Emboss Twice

Every month I intend to enter the let's squash It challenge and every month I fail. They are now on challenge 13 and I think I have only entered once. That's not a very good record, but today I do have an entry. I hope you like it.

I embossed a white card panel for a different card, you will have to wait a bit to see that, but I managed to get a smudge of ink on it so it was useless for that card. That was my opportunity to transform the panel by heat embossing the raised leaves and ink blending the background. I really enjoyed doing it as it transformed the panel and I love the look.

The skeleton leaf die cut was also heat embossed with a sparkly embossing powder. I did several coats to get a good coverage. The sentiment was also stamped and heat embossed on a white die cut that I had inked in the same way. I matted the embossed panel on some matching glitter paper for an extra bit of sparkle, unfortunately the pictures don't really do it justice.

I am going on a train trip to London tomorrow, my first for a very long time. I am feeling quite excited, but I hope the train isn't too busy. Funny how such small things can be so exciting these days!

Supplies:

Cardstock: Plain white card

Ink: Distress ink, tea dye and crushed olive

Other: Wow embossing powder, metallic gold rich, hot gossip

Stamps: Free from magazine

Dies: Free from magazine

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it. 

Bookmarks

Today I have a quick post as I want to join Mia for her Craftlandia Challenge 8 before it closes. I was shocked and saddened to read that her friend, who helped run the challenge died in the summer, so I wanted to keep supporting it, as it would have been easy for Mia just to let it go. I am so glad to see that she now has some new helpers, so I hope the challenge goes from strength to strength. The theme this time is books, so I thought I would share a set of bookmarks that I painted for Christmas presents last year and never shared.

I really enjoyed making these and was pleasantly surprised by my results. I made them by following a tutorial on Skillshare by the amazing Sharone Stevens. Her classes are so easy to follow, she never rushes and always sounds calm and encouraging. I enjoyed doing the backgrounds best, I found the drawing quite a challenge.

I finished them off by die cutting the hole and adding some embroidery thread. I hope you like them.

Supplies:

cardstock: Water colour paper

Ink: Gansai Tambi watercolours

Other: DMC Embroidery floss

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it. 

WLCB October Challenge

Today is the first Sunday of August so time for a new challenge over at we love Chocolate Baroque where the theme is

** Anything Autumn Goes**

Autumn colours are my sort of colours so I enjoyed making this one. I started by taking 2 distress oxide colours and swiping the pad directly onto my panel. Once I was happy I spritzed it lightly to add a little extra interest. Then I stamped the image in Catherine Pooler icing on the cake and clear heat embossed. I took 3 different coloured pens and coloured the flowers on the trees. In retrospect, I wish I had just used one colour, but never mind.

The sentiment is also stamped in icing on the cake and heat embossed. I like how it sits nicely under the trees. After I cut the panel to size I inked the edges slightly and also inked the edges of 2 pieces of white card to use as mats, one in icing on the cake and the other in twisted citron (the same as used on the background).

It was quite dark when I took the pictures so I used my light box, which didn't really do justice to the colours, but anyway, I was pleased with how this one turned out. I found a sheet of dark brown heavy weight card in my stash that matched perfectly so I used it for the base. I hope you like it too.

I do hope I have inspired you to take part in our challenge this month. don't forget there is a prize £15 store voucher and a goody bag to be one in addition to the chance to be a featured designer if you use a Chocolate Baroque stamp.

I am looking forward to seeing you in the gallery.

Chocolate Baroque is a small independent art and craft company, based in the historic market town of Barnard Castle in County Durham in the North-East of England and is owned and run by Lesley and David Wharton. 

Supplies:

Cardstock: Bristol Board; stamping card; dark brown heavy weight card base

Ink: Distress Oxide, twisted citron & spiced marmalade; Catherine Pooler, icing on the cake

Stamps: Chocolate Baroque Fantasy Woodland & Amazing Mackintosh Words

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it. 

September CCC Reveal

Today is reveal day over at The Card Chain Challenge where 21 people exchanged cards in September. My card went to the lovely Jo in the UK this month. I decided to try and sign up behind someone in the UK this time as I didn't think I would get a card made early enough to send abroad. It can takes weeks sometimes for them to reach their destination.

It is also world card making day, so I hope I get to spend my afternoon doing just that. I hope you do too.

Happy World Cardmaking Day

Here is my card:

I have used the sketch option, sort of!

Have a look at this card, can you see where I got all the little pieces from that I have used to create the patterns? I had all those little pieces on my desk and decided I had to find a use for them, so I die cut 3 white squares and started arranging the little pieces. After some time, I was happy with the result and glued them all down and mounted them on a die cut panel.

I have to say that I was quite pleased with myself at the end of it. It is always nice to use up leftovers.

I received this lovely card from my friend Gundi in Germany. Isn't it fabulous?

You still have a few days if you would like to sign up for the October challenge.

I am also sharing this at:

Pixies Snippets Playground #413 - I am so pleased with my snippet use on this one!

Supplies:

Cardstock: White stamping card; Adorable scorable coated card; Adorable scorable mattastic card

Dies: Create a Smile A6 stitched rectangle; Left over pieces from Concord & 9th plaid card front thick and thin; Sentiment, creative Expressions

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it. 

October CAS Mix Up

Today is 1st of the month so time for a new challenge over at CAS Mix Up. This month we are using mixed media  and Bonnie is our host. She wants us to use botanical prints on our cards. If you visit the blog you will find ideas from the DT and some links to videos that demonstrate the technique. It is a really great technique very easy and very satisfying. Our wonderful guest designer this month is Izzy, I hope you pay her a visit to see what she has come up with for this challenge.

I started by walking round the garden and choosing some leaves. Then I followed Heather Telford's process. She explains and demonstrates it so clearly, that I just had to try it. I actually first tried it last year and found it straightforward to do. You can see the results from my first go at the end of this post.

After using acrylic paint and a gel plate to create my prints I die cut this one with a fancy frame die, this was then mounted on a panel that I had stamped with a background dots stamp. I cut it to size and used an oval die to create the curved edge. The sentiment was stamped in matching ink. both the sentiment and panel are mounted on green craft foam and I finished it off with 3 little sequins. I am definitely getting braver at adding embellishments. Not too many of course, this is a CAS challenge after all.

You have until 24th to join us and don't forget to visit the blog to get more inspiration and some links to technique videos to help.

I am looking forward to seeing you in the gallery.

I am also sharing this at:

Cardz 4 galz #156 - Autumn/Fall Leaves

Double D Challenge - Leaves

Here are the cards I made last year and have never shared before:

These became a set of notecards.

You just have to try this technique you won't regret it.

Supplies:

Cardstock: White stamping card; Adorable Scorable Mattastic card

Ink: Acrylic paint; Catherine Pooler (can't remember which colour)

Stamps: MFT, radiating halftone background; Sentiment, Uniko

Dies: Sizzix Thinlits 664414

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it.