Red, Green, and White for Merry Monday

Merry Monday is keeping it traditional this week.

Since I love the traditional Christmas colours, I had to enter!

I took my TH holly stencil and sponged over it with red, brown, and a couple of shades of green Distress inks.

Out of the darker shade of green (IRL the green of the frame matches perfectly but doesn't look that way in the photograph), I cut the Merry Christmas frame and trimmed down the holly panel to fit behind it.

I added red pearls to the red sponging to make it look more like clusters of berries.

Another for the Christmas stash!

Supplies:

Ink - various Distress inks

Paper - white and green cs

Size - A2

Accessories - SSS Holiday Frame, TH holly stencil, red pearls

Smooshed Acrylics with a Prim Poppy

Here's a card made with another one of my background pieces I made at Loll's the other day when we smooshed up all the leftover acrylic paint.

I made it for the SCS Color Challenge (Marina Mist, Crushed Curry, Wild Wasabi).  I don't have SU colours but got something very close with the blue, green, and yellow acrylic paints, spritzed with water and smooshed onto coated cs.

I added a die cut flower (cut twice and stuck together for more dimension) and a blue, a green, and a yellow sequin. It's popped up on fun foam. The sentiment is stamped with a Kaleidacolor ink pad.

Since it's smooshed, has some stamping, and one other thing of my choice (the poppy die cut), I'm linking it up at CAS Mix Up's smooshing challenge.

You have just two more days to enter - it closes on March 24th.

Supplies:

Stamps - Peddler's Pack sentiment

Ink - Kaleidacolor Caribbean Sea

Paper - white and coated cs

Size - A2

Accessories - blue, green, and yellow acrylic paints; Memory Box Prim Poppy die; blue, green, and yellow sequins; fun foam

Smooshed Sea

Christine Alexander (It's a Card Day's Night) and I spent yesterday at Loll Thompson's house playing with acrylic paints, small canvases, various techniques.  One of the techniques left a ton of paint on the craft table.  So we took various types of paper (watercolour, Bristol, cardstock, Yupo, etc.) and smooshed them in the leftover paint.  Here's a card made using one of my pieces:

I used a piece of Yupo to mop up a mixture of blue acrylic paint that had been spritzed with water.  I got a lovely background that seemed much like the sea.  So when I saw that the new Addicted to CAS challenge is "seaside", it seemed the perfect piece to incorporate into a seaside-themed card.

I stamped a very old PSX sentiment on it, trimmed it down, and added it to a white card base.  I had a leftover piece of sprayed cs (sprayed very appropriately with the Mr. Huey's spray called "Shell").  I cut the base of the shells out of the lighter spray area, and then the top outlines of the shells out of the more solid-coloured areas.  Glued them together and then attached to the card, and it was done.

I'm linking it up to Addicted to CAS:

and to CAS Mix-Up:

For CAS Mix Up, I have stamping, smooshing, and, for my choice, die cuts.

I hope you like it. 

Supplies:

Stamps - PSX

Ink - Ranger Archival Jet Black

Paper - white cs, Yupo

Size - A2

Accessories - blue acrylic paints, Elizabeth Craft Designs seashell dies, Mr. Huey's "Shell" spray

Spring Crocuses

It's time for a reminder card for CAS Watercolour.  March's challenge is "Spring".

And what more appropriate image for spring than crocuses?  They are starting to bloom in my garden, and like in my stamped image, they often poke their way through the leftover dead leaves from autumn.

There are so many different ways to watercolour.  I decided to use my Tombow markers, a mister, and paintbrush with water for this card.

I put my stamp in the MISTI and went over the crocus leaves only with a green marker, then spritzed with water, and stamped onto hot press w/c paper.  Before it could dry, I took a paint brush and a bit more water and moved the colour around, filling in inside the image outline.

I then repeated the process with two shades of purple markers for the flowers.  I realized I should have let the leaves dry first as some of the purple bled into them.  By the time I repeated the process a third time with two shades of brown markers for the leaves on the ground, the crocus leaves were dry so I didn't have any bleeding.

I inked up the spring stamp with one of the brown markers, and also scribbled a bit of that marker on my craft mat, watered it down, and did some light splattering with it.

I got it all assembled with the image die cut, popped up on fun foam, etc. and then looked at it and realized that I totally forgot about the orange stamens crocuses have, but too late now!!  I also thought I should have stamped "spring" in the upper left corner instead as it looked unbalanced and too crowded where I put it.  So I balanced it a bit with two light brown adhesive pearls.  We're our own worst critics, aren't we!?

You have until March 24th to link up your spring watercolour card here.  Please be sure to keep your card CAS (clean and simple) and follow the theme.

Supplies:

Stamps - Serendipity crocuses, Rosie's Roadshow sentiment

Ink - markers only

Paper - hot press watercolour paper, cream cs

Size - 4.5" square

Accessories -Tombow markers, Lil Inkers stitched square, light brown adhesive pearls, fun foam

Smooshing under Snowflakes

Can you believe that it's already mid-March!!?  So time for a reminder to join in with the CAS Mix Up "Smooshing" challenge.

I did some Inka Gold smooshing for my reminder card:

I used silver and a couple of shades of blue Inka Gold on watercolour paper.  For the technique, see Loll Thompson's video here.

With shimmery off-white cs, I die cut an overlay panel.  To give it more dimension, I cut it again with scrap cs and glued the two together.  Then glued it to the Inka Gold panel.  I popped the piece up on fun foam and added a heat-embossed sentiment.  The heat embossing and the die cutting are the "my choice" elements to qualify for CAS Mix Up.

There is lots of other wonderful inspiration from the Design Team and our Guest Designer, Marcia Hill.  Head on over to CAS Mix Up to see it all.  And don't forget, this is the one year birthday of CAS Mix Up.

In honour of the birthday there are prizes this month:

$25 Gift Certificate to Simon Says Stamp for Challenge Winner

&

$25 Gift Certificate to Simon Says Stamp for one random draw of all entries

 (must follow rules to be eligible for prizes)

Speaking of the rules, please don't forget that your card must be CAS (Clean and Simple) and must include stamping, smooshing, and at least one other choice from the list on the right hand side of the CAS Mix Up blog.

Supplies:

Stamps - Penny Black sentiment

Ink - ColorBox True Blue

Paper - watercolour paper, shimmery off-white cs

Size - A2

Accessories - Simon Says Stamp Snowflake Block die, Inka Gold, clear embossing powder, fun foam

A Winter Birthday

I made this card for my niece who lives in Ontario where they have snowier winters than we have here in Vancouver (and in fact, they have been having snowstorms the last few days). 

A simple heat embossing resist, done in white on watercolour paper, then a blue watercolour wash around the trees, a heat embossed sentiment, and some splatters of white acrylic paint. The watercolour paper warped badly from the wash, so I stuck it down on fun foam to help straighten it out.

For those of you in the snowier parts of the world, stay warm!!

Supplies:

Stamps - SU Lovely as a Tree, SU sentiment

Ink - ColorBox Frost White, Versafine Onyx Black

Paper - watercolour paper, white cs

Size - A2

Accessories - white and clear embossing powders, Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, white acrylic paint, fun foam

People in the Snow

The SCS Christmas Card Challenge proposes an optional theme each month. I try to use it for at least a couple of my quota of 10 Christmas cards a month. I got a bit behind and never finished my February quota so just made two using the February theme of "people". So I have just done a couple for that (and to finish off my quota).

This first one makes me think of Vancouver's recent weather.  I was out for a walk with the dogs the other day in what can only be called a "slush blizzard" - it was sort of snowing but really it was slush falling out of the sky.  We came home totally soaked.  I really should have carried a huge umbrella like the children on this card:

Stamped, watercoloured with Zigs, added a bit of glitter, and popped the image up on fun foam.

While I had all those supplies out, I went on and used them with a different stamp, but also one with quite a vintage look:

Same basic technique as the first card - stamped, watercoloured with my Zigs, and finished off with a bit of glitter.

The sun has come out this morning and we're all hoping we've seen the last of the snow!

Supplies:

Stamps - Crafty Individuals image and Penny Black sentiment (card 1);
Inkadinkado (card 2)

Ink - Ranger Archival Jet Black

Paper - PTI cream cs, watercolour paper, black cs

Size - A2

Accessories - Zig watercolour markers, glitter, fun foam

A Horse Inspired by Mary Poppins and Other Animals

I'm building up my Christmas stash thanks to various challenges.  Here are three from SCS challenges.

First up:

For SCS Ways to Use It (use stripes in honour of Dr. Seuss Day) and SCS Free for All (be inspired by something in Mary Poppins).

One of my favourite scenes in Mary Poppins is when they ride the carousel and Mary works some magic so that the carousel horses come off the carousel and they go riding about the countryside.

The only carousel stamp I have is this one so it was a good chance to get another Christmas card done for my stash.

I used scraps of a striped dp for the Free for All challenge, bordering both sides of my image with it.

On the fur trim of the horse's blanket, I used a tinsel glitter, and on the snowflakes and flourishes around the pole, I used regular glitter.

Next up:

For SCS Clean and Simple ("Luck of the Irish " - a card that uses green for St Patrick's Day but celebrates any occasion).

The teddy bear looks pretty pleased with himself so he probably had a very successful shopping trip - maybe because he wore his lucky green scarf!

Pretty basic - watercoloured, trimmed down, bordered with a stitched green panel, and popped up on fun foam.

And last up:

For SCS Christmas Card Challenge (a theme of sledding, snowboarding, etc.).

A quick simple card to make - stamped image and sentiment, coloured with coloured pencils and Gamsol, a bit of Stickles added to the snow, bordered in black, and popped up on fun foam.

I just love making Christmas cards and, given all the snow Vancouver keeps getting, it's been easy to be in the mood for it!

Supplies for Card 1:

Stamps - Whimsy Christmas carousel horse, Old Island Stamp Co. sentiment

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper - white cs, striped dp

Size - A2

Accessories - markers, Martha Stewart tinsel glitter and regular glitter, Quickie glue pen
Supplies for Card 2:

Stamps - Penny Black

Ink - Ranger Archival Jet Black

Paper - watercolour paper, green and white cs

Size - 4.75" square

Accessories - watercolour paints, Lil Inkers stitched square, fun foam

Supplies for Card 3:

Stamps - Penny Black

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper - white and black cs

Size - 4.75" square

Accessories - coloured pencils, Gamsol, Stickles, Nesties square dies, fun foam

A Star for Happy Little Stampers

Another month flown by and it's already time for a new Happy Little Stampers' Christmas challenge!

I love stars on Christmas cards so definitely wanted to use the optional twist for my Design Team card.

I started with a spritz of homemade gold spray on my white cs, keeping it mostly in the top left corner.  I die cut a gold star and placed it over the sprayed area.  The sentiment is stamped in gold and the panel bordered in gold, then popped up on fun foam.

Come and join us at Happy Little Stampers' Christmas challenge for a chance at a prize:

You have until the end of March to enter.

I'm looking forward to seeing lots of cards using the optional twist of stars so that I can be inspired by you as well!

I'm also entering my card in this week's Merry Monday challenge "Shimmer and Sparkle".

Supplies:

Stamps - Impression Obsession "star of wonder"

Ink - Delicata Golden Glitz

Paper - white and gold cs

Size - A2

Accessories - Memory Box star of wonder die, homemade gold spray, fun foam

Classic Spring Watercolour

The March challenge for CAS Watercolour is "Spring".

What could be more evocative of spring than a vase full of tulips?  I decided not to use any fancy watercolour techniques, but rather to keep it just classic watercolouring so that the image can stand in its own right.

After I'd watercoloured the vase and flowers, I was planning to watercolour a background or do some splattering, but decided either of those would take away from the image and make the card less CAS, so simply watercoloured a bit of grounding for the vase, used a stitched rectangle die to trim it down, popped it up on fun foam, and added three sequins and a sentiment.

Please come over to CAS Watercolour to see the cards posted by the rest of the Design Team and our wonderful Guest Designer, Heather Telford of bits & pieces.  You have until March 24th to post your card - please be sure to stick to the theme of spring and keep your card CAS (clean and simple).

Supplies:

Stamps - Penny Black "Tulips in Porcelain", PTI sentiment

Ink - Ranger Archival Jet Black

Paper - white cs, watercolour paper

Size - A2

Accessories - Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, Lil Inker stitched rectangle die, blue and yellow sequins, fun foam

Smooshed Inchie

The months roll around so quickly!  I can't believe it's already time for the March CAS Mix Up challenge!  This month it's "smooshing" (and if you're not sure what that is, there are some links to video tutorials on the CAS Mix Up post.

And, speaking of the months rolling around so quickly, it's already the first birthday of the CAS Mix Up challenge! 

Loll and Bonnie decided to celebrate so they are offering prizes this month!

Prizes

$25 Gift Certificate to Simon Says Stamp for Challenge Winner

&

$25 Gift Certificate to Simon Says Stamp for one random draw of all entries

 (must follow rules to be eligible for prizes)

 

Sadly I'm not eligible for a prize since I'm on the Design Team.  Instead I'm here to inspire you with my smooshed card:

I went with smooshing with Distress inks on watercolour paper.  I used three different colours and ended up with quite a large piece of smooshing.  I trimmed it down to my favourite section and then stamped and heat embossed an inchie stamp on a bit of the leftover.  I die cut it with a little square die and also die cut a brown branch. 

I mounted the smooshed panel on fun foam, glued on the branch (letting it hang over the edges of the panel, bordered the inchie with a bit of white cs to make it stand out more, and placed it on the branch in such a way that the die cut branch lines up with the branch in the inchie image.  Since the image is so little, I went with a small sentiment.

So come on out and show us your smooshing.  There's more wonderful inspiration from the Design Team and our Guest Designer, Marcia Hill of Marcia's Stampin' Pad.  Please remember to make your card CAS (Clean and Simple), and include some stamping and at least one other option from the list on the right on the CAS Mix Up blog.

Supplies:

Stamps - Inkadinkado inchie stamp, Rosie's Roadshow sentiment

Ink - Versafine Onyx Black, Distress inks (Shabby Shutters, Bundled Sage, Scattered Straw)

Paper - white cs, watercolour paper

Size - A2

Accessories - clear embossing powder, Memory Box branch die, Nesties square die, fun foam