Golden Inchie

Hi everyone.  Today's card is a reminder for the CAS Mix Up September Challenge - Inchies, which is being hosted by our wonderful Designer, Joanna.

The inchie is a piece of chipboard that has been "encrusted jeweled" with gold embossing powder, gold glitter, and a little gilding flakes added for good measure.  It is so sparkly and shiny in person.  I acetate smooshed a background using Evergreen Bough and Pine Needles distress inks as well as splattering gold acrylic paint.  I thought the Pine Needles was a good match to bring out the greeny-blue in the gilding flakes.  A simple sentiment was stamped and heat embossing in gold to match.

Close-up ...

We're so thrilled to have Stephanie as our Guest Designer this month.  Come check out the reminder post to see Stephanie's fabulous inchies card, along with the cards from our amazing Designers.  There's still nine days left to play along before the challenge closes.

Hope to see you in the gallery!

* * * * *

Jessie

(Falling asleep waiting for me to shut down the computer for the night)

Stamps:  Happy Messages (Stampendous)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); white card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark; Pine Needles Distress Ink (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  chipboard, gold embossing powder, heat tool, seed beads, gilding flakes (Cosmic Shimmer), water mister, gold acrylic paint (Lumiere), peek-a-boo window die (AliExpress)

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up September Challenges - Inchies

Sparkly Christmas Trees

Hi everyone.  Sharing two very quick CAS Christmas cards today.  The CAS Christmas August Challenge is open for another five days, so lots of time to play along! :)

I made these at the craft retreat in May.  We played with encrusted jewels technique, which I have mentioned a couple of times before.  I have a small griddle that I used to heat my die-cut trees (die-cut from heavy white card stock - just one layer).  I sprinkled over top for the card above, lime green embossing powder along with bright blue glitter embossing powder that I've had for about 15 years. :)  They look fantastic together.  Coated them with UTEE (ultra thick embossing enamel) --- or you could use clear embossing powder --- to seal all the glitter.   I had this already made in my stash, so simply tore two pieces of heavy white card stock to create my snow hills at the bottom, and stamped my sentiment in Salty Ocean distress ink and sprinkled with more of the blue glitter.  I'll show you a close-up of the trees so you can how pretty they are.

Here's a close-up ...

... and I have a second card that is made exactly the same with the torn hills and stamped, embossed sentiment.  Used a different die-cut tree and heated it with a mixture of green glitter and blue glitter embossing powders, and added shaved ice melted on top ... that's what gives the iridescent shine.  Gold embossing powder on the trunk of the tree.

... and close-up ...

Do you have any die-cut or stamped trees in your UFO box??   Make them into a CAS card and join us ... we'd love to see you in the gallery!

Stamps:  Christmas Sentiments (Gina Marie Designs)
Paper:  White card base (Neenah 110 lb.); Heavy white card (140 lb.) for die-cuts
Ink:  Salty Ocean Distress Ink (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Card #1 tree die (Alpine Trees - Memory Box); Card #2 tree (Christmas Tree #1 - STAMPlorations), embossing powders:  lime green, green glitter, blue glitter, gold , UTEE, Shaved Ice (Stampendous)

Challenges:
CAS Christmas August Challenge - Tree

Jewels of the Sea

Hi everyone.  Today is the reminder that we are over half way through June.  The CAS Watercolour June Challenge is Ocean, and there are new cards by the Designers and Guest Designer, Robyn, up on the challenge blog.  Check them out.

For my card today, I used a paper towel transfer piece for the background.  I save my mop of towels and then spritz them with water and transfer the ink to a background.  This time I got lots of water and colour in the middle  with a bit of the quilted design of the paper towels towards the edges.  This is mostly peacock feathers ink with a little green added.  Thought it is the perfect colour for a tropical ocean.

I used the Encrusted Jewel technique with my ocean die-cuts (two shells and starfish).  I started with the starfish, and decided to add a little bit of purple glitter along with the white and gold embossing powder.  Added a few tiny sequins and some shaved ice as well.  It all melted so beautifully together.  I decided to use the same combination (minus sequins) on the two shells so they all work together.

I die-cut three squares from my background.  I die-cut again in white card stock and inlaid the white pieces to create a flat card front.  Then I popped up the watercoloured squares on top and glued the embellishments.  The sentiment is heat embossed in gold to tie in with the rest of the colours.

Here's a close-up ...

I hope you'll check out today's inspirational cards on the challenge blog, and then come play along.  The challenge is open until June 24th.  Hope to see you in the gallery.

Stamps:  Beach Sentiments (retired - Amy R)
Paper:  Watercolour (Arches Hot Press 140 lb.)
Ink:  Leftover ink from mopping up another project
Accessories & Tools:  Square Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Shells & Starfish dies (AliExpress), gold embossing powder, gold tinsel embossing powder, Seedless Preserves glitter (gift from a friend), White & Gold Frantage (Stampendous), tiny clear sequins, Shaved Ice (Stampendous), heat tool, hot plate

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour June Challenge - Ocean
CAS Mix Up - Layered Embossing Powders

Glitter Embossed Butterfly

Hi everyone.  Today is the reminder post for the CAS Mix Up Challenge.  This month it's hosted by me and I chose --- Layered Embossing Powders.

I played around with the Encrusted Jewel technique a few months back and had so much fun with it.  So easy to do if you have a hot plate ... but you can also use your heat tool.  For my butterfly, I used some very old embossing powders that I've had since I first started making cards many years ago.  They are so old and they don't work well on cards (I've tried), but they are perfect layered with each other.  I have green glitter and blue glitter, which I sprinkled on top of my die-cut butterfly very liberally.  Once they started to melt, I threw in a few pinches of Shaved Ice.  This products is pearl, iridescent flakes, but if they are heated they turn into deep green and blue iridescent flakes that melt.  So pretty.  I've had the Shaved Ice for at least 10 years and don't think I've used it before. :)

For my card, I created a leaf background stencil from a Penny Black die and used it to add embossing paste to the background.  Placed a card front over top that was cut with a peek-a-boo window, stamped with a simple silver sentiment.  The butterfly is popped up on top.

Here's a close-up ...

... and closer-up ...

I hope you'll check out today's post on the challenge blog to see the amazing cards from our Designers and wonderful Guest Designer, Jane.

Layer up embossing powder any way you want, create a CAS card that includes stamping and one other mixed media element and then join us in the gallery.  We'd love to see you there.

Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  White (Neenah 110 lb)
Ink:  Delicata Silver (Tsukineko)
Accessories & Tools:  Moonlight Butterfly die (Memory Box), Green glitter embossing powder, Blue glitter embossing powder, Shaved Ice (Stampendous), Peek-a-boo window die (AliExpress), ? die (Penny Black), acetate sheet, White embossing paste (Dreamweaver)

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up June Challenge - Layered Embossing Powders