November Rudolph Days

Hi everyone.  This card is for November's Rudolph Days.  I managed to play along each month this year - YAY!  The team is taking a much needed break for December, so this is there last challenge for this year.

I used a scrap of patterned paper for the main panel and popped up some fussy-cut poinsettias on top.  The poinsettia's were stamped in black and watercoloured with distress inks.  A sentiment finishes the card.

Close-up ...

Thanks for stopping by!

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Jessie watching The National Dog Show on TV! :)

Stamps:  Poinsettias (AliExpress); Christmas sentiments (Penny Black)
Paper:  White card base (Neenah 110 lb.); festive & frosty patterned paper (Penny Black)
Ink:  Black (Versafine); Distress Inks:  Festive Berry, Picked Raspberry (Tim Holtz); green zig pen
Accessories & Tools:  Rectangle die-cut with stitched edging (Lil' Inkers)

Challenges:
November's Rudolph Days

Happy Birthday Susan!

Hi everyone.  Today is my dear friend, Susan's birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUSAN!

The card above is done with Magicals and an AliExpress flower die.  I love how they turned out.  The shimmer from the Magicals is so pretty!!  I used a leftover piece for the birthday sentiment.

The background is a white embossing paste through a flourish stencil.  I only added it to the top 2/3's of the card.

Close-up ...

* * * * *

Jessie had surgery yesterday.

It's hard to see her like this.

She'll get lots of pampering over the next week.

Stamps:  Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Flourish stencil (Tim Holtz); White Embossing Paste (Dreamweaver), stencil pal, flower dies (AliExpress), Lindy's Magicals, water mister, white embossing powder, heat tool

Autumn Leaves x 2

Hi everyone.  I'm going to take a break until January, so I will be posting cards that I made throughout the year that I couldn't fit into my post schedule.

Sharing two cards I made a while ago using the same stamp set.  The one above is coloured with Prismacolor pencils.

Stamped the leaf image a few times in soft brown on kraft paper for my main panel.  Stamped another leaf on a scrap of kraft and used my pencils to colours the leaves.  Fussy-cut leaf (it was a bit challenging) and adhered on top.  Stamped the sentiment in same ink as background leaves to pull it all together.

The second card ...

Started by adding white embossing paste through a tiny dot stencil for the background.  Stamped two leaves in kraft ink and heat embossed in clear.  Fussy-cut both leaves and smooshed in distress inks.  Cut a small strip of cork and stamped the sentiment on top.  Popped up the cork over the embossed background and tucked the stems of the leaves in behind.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Leaves (AliExpress); Sentiment (unknown)
Paper:  White (Neenah 110 lb); Kraft (SU!)
Ink: Baked Brown Sugar (SU!)
Accessories & Tools: Prismacolour pencils, paper stump for blending

Playing with Gouache

Hi everyone.  A few months back I had a play day with Christine, Susan, and Trina.  Christine had purchased some gouache (pronounced gwash) paints and we had a play with them.  They are highly pigmented watercolour paints that can be used on any colour of card stock.  They can be used full strength (opaque) or be watered down (translucent).  Very versatile colouring medium.

Above is the first card I made with these paints.  The colours are opaque and look really nice with this wonderful image from Magenta.

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Below, I used the paints (with lots of water) to smoosh the background before stamping and painting the flower over top.  White gouache is especially good to have.  It's wonderful to have a white that will cover everything ... and also create wonderful splatters for Christmas cards. :)

I got a set of 24 colours and 12 metallics as an early Christmas present.  Hope to be sharing more cards with you soon.

Thanks for visiting!

Card #1 - Floral Collage
Stamps:  Floral Collage (Magenta); Sentiment (unknown)
Paper:  Mixed media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Black (Versafine); Gouache paints
Accessories & Tools:  paint brushes

Card #2 - Creative Chaos
Stamps:  Creative Chaos (Visible Image); Noteworthy (STAMPlorations)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb).
Ink:  Black (Versafine); Gouache paints
Accessories & Tools:  Water mister, paint brushes

Stencil Monoprint Ornament

Hi everyone.  Time for a reminder for the CAS Stencil November Challenge, hosted by Linda.  There's six days left before it closes.

This card uses a stencil monoprint from my stash.  It was made with a flourish stencil, using two shades of green distress inks.  I die-cut the snowflake ornament from both white card stock and from the piece of stencil monoprint.  I wanted to inlay the ornament with the design.  Before doing that, I sponged around the outside of the ornament to add more depth of colour.  It was then pieced (inlaid) into a white die-cut of a snowflake ornament.  Peace was stamped in matching ink before popping the snowflake die onto my card front.

It was easy to make, so I used the rest of the piece of monoprint and made two more. :)

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I hope you'll check out the challenge blog to see the new reminder cards from our GD and Designers.  Then come join us.  Only six days left before the challenge closes at midnight (PST) Nov. 24th.

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Had a fun day with my dear friends Fran and Deb.

We celebrated Fran's belated birthday and

spent some time making cards.

Jessie wanted to hang with us! ;)

Stamps:  festive snippets (Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Evergreen Bough, Pine Needles (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Lavinia Snowflake Ornament die (Poppy Stamps), Layered Flourish stencil (Tim Holtz), water mister, sponge


Challenges:
CAS Stencil November challenge - Stencil Monoprint

Warm and Cozy Lake Cabin

Hi everyone.  Today is the reminder for CAS Christmas November Challenge - Warm and Cozy, hosted by the super talented Trina.

I used an old stamp I've had for at least 15-20 years, but haven't inked up for almost that many years.  This is from Stampscapes and it's such a lovely image to watercolour.  I added snow to the ground, cabin, and on the trees, as well as falling from the sky.  It looks so cold!!  I thought being inside with the fire roaring would definitely be warm and cozy.  I added a small chimney to the cabin and some smoke rising, but it's hard to see. :)  I was so surprised to find a sentiment stamp that matched the challenge. :)

Close-up ...

I hope you'll check out the challenge blog to see the reminder cards from our wonderful Guest Designer, Bobby ... as well as the lovely cards from our Designers.  There's still a week left to play along before the challenge closes on Nov. 24th.

Hope to see you in the gallery!

Stamps: Lake Cabin (Stampscapes); Merriment (Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base and frame (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Arcival Grey Shadow (Ranger): Distress Inks:  Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, Salty Ocean, Tumbled Glass, Squeezed Lemonade, Pumice Stone, Frayed Burlap, Barn Door (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Paint Brushes, White acrylic paint, Rectangle die (AliExpress)

Challenges:
CAS Christmas November Challenge - Warm and Cozy

Monochromatic Sympathy

Hi everyone.  Today is the reminder card for CAS Watercolour November challenge - Monochromatic, hosted by the lovely Karen.

Today is all about gray.  I used a beautiful Penny Black flower stamp called together, inked it lightly with smoky slate ink, spritzed with a little water, and stamped onto mixed media paper.  I repeated the process, this time using a darker shade of gray (basic gray) to give some contrast.  The watercoloured panel was adhered to a light gray card base and framed with the same gray.  I thought this would be a beautiful sympathy card, adding my sentiment in versamark and heat embossing in white.

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It's been fun trying out monochromatic designs, something I have rarely done.  I hope you enjoy it too!

Check out the reminder post for more inspiration from our Designers and Guest Designer, Birgit.  There's still over a week to play along before the challenge closes.

Hope to see you in the gallery!

Stamps:  together (Penny Black);
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Smoky Slate card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Smoky slate, basic gray (SU!); Versamark
Accessories & Tools: water mister, Rectangle frame die (Spellbinders), white embossing powder heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour November Challenge - Monochromatic

Oxidized Metal

Hi everyone.  Today is a reminder for the CAS Mix Up November challenge - Oxidized Metal, which is hosted by the super talented Susan (Cats Inkcorporated).

There are a couple of video tutorials on the challenge blog if you want to give one of them a try.

I started with a piece of plum mirror paper.  I cut a small panel and dry embossed with small tiles embossing folder.  I randomly sprinkled with silver and gold embossing powders on top, leaving lots of spaces without any powder.  I heat embossed to melt the powders and then ran Staz-On black ink over top, which caught the tops of the dry embossing.  I die-cut my maple leaf and inlaid it into my card front.  Stamped a simple sentiment to finish.

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I love the artsy look of this technique.  Makes a perfect masculine card.  Hope you'll check out the challenge blog to see the reminder cards from our amazing Designers, and our wonderful Guest Designer, Arlene.

Stamps:  Brushed Wishes (Stampendous)
Paper:  Midnight Plum Mirror Card Gloss Effect (Tonic); white card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark; Black (Memento); Staz-on Black
Accessories & Tools:  Mini tile embossing folder (Cuttlebug), Silver embossing powder, Gold embossing powder, heat tool, Maple Leaf Thanks die (Neat & Tangled)

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up November Challenge - Oxidized Metal

Copper Birthday

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing the birthday card I made for my oldest son, Evan.  His birthday is coming up soon and I wanted to make something with heated copper, which he will appreciate.

I started by creating a stencil monoprint background with a mini tiles stencil, using Lindy's magicals.  The colours are very intense and also very sparkly.  I thought they would work really well with the copper.  I die-cut a fern leaf from a heated copper sheet and attached it to the card front.  A simple sentiment is heat embossed in copper to match.

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I was inspired by two of the CAS Challenges to make this card ...

CAS Mix Up

... and ...

CAS Stencil

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Stamps:  Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Lindy's Magicals (Bachelor Button Blue, Sassy Sapphire, Tiffanylou's Blue); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Mini Tile Texture stencil (TCW), water mister, copper sheet, mini blow torch, Pair of Ferns die (Cheery Lynn), copper embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up
CAS Stencil

Jessie's First Photo Shoot

Hi everyone.  Today's post is all about Jessie (no card), so feel free to close out if you're not interested.

Jessie (6 mos.) had her first official photo shoot with Alex (photographer extraordinaire!).  The photo above is Jessie sitting on my (back) deck chair ... making herself nice and comfortable. :)  Below is another shot of her sitting in the same chair.

We have a beautiful red maple tree in our front yard that has dropped all it's leaves this time of year.  It makes a perfect backdrop for the photo shoot.  Isn't Jessie pretty??!!

I'm so happy with the photos.  Amazing work Alex!!

Also a photo of Jessie and Violeta (my grand-doggie) ...

... and one of Violeta by herself.

I will also share a photo of Violeta and Tessa (my friend Susan's dog), under the maple tree in my front card, that Alex took back in 2016.  They were both puppies at the time.  You can see in the photo above, how Violeta has matured (and mellowed!).  Tessa looks exactly the same to me now as she did then.  And she didn't get much bigger either.  They are both such pretty girls!

All photos by Alejandro Garcia Photography, copyrighted.

CAS Stencil November Challenge

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of our last CAS Stencil challenge for the year.  The team will be taking a break for December.

This month is hosted by the very talented Linda (Life in the Craft Lane).  This is my favourite stenciling technique.  I hope you'll give it a try and play along with us!

I used a crackle stencil and just one colour of distress ink, Brushed Corduroy.  I swiped the ink across the back of the stencil and then placed the inked stencil on an acrylic block, just so it's lifted off the table and is easier to pick up when wet.  I spritzed with lots of water and then turned it over onto a piece of mixed media paper.  I used paper towel to blot continuously until no more ink was coming off.  This created a crisp and clean image.  I removed the stencil and then placed another paper towel on top, swiping across with my hand to pick up any access ink.

A second piece of mixed media was used to make the leaves.  I used Lindy's magicals to get intense colour and shimmer.  Once dry, it was die-cut with a leaf die from AliExpress.  I do love this die!

Cut down my stenciled background and added a stamped sentiment to match the leaves.  Popped the panel on top of my card base with a piece of foam, gluing the leaf in place.

Close-up ...

We are thrilled to have Lucie (Lucie G. Stamps) as our Guest Designer this month.  Please check out the challenge blog to see the beautiful Stencil Monoprint cards from Lucie and our wonderful Designers.  Come join us in the gallery with your CAS Stencil Monoprint card!

Stamps:  Essential Sentiments (Makers Movement)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Brushed Corduroy, Rusty Hinge (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Lindy's Magical Powders (Cowabunga Copper, Maple Crimson), Crackle Stencil (Prima), water mister, Leafy sprig die (AliExpress)

Challenges:
CAS Stencil November Challenge - Stencil Monoprint