The Flower Challenge #57 Reminder

Hi everyone.  Back with a reminder for The Flower Challenge #57 - CAS.  This month we are sponsored by the wonderful Joy Clair Designs and I have used the same digital stamp set as my first card (Floral Joy Digital Stamp) for this challenge HERE.  Changing up the design really gives a totally different look.

This time I printed out the individual elements of the open flower, closed flower, and two leaf sprigs.  I fussy-cut before sponging colour, and in hindsight, it would have been easier to sponge first.  Those leaves are pretty small! :)  I used Distress Inks to sponge the leaves (Mowed Lawn), along with Chipped Sapphire and Wilted Violet for the flowers (I love these two colours together).  I shaped all the pieces with a stylus and mat to add dimension.  Then popped up the pieces onto the inside cut of a frame die (Sewing Stackers - Penny Black).  Love the reversed scallop edging with this design!  To finish, I stamped the sentiment (Essential Sentiments - Maker's Movement) in Wilted Violet and then stamped over top with Chipped Sapphire.  The mix of colours looks great with the flowers.

Close-up ...

I hope you'll check out the challenge blog to see the beautiful reminder cards from our Designers.  And if you haven't had a chance to play along yet, come join the fun!  Challenge is open until end of day June 25th.

Product Links

Floral Joy - Digital Stamp (Joy Clair Designs)

Essential Sentiments (Maker's Movement)

Sewing Stackers (Penny Black)

Stamps:  Floral Joy (Joy Clair Designs); Essential Sentiments (Maker's Movement)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Chipped Sapphire, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   sponges, Sewing Stackers frame (Penny Black), White Posca acrylic pen, stylus and mat

Challenges:

The Flower Challenge #57 - CAS

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

Let's Celetrate Summer

Hi everyone.  I bought this fun stamp set a little while ago and realized I had better use it before summer was over. :)  These stamps make for the most delicious looking summer drinks ... don't they look refreshing for a hot summer day??!!

This is a clean and simple design (my favourite) with just a little masking and some bright and fun watercolours.

Tip:  I saw a video by Fran (Stampdenous guru) where she uses a small 3" square post-it note pad.  She stamps her images on the pad, making sure the top is on the sticky portion.  Then she pulls off three post-it note sheets together, fussy-cuts the image and she now has a stack of the same masks to use many times.  She always uses the masks from the back of the stack, leaving the image on top where you can see it.  When she runs low, she can use the same image onto a new stack of post-it note sheets to fussy-cut some more.  So clever!

Close-up ...

Hope this brightens your day! :)

Products
Fruity Drinks (Stampendous)
Essential Sentiments (Maker's Movement)
Strathmore 400 Series Mixed Media paper (140 lb.) - Blick Art Materials

Stamps:  Fruity Drinks (Stampendous); Essential Sentiments (Maker's Movement)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Black Archival (Ranger); Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Festive Berries, Picked Raspberry, Carved Pumpkin, Fired Brick, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz); Smoky Slate (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories & Tools:  Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, water brush, masks

Pencil Colouring on Kraft

Hi everyone.  Three friends of mine are playing along with the Monday videos from Gina K, learning new techniques.  I have been loving the cards I'm seeing from them, so I joined them Monday night and watched as Gina showed how to use coloured pencils on kraft without having to use any blending liquid.  Here is a link to her video Coloring on Kraft Card Stock with Colored Pencils.  Fast forward through the first part where the audio is not good until you get to the actual colouring.  Gina fixes the audio part way through the video.

I only have crumb cake and baked brown sugar card stock from SU!  I don't like the lightness of the crumb cake, so I used the darker colour.  This is darker than kraft, but I'm happy how it turned out.

I stamped my image in black ink.  Used three colours for the petals (magenta, pink, white), three for the leaves (olive, lime, white) and dark green for the stems.

It took me MUCH longer to actually decide on the design than it did to colour the image. :)  In the end I placed a plain piece of brown sugar card stock through the aperture of the white card front with stitched square cut-out.  The card front has been dry embossed with leafy branches, but couldn't capture them in the photo.  The peonies are popped up through the window so they hang outside the edge of the frame.  Sentiment is stamped in black.

Close-up ...

I don't have a good pencil sharpener (more shopping!).  So I ended up colouring over the lines in the center of the petals and leaves.  I had left my image in the Misti, so once I was finished colouring, I restamped the black and heat embossed in clear.  It really made a big difference.

I rarely have time to play along with Just Us Girls, so happy I can this week for their "Frame It!" challenge!

* * * * *

We were lucky to have my mom stay with us last weekend.

She had a good time and got in lots of cuddle time with Jessie.

Jessie loves my mom ... here she is licking (kissing) mom's ear.  It tickled!

Thanks for shopping by!

Stamps:  Perfect Peonies (Clearly Besotted); Essential Sentiments (Maker's Movement)
Paper:  White card Stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Baked Brown Sugar (SU!)
Ink:  Black (Memento); Prisma coloured pencils
Accessories & Tools:  sharpener, Clear embossing powder, heat tool; In & Out Stitched Squares die (My Favorite Things); Leafy Branch embossing folder (Cuttlebug)

Challenges:
Just Us Girls - #540 - Frame It!

Autumn Maple Leaf

Hi everyone.  Here's another card for the CAS Watercolour October Challenge - Maple Leaf, hosted by me!

We are celebrating our 3rd birthday ...have you taken a look at the gallery on the challenge blog??  It's full of gorgeous maple leaves!

Close-up ...  sorry for the glare from the lights.

There's still three days left to play along before the challenge closes.  Hope to see your beautiful maple leaf card in the gallery!

* * * * *

Yesterday Jessie and Violeta had a play day.

Alex took lots of great photographs!

Jessie made herself comfortable in Violeta's bed, right in front of the fire.

Life is good!

 Jessie wants to take this bed home with her.

Violeta taking a quiet break from the action.

Jessie and Violeta sharing the bed.  

Best Friends!  How cute are they??!!

Stamps:  Essential Sentiments (Makers Movement)
Paper:  White card base and panel (Neenah 110 lb.); Hot Press watercolour paper (Arches 140 lb.)
Ink:  Autumn Maple Crimson, Cowabunga Copper (Lindy's magical powders); Rusty Hinge (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, Maple Leaf die (Poppy Stamps), Crackle Stencil (Prima), Gold d'Oro foil (Decofoil), Decofoil transfer gel, Stencil Pal, Laminator

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour October Challenge - Maple Leaf

Orange and Blue

Hi everyone.  It's already more than half way through the month, which means it's time for a reminder for the CAS Watercolour September Challenge - Complementary Colours, hosted by Jenny.  The challenge is open for just over a week, so hope you'll play along if you haven't had a chance yet.

  

I started by creating a smooshed background with Magicals (I LOVE THESE POWDERS!).  I die-cut a flower branch from mixed media paper and slooshed just the flowers with bright orange distress ink.  A simple sentiment stamped in matching orange finishes this very CAS design.

Close-up ...

I hope you'll check out the challenge blog to see the reminder cards from our fabulous Guest Designer, Anita, along with the beautiful cards from our Designers.  Come join us for this fun challenge!

Stamps:  Essential Sentiments (Maker's Movement)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card Stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Magicals:  (Time Travel Teal); Distress Inks:  Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, cherry blossom die (Penny Black)

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour September Challenge - Complementary Colours

CAS Watercolour September Challenge

Hi everyone.  Today is the launch of the CAS Watercolour September Challenge.  Jenny (My Paper Epiphany) is our host this month and she has come up with a fantastic challenge ...

Jenny wants us to use Complementary Colours this month (opposite colours on the colour wheel).  She has provided a colour wheel to help you.  I have used Violet and Yellow for my card.

I started with a Lindy's magicals background that was in my stash.  It's done with Witches Potion Purple ... there are so many different colours within this one powder --- LOVE IT!

I die-cut hollyhocks and watercoloured them in two shades of yellow distress inks.  A white frame over top with a purple stamped sentiment finishes the card.

Close-up ...

You can just see a bit of the sparkle in the photo above.

We are joined by Anita (Stampin with Anita) as our Guest Designer this month.  Please check out the reminder post on the challenge blog to see the beautiful CAS cards from our GD, Anita and our wonderful Designers.

I hope you'll be inspired to play along!

Stamps:  Essential Sentiments (Makers Movement)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Magicals Witches Potion Purple (Lindy's); Distress Inks:  Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, hollyhock die (AliExpress), water brush

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour September Challenge - Complementary Colours