Congratulations.....

I have been having fun playing with Alcohol Inks....

This is my card......

I started with die cutting a circle, to use as a mask 

and then stamping around it using splat stamps, 

in a couple of shades of light grey.

I also did free hand splats with silver metallic paint...which I loved.

The gown has been stamped onto one of my Alcohol ink backgrounds

 and fussy cut.

I normally don't do fussy cutting, as I like to work out how to do it 

as one layer but with the inks I was stuck.

 The gorgeous stamp, which I've not used before,
 is from The Ton and also includes the delicate lace stamp, 

which goes at the bottom of the dress 

but I stamped it just inside the circle as if it was a hanging flower/vine.

I wanted to show the gorgeous effect of the inks in this photo.

Once I started I couldn't stop and have lots now for future projects.

I wanted to show how fabulous the gold ink is, in this photo.

I have used all Ranger Alcohol Inks but the gold is from Patina and is stunning.

It moves like liquid gold when you use the blending solution on it.

Karen D of Snippets was using Pinata Alcohol inks and of course I had to have some!

I finished with stamping the sentiment, also in the stamp set, the tiny flower

and silver washi tape down the side.

I actually made a flower from shrink plastic for her hair but it was still too big!

I loved playing with the alcohol inks. 

The colours themselves re-acted differently, which surprised me

and of course on different glossy card, yupo etc.

Stained fingers and loved it!

Crafty Hugs x

I am linking my card to the following challenges.....

The Ton - Celebrate

Darnell's NBUS challenge. 

I would be thrilled with any of the wonderful prizes

Without the optional theme..x

Snowflake.......

I have so missed crafting.....

Here is today's card.....

With the techniques I've used I have found it impossible to get a decent photo 

but wanted to enter 

The CAS Mix Up Challenge and The CAS Water colour Challenge

which is closing shortly......

The background has been done with Alcohol inks and the cling wrap technique.

I used white glitter gel through a stencil for the background snowflake 

and a die cut snowflake out of vellum on top.

It is difficult to see but it is there.

I wanted the snowflake to look like it had fallen and stuck into the snow.

The Alcohol inked background produced a gorgeous atmospheric pattern 

that I hope you can see.

I stamped the sentiment with the help of my Misti three times.

I wanted to say a Big Thank you for your very kind and generous comments 

and for sticking with me duting my absence....I really do appreciate it x

Crafty Hugs x

Challenges I would like to enter....

The CAS Mix Up Challenge - CAS and Mixed Media

My liquid colour is Alcohol Inks and I have used a stencil and a die cut

CAS Watercolour - Snowflake
AAA Cards - Winter Chill

Memory Box - Winter Blues - I have used the Lindeman Snowflake Die

Happy Little Stampers - Christmas Challenge
Anything goes with the optional twist - Joy

Man about Town

Today's card is a masculine card 

The background is on glossy card, with alcohol inks and the cling film technique.

The London scene has been stamped with black Staz On.

I stamped the 'Man/Boy' image, water-coloured him and fussy cut him out.

He is on foam to give a little dimension.

I have used black embossing paste and a stencil for the main chevron effect on the left,

The smaller horizontal chevrons and the sentiment have been stamped 

and embossed with clear EP.

Crafty Hugs x

Challenges I am entering with this card........

Cardz4guyz  challenge blog is 2 years old and the theme is 'Happy Birthday' 

The Male Room -  Theme Week-Anything Goes

Stamps and Stencils - Oh So Blue-Primarily Blue with stamping +/or stencil

Happy Little Stampers - Mixed Media-Stencil

Using HLS 'Mix Mash' and 'Fun Birthday sentiments' stamp sets

Fantasy Stampers - All About The Boy

Dylusions,Stampers Anonymous and HLS stamps

Autumn Colours

                 Autumn Leaves and Colours

I have made this card with inspiration from the following three challenges.

Poppy Stamps/Dies-Autumn Splendor

Fantasy Stampers-Autumn Leaves

Mixed Media World-Autumn Colours

The backgrounds have been done with Brusho's

I have used Lindy's' Stamp Gang sprays, with Mica in them 

and Alcohol inks for three of the maple leaves.

The Poppy Die is called Maple Leaf Border.

The large maple leaf has been stamped onto vellum 

and embossed with gold EP. 

The Maple Leaf Stamp is by Clearly Besotted.

Another fun day with sprays, brusho's, alcohol inks, 

stamping and getting messy.

Crafty Hugs x

Precious Metal

Indigo Blu Challenge

This months Indigo Blu Challenge is Precious Metals
I am thrilled to have made Top 3 for this card as this was way out of my comfort zone x

I have made this card for the challenge.

I wish my photos looked the same as the card I am looking at....

but they don't! 

The 'Precious Metal' look doesn't come out in the photos as well as I had hoped.

I started by stamping and embossing in black lots of Indigo Blu stamps onto metal

and then added dimension with an embossing tool

I then cut the metal into shapes and until I was happy with the layout

I thought it was a good idea to take a photo at this stage 
as I liked the look of just the silver metallic layout...just in case adding colour didn't work out!

 I then masked off the an area that I was going to use to stamp The Poppy Stamp and applied colour using alcohol inks and acrylic paints.

I tried several colours of Gilding flakes onto black card, including Variegated Red Gold and Silver Moon. Although the Variegated Red Gold was the perfect match it didn't show any contrast with my card so I settled on Silver Moon.

I have never done anything like this before and really enjoyed the challenge of challenging myself to do a 'Precious Metal' card and getting messy along the way.

                                                  
        Crafty Hugs x

http://indigoblublogchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

I used Indigo Blu stamps from 'Bubbles Background', 'Crackleglaze Background', 'Ledger Background', 'Sarah's Choice', 'Poppy Medow' and 'Nature 1'.

I also used Frantage/Stampendous elements of Mica, beads and glass glitter

Off The Edge

       LOVE

                               I would like to thank the team at IndigoBlu for inviting me 

to be guest designer this month. 

I feel honoured and delighted to join them. 

I have always been a huge fan of IndigoBlu and I am still amazed and thrilled 

to have won their last challenge.

The challenge this time at IndigoBlu is 'Off The Edge'

This is the card that I have made...Hope you like it?

 The blue background of the card has been made with alcohol inks, the cling film technique 

and using the diamond stencil from IndigoBlu 

The Big Butterfly stamp from IndigoBlu has been stamped and embossed 

with white embossing powder, ‘Off The Edge’ of the blue background card.

The word ‘Love’ has been die cut with glossy accents added on top.

I had fun, tried new techniques to me and 

now have lots of ‘trial’ (mistakes) backgrounds to use at a later date!

Thank you once again for giving me this opportunity 

and thank you for your fabulous, continuous inspiration 

from your very talented Design Team.

Crafty Hugs x