Tic-tac-toe at Die Cut Divas.... flowers, Love and patterned paper.

 It's the 31st so time for the final inspiration for this month at  Die Cut Divas.  Our sponsor this month is Frantic Stamper 

 

Our challenge this week:

I chose the diagonal - Flowers, The word Love, Patterned paper.  I used Pinkfresh Studio washi and the matching die.  I used Artistic Dahlia products.  Both are available at Frantic Stamper Inc. 

I stuck the washi onto some white card.  The die cuts out lots of the images all at once.  I used 300gsm paper... but next time I'll use a lighter weight.   I used a Gina K Master Layout die to cut the dotted patterned paper.  I used an Altenew stamp for the sentiment.  

Our challenge is open till 9.00pm Pacific time.  

Supplies:

Pinkfresh Studio - Artistic Dahlia Washi 

Pinkfresh Studio - Artistic Dahlia Die 

Gina K Master Layouts

Altenew - Best Sentiments 

Grungy Flower cards

 The other day I saw a lovely video from Natasha Foote - using a solid stamps and making a mixed media background.  Natasha used soft colours on her background and it was her inspiration that got me started.  My first background turned out a bit grungy and darker as I used paints for my base layer.  

I started by using Distress paints  and added to my card base.  Then lots of layers...Background Builders.  There are three wooden stamps each about 1.5" wide by 6" long.  I used various Distress inks to added them.  Also used some bubble wrap to add some texture.  Splatted some white ink spray.  Once everything was dry I stamped a Darkroom Door stamp in black ink and clear embossed.   Finished with a pre-printed sentiment from Creative Expressions Wordies.  

I decided to try and make a lighter background, albeit still a bit grungy. 

For this one I used Distress inks - Old Paper, Worn Lipstick Broken China and Victorian Velvet to smoosh onto my media mat and did the background.  Again used the bubble wrap. And some Gathered Twigs DI through a couple of stencils from Stampgiraffe.com.  One is dots and the other splatters.    Used the Stampin' Up stamps as well.  This time another of the Darkroom Door stamps, this time inked with Altenew Mahogany Bark ink.    The sentiment is part of another of the stamps in the set.  Added some hessian thread to finish.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Interference Inks... two ways.

 Over at Splitcoaststampers this week, there was a great video using black paint/gesso and Cosmic Shimmer Opal Polish.  Christine used gesso and  3D embossing folder.   I don't have the Opal Polish, but I do have some VERY ANCIENT Opalite inks so decided to give them a go.   First up I used black acrylic paint with an Altenew Bergenia folder.... EPIC FAILURE!!!!   Next I tried with some black Obsidan ink (Altenew) brayered onto the folder and embossed onto white card.   Let it dry and then did a direct to paper technique with the Opalite inks ( Crystall Blush, Nordic Ice, Golden Mist and Cypress Frost)   It looks like versamark ink... no colour but once it hits the black it is supposed to show the colour.  Well with this one... it's there but only ever so slightly, if you tilt it in the light....So difficult to photo on this one 

Here you can just about see the colours... and definitely you can see it on the black card.  I swinked it on and then used a die from Concord & 9th Just Saying Dies.  A few black enamel dots to finish. 

I had more success using black card with the embossing folder. 

I added the inks by swinking across the embossed panel.  It really shimmers and shines.  I backed it onto the maroon card.  The sentiment is from Altenew's Versatile Greetings Dies, cut from the maroon card and backed with white card.  Added some white enamel dots.    I've had these Opalite inks for a very long time - bought them at a craft fair in 2016.  I think I might have used them once or twice and then stored them in the bottom draw of one of my cabinets.   I must admit I was surprised it still worked!  

Thanks for stopping by. 

Things with Wings at Sweet Stampin' Challenge.

 Hi there.  Time for the latest challenge at Sweet Stampin' Challenge.   It's Susan's team to inspire you with "Things with Wings"

For my card I've gone with a Christmas card - upcycling an old commercial card. 

I used a Spellbinders Oval die to cut part of the card front and layered it onto a decorative oval die (also by Spellbinders)  The sentiment is a hot foiled using the negative left from foiling with red onto white card.  The background is a pearlescent paper added to the white card base.  

There's lots of opportunities with this challenge - bird, butterflies, dragonflies etc,   So come and join us for this fortnight's challenge.  

 

Purple Poinsettia - a non traditional Christmas card.

 This month's challenge at Christmas Kickstart is all about a colour palette.

 Of course this palette is right up my alley as I LOVE the colours of Purple.  I was inspired by my bloggy friend - Linda with her gorgeous entry using a poinsettia.  

I used a Hero Art Woodblock stamp - Antique Poinsettia.   I too two sheets of PP from an Anko pack called Marble.  I stamped first onto a grey marble paper and fussy cut it out.  Added some pale purple marker to the leaf portion.  Next stamped was twice onto the purple marble paper.  Each time in the different shades of purple.  I then fussy cut the two layers.  The second layer had dimensional dots between it and the base, and the top layer was added directly to the second. Three little purple gems finished the centre.  I found the soft purple background in a Recollections pack called Northern Lights.  I decided I needed a little something more, so used a Kaisercraft Rectangle Fancy Frames die to cut a frame.  The sentiment is a Scrapbook.com die that was a gift when buying some stuff from them.  Cut it from purple but it didn't look right - so cut from white and layered the two together. 

And because I used a woodblock stamp, this one is going into Amy's Woodblock Wednesday challenge -Here is the stamp with the card, 

Today was a work from home day so once I finished for the day I quickly did the housework and then off to the craft room for the next couple of hours.  A productive afternoon making this one.  

Butterfly Love at Die Cut Divas.

 Hi, Dawn here to share my challenge card for this month's Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge at Die Cut Divas.   

Our fabulous sponsor this month is 

I chose the middle vertical line - Stencil, the word LOVE and Butterflies.

I used Altenew stamps, die and stencil for my card  today.   I used the stencil to make the gingham stripe and then die cut the panel.  I cut my red panel at 5.25" x 4".  The love sentiment was cut out of the red panel before I glued the white panel on it.  The butterfly - I die cut first then stamped and used my Tri-blends to colour.  

All my supplies are available at The Frantic Stamper 

Altenew Buffalo Plaid Builder stencil 

Altenew Dovetail Butterflies - stamp and die set

Altenew Versatile Greetings Die set 

Do come and join us and have fun with our Tic-Tac-Toe board 

Just Add Ink - Choose Two!

 I decided I wanted to entry the latest challenge at Just Add Ink - Challenge #653 - Choose Two 

For my card I actually did all three... but mainly Banner and Baby.

I started by choosing some pretty pink gingham paper.   I found a Kaisercraft stamp with the banner so stamped it directly onto the paper and used alcohol markers to add some colour.   I stamped the Mama and baby elephant (Uniquely Creative)  and coloured with my Tri-blends.  I used a Gina K Master Layout oval and it's matching frame.  I found a freebie stamp set that had some baby sentiments.  Not sure where it came.  In fact I can't even remember getting it.  

This one will most probably be for my son and daughter in law as they are expecting a girl - within the next 6-8 weeks.  

Hello You Coneflower - Sketch Saturday #726

 My Saturday late afternoon crafting didn't happen yesterday as around 5.00pm our power went out.   The evening was a dark, stormy one and it got dark very quickly.  By 6.00 the power still hadn't come back on, so we decided to head out for dinner.  I was slow cooking a casserole that still need 1 1/2 hours to go.  We went to have Ramen.  Very nice to have an impromptu  date night out!  

So after spending the morning doing a full polish of all my lounge furniture, I headed to the craft room.  I saw a great sketch challenge on Tristan blog  - Sketch Saturday #726 .  Tristan is one of the design team for the challenge.  

I really liked the challenge sketch - and it has an option - using ink blending.  

I loved the hexagon look on the sketch.  I have a hexagon cover die... not sure the make as I've lost the packaging.  I die cut and then used it as a stencil, masking off so I got just about half my panel  I did some ink blending with Altenew Lapis Luzuli ink set.  I decided a yellow coneflower would look great against the blues so used Altenew's Build a Flower: Coneflower using Altenew inks.  I had a scrap of dark blue mirror card and used Altenew's Versatile Greeting die to cut the hello.  I stamped a "You" from a Sentiment Strip stamp - cut the You off a longer sentiment. 

I love the contrast of the yellow and blue on this card.