Loads of Leaves

Two cards today using lots of die cut leaves.
This is my first card ......

I die cut lots of leaves and stacked them up onto watercolour card.
They where liberally sprayed with Lindy's Flat sidewalk white chalk spray.
I was looking for a plaster/chalky effect, which doesn't really show up in the photo.....
This is my second card.......

The die cut distressed frame and leaf have several layers
of heated copper embossing powder on them.
The Navy cardstock is an embossing Leaf folder, edged with copper.
A little heart with glossy accents and a sentiment strip to finish.

Twofers is asking for leaves this challenge so I am popping my cards over....
Two very different designs for two different occasions, using the same leaf die.....

Challenges I would love to enter.....
Twofer - Leaves - Thrilled with My shout out - Thank you 

Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge - Sending Hugs
Watercooler Wednesday - Dawn's All about occasions Challenge
DiesRus Challenge #167 - All but one of the die cut leaves are Sizzix Thinlits

Geisha Girl

 CAS Mix Up challenge this month is Paper Piecing.
The lovely Linda is hosting and on the reminder post she shared with us
a cute Geisha Girl card.
She commented that it would be fun for her
to have a whole wardrobe of Kimono's.....

My card isn't cute but that was the inspiration for my card,
using a really old Geisha Girl stamp.

The Geisha Lady was stamped first onto the background white card and
then the paper piecing built up around her.

I embellished with perfect pearls, glossy accents
and a tiny bit of colouring on the fan.
I painted an orange/gold card for the matting and layering.
Hard to photograph with the pretty shiny paper......

I have left the card without a sentiment as I loved the image just as it is.....
Paper piecing is something I rarely do, so thank you for the challenge Linda.

I have stamped the main image.
My mixed media elements are heat embossing and hand embellishing.

With the changes with Feedburner and Emails
I have been trying to update everything.
I will be following you all but trying out different options,
just in case you see that I am unfollowing you etc........

Challenges I would love to enter
CAS Mix Up - Paper Piecing

Thrilled with my Top Pick - Thank you so very much x

Inchie and CAS

The AAA Challenge of 'One Inchie' intrigued me.....

'Way out of my comfort zone' and it took me ages
and lets just say it wasn't the only one I did.......

This is my card....

I have used Lindy embossing powders with several heated layers for the Inchie.
The cute little wings have been die cut from vellum and heat embossed.

Several burnt before I got there !!!

I am always in awe of you clever and creative CAS crafters....
Clean it might be ....Simple ....not so much.....

I loved the challenge......Thank you.

Challenges I would love to join in....

AAA Cards - One Inchie (without the option)

Time Out Challenge - Different 
This card was so different from my usual style and way out of my comfort zone

Signs of Spring........

We have had all the seasons weather this week
but I have spotted daffodils coming through, so there are signs of Spring.....

This is my Spring Card.....

I used white paste through the stencil and whilst it was still wet

I popped on pearl embossing powder and Frantage shabby pink.

Heat embossing both until the Frantage bubbled up.

Difficult to photograph but it looks really pretty in real life.

The photo below is a different version I did with grey embossing paste.

Thank you very much for popping in......I really appreciate your time x.

The stencil is a Sweet Poppy Stencil....This is a message for Nonnajoy

Challenges I would love to enter.......

CAS Mix UP - Stencil Heat Embossing - hosted by my dear friend Nancy

Country View Challenge - First Sign of Spring

CAS Mix Up August Challenge

The CAS Mix Up Challenge for August is 

Stencil Monoprint.....

Hosted by the wonderfully talented Nancy.....

The design team and our fabulous guest designer Cathy from Cathy's Card Spot

have wonderful inspiration for you over on the blog.

There are video's links too, to inspire you further......

This is my card....

I have used Brusho's with the stencil, stamping and my choice is heat embossing

I sprinkled different shades of Brusho's through the stencil 

and sprayed with water to activate them.

The sentiment and the grasses have been stamped with grey archival ink.

The butterfly has been heat embossed with white 

and the rectangle layer edged with gold heat embossing.

I flipped the stencil over, whilst it was still wet and this is my other card....

Not CAS but artsy and it's great to get two cards from the one technique.

 The sentiment was stamped in black first and then gold heat embossed on top,

which produces a subtle effect, so much so it looks very dark in the photo!

The Monoprint challenge is a fun one, which produces unique effects.

Pop across and admire the fabulous cards from the design team and the wonderful Cathy.

I am looking forward to seeing your wonderful creativity in the gallery.

Thank you so much for popping in...And I'm Loving my background Loll xxx

Challenges I would like to enter.......

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge - Feminine Anything Goes challenge
Always  a fun challenge to join in

Stamplorations - Anything goes challenge - The stencil is a Stamplorations stencil

Colouring Die Cuts

The Paper Players are celebrating their 400th blog challenge and I wanted to join in the fun...

Their challenges are always fun and the team is hugely creative and inspiring.

This is my card.....

For the background.......

I sprayed my white card stock with Lindy sprays in brown and copper.

The flower bouquet has been masked, stamped and heat embossed with copper.

The hidden die cut birthday sentiment was raised slightly with foam.

 For the Die Cut Butterfly......

I loosely sketched the shape of the butterfly onto the die cut. 

Using a pipette I dropped in three shades of the Lindy's and 

drying in between so that I would NOT get a blended effect.

Using coloured pva glue I traced the shape of the butterfly, first with gold 

and then hi-lighting in bronze. Whilst still wet I used a toothpick to get shapes and to blend.

The Lindys and the heat embossing is all shiny 

and the pva glues are subtle, which has added a lovely contrast and texture.

I haven't used them in years, so much so I had to use a pliers to get them unblocked.

The CAS Mix Up Challenge is using die cuts but my card isn't CAS enough to add it to the gallery but the challenge has given me the inspiration and confidence to do more with colouring die cuts.

The die cut sentiment, from PTI was gifted to me for winning a challenge, with these cards

by the kind, humorous and extremely talented Darnell....Thank you so much x

I had a fun and crafty few days making this card....

Thank you so much for finding time to stop by, I really do appreciate it.

Challenges I would love to enter.....

Watercooler Wednesday - All about Occasions Another fun challenge which I like to enter

Thank you for the shout out....Thrilled 

That's Crafty - Close to Nature
Country View Challenge- In The Summer Garden

Peace......

Today's card is a Masculine Christmas Card...

This is my first Christmas card of the year, 

inspired by the CAS Christmas Card Challenge, which is Masculine....

I used a stencil for the Stag's head, inked through it and then fussy cut it, 

as I don't have the die cut.

I layered and heated a few lime/citron embossing powders and clear UTEE for the Stag.

                      The background was done using the tissue technique and spraying with black 

and then hi-lighting the texture with liquid gold leaf...

The die cut sentiment and the snowflakes have also been achieved 

by layering many different embossing powders and heating.

I have used a die cut square to frame the elements and edged in liquid gold leaf to finish.

I am now obsessed with layering embossing powders 

and using my pancake maker for constant heat.

It's so much fun and the results are super shiny and unique

and a great way to use up all my stashed away embossing powders....

Challenges I would love to enter.....

CAS Christmas Card Challenge - Masculine
Thank you so much for the shout out....Thrilled x

Watercooler Wednesday - Anything Goes Masculine Challenge

This is s fun challenge which I like to play along with
Thank you for the shout out....Delighted x
Just Add Ink Challenge - Add a Window/Frame
Thought my die cut 'frame' fitted into the fun challenge.