A Crafty Weekend of Watercolour, Florals and Sweet Little Wings

It’s been a wonderfully crafty weekend here. On Saturday afternoon, Grace, Florence and Kieran came round, and naturally Grace wanted to head straight to the craft room. We played with watercolour powders and each made a background before Grace spotted a panel I’d created with Altenew’s Dreamy Daylilies.

I embossed a panel for her with the folder, then she set off with the stencilling. She did such a beautiful job of ink blending, using pinks with three colours on each petal. And lovely soft greens for the leaves. I only wish I had taken a photo of her finished project! I did find a frame for her panel, which made it feel extra special. After she left, I managed to make one Christmas card too, but I’ll share that another day.

Today I headed back into the craft room and decided to join a few challenges. My first card was intended for Time Out Challenge #391, which asked us to use two ideas from a list. Somehow, I misread the theme and only used one, so that card will have to wait for another post!

Once I realised my mistake, I changed track and chose three ideas from the list instead: monochromatic, stitching — faux stitching in my case — and floral.

The pink background is part of the watercolour panel I made yesterday. I die cut it with Gina K Master Layouts 2 to create the stitched panel, then die cut Simon Says Stamp Iceland Poppies from white card.

For the colouring, I used the leftover ink on my blender brushes in shades of pink, with just the tiniest touch of green — hopefully that still counts! I arranged the flowers on the panel and finished the card with pre-printed sentiment strips.

This second card is for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge for August: “Anything Goes” with the optional theme of "Things with Wings" 

I have a few older Penny Black stamps from when I first started card making, so I pulled out Hedgie Friends, a stamp set from 2012.

I stamped one of the images — Hedgie with a butterfly — along with two of the sweet little dragonflies, then used my Scan’N’Cut to cut them out. The colouring was done with Altenew Woodless Watercolour Pencils. For the background, I chose a pretty teal patterned paper, then added a white strip across the card with the sentiment from the stamp set.

To finish, I layered the circle panel over the strip, added the little dragonflies, and included a few white dot embellishments. It was such a lovely weekend of simply playing, experimenting and enjoying time in the craft room.

One Stamp, Three Projects: Altenew Evergreen Beauty

 A week or so ago I was lucky enough to receive a gorgeous stamp set from Altenew: Evergreen Beauty. It’s a beautiful floral image with a few lovely sentiments—and the sweetest bonus for me was a little “created by” stamp with my name on it.

Around the same time, over in the Altenew Fan Group on Facebook, Nicki Baxley was running a “One Stamp, Three Cards” challenge. I didn’t quite get all three projects finished in time—but I did make two cards and a tag.

 I stamped the main floral image three times—once on white cardstock (then cut it with my ScanNCut), once on patterned paper (also cut with the ScanNCut), and then directly onto a white panel (stamping it a couple of times to build the arrangement).

Project 1: The Tag

For the tag, I used the floral image stamped onto patterned paper and coloured it with sparkle pens. When I cut it, I didn’t include a white border—and the ScanNCut couldn’t quite handle the finest leaf details, so I trimmed those bits away by hand.

I made the base tag with a Hero Arts Infinity Arch die, then stamped the floral image again onto the tag. Next came the fun part: paper piecing the sparkly patterned-paper flowers over the top. To finish, I added a little green sparkle around the image, a light watercolour wash over the tag, and a sentiment from Altenew’s Leaf Canopy.

Project 2: Card One

For my first card, I used the die-cut floral image stamped on white cardstock and painted it with Altenew Woodless Watercolor Pencils. To give the design a “grounding” element, I inked up the Altenew Simple Frame 3D embossing folder with Tattered Rose Distress Oxide ink and ran it through my die-cutting machine. I added extra blending with a foam domed blender and rubbed a little metallic wax over the raised frame for subtle shine.

I popped the floral piece into the corner with dimensional tape and finished it off with a sentiment from Altenew’s Classic Greetings stamp and die set.

Project 3: Card Two 

For the second card, I stamped the images directly onto the card panel. I coloured the florals with Altenew Bamboo and Dusty Rose inks using mini and micro blending tools. Then I added splatter with Distress Oxide Spritz in Fossilized Amber, followed by a spritz of sparkle spray over the whole panel for extra shimmer. The sentiment is a die cut from Altenew’s Scripty Sentiment dies.

Three quite different projects, all from one stamp set—paper piecing, watercolour pencils, and ink blending. If you’re ever stuck for ideas, try limiting yourself to one main image and see how many different looks you can get from it!

Penny Black Saturday - Anything Goes - optional Stitching

 Hi - managed to get a bit more crafting done this long weekend.   Including a card for Penny Black Saturday Challenge. - June challenge is Anything Goes - with optional Stitching. 

I have quite a number of older Penny Black stamps and love getting them out again to play.  It's been awhile since I've played at Penny Black Saturday. 

The Penny Black stamp I used was Tiny Wishes (circa 2009) so a bit of an older one!  My stitching is a Stitching Oval from Cottage Cutz and once I had die cut it...I stamped the image.   I used my Altenew Woodless Watercolour pencils to add the colour.  Added some gold glitter pen to the flower and added dots to her dress.  I found the gorgeous patterned paper in a pack from Kate Knight.   Love the pretty flowers and the colours.   I took a second sheet of the paper and fussy cut some of the flowers and the little butterfly to add around oval.  Added some little dark teal dots to the flower centres.  

Back to work tomorrow!  I'm still not 100% - my cough is still bad, rattling around my upper respiratory tract.  I'm soooo over this cold. 

Woodblock Wednesday - March 25

 Finally got all the goodies back into my craft room, changed a few things around, purged some of my endless stash of papers... and had some play time. 

I was ready to make a couple of Easter cards and sitting on top of the box of my woodblock stamps was a delightful Penny Black stamp.  

It's called "Bunny Talk!"  - super cute.  I die cut a panel of Fabriano 160gm paper with a Gina K Master Layout 2 die and then die cut the ribbon scalloped edge die from Master Layout 18 from some gold card.  I cut it down the middle to get the both edges for the panel.  I used a mixture of Inktense Watercolor pencils and Altenew Woodless watercolour pencils to colour the image, together with some ink blending for the sky.  The little sentiment is from a Verve stamp set - Hoppy Easter.   Trimmed some pretty pink dotty paper to fit the card base and added some gold pen around the edge. 

Happy to have been able to get into the craft room to play - and got a bit done.  

ANZAC Day - Poppy card.

Welcome to my Die Cut Divas post for today - here in NZ and Australia (25th April) is ANZAC Day - where we acknowledge and commemorate all those who served in the army forces.  The ANZAC's were the Australia and New Zealand Army Corp who fought during the First World War and on the 25 April 1915 the ANZAC's landed in Gallipoli in Turkey.  The landing point later became know as Anzac Cove.  

Here in NZ and Australia we wear poppies to commemorate by wearing a poppy.  So today I am sharing a poppy card as part of this month's challenge. 

Established in April 2014, Altenew has quickly become a leader in the inspiration industry and continues to innovate and influence the world of paper crafts. Altenew strives to encourage crafters to express their own unique creativity through the art of paper crafting.

The Challenge for this month is: Water Coloring!

You can watercolor anything on your project, just remember to include 

a die cut or use an embossing folder in your design!

The Prize from Altenew

Artists' Watercolor 24 Pan Set valued at $49.99

I used Altenew's Paint a Flower - Iceland Poppies.  I coloured with Altenew's Woodless Watercolor Pencils.  A little bit of gold pen to add some details.  I fussy cut the bouquet.  I used Altenew Mix and Match Frames to cut the centre navy panel and the red panel.   I added white splatter (need a bit more practice using Altenew's white spray)  I layered the panels onto a navy base.  Used a sentiment from the set die cut with Featured Sentiment dies. 

Lest we Forget.  

Christmas Floral - how to adapt a non Christmas flower

Hi there - it's the last day of the month so it's time to share my card for Die Cut Divas. 

and our theme for the month is Christmas in July.

I don't have many Elizabeth Craft Designs stamps and dies, so came up with the idea of adapting what I had to make a Christmas card.  I have a lovely floral stamp and die set that I've had for a while.  It's called Flower Power (unfortunately now discontinued)  and I adapted it to make it a Christmas Flower. 

 

 I die cut the flower from watercolour paper before stamped it and used Altenew Woodless Watercolor pencils to make the centre portion red and the outer portion green - to look like a Poinsettia.  

I used Gina K master layouts to cut out a dark green panel which I gold embossed with a freebie sentiment.  I also used the dies to put some patterned paper.  I layered the panels and added some dimension by gluing two layers to the flowers and green panel.  A few gold baubles finished the card.  I really am pleased with how it turned out.  

There is still time to join our challenge.  Pop over here to add you Christmas projects.  Don't forget to use your die cut machine to die cut, emboss etc.  

Craft Your Life Project - Hello Beautiful.

 Hi.  I have two cards to share today using products from Altenew's Craft Your Life Project kit - Hello Beautiful   

First card uses the 3D Embossing Folder that came in the kit.  

I was a bit stressed yesterday - working from home can be a bit stressful at times... so during my 15 minute break I slipped into the craft room and threw this together.   I used some white card to emboss with the folder.  I then took my blending tools and used what ink was on them to lightly add colour to raised areas.  I added a little sentiment from the stamp set in the kit.   I love the mini slimline size. 

My second card uses stamps from the kit.  

This card took inspiration from a video from Natasha Foote...(here)  Her video was about framing an image.  I look one of the smaller floral stamps and stamped with black Obsidan ink and clear embossed it.  I then used Altenew Woodless Watercolour pencils and a paint brush to colour them in.  I then used a black fineliner pen to draw around it.  I matted it onto some gold card and then onto a dark brown cardbase.  Another of the small sentiments from the stamp set finished off the card.  

I've now had my hair cut.... finally.  First one since early July this year.  Much tidier now. 

Coneflowers Three Ways

 I have been wanting to get the Altenew Build A Flower Coneflower since it came out in April but it's been popular and everytime I look it's been out of stock.... but I saw it at Krafter's Cart - my local online store, so it made it's way to me and arrived on Friday.   I decided to try some different techniques using it.   So over the weekend I had a play.... three techinques and four cards later ...

FIRST TECHNIQUE... stamping the layers in mixed colours. 

The are three layers to this stamp.  I used a variety of Altenew inks - putting the purples around the out edges and the pinks towards the centre.  I used a blending brush to ensure a smooth tranistion.  Did each layer a couple of times. I used the matching die to cut the flower.  To add some extra texture I added a stamp from A Study in Watercolour stamped in Andromeda ink and added some gold splatters.  The sentiment is from the BAF Coneflower set.  I used Pinkfresh Studio mini slimline dies to cut my panel.  

SECOND
TECHNIQUE - Watercolouring.

I used some Archers 185gm watercolour paper to gold emboss both flowers from the set.  I then used Altenew 36 pan watercolour set to add the colour. Once it dried I added some white details.  I used the matching die to cut the flowers.  To make my background I was inspired by Therese Calvrid.  I made a stencil by cutting a rectangle out of some vellum.  I then added some Forest Glades green ink and then used Classy Stripes stencil to add some extra inking.  I gold embossed the sentiment from the set. 

THIRD TECHNIQUE- ink smooshing. 

I made two cards using ink smooshing.  

I took some Archers 185gm watercolour paper and smooshed some Shaded Lilac and Worn Lipstick Oxide inks onto a palate.  I too

I smooshed some Shaded Lilac, Worn Lipstick  and Mowed Lawn Oxide inks onto a palate and took some Archers 185gm watercolour paper and put my paper into it.  I dried it off and then stamped the flowers.  I didn't dry it completely so when I took my Spectrum Noir pen to add sparkle, the ink bleed a bit.  I to another piece of the watercolour paper and did some more light smooshing, and run it through Altenew's Daisies 3D folder. I layered the panel to some purple card and used the same ink to stamp my sentiment onto before trimming it.  Layered onto a cream card base. 

My second smooshed background was a bit darker than the firest one.  

I used some Woodless watercolour pencils from Altenew to add extra colour to my flowers.  I added a die cut sentiment and some clear gems.  

Well I appreciate if you made to the end of this post... as you can see I had a great time playing with this set.  In fact this afternoon I even started another card that I will finish tomorrow.  

Hope you weekend was full of crafting too.  Not much else I can do here as we head to the end of the 11th week in lockdown.   Take care 

Two cards for two challenges.

 Over the last couple of days I've been working on a couple of cards for a couple of challenges. 

First up is another card for the Let's Squash It! challenge - to sand it with numbers/words

I was looking through my Embossing Folders and found this old scripty words one.  I used as soft pinky card and ran it through the Cuttlebug and then took the sanding block to it.  Love how it turned out.  I then decided to use an Altenew die.  I die cut then cut again with a slightly larger circle to make a frame.  I added Wink of Stella all over the die cut peice.  I then made the flower - using an Altenew stamp set which I white embossed and then used inks to watercolour.  

And my second card is for the latest Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge... Card and Matching Envelope.    The design team used Colorado Craft Company products and even though it's not necessary to use there products, I did.

I stamped the image onto some watercolour paper and used Altenew Woodless Watercoloured pencils to colour it in.  Once it was dried I die cut the image out.  I then took my card base and used some washi to mask off the edges before taking a Hero Arts cloud mask and some blue ink to add the sky and green for the ground.  I stamped the two sentiments and then added the die cut.    I used the same bliue and green to add a bit of colour to the envelope adding a little pair of bunnies which I coloured with the watercolour pencils and a damp brush.  

Thanks for stopping by.  My weekend is starting and it's the start of Daylight Savings tomorrow night... that means summer is on it's way.   

More watercolouring with Altenew at Die Cut Divas

  Hi there.  It's my day to share at Die Cut Divas...

 

Our theme for the month of August is "watercolor real or faux".

The Prize will be a $20 gift certificate to Altenew.

Today I am using the cutest little stamp set called "Rosie Posy" My delightful team mate Cindy kindly gave me this little set. I gold embossed it onto some watercolour paper and then used Altenew's Woodless Watercoloured pencils. I did a little watercolouring wash around it. I then went overboard a bit with splatters. I used Gina K Master Layouts to cut my layers

Do come and join us at Die Cut Divas today.

You are one of my greatest joys!

 Hi there.   I've got a cute as card to share today.  It's on it's way to my grandson in Australia. 

This card was inspired by one that the lovely Angie Cimbalo sent to me for my birthday.  I used a mini slimline card and like Angie, rounded my corners.  I used Hero Arts Cloud Pattern Stencil and the ink was already on my Altenew mini blender brush to make my cloudy sky.  I tore some computer paper to mask off the grass and used some Bamboo ink (Altenew)   I added some green Woodless watercolour pencils from Altenew along the top of the grass.  I stamped the little bear from Colorado Craft Company "Happy Days"  stamp set and die cut it out.  It was on some slightly textured card and I was able to add colour with the Woodless Watercolour pencils and blended with a waterbrush.  I finished with two of the sentiments from the same set.   

Thanks for stopping by today.  

Baby cards

One of my friends asked me to make a baby card for the son of another friend.  He and his partner had a little girl a little while ago.   So I made two cards for her to chose from. 

First card (the one she chose)

I saw a sketch on the web that I used for the base of my card.  It had a circle which I changed to an oval.  I used Gina K Master Layouts 1 to cut the oval and layer.  I stmaped the Elephants from Uniquely Creative's Hey Mama set onto some watercolour paper and used Altenew's Woodless watercolour pencils to add the colour.  I used the matching dies to cut Mama and Baba out.  The gingham paper was added to a pink punched edging.  I stamped the Kaisercraft sentiment directly onto the gingham piece.  A few pink enamal dots finished off my card. 

Second card.

For this card I started with sweet Patterned paper.  I then cut the circle and scallopped circle from Spellbinders.  My little bear is from Docrafts -Mini Thinking of You.  I use Uniti alcohol pens to colour my bear and then took a nubbly rag and some of the colourless blender to give the texture of fur.   I fussy cut it out and added to the layered circle.  I stamped the Kaisercraft sentiments directly over the patterned paper.  

Thanks for stopping by today.  I had my first COVID immunisation yesterday.  The jab site is a little tender but other than that, I'm feeling good. 

Happy Day - With Anita Jeram stamps

 I am so happy that my stamps from Colorado Craft Company have arrived.  The Anita Jeram designed images are so special.  I've made two cards over the weekend, both using "Happy Day"stamp set. 

First up I stamped one of the images onto some watercolour paper.  I used Altenew Woodless Watercolour pencils to add colour.  I then used the matching die to cut out the image.  The panel and the base are both in cream card (although it looks white in my photo)  The sentiment was stamped directly onto the panel. Just for a change I layered this onto some red card.  Added tiny gems to the flowers.

My second card using another image from the same stamp set.  Isn't he cute!  Once again, I stamped it onto watercolour paper and after using the Altenew Woodless Watercolour pencils, cut it with the matching die.  I then took some patterned papers and cut some of the Gina K Master Layout 2 dies.  The little sentiment was stamped and cut with the matching die.  I'm sending this one to my Grandson.

I just love the cute images in this set and plan to use them for a few more cards.  I have another set I still have to use as well.  

Happy 4th of July to all my US friends and followers.  Hope you have a great day and got to celebrate with family.