Inspired by Natasha - using an embossing folder a bit differently.

Over the weekend I caught up on some video from Natasha.  Her You Tube channel can be found here.  Her video from Saturday was what inspired me.   It was about changing how you use your embossing folders.   

Here's my take on her card 

I used some dark kraft card and cut 1 inch squares.  I then added them to some lightweight card at an angle pattern.  I then added ran it through an embossing folder.  This one was Gina K Tapestry folder.  The different way to use a folder involved Altenew's Hello Beautiful craft your life kit - I embossed the folder with white card and fussy cut out the two flowers.  I then used Distress Oxides to colour the flowers before adding to the background panel.  The sentiment is from Altenew Build a Garden, Grand Carnation stamp and die.  I added some silver sequins to finish.  

I will be trying this technique again as I loved the idea of getting more out of the embossing folders.  

The Card Chain Challenge - August reveal.

It's time for another fabulous reveal over at Card Chain Challenge.

As always, the challenge was to make a card using at least one of options on offer. This month we played with:

Colour Palette Option

(Exact matching is not required.)

Sketch Option

(Orient as desired.)

Theme Options: Movie Magic / The Sea / Friendship

Product / Technique Options: Vellum  / Stamping

My card went to Julie in Massachusetts.  

I've been on a bit of a purple phase lately and this is what I did using the sketch.  I used two co-ordinating papers to add to the background, with some plain purple card.  I used Gina K Master Layout dies to cut all my layers.  Sentiment is from an Altenew set and I used some different butterflies from my stash. 

And today the card from my swap partner Greta arrived... it's a stunner thanks Greta

Christmas in July.

 It's winter here in New Zealand and today which started nice and then turned to rain, so I managed to get a few hours in my craft room.  I saw a fabulous tutorial on Facebook - one the Simply, Sweet Poppy Stencils page.  It was done by Susan Bradney using Sweet Poppy's Christmas Bauble stencil.  I recently got the Bauble stencil and decided I would try it out following the tutorial.  I CASE'd the card Susan made. 

Making this card involved making a mask, stencilling in a pale ink, using the mask and doing some ink blending.  I used some stamps from my stash (freebies from magazines)  One of my purchases on Friday was a white Posca fineliner pen.  Used it to make my snow flakes and add some to my snow banks. To add colour to the stencilling, I used Prismacolor pencils. I matted the panel onto some gold mirror card and then onto a Pearlised card base.  It's a lovely bit card 6" square.

After spending most of the afternoon making this first card my second one for the day was much quicker.   I bought Gina K's Holiday Tapestry  stamp set a while back and only opened it today.  

This one started with some patterned paper from a Uniti pack.  I die cut it with a Sunny Studio's slimline Scalloped Frame die and then embossed the big floral image at each end of the panel in silver embossing powder.  I then stamped and embossed the sentiment in gold powder.  Add some Pink Fresh gold and silver metallic pearls.  Slowly building up my Christmas card stash.  I'm entering this one into Darnell's NBUS (Never Before Uses Schtuff) as it's the first time inking up this one. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

More Weekend crafting

 It's Easter Monday here in NZ and today we will be heading back home later today.  I managed some more crafting yesterday and another trip to the beach for a swim.  This morning it's a bit cooler and cloudy so before packing up I did another card for homework on my class - Creative Colouring with Erum.

I tried out the splatter watercolour look.  Didn't work out as well as I wanted as I didn't have a spray water bottle and had to just use a big brush.  However I was really happy with the card I made. 

I used a mixture of Woodless Watercolour pencils and the 36-pan set of watercolours. My flowers are from Nature's Blossom set and the leaves from Leaf Canopy set. I added some depth with Prismacolor pencils- a technique that Erum uses.  I used the Woodless Watercolour pencils for the background.  The sentiment is from a Gina K Wreath Builder set. 

Yesterday I played with the Wreath Builder stencil and stamps.  I had forgotten to bring my normal MISTI and only had my mini one and thought I might not be able to use it.... but managed it 

The edge hung out but it worked well. 

I did a few more cards yesterday but will share them over the next few days.   Take care all

WWC 294 - Marsha's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Masculine Twist

 Hi there- time for a new challenge at Watercooler Wednesday.   Marsha is our hostess and she has an Anything Goes with a Masculine Twist 

My card is the birthday card that I made for my husband's birthday on the 16th

I chose a Catherine Pooler stamp set called Leaf Motifs and used my Gina K Wreath Builder Stencil to stamp the leaves using Altenew inks - Bamboo, Parrot, Olive and Moss inks.   For my centre panel I used second generation stamping of the leaves.  The sentiment is stamped in Expresso ink from Altenew using a sentiment from Gina K's Frame and Flowers 2 set.  I mounted both panels onto some dark brown card.   

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 at 5 pm Mountain Standard Time (Tuesday at 11.00 am NZ time ) to link up your project.

WWC#212 "Tristan's All About Occasions" challenge

Welcome back for this week's Watercooler Wednesday challenge.  Tristan is our hostess and it's an "All About Occasions" challenge.

One of my Kit'n'Clowder swap partners sent me a gorgeous little stamp set for Close to my Heart that had the little heart and butterfly.  I used my MISTI and Gina K Wreath Builder stencil to make this cute as wreath.The hearts and butterflies were coloured with my Zig watercolour markers.   I added a little green leaf and the peach dots to finish it off.  The sentiment is from the CTMH set as well.   I decided to edge with some blue oxide ink and sponged it with my new Life Changing brushes from Picket Fence.    They are so easy to use.

Come join in the fun and make a project all about an occasion.  There are heaps you can choose .  Check out the projects that the artists at Watercooler Wednesday Challenges have created then take the challenge and link your creation to the challenge post. We’d love to have you join us.  You have until Mondays at 5 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (Tuesdays at 1pm NZ time) to link up your project.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

A productive Friday night....

Friday night, hubby out with the boys, what's a girl to do?  

Why craft of course!

And that's just what I did.  I started by making 10 mini file boxes - tutorial here at Splitcoaststampers. 

I used 6 x 6 PP from Rosie's Studio that was patterned kraft - it's nice and sturdy.  The embellishments are stickers from a the $2 shop.   I am going to fill the boxes with little bags of handmade chocolates.   I was surprised how quick these were to make once the first one was done... so stinkin' cute too.

I also spend some time checking out FB... and saw a replay of a Face Book live by Gina K where she used some inks and Tim Holtz stencils to make a quick card.  I just loved these and as I had the some of the same stencils she used... I just started playing and suddenly 4 more Christmas cards made!

These two used the same stencil - just did different colour schemes.   All my sentiments are from Kaisercraft. 

And these two used a Holly stencil.  I used a stencil brush on the last one and sponging for the other one together with some splatters of orange ink.  

Just love the Dr Seuss sentiment on my final card.  It comes from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"   And how true is that!

So a bit of a fun evening while alone at home. 

Thanks for taking the time to stop by...

Carved Wood background and the day from Hell!

I'll start by sharing a card I finally manged to get made late this afternoon.... and then tell you why it took to the end of the day to make it!

Over at Gink K Designs, there are a number of World Card Making Day challenges underway and for their #1 challenge it's to use a technique that Gina created called Carved Wood  (you can see it HERE)   I really loved the technique.  As I don't have the inks Gina used, I had to make do with what I have....

I used some Altenew grey inks and then a Monento pale silvery ink after the embossing.   My background card base is a creamy colour and I used the same card to die cut the circle.  Added the sentiment from Winnie & Walter and then the butterfly from Gina K's Warm Spring Wishes.  I stamped it onto the cream card and coloured with Copics and fussy cut.  As the antennae are so tiny, I stamped the butterfly onto the circle before adding the rest of the butterfly.  As the butterfly is my focal point, I'm entering this into the challenge at Virginia's View.

Now for the reason I didn't get to play till later in the day..... I had the day from HELL.  It started this morning (Sunday here in NZ) with a torrential downpour... that lead to some minor flooding in our back yard but resulted in the desk in my craft room being doused with drips from the ceiling above.  Very persistent steady drips.  Our son, who is a builder, came around and cut into the ceiling and OMG - the whole ceiling was WET - all the insulation was wringing wet so it seems that the leak has been there for a long time... and with all the rain Auckland has had in the last 4 weeks... it's just been building up.  Kieran went out on the roof and found a few spots where the silicone seems to have degenerated.  He repair them so hope no more leaks.  It will just be a matter of checking with the insurance company as the work is now much bigger than we anticipated.

So my next two hours was packing up and moving all my craft supplies (and boy do I have a LOT) out into the garage.  My car now has to live outside for the next little while till we sort it all out.

I bought some of my supplies back inside so I could try out this technique.  I worked on my dinning table and then had to pack it all away when I had finished.  I love that I have a room that I can just leave things as they are.   Hopefully not too long till I can get back in there.

Luckily I have a couple more cards for WCMD at StampNation scheduled.  And tomorrow night Hubby is away so can do some crafting on the table.

Thanks for stopping by.

June CCC for Sara

My June CCC went to Sara in Cincinnati.  We had a sketch to follow:

 

or a theme: Friendship, Patriotism or Water

or use buttons

I used two flowers die cut from burlap covered card and added a button to the centre.  The background stamping was a Stampin' Up stamped in yellow ink and smooshed.  Added the sentiment from my Stamp of Approval set by GinaK.  Finished with some glittery washi along the bottom.

Had a very enjoyable winter's weekend at Mangawhai with our friend.  It was a tad cold in the mornings with a bit of frost.
                                                              
Went for a walk along the beach
                       

and got to have a little play with some of my new goodies
                                     

Happy 4th of July to all my US friends and readers.   Hope you have a great long weekend.

An Inspirational card with Gina K Designs

I'm here to share my card over at Die Cut Divas.  I'ts an inspirational card using Gina K Design stamps

The stamped oval, sentiment and butterfly are all from the Warm Spring Wishes set.  I hand cut the circle and added it over a die cut Spellbinders Fancy Frame.  The butterfly was coloured and then fussy cut.  I finished by die cutting a stitched rectangle from some PP.  Finished with some pearls.

The sentiment is inspiring so this card went to a friend who has been through some hard times and is now coming out the other side.  Just to remind her that she is strong.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Spring Swing card

Today it's my turn on Die Cut Divas to inspire you.
Our sponsor for the month is Gina K Designs

and our challenge is: to make a project you associate with April (such as Easter, Rain, Storms, April Fools Day, Spring, Autumn, IRS/Taxes or April holidays (www.holidayinsights.com)


I wanted to try out a Swing card I saw in a magazine.  The sample was with some layered roses stamps and in my Gina K stamp sets, I had just the stamps I needed.....

I made my swing card using a stitched die from Simon Says Stamp and a Spellbinders circle die.  I used some linen look card for my base.   The stamps used are from Gina K Designs Flowers and Frames 2.  I used Memento blue ink - stamping off to get the lighter colour and full strength for the second layer.  The sentiment from the same set was stamped with Versafine Onyx black.   So happy with the results.

We would love to have you join us at Die Cut Divas this month.

More wax paper embossed backgrounds....

I had so much fun making the wax paper embossed backgrounds.. I used two different folders... one piece of wax paper and one folder gives two background pieces.  I used different colours of distress ink to sponge on the wax backgrounds.  See my post from yesterday to see the first two card I made...
and now onto the next two cards.

For this first one, I used Wilted Violet distress ink to sponge the background.  I finished my card with stamps and dies from StampNation Young at Heart collection. 

On this one, I used Weathered Wood distress for the background and used a Simon Says Stamp die cut flower with a Hero Arts Sentiment.  I didn't have any black sequins so I used a Mama Elephant die (which I bought off Lisa Haines) which had some little sequins included.   I cut them with black textured card. 

I really enjoyed trying out this technique.   If you haven't seen Gina's video, you can see it HERE.

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope I have inspired you to try out this technique 

Embossed Wax Paper Background a la Gina K

Die Cut Divas are being sponsored by the Amazing Gina K Designs this month

Today I want to share some cards I made after watching Gina at StampTV  - Embossed wax paper background.

I couldn't wait to do this technique as it has been a few years since I tried it out... so here's my results of embossed wax background.

I CASE'd Gina's card for this first one.  I used Mermaid Lagoon distress ink to sponge the background.  Not sure who makes my folder as it has no name on it... But it was a great one to use, being very detailed.  I then used the flowers and leaves from Warm Spring Wishes and coloured with Distress inks and daubers before fussy cutting.  The sentiment is from Frame and Flowers 2. I used a La La land die cut for the corners.  And my flourish was one that came with a magazine so has no name on it.  My mat and the corners and flourish are all dark blue card.
Entering this one into the Birthday Challenge at Simon Says Stamp

And the other half of the ironed off wax paper

This one was sponged with Dried Marigold distress ink.  The flowers are from Frame and Flowers 2 and were stamped with Hero Arts Apricot ink - first layer stamped off and then the second layer being full strength.  The leaves are die cut with a MFT dienamics leaf die.  I added some Spectrum Noir glitter pen on the roses.

If you haven't checked out Gina K design's Stamp TV, I can totally recommend it.. there is so much inspiration there. 

Watercolouring and embossing with Gina K

It's time for a new challenge at Die Cut Divas and this a new sponsor ...
 

Yes we are lucky to have the wonderful Gina K designs sponsoring us this month.    The team were lucky enough to have got a discount from Gina to get some stamps to inspire you.... and what is our latest challenge....

...........make a project you associate with April (such as Easter, Rain, Storms, April Fools Day, Spring, Autumn, IRS/Taxes or April holidays (www.holidayinsights.com) 

My card is inspired by Spring.... 

 The technique I used can be found here on StampTV - Gina K's video channel.  There are literally hundreds of videos here for you to view.  A great source of inspiration.
I have used Spring Wishes set.  The leaves however are from another set as in my day's stamping the leaves from the set just up and disappeared on me!  Don't you just hate when that happens.  So far they have eluded recapture!   I used splotches of Zig markers where I thought I would place my stamps, then clear embossed the stamps.  Finished with coating of black ink - not to heavy to allow some of the white and coloured background to show through.   Die cut the panel with a Lil' Inkers die and added a sentiment die cut with Spellbinders ovals and scallop ovals with some seam binding ribbon.  

I can highly recommend getting some Gina K stamps - they are such great quality and her StampTV videos are the best.  Awesome techniques, great inspiration for using the StampTV kits available in store and just all round great viewing. 

Thanks for visiting and hope you will join us at Die Cut Divas this month 



 

Black and White Elegance.

One of the card I made yesterday was a CASE'd card of this one from Gina K.   I loved the look of stamped lace on the card and decided to see what stamps I had that might have worked...

I found a beautiful fine lace stamp in a set from Kaisercraft  that suited the look I was after.   I used Versmark and white embossing powder.  It took me a white to decide on what to have on my focal image.  I knew I wanted to use the Floral Spellbinder die so tried a number of stamps.  Finally decided on the butterfly from Stampendous.  I only wish now that I had used Archival ink to stamp the butterfly as it would have been darker.  I distressed around the edge of the die with some black ink.  Again, not overly happy with the result.  But all in all, the card does have a touch of elegance. 

The weekend just seem to fly by.... Stamping all day yesterday and then this afternoon, we went to visit some friends who spend a month travelling round Croatia and other parts of Europe.  We wanted to get some ideas and their thoughts on Croatia as we are thinking of travelling there next year...so have started the planning phase.  Karen and Gary and their daughters visited relations in Croatia as well as Switzerland.  They also visited Italy and France so it was great sharing experiences.   A nice way to spend a dismal Sunday afternoon.

Wishing you all well for another week.... A short working one for me as it's Queens Birthday Weekend here in NZ and I'm taking Friday off making a 4 day weekend.   We are heading up to the beach, so a relaxing quiet weekend in store.  

Dawn

Christmas Party at Stamp Group.

Yesterday was my monthly Stamp Group session... and this year we had a bit of a party... you had to wear a hat/Christmas earrings/Christmas broach - bring some yummy Christmas food and a Secret Santa gift...  All great fun

This is a montage of photos from the day.  Showing the girls all working hard.... and a look at our yummy lunch.

And this is a good photo of my friend Sue and I together



I had a very successful day ( a shortish one as I left at 4.30)  - did a set of 9 cards using the same sentiment circle ( free here from Gina K) using the design Gina used in her video (here)
The cards are all about 4 1/4" square.  Did another couple of the mini cards too, plus two normal sized cards and two scraplings... all very CAS and quick.

Here's just a couple of the pictures of the set






I'll share some more as the week progresses.  These are all 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" and followed Gina's design.  I used a variety of background papers.

Had to come home early as we were having guests for a barbeque.  I LOVE barbies.... so easy to prepare.  Green salad, tomato cucumber and onion salad, beans with feta and beetroot cubes and some new potatoes and mint.... Hubby cooked muscles in their shells for starters and the steak with the salads.... everyone was so full, that we didn't even get out the strawberries for dessert.  The weather didn't play it's part though... windy and cool, but we did manage to eat outside.

Well better fly as I have heaps of ironing.... I tend to leave it for 3 weeks then have a pile to do.... My Bad!!!!

Have a great week all

Dawn