Crackled Sunflower

Hi everyone.  We are already half way through August.  It's time for a reminder card for the CAS Mix Up August Challenge - Stencil Monoprint, being hosted by Nancy (scandinancy creates).

This is my all time favourite stencil that was gifted to me by sweet Bonnie.  I have used it over and over again.  I can always find a new way to use it, or different colours, or design.  LOVE IT!

This card is on the fence about being CAS ... but I have to say that it was a fairly simple design to make.  I'm counting all the white space of the sunflower as my open space. :)

I used three colours of distresss inks (Mustard Seed, Ripe Persimmon, Peacock Feathers) and swiped them on the back of my stencil.  I spritzed with water and then turned it over and placed it on top of a piece of watercolour paper.  I blotted with a paper towel to absorb any excess ink.  When finished, it leaves me with the background of the sunflower in the inky colours, and the sunflower plain.  I wanted to make the sunflower stand out more, so once everything was dry (and the stencil was washed off and dried), I placed the stencil back over top, lining up the image.  A layer of crackle paste was spread over the stencil.  I have tried three different crackle pastes, and the one used today is my favourite (Finnabair Crackle Paste).  To finish, the sentiment was heat embossed in white onto coloured card stock.

Here's a close-up ...

If you haven't had time to play along yet, I hope you'll give this a try and join us.  It's lots of fun.

Check out the challenge blog to see the reminder cards from the rest of our Designers, and our wonderful Guest Designer Cathy.

I'm also adding this to the CAS Watercolour Challenge - Sunflower.

And adding to the gallery at Craft Stamper - Take It Make It August Challenge.

Stamps:  Simply Said You (Avery Elle)
Paper:  Watercolour (Arches 140 lb. hot press); Island Indigo (SU!)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Ripe Persimmon, Peacock Feathers (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Mini Joyful Sunflower stencil (The Crafter's Workshop), water mister, Finnabair Crackle paste, palette knife, white embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up August Challenge - Stencil Monoprint
CAS Watercolour August Challenge - Sunflower
Craft Stamper Take It Make It August Challenge

Penny Black - Special Day

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a card made with the beautiful Flower Flourish die from Penny Black.  

The Flower Flourish is die-cut from Hot Press Watercolour paper.  Distress inks were used to watercolour the die-cut, just one colour of ink for the flowers, adding two layers so that the petals have colour variation.  Two shades of green ink were used for the stems and leaves, with the lighter green also diluted with water and splattered in the background.  The sentiment is stamped in the same colour as the flowers.  Very quick and easy CAS card using this gorgeous die!

Here's a close-up ...

If you get a chance, pop over to the Simplicity at it's best blog to see some inspiring cards from my Simplicity Sisters.

Penny Black Products:

51-421 flower flourish

30-105 gratitude

Stamps:  gratitude (Penny Black) - sentiment
Paper:  Watercolour (Arches 140 lb. Hot Press); White (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Abandoned Coral, Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Flower Flourish die (Penny Black) water brush, paint brush for splattering

Twofer Challenge #8

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of the August Twofer Card Challenge.  The word prompt this month is ...

Remember to follow the challenge badge below and include the word prompt from the badge above, and include a picture on your blog of the two cards together.

I used a hexagon die that was gifted to me by a sweet friend.  I used all things from my stash, so it was basically designing and adding the stamped sentiment or a little bit of sponging through a stencil.  Love when that happens.

Here's the first card ...

The background for the hexagon was in my stash.  It's a piece of smooshing with re-inkers.  I have a video - Saturated Watercolour (Smooshing with Re-inkers) if you'd like to check out this quick and easy technique. Using reinkers gives you very bold colours, which I love. I have used pink, light orange and dark orange for the piece above.  I used a chicken wire stencil to sponge light orange ink onto my card front, then popped up the hexagon on foam for dimension.  A white heat embossed simple sentiment was added along with a white die-cut flower.

Here's the second card ...

For this card, I used the hexagon die to cut an aperture for my card front.  The watercoloured background is from my stash as well as the flowers.  They are a snippet of a larger flower spray that was too big for an earlier card, so cut about 1/3 off and saved it for later.  Later is today! :)  The sentiment was heat embossed in gold to match the flowers.

We are thrilled to have two Guest Designers with us this month.  Welcome to Cheryl (Paper Panacea) and Brenda (Inkspired to Stamp).  Please drop by the challenge blog to see the amazing cards from Cheryl and Brenda, along with the fabulous cards from the rest of our Designers.  Then come play along.  Reminder the challenge is open for two weeks.  It closes at midnight (PDST) on August 24th.

Card #1:  Hello
Stamps:  Word Salad (Paper Smooches)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Srathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); White (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Re-inkers:  Melon Mambo, Tangerine Tango, Pumpkin Pie (SU!); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, stitched hexagon die (unknown), flower die (AliExpress), Chicken Wire stencil (The Crafter's Workshop), sponge, white embossing powder, heat tool

Card #2:  Happy Birthday
Stamps:  Kind Soul (WPlus9); everyday sentiments (AliExpress)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); White (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark; Zigs (Kuretake)
Accessories & Tools:  stitched hexagon die (unknown), god embossing powder, heat tool, water brush, paper towel, leftover ink, water mister

Challenges:
Twofer Card Challenge #8

Stained Glass Hibiscus

Hi everyone.  I have seen a few cards around blogland using the stained glass technique.  It's an easy technique with colouring a die-cut image and adding several layers of the outline image over top.  Then the recessed (coloured) areas are filled with Crystal Glaze.

I had just bought this beautiful hibiscus die from Simon Say and thought it would work perfect for this technique.  I watercolour the flower with two shades of coral / red and the leaves with two shades of green.

I cut three of the outline images, adhering them together with glue and then adhering over the hibiscus watercoloured image.  Crystal Glaze is added over the flower and leaf to fill in the space between the sections of outline image.  A black sentiment banner is added over top with white heat embossing.  The die is square, so I made a square card.

Here's a close-up of the shine from the Crystal Glaze:

I'm sending this card along to the AAA Cards #121 Challenge - Friendship.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Simply Sentiment (Lawn Fawn)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.); Black (SU!)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Abandoned Coral, Barn red, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  water brush, glue, Crystal Glaze (Nuvo), white embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
AAA Cards #121 - Friendship