Friday 25 March 2016

Mixed Media Tree......

My Mixed Media Card for today......
A few challenges inspired my choice of colours.....
The background has been sprayed with bright vivid colours.
The butterfly's and circle stamps have been heat embossed with white EP.
The text has been heat embossed with gold EP.
The tree has been stenciled with  white embossing paste 
and then clear embossing paste with micro beads added on top.
The edges have been stamped with a mixed media stamp, 
heat embossed with orange EP and gold EP.
The main square sentiment has been stamped onto black card and raised with foam.
I don't usually post more than one card a day but realised that one of the challenges is ending shortly.
How is that....you have a whole month, you have all these ideas in your head 
and then leave it to the last minute?
Crafty Hugs x
Challenges I would like to enter with my card.....
STAMPlorations - Stencil Blog Hop

The Mixed Media Card Challenge-Mixed Media-Trees with the option of birds
Stamps and Stencils - Spring is in The Air-Mixed Media
Spring is bright colourful colours, the freshness of life
Frilly and Funkie - Hip to be Square - Retro/1960's/Hippie Era
The retro vivid colours, the psychodelic circles and the square black sentiment block.
Anything But Cute - Crazy for Colour - Vibrant
Mixed Media Mojo - Spring Time - Twist Watercolour
Spring colours, butterflies and nature
Stamplorations - On Going ..Anything Goes Challenge
I have used Stamplorations butterfly stamps, mixed media stamps around the edge
and background text stamp.



Faux Mother of Pearl....

Trying out this new to me technique......
I was inspired by the Happy Little Stampers CAS challenge 
of Faux Mother of Pearl Technique.
I also wanted to make a card on one layer for The One Layer Simplicity Challenge
Update...Thrilled to have been hi-lighted with this card 
from The One Layer Challenge-Thank you x
I wanted to make a card that had the 'White' open space of CAS in another colour.
The One Layer Simplicity Challenge is Shades of Green and I thought a leaf die 
would work with those colours.
I die cut the leafs from Memory Box, sprayed glue onto the back of them
 and used them as a mask/stencil.
I experimented with the Faux Mother of Pearl Technique after looking at Loll's Video...
I used liquid perfect pearls and when it was dry blended several colours of distress inks.
I carefully peeled off the die cut to reveal the white leafs.
I finished off with stamping the sentiment in a dark green archival ink.
I now have lots of 'experiments' to use at a later date.
Lots still to learn about this technique but will definitly be doing it again.
Crafty Hugs x
Challenges I would like to enter my card into.....
Happy Little Stampers - CAS Challenge - Faux Mother of Pearl





Thursday 24 March 2016

Coffee Lovers.....

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.....
I made a similar tag at the end of last year but wanted to make it again 
as a birthday tag, which holds a coffee credit card....
I have used stamping, stenciling, frantage embossing powder, eyelets, E/P, 
fussy cutting and die cutting on this tag.
The arrow points to the pocket that contains a coffee card with credit on it.
The coffee cup has been stamped and fussy cut out..
I have then stamped a 'Love' sentiment on it.
The frantage embossing powder gives the tag great texture and interest.
I think this is a novel way to give a coffee credit card and I hope you'll agree?
I had fun with this tag and it was much quicker to make this time ......
Crafty Hugs x
Challenges I would like to enter my tag into.....

Stamplorations is a sponsor for the Coffee Lovers Challenge....

Stamplorations - Mixed Media Challenge - Anything but a card
Stamplorations - Ongoing - Never ending..Anything Goes
I have used Stamplorations Coffee Mug stamp and the Happy Birthday sentiment





Tuesday 22 March 2016

Sympathy...........

Today's card didn't start off being a Sympathy card but.....
I was inspired by the image over at Pinterest
I loved the colours and the way the feathers where floating in the background.
I used the colours as my inspiration and the feather stencil from Stamplorations.
I first blended distress inks through the stencil, then popped on white embossing paste 
and whilst it was still wet added micro beads.
These beads give such a pretty shine, texture and dimension.
It was at this stage I thought it might be a sympathy card as the colours muted, 
because of the white paste and I loved how it was looking.
I masked off a rectangle and lightly blended blue distress ink.
I stamped a rain falling stamp with versamark and lightly dusted perfect pearls powders 
over it to give a subtle shine.
I thought this represented the feathers in the background on the inspiration photo.
The sentiment was stamped in grey distress ink and three pearls added to finish.
I also did a card in clear embossing paste with white stamping and doodling, 
which produced a much brighter colour-way. 
It was this card I thought I would be using when I started.
However I preferred the muted one and went with the sympathy card idea.
Lets hope I don't need to send it for a very long time x
Crafty Hugs x
I would like to enter my card into the following challenges .....
STAMPlorations - Stencil blog hop

Pinterest - March Inspiration Photo
CAS on Sunday - Stencil It
I have used a stencil for the feather

Addicted to CAS - Delicate
Delicate colours, layout and theme

Stamplorations - CAS- Anything CAS Goes
Stamplorations - Theme and sketch
I have gone with the theme, stamp and texture
Stamplorations - Ongoing - I have used the Feather stencil






Monday 21 March 2016

Tulips........

Today's card.......
Inspired by a photo inspiration, colours and a sketch.
Spring is on the way........
I stamped the tulips and heat embossed with white EP.
I also stamped again to use as a mask.
Using the mask I stamped the background in green archival inks using stamps 
from the mixed media elements set.
The stamped background text has been heat embossed in gold.
I popped on a little gold to the bottom of the Love text too,
which is from the trendy butterflies set.
I used clear embossing paste through a stencil at the top left hand side to add texture.
Clear embossing paste adds another dimension to the card without intruding on it.
The tulips have been water-coloured using Gansai paints, which I am learning to use.
The edge of the card has been heat embossed in gold, layered onto Linen card 
and then onto folded CS.
I loved the colours together and had fun x
Crafty Hugs x
Challenges I would like to enter with this card......
STAMPlorations - Never ending - anything goes - Using their products
Stamplorations - Sketch/Theme Challenge
I have used the sketch and the theme of Stamping and Texture
Addicted to Stamps and More - Photo Inspiration
I have taken the Tulips and The Love Text as my inspiration
CAS Mix Up - CAS..Stamping and Water Colouring 
with Stencilling, Embossing and Masking
AAA Cards - Easter
Stamps and Stencils - Spring is in The Air
Tuesday Taggers - Nature
Happy Little Stampers - Mixed Media - Water
Stamplorations - CAS - Anything CAS goes





Sunday 20 March 2016

Pastels...

I was inspired by a three challenges to make today's card.....
I wanted to CASe the card at Happy Little Stampers by Kim Heggins
Case the Designer Challenge
I used the inspiration of the die cut rectangle shapes to create something within it.
I used the Memory Box stamp dies as my starting point.
I hadn't used them before and thought they would leave a frame 
so that I could pop the stamps back into them.....
they didn't, they cut them out so that you can use them all individually and no frame.

I masked them all off so that I would keep the white surround at the edge of the stamp
and sponged very lightly with distress inks to keep pastel colours.
The inspiration for the colours have come from Just Us Girls Colour Challenge
of Pink/Yellow/Purple Pastel Colours.
I stamped and heat embossing the flowers, circles and sentiment from HLS 
and water-coloured them lightly.
I finished off by popping the die cut stamps onto Linen Card and added a few sequins.
Pastel Coloured, delicate card for Spring.
Crafty Hugs x
Challenges I am entering......
Happy Little Stampers - CASE the Designer Challenge
I have used Doodled Flowers

Just Us Girls - Colour challenge - Pink/Yellow/Purple-Pastel Colours
Addicted to CAS - Delicate




Saturday 19 March 2016

Colours and Water.....

Today's Mixed Media Card.....
I've had a messy and fun couple of days doing this project....
The background has been done with sprays, stencils and stamping.
I've sprayed through a stencil, used embossing paste through a stencil 
and sponged distress ink through another one.
I have also stamped splats, text and sentiments.
I have used Green, Orange and White as the Rubber Dance Challenge is a colour challenge.
The Art Brushes, Paint Palette, tubes and Sentiments are from Rubber Dance.
I have used water and Brusho's for the paint drips 
and then covered them with coloured glossy accents.
The paintbrushes have been embellished with silver and white  acrylic paint.
Whilst creating this project I learnt more about what reacts with different mediums.......
Always up for learning new techniques and having fun along the way....
Crafty Hugs x
Challenges I am entering with my project.....
Rubber Dance - Colour Challenge...Green, White and Orange
Happy Little Stampers - Mixed Media - Water
Stamplorations - Mixed Media Challenge - Anything Mixed Media/No Cards and using a Stencil 


Thursday 17 March 2016

Bunny ........

Today's card is an Easter Card.....
The Bunny's have been stamped, lightly coloured and die cut.
The frames have also been die cut with distress ink blending behind them.
The Bunny's have been cut and then popped out of the frames.
The sentiment has been stamped, some twine and a few mini diamante's 
added to finish off the card.
I was inspired by The Male Room challenge to do a Male card for Easter.
There are a few Easter challenges that I will also be entering the card into.
I love these cute Bunny's and the cute sentiment.
Crafty Hugs x
Challenges that I am entering my card into....
The Male Room - Easter

I was inspired by the Happy Easter Bunnies

AAA Cards - CAS Easter
Fantasy Stampers - Easter Parade

Thursday 10 March 2016

Daisy.....

The weather today, although very cold is bright and sunny....
So here's today's card........
I started by putting versa mark on the back of the circle stencil.
I rubbed this onto CS and then heat embossed it with white EP.
This gave me the resist I was after to water colour the circles with brusho's.
I diluted the brusho's with water to use as a water colour.
I popped the stencil back on and used translucent paste through it.
Whilst the paste was still wet I added micro beads.
This gave the water colour circles a texture and a slight sheen but did not alter the colours.
I die cut a square frame and raised it using foam tape. 
The citrus coloured circle card was cut and popped into the frame.
I die cut the flower several times to get a 3D effect, used brusho's 
and micro beads again to add texture and colour to the centre.
The sentiment was stamped with my Misti several times to get the depth of black.
The flower was attached over the frame and onto the inner card.
I really enjoyed making this CAS, mixed media card.
Amazing how a CAS card can have so many mixed media elements in it too.....
Crafty Hugs x
I would like to enter my card into the following challenges.....

CAS Mix Up Challenge-Stamping-Water colouring and a choice of Mixed media elements
I have used ...Water colouring-Stencil-Die-cutting-Resist-Heat embossing-Brusho's-Embossing Paste
Amazing how a CAS card can have so many mixed media elements in it too.....
Seize The Birthday - Birthday Theme and/or The great divide
The more I thought about this I think my card is the topping as well as my card is definitely divided...if not It's definitely a Birthday Card x
Addicted to Stamps and More - Clean and Simple

Stamplorations -  Anything CAS goes Optional  color Twist Yellow
Stamplorations - Theme and/or Sketch
I have gone with the theme of Stamp and Texture
Yummy texture from the embossing paste and micro beads and the die cut flower


Simply Less is More- Colour challenge-Citrus
I have used citrus colours