Guesting at Seize the Birthday!

Hi everyone.  I'm back with my second card this month as Surprise Party Guest at Seize the Birthday Challenge #274 - Fall Items (Food, Flowers, Leaves).

 

Fall is my favourite time of year.  I just LOVE the colours of the fall flowers and the changing leaves.  Today I've used Beautiful Bouquet Dahlia from WPlus9 (retired).  My great uncle used to have a field of dahlias on his property.  They were so beautiful and I have loved that flower since I was a little girl. :)

I stamped the image in black and heat embossed in clear over a stencil monoprint background using the Mini Tiny Circles stencil from The Crafter's Workshop.  The background is done with Peeled Paint distress ink and I've used more distress inks to watercolour the bouquet (Seedless Preserves, Forest Moss, Mustard Seed, Ripe Persimmon).

The card front is cut with a circle aperture for the bouquet to peek through.  This creates a CAS mixed media design, which is finished with a simple sentiment (Endless Birthday Wishes by Stampin' Up! - retired).  

I'm sending the above card to Stencil Fun November Challenge (3rd entry!).

Close-up ...

Come join the challenge at Seize the Birthday with your fall season birthday cards.  Hope to see you in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by!

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Stamps:  Beautiful Bouquet Dahlia (WPlus9 - retired); Endless Birthday Wishes (SU! - retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, Seedless Preserves, Mustard Seed, Ripe Persimmon (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Mini Tiny Circles Stencil (The Crafter's Workshop), Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, watercolour brushes, Circle Nestability (retired - Spellbinders)

Challenges:

Seize the Birthday Challenge #274 - Fall Items

Stencil Fun November Challenge

The Flower Challenge #59 Reminder

Hi Everyone.  Today is the reminder for The Flower Challenge #59 - Use a Die.

I received this beautiful stamp set (Kind Soul - WPlus 9) and matching die (Kind Soul die - WPlus 9)  from a sweet friend a few years ago.  I have used it A LOT and still love it.  So many ways you can use this image!

This time I stamped and heat embossed the image in Princess Gold embossing powder.  I cut out the image using the matching die and then cut off one side and fussy-cut the ends a little so that the image would fit on it's side, inside a dotty border (Hemstitch Border - Spellbinders).  I used soft pink, blue/green, and green distress inks to watercolour the image.  I then used the pink and blue/green to add a smooshed background with border.  

To finish, stamped the sentiment (part of the stamp set) in Versamark and heat embossed in more Princess Gold embossing powder.

Close-up ...

I used two dies - the matching die to the flower image and the border die. :)

Hope you'll check out the challenge blog to see the amazing reminder cards from the Designers.  Challenge is open for ten more days!  Come join us!

Product Links

Kind Soul (WPlus9)

Kind Soul die (WPlus9)

Hemstitch Border (Spellbinders)

Stamps:  Kind Soul (WPlus9)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Versamark; Distress Inks:  Picked Raspberry, Evergreen Bough, Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Princess Gold embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, paint brushes (Round #4 and #2), water mister, Kind Soul die (WPlus9)

Challenges:

The Flower Challenge #59 - Use a Die

Stamping Friends are the BEST!

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a card I watercoloured using Arteza Mica Powders.  My dear friend Barb won a set of 60 colours and she generously mailed 52 of them to me!  She just kept a few out for herself to play with, but thought I would get more use from them.

The colours and the sparkle is gorgeous.  Mica Powders do not have a bonding agent, so if you brushed them or smooshed them with water onto a piece of card stock, the colours would dry and then brush off.  You need to add something to make them stick.  For watercolouring, I added Gum Arabic (also used for many other purposes - most familiar to me is blending pencil colouring).  The ratio for mixing is 1 part Gum Arabic to 4 parts Mica Powder.

The card above stamped and heat embossed in Gold (Beautiful Bouquet Dahlia - W Plus 9), then watercoloured with three colours of Mica Powders (Red Raspberry, Iris Purple, Spring Green).  So pretty!  Thanks again Barb!!

These powders make it a difficult card to photograph.  I have done my best to try to capture the shimmer from these amazing powders below ... they really are special!

Close-up ...

Thanks for stopping by!

Product Links

Beautiful Bouquet Dahlia (W Plus 9)

Stamps:  Beautiful Bouquet Dahlia (W Plus 9)

Paper:   Watercolour paper (Arches Hot Press 140 lb.)
Ink:   Versamark; Mica Powders (Arteza)
Accessories:  Gold embossing powder, heat tool, paint brush, Gum Arabic, corner die (AliExpress)

CAS Mix Up June Challenge

Hi everyone.  Welcome to the new CAS Mix Up Challenges.  If you haven't looked at the Challenge blog yet, please do visit to see the changes.

This month's challenge is for Mixed Media and is hosted by Susan (Cat's Inkcorporated).  Susan wants us to have a play with embossing vellum.

There are several ways to emboss vellum.  My card today uses heat embossing.  I stamped my image with Versamark and heat embossed with liquid platinum.  I then watercoloured the image using magicals.  I love the shimmer of these paints!  Most watercolour mediums will rub off vellum, but these lovely powders mixed with the slightest amount of water, stay permanent.

I mounted my watercoloured, heat embossed vellum onto a piece of acetate for stability.  Then popped it up over my card base with a thin white frame.

Close-up ...

We are thrilled to have Bonnie (Crafter at Large) as our Guest Designer this month.

Please check out the challenge blog to see the beautiful assortment of embossed vellum cards from Bonnie and our amazing Designers.  Then come play along.

Challenge is open until the 24th of the month, so there's lots of time to play.  Hope to see you in the gallery!

Products used:
Kind Soul Stamp (WPlus9)

Stamps:  Kind Soul (WPlus9); Cosmos - senitment (Technique Tuesday - retired)
Paper:  Vellum (Stampin' Up!); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark; Magicals: Hydrangea Blue, Hag's Wart Orange, Cana lily burnt orange, Drop Dead Gorgeous Green (Lindy's)
Accessories & Tools:  Liquid Platinum embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up June Challenge - Embossed Vellum

CAS Challenge Reminders

Hi everyone.  We are changing things up a bit for the CAS Challenges.  The reminder posts will all be on the 15th of the month (CAS Mix Up, CAS Watercolour, CAS Christmas, CAS Stencil).  This is so it's a bit easier for us.

The above card is a reminder for CAS Mix Up - Partial Die-cutting, hosted by our wonderful Designer, Hideko.  The spray of flowers is heat embossed in gold, partially die-cut, watercoloured and placed over a black card base.  Simple gold embossed sentiment finishes the card.

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Here's a sampling of colours:

The above card is for CAS Watercolour - Cool Colours challenge hosted by Bonnie.  This time I used the colours from the colour swatches Bonnie provided.  So fun!!  The large sentiment is on the inside that matches this image (too big for the front of the card).  It says "When life gives you a rainy day, wear cute boots and dance in the puddles."

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This card is a reminder for the CAS Christmas - Tag challenge hosted by Christine.  I used a beautiful die-cut ornament gifted to me by a friend.  Die-cut, watercoloured, added sparkle and gloss, and added a hanger.  A sweet little tag with sentiment and twine bow finishes the card.

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The above card is for CAS Stencil - Use a New Stencil, hosted by Nancy. We are also celebrating our 1st birthday!  I used a new-to-me stencil from Funky Fossil (Knitted Background).  I sponged in rainbow colours, blending as I went.  Stamped the dog twice, watercoloured, fussy-cut one and just the paws on the second.  Stamped the sentiment in the background, popped up a frame overtop, added the dog at the bottom, and popped up his paws so they are hanging over the edge.

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I hope my cards have inspired you to take a look at the challenge blogs to see the amazing cards from our Designers, Guest Designers, and participants.  If you haven't had time to play along, there's over a week left before all four challenges close on January 24th at midnight PST.  Come join us!

CAS Mix Up Reminder - Flower spray
Stamps:  Kind Soul (W Plus 9); sentiment - Bouquet of Thanks (Simon Says Stamp
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Abandoned Coral, Barn Door, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Matching die to kind soul flower spray (W Plus 9); Princess Gold embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, water brush

CAS Watercolour Reminder - Cute Boots
Stamps:  Puddle Boots; Cute Boots (Stampendous)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Crushed Olive, Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet, Gathered Twigs (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools: Clear embossing powder, heat tool, water brush


CAS Christmas Reminder - Cardinal Ornament
Stamps:
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Real Red card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Peeled Paint, Fired Brick (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Cardinal Ornament die (Cottage Cutz); water brush, glitter pen (Spectrum Noir - also gift from friend); Crystal Glaza (Nuvo)


CAS Stencil Reminder - Use a New Stencil
Stamps:  Dog (Impression Obsession - retired)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Carved Pumpkin, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz); Obsidian Black permanent (Altenew - gift from friend); Zig - light gray for dog
Accessories & Tools:  Knitted Background Stencil (Funky Fossil), Stitched frame die (AliExpress), waterbrush


Challenges:
CAS Mix Up - Partial Diecutting
CAS Watercolour - Cool Colours
CAS Christmas - Tag
CAS Stencil - Use a New Stencil

Twofer Challenge #8

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of the August Twofer Card Challenge.  The word prompt this month is ...

Remember to follow the challenge badge below and include the word prompt from the badge above, and include a picture on your blog of the two cards together.

I used a hexagon die that was gifted to me by a sweet friend.  I used all things from my stash, so it was basically designing and adding the stamped sentiment or a little bit of sponging through a stencil.  Love when that happens.

Here's the first card ...

The background for the hexagon was in my stash.  It's a piece of smooshing with re-inkers.  I have a video - Saturated Watercolour (Smooshing with Re-inkers) if you'd like to check out this quick and easy technique. Using reinkers gives you very bold colours, which I love. I have used pink, light orange and dark orange for the piece above.  I used a chicken wire stencil to sponge light orange ink onto my card front, then popped up the hexagon on foam for dimension.  A white heat embossed simple sentiment was added along with a white die-cut flower.

Here's the second card ...

For this card, I used the hexagon die to cut an aperture for my card front.  The watercoloured background is from my stash as well as the flowers.  They are a snippet of a larger flower spray that was too big for an earlier card, so cut about 1/3 off and saved it for later.  Later is today! :)  The sentiment was heat embossed in gold to match the flowers.

We are thrilled to have two Guest Designers with us this month.  Welcome to Cheryl (Paper Panacea) and Brenda (Inkspired to Stamp).  Please drop by the challenge blog to see the amazing cards from Cheryl and Brenda, along with the fabulous cards from the rest of our Designers.  Then come play along.  Reminder the challenge is open for two weeks.  It closes at midnight (PDST) on August 24th.

Card #1:  Hello
Stamps:  Word Salad (Paper Smooches)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Srathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); White (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Re-inkers:  Melon Mambo, Tangerine Tango, Pumpkin Pie (SU!); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, stitched hexagon die (unknown), flower die (AliExpress), Chicken Wire stencil (The Crafter's Workshop), sponge, white embossing powder, heat tool

Card #2:  Happy Birthday
Stamps:  Kind Soul (WPlus9); everyday sentiments (AliExpress)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); White (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark; Zigs (Kuretake)
Accessories & Tools:  stitched hexagon die (unknown), god embossing powder, heat tool, water brush, paper towel, leftover ink, water mister

Challenges:
Twofer Card Challenge #8

Rubber Band Technique cards from Video

CAS Mix Up April Challenge - click HERE.

Hi everyone.  Earlier I posted a video on the Rubber Band Technique.  Click HERE to watch it on YouTube.

I made the video for the CAS Mix Up April Challenge - Rubber Band Technique.  

The challenge is open until April 24th.  Come join us!!


In the video, I showed several different cards that I made with this fun and easy technique.  In this post, I'm sharing the details of how I made the cards and the products I used.

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Happy Birthday Flowers card:

Wrapped two elastic (rubber) bands around my acrylic block.  Pressed the block into my Versamark pad and lightly stamped onto my mixed media card front.  Trick is to press lightly enough to transfer the ink from the elastic bands, without transferring any residual ink that sits on the block.  Sprinkled with white embossing powder and heat set.  Sponged green and blue inks randomly over the heat embossed area.

Die-cut the blooms from watercolour paper and used distress inks to watercolour.  Die-cue the window from the card front and place on top to align the blooms.  Attached blooms to the back of the window card front and popped it up over the background.  This gives some space between the flowers and the background.  Stamped the sentiment in Peacock Feathers to match.

Stamps:  Sentiment - Bloom with Hope (Stampin' Up!)

Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series), Watercolour (Arches 140 lb. hot press), White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers, Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon (Tim Holtz)

Accessories & Tools:  Rubber bands, medium size acrylic stamping block, white embossing powder, heat tool, Peek-a-boo window die (AliExpress), Shall we Dance die (Penny Black), sponge

Forever Grateful card:
Wrapped two elastic (rubber) bands around my acrylic block.  Pressed the block into my Versamark pad and lightly stamped onto my mixed media card front.  Trick is to press lightly enough to transfer the ink from the elastic bands, without transferring any residual ink that sits on the block.  Sprinkled with white embossing powder and heat set.  Sponged green and blue inks randomly over the heat embossed area.  Spritzed with a little water and used a water brush to move the colours around.  Made sure the card front was dry before adding the black die-cut leaves and white heat embossed black sentiment banner.

Stamps:  Sentiment - Wild Hibiscus (Altenew)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 series); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, sponges, rubber bands, medium size acrylic stamping block, white embossing powder, heat tool, Little Leaves die (Sizzix)

Happy Birthday Leaf card:
Wrapped two elastic bands around the barrel of a brayer and snapped it into the handle.  Rolled the brayer across a Versamark pad several times to make sure the ink was on the elastic bands all around the roller.  Rolled the brayer in one direction across a piece of mixed media.  Reloaded the brayer and continued to roll across the paper until the whole sheet was inked (one direction only).  Sprinkled with silver embossing powder and heat set.

Pressed some green and blue inks onto my craft mat, spritzed with water and "splashed" the embossed card, using the Splash Watercolour Technique, click on link to see video tutorial.  Let dry and die-cut the leaf.

Adhered the leaf to my black card base, popping up the top leaves and gluing the bottom of the stem and two bottom leaves flat onto the card.  Stamped the sentiment and heat embossed in silver.

Stamps:  Fun Birthday Sentiments (HLS)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Brayer, rubber bands, silver embossing powder, heat tool, lively die (penny black)

Hello Framed Fern card:
Wrapped two elastic bands around my brayer and loaded with Versamark ink.  Lightly rolled over my Mixed Media card stock in one direction, re-inking after each swipe.  Heat embossed in silver.

Used the Splash Watercolouring technique to add green and a little blue to the background of the rubber band embossed piece.  When dry, die-cut the framed fern.  Die-cut a second framed fern in white and then inlaid the design with the splashed background.

Stamped gorgeous grunge several times behind where I wanted my panel to go, as well as stamping the sentiment and then heat embossed everything in silver.  Popped the panel over top to finish.

Stamps:  Gorgeous Grunge (SU!), Sentiment - Bouquet of Thanks (SU!)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools: Brayer, rubber bands, silver embossing powder, heat tool, water mister, Framed Fern die (Penny Black)

Hello Palm Tree card:
Wrapped two elastic bands around brayer, loaded with Versamark ink and rolled diagonally over a piece of mixed media paper, re-inking the elastic bands after every swipe.  Repeated with rolling diagonally in the opposite direction.  Poured white embossing powder over top, tapped off excess and heat embossed.

Die-cut palm tree from black card stock.  Cut main panel to size that looked good with the tree die, sponged over top of the white embossed lines randomly with yellow, orange and pink.  Popped the panel over top of the card base and glued the trees on top.  Stamped sentiment in black.

Stamps:  Sentiment - Where Your Heart is (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); Black cards stock (SU!); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Ripe Persimmon, Picked Raspberry (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories & Tools:  White embossing powder, heat tool, sponges, Palm tree die (AliExpress)

But first, coffee card:
Started with the same background as the Hello Palm Tree card.  Brayered versamark on mixed media paper with rubber bands diagonally in both directions.  Heat embossed in white.

This time used the Splash Watercolour Technique to add the same colours to the background ... yellow, orange and pink.  Once dry, die-cut the coffee cup, sponging around the edges with Soft Suede ink.  Glued to a embossed soft suede card stock background that had been trimmed to size.  Popped the panel up on the card base.  Added a sentiment stamped in soft suede ink.

Stamps:  All You Need is Coffee (STAMPlorations)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); Soft Suede card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Ripe Persimmon, Picked Raspberry), Soft Suede (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Brayer, rubber bands, white embossing powder, heat tool, Coffee Cup die (CUTplorations), embossing folder (Sizzix for SU!), sponge

Wishing You card:

Started by heat embossing my flowers in gold and watercolouring with zigs.  Used only a portion of the image, cutting off the rest to use later.

Die-cut the partial circle from green cardstock.  Wrapped two elastic bands around my brayer, rolled it over a green ink pad (matches card stock) and then lightly rolled over the green card stock  Gives a lovely tone-on-tone design.  Stamped the sentiment in white pigment ink and heat embossed.

Popped the partial circle over top of the card base. Popped the flower up over top of the partial circle.

Stamps:  Kind Soul (WPlus9), Watching Bloom (Memory Box)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); Gumball Green (retired) card stock (SU!); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark; Gumball Green (SU!), Zigs (Kuretake); White Pigment Ink (Hero Arts)
Accessories & Tools:  Gold Embossing powder, heat tool, waterbrush, brayer, rubber bands, Kind Soul matching die (WPlus9), partial circle die (AliExpress), white embossing powder

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up April Challenge - Rubber Band Technique

Mums

Hi everyone.  I'm sharing two cards that I made a while ago, but haven't had a chance to blog until now.

I LOVE this beautiful mum bouquet stamp from WPlus9 that I received as a gift from a sweet friend.  I stamped and embossed it with liquid platinum embossing powder.  Then I watercoloured using my Zigs.

Here's a close up ...

I really enjoy watercolouring of any kind, but find the zigs to be so easy.  This time I used hot press watercolour paper and it worked like a charm with these inks.

I made a second card, but had a senior's moment when adding a stencil to the background.  For some reason I used purple and it was way too dark and took away from the image.  Didn't want to loose the pretty flowers, so fussy-cut the image and popped it up on a card base which had been die-cut with a circle edging (one of a set of four dies from AliExpress).  A heat embossed sentiment finished the card.

Stamps:  Beautiful Bouquet Mums (WPlus9); Lots of Thanks (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Arches (140 lb. hot press - top card); Mixed media (Strathmore 140 lb. - second card); Elegant Eggplant (SU!)
Ink:  Versamark; Zigs (Kuretake)
Accessories & Tools:  Liquid platinum embossing powder (card 1), silver embossing powder (card 2), heat tool, water brush, Mini Tiny Circles stencil (The Crafter's Workshop); Circle-edged die (AliExpress)

Favourite Flowers

Hi everyone.  Today I'm playing along with The Flower Challenge.  They are celebrating their 1st birthday of the challenge.  Congrats to the creator, Aileen, and the very talented Design Team.

    

So much beautiful eye candy with the DT cards AND in the gallery!

I'm also entering this card into the Craft Stamper Take It Make It October Challenge - Anything Goes (with stamping).

I couldn't pick a favourite flower stamp.  Instead, I'm using ONE of my favourites stamps that was gifted to me by a sweet friend.  I LOVE colouring this stamp.

For this card, I stamped the outline image in pale brown.  Again with the no-line watercolouring ... I'm obsessed with it right now. :)  Once I was finished with colouring, I put the stamp back in my Misti (had taken it out because I didn't think I'd stamp it again).  Lucky for me, it matched up and I over-stamped in a deeper brown.  I really like the softness of the brown outline with the colours I've used.  I used that same brown to stamp the sentiment.  I added a little detail to the flowers with a white gel pen.

Here's a close-up ...

The Flower Challenge 1st Birthday Celebration runs until the 25th of the month.  Still lots of time to play along!

The Take It Make It challenge is also open until the 25th ... lots of inspiring cards by the DT and in the gallery - check it out!

Stamps:  Kind Soul (WPlus9); Sentiment - Cosmos (Technique Tuesday)
Paper:  Watercolour paper (Arches 140 lb. hot press)
Ink:  Sahara Sand (SU!); Zigs (Kuretake), Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water brush, white gel pen

Challenges:
The Flower Challenge #13 - 1st Birthday Celebration
Craft Stamper Take It Make It October Challenge