??  I used my new blending brushes and they worked perfectly for this.  Trina gave a set of these amazing brushes to each of us at the retreat. Thanks again Trina!

Before heading out for lunch, lots of card fronts were made by smooshing Lindy's magicals.  Once back, we made them into simple cards, using white die-cuts as the embellishment (similar to the cards made HERE).

Fran went home with eleven completed cards, Deb with nine!  Very successful (and fun!) day in the studio! :)

Here's a close-up of my stenciled sunflowers ...

I'm entering this into the CAS on Friday challenge #162 - Use a Stencil.

Stamps:  Happy Messages (Stampendous)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks: Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade  (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories & Tools:  Three Sunflowers Stencil (Magenta), blending brushes, fine black marker

Challenges:
CAS on Friday #162 - Use a Stencil

DOX Inks with Baby Wipe Swipe

Hi everyone.  Sharing the card I made with this amazing technique that Bonnie (Stamping with Klass) led at the Eat, Sleep, Craft, Repeat Retreat in May.

You use DOX inks to colour your photo paper background ... either smooshing or sponging.  Then you wipe off the chalky finish of the inks using a baby wipe.  The colours become so bright, bold, and beautiful.  Then we all stamped an image over top using the DOX inks again, and again the baby wipe takes the chalk layer away.  I finished card by adding a frame on top wih stamped sentiment.

Here's a close-up ...

I did a complete copy of one of Bonnie's beautiful designs.  I just had to make one for myself. :)  Thanks for leading this technique Bonnie.  It was so fun!

Sharing another photo from the retreat ...

Ready for lunch!

(photo by Darnell)

(l to r) Susan, Nancy, Loll (that's me!), Bonnie

Stamps:  First Waltz (Penny Black); Happy Snippets (Penny Black)
Paper:  Photo paper; White card base and frame (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  DOX inks:  Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, Fossilized Amber (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, baby wipe, Rectangle Nestabilties (Spellbinders)

CAS Stencil August Challenge

Hi everyone.  It's the start of a new challenge for August at CAS Stencil.  This month, the host is Robyn (Waterlily Cards by Robyn).  She wants us to use sprays with our stencils.

I started by using sprays I made from Liquid Watercolour Concentrate (yellow, orange, magenta).  I sprayed onto a dotty stencil, flipped it over and pressed the wet ink into a piece of mixed media paper (stencil monoprint).  I blotted with paper towel to remove any excess ink, which keeps the stencil image white.

I thought this created a very summery card, so added a die-cut bicycle and simple sentiment to finish.

Close-up ...

This month we have two very talented Guest Designers joining us;  Hilary (fiddling about) and Amy (Miss_Lomax_Art)   I know you'll be inspired by their amazing cards, and those from our very talented Designers.

Please check out the challenge blog to see all the launch cards for the challenge.  And then come play along!

I'm entering this card into the CAS on Friday Challenge #162 - use a stencil.

* * * * *

Jessie

Sunning herself on the deck

Stamps: Happy Snippets (Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Delicata Silver (Tsukineko)
Accessories & Tools:  Liquid Concentrate (Dick Blick), spray bottles, Bubble Dance Stencil (STAMPplorations); bicyle die (unknown)

Challenges:
CAS Stencil August Challenge - Sprays
CAS on Friday #162 - use a stencil

CAS Christmas August Challenge

Hi everyone.  Welcome to the start of the CAS Christmas August Challenge - Glitter.  This month I'm hosting and I want to see the gallery filled with sparkle!! :)

We also have a wonderful Guest Designer joining us this month.  Welcome Michelle (Seashell Creations)!

I find that glitter pastes are one of the sparkliest products.  And then I discovered the sparkliest of sparkle with the paste used on the above card.  It's made by Cosmic Shimmer and is called "Silver Chrome".  Not only is it filled with glitter, but it has chunky glitter as well that reflects light to make it extra special.  Love it!

I used it through a new stencil I bought from Magenta.  This is such a beautiful branch and berry image and looks spectacular with the chunky glitter paste on black card stock.

I stamped my sentiment in Versamark, heat embossed in silver and then stamped and heat embossed again over top with Silver Tinsel embossing paste.  Hard to see in the photo, but the sentiment has lots of sparkle as well. :)

Here's a close-up ...

I hope you'll play along with our challenge.  It will be Christmas before you know it!

Stamps:  Art Deco Celebrate Christmas (Poppy Stamps)
Paper:  Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Versamark
Accessories & Tools: Silver Chrome glitter paste (Cosmic Shimmer); Berry Branch stencil (Magenta); palette knife, silver embossing powder, silver tinsel embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Christmas August Challenge - Glitter

CAS Watercolour August Challenge

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of the CAS Watercolour August Challenge, hosted by the talented Marcia (Marcia's Stampin' Pad).

We are excited to have Amy (Miss_Lomax_Art) as our Guest Designer this month.  Welcome Amy!

My card started with the butterfly.  This gorgeous die was given to me by my dear friend, Bonnie.  LOVE IT!  I used a Lindy's Magicals panel from my stash for the butterfly ... love the deep pinks.  I also used another piece from my stash for the background; watercoloured splats in yellow, orange and pink.

Stamped the sentiment in black ink and popped the main panel up on foam to add some dimension to the card.  Easy, peasy CAS Watercoloured card! :)

Close-up ...

I hope you'll check out the challenge blog to see the amazing CAS butterfly cards by our Designers, and wonderful Guest Designer, Amy.  Then join us.  Challenge is open until August 24th.

Stamps:  Beautiful sentiments (AliExpress)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base (Neenah 110 lb. card stock)
Ink:  Black (Memento)
Accessories & Tools:   Magical butterfly die (Alexandra Renke), Lindy's magicals (Autumn Maple Crimson ), Watercolour concentrate in yellow, orange and pink (Blick Art Materials).

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour August Challenge - Colourful Butterflies