Card Maker Success Summit July-Aug 2025

 The CMSS free classes have started but I got a slight head start by purchasing the VIP pass... and I had great plans to get started early... but live sort of took over!   I did however a couple of weeks ago - watch Ardyth's tutorial - using a Gel Plate to make some backgrounds.... and managed to make a few panels I liked.  (Here's my first card that was made over two weeks ago).

I got home from work early on Wednesday and had a play using one of the backgrounds I had saved.  I made two cards inspired by Ardyth.  

For this first one I made a 5" square card.  The background was a blue gel background that I embossed with an unknown brand folder (suspect it was from a magazine from years ago)  I then rubbed Catherine Pooler Juniper ink over the embossed area.  The gold and red panel was the panel I made using a stencil and red and gold paint.  I die cut with an ornament die I picked up at my local stationary store - came from a magazine.  I then stamped the matching stamp set in black and clear embossed. Added a silver die cut topper before double mounting on white and red panels.    Turned out a bit busier than I would have preferred. 

Next up is a smaller 4.25" square card.  This time I use a red card panel embossed with Gina K Tapestry folder and rubbed Delicata Gold ink over it.   Die cut the ornament and added a gold embossed sentiment from a Waffle Flower set called Star Snowflake.  Added some gold dots to embellishment.  

Hoping that I get some time over the weekend to watch some more videos and get a few more cards made.   We are heading out early in the morning to watch Grace play netball and then coffee before doing our grocery shopping... so then the afternoon for crafting.  

Christmas in July... Two cards with circles, dots and spots

 Do you know that there is a Christmas Card Makers Success Summit starting at the end of July - it's free but you can purchase the VIP pass and get to watch the tutorials straight away.   And that's what I did! 

I watched the tutorial from Ardyth Percy-Robb - which showed how to use a gel plate to get some gorgeous papers and how turn them into Christmas cards.  For my card I CASE'd Ardyth's example card, just using some different stencils and colours. 

I used a Hero Arts stencil called Crossing Waves.  I added some red paint to my gel plate and added the stencil.  I let the paint dry on the plate and then layered with some gold paint and added another paper. Once it dried I took my pull and this is what I got.   It took a few goes to get something I liked... but got there.  I used a circle die from Gina K Master Layouts 3 to make my ornament.  I used some of my roll off papers to cut the gold topper and the Merry Christmas die (both from a magazine freebie set)  For my background, I swinked some Catherine Pooler Juniper Mist onto some card.   I found a Memory Box stencil (Diamonds) that I used some texture paste to add in the corners.   I thought my background was dry but obviously not... it picked up the ink and coloured the paste.   Added some white dots of Posca paint and white gel pen and finished with some homemade star dots.  

I am adding this to latest Christmas Kickstart Challenge #100 - Merry Go Around.   Use spots, dots and circles-

And while I was in the mood for Christmas cards I made a second card for the challenge...

I used Altenew Wonderful Wreath stencil to make a half circle wreath - with two Altenew green inks - Sweet Leaf and Just Green.  I moved the stencil three times to get the three layers of leaves.  I stenciled the red berry circles, but after making a bit of a boo-boo so changed them to use circular red gems for the berries.  I used some off the left over red roll off from my previous card, covered with some clear packing tape to die cut the Hero Arts Peace stamp and cut set.  The sub-sentiment was stamped directly to the card.  Matted with some dark green card. 

Slowly building up the Christmas stash.