Sunday, May 03, 2020

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

29 comments:

nancy littrell said...

I love how you stamped and heat embossed your sweet Winter bird and berries image over your tan MM paper and then used the bleaching technique to remove the tan color so you could watercolor the image. I really want to use the technique again after being inspired by your beautiful card. BTW, I thought the faux snow bleaching looked Great! Adding your bleach splatters, Sheer Shimmer and Crystal Glaze were wonderful mixed media additions too. TFS and hosting your sweet Winter Berries Christmas Challenge, my friend. Love and Hugs..Nancy

Linda said...

Loll, your sweet bird and winter berries are perfect together. I like the bleaching above the branches and think you achieved it looking like snow. Great challenge and hugs to you...Lin

Barb Ghig said...

Your watercoloring on the bird and berries is absolutely stunning, Loll! Great idea to use the bleaching technique on the images, too...I love how you added snow to the branches and shine to the berries! Another really beautiful Christmas card! xx

Christine Alexander said...

Beautiful Loll, I love that stamp and your watercolouring is amazing. The bleaching on tan and then watercolouring is so pretty :)

Bonnie said...

Your bird looks so sweet on the tan paper, Loll! Wonderful job of bleaching and adding watercolor! A beautiful, snowy scene, my friend!

Papercraft Boutique said...

Ok, Loll, you convinced me that I must get tan MM paper. :-)
Love how you colored the image, especially the fluffy bird!
The snow on the branches and falling snow look so realistic. Fabulous Christmas card, my friend!
Hideko xx

Pat said...

I just adore those sweet birds Loll and the tan coloured card suits the image perfectly, also your watercolouring is gorgeous, and the gloss on the berries makes thems really stand out. Super snowy spattering on the background too. x

Trina P. said...

Aaahhh you bleached! Before reading your post, I thought you did some pencil colouring and possibly heat embossing with white embossing powder. Brilliant! The bleaching above the branches does look like snow. Sweet card.

Colleen said...

this is just so stunning! I have only tried bleaching after blending on color, which I did last year at the craft retreat! Now I will have to try this with kraft or a darker paper and see how it turns out...your bird is delightful and a cutie!

kiwimeskreations said...

Loll this is stunning - loving your image and how you bleached and then coloured. Your snow made me do a shiver. :) Not quite that cold here, but the temperature here is due to drop tomorrow night, low enough for a good frost!
Stay safe
Blessings
Maxine

Anita in France said...

So soft and pretty, Loll ... the bleaching against the gentle tan paper worked so well ... your snowy, chilly scene is just gorgeous! Hugs, Anita :)

I Card Everyone said...

Your challenge really couldn't be more timely, Loll! The berries get sweeter over Winter, and often are only eaten by the birds in Spring! This tweet little guy looks very much like a Warbler that visited yesterday... a Butter Butt! That's a real thing, I promise!
Just fantastic, and a Christmas card I would love to receive!
=]

Brenda in IN said...

I just want to gently pet that sweet little bird. He is so adorable perched on the berry branch with snow softly falling. Just gorgeous.

Karen Dunbrook said...

I just love this!!! I always forget about the bleaching, need to try it again.
xx Karen

Darnell said...

You brought this image to life, Lolly!! I had to go put on a sweater, that's how awesome that snow is! I always marvel at how hardy wee birdies are! Love, Dolly

marilyn said...

The card is lovely...BUT why is Christmas a year 'round event? I just find it makes a beautiful holiday that much more commercial when it's in your face ALL the time.
Sorry for the negativity, but this is a major pet peeve of mine. Can't we just Celebrate the current season?

Marcia Hill said...

I love this image you used Loll and how perfect to use the bleaching technique on it! Lovely, lovely card!! :0)

Loll said...

I'd like to reply to Marilyn's comment above. You are entitled to have your opinion about when you make Christmas cards, but not when other's make their cards.
If it is your major peeve that Christmas card making is throughout the year, why visit our Christmas challenge blog. Many of us cardmakers make several Christmas cards to send out at Christmas time. By creating them throughout the year, it makes it less stressful then trying to rush and make them all late in the year. I personally make 60 cards to send to family and friends, plus another 40 to donate to charity, so making them throughout the year makes sense.

Nstiz said...

What a fabulous job you did on this little bird and I love the way you added the snow to the branch. I just love this little guy and will be well on my way to shopping again since soft, fuzzy birds are something I just really enjoy doing. Thanks for the inspiration!

Leslie Miller said...

That's the cutest little bird, all fluffy and sweet! Love how you colored, and I think the bleached areas for snow worked out great!

Susan said...

One of my favourite bird images too! Love the way you bleached and then coloured it! And your bleached snow on the branches turned out really well. Great use of the tan mixed media paper! It gives the card something of an old-fashioned look - very appealing.

TK said...

Fluffy little winter birds are my fave, and this card is adorable!

BożenA said...

The snow on the twig works perfectly, Loll. It looks stunning, like a delicate snow quilt. It's amazing how you can create snow :-) Very revealing, thank you :-)
BożenA xoxo

Bobby said...

Who can pay attention to the winter berries when you have such a cute bird on your card, Loll. I love that image.

Julia Aston said...

I just love your puffy little bird sitting on the branch while light snow is falling Loll. The red berries are so pretty hanging down from the weight of the snow building up on the branch! xx

Ros Crawford said...

I love this stamp and I adore how you coloured it... Beautiful card!

Linda W. (ScrappinBari) said...

Such a sweet birdie image, Loll, and I love how you colored it!! Thanks for the fun challenge!!

Sandy said...

Your card is so sweet - I love the little birds in the winter with their feathers all fluffed up. I am afraid we do not get too much feather "fluffing" here in Florida!
Sandy xx

Mac Mable said...

The bleaching sure did work Loll and what a super cute and adorable card x.