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!

Happy Hexies ...

I think I'll describe this card as "a happy accident" because it is nothing like what I set out to create but it seems to work.  

I started by trying to use a technique that I learnt about on the online Watercolor course (onlinecardcourses.com) which involved embossing a background stamp and then using watercolours to selectively colour small sections.  I got off to a good start - stamping with versamark and then heat embossing with white embossing powder.  I selected three blues and a turquoise paint and started to fill in the hexagons.  All was going well until I dropped the brush and splattered the whole piece and then in a childish tantrum I painted over the piece with more water and left it to the side!!   The happy surprise for me was finding it the next day - having dried out it has proved to be quite a pretty background.

The sentiment is white embossed on vellum

I used

IndigoBlu Honeycomb Background stamp
Versamark
Uniko Studio - sentiment from Pure Florals: Gerbera
Windsor and Newton Watercolours

The card is based on the sketch at STAMPlorations


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!

Patchwork Poppies ...

Sunday sunshine, after a very wet start to the weekend we have been lucky today as the sky is blue and the sun is shining!  I've managed to cut the grass and make a small start on the gardening - still a long way to go!

I found time to create one card for a number of challenges and I've been trying out some new techniques as well (not perfected enough for a card!).  Today's card has been inspired by quilting and poppies also my new love for water colour painting.  I stamped and embossed the image with white embossing powder before painting with water colours and die cutting into small pieces. 

I die cut the sentiment three times to add a bit of weight

I used the following:

Clearly Besotted - Geometric Style Die Collection and Hello Word Die
Habico - Flowers 05 stamp set
Windsor and Newton Water Colours

I'm going to enter the following challenges:

"Less is More" - Recipe week to use a Die Cut
Inkspirational - Word prompt Bloom
CASology - Flower

Enjoy!

Floral Hexagons ...

It's the weekend!! It's also the start of the half term holiday - a week off work for me.  An opportunity for me to craft when I want and for as long as I want, in between catching up with housework!

This is the third card I've made this week using hexagons in one form or another.

The hexagons have been die cut into the top layer

The stamped images are on the card base

I used the following:

JoFY Stamp - JM34
Clearly Besotted sentiment
Derwent Inktense Pencils
Hexagon die

I'm going to enter these challenges:

CASology - Flowers

CAS - Colour and Sketches


Enjoy!

Gerbera, again! ...

My love of my Gerbera stamp continues and forms the main focus of tonight's card.  I water coloured this one sometime ago and couldn't decide what to do with it that was different.  Last night I was playing with hexagon stamps and an idea began to form and this is the result:

I used the following:

Uniko Studio - Pure Florals, Gerbera

Windsor and Newton Water colours

Clearly Besotted Stamps -Pretty Petals Plus

Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations Die - Honeycomb

I'm entering the following challenges:

STAMPlorations - May Challenge Stamps and Flowers

"Less is More" - Flowers

Addicted to Stamps - Anything Goes

Enjoy!