CAS Stencil May Challenge

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of the last CAS Stencil challenge as things are changing with CAS Challenges.  Starting next month, CAS Mix Up is changing it's challenges to include mixed media along with stencil and watercolour.  More details will be in June's CAS Mix Up post.  We hope you'll come play along!

This month's challenge is hosted by Hilary (fiddling about).  She would like us to try ...

We are also happy to have Greta (GG Creations) as our Guest Designer.  Welcome Greta!

This technique is out of my comfort zone, but it's something I'm keen to learn.  I had lots of fun making my stenciled panel, but I definitely need lots of practice. :)

I started with a stencil monoprint from my stash, done with Lindy's magical powders and a Mini Tiny Circles stencil from TCW (one of my most used stencils!).  Placed a second stencil overtop and sponged with gold ink.  Mounted my panel behind a card front die-cut with a stitched square (gift from my sweet friend, Bonnie).  Added a white die-cut flower and gold stamped sentiment to finish.

Close-up ...

I hope you'll come join us for this fun challenge.

Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Magical powders (Lindy's); Delicata Gold (Tsukineko)
Accessories & Tools: water mister Mini Tiny Circles stencil (TCW), Wander & Find stencil (Carta Bella), In & Out Stitched Squares die (MFT), Flower Flourish die (Penny Black)

Challenges:
CAS Stencil - Layered Stenciling

CAS Christmas May Challenge

Hi everyone.  Welcome to the CAS Christmas May Challenge.  This month is hosted by me! :)
I want to see your cards with ...

So happy to have Lynne (Designs from the Loft) as our Guest Designer this month!  Welcome Lynne!

I started with one of my favourite Christmas bird images from Stampendous.  I'm still hooked on bleaching, so I again used a piece of tan mixed media paper to stamp my image in dark brown and heat emboss in clear.  Then I bleached out the bird, branches and berries.  I watercoloured over top of the dry bleached area to add in colour.  I also bleached along the tops of the branches so it looks like snow ... not sure that worked as I wanted. :)  After watecolouring, I added clear shimmer to the snow and crystal glaze to the berries.  Once everything was dry, I stamped my sentiment in dark brown, heated embossed in clear so it matches the image.

Close-up ...

I hope you'll check out our challenge blog to see Lynne's beautiful Winter Berries card, along with the amzing cards from our Designers.  I know you'll be inspired!

Stamps:  Snow Bird (Stampendous); Snowglobe Sentiments (My Favorite Things)
Paper:  Tan Mixed Media paper (Strathmore)
Ink:  Disress Inks:  Black Soot, Brushed Corduroy, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany (Tim Holtz);  Early Espresso ink (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories & Tools:  Clear embossing powder, heat tool, bleach, paint brush, Sheer Shimmer, Crystal Glaze (Nuvo)

Challenges:
CAS Christmas May Challenge - Winter Berries

CAS Watercolour May Challenge

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of the last CAS Watercolour challenge.  Things are changing with the CAS Challenges.  Starting next month, CAS Mix Up will include Watercolour and Stencil challenges.  More details will be in June's CAS Mix Up post.  We hope you'll come play along!

This month's challenge is hosted by Jenny (My Paper Epiphany).  She wants us to watercolour a Night Sky.

We are so happy to have Tina (treebug) as our Guest Designer this month.  Welcome Tina!

I started with a piece of white mixed media paper.  I sprayed with water and dropped in three colours of Lindy's magical powders (just a little of each).  Once they had spread a bit, I dried my panel with my heat tool and then smooshed over top with Black Soot distress ink.  Dried the panel again and added just a touch of the magical powders and water to bring back a little of the colour.

I die-cut a panel of black card stock with the lake loon scene and mounted my sky panel at the back.  I used Hickory Smoke DOX ink to stamp the sentiment.  It's subtle, but does match the sky quite well. :)

Close-up ...

I hope you'll join us for our final challenge here at the CAS Watercolour Challenge blog.  Hope to see you in the gallery!

Stamps: Noveau Flowers - sentiment (Clearly Besotted)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Magicals (Lindy's); Black Soot Distress ink (Tim Holtz); Hickory Smoke DOX ink (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:water mister, Lake Loon die (Gina Marie Designs)

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour May Challenge - Night Sky

CAS Mix Up May Challenge

Hi Everyone.  Welcome to the start of the CAS Mix Up May Challenge.  Linda (Life in the Craft Lane) is our host this month and she would like us to have a play with Gesso.  We are thrilled to have Pooja as our Guest Designer this month.  Welcome Pooja!

So Linda wants us to use Gesso as a resist.  There are video tutorials on the challenge blog for you if you want to take a look.

I wanted to try a couple of different techniques, deciding to go with adding the gesso directly to my rubber stamp for my first go.  I used a brush to add a thin coating and then stamped onto white card stock.  I lifted my stamp right away and then washed it ... make sure you wash it right away or place it in water to that the gesso doesn't harden.

Once the gesso was dry, I sprinkled my panel with two colours of Lindy's Magical powders (hydrangea blue, lederhosen laurel).  I love this combination of bright blue and bright green.  I used a paper towel to remove the excess water and that's when the gesso image appeared.

Once my main panel was dry, I cut it to size, added a frame of white card stock and a watercoloured fern leaf with distress inks.  A simple sentiment finishes the card.

My card has Gesso Resist, watercolouring with magical powders, die-cutting, and stamping.

Close-up ...

I hope you'll check out the challenge blog to see our Guest Desinger Pooja, and team Designers', amazing Gesso Resist cards.  And then come join us.  Challenge is open until May 24th at midnight PDST.

Stamps:  Plant Background (Rubber-Art Stamps); Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Magicals:  Hydrangea Blue, Lederhosen Laurel (Lindy's); Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Forrest Moss (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, Rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinder), Fern die (AliExpress)

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up May Challenge - Gesso Resist