Thoughts of you

Hi everyone.  Sharing a card I sent to a friend who recently had surgery.  Thankfully everything went smoothly with the surgery and she is doing great!!

I used gold embossed images from Altenew that my dear friend, Bonnie, sent me ages ago.  I really need to be better about using up gifts!  I watercoloured with my zigs and fussy-cut.  I added a pierced border and a gold embossed sentiment to match.  I arranged the flower spray in the bottom right corner of the pieced rectangle, popping up the large flower for added dimension.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Beautiful Day (Altenew); Gratitude (Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  zigs; versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Waterbrush, gold embossing powder, heat tool, paper piercing tool and template

Celebrating Christine

Hi everyone.  Today I'm celebrating with my dear friend, Christine.  She has had the most amazing month with recognition for her talent of making beautiful cards.

First, she won the Craft Stamper Magazine challenge for the month of July.  That means that she was interviewed by the magazine and she is featured on their blog (click link above to see) and will also be featured in one of their upcoming publications with a picture of her card that won, along with the interview and pictures of more cards from Christine. Congrats on this huge honour of being published, Christine!!

Next, she was chosen to be the Featured Stamper this week at Splitcoaststampers (SCS).  It's a wonderful honour to be chosen among all the talented crafters that post their cards.  And that brings me to my card for today.  As Feature Stamper, the challenge at SCS is to CASE (copy and share everything) one of Christine's cards from her amazing gallery (click to go to her gallery at SCS).

I chose to CASE this beautiful card from Christine's gallery.  I made this background piece during a play day with Christine and Susan a while ago.  It's made on mixed media paper with spray starch and drops of re-inker (Pacific Point, Tempting Turquoise).  Then a piece of cling wrap was placed over top, scrunched up, and left to dry.  I love the design it created when the cling wrap was removed.  I used a new Penny Black deer die to place on top of two torn pieces of white cards stock (snow). I splattered the background with diluted white acrylic paint and added the sentiment stamped in Delicata Silver.  The panel was popped up over the card base for added dimension.

One final note about Christine.  She only started a blog less than a year ago, so there may be some of you who do not know her.  Please take some time to visit her blog (It's a Card Day's Night) ... you'll be glad you did!!  Thanks!

Stamps:  Festive Snippets (Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Re-inkers:  Pacific Point, Tempting Turquoise (SU!); Delicata Silver (Tsukineko)
Accessories & Tools:  spray starch, cling wrap, Inspiring die (deer - Penny Black), white acrylic paint

Challenges:
SCS FS551

CASEing Bobby

Hi everyone.  Today I'm CASEing Bobby (bits and pieces).  I have long been a fan of Bobby's CAS style.  She also has a uniquely creative way of interpreting challenges. I saw THIS CARD on Bobby's blog a while ago, and have been thinking about it ever since. :)  Thought it was time for me to make one of my own. :)

I changed it up slightly.  Bobby had debossed the background iris, where I used a white die-cut.  And I used distress inks to watercolour my iris, instead of Brushos. Thanks so much Bobby for the inspiration!

I die-cut the iris from both watercolour paper and white card stock.  As I mentioned, I used distress inks to watercolour my iris and then layered it over top of the white die-cut in the background.  A simple stamped sentiment and a few sequins for sparkle and the card was done.

I hope you'll find some time to check out Bobby's blog ... I know you will have fun there!

I'm playing along with the latest CAS-ology challenge - Bud.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Stamps:  Bouquet of Thanks Sentiment (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Watercolour Paper (Arches 140 lb. cold press); White (Neenah 110 lb. card stock)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Wilted Violet, Mustard Seed, Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Iris die (Penny Black), waterbrush, sequins

Challenges:
CAS-ology Week 263 - Bud

Winter Sky

Hi everyone.  I'm joining the challenge over at Scrappimo's blog - August Rudolph Days.  The challenge runs from the 25th until the end of the month.  The theme is always Anything Goes Christmas.

I'm here today with another Alcohol Ink background that I made a while ago.  I have a large stash of backgrounds which helps to make a quick card.  This was done with smooshing three colours of alcohol inks onto Yupo paper.  Once dry, I sprayed with blending solution to get the cool texture of a frosty night sky.

I added a simple white die-cut from AliExpress --- another bargain of only $2.59US.  And I stamped the sentiment in Delicata Silver.  I love this ink because it is metallic and sparkly so there's no need to heat emboss.

I made four of these quick cards.  Two for my Christmas stash and two to donate. My stash is really building and I'm over half way to my goal for this year. :)

Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps:  Festive Snippets (Penny Black)
Paper:  Yupo; White card base (Neeenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Alcohol inks:  Botanical, Mermaid, Indigo (Ranger); Delicata Silver (Tsukineko)
Accessories & Tools:  Blending solution (Ranger), Xmas Deer Tree die (AliExpress)

Challenges:
August Rudolph Days

Sending You Sunshine

Hi everyone.  Sharing a card I sent to a friend who has had a very tough summer.  I wanted to send her some sunshine to brighten her day. :)

I started with yellow watercolour sprayed background.  I die-cut the sunflower from watercolour paper and then used inks to colour.  I altered the die-cut slightly by cutting off two petals and rearranging them.  I framed the sunflower and stamped a sentiment (masking two sentiments to create this one) in one of the colours of the sunflower to finish the card.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Stamps:  A Little Sentimental (Clearly Besotted); Sunny Sentiments (Amy R)
Paper:  Watercolour (Arches 140 lb. cold press); White (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Spiced Marmalade, Rusty Hinge, Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Sunflower die (AliExpress), Rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Yellow Watercolour Spray made from concentrate (Dick Blick)

Salted Snowflake

Hi everyone.  Today's card is another for the CAS Watercolour August Challenge - Salt.  I love how the salt reacts with watercolours.

This time I die-cut a sparkly snowflake to pop on top of my blue Brushos and salt background.  I added a glittery jewel to the center.  A silver embossed sentiment finishes the card.

This card was simple to make.  I made a full panel of background (4 1/2" x 6"), then cut it into four equal pieces of 2 1/8" x 3" to create four cards.  Two are for my Christmas card stash and two I will donate.  A quick and easy way to get lots of cards made. :)

There's still a few days left to play along with the CAS Watercolour Salt Challenge. It closes at midnight August 24th.  Hope you'll join us.

Stamps:  Joyful Greeting (Paper Smooches)
Paper:  White card base (Neenah); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); silver foil (SU!)
Ink:  Brushos:  Turquoise, Ultra Marine; Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, kosher salt, Snowflake die (Lil' Inkers), glitter jewel (AliExpress),

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour August Challenge - Salt

Alcohol Inks on Yupo with Embossing Paste

Hi everyone.  Playing more with alcohol inks.  This time I'm adding some stenciling on top with embossing paste.  I used some alcohol ink backgrounds from my stash and taped stencils over top.  I used a palette knife to spread a thick layer of paste. Once the paste dried, I realized that the alcohol inks had bled through.  I know this happens with watercolour paints and water based inks, but didn't think it would happen with AIs.

I took some diluted white acrylic paint and painted over all the stenciling.  It wasn't until the last one that I realized it would have been quicker to add the cleaned stencil over top before painting the white.  Always learning.  :)

Here's the three other designs ...

I'm happy how they all turned out.  I made two of each design so I have four more cards for my Christmas card stash, and four to donate. :)

I'm playing along again with CAS Mix Up where this month's challenge is hosted by Nancy and she chose Alcohol Inks.  I'm having lots of fun trying new things with them. :)

I hope you'll come join us.  There are some amazing cards entered.  Check out the gallery, Design Team, and Guest Designer, Trina's cards.  I know you'll be inspired!

Stamps:  Merriest (Avery Elle) for card #1 & #3; Christmas Greetings (SU!) for card #2; Wishing you Joy (unknown) for card #4
Paper:  Yupo for AI background; White (Neenah 110 lb.); vellum
Ink:  Alcohol Inks (Ranger and Pinata)
Accessories & Tools:  Stencils, embossing paste, palette knife, white acrylic paint, paint brush, white and black embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up August Challenge - Alcohol Inks

Background Flowers

Hi everyone.  Today I'm playing along with The Flower Challenge #11 (Focus on Background Stamping).

I used a stamp that is a set of four small stamps all together.  It was pretty quick to stamp all over a full size card front.  I used Delicata Gold which is a shimmery pigment ink, heat setting it to help speed up the drying time.  I used an orange Zig to add just a little colour to the flowers.  Then I split my panel to create two cards with the one card front.  I used the same ink direct to paper and cut two thin strips to add to the cards. Happy with how they turned out.

Here they are separately ...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Stamps:  Flower (AliExpress); Thoughtful Messages (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  White (Neenah 110 lb. card stock)
Ink:  Delicata Gold (Tsukineko); Zig (orange)
Accessories & Tools:

Challenges:
The Flower Challenge #11 - Focus on Background Stamping)

Golden Thanks

Hi everyone.  Today's card is another using watercolouring with salt.  I have watercoloured a piece of white tissue paper using watercolour sprays (magenta and orange).  I quickly added some kosher salt on top and let the piece air dry.  The salt reacted with the watercolour, absorbing some of the colour and creating little star bursts.  So pretty!

I glued the tissue to a piece of white card stock and cut two squares.  I splattered the pieces with diluted gold pigment ink (Delicata) and then layered them onto my card front.  A piece of white card stock was coloured with more of the Delicata ink and then cut into the flower branch and placed on top.  A simple thanks stamp finishes the card.

This month's challenge at CAS Watercolour is to use Salt.  I hope you'll check out the reminder post to see more inspiring cards using salt from our Design Team, and talented Guest Designer, Ros.

Also playing along with Just Us Girls this week.  There's lots of shine from the gold splatters, flower sprig and sentiment.

Stamps:  Lots of Thanks (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  White (Neenah 110 lb. card stock); white tissue paper
Ink:  Watercolour Sprays from Concentrate:  Magenta, Orange (Dick Blick); Delicata Gold ink (Tsukineko)
Accessories & Tools:  paint brush, water mister, kosher salt, Lavish Branch die (Memory Box)

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour August Challenge - Salt
Just Us Girls #406 - Bring on the Shine

Sending Smiles

Hi everyone.  Today is our mid-month reminder for the CAS Mix Up August Challenge - Alcohol Inks.  This month the challenge is being run by our very talented Design Team Member, Nancy (scandinancy creates).  There's just over a week left to play along ... don't miss it!  Check out the challenge blog to see more sample cards from our Design Team and Guest Designer, Trina!

I love this bright combination of colours.  I coloured a 4 1/2" x 6" piece of Yupo paper with different colours of alcohol inks.  Made this design back in May and used a small portion of it for this card.  Love when I can get two or three cards from one piece of AI paper. :)  I split the panel to give the design a little interest.  Then added a simple black outline flower sprig and stamped the sentiment.

I hope you'll come join us this month.  Alcohol inks are so fun to play with, but messy too. :)  What could be better??!!  Don't have any alcohol inks?  We accept cards coloured with any alcohol markers ... or ... we have a video tutorial on our challenge blog that uses dye inks and rubbing alcohol to make your own.  Come join us!

Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  White card base (Neenah); Yupo; Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Alcohol inks (Ranger / Pinata)
Accessories & Tools:  blending solution, Sketch Daisy die (Memory Box)

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up August Challenge - Alcohol Inks

Sweet Baby Boy

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a card I made for Baby Jack.  Dear friends of our's have welcomed their first grandchild.  We are so happy for them and for the new mom and dad who will receive the above card. :)

Simple design using a medium circle die for the bib, and a small oval for the neck opening.  I added some light acetate smooshing in the background with pale green and pale blue.  Three small pearls finish the bib.  And a black sentiment banner was white embossed with "sweet" and "boy" with a die-cut "baby" adhered to the center.

Since this card is made with snippets, I'm heading over for some fun at the Playground.

Edited to add:  Thanks to my friend, Jules ... I'm adding this to the Cardz4Guyz Challenge #175 - Tiny Fingers and Tiny Toes.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Stamps:  A Little Sentimental (Clearly Besotted); Happy (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  White (Neenah 110 lb.); Bashful Blue polka-dot, Black (SU!)
Ink:  Bashful Blue, Pear Pizzazz (SU!); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Circle Nestability & Oval Nestability (Spellbinder), baby die (Simon Says Stamp), acetate, water mister, three pale blue half-pearls, white embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
Snippets Playground - Weed 293 and 294
Cardz4Guyz Challenge #175 - Tiny Fingers and Tiny Toes

Happy Birthday, Christine!

Hi everyone.  Today is my friend Christine's birthday.  We are hoping to get together tomorrow for a crafty play day, but I couldn't wait to let her know that I was thinking of her on her birthday!  Hope you have a wonderful day, Christine!

This is made with alcohol inks.  But, not in the normal way of using them with yupo. I usually put down aluminum foil when smooshing with alcohol inks.  They are messy to deal with and they bleed through other liners like wax paper.  Ask me how I know this. :)

Anyways, I decided to keep the foil with the leftover alcohol inks and used it for my card today.  It's shiny, so  little difficult to photograph.  I did learn another "what not to do" making this card.  I used a 3M adhesive spray to adhere the foil to a piece of card stock.  I stamped on top, but the ink (even though it was Archival ink) did not dry.  So I coated it with black embossing powder and heated.  The spray adhesive didn't appreciate getting hot.  It created a gas bubble between the foil and card backing.  You'll see after it cooled, that I burnished the foil again.  It left creases, which I thought looked good, but next time I will heat emboss before adhering. Lesson learned! :)

I'm sharing this alcohol ink card with the gallery at CAS Mix Up.  So many gorgeous and inspirational cards.  I hope you'll check it out.

Stamps:  Flowers (AliExpress); Thank you (Lil' Inkers
Paper:  White (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Alcohol Inks:  Tangerine (Pinata), Wild Plum (Ranger); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Aluminum foil, black embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up August Challenge - Alcohol Inks

Salted Christmas

Hi everyone.  I'm having some more fun playing with watercolour and salt.  I used Brushos for this background, adding kosher salt and letting it air dry.  I love the bursts that the salt creates.

I'm adding these to the CAS Watercolour gallery.  The challenge this month is "salt".

I actually did two pieces, the one above with deep blues and purple, and another with turquoise and blue.  I cut both pieces in half to create four backgrounds and then made them into the same design.  Great way to create four quick and easy Christmas cards. :)

Here's a picture of the turquoise one ...

I hope you'll join us at CAS Watercolour for this fun challenge.

Stamps:  Season's Gifts (Penny Black)
Paper:  White card base (Neenah); Mixed media panel (Strathmore 140 lb.); Silver foil (SU!)
Ink:  Brushos:  Turquoise, Purple, Ultra Marine; Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, kosher salt, Curves Border die (AliExpress), Holly Jolly (stitched tree) die (Lil' Inkers), Holiday Shapes (star) die (Simon Says Stamp), Silver embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour August Challenge - Salt

Coffee x 2

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing two cards that use the same die-cut.

My dear friend, Nancy gave me a card using this awesome die-cut.  LOVE it!  Had to buy it for myself right away.  We are great at enabling each other. :)

I cut this fun coffee mug from both white card stock and from Yupo paper that had been coloured with alcohol inks.  I then mixed and matched the pieces to create this inlaid design on two cards.  I popped up the main panel for a bit of dimension and then stamped a simple sentiment.

I'm adding these to the CAS Mix Up gallery where our challenge this month is Alcohol Inks.

Below are photos of both versions.

... and the reverse ...

This time I popped up the panel over a dark card base and stamped a simple sentiment. A quick and easy way to make two cards. :)

I hope you'll have a play with alcohol inks and join us at the CAS Mix Up Challenge. If you don't have alcohol inks or markers, there is a video on the challenge blog that shows how you can use rubbing alcohol and dye inks to create an alcohol ink background. :)

Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts); Mix Mash (HLS)
Paper:  White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Soft Suede (SU!); Yupo
Ink:  Alcohol Inks:  orange, red, green and yellow (can't remember specific names) (Ranger); Distress Inks:  Brushed Corduroy, Walnut Stain (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Coffee Cup Silhouette die borrowed from my friend Nancy (STAMPlorations)

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up August Challenge - Alcohol Inks

Love You

Hi everyone.  Created this quick card using a watercoloured background that I made during the Craft Retreat I was at in May.  It's mixed media paper, sprayed with starch and then reinkers dropped on top.  A piece of cling wrap was placed over top and scrunched up ... all left to dry overnight.

I love the subtle design it created on the piece.  I die-cut my card front and the piece of watercoloured card with the heart of flowers die.  The coloured pieces were inlaid to create a one layer card.  I added some glossy accents over the small dots in the design to add a bit of shine.  The sentiment was stamped in black to finish.

I'm entering two challenges at the Dare to Get Dirty Challenges at Splitcoaststampers.  You must be a Fan Club member to play along.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Stamps:  Thoughtful Messages (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  White card base (Neenah); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Black (Memento);  Reinkers:  Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango, Regal Rose (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Spray starch, cling wrap, Heart of Flowers die (Simon Says Stamp)

Challenges:
SCS Dare To Get Dirty 2017 Challenges