Guest Designing at Seize the Birthday!

Hi everyone.  I'm excited to be the Surprise Party Guest at Seize the Birthday for November and January (the challenge takes a break for December). :)   Thanks Nancy!

Today's challenge (#273) is all about Neutrals ...

  

I had fun creating a CAS (clean and simple) card using two shades of brown ink with black accents.  I LOVE how this combo looks.

I started by using sponge brushes over a retired leaf stencil from Carabelle Studio, onto mixed media paper.  I started with Gathered Twigs for the complete background and then sponged in the middle with Vintage Photo.

I die-cut the leafy branch (Fresh Foliage from Memory Box) in black card stock and used a piece of foam with my stylus, to add shape to the leaves.  I also cut a small sentiment banner from black card stock; then stamped (Simply Sentiments - Lawn Fawn) in white pigment ink before heat embossing with white embossing powder.  I attached the leafy branch with glue on the stems and placed the sentiment banner over top at the bottom of the card.

Close-up ...

I'm sending this card to the Stencil Fun November Challenge.

The Seize the Birthday challenge is open for 12 days.  I hope you'll come join us with your Neutral Birthday cards.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Stamps:  Simply Sentiments (Lawn Fawn)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Gathered Twigs, Vintage Photo (Tim Holtz); Unicorn - white pigment ink (Hero Arts)
Accessories:   Leaf stencil - retired (Carabelle Studio), sponge brushes, Fresh Foliage die (Memory Box), White Embossing Powder (Ranger)

Challenges:

Seize the Birthday #273 - Neutral Colors Only

Stencil Fun November Challenge

CAS Mix Up May Challenge

Hi everyone.  It's the start of a new challenge at CAS Mix Up.  Our talented DT Susan is hosting this month's challenge, and she wants to see rainbows.  This is a STENCIL challenge so please make sure to use a stencil!

Stencil Challenge

I followed the video tutorial by Eileen Godwin that's included in the CAS Mix Up May Challenge post.  First, a 1" mask was added on all four sides of the card front (regular card stock).  I created my own mask/stencil by cutting a piece of acetate.  Then I randomly sponged using blending brushes, along the curves with colours of the rainbow (or overlapping colours that add to the rainbow colours) - Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Worn Lipstick, Salty Ocean, Dusty Concord.

Once I was happy with the design, I removed the masked border and stamped my dragonfly image (Origami Dragonfly - Carabelle Studio) in black ink and clear heat embossed.  I did the same for my sentiment (Essential Sentiments - Maker's Movement).  To finish, I added two coats of Clear Wink of Stella to the whole dragonfly image to add some shimmer.

Close-up ...

It wasn't until I see these pictures posted that I realize the yellow is so much stronger than the other colours.  Next time I'll be a little lighter with yellow ink. :)

We are thrilled to have Michele (I Card Everyone) as our Guest Designer this month.  Please check out the challenge blog to see the beautiful, stenciled rainbow cards from our DT and Guest Designer, Michele!

See you in the gallery!

Product Links

Origami Dragonfly - Carabelle Studio

Essential Sentiments - Maker's Movement

Stamps:  Origami Dragonfly (Carabelle Studio); Essential Sentiments (Maker's Movement)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Worn Lipstick, Salty Ocean, Dusty Concord (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories:  Masking tape, acetate sheet, blending brushes, clear embossing powder, heat tool, Clear Wink of Stella

  
Challenges:
CAS Mix Up May Challenge - Rainbow Ink Blending

Origami Dragonfly

Hi everyone.  I wanted to share a card today using anther NBUS stamp.  I have a huge stash of NBUS and I'm determined to ink them all up this year! :)

I love this artsy dragonfly stamp and had to get it.  This image is called "Libellule Origami" which means "Origami Dragonfly.

I made this card specifically to enter the Craft Stamper - Take It, Make It January Challenge.  This challenge is embraces all things mixed media.

I started with a paper towel background from my stash ... bright blue and a little purple.  I stamped the image in black and clear heat embossed.  The design is intricate, so using the black ink gives me all the details.  Heat embossing in clear sets the design.  If I used Versamark and black embossing powder, I would loose some of the detail.

I painted the image with metallic acrylic paints (green, light blue).  I used a water brush to dilute the paint as it was being added.  I stamped the image on my card front as well as on a second piece of mixed media paper.  Both were painted with the acrylics and then I used a damp paper towel to lightly swipe over top to enhance the black heat embossed lines.  The separate dragonfly was fussy-cut ... just the top wings and body.  I then added crystal glaze to the body and let it dry before adhering on top of my card front dragonfly. :)  Hope that makes sense.  You'll see in the close-up below, the two sets of wings which add a lot of dimension to this otherwise one layer card.

I finished by stamping the dream sentiment in black and heat embossing in clear so that it matches the dragonfly image.

Here's a close-up of the shimmer from the pearlescent paints ...

Stamps:  Libellule Origami (Carabelle Studio); Dream (AliExpress)
Paper:  Bristol (Strathmore  2-ply 400 Series)
Ink:  Black (Memento); Pumice Stone Distress Ink (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  clear embossing powder, heat tool; Pearl Emerald Green and Pearl Turquoise acrylic paints (Lumiere), water brush, Crystal Glaze (Nuvo)

Challenges:
Craft Stamper Take It Make It January Challenge

Leafy Birthday

Hi everyone.  Sharing another make from a crafting day with my friends, Susan and Christine.  I recently received Clarity Brushes from a dear friend and the three of us took them for a test drive.  All three of us agree that they are fun to use with stencils.

I made this large background brushing green and blue inks over a leaf stencil.  I then splattered with water, let it sit for a few minutes and then blotted with a paper towel.  I like the subtle water spots in the background (ghost splats).   Speaking of ghosting, I'm excited today that my Ghosting video is the subject of the Mix-Ability (#215) challenge at Splitcoaststampers.  Thanks to MariLyn for choosing my video for inspiration. :)

To finish my card above, I added a vellum banner sentiment so as not to cover any of the pretty background. And I used my glossy accents to add some "rain drops".

Thanks for visiting!

Stamps:  Sweet Sentiments (Amy R)
Paper:  Neenah White (110 lb); Vellum
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Mermaid Lagoon (Tim Holtz); Archival Black (Ranger)
Accessories & Tools:  Leaf stencil (Carabelle Studio), Clarity brushes, water mister, Happy die (Simon Says Stamp), glossy accents

Challenges:
SCS Mix-Ability215 - Ghosting

CAS Mix Up March Challenge

Hi everyone.  Bonnie and I are excited to celebrate CAS Mix Up's 1st Birthday Celebration.  We are so thankful to Nancy, Susan, Julia and Joanna ... our wonderful Design Team.  And we are so thankful to all our challenge participants that have made CAS Mix Up a success!

To celebrate, we are offering two prizes this month.  One for Challenge Winner and one random draw from all entries.  Bonnie and I hope you'll celebrate with us for a chance to win!  See details on the challenge blog HERE.

On to this month's challenge ... hosted by ME! :)

Smooshing is fun and easy to do.  You can smoosh with so many different products.  Here's links to a couple of videos I have done on Smooshing:

Smooshing Inks
Smooshing with Inka Gold


The card above has a smooshed background of Liquid Watercolour Concentrate (yellow, orange, red).   Once dry, I used a dotty circle stencil and gold ink to add some gold dots in the background.  A tulip stencil was placed over top and I used embossing paste coloured with gold acrylic paint.  Then I didn't like it ... the gold tulips were lost on the background, so I lined up the tulip stencil back over the dry embossed image, and then stippled white acrylic paint over top.  Happy how it turned out.  And happy I was able to save the pretty background.

CAS Mix Up is excited to have Marcia (Marcia's Stampin' Pad) as our Guest Designer this month.  Marcia was our January Liquid Colours Winner.  Welcome Marcia!

Please check out the Design Team's and Guest Designer Marcia's smooshed cards by clicking HERE!  I hope you'll join us for our 1st Birthday Celebration!

Stamps:  Sweet Sentiments (Amy R)
Paper:  White card base (Neenah 110 lb); Mixed Media panel (Stratmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Delicata Gold
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, Always Round stencil from Carabelle Studio, Blossom cut file to make tulip stencil (Silhouette America), white acrylic paint, stipple brush

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up March Challenge - Smooshing

CAS Mix Up October Challenge & New CAS Watercolour Challenge

Hi everyone.  It's the start of the CAS Mix Up October Challenge.  This month we are looking for "ghosting" on your cards.  And no, not the type of ghosts that show up for Halloween later this month :) ...  but a ghost of an image.

Ghosting is fun and easy to do.  Check out my video tutorial on Ghosting.

The stencil I used above is VERY open, so I wanted to create a ghost of the outline of the leaves. I sponged my card front randomly with turquoise and green inks. Then I sprayed the back of the stencil with water first, layed it on the card front, pressed down and removed.  Let the water sit for about 10 seconds to work it's way into the sponged colours, and then blotted with a paper towel.  Voila!!  This combines Stencil Monoprint with Ghosting. :)

This month we are excited to have Mac Mable (The Sweetest of Peas) are our Guest Designer.  Mac won the CAS Mix Up August Challenge - Sprays with this GORGEOUS CARD.  Welcome Mac!

Please check out our challenge blog to see Mac's Ghosting card, along with the rest of the Design Team cards.

I hope you'll give Ghosting a try and come join us at the CAS Mix Up challenge with your CAS (Clean and Simple) mixed media cards.  We'd love to see you in the gallery.

As always, the challenge is open until the 24th of the month.

* * * * *

CAS Watercolour's first challenge is live!

As I mentioned on my blog a couple of days ago, Bonnie and I are excited to begin a new adventure with a new challenge --- CAS Watercolour Card Challenge.

The first challenge starts today.  Future challenges will begin on the 2nd of every month. The challenge is to create a CAS (Clean and Simple) Watercoloured card following the theme each month.

Here's October's challenge ...

And here's my card ...

Come join our new challenge.  Create a Clean and Simple Watercoloured Autumn card and enter it in the linky on the challenge blog.  The challenge runs until Oct. 24th.

* * * * *

MORE EXCITING NEWS!

We are having a Design Team Call for both CAS Mix Up and CAS Watercolour Card Challenge.

The Design Team Calls run from October 1st - 15th for both challenges.  Check out the details on both challenge blogs.

CAS Mix Up Card with Ghosting:
Stamps:  A Little Sentimental (Clearly Besotted)
Paper:  White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Leaf stencil (Carabelle Studio), sponges, water mister, Fresh Foliage die (Memory Box), stylus and mat, sequins

CAS Watercolour Card - Autumn:
Stamps:  Script; Heartfelt (both from Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Delicata Gold (Tsukineko); Black (Memento)
Accessories & Tools:  Watercolour sprays made from liquid concentrate in Orange and Magenta (Dick Blick), Acetate sheet for smooshing background, Maple Leaf die (Poppy Stamps)


Challenges:
CAS Mix Up October Challenge - Ghosting
CAS Watercolour October Challenge - Autumn