Eat Sleep Craft Repeat 2019

My wonderful and talented friend, Loll Thompson, found a perfect house near Vancouver for a bunch of us to get together for a craft retreat.   Loll, Christine, Bonnie, Darnell, Trina, Nancy and myself were there for a week.  We were joined for two nights by Linda, Colleen and Nancy's daughter, Jeani.  And Maureen (Scrappymo/Rudolf days) came for lunch on one of the days.  It was a fabulous social time, a great break from normal routine, and we did a ton of crafting.

 Left to right: Christine, Trina, me, Darnell, Colleen, Loll, Bonnie, Nancy, Linda

Each of us led a couple of techniques.  One that I chose to lead was bleaching out an image after stamping it on backgrounds created with powdered inks or Distress inks.

I sponged three shades of blue Distress inks onto smooth white cs.  Then stamped and heat embossed the blossom image.  Using bleach and a cheap paintbrush, I lifted the background colour from within the image.

Unlike the card in this post where I added some colour to the bleached image, I really liked this one left as it ended up after the bleaching.  I bordered it with black, heat embossed a white sentiment on a strip of black, and popped the panel up on fun foam.

It was a wonderful week.  I'll have more cards from the retreat to show you in the future, but meanwhile why not hop over to all the other participants' blogs:

Loll

Christine

Nancy

Darnell (aka Dolly)

Trina

Bonnie

Colleen
Linda

Supplies:

Stamps - Penny Black

Ink - Distress Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, and Faded Jeans; Versafine Onyx Black, Versamark

Paper - white and black cs

Size - A2

Accessories - clear and white embossing powder, fun foam, bleach

Cards for Two Christmas Challenges

As busy as ever making Christmas cards!

First up, one for Christmas Cards All Year Round - "Christmas Ornaments".

I stamped and watercoloured, bordered the image with gold cs and used a red card base,
and then went over the ornament with Crystal Glaze and the star and ribbon with a Stardust pen - can't see the shine and sparkle in this photo but I've taken a close-up.

And the second card is for The 12 Months of Christmas - "Creature Feature".

I started by making the tag:

I inked up a white tag with two shades of Distress stains. I then darkened the edges with a matching Distress ink. Then stamped the text stamp after wiping off some of the ink. I added a spritz of homemade gold spray.

I die cut two layers of the "joy" sentiment and three of the reindeer from a copper shimmer cs, glued them together and glued to the tag. I decided the upper left corner needed something so used embossing paste over a small sprig of a holly stencil, then searched all my glitters for a green that would work - none would so I had fun blending green, blue, and graphite glitters together.

I embellished with a bit of ribbon and one gemstone for the dot over the "joy".

To make the card:

I cut two narrow strips of the same copper shimmer cs and ran them down the left hand edge to make the lines for the challenge. And then taped down my tag on the right hand side.

Thanks for stopping by and please come back tomorrow for a special post about the craft retreat I went to last week!

Supplies for card 1:

Stamps - Jofy

Ink - Archival Jet Black

Paper - watercolour paper, red and gold cs

Size - A2

Accessories -  Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, Crystal Glaze, Sakura Stardut pen

Supplies for card 2:

Stamps - Inkadinkado text stamp

Ink - Distress Brushed Corduroy and Peeled Paint

Paper - premade white cs tag, copper shimmer cs, white cs

Size - A2

Accessories - Distress Stains (Peeled Paint, Bundled Sage), Tim Holtz holly bough stencil, embossing paste, glitter, dark green ribbon, copper gemstone, Tim Holtz joy die, Dee's Distinctively deer die, homemade gold spray

A Card for a Child

Two Christmas challenges right now are asking for cards you would give to a child: 

Christmas Kickstart Challenge - "Christmas Kids"

ABC Christmas Card Challenge - "K for Kids"

Here's what I made:

Stamped my image, coloured with coloured pencils, trimmed it with a deckled rectangle die, bordered with candy cane dp and a thin black border. Finished off with fun foam on the Santa hat.

I can't imagine drinking cocoa and wrapping up in a sweater and scarf today - it is so hot and sunny!

Supplies:

Stamps - Simon Says Stamp

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper - white and black cs, Paper Studio dp

Size - A2

Accessories - coloured pencils, fun foam, Spellbinders Deckled Rectangle die

Last Minute Plants

Sneaking in right under the wire for the Paper Players "Plants" challenge.

Here's my card:

The background was made out of blue brushos sprinkled and then spritzed with lots of water.

I chose one of the flowers out of the Tim Holtz set of wildflower stamps. I stamped it three times with grey ink and then three more times with black ink on top of the grey ones.

Trimmed the panel, wrapped a sentiment stamped on vellum around it, bordered with black, and popped up on fun foam on a white cs - love the contrast of black, white, and blue!

Supplies:

Stamps - TH wildflower stamp, Savvy Stamp sentiment

Ink - Memento London Fog and Tuxedo Black

Paper - white and black cs, watercolour paper, vellum

Size - A2

Accessories - blue Brushos, fun foam

CAS Challenges

A couple of cards for two of the CAS challenges that close soon.

First up is Less is More - "Beverages".

Here's my card:

The image and sentiment below it are all part of one stamp - I just love the sentiment.  A very easy card to make - stamped it, watercoloured it, trimmed the panel, bordered with black cs, and popped it up on fun foam.

And then the ATCAS Challenge - "Horizon".

I went with another winter / Christmas card as I need to build up my stash for my fundraiser.

Another very quick card - the frame, horse, trees, and clouds are all one die cut. So all I had to do was cut it, layer it over snowy dp, add a sentiment, and pop it up on foam.


Thanks for stopping by!  I promise I'll come back soon with something that's not a Christmas or winter card!

Supplies for card 1:

Stamps - Stamplorations

Ink - Archival Jet Black

Paper - watercolour paper, black and white cs

Size - A2

Accessories - Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, fun foam

Supplies for card 2:

Stamps - Old Island Stamp Co. sentiment

Ink - ColorBox sky blue

Paper - white cs, Me and My Big Ideas dp

Size - 4.75" square

Accessories - StarLit Studio Horse Country die, clear embossing powder, fun foam

Old-Fashioned Sleigh Ride

For the Jingle Belles challenge "An Old-Fashioned Christmas":

For the background, I used the snowflakes that came out of a homemade stencil as masks.  I followed the first part of this video.  A quick summary of the technique - lay the snowflake masks down on watercolour paper, spritz with water, remove the stencil, and sprinkle with Brushos.  I didn't get perfect results as some of the water went under the stencil so my snowflakes aren't completely distinct.

When dry, I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment and sleigh, then used my Versamarker to draw in the ground, and heat embossed it with white sparkly embossing powder.

Another one done for my Christmas card sale!

Supplies:

Stamps - Penny Black sentiment, TH sleigh and horses

Ink - Versafine Onyx Black, Versamarker pen

Paper - watercolour paper, ivory cs

Size - A2

Accessories - blue and turquoise Brushos, snowflake masks that came out of snowflake stencil, white sparkly and clear embossing powder, fun foam

Stocking Hung at the Fireplace

It's time for a mid-month reminder for the CAS Christmas challenge:

I went with a very old stamp that I've had almost since I first started stamping.

I coloured the stamped image with coloured pencils and then fussy cut it.

I created the idea of a fireplace by using some slightly dried up embossing paste through a brick stencil.  And for the mantelpiece I took a scrap of kraft cs and went over it with ink and woodgrain stencil.  I tore the ends off to give it the same partial look as the bricks.

I added a brad to the mantelpiece as something to "hang" the stocking from and put dimensionals under the stocking.  I die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle to match the stitching on the stocking and embellished with two red gemstones, one clear one, and Wink of Stella on the snowflake.

Here's a close-up:

You have until May 24 to link up your cards featuring our theme of "stocking".  For inspiration, check out the reminder cards made by our Design Team and this month's fabulous Guest Designer, Helen (Helen's Craft Haven).

Supplies:

Stamps - Heather's Stamping Haven stocking, Paper Smooches sentiment

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper - white and kraft cs

Size - A2

Accessories - TH wood grain and brick stencils, Dreamweaver embossing paste, coloured pencils, Lil Inker stitched rectangle die

A Child and a Dog

Mid-month already and time to remind you to join in with the May CAS Watercolour Challenge!

I've gone with another Christmas / winter themed card.

I love this image.  I've lived with dogs my whole life and look back so fondly on those childhood dogs who were our constant companions and went out with us whenever we were out playing with our friends.  Life was a lot freer then and my friends, our dogs, and I would be off alone all day in the woods, in the ravine, or, in winter, at a deserted sand quarry where we tobogganed for hours on end - no adults in sight!

I stamped the image and watercoloured it with my Gansai Tambi paints.  I mixed some black with the iridescent white paint for the ground.  And then mixed the palest blue with a lot of the iridescent white to do a very light wash over the top area of the panel.

Then I added more blue to the iridescent white and painted it onto a scrap of watercolour paper.  When dry, I die cut to small snowflakes and the sentiment from it.

I popped the panel up on fun foam on a blue/grey card base.  In real life, it's much closer in colour to the snowflakes than it appears in the photo.

Here's a close-up of the focal panel to try to show you a bit of the shimmer in the background and snowflakes:

Looking forward to seeing your cards that would be suitable to give to a child.  Check out the other cards by the Design Team and our Guest Designer, Bobby (bits & pieces) over at CAS Watercolour.  You have until May 24th to link up.

Supplies:

Stamps - ? child and dog stamp

Ink - Archival Jet Black

Paper - watercolour paper, blue/grey cs

Size - 6.25x4.75"

Accessories - Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, Tattered Lace sentiment die, Cheery Lynn small snowflakes die, fun foam

Holly with a Bird

Sparkles Christmas Challenge for May is "Let's See Some Holly".

I love holly and I love birds on Christmas cards so a stamp that combines both always attracts me.  I've had this Magenta stamp for many years and make sure I use it every year.

I stamped and heat embossed both image and sentiment on watercolour paper and then watercoloured the image.  Trimmed the panel and added it to a red card base.  A great flat card that is perfect for mailing.

Love getting my Christmas cards done throughout the year!

Supplies:

Stamps - Magenta bird and holly, Impression Obsession sentiment

Ink - Versafine Onyx Black

Paper - red cs, watercolour paper

Size - A2

Accessories - watercolour paints, clear embossing powder

Tobogganing with a Friend

Paper Players is asking us to celebrate  "Friends" in their latest challenge.

I went with two little mice friends, tobogganing together - something my best friend and I used to do together every winter when I was a child living in eastern Canada.  We'd go to an old deserted sand quarry with our dogs and a toboggan - no adults with us as it was a time when kids just got to go off and play on their own.

I'd never inked up these cute little mice tobogganing on leaves - don't know why as it's such a sweet image!

Stamped, watercoloured, added Stickles to the snow, placed it on a kraft cardbase on which I scored some lines - pretty quick and easy to make.

Another for my Christmas card stash!  How's your's coming along?

Supplies:

Stamps - Penny Black mice, Great Impressions sentiment

Ink - Archival Jet Black

Paper - watercolour paper, kraft cs

Size - A2

Accessories - Gansai Tambi watercolourpaints, Crystal Stickles, ScorBuddy

Contrasting Colours and Heat Embossing

A brief detour yesterday to post a birthday card but now I'm back to working on my Christmas cards today!

It's going off to two challenges:

The Flower Challenge:

Addicted to CAS:

For the Flower Challenge, I stamped and heat embossed the poinsettia, the leaves, and the sentiment.  For ATCAS, I used contrasting colours from the colour wheel.

I used white embossing powder for the poinsettia and leaves as it gives good contrast to the red and green watercolouring in them.  I fussy cut them and arranged them with double sided and dimensional tape on a stitched die cut panel that is popped up on fun foam.  I embellished the centre of the poinsettia with gemstones that were close to the platinum embossing powder I used on the sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies:

Stamps - PTI sentiment, SU Joyful Christmas

Ink - ColorBox white and silver

Paper - white cs

Size - A2

Accessories - white and platinum embossing powder, Lil Inker stitched rectangle die, watercolour paints, gemstones, fun foam

Birthday Texture

A card for the Seize the Birthday challenge "Texture" and the CAS Stencil Challenge "Stenciling over a Coloured Background".

The background was made by sprinkling Bister and Brusho powders on coated cs and misting them thoroughly to get pale colours.

I coloured through a flower stencil with daubers and Distress ink, and then went over just the flowers with glass bead gel.

A quick sentiment, a few sequins, a glitter cs mat, and a white card base finished it off.

Supplies:

Stamps - Hero Arts sentiment

Ink - various green and purple Distress inks

Paper - white cs, coated cs, blue glitter cs

Size - A2

Accessories - blue Bister, tiny bit of purple Brusho, flower stencil, glass bead gel, blue and purple sequins

Tessa and her Stocking

Can you believe it is already May, the fifth month of the year!!!?  2019 is passing by much too quickly for me!

That means it's time for the new CAS Christmas Challenge.

Here's my card:

The image is stamped and watercoloured with my Inktense watercolour pencils.  I die cut the frame twice and glued them together for more dimension, and popped it all up on fun foam on a red card base.


This card is a perfect representation of my sweet English Cocker Spaniel, Tessa.  First of all, she is kind of that colour, but more importantly, she loves to carry socks around in her mouth (usually stealing them from the laundry basket) and she loves to have a good chew on her bone.  The photo on the left is her (before going to the groomer) with a sock, the one on the right (after seeing the groomer) with her bone between her paws.

But back to the business at hand - we'd love to have you join us with some Christmas stockings at CAS Christmas.  There is lots more inspiration from the rest of the Design Team and this month's fabulous Guest Designer, Helen (Helen's Craft Haven).  You have until May 24th to link up your card - please be sure it is clean and simple and uses this month's theme.

Supplies:
Stamps - Penny Black

Ink - Archival Jet Black

Paper - tan and red cs, watercolour paper

Size - 5.25" square

Accessories - Inktense watercolour pencils, MFT Pierced Square Frame die, fun foam

Child on a Polar Bear

CAS Watercolour is asking for a card for a child this month.

I decided to make a child's Christmas card.

I stamped my image and watercoloured it with my Gansai Tambi watercolour paints.  For the snowy ground, I mixed the pale blue and the iridescent white paints that come in the set.

I die cut the image with a wonky stitched circle die, popped it up on fun foam, and added it to a red card base for contrast.

There is lots of other inspiration for you from the rest of the Design Team and this month's Guest Designer, Bobby (bits and pieces).  Please remember to keep your card clean and simple, and be sure to follow the theme.  You have until May 24th to enter.

Supplies:

Stamps - Penny Black

Ink - Archival Jet Black

Paper - watercolour paper, red cs

Size - 4.75" square

Accessories - Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, MFT wonky stitched circle die, fun foam