Friday 31 January 2020

Happy Little Stampers ~ Watercolour Challenge February 2020

Hi Friends! It's a new month and we have a new challenge for you at Happy Little Stampers ~ Watercolour Challenge where the challenge is



Here's my card



Initially, I thought I'd make a card with lots of adhesive rhinestones but couldn't figure out how to add watercolour to my card. So, I looked through my stamp sets and came across the WPlus9 Sparkle and Shine stamp set. I loved the sentiment - perfect for a "bling" card and the lovely jewels. I stamped the sentiment with some gems around it with Versafine Onyx Black ink on 96 lb bristol. I made sure that the ink had dried before I added colour using Distress Inks (spiced marmalade, picked raspberry, peacock feathers) with a water brush. I trimmed the panel slightly and matted on black cardstock. To add a bit of sparkle and shimmer, I added some Wink of Stella on each gem. 

Thanks for stopping by
sue

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Monday 27 January 2020

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #353

It's a new week and therefore it's time for a new sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.


No photo description available.

Considering that two weeks ago, we had snow in our forecast and this week's sketch has a snowman, I didn't "stretch" that far for my card this week.


I stuck with the snow theme. I started by embossing with Sizzix Textured Impressions embossing folder - snowflakes. I then dug out my Creative Memories 12" decorative trimmer to cut the slope shape. I added silver shimmer strip, cut with the same trimmer. The sentiment is from CAS-ual Friday's Snowy Sayings stamp set. It was heat embossed with silver embossing powder. To complete the card, I used the same silver shimmer cardstock and die cut a snowflake with Simon Says STAMP's Alexis snowflake die. 

Glad to report that our snow has melted and it's been raining ever since .... UGH!

Thanks for stopping by
sue

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Sunday 26 January 2020

STAMPlorations Stencil Sunday ~ January 26, 2020

Hi Friends! I'm back with two more projects for STAMPlorations Stencil Sunday. It's my second Stencil Sunday post this month. If you missed the first one, you can find it here.

Here's my first project


For this card, I used a stencil in the usual way. I placed an A2 card panel below the STAMPlorations' Festive Bloomdala stencil, positioned to the lower left of the panel. I used some post-it tape to prevent the stencil from shifting. Then, I added colour using distress inks (mustard seed, carved pumpkin, candied apple, wilted violet, salty ocean, mowed lawn), applied with an ink blending tool. Here's a photo midway through the ink application. 


I stamped the sentiment from STAMPlorations Fond Expressions 2 stamp set with Hero Arts Soft Granite ink. I trimmed the panel slightly and matted it on a dark gray card base.

Here's my second card


I started with STAMPlorations' CUTplorations Perched Bird die and die cut a mask from a repositionable 4"x6" label. I placed the negative of the mask on an A2 card base. I then lightly added colour with distress inks (carved pumpkin, mustard seed, mowed lawn, salty ocean) added with an oval makeup brush. Then I placed STAMPlorations' ARTplorations Botanical Lush stencil over the bird and temporarily adhered it to the card base with post-it tape. I added more distress ink, using the same colours, this time with a heavier hand and an ink blending tool. I feel that this added some added interest and dimension. 


I carefully removed the stencil and the mask. I added a simple sentiment, from STAMPlorations' Trendy Birds 2 stamp set, stamped with Hero Arts Soft Granite ink. 

STAMPlorations will randomly choose one winner of a $15 gift code to their store from all those who leave comments either on the STAMPlorations blog or on the designer's blog for all the January Stencil Sunday posts.

Thanks for stopping by. Looking forward to seeing you in February.
sue

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Wednesday 22 January 2020

STAMPlorations Hey Love Hop and Linky Party

Over at STAMPlorations, there is a Hey Love Hop and Linky Party. I'm honoured to be part of the Hop. 


I received the two digi files and coloured in the images with Copic markers. I had forgotten how relaxing it is to colour with either markers or coloured pencils. Here are my two cards


For this card, I simply added colour with Copic markers and antiqued the edges with Antique Linen distress ink and an ink blending tool. 


For this card, I wanted the red hearts to "pop" and used more muted colours for the remainder of the card. For the sentiment, I used STAMPlorations Tweet Love stamp set which I stamped onto a scrap piece of green/gray cardstock and cut into a double fish tail banner. 

Thanks for stopping by
sue

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Saturday 18 January 2020

Addicted to CAS ~ Challenge #176

I'm so excited to announce that I've joined the design team at Addicted to CAS. Honestly, I'm most happy creating clean and simple cards. Those cards with multiple layers, lots of frilly stuff, diecuts, ribbons, lumpy-bumpy embellishments - well, that's just not me. The cards are gorgeous - just not my style.

Here's our next challenge


The first thing that comes to my mind when I see the word "Frosty" is Frosty the snowman - I love that iconic Christmas TV show. So, I created a snowman card.


I stamped this cute snowman from The Alley Way's Chill Out stamp set with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I added color with Copic markers - YR04 BG10, BG15, BG72. I trimmed to panel to 2.5" x 2.5". I added the die cut frame using Lawn Fawn's Say Cheese, Again dies. The sentiment is from Your Next Stamp's Believe in the Magic stamp set.

Thanks for stopping by
sue


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Wednesday 15 January 2020

STAMPlorations CAS ~ January Reminder Post

It's already mid-month. I can't believe how fast time flies. It's time for a reminder post at STAMPlorations. Our CAS challenge is



Here's my card


For this card, I used my Yasutomo Pearlescent Watercolor Set and with my water brush picked up random colors and applied them on an A2 panel of 96 lb bristol. You can see a bit of the shimmer in this close-up.


I let the panel dry. Then I heat embossed with Copper Tinsel embossing powder the sentiment, using STAMPlorations Dream the Impossible stamp. It's a simple card this month.

Thanks for stopping by
sue

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Tuesday 14 January 2020

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge # 351

It's time for a new challenge at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge. Here is this week's sketch

No photo description available.

Here's my card


I love 6x6 paper packs. Some may say I have a bit of an addiction with 6x6 paper packs. I can't resist them! I love that someone has coordinated patterned papers for me. It makes it easy to put patterned papers together. This card is a good example of this. Once I chose the 6x6 paper pack, My Minds Eye's Stella and Rose 6x6 designer paper pack, I just had to choose 4 papers and cut 5/8" stripes. I adhered them, following this week's sketch. I stamped the sentiment from Simon Says STAMP's Summer Garden stamp set to complete the card. 

This is such a versatile sketch. We'd love for you to join us this week.

Thanks for stopping by
sue

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Perfectly CAS ~ January 2020

How has the first couple of weeks of 2020 been for you? I had a few days to chill and relax and then, silly me, accepted some work assignments. While my travel account will be happy, it's no fun to have to get up early and go to work! Especially when the weather outside is particularly nasty, I'd rather stay home and craft. Note to self - think twice about accepting any more work assignments. 

It's time for a new challenge at Perfectly CAS


For a CAS card, it usually isn't difficult to create a one-layer card. Here's my card.


I was so blessed to have been able to spend three weeks in Hawaii in December. It's so lovely there - the warm temperatures, the sandy beaches, the yummy food - I miss it all! Anyway, I had Hawaii on my mind when creating this card. I used post-it tape to mask off a 1.5 horizontal strip on the lower part of an A2 card. I randomly added distress inks (salty ocean, peacock feathers, cracked pistachio), added with an ink blending tool. I carefully removed the post-it tape. I then stamped the turtle, from CTMH's Tropical Paradise stamp set with Versafine Onyx black ink. For the sentiment, I used Hero Arts' Color Layering Tiger Lily stamp set.

We'd love to see your creations. 

Thanks for stopping by
sue

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Sunday 12 January 2020

STAMPlorations Stencil Sunday - January 12, 2020

Very excited for the opportunity to play with stencils over at the STAMPlorations blog. I love working with stencils - they're affordable and quite versatile. I'm going to have two projects, twice a month, for the first three months of 2020. Both projects use alcohol inks and the same stencil, STAMPlorations ARTplorations Prim Triangles stencil. 

Here's my first project


I started with glossy cardstock (actually photo paper). I added a few drops of alcohol ink (butterscotch and stream) and a few drops of alcohol blending solution on an alcohol ink applicator felt. I moved the applicator side to side to create the stripes. I moved the applicator slightly up and down to blend the colours. I let the alcohol inks dry (it doesn't take long). Next, I applied alcohol lift ink to the STAMPlorations ARTplorations Prim Triangles stencil and then placed the stencil (alcohol lift ink side) on the striped panel. I tapped the stencil down, to ensure good contact between the alcohol lift ink and the alcohol ink. I carefully removed the stencil and washed the stencil with warm soapy water. 

Here's a close-up of the effect


You can see that the alcohol lift ink did what it's supposed to do - lift (or remove) the alcohol ink. I stamped the sentiment using STAMPlorations Say It Big: Choose Happy stamp set with Versafine Onyx Black ink. I let the ink dry overnight. To complete the card, I trimmed the panel down, matted with black cardstock, mounted it onto an A2 card base and added a few rhinestones for a bit of sparkle.

Here's my second project


For this card, I started with a piece of shiny silver cardstock (Recollections Foil Paper - Silver). I added butterscotch alcohol ink randomly with an alcohol ink applicator with some alcohol blending solution. I let the alcohol ink dry. Then, I used the STAMPlorations ARTplorations Prim Triangles stencil as an embossing folder. I placed the stencil against the shiny, inked side of the silver cardstock and added a few pieces of cardstock and placed the "sandwich" through my Big Shot. The open spaces of the stencil resulted in the 
raised areas on the panel. I matted the panel with black and added a sentiment using STAMPlorations New Day Clear Stickers. 

STAMPlorations will randomly choose one winner of a $15 gift code to their store from all those who leave comments either on the STAMPlorations blog or on the designer's blog for all January Stencil Sunday posts. 

Thanks for stopping by
sue

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Tuesday 7 January 2020

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #375

Welcome to our first challenge of the year at Addicted to Stamps and More! This week's challenge is a photo inspiration.



I was inspired by the roses, the dusty rose colour and the sparkle of the large heart. Here's my card


I decided to do something unexpected. I chose to start with black cardstock and STAMPlorations' In Bloom: Radiant Roses stamp set, which I heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I added color with Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, using colors, as close to those in the photo inspiration that I could. I trimmed the panel slightly and added a sparkly 0.5" strip of pink glitter cardstock to complete the card. I chose to leave this card with no sentiment.

How are you inspired by this week's photo inspiration? We'd love to see what you create.

Thanks for stopping by
sue

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Wednesday 1 January 2020

STAMPlorations CAS ~ January Challenge

Happy New Year! Can you believe it, it's 2020? Wonder how long it's going to take for me to remember to type 2020 for the date. It's time for a new challenge at STAMPlorations CAS



Here's my card


Full disclosure, I haven't yet figured out the best way to take photos of "metallic" or "shiny" elements. I applied a few drops of Adirondack Alcohol Ink - sailboat blue, a few drops of Tim Holtz Metallic Mixative - Silver and a few drops of Adirondack Alcohol Blending solution on a alcohol ink applicator felt (which I think is just regular felt) - attached to an applicator. I tapped the applicator down in random ways on a piece of Yupo paper until I pretty much covered it. I let the alcohol inks dry and trimmed it down to 4.25" x 2.75". I matted the panel with black. 

Here's a close-up.



For the sentiment, I used silver embossing powder and STAMPlorations Faith Expressions stamp set on a strip of black cardstock. I added a shiny ribbon bow to complete the card.

Would love to see what you create this month.

Thanks for stopping by
sue

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