CAS Mix Up February Challenge

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 Susan is our host. She wants us to use faux Cloisonne.

I had to look that up as I had no idea what it was so here is a definition:

cloisonné - work in which enamel, glass, or gemstones are separated by strips of flattened wire placed edgeways on a metal backing.

Susan has kindly provided some tutorials on how to get this look using pictures from a magazine and it is actually really simple to do.

I used a photo from a magazine to stamp and heat emboss my flower and cut it out with the matching die. I did find that using a magazine with thicker pages made this easier but as this page was very thin I backed it with some scrap card cut using the matching die, 2 layers I think. I recently bought the stitched stripe die (fell for the Jan sales!) so couldn't resist using it to provide just enough background interest to my corner panel. The card was run through the machine twice after rotating the die to get the diamond/square effect. I mounted my corner piece onto some pink craft foam and embellished it with some twine. The sentiment is stamped and clear heat embossed on a scrap from the embossed panel.

Such a simple and effective technique. I hope you will give it a try and join us.

I have used stamping, heat embossing and die cutting on this card.

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.

As I have used the stitch stripe card front die for the first time on this card I am adding it to the NBUS #35 gallery.

Supplies:

Cardstock: Gina K heavy baseweight ivory card

Ink: Versamark; Catherine Pooler

Stamps: Tonic Studios heartfelt coursage

Dies: Tonic Studios matching die; Concord & 9th stitched stripe card front die

Other: craft foam; hemp twine; clear embossing powder

NBUS #34

Happy Saturday

Last week I posted some cards using my new supplies received at Christmas and the wonderful Darnell pointed out that I didn't share them on her NBUS #34 January challenge. I didn't really have an answer except that I often get in a muddle finding and linking to challenges, but that is no excuse, so here I am today to add one of my humble creations to the gallery before it closes.

I have a soft spot for turnabout stamps and my collection is growing. I can't really explain it because they can be very frustrating to use, but I do love the look you can create with them. This is my newest and is the Wreath turnabout by Concord & 9th. This set actually has 2 different turnabouts included. I have used them both but you will have to wait to see the second one.

I surprised myself with this card as it is quite busy, but I am pleased with it. I like the bold colours and the purple and white contrast. I hope you like it too. The white panel has been embossed with a Spellbinders texture plate called diamond opulence.

The white diecuts are the coordinating dies for the Harvest Wreath turnabout stamp set, but they coordinate well with this set too. 

Before I sign off today I just thought I would share this card that I made with a wonderful Woodware butterfly stamp following this post. I said I would have a go at highlighting the flowers on the butterflies wings by using watercolour pens direct to stamp. At my second attempt, I gave up with the pens and used a couple of CP ink pads, I made this card:

It worked up to a point but it still looked a bit flat so I clear heat embossed the image before blending the background and practiced my splatter technique - still not brilliant, but I think they work.

Editing this post in order to share this card at Dutch Card Lovers #355 where they are asking us to use a resist technique. Thanks to GerJanne for pointing it out to me and for assuring me that it is not too late to link up. I think this will be my first entry at this challenge. I hope there will be many more.

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

Monotone Flowers

This week I decided that it was time to make a monotone card as some of my favourite cards have been monotone and I have seen some lovely examples recently. I decided I wanted to stamp rather than colour so got out my favourite Dahlia turnabout stamp and my Catherine Pooler inks. I also needed a 70th birthday card and for some reason chose pink as my colour. Not really sure what prompted that as it is not my usual choice, but it is nice to go off piste sometimes.

Anyone who uses turnabout stamps knows they can be a real pain to get lined up properly, so I was pleased when I succeeded this time. I was so pleased that I made several cards while the stamp was in position. It is not perfectly aligned but it is as close as I have ever got it.

I decided to add a bit of extra interest to the stamping by clear heat embossing one of the turns. This proved a little problematic as the embossing powder stuck everywhere especially the other ink colours even though I ran my antistatic bag over it. Anyway, it wasn't a complete disaster in the end and I like the added shine.

For the die cuts I took some of the same base card and diecut the numbers and sentiment stacking them twice, then I clear heat embossed them in several layers to get a good shine. I finished the panel off by using a frame die and adding a few pink sequins.

I am quite pleased with the finished card, the colour shows up best in the first picture and the embossing on the others.

I am sharing this at:

The Flower Challenge #64 - Monochrome

The Die Cut Divas Jan Challenge - Flowers

Creations in Pink - Anything goes in mainly pink

I have also enjoyed using kraft card recently so I made this one on kraft:

I used a mix of inks to get my shades of brown and for the 4th turn I just used versamark and heat embossed. The lighter colour is pearlescent so there is a nice shine from that and the clear embossing.

I am sharing this one at:

Just Add Ink #587 - Just add two. I have added circle and fancy edge

Supplies:

Card 1

Cardstock: Hunky Dory mattastic card

Ink: Catherine pooler, be mine, it's a girl, party dress, pink champagnes

Stamps: Concord & 9th Dahlia turnabout stamp

Dies: Lisa Horton, lazy daisy panel (frame only); Concord & 9th sentiment; Docrafts, numbers

card 2

Cardstock: Limetree Craft, kraft card

Ink: Catherine Pooler, icing on the cake; Versafine, toffee; Brilliance, pearlescent beige; Versamark

Dies; Sentiment, Gemini by Crafters Companion.

Other stamps and dies as above

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

Two cards to Share

Hello, today I have two cards to share. Both are made from new goodies received as presents from others and me (I didn't resit the sales)!

Card 1

I couldn't resist ordering this string panel, I thought it would be so versatile. I used it for my daughters birthday card (haven't shared that yet) and I had some silver pieces left over so had a head start on the color hues challenge which asked for silver and white.

This is really simple just die cuts and no stamping. I inlaid the silver pieces and stacked the flower pieces and sentiment and glued them down. Only trouble was taking the photo and trying to keep the silver mirror card clean!

As usual the photos don't really do it justice, but I have avoided too many reflections, it just looks black instead!

I am sharing this at:

Color Hues #33 - silver and white

Card 2

I got the spellbinders hemstitched rectangles for Christmas and very quickly made several thank you cards with them. This is one of them, I thought the hemstitch adds just enough interest to the tiny rectangle that it would make a good backdrop for a few flowers, which were cut and coloured with alcohol markers before being arranged on the panel.

The sentiment was stamped and heat embossed. The colour of the base card is a pale green as shown on the first picture. The colour is rather washed out on the other pictures, I am afraid.

I am sharing this at:

Perfect CAS #23 - Flowers

Snippets Playground #419 - my snippets are the die cuts

Supplies:

Card 1:

Cardstock: Nina solar white 80 & 110lb; Xcut adhesive metal effect sheets, silver

Dies: Altenew string panel and essential sentiment strips; Creative Expressions, flower

Card 2:

Cardstock: Hunky Dory mattastic card; scraps used for diecut flowers

Stamps: Uniko

Dies: Sizzix thinlets 664380; Spellbinders hemstitched rectangles

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

WLS January Reminder

Today is the 18th so time for a reminder for the current challenge over at We Love Stamping. The challenge where you can showcase your stamps and your skill at using them.

This month our theme is:

**Anything Stamping Goes with the option of Wings **

This amazing butterfly by Woodware was stamped and heat embossed in chocolate caramel pearl Wow embossing powder, so it has a lovely shine to it which the photos don't really pick up. I do love this stamp but find it a real challenge to use, as it is quite detailed and it is easy to loose that detail especially if you heat emboss it. It also seems like the sort of stamp that should be heat embossed! Anyway my impression wasn't too bad so I went ahead with it and then used brusho powder paints for the background.

You can see on the photo above that the impression on the card insert was good, but the one on the envelope didn't work so well. I am thinking now that I might try using watercolour markers to ink the stamp to get some colour and highlight the flowers on the wings. If it works I will share it.

I decided not to mess with it too much so just used a frame die to cut it to size and added a few crystal embellishments. 

Don't forget there is always a prize to be won. This month the prize is a stamp set by ALL & CREATE which has been kindly donated by Stampers Grove. Why don't you head over to the challenge blog to check it out along with much more inspiration from the rest of the design team? There is also a chance to join us as a guest designer.

I hope I have inspired you to join us this month, all you have to do is follow the prompt and ensure stamping is the main focus on your card.  The challenge will close on the 3rd February at noon.

I am looking forward to seeing you in the gallery.

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