Rainbow dragonflies ...

Well, no rainbows just rainbow colours!  My final card for today:

I used:
Distress Inks - Candied Apple, Carved Pumpkin and Mustard Seed
Free gift dragonfly stamp and die set.
Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers
WOW White embossing powder
STAMPlorations  Mixed Media Grunge stamp set.
Black cotton thread

I am entering the following challenges:

The Mixed Media Card Challenge


STAMPlorations August Theme and Sketch


AAA Cards #70


Enjoy!

Dragonfly ...

We are officially half way through 2016 ... where has the last six months gone!  The summer is here and now all we need in the UK is the weather to go with it!!

I've had a free day today so I spent the day crafting!  I've been able to make a number of cards.  This is the first I have to share:

Dragonfly stamp by Sheena Douglas

I heat embossed the dragonfly twice onto vellum and then coloured them both from the back with Zig real brush markers I adhered them together down the body.   I used the stencil with some paste to add texture to the background before adhering the dragonfly on top of some silver thread to add more interest.  A simple sentiment and the card was done.

I used:

Sheena Douglas Stamp Set - Dragonfly Dance

Versamark

WOW Platinum Embossing Powder

Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers

Golden Modeling Paste

ARTplorations Tribal Weave Stencil

I'm entering the following challenges:

Mixed Media Card Challenge #25

Hopefully the heat embossing and silver thread gives enough sparkle!!


CAS Mix Up Card Challenge
I've stamped, embossed, coloured with markers and used molding paste and thread to add texture

Addicted to CAS #91

Enjoy!

Sunshine ...

Good evening!!  Passing through to share a card ... it doesn't look exactly as I had imagined it would but that's not that unusual!!

The card is based around a mono-print created using acrylic paints, some homemade stencils and a gelli printing plate.  I love messing around with paints and stencils.  My idea was to create a tag to reflect the sunshine, to add some stripes to reflect the rainbow and some droplets of rain ... as you can see that is exactly what I did I'm just not sure that it has gone together very well.

I like all of the parts I'm just not sure about the whole!!

I used:

Gelli Arts Gel Press

Acrylic Paints

DecoArts Modeling Paste

Lawn Cuts Stitched Tag

Distress Inks

STAMPlorations Droplet Stencil

STAMPlorations Typografia Encouragement Stamp Set.

I'm entering the following challenge:

Mixed Media Card Challenge

I'm also going to link up to:

STAMPlorations Flash Stencil Project Link Party

and as I used STAMPlorations stamps and stencil I'm also going to link to their Never ending Anything Goes Challenge.

Enjoy!

More leaves ...

I really want to develop as a papercraft artist but seem to struggle with anything that isn't clean and simple.  I'd love to create an art journal or a piece on canvas but every time I start I just seem to be faced with a blank page and inspiration making a fast exit out of the nearest open door or window!  I thought if I began by creating more cards with layers and mixed media I might feel more confident but it doesn't seem to be working.  Today's card has taken so much time and now I'm not sure that I even like the finished version!  There are elements that I like but they haven't come together quite how I had imagined!

This is it:

I used:

Spellbinders Nestabilities
Woodware: Happy Birthday
Uniko: Pure Florals - Chrysanthemum
Brass Leaf Stencil
Distress Inks - Spiced Marmalade, Fired Brick
Versafine Onyx Black

I'm entering the following challenges:
TIME OUT #41 - Autumn ... the year's last, loveliest smile
Mixed Media Card Challenge


Enjoy!

Mono-printing meets mixed media ..

Good afternoon!  Another day, another card ... quite different from my usual style of clean and simple.  Indecision meant that this card took me all morning to create ... was it worth it?  I leave that question for you to decide!

Straight to the card:

This card started with a mono print I created using my gelli plate some acrylic paint and a selection of stencils - this is the print before I cut it up!

The light was not kind to me when taking this photograph!

I used gold metallic paint on the top layer of the print.  After cleaning off my brayer on another sheet of card I used this to die cut the butterflies - I like the effect this has given to the butterflies as it has more texture than a piece of gold card would have.  I also die cut the butterflies in midnight blue card to create a shadow and hopefully make them stand out from the background. The print is stitched to a piece of midnight blue card that just peaks out on two edges - the stitching is just on two sides to echo the blue card edge. I added some texture paste through a stencil on the card base.  The sentiment is white embossed on midnight blue card.

The inspiration for this card was the current challenge at Mixed Media Card Challenge the theme is Butterflies with the optional element of gold:



I'm delighted to have received a Top Three place for another of my cards, this time it is from the team at Addicted to CAS - thank you so much.  This is the card:



Enjoy!

Not my usual style ...

Another after work card, once again designed to keep my brain distracted!  I'm not sure it has worked this evening but I have created a card for you to consider - it is very different from most other cards I've made.  It's not as clean and simple as usual but they do say that "..a change is as good as a rest.."  I leave it for you to decide whether that is true or not.

Here it is:

I brayered a large sheet of card with a selection of Fresco Chalk paints to create the background (it is greener in real life!).  I cut a square and then added texture using stencils - white ink and black ink.  The flower is stamped onto a gessoed page from an old French text book - the frame is die cut from 4 layers of black card to give it more body.  The butterfly is cut from a scrap of printed paper.

The end result does not look a bit like I thought it would!!  I am entering this month's challenge at the Mixed Media Card Challenge - the theme is Collage with the optional twist of a frame.


I had some great news this morning I've been given an 'Honourable Mention' over at the TIMEOUT challenge for this card.  I'm so grateful for this, it really brightened my day!



Enjoy!

Distressed heart ...

Good afternoon!  It's unusual for me to be here on a Monday afternoon but this week is half term holidays for the schools and as I work in a school office that means that I'm on holiday for a week!  More time for crafting (and housework?) and spending time just chilling!

For those of you that follow my blog or popped by on Sunday for a visit will know that I had a lot of trouble creating a one layer card involving an embossed heart (here).  This card has been created using the heart that I inadvertently cut out of the card yesterday turning the disaster into a "happy little accident".

From one layer to mulitple layers - old book paper, natural hessian, cream hessian, ink splodges, card stock, and a metal button along with the stamped, coloured and embossed heart!! In fact there is nothing one layered about this!

I'm going to enter the challenge at Mixed Media Card Challenge blog



and the STAMPlorations monthly challenge



Enjoy!

Follow your heart ...

My second card for the day - the pity is that I didn't manage to complete it before darkness fell so the photographs are not as good as earlier.

This is another card involving a stitched heart.

This card is a bit of a first for me as it actually features washi tape!  I own quite a lot of washi tape but have never used it on a card, up until today the only thing I've used it for has been to hold a die in place before running it through my Big Shot or for securing a stencil!!

For this card I used:

Sizzix Heart Framelits
STAMPlorationsnSubway Art Builders DARE
Stampin Up - Heart Mask, Riding Hood Red Ink and Paper Piercing Pack Essentials
Golden Gel Modling Paste.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

STAMPlorations Sketch Challenge #27



The Mixed Media Card Challenge #8 - the theme is Love with the optional twist of buttons - I've had these tiny star buttons in my stash for years - it's great to be prompted to use them!

Enjoy!

Vintage ... ?

I'm doing an evening course at the moment on Printmaking and really enjoying it!  The last two weeks we have been trying out dry point etching and I think I am hooked!  My problem now is to find the money to invest in a printing press otherwise it is going to be a short lived adventure!

I created two designs - a beautiful robin and some Christmas decorations. The prints have a vintage feel to them, largely because I used sepia ink and cream paper.  I decided to cut up one of the prints to create a card for the current challenge at Mixed Media Card Challenge - the theme is Vintage with the optional element of incorporating a key.  I haven't used a key and now I've finished the card I'm not even sure that it is vintage! (apart from the look of the baubles).  I'll leave the challenge designers to decide whether it fits the theme or not.

I'm really not sure about this one but when I started my blog I promised myself that I would show all my cards - even the ones that I wasn't sure about.

Enjoy!

One for two ...

How exciting - it's Friday!!  I'm sure this week has been longer than normal it has certainly taken me longer than normal to create this card!  I've been working on this card on and off every evening this week but it finally came together last night, hopefully it was worth it!

I started by created a background using distress inks and then used a stencil and texture paste to create the leaves.  I originally planned to leave it at that and put the panel onto the card but it just did not look right - so I took the scissors to it!  I fussy cut the leaves, machine stitched the hessian to the centre of some coloured cardstock, added the sentiment, adhered the leaves with foam squares and then mounted the panel using dimensional tape onto the card base!

I was inspired by the challenge at The Mixed Media Card Challenge



I will also enter the challenge at The Male Room where the theme is AUTUMN/FALL.

I used:

Sweet Poppy Stencil
Distress Inks - Dried Marigold, Spiced Marmalade, Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo
Golden Gel Light Molding Paste
Simon Says Stamp - handwritten sentiment stamp

Enjoy!

Sunshine and Showers ...

I'm coming to the end of the school summer holidays in less than a week I will be back at work! I've had a very mixed break with some highlights and some very low ones added to which I have not managed to do all I had hoped to do.

The weather seems to be reflecting my mood with sunshine replaced with heavy rain - Monday was a complete and utter wash out but I guess it is to be expected as it was a public holiday. Anyway today has been more successful as I have managed to create a card which fits a couple of challenges.

With the rain and sunshine of a late British summer there is a positive as we do get some stunning rainbows - it is the colours of the rainbow that has inspired this card.

The layout is based on the current sketch challenge at STAMPlorations


I'm also entering the challenge at Mixed Media Card Challenge where the theme is Summer.  I thought I might also try the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - this is a new challenge for me and the current theme is Stencils with modelling paste.

I used the following:

Golden Gel Medium - Light Molding Paste
Tim Holtz Harlequin Stencil
STAMPlorations stamp sets - Grunge Floral Strips and Subway Art Builders: DARE
Distress Inks - Festive Berries, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean and Peacock Feathers
Memento Ink - Grape Jelly

Enjoy!

Summer colours ...

Sunglasses might be needed for looking at some elements of this post!  If I had to describe my style of cardmaking I would probably choose Clean and Simple (CAS) as my approach tends to be minimalist - a little stamping, some colouring and very often monchrome.  This card is anything but, I have used nearly every product that I own (including some I don't remember buying!!)  I have to admit to being in awe of the mixed media artists that I follow and dream of being able to create an Art Journal. 

I think that one problem I have is that I don't always have the patience to wait for things to dry ... something that I now realise is essential when working with mixed media.  I thought if I worked on two projects at the same time as one was drying I could add to the other and this is how I end up with this:

To me this reflects the colour of summer

JOFY flowers combined from different sets

I've been working on this card since the new challenge at "The Mixed Media Card Challenge" was announced on the 1st August - the theme is Summer, the first thoughts I had were of summer meadows and clean clear colours.

When I started I did not have much of an idea as to the final design so I just kind of let it evolve. My understanding of mixed media (apart from the obvious of using a variety of techniques and products) is to build up layers of interest, dimension and texture - this card certainly has a lot of layers some of which are not obvious!

I started with a piece of cream cardstock and base coated it with gesso, then added stamped pieces of tissue, followed by layers of colour using gelatos (funnily enough I thought this was Italian Ice Cream) plus a touch of distress inks.  As the background began to build I needed to find images to act as the focal point - JOFY stamps seemed to provide the answer.  I added some detail to the background using texture paste through some stencils before spritzing with some shimmer mist.  I stamped and heat embossed the two large 'flowers' on the background and also on a spare piece of card.  The smaller flower heads were stamped onto some scraps of watercoloured card as was the sentiment.  Finally out came the glue and the whole thing was assembled!!

If you have made it this far - thank you for reading!  I have experienced a number of problems along the way but not enough to put me off trying again and no doubt again!  Any hints and suggestions you would care to make by way of a comment would be really appreciated.

Here are most of the items  I used:

Faber Castell Gelatos
Distress Inks
Cosmic Shimmer Vintage Mist
Versamark
The Crafters Workshop Stencil - Mini Chickenwire reversed
PaperArtsy - JOFY Stamp Sets 09 and 11
Gesso

Enjoy!

Mixed Media ...

Most of the cards I create are Clean and Simple mainly involving stamping of some sort.  I have, over time, bought lots of "stuff" that I just look at and admire - from designer paper and coloured cardstock, from grunge paste to gelatos .... and the list goes on!  I dream about creating mixed media art but struggle to know where to start!  Tonight I decided to take up the challenge and see if I could create a card using different techniques and materials. 

Shery Russ, owner of STAMPlorations has launched a new challenge blog - The Mixed Media Card Challenge - so this provided me with the motivation to have a go. The challenge is to create a mixed media card with Nature - so here it is:

I seem to have ended up with clean and simple but have used more products to create interest and texture.  I created a stencil using a trellis die and then squidged grunge past through it. Then I die cut some trellis from a piece of card stock that I had previously stencilled using distress inks and water.  I added a strip of card and a piece of ribbon.  I then stamped and watercoloured a beautiful daisy, layered it all together and mounted it on to a 7" by 5" card blank.

I like to enter the Virginia's View Challenge and this month the challenge is to use dies.  I have used a die but it is not the main component so I hope this still meets the criteria.

I used:
STAMPlorations Boxed Blooms stamp set
All Occasions Die - Trellis Trio Part 2
Distress Inks - Seedless Preserves, Salty Ocean, Shaded Lilac, Peacock Feathers, Evergreen Bough and Spun Sugar

Enjoy!