Stencils and More Stencils..........

Today's card is a mix of Stencils, embossing paste and more....

Clarity's Challenge this month is - Stencils

Using only their Stencils/Stamps

and this is my project for their Challenge.

I masked off the 'Wall Area' first with a torn piece of paper.

I used distress inks and blending for the background, through the large leaf stencil.

Because I wanted to only hi-light the three smaller leaves in gold 

I had to use an embossing pen and do them separately....took awhile.

I used black embossing paste for the wall, to give some dimension.

I free-hand drew the cracks in black to give the allusion of the wall breaking through.

I used clear embossing paste on the background leaf stencil to give some shine 

but by doing this it reacted to the inks and slightly altered them.

Some of the depth of colour was lost.

I stamped the small leaf and the girl image onto tissue paper, embossed in white and gold, 

cut them out and stuck them onto the wall with glue medium.

This was new to me and most of the tissue paper did disappear.

I wanted the white leafs to be a little more grungy, so hi-lighted them with a white pen, 

which gave a contrast to the shiny background.

This project took much longer than I thought and again learnt lots along the way

The photo below, hopefully shows the shiny background.

Crafty Hug x

Note

Todays card is a CAS card 

for the Simply Less is More Challenge......

It is a Sketch Challenge this week

Simply Less is More-Week247-Sketch Challenge

I used black embossing paste through a stencil for the brush.

When dry, I hi-lighted one of the brushes with silver Starlight Metallic paints.

This is the first time I had tried them and they really do shine 

and gave good coverage over the black paste.

I tried different die fonts, one more Arty and the other Classic.

The paint splat under the sentiment is also The Starlight Paint.

I rotated the sketch and liked them both ways, 

so I'll have decide which way when I write on them!

Crafty Hugs x

Draw a Face

        Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful...

Update...October monthly top pick at Stamplorations Mixed media Challenge..Anything but a card...Absolutely Delighted, thank you so much x

This canvas is way out of my comfort zone but I wanted to challenge myself to draw a face....

I haven't done a canvas before and I haven't drawn a face before.

I was determined and that in itself was my challenge.

I used PaperArtsy Stamps, TH Stencil with Finnabair embossing paste.

The eye, mouth and face is free-hand drawn.

I just love Lindy's stamp gang sprays and use them a lot.
I have used their challenge this month as the inspiration for my colour choice.
Lindy's Stamp Gang Store

Sprays Used......

Pineapple Paradise, Azure Sea Asters, Witch's Potion Purple, 

Frenchy's Pink Pouf, Merry Go Round Green, Cheshire Cat Cherry and Hibiscus Rose

I have used all of the colours in the inspiration board on my canvas.

I have used the sprays on the background, drying in between the layers.

I water-coloured the flowers directly from the spray bottles using a brush and 

onto Water colour card. They blended really well.

I also hi-lighted the canvas using a brush and

Grab a Guy Gold which is a great Gold colour.

I really enjoyed doing my first canvas.

I am entering the canvas into....

PaperArtsy Challenge-Topic 19-Faces

and

Lindy's Stamp Gang-October Challange

and

That Craft Place-Anything Goes-Mixed Media

and

Stamps and Stencils - Make it 3D with a Hop

Stamping the text on the face, the sentiment and all the flowers

Flourish stencil

and

Stamplorations-Mixed Media-Anything goes except a card

Crafty Hugs x

From our Family to Yours...

             Inchies, Sketch and Texture......

Here is today's card

I began by die cutting a hill die to use as my template.

I lightly brushed the upper part of the card with blue distress inks, using a moon mask 

and stamping the contemporary stitched clouds.

Still using my template I put on Snowflake paste by Finnabair to add texture to the bottom.

I added two more layers, building up the texture of the 'snow'.

I used a stencil and Sparkle medium for the spiky icicles and the shards of light 

from behind the cabins. I also thought they looked like contemporary trees?

Sparkle medium is semi-translucent and shows off the glitter beautifully.

The Snowflake paste is more of a milky white, dense and great for the texture.

One of the challenges was to use inchies or twinchies, which I had never heard of 

but I wanted to enter the challenge, so after the DT inspiration, researching and with the 

inspiration from the sketch challenge, I came up with three inchie cabins in the snow.

I really enjoyed making a mini scene within the one inch square.

I liked the clean area at the top and after several different ideas I stamped 

the sentiment directly onto the card and heat embossed in white.

I am entering the card into the following challenges

Make My Monday Challenge-Use Inchies or Twinchies

Used Inchies

and

Happy Little Stampers-October Sketch Challenge

and

House of Cards-October Challenge Add Texture &/or Color Inspiration

To create something with lots of texture

I thought the texture of the vegetables resembled the Snowflake paste..The Snow

I was writing this post and saw the finished card under my light and thought 

it looked quite atmospheric, so took a photo to show you.

I enjoyed making this card and had fun.

Crafty Hugs x

Thinking of You

            CAS and Sparkle

Today's card is a CAS card

I stamped the stylized flower and embossed with Silver Platinum embossing powder.

I have used Linen CS and heat embossed the edge in silver

I have made the flower all sparkly by adding Swarovski Crystals.

The embossing and the crystals really do sparkle.

I finished off with the sentiment.

I am entering the card into the 

Addicted to CAS challenge-Sparkle

and 

The Stamplorations-Flowers Linky Party

Crafty Hugs x

Remember When......

                            CAS-Leaves

This is my CAS card for today

I thought I would do some stamping, colouring and a CAS card.

I stamped the image and heat embossed in Gold onto water colour card.

I water coloured the image with Brusho's..tricky because of the 'thin' leaves.

I Gold embossed the surround and stamped the 'Remember When' sentiment.

I also added the gold 'Good Times' sentiment at the bottom.

I liked the 'movement' of the card.

Clean and Simple and restful to make!

I am entering the card into the following challenges
The Paper Players-CAS...Leaves

Penny Black Saturday Challenge-Embossing

I have stamped and heat embossed

Update...Lucky winner for this card, thank you very much x

Penny Black and More-Warm Autumn Colours

I have used the Penny Black Wonderous Stamp

Crafty Hugs x

You Rock

             Bister's and More.......

I have used Brusho's before but thought I'd give 

Bister's a try to see the difference.

Here is my card

I was inspired by four challenges

Cardz4guyz Challenge-You Rock
Thought I'd do a different angle of the Cue Word/Theme
Update..I am delighted to have been chosen as 
a Top Three for this card from Cardz4guyz-Thank you so much

CASology-You
Simply Less is More-Masculine
That's Crafty-Boys will be Boys

I was enjoying myself so much making this card 
that after I finished, I released it didn't comply 
with two out of the four challenges!
So I re-made it for the two CAS challenges, 
CASololgy and Simply Less is More,
as I still wanted to run with the theme of 
You and a Masculine card and incorporating the Rock

I stamped the main image and heat embossed with black EP.

I then used the Bister powders on top of water, on water colour card.

The sentiment is die cut and layered up over black or white.

I used my dipping pen and white calligraphy ink to hi-light.

The Bisters, in my opinion are pretty much the same 

as Brusho's but more earthy colours and I like them,
although you never get the same twice when you want to re-do your card!

Once I had the idea the card was simple to put together.

I loved how they came out...learning all the time.

Crafty Hugs x

Orange and Black

                Dream.....

Here's today's card.....
Update....Top Pick at Make My Monday Challenge
and
Winner at The Mixed Media Card Challenge
Thank you so much, thrilled and delighted x

The orange card has been sprayed with a couple of Lindy's stamp sprays.

The stamps at the bottom are from Stamplorations, which have been

black embossed and the Dream stamp embossed in gold.

The white linen card layer has been edged with 

aged black embossing powder from Stampendous/Frantage. 

I found it better to heat from below as the powder does fly 

everywhere otherwise, as the pieces are quite large.

The effect is like molten and gives a gorgeous super shine, 

with extra bits/mica in it.

The black die leaves are 'Marianna Vine Background Large' 

and the Orange leaf die 'Massa Leaf Outline' 

both from Poppystamps

The black one has been embossed several times to give the shine.

The butterflies have been die cut from sprayed orange card,

stamped with black text and sponged black ink around the edges.

The orange card has been raised onto foam and edged with gold EP.

The card has quite a bit of texture to it and movement which I liked.

I was inspired by the following challenges

The Mixed Media Card Challenge-Black and Orange

Make My Monday Challenge-Black and Orange

Stamplorations-October Challenge

I've used the theme and my favourite colour combination...at the moment!

Stamplorations-Anything goes

The stamps used on the card are Stamplorations

Poppy Stamps-Trick or Treat or any holiday

I've used Halloween Colours and not the theme of Halloween

A bit Tricky!

Crafty Hugs x

Black and White

    Contemporary Christmas Card

Memory Box challenge this month is Black and White
and  
City Crafers challenge this week - Paste It
So I combined the challenges to make this card

I sprayed white CS with white sparkly spray and used this as the background.

I also sprayed Black CS with the same spray to use as the centre focus.

I cut out the Cosenza Tree Border Outline die

from Memory Box in white and black card.

After arranging the trees I covered them with Glossy Accents.

I also cut out the Grape Vine Border die from Memory Box

and popped it under the trees to 'ground' them.
The black centre part of the card has been raised onto foam to give a little definition.

I finished by stenciling white Embossing Paste and glitter 

through a circle stencil at the top of the card.

When I started the card I thought it would be a contemporary
Black and white Tree card and not a contemporary Christmas card.
Perhaps I'll continue and make the rest of my Christmas cards now?
Crafty Hugs x

Autumn

             Autumn.....One Layer

Update...Absolutely delighted to have been Hi-Lighted at 

One Layer Simplicity Challenge for this card...Thank you so very much xxx

One layer cards are a challenge in itself and Autumn ones I think are tricky.

I see Autumn as beautiful autumnal colours, leaves and trees. 

I see them as 3D and not flat so this was my challenge.

I tried to do something similar from this inspiration

https://pennyblackinc.wordpress.com/2015/10/12/autumn-dance/

I used a clearly besotted leaf stamp for mine.

I blended distress inks, flicked water and tried (badly) to do splatters.

I wanted to leave white around the leaf but not quite so contrived as the one I've got!

That was because I had to keep mopping up my 'bad' splatting!

I used gold mica to hi-light the leaf and to do some of the splats.

I enjoyed trying the new technique (to me) from the inspiration link above.

I didn't realise you could use distress stains to stamp with.

I have used ink pads and the markers before

but always thought the stains to be too runny, so a lesson learnt.

I am entering the card into 

Simply Less is More-One Layer-Autumn

and

One Layer Simplicity-Whatever the weather

Crafty Hugs x

Autumn Days

        Autumn Splendour....

What a beautiful and colourful time of the year....

Every-time I look out of my window the trees are changing colours.

I made the card inspired by the Autumn Colours 

and the last Rays of Sunshine.

Even though it's gone cold and the leaves are falling, 

the sun is still trying hard to shine.

The Mica Mega Flakes on the right hand side of the card 

is to represent the Suns Rays.

I made only one card and took photos before adding the die cut leaves 

and then took more photos after I'd popped them on...

but I didn't like how they came out...

I have tried and tried, so put the both photos on..

The background is blended with distress inks 

and mica powder on top for shine.

The tree has been stamped twice and the leaves tumbling from another tree stamp.

I have stamped a script stamp, hi-lighting some with gold embossing.

The clouds have also been stamped and hi-lighted with a brush and mica.

I stamped the sentiment and cut it into individual strips, 

edged in gold EP and mounted on foam.

I have edged the main card with gold EP 

and the black card to give faux layers.

I used a dipping pen and white calligraphy ink to hi-light the birds and the text.

I am entering the following challenges

IndigoBlu's challenge is Autumn Days

All stamps are IndigoBlu

Leaves - 'Lollipop Tree' Stamp

Tree, birds, clouds and sentiment - 'Nature 1' stamp set

Script - 'Sarah's Choice' stamp set

Edging - 'Rugged Edge' stamp set (splats)

Mica Mega flake's and Flitter Glu-  Autumn Blaze (IndigoBlu)

I am also entering the card into

Frilly and Funkie Challenge - Autumn Splendour

The three Autumn leaves are die cut and sprayed for colour and shine.

and

Make My Monday Challenge - Orange and Black

Spooky or Not...Mine is Not

and

Addicted to Stamps and more - Anything Goes

Lots of stamping on this card
Crafty Hugs x

Hello

          Buttons and Orange

Here's my second card today.

I've had a lovely crafty day.
Update..I am delighted to have been chosen as 
a Top Three for this card from Cardz4guyz
and
Hi-lighted at The Mixed Media Card Challenge
Thank you so much x

The Challenge at Cardz4guyz is 'Button It'

and 

The Challenge at The Mixed Media Card Challenge is a colour one..

Black and Orange with an optional element of glitter

and

The challenge at Just us Girls is

a trend week-Use Stencils

I started by colouring embossing paste with an

Orange magical powder by Lindys' stamp gang.

I spread this through the 'web' stencil onto black CS.

I found some black buttons and attached them to the card using glossy accents.

I scribbled some legs onto the spiders.

(one of them has nine legs!).

I die cut several layers of the sentiment Hello and layered them up.

I thought it was quite funny to put the Hello sentiment 

on as if the spiders where popping in to say hi!

I finished off with a freehand border of orange stickles glitter.

The Button Challenge/Guys card-Used black buttons 

Mixed media challenge-Used Orange and Black/stencil and embossing paste

Just us Girls-Used the 'web' stencil.

Loved how the three challenges came together.

Crafty Hugs x

Just a Note

                  Scribble and Colours

Update...I am thrilled to have been chosen as a winner for this card 

at City Crafters-Thank you very much x

Today's card has been inspired by two challenges.

When I saw the challenge at 

The City Crafters-Scribble Doodle Fun

I instantly thought of this stamp set by Paper Artsy.

The colours are from the inspiration colours 

at The Paper Players Colour Challenge.

I arranged the stamps and layout and stamped with black archival ink 

and heat embossed with clear EP.

The colours within the die cut frame have been lightly water-coloured.

I doodled around the edge of the card and stamped the sentiment from

Wplus9-Doodle buds set....which also fitted the doodle challenge.

I wanted to keep the card fairly monochromatic 

to fit in with the mood-board at City Crafters 

but with a hint of colour from the colour inspiration at The Paper Players.

I really enjoyed doing this card.

Crafty Hugs x

Autumn

                                  Celebrate.....

Here's today's card using the theme of Autumn 

and a masculine card.
Update.....Honoured and thrilled to achieve an honourable mention for this card
at The Male Room....Thank you very much.

The challenge at The Male Room inspired me to make the card.

The background has been water coloured using distress inks 

and hi-lighted with Mica.

I have stamped the trees in brown archival an embossed with clear EP.

To make the wood frame I have used a stencil and embossing paste.

The wood has been sprayed with several colours and also a Mica spray.

I used a die cut for the aperture.

The sentiment letters have been die cut several times 

and built it up so it looks like 'wood'.

The mini maple leaves have been die cut and sprayed with mica sprays. 

The gold leaf has been stamped onto vellum and heat embossed with gold EP.

Maybe you can see a little of the Mica and the 3D 'Wood' in this photo?

Crafty Hugs x