CAS birthday with new supplies.

 Today didn’t start off quite as planned. I woke up with a bad headache and spent the morning resting, unsure whether I’d feel up to doing very much at all. Thankfully, after taking it easy, I started to feel much better—and that gave me the perfect excuse to spend some quiet time crafting,

A package of new crafting supplies had arrived, so couldn’t resist pulling out a few bits to play with. I decided to create a clean and simple (CAS) card.

I began by die‑cutting squares and a circle from white cardstock, then cut floral shapes from green and purple scraps of patterned paper. For a little extra detail, I added subtle texture by embossing  lines across the middle of the card using my scoreboard. Once that was done, I glued the circle into the centre and balanced the design by placing the squares in opposite corners.

The sentiment was silver embossed and is from a magazine freebie that’s been in my stash for at least 12 years! It had never been opened or used before. To finish off the card, I layered the leaves and flowers over the centre circle, bringing the whole design together perfectly.

All in all, it turned into a calming and creative way to end the day—proof that even a slow start can lead to something lovely.

I'm entering this into Darnell's NBUS challenge as this is the first time using all the elements. 

A Cut Above - Anything Goes using a die cut.

AAA Birthday - Anything Goes.

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.   

One kit, - five Christmas card...

 I went to my local Spotlight store today as I had a 40% discount code and I've been eyeing up some Jasart Metallic paints... at $47 - I was waiting till I got a good discount voucher.  While I was there I picked up a Crafters Choice DIY Kit for around $10. 

There are die cut pieces and beautiful double sided glossy papers - Patterned on one side and solid colour on the other.   Today I am sharing the first 5 cards I've made. 

All the cards use the ephemera die cuts from the kit and some of the patterned paper. 

This one used a design from Jess Crafts- this was part of her session on the Stress Free Cardmaking Summit.  Great design/sketch. The sentiment is from a Crafters Choice stamp set, embossed with silver power.  A few silver pearls.   I used both sides of the paper. 

Another one using the Jess Craft sketch and another die cut ephemera.  Used some Peelcraft stickers for the sentiment.  

This one used on of the ephemera on top of a red embossed panel splatter with some of the gold paint from my new paints.  Added the wreath and added some gold paint dots and some red gems. The foiled sentiment is from Spellbinder's Yana;s Christmas Sentiments hot foil and dies. 

This design is another from the Stress Free Cardmaking Summit - from the session by Craft Al.  For my embossed background I inked with some Festive Berries Distress Ink and ran it through my machine with a Tim Holtz folder and one of his diffusers - the oval inner portion.  This lets the folder only emboss where you add the oval diffuser.  Another of the sentiments from the Spellbinders hot foil and die set.   I'm entering this one into the current - Just Us Girls challenge.... CAS - use just the centre of your card   

and the final one - which I think is my favourite 

This uses some of the patterned paper and the plain paper.  The sentiment is from the Crafters Choice set embossed with some Rose Gold powder.  Add a thin strip of green mirri card above and below the sentiment panel.

There is so much of the kit left so I'll be using it up to boost my Christmas card stash.