A blog devoted to the cards I make in my tiny upstairs space. When my sister stays there, she calls it an "artist's garret". I'm not an artist, but am an enthusiastic cardmaker - hence the title "Cardmaker's Garret".
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Friday 24 April 2020

CAS Challenges

As part of the Design Team for CAS Christmas and CAS Watercolour, you'd think I'd always manage to take part in our sister challenges, CAS Stencil and CAS Mix Up, but some months time just gets away from me.  With all the extra time we spend at home these days, I decided there was no excuse, so here I am, sneaking in under the wire with cards for them.

First up is CAS Stencil "Gilding Flakes".


I love gilding flakes but do they ever make a mess, floating here there and everywhere.  But I ended up with a card I'm really happy with.


I used a TCW musical notes stencil on white cs.  I sponged some Flitter Glue through the stencil, removed the stencil, and added the gilding flakes, rubbing them into the glue, and then buffing off the excess with a scratchy pad.  I stamped the sentiment in copper (in hindsight, I wish I'd heat embossed it to make it stand out a bit more) and bordered the panel with copper shimmer paper.

The gilding flakes are really beautiful but hard to photograph so here's a close-up taken in different light to show all the wonderful colour variations.



Because it's a Christmas song, I'm also linking it up to CAS Christmas "Christmas Song".


And because it's music, The Male Room "Music" challenge.

 
If any of you can read sheet music (I can't!), let me know if I got the image the right way up - it was hard to tell as the stencil didn't have any treble clef things.


Now on to CAS Mix Up "Bleaching".

 
Here's my card:

 
I took a piece from my box of backgrounds that I'd created by smooshing purple Distress Oxide inks on watercolour paper.  Purple suits pansies so I stamped and heat embossed a pansy stamp, then took and old paintbrush and some bleach, and painted over the flowers and leaves, blotting the colour up with a paper towel.  I left it as is rather than painting in any other colour.  I die cut a circle out of it, then created a small stitched circle frame, popped it up on fun foam on a rustic card base, added a bit of Stickles to the flower centres, and die cut the sentiment out of a bit of leftover purple smooshing.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy creating.








Supplies for card 1:
Stamps -
Ink -
Paper -
Size -
Accessories -

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Holly Berry House pansies
Ink - purple Oxide inks
Paper - watercolour paper, rustic cream cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Lil Inker stitched circle die, bleach, Tattered Lace sentiment die, fun foam, Stickles


15 comments:

  1. 2 gorgeous cards Susan, love the musical notes done in the gilding flakes, the stencilled details worked perfectly, Cathy x

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  2. WOW! Are you on a roll and doing a fabulous job too. As far as the sheet music it appears that that stamp can go either way as some musical notes can. I wouldn't worry about it. Great job on your bleaching technique too. What a lovely card that turned out to be!

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  3. Beautiful golden music notes, Susan! What an elegant Christmas card! Love your bleached pansies that are so crisp and white against the deep purple background!

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  4. I know what you mean about the time getting away from you...I too have every intention to play along, and then the next thing I know it is closing! Your gilding flakes card is beautiful and the bleaching is also stunning! Way to get it in under the wire! Heart Hugs, hope you are well and safe!

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  5. Two beautiful cards, Susan. I agree with Nancy that it looks like your stamp can go up or down. Beautiful gilded flakes shine. Your bleached flowers are stunning. I love how you left them unpainted after using the bleach. I played in all the CAS challenges this month too:-) I Love when that happens. Stay safe and creative, my friend. Love and Hugs..Nancy

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  6. Two wonderful cards Susan, love your bleached pansies with the stitched frame and natural card base.

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  7. Your gilding flakes card is so beautiful. There's nothing like the look and shimmer of gilding flakes. Great stencil for this and perfect for the other challenges too! :) Your bleached pansies are GORGEOUS! Love the purple smooshed background and how the white bleached pansies play off it. Wonderful design with the framed circle. xx

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  8. The gilding flakes look so cool as a musical design, Susan! Great choice of stencil! And I love your bleached pansy design, too, with that awesome smooched background from your BOB! I always think of you whenever I do that fun technique! Take care and keep safe! Hugs, Darnell

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  9. What a stunning effect with the flakes on your fabulous Christmas card and what a beautiful card with the bleaching effect Susan x.

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  10. These are beautiful. Super work with the gilding flakes... love their shine. And great job with the bleaching... agree the purple suits it. 💜

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  11. Your gilded music card came out beautifully Susan - so pretty on the cream card - and I love how you used the bleach technique on your pretty pansies! xx

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  12. I love this card, Susan! What a perfect way to use Gilding Flakes! The gorgeous shine totally associates with "joy". The shining musical notes are so festive and fun.
    Your bleached pansy card is so pretty! It's interesting and wonderful that you made the flowers white and the background purple.
    Hideko xx

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  13. Beautiful effect with the gilding flakes Susan, I love the mix of colours. I'm still struggling with the bleaching, yours is gorgeous :)

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  14. Hi Susan, the gilding flakes look fantastic, though I have never tried these. But Im sure these look better up close. Thank you for joining us at The Male Room, Clarissa DT

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  15. Your card is totally worth the "mess". Absolutely gorgeous and festive. Thank you for joining us in the "Music" challenge at The Male Room, I hope to see you joining our new challenge also.

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