Season's Tweetings at Christmas Kickstart Challenge

 It’s been a busy week, so I really enjoyed having a little creative “play time” this afternoon while my hubby was out. I decided it was the perfect chance to make a couple of cards for the May Christmas Kickstart Challenge, Season’s Tweetings. After pulling out a few bird-themed stamps and images, I managed to put together two cards in no time.

The first card features the fun Funny Birds set from Mangocraft. I stamped the quartet of birds in black ink and heat embossed them with clear embossing powder for a crisp finish. I also added both the large and small sentiments from the Concord &9th Big On Christmas stamp set, again using clear embossing. To bring the birds to life, I used my Jasart Brights Metallic watercolour paints, which gave them a lovely bright shimmer. I softly blended pale blue ink around the images and added a little extra blue metallic splatter for detail. The finished panel was then matted onto soft red patterned paper and attached to a white card base.

My second card was a much quicker make. I used one of my Penny Black Masterpiece pre-printed panels and cut out the cardinal with a small square die. After matting it with dark brown card, I layered it onto a red square and mounted it on an "Ardyth" Square Card base measuring 4.25 inches. A sentiment strip from my stash was the perfect finishing touch. It came together so easily and makes for a simple but striking card.

It's been great to get a few more Christmas cards done. 

CMSS - Inspired by Juliana Michaels... not one but three cards!

 Yeap, I loved the presentation by Juliana Michaels and made not one card, but three!   Her technique was using stamping foam and an embossing folder.   This is a favourite technique, but one I don't use all that much.  

As I am doing mostly Christmas Holdiay cards this summit - I chose an Altenew folder.  Classic Pinecones Slim 3D folder.  I heated my foam and pressed it into the folder.   Chose the "sticky up" side (although hard to determine with a 3D folder)  

First card I inked the foam with some Vintage Photo Oxide ink.   I used some 240gms Fabriano Start Mixed Media paper.  It says it is white... but it is really an off white colour.  It's A4 size so my card bases become 4 1/8" x 5 3/8" - just a smidgeon less than a US A2 size card.  

Love the colour I got with the Vintage Photo ink.  I trimmed the stamped panel leaving a tiny white border.  Matted the panel with some brown card - the same colour as my pinecones.   I used an Elizabeth Craft Designs die set - Christmas Accents.  It's an older die set, with two sizes of pinecones and two sizes of the poinsettia flowers and leaves.   I used two tones of brown for the cones, and some red paper.  I made my own green paper by using Distress ink in Pinecone direct to the paper.  A little fellow centre finished my poinsettias.   I made these cards yesterday and fortuitously my order from Krafters Cart arrived - with the Concord & 9th - Big on Christmas stamps and die set.  I stamped the big FA LA LA and used the die to cut it... and added the sub-sentiment directly on the card. 

Card two- I used Weathered Wood Distress Oxide to stamp the foam, trimmed and added to a dark green mat.  

This time I chose an older stamp and die set from Hero Arts- Holly Jolly.  We have been tidying up the storage space under the stairs - where I store some of my stamps... ones I haven't used in forever!  Saw this set and thought it would be perfect against the background.  I used more of my own green paper to stamp on and die cut the holly leave.  Added some Altenew enamel dots for the berries.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set.  

For my third card, I reheated the foam and used the other side of the folder.  Used the Weathered Wood Distress Oxide ink and definitely got a totally different look. 

I trimmed a larger border around the panel and used a Gold Sharpie to add a faux mat.  I stamped another of the stamps from Concord & 9th set - gold embossed directly onto the panel.  Added some die cut stars (from the same die set) with a little gold gem in the centre. 

The stash of Christmas cards is growing quickly with the inspiration from the Card Makers Success Summit.. and I still have nearly 40 more presentations to watch.  

Optical Illusion Technique

 My NZ swap group were given the challenge of using an Optical Illusion technique (as seen here on Natasha Foote's YouTube).  My card went to Carol and now she has it, I can share it.  

I've tried this technique in the past, so knew to make my ovals bigger than you think you need to.   Otherwise you don't really get the effect you want.   I trimmed my panel down and added the stamped and die cut leafy branch.  It's from Altenew.  I used three colours of Distress Oxide inks to ink up my stamp.  It's easy to do using a MISTI.  The sentiment is a die cut from Concord & 9th cut from black and green card layered together.  

I'm looking forward to see how the other girls use this technique.  

Wednesday, we got to visit Florence and have cuddles. 

She is just gorgeous.  The spitting image of her big sister at the same age.   And in three weeks time I'll be cuddling with Finn.

I'm off tomorrow to Papamoa - just over 2 hours south.  Hubby's nephew got married last weekend in Fiji and tomorrow evening there is a party to celebrate in their home town.  Looking forward to catching up with family. 

No Designer Paper - Sweet Stampin' Challenge.

 Hi - it's time for a new challenge at Sweet Stampin' Challenge.   Our challenge this time is "No Designer Paper/No Patterned Paper"

Although I have a lot of patterned paper in my stash, I still prefer just using stamping or die cutting...

 Today I have a "twofer" to share inspired by Natasha Foote (here)

I used a Woodware stamp - Floral Wonder.  I cut two panels from light and dark blue card -both 4" x 5.25" and then using my MISTI I stamped with Versamark and embossed with Altenew Silver EP.  Next I stacked the two panels together and used an Impress 3 in 1 nesting circle die, cut out the centre of the panels.  I added some double sided paper to the back and swapped the circles - matching up the embossing.   I then used some of the same blue card to cut out the Love You So die from Concord & 9th and used some vellum behind the dies.  

Do come and join us at Sweet Stampin' Challenge with your projects.

PS... our beautiful grandson Finlay George Dunning made his presence know rather quickly, early on Friday morning ... surprising Mummy and Daddy by being born at home!  Thank goodness, the paramedics arrived in time to deliver him.   Big brother Archie was very happy to meet him so soon after he was born.  Happy Nanny and Pop here in NZ.  Can't wait till 28 July when we will get our cuddles. 

Recycle and reuse.

 I saw the Wednesday challenge at Simon Says Stamp was "Recycle It".   Just up my alley as a couple of weeks ago,  my friend Yvonne, dropped around to give me an old tissue box.   Months ago I said to her that when it was finished that I'd love to have it as the pattern on it was stunning.    I cut it up and all the pieces have been in my "to use" pile. 

I made two 4-bar cards (3.5" x 5") as I had the bases in the same "to use" pile as the off cuts from a couple of  5" square cards cut from  8.25" x 11" white card.  

First up used lots of the box

The stripes were on one side of the box, the panel from the other side and from one of ends I fussy cut one of the carnations. I trimmed and layered with black card.  I die cut the love sentiment (Altenew Versatile Sentiments in black with a white shadow and the subset is from a pre-printed sheet from Creative Expressions. 

The second one is a bit more clean and simple. 

For this one, I used a piece from the top.  I trimmed each side of the opening and got some thin stripes.  

The die cut sentiment is from Concord & 9th which was also in the "to use" pile.  I tried out the sentiments as soon as I got this set so it was great to have it on hand.   Finished it with some black gems.

I got a pic of the two together so I can add to the Simon Says Challenge 

 I had fun doing these two and I've got plenty of the box left to make some more. I made envelopes for them with some scrapbook paper I have.  Used the white side with the pattern inside. 

Great way to start my weekend with some fun crafting. 

World Cardmaking Day - Take 2

 Hi there.  I got to play again today.  It's so cool to just having a play - not for a design team challenge... but just for fun.   Once again today I made three cards but as one is for my Hubby's birthday on the 16th, I won't share till after the day.  

I also took some time to watch some videos for inspiration.  My first card is inspired by Laurel Beard - this video that shows lots of different ways to use your Embossing folders.   One of her techniques was double embossing followed by inking embossing.  

I took a pale aqua sheet of card and ran it through the Cuttlebug with an unknown brand flowers and leaves folder.  Next I ran it through again, this time with Altenew's 3D Decorative Flowers folder.  It made a beautiful panel.  But like Laurel, I stepped it up a bit by blending on some ink.  I used Catherine Pooler's Aquatini ink which made the raised 3D flowers shine a bit more.  I had blended over a little mat and I sprayed it with some water to wipe it off the mat and thought it was a shame to waste the ink so dipped the card into the watery ink.  Gave some extra texture to the card.  I stamped a sentiment from Clearly Besotted "Say Something" stamp set and die cut it with a flag label from a Gina K Master Layout set.   I added a few clear flat sequins.    

My second card was inspired by this video by Natasha Foote..where she give us ideas for using black card bases/panels.  I was inspired by a card she made using a white embossed plaid pattern. 

I white embossed a Concord and 9th Plaid stamp onto some black card.  I used some Master Layout dies by Gina K to cut the stamped panel and cut some black and white layers.  I stamped and clear embossed a rose from Altenew;s Botanical Garden set onto some watercolour paper.  I stamped and embossed twice.  I coloured both flowers with Zig Markers and fussy cut it.  I cut just parts of the flower and the leaf and used some 3D tape to pop them up. I added a little sentiment from Mama Elephant Occasions Labels stamped with Obsidan black ink and clear embossed before I trimmed it to have a white border.   I added a few black gems to finish.   

I'm happy to have had time to play this weekend.  Not being able to go out much has meant that the weekends have lots of time to craft.   And it might be that we will stay in Level 3 lockdown as the numbers are still lingering.  Plus there are two cases outside of Auckland, despite the borders around Auckland being closed.  Tomorrow we will find out.  I'm desperate to get to cuddle Gracie - it's been almost 7 weeks.  

Take care and have fun crafting. 

More colouring....

I can't stop practicing with my Prismacolor pencils.  I did some more colouring on Tues morning prior to driving home.  It was my first time driving hubby's Nissan Maxima home on my own.   It took me an hour and a half.  The first part is on windy country roads then onto open motorway.  I admit to being a city driver!

Any way I got this piece finished and made into a card on Tuesday night

The flower is a Concord and 9th stamp and the sentiment is from a Kaisercraft set. 

As I was home alone Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, I did even more colouring....

 

These are from a MFT set.   I have now cut them out with my ScanNCut and will use them on cards soon.  

And I did some more fur colouring on a teddy.  Here's a sneak peek at the colouring.  The card will be revealed on the 8th for my Southern Girls Challenge post. 

 

Quite happy with the fur on this one.   It is such a tiny image it was quite a challenge to colour.  See room for improvement but practice, practice, practice.....

I'm now back up at Mangawhai, having driven up after work today.  I'll be happy that hubby will be driving home on Tuesday.  Yes another long weekend.  Get used to short work weeks.... which it could continue!    Two full weeks then another  4 day one. 

Two for one on the edge stamping

I recently saw Jennifer McGuire doing an on the edge stamping trick and getting two cards for one lot of stamping.  (you can see it HERE)    I decided to try it out today using a Concord & 9th stamp.  It was really easy to do with the assistance of MISTI.  I decided to colour it in two different colour scheme. 

For the first one, I used bright Copic colours.  The sentiment is from the same Concord & 9th stamp set as the flowers.   I added some Liquid Pearls to the splatters.    

On my second card I used more muted colours - choosing my lightest Copics.  I added a few more splatters with a Gold Wink of Stella.   The die cut and sentiment are from a Catherine Pooler set.

I enjoyed doing the same design in different colour schemes. 

Thanks for stopping by today.

Hello Lovely Copic colouring

Using some of my new products I made a card that I am extremely proud of.   I purchased a Concord & 9th stamp set I've been coveting for awhile.... It's called Hello Lovely and is an amazing large bouquet.   And I had bought three new Copic markers - in shades of Violet/Purple..   So the combination of the two -

I am still learning about shading and colouring and today it all came together on my purple flower.    I was thrilled how it turned out.  I stamped the sentiment over the top of the bouquet.   

I'll be using this set again and again I'm sure as it's so interesting and versatile as I found when I did some Pinterest searching.  Lots of ideas rushing around my head.   

I'm feeling a bit off colour tonight, so not a lot has been done.   Just some blog viewing. 

Thanks for stopping by.