Silver Cone Flower

Hi everyone.  Today's card is for the CAS Stencil July Reminder - Alcohol Inks / Alcohol Lift, hosted by our very talented Cathy.

I started by creating a very colourful background of alcohol inks in my favourite combination (Wild Plum and Sunshine Yellow - from Ranger), along with Tangerine from Pinata.  This is so bright and fun.  I used a NBUS stencil that I've had for a couple of years, placing it over top of the colourful background and using a sponge dauber to lightly add silver alcohol ink through the stencil.  When I removed the stencil I thought the flower didn't stand out enough so I outlined it with a fine tip permanent black marker.  A die-cut frame was added over top with the stamped sentiment.  I experimented with stamping in black and then silver, but it didn't really look great.  It just lightened the black a little.  Oh well, experiments are good to learn what doesn't work as well. :)

Here's a close-up ... sorry for the reflection from the overhead lights.

Please check out the challenge blog to see the new reminder cards from our Designers, and special Guest Designer, Janet.  I know you'll be inspired to play along!

I'll share this card at Take It Make It challenge (Craft Stamper Magazine).

Stamps: Happy Messages (Stampendous)
Paper:  Yupo; White card base and frame (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Alcohol Inks:  Wild Plum, Sunlight Yellow, Silver Mixative (Ranger); Tangerine (Pinata); Black (Memento)
Accessories & Tools: Blending Solution (Ranger), Cone Flower stencil (The Crafter's Workshop), Fine Black marker (Sharpie), Antique Frames die (Penny Black)

Challenges:
CAS Stencil July Challenge - Alcohol Inks / Alcohol Lift
Craft Stamper Magazine Take It Make it July Challenge 

Be Joyful

Hi everyone.  Today's card is for the CAS Christmas July Reminder - Snowflake Challenge, hosted by the wonderful Bonnie.

We also have a fantastic Guest Desiger Jane, joining us this month!

I seem to be in the mode of recovery lately.  This is a stencil monoprint that just didn't work as well as I had hoped.  The snowflakes weren't very clear, but I was happy with the colour of the inked background.  So I took a fine silver metallic pen and outlined the snowflakes.  Looks way better. :)  Thank goodness I was able to use it because my "stash" of failed backgrounds container is at it's limit. :)

Two snowhills were created by tearing the edge of white paper and layering at the bottom of the panel.  The graceful reindeer was heat embossed in silver three times, giving it a thick and shiny coat.

Here's a close-up ...

There's still a week left to play along with our challenge if you haven't had time yet.  Create a CAS Christmas card that has a snowflake or snowflakes and join us.

Stamps:  Big Scripty Greetings - Holiday (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Mixed media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Broken Glass, Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Snowflake stencil (Paper Artsy), water mister, silver metallic pen, Leap of Joy die (Penny Black), silver embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Christmas July Challenge - Snowflake

Happy Birthday Bonnie!!

Hi everyone.  Today is the reminder for the CAS Watercolour July Challenge - Bouquet of Flowers, hosted by Susan.  But there's more ... today we are celebrating the birthday of our dear, sweet, lovely Bonnie!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BONNIE!!

I hope you're having a wonderful day!!

I made this card in Bonnie's honour and I'm hoping she has received it, but didn't open until this morning (there were directions to not open until the 16th!).

Bonnie has the most beautiful and elegant style of card making so I was channeling her when I made this card.  You are a constant source of inspiration to me, Bonnie!

Stamped the bouquet in Versamark onto mixed media paper and heat embossed in white.  Watercoloured with distress inks; then stamped the sentiment and splattered light gray ink over the card front..

Here's a close-up ...

Finishing the card took me much longer that than it did to watercolour the image.  I don't white emboss flowers often, so I found it a little harder to figure out the image (which has the flowers all bunched together).  I kept looking at the stamp cover to see the outlined image in black. :).  I tried it will kinds of frames, different coloured card stock ... but in the end, went with a white card base, fussy-cut the bouquet and popped it up on top for some dimension.

We are thrilled to have Leslie as our Guest Designer this month.  Please check out the challenge blog to see all the reminder cards from Leslie and the Designers, honouring our sweet Bonnie on her special day!

Come join us ... make a card using a bouquet of flowers and add your card to the gallery.

Stamps:  Bowl Bouquet (Stampendous); Happy Birthday (unknown)
Paper:  Mixed media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Seedless Preserves, Mustard Seed, Abandoned Coral, Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Pumice Stone; Smokey Slate ink (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories & Tools:  White embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, splatter brush

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour July Challenge - Bouquet of Flowers

Barley Silhouette

Hi everyone.  Today is my reminder card for CAS Mix Up's July Challenge - Alcohol Ink Lift, hosted by Bonnie.

This time I created a softer coloured background using pink, peach and a little yellow.  Then I placed a barley stencil over top and used a sponge dauber lightly wet with blending solution.  It worked well as long as I didn't add too much blending solution, otherwise it would leak under the stencil and just make blobs.  Ask me how I know this. :)  I wanted to make this into a masculine birthday card so added a simple dark gray sentiment banner, heat embossed with white and then popped the panel up on my card base.

Here's a close-up ...

Hope you'll check out the challenge blog to see the new reminder cards from the rest of our Designers and Guest Designer, Michelle.  Come play along!  We'd love to see you in the galleries!

Since CAS Stencil's challenge this month is using a stencil with Alcohol Inks / Alcohol Ink Lift, I'm adding it to that gallery as well.

Stamps:  Nouveau Flowers (Clearly Besotted)
Paper:  Yupo; Whie card base (Neenah 110 lb.); Basic Gray (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Alcohol Inks:  Pink Sherbert, Peach Bellini, Honeycomb (Ranger); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Blending Solution (Ranger), Barley stencil (ARTplorations), sponge dauber, white embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up July Challenge - Alcohol Ink Lift
CAS Stencil July Challenge - Alcohol Inks / Alcohol Ink Lift