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)

Pastel Christmas

Hi everyone.  Today I'm playing long with Merry Monday Challenge #275 (Pastels).

I rarely use pastel colours, so this was a bit out of my comfort zone.  It did give me a change to use some long neglected distress inks! :)

I started by sponging a piece of mixed media paper.  Not sure why I used mm paper ... regular card stock would have done, but I wasn't sure where I was going with this design.

I sponged Spun Sugar ink on the top half of my main panel.  Next I sponged Milled Lavender ink about 2/3 way down the spun sugar sponging.  And last I sponged Tumbled Glass ink on the top 1/3.  I sent over the blended inks a few times with all three colours to smooth the transition of one colour to the next.  Then I spritzed with water and blotted with a paper towel to add just a slight texture.  I diluted white acrylic paint and splattered over the sky.

I cut the tree and deer die from white, adding glue to the trees and along the top of the snow line.  Sprinkled with iridescent glitter ... love the sparkle, tapping off excess.  It stuck to the glue, but still would flake off, so I took an old small paint brush and brushed on a thin later of glossy accents.  It worked!  To finish I stamped the sentiment in Delicata silver ink.

Here's a close-up of the sparkle ...

Stamps:  Snowglobe Sentiments (My Favorite Things)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Spun Sugar, Milled Lavender, Tumbled Glass (Tim Holtz); Delicata Silver (Tsukineko)
Accessories & Tools:  sponges, water mister, tree & deer die (AliExpress), glue, iridescent glitter, glossy accents

Challenges:
Merry Monday #275 - Pastels

CAS Watercolour February Challenge

Hi everyone.  Welcome to the start of the CAS Watercolour February Challenge.  This month is being hosted by Bonnie and she has picked the perfect theme!

I started by sprinkling a heart embossing folder (SU!) with Magicals.  I just can't get enough of playing with these beautiful powders! :)

I lightly spritzed with shimmer mist and then used the folder to "stamp" onto a piece of regular white card stock.  Because there wasn't too much spray, it worked well and I got a very dark impression.  There was still ink on my folder, so spritzed again and pulled a second print.  The third print was pulled without adding more spray ... that's the background I used above.  I love the softness and randomness of the design.

I die-cut the Love from a piece of scrap which I had sponged with Picked Raspberry distress ink.  After die-cutting, I used my ink pad directly to the sentiment to add just small strokes of deeper pink.  I then sprayed with shimmer mist to add sparkle.

I tacked down the Love die-cut with glue just in random places so that some of the pieces were left free, giving added dimension.

I added several clear sequins for even more sparkle.

We are thrilled to have Sue (Sue's Card Craft) as our Guest Designer this month.  Please check out the challenge blog to see Sue's Heart card, along with the amazing designs from the other team members.  Then come join us!  Remember to include watercolouring on your CAS (clean and simple) designs.

Paper:  White (Neenah 110 lb. card stock)
Ink:  Lindy Magicals (autumn maple crimson); Picked Raspberry Distress Ink (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Happy Heart embossing folder (Sizzix for SU!), Love die (Simon Says Stamp), water mister, clear sequins, shimmer spray (Dick Blick)

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour February Challenge - Heart

CAS Mix Up February Challenge

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of the CAS Mix Up February Challenge.  This month's challenge is being hosted by our very talented and creative Design Team member, Joanna.

Lots of scope as you are welcome to use Felt, Cork, OR Canvas along with stamping and one item from the *Your Choice list on the challenge blog sidebar.

I started off the challenge using a piece of canvas that was gifted to me by Bonnie.  Thanks Bonnie!  The only canvas I have worked on before was framed. :)  To see my dirty pour canvases from last year, click HERE and HERE.  I was inspired to make a small version for a card after seeing a card made with leftovers from a dirty pour done by Cathy (Cathy's Card Spot).

I created a mini canvas with a 2" x 2 1/4" piece of canvas.  First I coated the canvas with gesso and let it dry thoroughly.  I thinned out four colours of acrylic paint with water, poured them randomly into a small cup and poured it over the canvas piece (dirty pour).  The canvas was tilted so the paint flowed to cover it completely, with the excess paint pouring over the sides.  Once dry, this is what I ended up with.  LOVE IT! :)  I wouldn't mind having a large one like this to hang on the wall. :)

I finished by stamping a sentiment from STAMPlorations in black ink.  Just perfect for my card.

Here's a close-up of just the painting.  You can see the texture of the canvas.

We are excited to have Marianne (Marianne's cards 'n stuff) as our Guest Designer this month.  Welcome Marianne!!

Check out the challenge blog to see Marianne's card, along with the amazing cards from our talented design team.  And then come play along!

Stamps:  Art Builders (STAMPlorations)
Paper:  Canvas; White (Neenah 110 lb. card stock)
Ink:  Black (Memento)
Accessories & Tools:  Gesso, sponge brush, Acrylic Paints in Crimson Red, Violet, and Titanium White (Liquitex), Dark Turquoise Acrylic paint (DecoArts), water, small plastic mixing cups

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up February Challenge - Felt, Cork, or Canvas