Shimmer and Shine

Today is the start of the latest challenge at Southern Girls Challenge blog.  Our theme is Sparkle and Shine ~ with a bit of bling.

One of our sponsors this month is Lacy Sunshine and I got to work with an amazing image from her shop.

This one is called Lizabeth Key to my Heart.  I printed her and then coloured with Copics.  I cut her out with a Spellbinders label which I distressed around the edges with Walnut Stain ink.  I then mounted this on some very shimmery and sparkly PP.   I made my flowers with a punch and a gold brad.  Then I finished with some green die cut flourishes, a black twine bow and a little hand made key.

 

I made it by die cutting a key out of some Shrinky Dink, colouring with a grey Copic before heating it.  Really pleased with the result... and look at the sparkle and shine on the background card.  

We would love to have you join us.  

I'm entering this into the "Anything Goes" challenge at Lacy Sunshine

More watercolouring.... using Fireworks spray inks

I was thinking about my May CCC card (for those of you who don't know about CCC - see here)  I haven't had my email telling me who to send it to, but I've done it tonight.  I wanted to try some watercolouring with spray inks and I recently got a set of 3 Fireworks inks.  So found a lovely rose from a Hero Arts set (AC037) and off I went.

I started by using Dusty Concord and Bundled Sage Markers to colour the rose.  Spritzed with some water and stamped in the corner.  I then used water colour brushes and water with the spray inks to colour the flower.  I let it dry and then using the markers again, over stamped moving ever so slightly.   I then used the three spays to spritz the card.   When it was all dry, I used the Winnie & Walter stamp to ink my sentiment.  Just loving these bold and typewriter sentiments together.  So much choice. I then decided to layer it on an angle on the mat, for a bit of variety.  Finished with some sequins.

As I think this is CAS despite all the sprays... I'm entering it into the challenge at CASology ~ Cue word Flower and into the Monday Challenge at Simon Says ~ Botanical.

And I'm leaving you with a photo I took last evening.

I could hear a bird singing and when I looked up I saw this Thrush in the plum tree.  He had a beautiful voice.  

Happiness is where we find it...

but rarely where we seek it.  I really love this sentiment.  And it's a stamp from Couture Creations.

Today I have a card to share that I made for Die Cut Divas.   I used a digi stamp from our sponsor ~ A Day for Daises.

 

I combined it with my Couture Creations stamp.  Colouring was done with Copics and as our challenge is this month is to use at least one embellishment, I added some gems.  My base card is embossed.  

Do come and join us at Die Cut Divas.  Still plenty of time. 

How much "mess" can three people make?

Let me show you...........

Yesterday I was joined by Helen and Lei for a day of stamping.  With just the three of us, we spread out a bit.... look at all the creativity going on... between the three of us we made over 15 cards.  And I finished off another one today. 

Most of what I did was for upcoming design work so can't share just yet.  But I did borrow some of Lei stamps and made some cards.

 

I'm not sure who makes the stamp. (Could be Inkadinkado)  I went for a very monochromatic look.  I inked up the stamp with Hero Arts Charcoal ink and then added the Winnie and Walter sentiment stamps.  Can you see where I had to fix a mistake?  

 

This card was the other stamp of Lei's I borrowed.  It is by a NZ company called Rubbadubbadoo.  I had stamped it onto cream card and then cut with a Spellbinders die. Sponged with Antique Linen ink while it was still in the die.  To make the outside layer, I drew around the outside of the die and hand cut.  The background PP is from Rosie's Studio.  The flowers are from Prima and the die cut leaves from a Cherry Lynn die.    This is a for an upcoming birthday for a friend.  I have made a little box envelope to put this in and will hand deliver when the time comes.  

 

I had an awesome day with my friends.  We did miss the others but as I had sent out the invite at short notice it was good to catch up with those that I could.  

Hope your weekend was a great as mine was.

 

A New Challenge has started.

One of my New Zealand crafty friends, Eileen, has started a new challenge blog for those of us who love to use Digital stamps - Creative Craft Cottage Digi Creations.  And she has kindly included me in the Design Team.

Our first challenge is Anything Goes ~ nice and easy for you to start.  And we have an amazing sponsor...

Kathryne kindly allow the DT to use some of her lovely creations to make some inspiring samples for you.  And she is giving 5 of her digi stamps to our winner.... so do come join us.

I used "Gracie" and coloured her with Copics.  I used some pretty PP on my base and then cut Gracie with an oval die and layered onto a fancy rectangle die. and added some gems.

So if you love to use digital images, please come and join us at Creative Cottage Digi Creations challenge for our first challenge.

Combining two techniques ~ stenciling and watercolouring

I got a new stencil this week ~ from Memory Box and I wanted to combine my two favourite techniques... using stencils and embossing paste and watercolouring.

I started by using some embossing paste through the stencil and once it dried, did a watercolour wash in a variety of green paints.   Next step was to use Distress Markers to colour the stamp.  Once spritzed with water, it was stamped and more water used to "paint" the flower.  The stamp is a Penny Black one called "Brush Rose" so half the work was already done!  Once it dried, I used a Fancy Oval Spellbinders die to cut it.  While still in the die, I used some shimmer paints to make the background.  Add a few pearls and a little Stampin' Up sentiment.

This is being entered into the challenge at
 Simon Says Stamp ~ Die Crazy
 Crafting When we can ~ Dies
Penny Black and More ~ anything goes 
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Favourite PB Stamp...this is my new favourite one!


I really am enjoying my crafting at the moment.  So much inspiration Cratfrom the classes.  And this weekend, I'm having some friends over for a days card making.  Hoping to catch up with my homework.

Do pop back tomorrow as I have a card to share that I made for a new challenge blog I am a designer for.   

Watercolour flowers

The current online card classes, "Watercolor for Card Makers", is so much fun.  I'm loving every minute of the classes.  So much inspiration... and it's not too late to join in as once you register, you have a life time to revisit and review....Go here to have a look.

Today I have some water colour flowers to share with you.

This first one has a water coloured block background and then stamped the Darkroom Door flower which was inked with distress inks and painted. I was really pleased with how the background and flower then ended up stamping the sentiment crooked.... hence the banner. Added some clear flat sequins to finish. 

Next up is a faux watercolour technique.  My inspiration for this was a video from Wplus9 (here) but it tied into the classes, as we also learnt this technique.  

This was as I had finished the piece and then this is what I did with it.

I made a small 3 1/4" x 4 1/8" card.  The frame was made with some Simon Says Stamp woodgrain card coloured with a Copic marker.

My final sample is a more artsy water colour using a Hero Arts stamp

I used the colouring on the front of the stamp to paint in my colours.  Still to make this up into a card. 

And if you want to see some more of the beautiful faux painting  do hop over to Lin's blog as well as Nancy's and Barb's.   And I came across this beautiful example by Diane

Off to watch another days videos. 

Watercolouring class - Bright and Cheery

Had a busy day today with a visit to the building site that my son is foreman for.  It is a stunning house over looking the bay at Glendowie here in Auckland.  I was so proud of the work that my son has done.  After looking around the site we headed out to lunch to celebrate Mother's Day.  We went to a restaurant called NSP (Non Solo Pizza) in Parnell.  And yes, it is an Italian restaurant.   Knew it was good when I saw a celebrity chef there having lunch with his family!   Had a lovely lunch.  

When I got back home I worked on another card for the Watercolour class.  I had woken at around 5.30 this morning with the idea for the card.   When I did finally get up I quickly sketched it out.  I CASE'd the example card from Jennifer R.

I used a Hero Art digi stamp called "Silly Scape" for my town.  I used my Derwent Inktense pencils to make my sun and to colour my houses.   I decided to do some stitching for my rays.  The sentiment is one by Penny Black.  I finished my card by covering the centre of my sun with a red heart.  I covered it with Wink of Stella and then some glossy accents.  

Hope all the Mums out there, had a nice day.  I had a great chat with mine today.  Miss not having her living in the same country as mine.