Textured Florals with Altenew’s African Daisy Embossing Folder and Die

 It’s the last day of April, which means it’s also the final day of this month’s challenge over at Die Cut Divas! Our challenge this month is Birthdays/Anniversaries.. We have a wonderful sponsor - Altenew, and for my final bit of inspiration I’m sharing a card I made with the newest addition to my craft room- African Daisy Embossing Folder and coordinating Die set from Altenew’s April release. I was thrilled to get my hands on it (it’s already sold out in the Altenew store!)—and it arrived just in time yesterday, so I got straight to work.

Before I started, I did a quick search for African daisies—and wow, they come in a huge range of colours. I found a photo that immediately caught my eye and used it as the colour inspiration for this card.

To create the flowers, I die cut all the pieces three times from white cardstock. Then I added colour by blending Altenew Hydrangea and Andromeda Crisp Dye Inks onto the petal tips and around the centres. For the flower middles, I used Altenew Espresso ink, then finished them off with a little yellow sparkle pen for a subtle pop of shine. Once everything was coloured, I embossed the pieces for dimension and glued the layers together.

For the background, I embossed a white panel using the Altenew 3D Daisies embossing folder to add lots of lovely texture. I softly inked around the edges with Hydrangea ink, then matted the panel onto purple cardstock to help those tones really stand out. To finish, I added a sentiment from Altenew Sentiment Strips 3, inked in Andromeda to tie everything together.

You have till 9.00pm US Pacific Time to join us in our Birthday/Anniversary challenge.  

Last minute Christmas cards

 Hi there.   Just popping in with a few last minute Christmas cards made over the last few days

This first one is some watercolour bubbles on black mixed media card.   Boy was it hard to get a great photo of the shiny watercolours I used with the bubbles.  In real life, it looks amazing.  I used the top of a Cuttlebug die to make the toppers for the baubles.   Added lots of gold watercolour splatters on the background panel and added gold metallic thread for the strings.  The sentiment is from an older Hero Arts stamp set. 

This one was a quick card - as I had the white embossed panel done from a few weeks ago.   I just took it and used some leftover ink on my blending brushes to colour the poinsettia and leaves.  Added a few red glittery dots.  Added some gold Posca pen for the centres.   Added a silver embossed on black sentiment.  It's one of a LDSR Christmas sentiments stamp and die set.   

Crafting with Suna...

 I had a "play date" with my friend Suna on Friday afternoon... I had made a start to my crafting in the morning and then we had a fabulous time crafting and talking.   I got so busy crafting I forgot to take any pics of us playing.  

Earlier in the week, my order from Scrapbook.com had arrived.   Part of it was Pinkfresh Studio - Peony Glow stamp, die and washi tape.   I forgot the matching stencil ( but it is now on it's way!)  The washi is soooo beautiful and there is so much washi on the roll.   I added the washi to white card and vellum and cut them for Suna to take home. 

I made two cards on Friday using the washi on white card. 

This lot of die cut washi isn't even all of one panel!   For this one I made a background using an Altenew Cover Plate - Dotted Sunburst Debossing - for some lovely texture.   I then created the frame using a Gina L Master Layout 18 die.  Then I went to town adding the florals die cuts.   Had fun  putting it together.   Added a sentiment from the matching stamp set and it's shadow die layered 4 times for a really sturdy sentiment.   Finished with rose gold dots.  

My second card - used more of the panel of die cut washi

Again, I used the Altenew Starburst Debossing Cover plate for the background panel.   On top I layered a frame made with 2 of the Hero Arts Infinity Arches Dies.  I had embossed it with a wood grain folder.  I used the same card stock to cut and emboss the Altenew Pitcher Vases folder and die.   Added some brown ink from Altenew over the embossing.  Cut some Scrapbook.com watercolour patterned paper for the inside of frame.   I used a stipe of 3D tape down the middle to give it some dimension and shape.   Added the floral cluster from the first panel of washi die cuts.  Again, used a sentiment from the Pinkfresh Studio stamp set.  Finished with some more of the rose gold dots. 

And one more card I made in the afternoon... this one using a free digital image from Sande Woodson.  It was free on her Facebook page and is blue Christmas images 

I used the Hero Arts Infinity dies again to make a gold frame.  I cut a white panel to fit into the centre of the arch.   I used a Holly 3D embossing folder to add texture.  The sentiment is from Rosies Studio - Hearth and Home stamp set and fitted perfectly in the top corner.  I had printed the sheet of blue Christmas images and used my Scan'N'Cut to cut them out.   I loved this little girl with her book.   Went perfectly with the rest of the card.  Finished with some dots cut from the same gold card. 

Thanks for taking the time to view my cards today.   I had so much fun playing with Suna.  It's great to spend crafting time with a friend.   Just loving have Friday's off now so I can do this sort of thing.  

I actually made a total of 7 cards on the day. So a very successful day.

Altenew October Challenge....

 Back for a second post today.... another card made this afternoon with new goodies from my Scrapbook.com package.  This time an Altenew embossing folder and matching stencil set - Whimsy Motif.  I've been eyeing for a while and was happy to see it on sale the other week.  

The colours are very pretty and look a little autumnal.  

I embossed my white card first and then used the stencils to add the colour.   I used Warm Sunshine and Caramel Toffee for the flowers and Olive and Hunter Green for the leaves.  Used Honey Drizzle ink to make the matting layer and to stamp the sentiment from CYL Silk Art.  Added some splatters of bronze metallic watercolour paint.  Just love the stencils and embossing folders that Altenew make.    

More Stress Free Cardmaking Summit projects.

 I had some fun on Friday and Saturday playing with inspiration from the summit.  I really love getting the VIP classes.. so I can take my time to watch the classes and play along.

First card I did was inspired by Erin Reed's mixed media class. 

Erin provided a sheet with butterflies and sentiments to print out.  The butterflies are stunning and I chose this one.  I used some paints for my background - Dina Wakely, Reeves and Tim Holtz Distress Paint and a variety of stencils.    Did some pen scribbling on the background as well and added some splatters of the black paint.  Fussy cut the butterfly and trimmed the sentiment.  Just loved the results and will definitely be trying the background again. 

Next up are some cards I made inspired by Therese Calvid's embossing technique.   It's one I've tried before but it's an awesome one.   

 This was my first try but, I chose a patterned paper that was just a bit pale.   I embossed with a Christmas 3D folder and used Hero Arts Unicorn ink to blend over the top.   Added some sparkle pen on the flowers.   I wasn't sure about it, but made it into a card.   Sentiment was stamped in Catherine Pooler Icing on the Cake ink with a Kaisercraft sentiment.  

Card two turned out much better -

This time my patterned paper that was darker and the white ink really made the embossing pop.  I added a preprinted banner I had in my stash and added some off white homemade enamel dots.

And while I was playing finished off a green card I had embossed with the free folder I got when I was away.  It's a normal embossing folder and I wondered what it would look like if I inked it with the white.  Turns out it looks great. 

I decided to make it into a Christmas card.  I had some printed sentiments from last years summit and I die cut one and matted with some of the dark green card. I used a Sizzix die set to cut the leaves and red flowers.

Today didn't get any time to play but hopefully tomorrow - as it's a public holiday here in New Zealand.   A few more sessions to check out and try. 

Easy Embossing technique - Step up your embossing!

 I've seen this technique all over the internet... but I recently saw it done by Jo Simons (see her video Here) - this technique is all about enhancing your 3D embossing with white ink!

 

Jo used patterned paper to do her embossing on and then used white pigment ink pounced onto the raised areas.   I found I had a pack of Anko Marble paper (from KMart) I first did a grey and white piece, but there wasn't enough contrast, so tried this pink/blue/purple piece.   I used Altenew 3D Decorative Floral folder and then used HA Unicorn White ink.  (Need to get a refill for my Altenew Cloud White ink)  Added a white embossed on black sentiment from a LDRS Anytime Stack and the co-ordinating Flag Tail die.  Just trimmed the flag ends off. Added some silver dots to finish.  

Just A Note - Take 2

 It's been a long weekend here in Auckland - celebrating Anniversary Day... and with having Friday off too, it's been a 4 day weekend for me!   It's been all over the show weather wise - rain, wind and this afternoon nice and sunny if a bit breezy.   Over the weekend I've got lots of crafting done... as well as heading out to lunch today - crusin' in the convertible! 

Anyhoo - sharing one card I did over the weekend - came about from sopping up some left over inks and watercolour powders... which was then turned into a focal floral image. 

The pinks for the flower were from Grace's "crafting" on Friday.   I spritzed the left over ink from blending and watercolour powders and sopped them up with some paper.  I then used the Altenew Dahlia April Heather dies to cut one flower for my floral focal point. I curled each of the flowers and the leaves (cut from the dark green paper I used to make my matting layers)  This really gives great dimension to the flower.  I have been watching the Stash Summit and used what I had on hand... a paper pack from Francheville - Red Plums - and a sketch from the Gina K Master Layout 1 packaging.   I cut some white card using the smaller of the larger rectangles and used the reverse side of one of the paper - dark green- to mat with the larger rectangle.  It looked a little plain so ran both layers with the Dotty Circles 3D folder.  Much better!  I used the smaller rectangles to cut some patterned paper from the pack and added the mat layer.   I used the dark green to cut the sentiment from Altenew Scripty Sentiments die and added Spectrum Noir glitter pen.  Used two of the shadow die cut behind it.  Made some little flat sequins by adding packing tape to a scrap of the green and used a hole punch. 

Today we headed out for a spin in the MG - out through some country roads to a little village called Riverhead, where we stopped for lunch.  

Now into the craft room as I still have new stuff to play with... 

Craft Roulette #234

 Finally got time to watch last weekend's Craft Roulette episode #234 and had some "funn" making a card after work today.   I had a design in my mind, so it quickly came together.  This is my 24th submission.

Made my 6"x6" card base from a sheet of 12"x12" white card.  Cut a 5.5" square panel and ran it through my die machine with a MRMK 3D embossing folder to add some texture.   Next I added the burlap and lace cloth.  Layered it onto a black mat. Took some of the rest of the card from the base and added a rainbow of colour with Distress Oxide inks.  Took the outline stamp from Altenew's Beautiful Day and stamped and then die cut.   Stamped the leaves twice, and die cut, leaving them uncoloured.  Finished with a die cut sentiment that was in my baggie of sentiments.  

So glad that the thought in my mind actually turned out just how I imagined it!  

Christmas Kickstart - Embossing Folder Fun

 

Time for the September challenge at Die Cut Divas.  And it's a favourite for me as I had A LOT of embossing folders... and to make it even easier for me, I had a piece of coloured and die cut card that was already embossed on my desk. 

I had made my panel as couple of weeks ago when Grace and I were playing with Colour Burst powders.   I used mostly greens and blues for mine.  First cut with Pinkfresh Studio's Mini Slimline dies and then embossed with Altenew Classic Pines 3D folder.  I then took Altenew Enchanted Gold ink and swiped it over the folder.  I used a die set that came from a freebie from a magazine (dated 2021) I cut the lower layer in a very dark green card and the NOEL from a creamy-white card, I cut the little embellishments dies in the creamy-white and used a variety of Copic markers to add colour.  I added some yellow and red Liquid Drops 3D Pearls to the little flowers and the berries.  

My Christmas stash is growing with all the cards I've been doing lately. 

Christmas Lilies.

One of the items I got at the Craft Show last week was an embossing folder from Altenew - Starry Patterns.   I did a bit of playing around with it - inking up the folder and getting different backgrounds.

For this one I inked up my folder with some Catherine Pooler It's a Boy ink.  I decided that I would make a frame with the panel - so cut with some square dies from Gina K Master Layouts #3.  I embossed a panel to layer behind with the folder.  I added the panel to a dark navy background and then onto a " square card.  I wanted to add a Christmas flower - so decided red lilies would look like a Christmas Lily.  This is an Altenew mini set called Calla Lily.  I stamped and cut with the matching die.  I used some red ink and green Alcohol pens. The sentiment is a pre-printed one - I'm not sure where it came from.  I trimmed and layered it onto some dark navy card.

As I used the folder to make a frame I'm adding this to the challenge at Christmas Kickstart - where the challenge is Festive Frames

And as this was the first outing for the embossing folder I'm adding it to Darnell's NBUS 

We had a lovely weekend, hubby and I headed up to our friends place in Mangawhai.  We haven't been up for awhile.  And our friends are travelling around England, Scotland and Europe.   We upgraded our car on Thursday - a 2013 Toyota Auris, so took it on a road trip.  The car drove beautifully and the weather over the weekend was very spring like.. I had a lovely afternoon sitting outside on the deck doing some colouring in a Zen Mindless colouring book.  

Used mostly greens and blues Prismacolor pencils to do this one.  I couldn't believe how relaxing it was... 3 hours just disappeared.    

Thanks for stopping by.   

Altenew 31 Days of Crafting... Day 1

 I'm a bit late to the party, but today got some time to craft.   Every day there is a prompt to create a project. 

I remember I had some music stamps as part of Altenew's Happy Birthday to You set.   I stamped it with some Silver Lake ink onto a square panel.   The sentiment is stamped with Charcoal Suit ink - inside I'll add an appropriate sentiment when it's time to use this card.   The floral image is from the Dreamy Daylilies set.  I die cut with some white card, embossed it and then added ink blending with the matching stencil set.  The centre panel is 5" square and the final card 5.5" square - so I could make the most of the beautiful floral die. 

I did try out some ideas for Day 2 prompt but nothing worked out as I wanted, so back to the drawing board.  

The weekend weather has been lovely and we had two days of being able to lunch outside on the deck - including a Roast Lamb meal today 

Friday fun - Two cards - two challenges.

 HI there.   I managed to make two cards today, in my breaks from work and after work.  Perks of working from home -early starting and finishing!   

My first card came about as on my Facebook post of one of my lily cards, I mentioned that I was going to do pink lilies and one of my commentor asked if I had done it.   So I decided to make a card for The Flower Challenge with pink lilies.   Their challenge is to use a square card. 

I cut the square die from Gina K Master Layout 3 and embossed it.  Used Altenew Pink Pearl and Coral Berry for the flowers and Frayed Leaf and Forest Glades for the leaves.  I used a Prismacolor pencil to add the colour for the stamen and to add extra texture lines on the flowers and leaves.   Finished with a little Easter Wishes sentiment from a Verve stamp set.  

My second card is for the Christmas Kickstart Challenge.- Get your Grinch on. Use Green 

I have been hoarding some Penny Black Masterpieces Made Simple printed card panels.  I got two sets of the Aglow ones - there are 4 panels in each pack.  They are so beautiful.   

I glued the panel to some dark green card from Scrapbook.com - Sprinkles pad and then die cut the Waffle Flower Postage die.  I then layered some green card under before adding to my white card base.   The sentiment is from Waffle Flower's Star Snowflake set.   Just love the simple CAS look. 

I'm going to be crafting my heart out tomorrow. Hubby is doing his refresher First Aid course all day.  My plan is to just play and have fun.  And do my Design team cards for when I'm on holiday in April. Just to make sure I'm ahead.  

Dreamy Daylilies #2

 While I had the Dreamy Daylilies embossing folder and stencil out on my desk, I decided to try out some other colours.  I did a quick google search.... so many inspirational pictures.   This one was my inspiration for today's card. 

I embossed then using the stencil used Altenew Fresh Lemon and Burnt Red for the flowers and Mahogony Bark for the stamen plus Fresh Dye inks - Eucalyptus and Forest Fern for the leaves.   I used a sentiment from Leaf Canopy set inked in Cloudy Night grey ink.   Decided no other embellishments were required.   

I have fallen in love with this lily and it looks stunning in so many colours... pink and yellow ones are on the horizon for sure.   

Merry Christmas to All

 Merry Christmas to All my Family and Friends.

Today I have pre-schedule this post.  As read this Christmas Day will be almost over for me. Our day will have started with breakfast with our son and daughter-in-law and the two granddaughters.  After they leave we will have headed north to have lunch with our friends in Mangawhai - going to be 19 of us for lunch!

Today is my day to share at Die Cut Divas 

Our sponsor this month is Altenew. They generously will be giving our winner a $50 gift certificate to their online store. 

Today I am sharing a Birthday card.   I have a friend who's birthday was only a few days ago.   Altenew kindly provided the team members with a Build A Garden set - and I chose Morning Asters.   I got it a few months back and have already used it a number of times.  It's a stunning set to use. 

I started by using some Altenew dark grey ink to stamp the bigger of the florals in the set.  I then used the matching stencils set to add the ink - Altenew's Burnt Red and Mahogany inks for the flowers and Eucalyptus and Forest Fern for the leaves.   The embossed background is Altenew Dotty Circle 3D folder inked with the ink left on my blender brush.  In my "magic mug" I have a few of the flag dies cut from an LDRS sentiment stack die and I took one and stamped the sentiment from Altenew's Sentiment Strips 2. 

Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas 

Inked embossing folder technique - inspired by Jennifer McGuire.

Last week Jennifer McGuire did a video - a new MUST-SEE embossing folder technique .  It's a  stunning technique where you ink on the raised side of an 3D embossing folder  - you have to watch the video to see how stunning it is.  And it's very addictive. 

I made three cards...all using Altenew's Beautiful Bergenia 3D folder

First up is one using purple card and white pigment ink.

After running the folder through your machine, you take a slightly darker dye ink and either brayer or lightly rub the ink over the raised part of the embossed panel.    With this one the sentiment and the die are both from Altenew as well. 

For the next two I used kraft card and did one with gold pigment ink and one with the white. 

 This one is using the gold.  I used a darker brown ink - Almond Butter ink 

The second one used the white ink and used Hazelnut ink over the raised area.   I used a Spellbinder/Simon Hurley hot foiled sentiments on both cards. 

I could have kept on going... it's just such a fun and easy technique.  

Festive Fancy Folds at Christmas Kickstart Challenge.

My second parcel has now arrived!  And other cold wintery day so what better to do than play with my stamps, inks, pencils, dies and having fun.    Hubby was helping a friend move this morning and I headed off to look for knitting patterns.  Well.... it's been years since I bought patterns and boy are they hard to find... mostly books of patterns at around the $30-35 range... so instead I look in the crafting section.  Picked up a new lightbox - was around $70 - down to $30 and only $18 at checkout!   Has three different light tones and up to 10 different strengths.   

Anyhoo.. decided that I wanted to try out the Bridge card design that Jennifer McGuire did a couple of weeks ago.   And as the challenge at Christmas Kickstart Challenge this month is Festive Fancy Folds...thought I make a Christmas card. 

I used my new Altenew Dotty Circles 3D embossing folder and some blue and white card to make the panels to add to the card.   I decided on using a die cut panel for the bridge.  This is the largest of the Spellbinder Labels Four set.  I keep the panel in the die and used whatever blue was on my Altenew blending brush to add some colour.  Love how this gives a little white border.   I had the stamped Couture Creations Ringing Bells and the Spellbinder's Yana's Christmas Sentiments (hot foiled in red) in my baggie of Christmas bits and bobs.... so a quick colouring with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol and it was done!  

You can see the dimension here....

I also got to use one the new stamps from the latest parcel for my swap card....Here's a sneak peek

Once my partner gets it... I'll share.

Been a good day!

Christmas Pinecones.

 Hi there... Here's one of the cards I did yesterday afternoon.  It's a shaped Christmas card.  I made this with two challenges in mind. 

The challenge at Let's Squash It - is Don't be So Square.   Use your embossing folders and make a shaped card.   I made my card base using a very old Tim Holtz die  - called Vintage Cabinet Die

I cut it three times  -two used as the base and one for the embossed panel.  The embossing folder is an Altenew one - Classic Pinecones Slim 3D folder.  I used some Rocky Shores and Mocha Altenew inks to blend on some colour on the cones, and Moss for the needles.   The pre-printed sentiments are some digital images from a magazine.  

I'm also entering this one in the Never in a Nativity challenge at Christmas Kickstart. 

    

Inspired by Simon Hurley - another floral circle card

 I was checking my subscriptions on You Tube and came across a neat technique from Simon Hurley - using stamping foam and an embossing folder..  You can check it out Here 

He used his round foam but I only have the original sized rectangle foam.  I loved a card he made using the circle - colouring and stamping then embossing the entire folder and using the circle as a spotlight feature.    It inspired me to try something similar.  Simon used the debossed side - where as I used the embossed side. 

I took my Altenew 3D folder - Decorative Florals, headed the foam and press to get the impression. I had used a Spellbinders circle die to cut the circle and after I added inks with blending brushes. spritzed with water and stamped onto it. Once it was dry I added the circle back into the EF and ran it through to emboss it.  Took some metallic paste and ran my finger over the raised areas.  I used the EF to emboss a white panel and slotted the circle into place.  I layered the panel on some pinky purple paper and onto my white card.   White embossed the sentiment from Sentiment Strips #3 and added it.

I'm entering this into The Flower Challenge - Circle/Circles -

                                                 

Thanks for stopping by. 

WWC #329- Cathy's Challenge - All Things Masculine

 Hi.  It's time for a new challenge at Watercooler Wednesday.  Cathy's our hostess with an All Things Masculine Challenge.  

My son's birthday was last Saturday - 13th November.  He turned 33 this year... where does the time go?  This is the card I made for him. 

I pulled out my all time favourite card magazine - Cardmaking in Easy Steps "For the Boys" - It has a stamp set and some patterned papers.  I'm getting down to mostly scrappy bits now.  I took inspiration from a card in the magazine.  My card is smaller in size and uses a different focal point but I did like the design elements.  I used a piece of the patterned papaer matted onto some brown card.  The panel beside it was white card embossed with a 3D We Are Memory Keepers folder which was ink blended with some Altenew Sea Forest ink.  I also added some of the ink around the edge of the white focal panel.  The Ute was die cut with a Craft Creations Holden Kingswood die from dark blue card and inlaid with some silver card.  There's a little bit of vellum for the windows.  My son had a Holden Kingswood when he was in his mid- 20s.  His was red though.  I finished with the birthday sentiment.  

Come and join in the fun at  Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and check out the project from the other designers.  Then take our challenge and link up your project to the challenge post.    We'd love to have you join us.  You have until Monday 29 November at 5 pm Mountain Standard Time (Tuesday at 12.00 noon NZ time) to link up your project.

White ink highlighting

 I've had 5 days off work... from last Friday till today.  My work is in close down to allow the last part of our new system to be installed.  It will hopefully be already to start of business Thursday.  I'm signing in tomorrow to do some online training.  But have had a great time crafting over this time.  Got lots of cards made for upcoming design work, watched lots of crafting videos and trying out new techniques.

One of the videos I watched was about using white ink on an ink blended and embossed background. It is by Natasha Foote ( here)  She is a New Zealander and it's great to watch her work.  

Natasha used Distress Oxides for her blending.  I used some Altenew die inks... Heart Beat, Orange Cream and Fresh Lemon.  I used Altenew's 3D Beautiful Begonia folder to emboss the panel.  I then took my Hero Arts Unicorn ink and blended it over the top of the embossing.  It really is very subtle but I was pleased with the outcome.  I die cut a vellum doily and a white circle and added a sentiment.  I finished with some soft pink gems.  

Time to head off to my bed... back to getting up early - even though the trip to work is only 5 steps from the kitchen to my work space on the dining room table!   

Take care