More Faux Mother-of-Pearl

Hi everyone.  Just a reminder that we are already have way through January.  That means there's just over a week to play along with our CAS Mix Up January Challenge - Cling Wrap, being hosted by our talented Design Team member, Nancy Littrell.

I used the Faux Mother-of-Pearl technique again today.  Check out my video tutorial HERE.

This time I used it with a stencil.  Taped my stencil over my regular card stock, added the frost paint with a piece of scrunched cling wrap and then let it dry.  I washed off my stencil and once everything was dry, I placed it back over top and sponged on distress inks.  Starting off with the lightest colour on the outside of the flower I used Spiced Marmalade, overlapping slightly with Abandoned Coral as I moved towards the center.  I carried the Coral to the very center because I used Picked Raspberry over top and I didn't want the center to be completely pink ... I wanted a bit of orange tone as well.

Heated embossed a black sentiment banner with white and attached it to the bottom of my panel.

Here's a close-up of the card and close-up of the faux mother-of-pearl effect ...

I made a second card with the same technique.  This time making a small green faux mother-of-pearl panel for the background and watercolouring a rose (NBUS stamp), which is fussy cut and popped on top.  The Faux Mother-of-Pearl finish doesn't show on the full size card photo, so I have included a close-up as well.

The flower spray is heat embossed in silver and then watercoloured with distress inks:  Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, and Abandoned Coral.

You can see the shimmer from the frost paint in the photo below.

The front of the card above says "dear friend" and inside it says "Happiest of Birthdays to You".  So since it's a birthday card and has watercolouring with the flowers and leaves, I'm also adding this to CAS Watercolour January Challenge - Birthday.

I hope you'll come play along with us at CAS Mix Up.  Check out the challenge blog to see the reminder cards from our wonderful Guest Designer Christine, and the rest of the Design Team.

There's a few techniques that you can use with cling wrap that are so fun.  Hope to see you in the gallery!

Card 1:
Stamps: Happiest Birthday Wishes (Stampin' Up!)
Paper:  White (Neenah 110 lb. card stock)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Spiced Marmalade, Abandoned Coral, Picked Raspberry (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Large Flower stencil (Hero Arts), white frost acrylic paint (Tsukineko), cling wrap, sponges, white embossing powder, heat tool

Card 2:
Stamps: Birthday Blooms (Stampin' Up!)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); White (Neenah 110 lb. card stock); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Abandoned Coral, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  white frost acrylic paint (Tsukineko), cling wrap, sponge, silver embossing embossing powder, heat tool, paint brush


Challenges:
CAS Mix Up January Challenge - Cling Wrap
CAS Watercolour January Challenge - Birthday

Cold and Frosty Colours

I made two cards today ... they are both the same with the exception of the colours.  I'm entering them into Stamping Sensations Challenge.  My very talented friend Viv is on the design team and this is the first time for me to play along!  Make sure to check out the challenge.  Amazing cards by the Design Team that are sure to inspire you!

The challenge this month is ...

********Cold and Frosty Colours********

I just got this stamp from Penny Black, even though it's been around for quite a while.  This snow family is so adorable.  I stamped the image in black and clear heat embossed.  Then I watercoloured with distress inks and fussy-cut.  For the card above, I combined Peacock Feathers and Pine Needles to create a deep teal colour for the hats and scarves --- LOVE IT!  I added some shading with soft gray zigs.  The background is embossing paste through a falling snow stencil.  I left the bottom inch or so without any embossing paste so I had a place to stamp my sentiment.  I sprinkled with iridescent embossing powder while the embossing paste was still wet.  Once dry, I heat set.  Unfortunately, you can't see the sparkle ... but it's really pretty in real life. :)

I also added several details to the snow family.  The hats and scarves are Winked with Stella for a bit of shimmer, and glossy accents are on the noses.  I also added subtle cheeks with pale lavender ink.

To finish, I popped the snow family on top of the embossing paste background and stamped the sentiment with Delicata silver ink ... this is fast becoming my go-to ink for Christmas cards. :)

Here's the second card.  Everything is the same except for the colours used for watercolouring hats, scarves, and shading (Wilted Violet, Tumbled Glass distress inks).

I'm also adding this card to two other challenges:  Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes, and Penny Black & More Challenge - Something New.  My snowy family stamp is new.

Edited to add:  Adding to the Less Is More #362 - Purples challenge.  So happy the challenge has been extended to two weeks long - hopefully I'll be able to play along more often! :)

Stamps:  snowy family (Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Peacock Feathers, Pine Needles, Milled Lavender, Wilted Violet, Tumbled Glass (Tim Holtz); Zig - soft gray (Kuretake); Delicata Silver (Tsukineko)
Accessories & Tools:  water brush, clear embossing powder, heat tool, glossy accents, Clear Wink of Stella, White embossing paste (Dreamweaver), palette knife, iridescent embossing powder (SU!)

Challenges:
Stamping Sensations Challenge - Cold & Frosty Colours
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes
Penny Black & More Challenge - Something New
Less is More #362 - Purples

Twofer Card Challenge #1

Welcome to the start of the Twofer Challenge. The goal is to make two different cards with two different designs for two different occasions with the same stamps and/or dies.  This fun challenge is aimed at stretching our stamps and dies by using them in different ways, and at the same time building our stash of cards.  Come join us!!

As you can see by the badge above, the challenge is open for two weeks.  This gives you lots of time to come up with your designs, make your cards and then photograph (one photo showing both cards) and enter the challenge via the linky provided on the challenge blog.

There's lots of samples by the Design Team to show you what the challenge is all about.

Here's my cards using the Feather prompt with Penny Black stamp "the sweetest song".

I had a lot of fun designing these two cards using the bird (feathers) image.  For my first card, I masked a second Penny Black stamp (bells & berries), leaving just the one branch of leaves and berries (no bell).  I stamped in Sahara Sand ink (very light) and then watercoloured over top of the image with distress inks and a water brush (no line watercolouring).

I used distress markers to add some finishing details to the leaves and berries.  I then masked "the sweetest sound" stamp, leaving just one bird, inked with Pumice stone distress ink, and stamped the bird over top of the branch, in the middle.  I used more pumice stone ink to add a darker head and wing (very subtle).  I used more of the same ink to watercolour around my finished image.  I then splattered with diluted white ink.  The image was framed and a sentiment was stamped in the corner.

Here's a close-up ...

For the second card, I sponged distress oxide inks (fossilzed amber, spiced marmalade, abandoned coral) to create a sunset background.  I stamped "the sweetest sound" image over top with versamark and heat embossed in black.  I cut the panel down and added the "sending love" sentiment in black.

Here's a close-up ...

As I mentioned above, the challenge runs for two weeks.  Come check out the amazing cards by the Design Team and then join us!

Card 1:
Stamps:  the sweetest sound, bells & berries, season's gifts (Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb); White (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Sahara Sand, Early Espresso (SU!); Distress Inks:  Walnut, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, Candy Apple, Fired Brick, Pumice Stone (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water brush, white acrylic paint, Rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Card 2:
Stamps:  the sweetest sound (Penny Black); Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Oxides:  Fossilzed Amber, Spiced Marmalade, Abandoned Coral (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories & Tools: sponges, black embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
Twofer Challenge #1 - Feathers

Masculine Birthday x 2

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing two masculine cards that are made with the same colour medium.  I used Brushos ... but only one colour - Olive.  It's my new favourite!!  I love the different colour pigments in the powders.

I'm adding my two cards from today to the CAS Watercolour January Challenge - Birthday.

I find that if I use a stencil, Brushos colours pool more and I get a lot of saturated colours.  I used a die tree image to cut a stencil from acetate.  I placed the stencil over a piece of hot press w/c paper, sprinkled with olive Brushos, spritzed with lots of water and quickly removed the stencil.  It's the same technique from THIS VIDEO.  The only difference is that I didn't use a paper towel to blot the excess colour.  I let it air dry and ended up with these very deep colours.  LOVE it! :)  I cut the same image from white card stock and glued it over top, lining up the image.  I trimmed the panel and added a stamped sentiment at the bottom.

Here's a close-up.

Of course, I had lots of left over ink on my stencil, so I turned it over and pressed it onto another piece of hot press w/c ( stencil monoprint).  I'll use that for another day.

I mopped up all the excess ink with a paper towel.  I decided to use that paper towel right away to create a fun and easy background and that's how my second card was started.

I find this technique works best with Brushos on watercolour paper.  I placed the inky paper towel over another piece of Hot Press w/c paper, sprayed with water, and pressed with my fingers.  Picked up the towel, moved it around ... more sprayed water and pressing down with my fingers.  I ended up with this great background that shows the quilted design of the paper towel ... it looks textured!  Simply added a stamped silhouette tree and sentiment, framing the image panel in black and popping it up on top of my card front.

I was so happy with this card that I gave it to my oldest son for his birthday. :)

Stamps:  Thank You (Lil' Inkers); Bare Tree (Darkroom Door)
Paper:  Hot Press Watercolour Paper (Arches 140 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Brushos - Olive; Black (Memento)
Accessories & Tools:  Tree die (AliExpress), acetate, Big Shot, water mister, paper towel

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour January Challenge - Birthday