Double stars ...

 No Christmas cards today ... today I thought I would take my inspiration from the new Twofer Card Challenge ... the theme for this month is to feature Stars ... now normally you have to create two cards for two different events but using the same resources ... so this is what I did.  I just wish that I had read the rules more carefully ... this month you can make two cards for one occasion - Christmas!!  The moral of the story is never assume you know - read the rules each and every time!

First up I went for a New Year card:

I used the current sketch from CASE(E) this Sketch! (details at the end of this post).  I started by masking the central panel before adding texture paste through a stencil, once dry I stamped a number of small outline stars to echo the design.  The numbers were die cut from a piece of card coloured using acrylic paints, stencils and a gelli plate.

The second card is a general card:

For this one I started with the current sketch at CAS Colours and Sketches (details at the end of this post).  I took the same stencil used in the first card but this time ink blended through it and the outlined the stars with a fine marker to lift them from the background.  The star is die cut from another piece of card created on a gelli plate.

The challenge details:

Twofer Card Challenge #33

CAS(E) this Sketch! #397

CAS Colours & Sketches #396

Stay Safe!

Congratulations ...

Wow, it's so long since I posted on my blog ... apologies to my regular followers.  I've been away visiting my parents in Lincolnshire and doing some jobs for them.  I've been back since Tuesday but my card making mojo has taken a holiday ... and I've been sidetracked refurbishing some furniture.  This morning I was determined to get back to my cards and enter a couple of challenges.

I watched a video recently with Jennifer McGuire colouring with bleach and remembered that it was a technique I used sometime ago with kraft card but had forgotten all about (I put it down to old age!).  So I thought I would have ago using distress inks ... this is the result:

I inked a piece of white card with spiced marmalade and festive berries distress inks.  Once the panel was dry I stamped the image with spiced marmalade and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I then coloured (or rather un-coloured!) the flowers with bleach - I adhered this panel flat to the card and then added two raised pieces of card to add some dimension, stamped the sentiment and that was it!

I'm going to enter the card into the following challenges:

"Less is More" the theme for this week's is "Congratulations"
CAS(E) this Sketch #136


I used:
Distress Inks - Spiced Marmalade, Festive Berries
Funstamps Clear Embossing Powder
Uniko Pure Florals: Chrysanthemum Stamp Set
Bleach

I'm always surprised when one of my cards wins a challenge but equally delighted to be chosen. This week I've had a card ShowCased at "Less is More" - thank you to the designers that chose my card and for all the wonderful comments that visitors have left for me.  This is the card:



Enjoy!

Window Box ...

I've been thinking about this card most of the week but only had the opportunity today to see if it would work.  I'm quite pleased with it as it looks like I imagined !

I used:
STAMPlorations Bloom Sketches
Distress Inks Peacock Feathers and Tumbled Glass

I'm going to enter the following challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
CAS(E) this sketch!


Addicted to Stamps - CAS

Enjoy!

Edit:  I am going to submit this to the ongoing challenge at STAMPlorations where anything goes as long as your entry includes a stamp from one of their collections.  Thanks for the heads up Shery

Border flowers ...

I spent a great amount of time last week moaning about colour challenges and yet I seem to be strangely attracted to them!  On reflection I think my problem was more to do with the colour pink than anything else.  So here is today's card based on two colour challenges and a sketch challenge.

The sentiment is heat embossed on velum.

I used the following
Distress Ink - Mustard Seed
Stampin Up Ink - Coastal Cabana and Lucky Limeade
Versamark Ink
Stampendous White Detail Embossing Powder
Simon Says Stamp -  Handwritten Borders
V&A Stamps sets based on Patchwork Quilts housed in the museum.

I will enter the following challenges:
"Less is More" - the colour of your bedroom (I've used the colours of my bed linen)
CAS Colours and Sketches - colour challenge, daffodil delight, tempting turquoise and wild wasabi
CAS(E) this Sketch


STAMPlorations June Challenge - stamps and borders

Enjoy!

Lime and Lemon ...

Today has turned out to be a beautiful day - we started with a torrential downpour which didn't look as if it was ever going to stop and now the sun is shining and the sky is blue.

My first card for the weekend is simple, clean and created with my go to stamp set - Uniko Studio's Pure Florals: Gerbera - the leaves are the feature this time!  I've taken the colours from a duvet cover - this week's challenge at "Less is More" is a colour challenge and you are to use the Colours in Your Bedroom.

I used the following:

Uniko Studios - Pure Florals: Gerbera Stamp Set

                         - Today, Tomorrow, Always, TIME

Derwent Inktense Pencils

Stampin Up Lucky Limeade Ink

I'm going to enter these challenges:

"Less is More" - colour challenge

CAS(E) this sketch

TIME OUT Challenges - Summer with the optional twist of flowers

Enjoy!

Rainbow Balloons ...

A quick post to show a simple balloon card.  This is another card using the inlaid die technique - I prefer this one to the Speech Bubbles it's more compact and joined up in layout.

The die cut balloons are painted with water colour paints

I used:

Clearly Besotted Stamp and Die Set - Make a Wish

Windsor and Newton Watercolour paints

I'm going to enter the following challenges

Addicted to Stamps and More - Make Your Mark!

CAS(E) this Sketch!

Enjoy!

Speech bubbles ...

It's amazing how much crafting you can do when you have a weeks holiday and the weather is awful - it has done nothing but rain today!

This is my second card and second post of the day.  I don't have a lot to say about this card except there are no flowers and no patchwork shapes! I am a little concerned that it might be too 'Clean and Simple'!

The speech bubbles have been die cut and inlaid

I used the following:

Simon Says Stamp - Be stamp set
Distress Inks - Salty Ocean, Evergreen Bough, Peacock Feathers
Stampin Up Ink - Bermuda Bay
XCut Decorative Dies - Speech Bubbles
Versafine - Black Onyx Ink

I'm entering the following challenges:

"Less is More" - with the theme Die Cut
CAS(E) this Sketch!


Enjoy!

Distressed Dots ...

I mentioned earlier that I have been trying out some new techniques (new to me!) and I even managed to complete a card using one of them.  The circles were made by inking a solid stamp with two shades of distress ink (one all over and the other just round the edge) then spritzing with water.  I think it creates an interesting effect although I do need to practise more.

I used:

Distress Inks - Spiced Marmalade, Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed, Festive Berries
Versafine - Onyx Black
Simon Says Stamp - Lots of Dots stamp set
Clearly Besotted - Dandelion Dreams
Random Flower stamps (no packaging so no idea where they are from!)

I am going to enter the following challenges:

CAS(E) this Sketch


Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes

Inkspirational - Bloom

Enjoy!

Thank you too! ...

Still avoiding homework!  A quick card, similar in style to the card I posted yesterday but it is cleaner and brighter and all one layer.

The tag is created by using a die to emboss the shape

I used

Stampin Up - Gorgeous Grunge
Distress Inks - Vintage Photo, Spiced Marmalade, Tea Dye

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

"Less is More" - one layer thank you card.

CAS(E) this Sketch!



Enjoy!