Guest Designing at AAA Colourful

Hi everyone.  I'm happy and excited to be posting my card as Guest Designer for AAA Colourful Challenge #20.  Thanks to the wonderful team at AAA Colourful for having me this month!

These colours were so fun to play with.  I love the vibrancy of purple, lime green and orange together, complimented by black and gold. :)

I started by gluing a piece of white tissue paper over white card stock, which adds a lovely texture to the panel.  Once the glue was dry, I die-cut Falling Leaves (Penny Black) twice, giving me lots of leaves.  I randomly sponged purple, green, and orange, using my Distress Inks which were closest to the colours above (Seedless Preserves, Mowed Lawn, Crackling Campfire).

To add the gold element, I used a fine gold marker to hand-draw veins on the leaves.  The leaves were placed overtop of a black card base and then glued in place.  Gold embossing powder was used to heat emboss the sentiment and a thick gold marker to draw an edge around the sentiment banner so it stands out a bit from the busy background.  I popped up the banner to add some dimension.

Close-up ... this shows a bit of the texture from the tissue paper ...

There are some amazing and fun cards from the Designers at AAA Colourful.  I hope you'll check it out and play along!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Simply Sentiment (Lawn Fawn)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 65 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Seedless Preserves, Mowed Lawn, Crackling Campfire (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories:   Tissue Paper, detail sponges, Falling Leaves Cut Out (Penny Black), gold metallic markers (Pilot); gold embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool

Challenges:

AAA Colourful Challenge #20

Santa in September

Hi everyone.  Today I'm playing along with Christmas Kickstart Challenge #102 - Santa in September.  I don't have many Santa stamps or dies, but I have kept this older stamp from Wild Rose ... loved their sweet images, but sadly, they are no longer in business.

I stamped the Santa / reindeer image onto mixed media paper in black ink and heat embossed with clear before watercolouring with distress inks (I'll list them below --- so many colours!!). :)  I fussy-cut the image and set aside.  Sponged the sky in two shades of blue, tore snowhills for the bottom, and paper pieced my watercoloured image on top.  Finished the card off by adding a simple sentiment and a splattering of white diluted acrylic paint for falling snow.

Close-up ...

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Santa with Rudolph (Wild Rose Studios); Christmas Sentiments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Ground Espresso, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Salty Ocean, Black Soot (Tim Holtz)  
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder, heat tool, watercolour paint brushes, sponges, white acrylic paint for splattering

Challenges:

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #102 - Santa in September

Happy Sunflowers

Hi everyone.  Today  I'm sharing a card inspired by a few challenges.  This time I wanted to celebrate the upcoming Fall season with sunflowers.

I stamped these lovely sunflowers (Pop Sunflowers - Stampendous) in black ink and clear heat embossed before watercolouring with distress inks.  I die-cut an oval from an older die set that I rarely use, and dry embossed the oval using a new-to-me embossing folder (Mason Wall - Altenew).

This layout and design is curtesy of Ceal, following the challenge at AAA Birthday to CASE one of Ceal's beautiful cards (see photo below).  Thank so much for the inspiration Ceal!!

Close-up ...

Sending the above card to the following challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 2 - Dies - Spellbinder's Oval - rarely use this die.  Second entry

NBUS #78 Challenge - never-before-used-schtuff - first time using the mason wall EF

AAA Cards (CAS) #298 - Follow Ceal's Lead

Color Hues #117 - Orange and Green

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Pop Sunflowers (Stampendous); Spring Sentiments (Stampendous

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress inks:  Mowed Lawn, Ripe Persimmon, Crackling Campfire, Fired Brick, Ground Espresso (Tim Holtz
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder, heat tool, watercolour paint brushes, Oval die (Spellbinders Nestabilities), Mason Wall embossing folder (Altenew), 

Challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 2 - Dies

NBUS #78 Challenge - never-before-used-schtuff

AAA Cards (CAS) #298 - Follow Ceal's Lead

Color Hues #117 - Orange and Green

Christmas Star

Hi everyone.  I'm back with another Christmas card using the Posted stamp and die set (Penny Black).

I stamped the postage outline in soft gray and then masked off the outside border.  The sweet image (The Star - Penny Black) was stamped on the inside of the masked area with black ink and clear heat embossed before watercolouring with distress inks.  Diluted white paint was splattered for falling snow before popping up the panel onto my card front, which is covered in dark green paper.  A simple white embossed sentiment finishes the card.

Close-up ...

Sending this card to:

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #64 - Anything Christmas Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Posted (Penny Black); The Star (Penny Black); Jolly Snippets (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Green paper (unknown)
Ink:   Shadow Grey Archival Ink (Ranger); Black (Memento); Distress inks:  Salvaged Patina, Candied Apple, Lumberjack Plaid, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Posted die (Penny Black), masking tape, Clear embossing powder (Ranger), watercolour paint brushes, White embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, diluted white acrylic paint

Challenges:

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #64

Smiles and Hugs

Hi everyone.  Today's card is inspired by AAA Colourful Challenge #19.  Gorgeous colours and I LOVE the photo of the beautiful fall leaves, but went a totally different way. :)

I recently got this adorable doggy die in the mail, and couldn't wait to play with it.  The colours of the challenge work perfectly for him.  Don't you love that patch over one eye! :)

To finish, I added sponging of two shades of pink and then framed it up in a "window".  I love that the paws are hanging over the edge, like he is ready to jump out and give a big, slurpy kiss to the recipient of this card. :)  Simple sentiment finishes the card.

Close-up ...

Sending this card to the following challenges:

AAA Colourful #19

Darnell's IDEAS - Week 1 - Inks.  There's a whole lot of ink sponging on this card. :)

NBUS #78 (never-before-used-schtuff) - Doggy die is new.

      

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Banner Sentiments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Coloured Card stock:  More Mustard, Chocolate chip, Natural (SU!); Rust Card stock (unknown)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Antique Linen, Rusty Hinge, Ground Espresso, Vintage Photo (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Doggy Die (AliExpress), Rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinders - retired), sponges, white acrylic paint pen (Posca)

Challenges:

AAA Colourful #19

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 1 - Inks

NBUS #78

Embossing with Dies - Group of Cardmakers

Hi everyone.  Today at Group of Cardmakers, we are sharing our experimenting of Embossing with Dies.  This is a super simple technique that uses your dies and makes them into an embossed image. :)

Check out the post at Group of Cardmakers for links to wonderful videos and more sample cards from Christine, Pat, & Susan.

First up, my fav card of this post ... a pretty Peace Rose.  I watercoloured the rose in colours of a Peace Rose that I had in my garden at my last house.  The bloom was a delicate pink.  The edges turn to soft yellow when it opens.  I stamped my flower in black ink, heat embossed in clear; then watercoloured using Distress inks.  I used the matching die to cut it out before mounting it on my debossed background of a pretty leaf die.

Close-up ...

Sending the above card to:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 4 - Anything Goes - Embossing with Dies (2nd entry)

* * * * *

A Christmas card featuring a holly die.  I created a deboss of the holly image for the background, then die-cut the same die from Mixed Media paper and watercoloured, placing it over top.  A simple sentiment is added to finish the card.

* * * * *

I've made two cards using a postage frame die.  And I used it two ways, embossed with the cut side of the die showing a thin outline; and debossed with the backside of the die recessed (thicker outline).  That is a bonus to this technique.  With most dies, you can use either side of the embossed image depending on the look you want.  See below two cards using the same die but different sides of the embossed impression. 

Thin outline of die (embossed)

Thick outline with die (debossed)

One more card with a different way of doing this technique.  Sorry for the long post, but as you can tell, I had a lot of fun playing! :) 

This time I used a stamp and matching die to stamp the flower onto mixed media paper, heat embossing in silver.  Then I watercoloured the image using Distress re-inkers.  I finished by placing the matching die over top of the image, but instead of cutting it out, I embossed the image so that my stamped image has it's own outline.  This also adds texture and a bit of dimension to my otherwise flat card. :)  It's subtle in the photo above, but so pretty IRL. :)

* * * * *

Bonus ... you can take a lot of your dies and turn them into embossed images, then use the same die to cut matching stencils to use over top of your images.  Lots and lots of options!

Thanks for stopping by!

Card #1:

Stamps:  Enchantingly (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black ink (Memento); Disttress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Delicate Leafy Branch die (Simon Says Stamp); Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, Enchantingly die (Penny Black), watercolour paint brushes

Card #2:

Stamps:  Happy Snippets (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon, Crackling Campfire, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Ground Espresso (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Posted die (Penny Black), Autumn Decor dies (Penny Black), sponges 

Card #3:

Stamps:  Love & Magic; Jolly Snippets (both Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Salty Ocean (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Posted die (Penny Black), watercolour brushes, red chalk

Card #4:

Stamps:  Handy Christmas Sentiments (Amy R - long retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Gathered Twigs (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Holly and Berry Branch die (Penny Black), watercolour brushes, Clear Wink of Stella, Crystal Glaze (Nuvo)

Card #5:

Stamps:  Amazing Things (Pinkfresh Studios)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Versamark;  Distress Re-Inks:  Saltwater Taffy, Abandoned Coral, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Silver embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, watercolour paint brushes, Amazing Things die (Pinkfresh Studios)

Challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 4 - Anything Goes - Embossing with Dies (2nd entry)

Guest Designing at Rudolph Days August Challenge

Hi everyone.  Today I'm Guest Designing at Rudolph Days August Challenge.  Thanks so much to Helen for inviting me!

For today's card I have made another using the Immense Joy die (Penny Black).  Last year I made a series of cards using this amazing die, and I just had to pull it out again this year. :)

I brayered a piece of Bristol card with distress inks and cut out the "O" from the Joy die.  I also die-cut the Deers & Tree scene; then die-cut again for the "O".  These were layered together and then inlaid into the "O" opening.  I splattered diluted white acrylic paint for falling snow.  The completed JOY was placed over top of a snowflake embossed card front (Snowflakes - Cuttlebug).  Merry Christmas is stamped on the inside using the closest ink I had to kraft.

Close-up ...

Sending this card to a few other challenges besides Rudolph Days ...

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 4 - Anything Goes - Brayering

Sparkles Christmas Challenge #175 - Include a Tree - the tree is part of the winter scene inside the "O".  Hope that qualifies

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  N/A

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Bristol card; Kraft card stock
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Candied Apple, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz); Sahara Sand (SU!)
Accessories:   Immense Joy die (Penny Black), Brayer, Deer & Trees die (AliExpress), Acrylic white paint, Snowflake embossing folder (Cuttlebug)

Challenges:

Rudolph Day August Challenge

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Weekly 4 - AG 

Sparkles Christmas Challenge #175 - Include a Tree 

Summer Ride

Hi everyone.  Today's card is inspired by the latest challenge at Seize the Birthday #311 - No Flowers. :)  I pulled out a bicycle die after seeing a card on-line (sorry, don't know who made it), using this wonderful colour combination.

I die-cut the bike from mixed media paper and watercoloured with Distress Inks.  I created the background using the Acetate Smooshing technique and the same colours.  I stamped the sentiment (Signature Greetings - Memory Box), and then added a little more ink to ground the bike.  Very simple card that was fun to make!

Close-up ...

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Signature Greetings (Memory Box)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Worn Lipstick (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Bicycle die (AliExpress), Acetate sheet, watercolour paint brushes

Challenges:

Seize the Birthday #311 - No Flowers

Lovely Iris

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a CAS Mixed Media card.  I started by using a background that's been in my stash for a long time.  The background is coloured using blue powdered inks.  Once dry, I placed a flourish stencil over top and used glitter paste to fill in the design.  It's so pretty in real life ... but glitter is almost impossible to photograph.

I added a die-cut Iris, that is watercoloured using Distress Inks.  A simple rectangle frame was popped up over top with the sentiment stamped in purple ink.

Close-up ...

Sending this card to:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 3 - Embossing - this time I used Wet (glitter paste)

Inkspirational Challenge #348 - CAS - Optional: Flowers

AAA CAS Cards #297 - Anything CAS Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Super Day (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Peeled Paint, Mustard Seed, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Powdered Inks, Flourish stencil, Glitter Paste, Palette knife, Iris die (Penny Black), watercolour paint brushes

Challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 3 - Embossing - this time I used Wet (glitter paste)

Inkspirational Challenge #348 - CAS - Optional: Flowers

AAA CAS Cards #297 - Anything CAS Goes