Oh, Christmas tree

Trees are taking centre stage over at Daring Cardmakers this week - Christmas trees, bare branched wintery trees, festive or not, just show us a tree or two.

It’s a double dose of trees from me! I used the technique of inking up and stamping onto an embossing folder before running it through the Big Shot to get the impression of fir trees behind the birch trunks. Adding a torn strip of paper inside the folder stops ink going onto to the lower portion of the cardstock and  gets you an easy horizon line. I then decided to step it up a notch and add colour to the embossed trunks with a teeny tiny paint brush and some inks - darker brown for the markings on the bark and a very light beige to add some shading down one side of each trunk.

I didn’t want to cover anything up really so I added a sentiment on a vellum strip so the scene is still visible behind it. The strip is stuck on with double sided tape sheet - covering the whole strip is a good solution to the age old problem of how to attach vellum without the adhesive showing! Gel pen lines give the strip a slightly more finished look.

Stamps:
Lovely as a Tree (Stampin Up!)
Sentiment from Noel (Waltzingmouse Stamps, now available from Gina K)

Paper:
Bristol board 
Vellum

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, Pine Needles, Vintage Photo, Antique Linen)
Versamark by Tsukineko 

Other:
Detail gold embossing powder 
Woodland embossing folder (Stampin Up!)
Gold gel pen
Double sided tape sheet
Corner Chomper 

Here's this week's cover sheet if you'd like to share it

 

Thanks for stopping by!

December's elements

It’s the first Friday of the month and over at Daring Cardmakers that can only mean one thing - it’s an elemental challenge! Just use at least three elements from the inspiration picture to kickstart your card.

I chose reindeer, narrow stripes, tag, twine, typewriter style font (it even has the word joy in there), snowflakes and the colour scheme.

The narrow stripes are stamped through a circular aperture, I used a snippet of wrapping paper to cover the bottom of the card and the reindeer is die cut from packaging from a well known online retailer! I added just a bit of Vintage Photo ink round the edges of the die cut - I think it helps bring it to life a bit.

Stamps:
Fine lines backgrounder (CHF, no longer with us)
Sentiment from Merriest Christmas Wishes (Hero Arts)

Paper:
Bristol board
Packaging board envelope
Gift wrap paper

Ink:
Distress ink by Ranger (Fired Brick, Vintage Photo)
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Tags dies (Tim Holtz/Sizzix)
White crochet thread
Reindeer Family dies (Paper Rose)
Corner Chomper

Here's our inspiration picture this month, we'd love to have you along if you still have Christmas cards to make!

Thanks for stopping by!

Classic (retro) Christmas

The lovely folk at Retro Rubber invited me back as guest designer this week. The challenge is red, green and white on a Christmas card and, as ever, stamps that are at least a year old.

I revisited an old Crafty Secrets set that I’ve had since 2011. I stamped the light bulb in red and green Distress inks, hand drew the string to link them then used the same inks to colour them and add a very dilute wash of colour around each bulb for the “glow” of the lights. I used a silver gel pen to add metallic detail at the top of each bulb.  The pine  branches add an extra shade of green.

The sentiment is retro too - even though this set is now available from Gina K, mine is the original Waltzingmouse Stamps set from 2014.

Stamps:
Christmas Joy (Crafty Secrets, no longer with us)
Noel sentiment set (Waltzingmouse Stamps, now available from Gina K)

Paper:
Watercolour

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress inks by Ranger (Mowed Lawn, Barn Door, Pine Needles)

Other:
Fineline marker
Silver gel pen 
Corner Chomper 

Thanks for stopping by!

Link in the chain - November

It's reveal day for the final Card Chain Challenge of 2019. My card has gone across the Pond to Jeanne in Minnesota this time and I received a lovely card from Arlene.

From the options on offer I chose the colour scheme of silver, pine and ice blue and the theme of trees. The silver needs the right angle but it really is there, honest!

I used oldie but goodie Lovely As a Tree (a shock retirement from the Stampin' Up catalogue this year) and a sentiment from Hero Arts combined with some Distress inks used as watercolours and a silver gel pen for a simple, unembellished card that's easy to airmail.

Stamps:
Lovely As a Tree (Stampin' Up!)
Truly Appreciated (Hero Arts)

Paper:
Watercolour
Bristol board

Ink:
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Tumbled Glass, Pine Needles)
Shadow ink by Hero Arts (Soft Granite)

Other:
A6 Stitched Rectangle dies (Paper Rose)
Silver gel pen

Big thank you to the Card Chain Challenge team for organising the challenges, it’s a lovely thing to take part in with the treat of receiving a hand made card each month. Maybe you’ll join us in 2020? Look out for January’s chain!

Thanks for stopping by!

Link in the chain - October

I missed reveal day over at the Card Chain Challenge yesterday. My card has travelled all the way to Dawn in New Zealand this month.

As ever, we had lots of options - I chose the theme of leaves, (sort of) the colour palette of tangerine, cherry and gold and the product option of die cuts.

I had a piece of inky mixed media paper in my stack of scraps that was good colours for autumn leaves and close to the suggested colour palette so I went with that - hopefully Dawn will forgive the northern hemisphere slant on this! The leaves are die cut from the paper, the circle is sponged with gold ink and overstamped in a slightly hit-and-miss style with a script stamp. There's a tiny bit of pale stencilling for some background interest and a scored line under the sentiment (the American spelling is another thing for Dawn to forgive!).

Stamps:
19th Century French Script and Essential Messages (both Hero Arts)

Paper:
Bristol board
Bamboo mixed media by Hannemuhl (inked with long forgotten Distress ink colours)

Ink:
Delicata by Tsukineko (Golden Glitz)
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Coffee Bean)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Antique Linen)

Other:
Leaves dies by Impression Obsession
Cressida stencil by Memory Box
Home made circle stencil
Scor-it
Corner Chomper

There are still a couple of days to sign up for the November chain (which is the last one of 2019) if you fancy making and sending one card and getting one lovely handmade card from the next link in the chain.

Link in the chain - September

It's reveal day at Card Chain Challenge - my card has gone to Greta in Oregon this month. I often go with a one layer card if I'm airmailing it but somehow my brain didn't want to go that way this time!

As usual, we had lots of choice - I went with the sketch and the theme of "things with wheels".

Things are starting to feel pretty autumnal so I thought I'd pull out an old set and haul some giant pumpkins! The truck and pumpkins are separate images, I cut a slit along the line of the truckbed with a scalpel and tucked the pumpkins inside.

The green is part of a gel print that was out on my desk, the swirly sky is inked over a stencil and I hand drew the birds and grass tuft to fit the sketch. I did struggle a bit to get the word die to cut right through where the truck is stuck on to the background but got there in the end - I thought an eclipse sentiment would suit this!

Stamps:
Happy Harvest (Cornish Heritage Farms, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board
Premium weight copy paper

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black, Pearlescent Chocolate)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Tumbled Glass)

Other:
Stitched frame dies (Paper Rose)
Copic markers
Fibres stencil (Visible Image)
Phrases Set 2 dies (Spellbinder)
Fineliner
Momento marker (Bamboo Leaves)

Thanks for stopping by! There's still time to sign up for the October chain if you fancy it - make and mail one card, get a hand crafted card from somebody else!

On Safari

Shabneez is setting our challenge over at Daring Cardmakers this week and as it's World Tourism Day she'd like to see something from another country or culture featuring on our cards. Hop over to see where the DT members have travelled to this week!

I decided to go on safari - camera only, no guns! I've never understood the complusion to chase wild animals and kill them, tracking them down and taking pictures is much easier to understand!

As my zebra pair dates from 2009 and Retro Rubber has an "anything goes" challenge at the moment I'm linking up there as well.

I die cut a circle in scrap paper and placed it on the card (I find alignment easiest if I place the solid circle exactly where I want it and then pop the "frame" back round it). Stamped the image, masked it and inked the background before taking the masks away and adding just a touch of shading with a couple of grey Copics and stamping the stentiment.

Stamps:
Zebra Pair (Cornish Heritage Farms, no longer with us)
Say It All (Hero Arts, retired)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukinko (Graphite Black)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Barn Door)

Other:
Copic markers (Cool Grey 1 and 3)
Nestabilies circle dies to cut an aperture for masking.

Here's this week's cover sheet to share if you'd like it!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

I've got your number!

Ruth has set the challenge for us over at Daring Cardmakers this week - she'd like to see numbers on our projects as her son celebrates a significant birthday soon!

I wanted to have a go at a reductive painting technique that featured in a recent challenge at Splitcoast Stampers and thought this might be a good opportunity. I used Tim Holtz alphabet masks that I've had forever and a day over a shaving foam background left over from a play with the oxidised shaving foam technique. A layer of black acrylic paint and there you go - a dramatic background!

The quirky Party Puffin is always fun and he's useful for cards where people don't have specific hobbies or anything to theme things around. I gave him a bit of a "halo" with a white pencil to reduce the risk of him disappearing against the background.

Stamps:
Party Puffin (Crafty Individuals)
Sentiment words from Say It Loud (Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board
Shaving foam piece done on preimum weight copy paper

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Copic markers
White pencil
Stitched rectangles A6 size dies (Paper Rose)
Black acrylic paint
Pinflair glue gel

Thanks for stopping by!

Rosemary is for remembrance

Dawn has set today's challenge over at Daring Cardmakers. Dawn lost her dad recently and so would like to see cards representing special thoughts of someone. It could be a card in memory of someone, or one to let someone know they’re in your thoughts.

I had a plan for this and then found I needed to make a sympathy card for a friend who just lost her mum so my plan changed. Her mum loved her garden and the birds and butterflies that visit so this set seemed perfect.

I started by brushing on a very light coverage of blue ink from bottom left and then stamped the rosemary sprig several times to create the effect of the top of a bush. I used pencils to colour since I feel I have a bit more control in the very narrow spaces of the leaves than I have with Copics - three shades of green, two of purple and white. The tips of the stamens have dots of gold gel pen to finish them off.

Stamps:
Soothing Sympathy (Power Poppy)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Pearlescent Ivy, Pearlescent Chocolate)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Tumbled Glass)

Other:
Coloured pencils
Gold gel pen
Corner Chomper

Thanks for stopping by!

Making a song and dance

As I had this dancing snowman out on my desk it seemed only right that I should join in with the current Lost Coast/Carmen’s Veranda challenge where the theme is “song and dance” and add another Christmas card to my stash.

I thought the Bubble Border would make a fun hillside for him! I heat embossed with white powder and blended a couple of Oxides inks over it then added a wee bit of shading with a couple of Copics and gave a few circles the Wink of Stella treatment for just a touch of festive glitz.

The snowman is stamped on the card base so his little arm waggle lines and scarf fringe are there. I coloured and fussy cut another one and stuck him on with some gel glue so he has a bit of dimension.

Stamps:
Bubble Border (Lost Coast Designs)
Dancing Snowman (Cornish Heritage Farms, no longer with us)
Frosty in the Pines and Compliments of the Season (both Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us - the sentiment set is available from Gina K though)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Versamark by Tsukineko
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)
Tim Holtz Distress Oxide by Ranger (Cracked Pistachio, Evergreen Bough)

Other:
Bright white detail embossing powder by Wow
Copic markers
Clear Wink of Stella marker
Enamel Accents by Ranger 
Pinflair glue gel

Thanks for stopping by!

September elements

It's the first Friday of the month so of course that means an "elemental" challenge over at Daring Cardmakers. Ruth has chosen our inspiration this month - as ever, just choose at least three elements (colour scheme counts as one element) to kick start your project.


From the inspiration picture I chose a bird in a party hat, a balloon, circles and pastel colours.

I'm playing at Retro Rubber as well where the current challenge is a sketch. I've rotated it 180 degrees. It was not until I uploaded the picture that I realised I'd stuck the square in the wrong place really - it should have been low down for the rotated sketch! I hope the challenge police will go lightly on me, sketches are out of my confort zone!

I used my trusty piece of acetate with various sized circles die cut in it and brushed on inks for a pastel dotty background.

Stamps:
Owen the Owl (Cornish Heritage Farms, no longer with us -  Owen is at least 10 years old!)
Balloon from Happy Today (Hero Arts, I've had the set at least five years, I think it's retired)
Sentimenet from Mini Memories (Crafty Secrets, no longer with us - set is copyright 2007)

Paper:
Bristol board
Scrap of smooth black

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)
Versamark by Tsukineko 
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Tumbled Glass, Spun Sugar)

Other:
Copic markers
Stitched frames dies (Paper Rose)
Detail white embossing powder
Crochet thread
Pinflair glue gel
Corner Chomper

Here's our inspiration if you would like to play along, we'd love to see you over at Daring Cardmakers!

Thanks for stopping by!

Link in the chain - August

Time for another reveal over at the Card Chain Challenge. This month my card has travelled to Dee in Kenya. Unbelievably I've been playing for a year now, last August was the first time I was a link in the chain. Fittingly enough, the card I received this time is from a first time player - Tina in Slovenia!

From the options on offer I chose the theme of water and loosely followed the sketch (rotated 180 degrees).

I got this lovely seahorse stamp as a gift last Christmas and I'm ashamed to say he's only just seeing ink now!

The seahorse is coloured with Copics and then masked so I could use a stencil and three Distress inks to give him a watery background, following the sketch for placement. I sponged the same inks through circles cut in a piece of acetate, again using the sketch - the third circle is invisible to the naked eye because of the splatter trailling the seahorse!

A simple sentiment and three tiny nail art gems for some sparkle finish it off.

Stamps:
Create Your Calm (Visible Image)
Sentiment from Say It All (Hero Arts, retired)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Tumbled Glass, Peacock Feathers, Salty Ocean)

Other:
Copic markers
Nail art gems
Fibres stencil (Visible Image)
Corner Chomper 

Thanks for stopping by!

Resist if you can

Nat has set the challenge for us over at Daring Cardmakers this week and she’d like to see a resist technique on our cards.

I’ve been meaning to have a go at Debossed Die Resist for a while so I pulled out a Hero Arts die I thought might work and got busy with a wax crayon and a couple of Brusho powders. I think it looks kind of like batik fabric.

I did an extra resist as well - after my fern and background were dry, I rubbed some microglaze onto the leaves and then spritzed and splattered Dylusions spray for some extra speckles.

Supplies:
Fancy Palm die (Hero Arts)
Watercolour paper
White crayon
Sentiment from Say It All (Hero Arts, retired)
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)
Brusho (Leaf Green, Turquoise)
Dylusions spray (Vibrant Turquoise)
Judikins microglaze (now rebranded as Distress microglaze)

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiling snowmen!

Today, I'm delighted to be Guest Elf for the lovely Jo's Christmas Kickstart challenge! Each fortnight a new challenge launches and this time around we're getting inspired by the challenge blog's header:

Lots of things to work with there - snowman, mittens, hat, scarf, baubles and streamers, the colour scheme, stripes...

I sort of stuck to the overall colour scheme and then chose a jolly snowman, pearly circles inspired by the baubles and a glittter one as the texture made me think of the pompom on the header snowman's hat.

I have a piece of acetate with various circles die cut out of it tucked in to a container on my desk that's really useful for things like this - I just sponged Versamark and brushed on Perfect Pearls in various shades of green and blue. A pearl pen and some sequins added a bit of texture.

Stamps:
Dancing Snowman (Cornish Heritage Farms, no longer with us)
Merry Stamp 'n Cut (Hero Arts)

Paper:
Bristol board
Glitter card

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)
Versamark by Tukineko

Other:
Perfect Pearls by Ranger (Blue Raspberry, Turquoise, Sour Apple, Mint)
Copic markers
Pearl pen by Viva Decor (Ice White)
Sequins

We'd love to see you over at Christmas Kickstart - why not add a card or two to your stash?!

Under the sea

It's Svenja setting our challenge over at Daring Cardmakers this week and she's sending us under the sea. There are extra virtual brownie points for an octopus. As I can always use extra brownie points I used it as an excuse to pull out this colour layering stamp that's only been used once or twice.

I liked the idea of an eight limbed creature sending hugs so this sentiment seemed perfect!

I stamped dark to light on the octopus (Dusty Concord first for the detailed layer and then a mix of the other two on the solid layer), using the MISTI so that I could clear emboss the whole octopus as a final step. That means it resists the ink for the stencilled water and the stamped weed/coral without having to worry about any masking.

This fits today's Free For All challenge on Splitcoast Stampers too - why not come play in both?!

Stamps:
Layering Octopus (Hero Arts)
Truly Appreciated (Hero Arts)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Milled Lavender, Seedless Preserves, Dusty Concord, Tumbled Glass, Peacock Feathers, Salty Ocean)
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)
Shadow ink by Hero Arts (Soft Granite)
Versamark by Tsukineko

Other:
Fibres stencil (Visible Image)
Clear embossing powder
Sequins
Corner Chomper
MISTI

Thanks for stopping by!

Splish, splash, splosh

My turn to set the challenge over at Daring Cardmakers this week and I'd like to see everyone gettting loose and unstructured with inks, watercolours or paints - sploosh, spray and splatter to your heart's content for a focal point, background or accents on your project.

I smooshed my DOX pad onto a piece of acetate, sprayed with water and used it to add drippy ink to my card base. The mistletoe is coloured with Copics, cut out and popped up with a bit of gel glue. The berries have some Glossy Accents for dimension.

And look - I used washi tape! Not sure I've ever used washi tape with anything like success but my local Poundland recently had tubs with six different rolls in each and I couldn't resist a couple of tubs - I think this striped one from the silver/grey/white selection goes well with the stripes in the mistletoe leaves.

I'm playing at Retro Rubber as well where the theme is "anything goes" as long as it features stamps more than a year old. Festive Foliage has been around since 2010.

Stamps:
Festive Foliage (mine is the original Waltzingmouse Stamps set with 2010 copyright, the same design is now available from Gina K with a few minor differences)
Sentiment from an ancient Skipping Stones set 

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress Oxide by Ranger (Cracked Pistachio)
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Pearlescent Chocolate)

Other:
Copic markers
Washi tape
Corner Chomper
Glossy Accents
Pinflair glue gel

Thanks for stopping by!

A Lost Coast Christmas

Visiting Jo's blog a few days back I noticed a link to the Lost Coast/Carmen's Veranda challenge which reminded me I haven't played with my Loast Coast Bubble Border stamp in an absolute age.

This is Challenge #81 and while there's no requirement to use Lost Coast or Carmen's Veranda stamps that's the way I roll!


I've been making Christmas cards recently so that I hopefully have a few on hand before the festivities themselves so that's the way my mind went.

I used detail gold powder to heat emboss the border and sentiment on a die cut black rectangle and then filled in some of the circles with Perfect Pearls mixed with some water. I also used clear Wink of Stella on a few and added some Glossy Accents - it has incredible galaxy-like depth in real life! Tiny nail art gems were the perfect size for a bit extra twinkle on a few circles, too.

Stamps:
Bubble Border (Lost Coast)
Sentiment from Compliments of the Season (Claire Brennan at Gina K)

Paper:
Bristol board
Smooth black

Ink:
Versamark by Tsukineko

Ohter:
Detail embossing powder (gold)
Prfect Pearls by Ranger (Copper, Gold, Pearl)
Clear Wink of Stella pen
Glossy Accents by Ranger
Nail art gems
Stitched r3ectangle dies A6 size (Paper Rose)

Thanks for stopping by!

One. two, three, four, five

Kathy has set a slightly fiendish challenge over at Daring Cardmakers this week. She’d like to see one of something, two of something, three, four and five of something.

I thought this stamp I got recently might fit the bill as a starting point since it gave me my “three” for a start. So...

• One layer
• Two words
• Three baubles
• Four ink pads - used for both stamping and colouring
• Five tiny gems

I did use a silver gel pen as well but I don’t think the challenge police will be after me for using an extra item!

Stamps:
Ornament Collage (Impression Obsession)
Sentiment from an old Cornish Heritage Farms set

Paper:
Watercolour

Ink:
Hero Arts (Soft Granite, Charcoal)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Fired Brick, Peeled Paint)

Other:
Silver gel pen
Nail art gems
Corner Chomper

Thanks for stopping by!

Link in the Chain - July

It's time for another reveal at the Card Chain Challenge. My card has gone to Gail this month. Gail is part of the team that does a fabulous job organising the Chain each month so it's a particular pleasure to be able to send her a card.

From the options on offer this month I chose the theme of faces and also the product options of watercoluring and stencils.

I have to confess to a slight cheat this time - Molly was already watercoloured and mounted on another card that I had never used so I pulled it apart and made a new one since I liked the way she turned out and it seemed a shame not to have sent her to anybody! She's stamped in a very light ink so I could do some "no line" colouring.

I had a stencil out on my desk that was cut with the Spellbinder fancy lattice die - I used that to add a bit of background with Tumbled Glass ink and then ran a glitter pen around the edge of a few shapes and smudged it for some shimmery shading.

Stamps:
Molly (Beeswax Stamps)
Sentiment from Journaling Words 3 (Artistic Stamper)

Paper:
Cold press watercolour
Bristol board

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain, Black Soot, Pumice Stone, Tumbled Glass)
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Pearlescent Chocolate)

Other:
Circle Nestabilities and Fancy Lattice die (Spellbinder)
White paint pen by Posca
Turquoise Spica glitter pen
Charcoal pencil
Corner Chomper

There are still a few days to sign up for the August chain if you fancy it - just make one card using one or more of the challenge options, send it out and get a handmade card from the next person in the chain.

August elements

Kathy has chosen a lovely inspiration mood board for the August “elemental” challenge over at Daring Cardmakers. As ever, just chose at least three elements from the picture to kickstart your project.

I chose a shell, waves, random sparkle, book text, turquoise blue and a single word in a handwritten style.

I used the square from the Gel Press Petites to add brayered turquoise paint to a card base. I then sketched lines with a Spica glitter pen on the gel square, spritzed with water and pressed it over the paint. Just take care not to press too hard with the pen if you do this so the nib doesn’t damage the surface of the gel. I used the little white imperfections in the paint impression to guide where I put dots of Glossy Accents and poured on some clear glitter. As usual with a still photo the glitter doesn’t show up too well but it’s there and it’s pretty in real life!

Stamps:
Antique Engravings and Say It All (Hero Arts, both retired I believe)

Paper:
Bristol board 
Old book page

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Pearlescent Chocolate)

Other:
Gel Press Petites
Fresco Finish acrylic paint by PaperArtsy (Mermaid)
Spica glitter pen (Turquoise)
Glossy Accents
Glamour Dust by DecoArt (Crystal)
Washi tape
Corner Chomper 

Here's the inspiration picture if you’d like to join in and didn’t arrive by way of the DCM blog!

Thanks for stopping by!

Tic tac toe at Retro Rubber

I'm Guest Designing for Retro Rubber for the challenge that has just gone live as this dragonfly card was chosen as a Top Pick - thanks Retro Rubber! It's one of their fun tic tac toe boards this time:

I chose a diagonal line and used gems, texture paste and heat embossing to make a little scrapling. I'm trying to get going on some Christmas cards since I've not been building up a stock over the year so far!

I started with a scrapling base of kraft cardstock and added some pearlescent texture paste through a stencil that's cut with a Spellbinder die. While that was drying, I stamped the ornament with a light ink and used Copics to colour it, then overstamped with Versamark and heat embossed with gold. With this image I find the little dots are small enough that if I try to Copic colour after embossing, the detail gets lost as the alcohol ink colours the embossing too. A Misti makes it easy to do it the other way though!

Stamps:
Holiday Ornaments (Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us - set is dated 2011)

Paper:
Kraft
Bristol board

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress ink (Antique Linen, Vintage Photo)
Versamark
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Pearlescent Chocolate)

Other:
Copic markers
Detail gold embossing powder
Silver thread
Iridescent Paste by Maimeri
Stencil cut with Fancy Lattice die (Spellbinder)
Nail art gems
Corner Chomper
Misti

Thanks for stopping by!

Cactus sunset

It's Miri setting our challenge over at Daring Cardmakers this week and she'd like to see a cactus or cacti on our cards. As they make her think of summer I’ve opted for hot colours, too.

I'm ashamed to say that this is the first time the landscape strip featuring cacti has seen ink! Given the length of time Waltzingmouse Stamps has been closed that says it’s been far too long!

I masked the strip using low tack tape, blended three ink colours into it and then stamped the silhouettes using the Misti to help make sure I got good coverage - a simple one layer card. The rider was a last minute addition and I’m still not sure I didn’t prefer it just with the landscape!

Stamps:
Way Out West and Back in the Saddle (both Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board 

Ink:
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Barn Door)

Other:
Misti
Corner Chomper 

Thanks for stopping by!

Tying the knot

It's that wedding time of year and Ruth is asking us to celebrate those tying the knot with this week's challenge over at Daring Cardmakers.

I played with a Celtic knot embossing folder and some copper engraving board (what I would have called scraper board as a kid). I read somewhere that you can use nail polish remover rather than sanding off the black coating.

I tried it and I have to admit it was too successful! Even though I was careful not to have to the pad too wet it still took off too much black in the recessed areas of the design. I ended up putting some black acrylic paint back over some areas and using a sanding block anyway!

I aslo added a bit of gold Rub n Buff in places so the knot has more than one metallic tone. I cut the design apart and reassembled bits of it so that I had some white space to work with. I think Kathy and I must be two halves of a whole - she gets jittery about white space, I get jittery about a lack of it!

Supplies:
Celtic knot embossing folder (Spellbinder)
Copper Engraving Art Scraper Foil (Royal and Langnickel)
Nail polish remover
Black acrylic paint
Sanding block
Rub n Buff by Amaco (Gold Leaf)
Sentiment from a smal Kaiser Craft set
Versafine Onyx Black ink
Corner Chomper

Thanks for stopping by!

July Elements

It's the first Friday of the month so that means it's an "elemental" challenge over at Daring Cardmakers. Dawn has chosen our inspiration picture and as ever, you just need to choose at least three elements from it to kickstart your project (if you choose the colour palette that counts as one element).

I chose five rectangles, raspberries and gingham for a clean and simple birthday card. How perfectly does that sentiment stamp fit the die cut rectangle?! It doesn't take much to have me grinning from ear to ear, does it?

The die set this one came from also had me grinning - I finally found a set of rectangles that's actually proportioned for A6 cards - hooray! Given that everywhere except north America uses ISO standard paper sizes, you wouldn't think it would be a problem but the standard seems to be very much based on US letter paper sizes. OK, I had to go to an Australian company for these but still...

Of course typical me, the first use of the die set is not one where I'm using the dies in the same orientation as the card and I used the smallest one so the relationship may not be obvious!

Stamps:
Sun Ripened (Stampin Up!, retired)
Sentiment from Big Day Today (Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Stitched Rectangle Dies A6 size (Paper Rose)
Copic markers
Copic Spica glitter pen (red)
Gingham ribbon
Corner Chomper

Here's the summery inspiration picture if you'd like to play along and didn't arrive here via the DCM blog.

Thanks for stopping by!

Link in the chain - June

It's reveal day at the Card Chain Challenge. My card this month went to Jane and from the options on offer I chose the colours (lemon, lime, sky blue) and the theme of feathers.

I just coloured the die cut feathers with inks for a sort of ombre effect and smooshed slightly watered down blue ink onto the card base using a piece of acetate. It's pearlescent ink so it has a pretty sheen in real life. I used the same ink* to stamp the script for a bit of background interest.

Stamps:
Essential Messages and 19th Century Script (both Hero Arts)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Pearlescent Sky, Graphite Black)
Tim Holtz Distress Oxide by Ranger (Twisted Citron)
Jenni Bowlin ink by Ranger (Lemon Drop)

Other:
Feather Duo die/folder by Tim Holtz/Sizzix
Corner Chomper
Pinflair glue gel

*That ink pad is over 13 years old - never been reinked and still performing just fine! I happen to know how long I've had it because I bought a pink and a blue ready to stamp a setniment on a card when a friend was expecting her first baby and that baby (who got a Pearlescent Orchid sentiment, as it happens) is now a teenager!

Thanks for stopping by!

Midsummer!

As it’s the longest day today for those of us in the northern hemisphere, Nat’s challenge for us over at Daring Cardmakers this week is to celebrate summer, bonus brownie points for inspiration from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

As it was one of the very first Shakespeare plays I saw on stage (although strictly speaking it wasn’t on stage - it was a promenade performance in a park) I decided to go that way. Titania says this to Bottom after he has been transformed and she enchanted - Bottom really isn’t very bright and since he’s sporting a donkey’s head at this point he’s not terribly handsome either. If you ignore the original context though, it just sounds like a nice thing to say to somebody!

I had a go at some lettering to make a feature of the quote (Act 3, Scene 1 if you were wondering!). I looked at lots of fonts online, sketched the large words and filled in with a pen. It's a bit wibbly but it's OK for a first attempt! The smaller words I printed out, transferred onto the card with the trusty old "scribble on the back with a pencil" method and went over with a pen so they still have a handrawn quality. I could be happier with the line spacing too but you live and learn!

I’m also playing along at Retro Rubber who currently have an “anything goes” theme - just use stamps that are older than a year.

Stamps:
T’wit T’woo by Indigo Blu (approx 2015)
Flowers from Bird Paradise by Bloom Art Stamps (2016)
Shakespear's name from Wild Flower by Crafty Secrets (approx 2009)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Pearlescent Chocolate)
Adirondack dye ink by Ranger (Latte)

Other:
Copic markers
Coloured pnecils
Fineline marker
Gold gel pen

Thanks for stopping by! We'd love to have you play along at DCM!

Come fly with me

Svenja is setting today's challenge over at Daring Cardmakers and she’d like us all to take flight. Birds, superheroes, planes, hot air balloons, helicopters... feature anything that flies on your project.

We’re lucky enough to have owls around us - there’s a tawny that we sometimes hear in our back garden although we’ve never actually seen it! Hubby has seen a barn owl at the bottom of the hill and there’s a family of little owls just up the lane. So this lovely owl stamp from a recent release at Crafty Individuals was a no-brainer for hubby’s anniversary card this year!

The berries have a touch of glitter pen on them but it’s otherwise unadorned and just the way he tends to like his cards!

Stamps:
Owl Family (Crafty Individuals)
Sentiment from Putting on the Ritz (Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)

Paper:
Watercolour

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Pearlescent Chocolate)
Tim Holtz Distress ink (Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo, Antique Linen, Spiced Marmalade, Barn Door - used as watercolours)
Tim Holtz Distress Oxide (Evergreen Bough)

Other:
MISTI (invaluable for a detailed stamp on a textured paper!)
Spica glitter pen (red)

Thanks for stopping by!

June's Elements

It's the first Friday of the month and over at Daring Cardmakers that means it's an "elemental" challenge - just choose at least three elements from the inspiration picture to kickstart your project.

I chose the soft greens from the colour palette, the fern type leaves, a skinny metallic circle (framing the flower in the inspiration) and overlapping squares.

The squares are simply the ink pads pressed directly onto the card base - I used a bit of tape to mask the lighter one at the front when I pressed the darker pad onto the card.

Supplies:
Back to Nature dies by Sizzix
Fine Frames die by Altenew
Tim Holtz Distress ink (Bundled Sage)
Tim Holtz Distress Oxide (Evergreen Bough)
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Pearlescent Chocolate) 
Versamark by Tsukineko
Perfect Pearls (Sour Apple, Green, Patina Green)
Sentiment from Say It All set by Hero Arts (retired)
Bristol Board
Silver mirror card
Dark brown card
Pinflair glue gel
Corner Chomper

Here's our inspiration picture this month, we'd love to see you play along!

Link in the chain: May

The reveal for May's Card Chain Challenge has just gone live. My card went to Jo this month and from the options on offer I used the theme of insects and the sketch.

I used an embossing folder to "stamp" the backkground - the positive side with a couple of shades of Distress ink and the negative to add the fine lines in dark brown - I didn't try precise line-up to get a slightly "off register" look.

After drawing in the charcoal pencil to fit the sketch I thought "bee line"!

Stamps:
Queen Bee (Crafty Secrets, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board 
Watercolour

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black, Pearlescent Chocolate) 
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Mustard Seed, Wild Honey)

Other:
Sizzix Texture Fade Folder (Honeycomb)
Copic markers
Charcoal pencil
Phrases I dies (Spellbinder)
Hexagon dies (X Cut)
Corner Chomper

There are still a couple of days to sign up for the June chain if you fancy it!

Secret hideaway

My turn to set the challenge over at Daring Cardmakers this week. I'd like to see a card with a hidden element! You might choose to use a camouflage/eclipse sentiment with die cut words or letters, add a pocket to your card and tuck something inside, use a flap to conceal a surprise image or sentiment... what can you come up with to create a secret hideaway?

I've added a "custom giftcard" to mine - the headphones are stamped and coloured then a die cut giftcard was placed over the top and I stamped again (I find the MISTI is invaluable for jobs like this where you need precision placement). The partial image on the giftcard was coloured to match and I used a die that cuts the two notches to slot the card in to.Custom gift card information is added to the back of the card and a little greeting message written between the headphones on the base.

Stamps:
Feel the Power (Sheena Douglass)
Birthday Centers (Cornish Heritage Farms, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)
Tim Holtz Distress Oxide (Twisted Citron)

Other:
Giftcard dies (Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)
Copic markers
MISTI

Thanks for stopping by!