A quick CASE ...

A quick post this evening continuing my series of CASEing other designers.  Tonight's contribution is based on a card by Deepti over on the STAMPlorations blog - I love everything about her card, the watercolouring, the limited colour palette, just everything!

This is my take on Deepti's design:

I used

STAMPlorations Bloom Sketches Stamp Set
Versafine Onyx Black Ink
Distress Ink Picked Raspberry

Here is Deepti's card:


I'm going to enter the never ending challenge at STAMPlorations

Enjoy!.

A CASE too far ...

... this is the fourth card in three days that I have CASEd another designer, not something I've been very comfortable with but like many things once I've tried it I just keep having another go!  I'm also delighted that this is the third day this week that I've been inspired to create ... maybe my mojo has returned!

Today's card is inspired by Vicki Dutcher's inspirational project for the STAMPloration blog and the invitation to all to CASE their designers.  Vicki creates beautiful cards, I love her style and stunning use of colour along with lots of imagination - pop along to her blog and have a look.  I decided to take all of the elements of her card (see the photograph at the end of this post) and see if I could create a one layer card with a similar look but different colour palette.  This is how my attempt turned out:

I used:

STAMPlorations Trendy Butterflies Stamp Set
Distress Inks - Salty Ocean, Peacock Feathers and Tumbled Glass
Versafine Onyx Black ink

This is Vicki's card:


Enjoy!

Better on a Monday, take 2 ...

... one day, two cards ... today just keeps getting better!

Once again I am inspired by Chrissie's card for this week's "Less is More" challenge - I'm happier with this effort than the one I posted on Sunday!  I managed to find a stamp with an inspiring quote sop thought I would give it a go.

I used:

Stampin Up - Faith in Nature stamp set
Uniko Studio - English Country Garden: Butterflies stamp set
Versafine Onyx Black INk
Distress Inks - Ripe Persimmon, Mustard Seeds, Spiced Marmalade
Stampin Up - Baked Brown Sugar.

I'm also going to enter Addidcted to Stamps and More Challenge #136 where Anything Goes.

Enjoy!

Edit:  Popped along this evening to enter the new challenge at UNIKO Studio where Anything Goes.

Better on a Monday ...

I had a real Monday morning feeling today and didn't want to get up let alone go to work but needless to say I did both!

I have managed to create another card for the "Less is More" challenge - today I've chosen to CASE Anne's card.

This is Anne's card:



I used:

PaperArtsy Eclectica ELB17 by Lin Brown
Distress Inks - Ripe Persimmon, Scattered Straw, Salty Ocean and Pine Needles.

This is a new stamp set and a bit of a change in style for me.  As it is new and I've never used it before I'm going to enter my blog friend Darnell's NBUS Challenge 4 - if you've never visited Darnell's blog you really should.  Her posts are full of fun and her cards are wonderful, she has a kind heart and generous spirit.



Enjoy!

Hectic Sunday ...

I wish weekends were longer!  I seem to run out of time to do all the things I would like to do ... it seems with a blink of an eye I fly from Friday evening to Sunday without really drawing breath!!  I always start the weekend with long list of things I would like to do interspersed with stuff that I have to do!  I only wish that I could do more of the things I choose to do rather than the things that need doing!  Less of the waffle and onto the positives!

To start the day I was up and creating very early!  I woke with an idea of a card for this week's "Less is More" challenge.  This week we're asked to CASE one of the Design Team cards - I find CASEing designs a difficult task as I'm always concerned that all I will do is the copy bit and not add my twist.  I had a couple ideas for the challenge but only time to make one card today and this is it!

I was inspired by Chrissie's card:



The similarity is limited really but the image and colour inspired me to create a simple card. I wanted to include some words but didn't have a small enough stamp - so thought I would just go with the image alone and lots and lots of white space.  I think it lacks quite alot so I will be finding time tomorrow to create another card more worthy of being linked to Chrissie's beautiful card.

I used:

STAMplorations Blossom Overture Stamp set
Distress Inks - Festive Berries and Crushed Olive

I ran out of time to have another try today as I spent the rest of the day at a workshop  at The Stamp Attic trying some new techniques (new to me) creating a "piece of art" under the guidance of Lin Brown using stamps designed by Lin and other products from PaperArtsy. It was brilliant!!  Great fun, very messy with a group of lovely ladies and an excellent teacher. I'll be getting the paints out again and having another go.  This is what I created (not my usual CAS style),  it's not quite finished but I'm reasonably happy with it.

Enjoy!

Simply Stamping ...

I can't remember when I've been so pleased to reach the weekend ... and here we are!! 

The title of this post says all there is to say about this card - simply stamping.  It's a while since I put together  card just using a few stamps and ink, it is a lot quicker than some of the techniques I've been trying recently!  It is inspired by this week's challenge at "Less is More"  - it is One Layer Week and you have to include an animal! 

I used:

Clearly Besotted Make a Wish stamp set
Get Stamping Magazine Cherry Blossom stamp set
Distress Inks - Festive Berries, Ripe Persimmon
Memento Ink - Dandelion
Ranger Archival Ink - Jet Black.

The highlight of the week has to be winning the challenge at Uniko Studio I'm so excited that one of my cards was selected as a winner - if you would like to see the card check it out here.

Thanks for dropping by!

Enjoy!

Delicate Daffodil ...

Today's post will not win any literary awards as I don't have a great deal to say about anything - it has been a fairly normal start to the working week!

This is my second entry into the challenge at "Less is More" - Yellow and Green.

The sentiment is stamped with Mossy Green ink not Black!

I used:

STAMPlorations - Boxed Blooms

Stampin Up Moss Green Ink

Clearly Besotted Many Messages

Windsor and Newton Watercolours

As I've used a STAMPlorations stamp I will also enter there on-going Anything Goes Challenge.

Enjoy!

Subtle colours ...

My last two posts involved vibrant "in your face" colours but not today ... subtlety is the name of the game this morning courtesy of this week's challenge over at "Less is More".  It's a colour challenge - Yellow and Green. This is my first attempt.

The leaves really are green - I'm not sure what happened to the photograph!  The flowers have been coloured using Faber Castell pencils.

I used:
Uniko Studio Beautiful Blooms II
Faber Castell Pencil colours
Distress Ink - Peeled Paint
Memento Dye Ink - Dandelion.

Enjoy!

Okey Bokeh ...

First I must say a very, very big thank you for all the wonderful comments that have been left on my "Happiness is ..." I am absolutely gobsmacked by the kindness of crafters, not only did you pop over to have a look but you all left such stunning comments, Thank you.

I must apologise for the title of this post!!  I'm not completely sure as to how to pronounce the term "Bokeh" but with my Lincolnshire accent (sort of!) I think of the "Hokey Kokey" every time I see it!  Anyway, less of the drivel onto the reason for this post.

This card is my attempt at the Bokeh look,  I think I probably should have used more white but had reached the point where I thought I might spoil it so thought I would post it as is and see what happens.

I sponged a piece of card with Ripe Persimmon and Picked Raspberry distress inks and then stamped over with round stamps (from Simon Says Stamp) and VersaColor white pigment ink.  I die cut 'Happy' out of the card and also 4 or 5 times in black card, layered the word altogether and fitted it back into the panel.  Stamped birthday and then stuck it onto the card at a jaunty angle with a narrow black border!  That was me happy and done.

I'm entering the following challenges:

"Less is More" Week 213 What Makes Me Happy
Addicted to Stamps and More #134 Clean and Simple

Enjoy!

Edit:  I've popped back to add that, following Loll's suggestion, I will enter the March CAS challenge at Happy Little Stampers Forum - providing I can work out how to upload a photograph!

Something different ...

This post is all about something different from my usual card making.  For sometime I have been participating in a Printing Evening class at the Cornerstone Arts Centre in Didcot.  The course is run by Liam Biswell a fine artist printmaker.  We have covered so many different types of printmaking - from monoprinting to lino cut, from drypoint etching to screen printing, from wood engraving to photopolymer plate etching.  The course is relaxed, fun and informative. I am enjoying all of the techniques but my favourite, by far, is drypoint etching.

I thought I would share with you some of my prints.

Damsel Flies

Robin

Dahlia

All I need now is a printing press!!

Enjoy!

Happiness is ...

This week seems to have passed by so very quickly and as for February - where did that month disappear to??  The year seems to be speeding by but at least it means that Spring is on the way - lots of sunshine today but it is very windy.

I started my weekend by creating a card for this week's challenge at "Less is More"  where the theme is 'This makes me happy'.  There are many things that make me happy - my family, my friends, sunshine and lots more.  However there is one other thing that makes me happy and that is having the time to craft, time to try out new techniques or revisit old ones. So this card combines my love of getting messy with inks, one of my favourite stamp sets (Uniko Studio - Gerbera) and for once mastering the 'ironing-off' embossing technique.  You can't help but be happy using these vibrant colours!

My original plan was to create a card using the Bokeh effect which seems to be 'on trend' but the image I chose was too large (and my dream was greater than my skill level).  So this is what happened:

I stamped the first gerbera and heat embossed using clear embossing powder and then coloured the whole of the panel with Dried Marigold distress ink.  Once the first layer was dry I stamped and heat embossed two more gerbera and then covered the panel with Spiced Marmalade distress ink.  When this layer was dry I stamped and heat embossed two further gerbera and then covered the panel with Ripe Persimmon distress ink.  When all was dry out I ironed off the embossing between pages of a telephone directory.  This is how the panel looked:

All I needed to do then was to decide how to use the panel - I can't tell you how long it took me to decide what to do with it!!  I think I'm happy with how it turned out!

I'm going to enter it in to the following challenges:

"Less is More" Week 213, This makes me happy

Uniko Studio Challenge 18 - Birthdays

Virginias View Challenge  #13 - All things embossed

Enjoy!