Mixed Media Play

Hi everyone.  I had some time recently and decided to play a bit with mixed media stamp layering.  I don't have a lot of experience, but I believe the only way to learn is to try and try again.  I think mixed media is an art genre where you are constantly learning new things and there are new products coming out all the time --- so FUN!

I'm starting out with just a simple panel and hope to add additional elements as I get more comfortable.

I came across a small card panel that I made when I first got my Distress Oxide inks. This panel had been sitting a long time because it was never quite right to use with my other card designs.  The colours were bright, but not bright enough ... and not subtle enough.  Somewhere in the middle.  I thought it would make a good base to add on top.

I'm happy with how my card turned out.  I used a NBUS stamp set I received from a dear friend.  I stamped the main image in black.  I randomly stamped some dictionary text in black and sponged white pigment ink through a small dot stencil.  I learned the white pigment faded when it dried, so stenciled again with white acrylic paint ... much better. :)

Here's a close-up ...

I'm adding this to the Simon Says Monday Challenge - In My Garden and to Craft Stamper's Magazine Take it, Make it March Challenge where Anything Goes..

Stamps:  Elegant Weeds (Hero Arts); Sentiments - Bloom Sketches (STAMPlorations); Dictonary (Stampin' Up!)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Oxides (Tim Holtz); White Pigment (Hero Arts)
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, white embossing powder, black embossing powder, heat tool, Mini tiny circles stencil (The Crafter's Workshop), sponge dauber, white acrylic paint

Challenges:
Simon Says Monday Challenge - In My Garden
Craft Stamper Magazine Take it Make it March Challenge - Anything Goes

CAS Christmas March Challenge

Welcome to the first challenge for CAS Christmas Card Challenge!!  I'm so excited to launch this new challenge with my dear friend Bonnie.  And I'm happy about getting more Christmas cards made throughout the year so that I have plenty when it comes time to send them off to family and friends.

Our first challenge is being hosted by me. :)  And I have chosen ...

I have used an old Stampin' Up! stamp to create my card above.  It's called Watercolor Winter and I've stamped the image three times along the bottom of my mixed media paper card front.

I watercoloured the holly and berries with my Zig markers, using a waterbrush to move the colour around.  I've stamped the sentiment in red ink, then in Versamark so that I could heat emboss using red embossing powder.

To finish, I added a piece of metallic green cording tied around the front with a bow and added glossy accents to the berries.  Here's a close-up of my card ...

While I had the stamp still on my desk, I decided to make a couple more versions of this card.  Used the same products to colour and heat emboss.  Each progressive card gets more CAS (clean and simple). :)

... and one more ...

Now I have one card to donate and two for my own Christmas card stash. :)

You only need to enter one card.  I hope you'll come join us.  We have a great team of talented Designers.  Please click HERE to check out the cards from the rest of the Design Team.  I hope you'll play along with us!

Stamps:  Watercolor Winter (Stampin' Up!);
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. Series 400)
Ink:  Archival Black (Ranger); Zigs (Kuretake); Real Red ink (SU!); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  waterbrush, Red embossing powder (WOW!), heat tool, green metallic cording (AliExpress)

Challenges:
CAS Christmas March Challenge - Holly

CAS Watercolour March Challenge

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of the March CAS Watercolour Challenge.  This month I'm hosting and here is the challenge I came up with ...

Create a CAS (clean and simple) watercoloured card that includes a garden.

I used some really old stamps for this card.  The bench is from C.C. Designs.  I don't think they carry this stamp any more.  Same for the beautiful lavender stamp that is from Stampin' Up! - long retired I'm sure.  The pretty red flowers are from a set called Outdoor Master #1 made by Kittie Kits and still available through Rubbernecker.  I had to clean off a lot of dust before I could use these three stamps.

The sentiment is from a Fiskars set that I bought at the $1 store (again, a long time ago) ... I think it cost me something like $3 and there's at least 20 stamps.  A great deal I couldn't pass up.  So far I think I've only used this sentiment, which I really love.

I inked up the garden stamps, spritzed with water and stamped onto mixed media paper.  Added a green wash at the bottom for the grass and then stamped my sentiment.  Easy peasy, right??!!  Nope ... five tries to get it right.  But I just kept going! :)

Here's a close-up ...

I hope you'll join us for this fun challenge.  We are excited to have Nonni (Nonni's Handmade Cards) as our Guest Designer this month.  Welcome Nonni!!

Check out the challenge blog to see Nonni's garden card, along with the garden cards from our amazing Design Team.  I know you'll be inspired to play along!

I'm so excited to be working with Marcia (Marcia's Stampin' Pad), as she joins our team this month!  Welcome Marcia.

Also going to miss Christine, as she leaves our CAS Watercolour team, but will be joining the new CAS Christmas team.  The first challenge is tomorrow! :)

Stamps:  Bench (C.C. Designs); Pocket Silhouettes (SU!); Friendship Garden (Fiskars)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb. Series 400); White (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Baked Brown Sugar (SU!); Distress Inks:  Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Wilted Violet, Candy Apple
Accessories & Tools:  waterbrush, water mister

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour March Challenge - Garden

CAS Mix Up March Challenge

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of the CAS Mix Up March Challenge.  This month is being hosted by Susan.  This will be Susan's last month on CAS Mix Up.  I will miss having her on the team!!  Lucky for me, I am still working with Susan on the CAS Watercolour and CAS Christmas teams. :)

I'm thrilled that Mac Mable (The Sweetest of Peas) has joined the CAS Mix Up Design Team - welcome Mac!!

We also have another announcement!  

This month is our 2nd birthday celebration at CAS Mix Up! YAY!  We hope you'll join in the fun and help us celebrate.  We have some prizes - check out the challenge blog for more details.

On to this month's challenge ...

I do love playing with acetate and have used it two different ways in the above card.  First, I die-cut a piece of acetate using a leaf die from Penny black.  I used that as my stencil for adding embossing paste to my main panel.

Second, I smooshed alcohol inks onto a piece of acetate.  The piece was cut down to size, and then embossing paste was used through the stencil I made, adding a lovely layer of texture on top of the panel.  I backed the alcohol ink-acetate panel with a piece of white copy paper (you need the backing to show the true colours of the alchol inks).  A vellum sentiment banner which has ripped edges and is heat embossed in black was wrapped around the panel before popping it up on foam on the card front.

Here's a close-up ...

Acetate is a great alternative to Yupo paper when working with alcohol inks.  It's a lot cheaper than Yupo and gives a different look with a shiny surface.

We are happy to have Cathy (Cathy's Card Spot) as our Guest Designer this month at CAS Mix Up.  Please check out the challenge blog to see Cathy's fantastic acetate card, along with the beautiful cards from the rest of our talented Design Team.  Hope you'll play along!

Stamps:  The big, the bold, the happy (Winnie & Walter)
Paper:  White card base (Neenah 110 lb. card stock); copy paper; vellum
Ink:  Alcohol inks:  Wild Plum, Red Pepper (Ranger); Tangerine (Pinata); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  acetate sheets, lively die (Penny Black), embossing paste, palette knife, black embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up March Challenge - Acetate