Happy Birthday Dragonfly

Hi everyone.  My dear friend Christine (It's a Card Day's Night) is celebrating her birthday today.  Happy Birthday sweet friend!!

I wanted to make a mixed media card for Christine as that is her style.  And I made sure to include lots of blue, her favourite colour.  :)

I started by smooshing Distress Inks:  Salty Ocean and Wilted Violet.  I then stamped the Libellule Origami (or Origami Dragonfly in English) from Carabelle Studio (retired).  I stamped it in black and heat embossed with clear.  I masked the dragonfly before stamping the Different Dreams background (Unity Stamp Co.) in Versamark.  I heat embossed the background in clear as well.  After removing the dragonfly mask, I pressed more salty ocean and wilted violet inks into my mat with a spritz of water, and smooshed again to make the colours deeper.  Once dry, I watercoloured the dragonfly in the same two colours of ink.

I cut the panel down and added a white embossed sentiment (Simply Sentiments from Lawn Fawn) on a black card stock strip at the bottom.  The panel is popped up for added dimension.

Close-up ...

I'm so pleased with this card and I hope Christine likes it too!  If you have a time, please drop by Christine's blog to wish her a Happy Birthday!

I'm sending this over to the Seize the Birthday Challenge #244 ... no topping for me this time. :)

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Stamps:  Libellule Origami - retired (Carabelle Studio); Different Dreams (Unity Stamp Co.); Simply Sentiments (Lawn Fawn)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet; Black (Memento), White Pigment (Hero Arts Unicorn), Versamark
Accessories:   water mister, Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool

Challenges:

Seize the Birthday Challenge #244 - Anything Birthday Goes

Hello Sunshine

Hi everyone.  I'm back with a card using a new stencil (Random Triangle Stencil (That's Crafty!) that I received from a dear friend for my birthday.  I sponged through the stencil with Distress Inks: Ripe Persimmon and Picked Raspberry (my favourite colour combo).  I thought the background was fun and summery looking ... perfect to add a couple of summertime drinks.

I stamped two drinks (Stampendous Fruity Drinks) in black and heat embossed with clear before watercolouring.  I fussy-cut them out and popped them up over the stenciled background.  To finish, I added a cute sentiment (Stampendous Spring Sentiments) to the bottom of my main panel.

Close-up ...

Since this is a new stencil, I'm sending this over to the NBUS Challenge #41.  

Thanks for stopping by!

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Stamps:  Fruity Drinks (Stampendous); Spring Sentiments (Stampendous)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Ripe Persimmon, Picked Raspberry, Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Festive Berry) Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Random Triangles stencil (That's Crafty!); sponges, Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, watercolour paint brushes

Challenges:

NBUS Challenge #41

August CAS Christmas Challenge - Pine

Hi everyone.  Welcome to the start of August's CAS Christmas challenge!  This month is being hosted by Trina (Phamtastic Design) ... and she would like to see Pine on our CAS Christmas cards.

I started with a large pine branch and pinecome background from Simon Says Stamp (Pinecone Background).  I inked up the pinecones using my mini archival inks Potting Soil and Leaf Green and stamped onto mixed media paper.  I stamped my image and then watercoloured over top with more colours ... this time using distress inks (Ground Espresso, Walnut Stain, Gathered Twigs, Brushed Corduroy, Peeled Paint, Forrest Moss).

Once the watercolouring was done, I used a finger sponge dauber to add more ink around the pine branches (Peeled paint DI), and pinecones (Gathered Twigs DI).  This made it so the background was not stark white.  To finish, I splattered with white acrylic paint and then also heat embossed with Chunky White Frantage for the falling snow.  I mounted my panel on a slightly longer panel, stamping my sentiment (Christmas Sentiments - Gina Marie Designs) in Peeled Paint DI to match.  The last part of the design was to add a final backing panel of dark brown card stock, slightly larger on one wide and in length to add framing.  I popped up the panel with foam.

Close-up ...

I love the versatility of this challenge.  You can use pine branches, pine needles, pinecones ... or pine coloured inks or paint!  :)

So excited to have two Guest Designers this month.  Welcome to Elizabeth (Paper Sweetness), and Lucie (Lucie G. cards).  Please check out the challenge blog to see the amazing CAS Pine Christmas cards from our fabulous Guest Designers and DT.  Then come join us!

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Stamps:  Pine Background (Simon Says Stamp); Christmas Sentiments (Gina Marie Designs)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); Early Espresso card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Archival ink:  Potting Soil, Leaf Green (Ranger); Distress Inks:  Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Walnut Stain, Ground Espresso, Peeled Paint, Forrest Moss (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Paint brushes, sponge daubers, white acrylic paint, splatter brush, Chunky White Frantage (Stampendous)

Challenges:
CAS Christmas August Challenge - Pine

August CAS Mix Up Challenge - Emboss Resist

Hi everyone.  This month's CAS Mix Up Challenge is all about Emboss Resist.  Nancy is hosting and she has found some wonderful video tutorials of different ways to do this fun and easy technique.  I followed this video.

I started out with a technique that's been around for a long time, but I have never tried - Batik.  Using a kraft card front, I stamped Full Bloom (Penny Black) in Versamark ink randomly in different directions to fill the page, heat embossing in clear as I went along.  The next step is to make several folds in all different directions.  The embossing powder cracks a bit when folding, but that is part of the technique.  It exposes the fold lines down to the card base that are highlighted once colour is sponged on top.  So cool.

I love the look of the exposed lines which create the Batik look (example of Balik artwork below).

Vintage Batik Artwork example

I sponged the panel with a mix of distress inks (Peeled Paint, Spiced Marmalade, and Crackling Campfire).  Then cut the panel up to create two cards.  I made the first with a popped up panel on white card base, adding a black banner with die-cut sentiment (Penny Black's Heartfelt).  I made the second on a kraft card base (below).  It was a smaller panel so I added the Full Bloom image stamped in Versamark and heat embossed at the bottom to balance.  The sentiment (Banner Sentiments - Penny Black) is stamped in black ink.

Second card using same Batik panel ...

We are so happy to have Brenda (Inkspired to Stamp) as our Guest Designer this month.  Welcome Brenda!!

There are several different ways to create emboss resist.  Check out the challenge blog to see the inspiring cards made by our Guest Designer and Design Team.  And take a look at the video tutorials on ways to create emboss resist.  Remember to keep your card CAS (clean and simple).  I hope to see your card(s) in the gallery!

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Stamps:  Full Bloom and Banner Sentiments (both Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Kraft card stock (Carta Bella); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Versamark; Distress Inks:  Peeled Paint, Spiced Marmalade, Crackling Campfire (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, sponges, smile die (Penny Black)

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up June Challenge - Emboss Resist