Card chain challenge — May

It’s reveal day once again at Card Chain Challenge where 32 players made and sent cards for the April challenge. Mine travelled all the way to the southern hemisphere to the lovely Robyn. 

From the options on offer I chose the colour palette and the theme of food and drink. It’s the usual one layer aesthetic for CCC, particularly when I’m airmailing something it seems a good idea to keep it light and flat. The sentiment has doodled edges and drop shadows done with a charcoal pencil to give the illusion of dimension. 

The cups are embossed with silver which gave me some trouble with photography but I hope it’s good enough for you to get the idea. 

Stamps:
Tea Time (Crafters Companion)
Essential Messages (Hero Arts, retired)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Detail silver embossing powder
Copic markers
Charcoal pencil
Black fineliner
Corner Chomper

Thanks for stopping by!

Link in the chain January

It’s time for the reveal of January’s Card Chain Challenge. There were 25 links in the chain and mine has gone over the Pond to the lovely Linda this time. The cyber “incident” at Royal Mail May have slowed its progress somewhat but it will get there eventually, we hope!

From this month’s options I chose the theme of cocktails, the product option of Distress inks and the colour palette (candyfloss, bubblegum, mulberry) with the addition of green — although I might have been able to argue for a pink citrus slice (pink grapefruit, perhaps?) I couldn’t bring myself to do pink mint leaves! 

It’s a very simple one layer creation, just stamping, colouring and a few tiny gems. The cocktail and background are Distress inks used as watercolours, the leaves and lime slice are Copic coloured. The Seedless Preserves Distress ink gave an impressive range of shades, depending on how dilute it was and using the Misti to stamp the sentiment a couple of times made it extra dark there — I thought it looked nicer in the same shade as the background rather than using black ink.

Stamps:
Cocktail Time (Crafter’s Companion)
Birthday sentiment set (Letter It range from Ranger)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserves)

Other:
Copic markers
Nail art gems
Corner Chomper

Believe

It’s Friday so it must be time for a new challenge at Daring Cardmakers — it’s our last before Christmas and follows our previous one word prompts. Today’s word is BELIEVE.

I couldn’t resist tying in with Let’s Squash It where the theme is snowflakes and stars. Sadly, LSI is calling it a day, at least for the time being. I’ve been really honoured to be chosen as Empress three times. Gail and Jo have been fabulous challenge hosts and all the regular players will be sad to wave farewell. Thank you Gail and Jo!

For today’s card I used a sentiment that includes the DCM word of the week, stamped and heat embossed on vellum with torn edges and laid over a background of sanded embossed snowflakes. The stars are die cut from silver card and I added glitter to the largest one for a bit extra festive pizzazz. I haven’t used the confetti die that produces the little stars for ages — it was nice to “rediscover” that!

It’s wintery and festive with plenty of die cut action so I’m linking up at Die Cut Divas, too.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and peaceful festive season.

Stamps:
Sparkle All the Way (Crafter’s Companion)

Paper:
Bristol board
Textured blue (came with the folder)
Vellum
Silver mirri 

Ink:
Versamark  by Tsukineko

Other:
Glamour dust by DecoArt (Crystal)
Stitched rectangle dies, A6 size (Paper Rose)
Snowflakes embossing folder (Darice)
Stars Framelits (Sizzix)
Confetti die (Mama Elephant)
Bright white detail embossing powder (Wow!)

Shine on

It’s Friday so it must be time for a new challenge at Daring Cardmakers. Our one word prompt in the run up to Christmas this week is: SHINE.

I got this die set a while ago on a well known auction site from someone having a crafty clear out. I should really be doing the same rather than buying more stuff! As soon as I saw this week’s word I knew I wanted to give the bulbs their first outing.

I cut the base layer from silver mirri card and then the top layer is vellum for a frosted bulb kind of look. I used double sided tape sheet on the vellum to get round the "show through" problem. The central portion is inked after masking the edges and then splattered with water. The sentiment is embossed with white powder. 

As I've gone far more die cut oriented than usual, I feel justified in another entry to this month's Die Cut Divas challenge!

Stamps:
Sparkle All the Way (Crafter’s Companion)

Paper:
Bristol board
Silver mirri
Vellum

Ink:
Versamark by Tsukineko
Tim Holtz Distress ink (Dusty Concord) and Oxide (Wilted Violet) by Ranger

Other:
String of Lights dies (Lawn Fawn)
Bright white detail embossing powder (Wow)
Gel glue (Pinflair)
Double sided tape sheet

Link in the chain - January

It's reveal day over at Card Chain Challenge for the first chain of 2022.

Mine went to Pia in Norway this time. From the options on offer I chose the theme of "new" by making a card to toast the new year and used the sketch too. I stuck to my preference of one layer cards for CCC, using masking and adding a bit of drop shadow with markers.

Stamps:
Champagne Celebration (Crafter’s Companion)
Time To Stamp (Cornish Heritage Farms, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukinkeo (Graphite Black)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Tumbled Glass)

Other:
Gansai Tambi watercolours (Starry colours pallette)
Copic markers
Cressida stencil (Memory Box)
Typewriter font alphabet dies (Tim Holtz/Sizzix)

Thanks for stopping by! Sign up for the February chain is open for a few more days if you fancy joining in: here

Raise a toast

It's the last day of the year and I'm just managing to squeak in with an entry for December's challenge at Let's Squash It!

Gail and Jo gave us free rein this time - any folder, any technique. I went back to May's challenge to find a way to create white space alongside the embossed texture. I did it this time by laying my top plate part way up the folder so I didn't get the full impression. Then I turned the paper and did the same the other end, leaving a clear strip across for stamping the sentiment.I used a score board to create more defined edges for the embossed areas.

This folder is intended as snow but it's always made me think of champagne bubbles so I used some ivory pearlescent paper and teamed it up with champagne flutes to make a card that could toast the New Year.

Stamps:
Champagne Celebration (Crafters Companion)
Birthday (Letter It by Ranger) 

Paper:
Stardream
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Softly Falling embosing folder (Stampin' Up!)
Scor ItCopic markers
Copic Spica glitter pen (gold)
Corner Chomper

Thanks for stopping by - whether you're raising a glass of champagne tonight or celebrating some other way, cheers! Let's hope 2022 is a bit kinder to us all.

Say it loud

Nat has set our challenge over at Daring Cardmakers today and she’d like to see words take centre stage - oversized, mixed fonts, negative die cuts, just choose a way to make the words the focal point of your design. 

I opted for a subtle image in the background with a bold word on top for a card with a masculine feel. I added some grounding with a regular pencil, a few pearl dots and some white highlights on the lettering just to accentuate it a bit more.  

Stamps:
Birthday (Letter It range by Ranger)
Champagne Celebration (Crafters Companion)

Paper:
Bristol board

Strathmore toned grey

Ink:
Shadow ink by Hero Arts (Soft Granite)
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)

Other:
Stitched rectangle dies A6 size (Paper Rose)
Black fineliner
Pearl pen by Viva Decor (Ice White)
White paint pen by Posca

Thanks for stopping by!

June Elements

As it’s the first Friday of the month it must be an “elemental” challenge over at Daring Cardmakers. Kathy has chosen our inspiration picture this time and it’s very summery indeed! Just chose at least three elements to include in your card.

I picked a drink with a slice of lemon and mint leaves, gingham pattern, a handwritten-style sentiment and yellow/green.

Although this stamp come with dies, I decided I didn’t want the white “halo” round the image this time so cut it out with scissors as it’s a reasonably easy shape.

Stamps:
Cocktail Time (Crafter’s Companion)
Birthday (Letter It range by Ranger)

Paper:
Bristol board 

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Copic markers
Gingham ribbon
Corner Chomper 
Stitched rectangle dies A6 size (Paper Rose Studio)

Inspiration picture:

Thanks for stopping by, hope you are keeping safe and well.

April elements

Nat has chosen the inspiration picture for the Daring Cardmaker's first challenge for a new month. As usual, just choose at least three elements from the inspiration to kickstart your card.

I chose champagne glasses, the pretty green of the frame, the crackle texture behind the sign and a sentiment in mixed fonts.

I smooshed Distress Oxide ink onto the card with a piece of acetate and stamped the glasses over it once dry. I lifted a bit of the colour inside the glasses using a paintbrush and water, masked them and stamped the crackle texture. The champagne is shimmery Perfect Pearls and I used Wink of Stella pen on the rest of the glass so it has subtle sparkle too.

Stamps:
Champagne Celebration (Crafter’s Companion)
Crackleglaze background (Indigo Blu)
Putting on the Ritz (Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)
Tim Holtz Distress Oxide (Cracked Pistachio)
Versafine by Tsukineko (Smokey Grey)

Other:
Perfect Pearls by Ranger (Sunflower Sparkle)
Wink of Stella pen (clear)
Corner Chomper

Here’s the mood board if you’d like to join in with us over at DCM. Thanks for stopping by!