Three Cards (None are Christmas!!)

Three non-Christmas cards from me today, for challenges I want to enter before the deadlines.

First up, for Penny Black Saturday Challenge "Love is in the Air":

A sweet little PB hedgehog, watercoloured, trimmed with a stitched circle die, popped up on fun foam on a red base, and finished off with Glossy Accents on the hearts.

Next is a birthday card for a very artsy friend (who loves abstract art) for the Seize the Birthday challenge.  It has an option called "Dichromatic" - use just two colours, other than black and white.  I think the pink and grey in my image qualify:

I took a small piece of black mirror cs and used alcohol inks on it. I added a drop of white to the centre and blew it outwards with canned air, then repeated several times, turning the cs each time to get it to go out in each direction. Then I repeated with a few drops of dusty pink alcohol ink on top of the white. I ended up with this beautiful abstract pattern that is somewhat flower-like (maybe a peony?).

I framed it with a narrow border of matching dusty pink cs and then a deckle-edged rectangle on which I stamped the sentiment.

This was definitely out of my comfort zone, but was a lot of fun!

And finally, the We Love Stamping challenge has an option of stencilling.  So I made a birthday card for a dear friend who loves knitting and who always has her hair stylist put outrageous streaks of colour in her white hair.  Right now she has streaks of purple and turquoise in the front!

I stencilled a subtle background with purple and turquoise through a stencil that looks like fair isle knitting.  I stamped the sentiment on top.  The knitter (who has a very similar hairstyle to my friend) is stamped, coloured with pencils, die cut, and layered so that the sentiment acts to ground her a bit.

Let me know in the comments if you prefer I post a few cards in one post less frequently, rather than more frequent posts with just one card!

Challenges:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - "Love is in the Air"

 

Seize the Birthday

We Love Stamping - "Add Stencilling"

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Penny Black hedgehod, PTI sentiment
Ink - Archival Jet Black
Paper - watercolour paper, red cs
Size - 4.75" square
Accessories - watercolour paints, Lil Inker stitched circle die, fun foam

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - SU sentiment
Ink - white and dusty pink cs, black mirror cs
Paper - white and dusty pink cs, black mirror cs
Size - A2
Accessories - canned air, Spellbinders square and deckle rectangle dies

Supplies for card 3:
Stamps - Hero Arts Knitting, unknown "Sweater Weather" sentiment
Ink - Archival Jet Black, various shades of Distress purple and turquoise
Paper - white and black cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Tim Holtz knitting stencil, Hero Arts Knitting Frame dies, coloured pencils

Polar Bears, a Cabin, and a Sentiment

The month is flying by and I've got some challenges I want to enter.

First up, did you know there was such a thing as Polar Bear Day?  Well there is, and part of the reason is to draw attention to the world's largest carnivore and the threat of extinction facing it.  The Day of the Month Card Club Challenge chose it for its February challenge.  And polar bears are perfect for the Paper Players wildlife challenge.

Stamped and watercoloured, then trimmed and put on a gold shimmer panel that has "merry" die cut out of it.

Moving on to Christmas Cards All Year Round where they want to see a cabin or cottage.

I kept it simple to let this lovely detailed image take centre stage.  Stamped in navy, trimmed and bordered with navy cs, and glitter added to all the snowy places.  In real life, it's lovely and sparkly.

And finally, a chance to use up a strange piece of background from my UFO box.  The Christmas Kickstart Challenge wants the sentiment to take centre stage.

I don't know what I was thinking when I made this background - I sprayed some gold spray on navy cs, then scrunched up some cling wrap on top and let it dry.  Then added two types of Frantage embossing powder (one with chunky white bits, one with smaller white and gold bits) and heat embossed from underneath.  I was going to toss it and then decided to try using it for this challenge with just a gold die cut sentiment and a few die cut gold stars.  To add a bit more interest (as if there wasn't enough going on already), I die cut the navy panel with a hemstitch rectangle and layered it over a gold card base to co-ordinate with the sentiment and stars.  So what's the verdict - a hot mess (as Jennifer McGuire likes to say) or a passable attempt at mixed media?  Believe me, you won't hurt my feelings as I'm quite ambivalent about this one!

Challenges:

Day of the Month Card Club Challenge - "Polar Bear Day"

 

The Paper Players - "Wild about Wildlife"

 

Christmas Cards All Year Round - "Cabin / Cottage"

Christmas Kickstart Challenge - "The Sentiment Takes Centre Stage"

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Penny Black
Ink - Archival Jet Black
Paper - watercolour paper, gold shimmer and cream cs
Size - A2
Accessories - watercolour paints, TH merry die

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Crafty Individuals cabin, Penny Black sentiment
Ink - Versafine Clair Twilight
Paper - white and navy cs
Size - A2
Accessories - glitter

Supplies for card 3:
Paper - navy and gold cs
Size - A2
Accessories - gold spray, cling wrap, Stampendous Frantage embossing powders, Spellbinders hemstitch rectangle die, Memory Box star dies, Penny Black sentiment die

Puppy with a Stocking

The Jingle Belles Challenge is called "Stocking Holiday" and has a photo prompt that inspired me to make a card using the colours from the photo and using an image that has a stocking in it.

It's a simple stamped and watercoloured image, trimmed with a wonky stitched die, and popped up on fun foam on a red card base.

Here's the photo prompt so that you can see where I got my inspiration for the red of the card base and stocking, the aqua blue of the dog's bed, and the golden tan colour of the dog:

 
Be sure to read the sign the dog is holding - as someone who much prefers dogs over cats, it makes me smile!

Supplies:
Stamps - Hobby Art "A Christmas Tail"
Ink - Versafine Clair Nocturne
Paper - watecolour paper, red cs
Size - A2
Accessories - watercolour paints, MFT wonky stitched rectangle die, fun foam

Window with Greenery

Time for another Peace on Earth Christmas card challenge!  Here's my card, inspired by the mood board:

I had some scraps of cs that I'd sprayed with various green sprays and I thought they'd be perfect for die cutting some little pieces of greenery.  I also die cut the window and window box (with second die cuts glued behind the top ones to give more dimension).

I glued a scrap of dp behind the window, glued the greenery under the window box, and added it all to a rustic wood embossed background.  A tiny sentiment on the window box finished it off.

Please come and join us at the Peace on Earth challenge before March 3rd.   Here's the lovely mood board - needless to say, I was inspired by the bottom left image.  Being inspired by the mood board is optional - it's an anything Christmas goes challenge.

Supplies:
Stamps - SSS sentiment
Ink - Distress Peeled Paint
Paper - white cs, scrap of dp
Size - A2
Accessories - Memory Box window and window box dies, TH greenery dies, various green sprays, Cuttlebug embossing folder

More Valentines

I've been loving making Valentines this year!  Here are three more.

For Double D "Shades of Pink":

I had a scrap of background that was made by smooshing with pink Oxide inks. I die cut the Cupid (or is it just a fairy?  I guess Cupid has to have an arrow) and hearts from it. I used a scrap of pink grosgrain ribbon to create something for the fairy / Cupid to sit on, glued the leg and hand down, and popped up the wing and head with foam tape. The whole panel is popped up on fun foam.

And for Casology "Affection":

I put the flower stems stamp in my MISTI and inked it up with Tombow markers, stamping onto white cs, and reinking and restamping until I was happy with the results. I die cut it with the Memory Box heart die that has stitching on the outside part of the die, but not on the actual heart. I used the same die on linen cs, leaving the heart in place, and then layering my stamped heart on top. I added a dark red die cut sentiment and popped the panel up on fun foam.

And finally for The Flower Challenge "Occasions" - my occasion is Valentine's Day.

 I stamped the flower from SU Elements of Style set and coloured it with coloured pencils.  I die cut the stitched heart frame out of the top layer and set it over the flowers on fun foam for dimension.

Challenges:

Double D "Shades of Pink"

 

Casology "Affection"

The Flower Challenge "Occasions"

 

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - SU sentiment
Ink - Memento Rosebud, pink Oxide inks
Paper - white cs
Size - A2
Accessories - pink grosgrain ribbon, small hearts die, Cupid / fairy die, foam tape, fun foam

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Penny Black Grateful Whisper
Paper - dark red, white, and white linen cs
Size - 4.75" square
Accessories - Tombow markers, Tim Holtz love die, Memory Box Double Stitch Heart die, fun foam

Supplies for card 3:
Stamps - SU Elements of Style, Impression Obsession sentiment
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper - white cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Memory Box Double Stitch heart die, coloured pencils, fun foam

Icy Winter Scene

Here's a reminder card for the CAS Christmas February challenge "Winter Scene":

I stamped the trees / fence image and sentiment in dark brown, added a die cut reindeer (cut from dark bronze shimmer cs), drew some "ground" under the reindeer with a brown coloured pencil, bordered the panel with the dark bronze shimmer cs, and popped it up on fun foam.  To add the icy feeling, I went over the trees, fence boards, and lines on the ground with a Quickie glue pen and added glitter.  It's more glittery in real life - just so hard to photograph.

If you'd like to join us with your "winter scene" Christmas card, you have until February 24th.  Please visit CAS Christmas for more inspiration from the rest of the Design Team.

Supplies:
Stamps - Serendipity trees / fence, SSS sentiment
Ink - Versafine Clair Fallen Leaves
Paper - white cs, dark bronze shimmer cs
Size - 5" square
Accessories - Impression Obsession reindeer die, brown pencil, fun foam

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all my fellow cardmakers!  So it's only appropriate that I post Valentine cards today.  I've got two variations on using my new Memory Box stitched heart dies to create heart shaped cut outs.

My friend who always buys several Valentine cards from me always wants one from me with a bird on it for her son-in-law who loves birds so this is this year's version.  Perfect to enter in the Cardz 4 Guyz "Love" challenge.

I sprayed a scrap of white cs with Antique Linen Distress spray and stamped the bird on it.

I inked up a script stamp in red and wiped off random sections and stamped on another piece of white cs.  I added the sentiment in black, die cut it with a square die, and die cut a heart out of the centre, just big enough to show most of the bird.  Layered the pieces on a white card base.

And then something more feminine with pink as my extra colour in the AAA Card Challenge "Black, White, and One Color".

I did a crafty zoom get together with friends and we tried Floating Alcohol Inks (see this video for instructions).  I dropped a couple of shades of pink AIs in a pan of water and dragged my white cs through it.  Once dry I stamped the script stamp on it in black.

I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment in black on another piece of white cs, cut it down with a rectangle die cut, cut out the heart, and layered it over the text-stamped piece.  I popped it up on fun foam for some dimension.

Challenges:

Cardz 4 Guyz "Love"

AAA Card Challenge "Black, White, and One Color"

Hoping you all have some kind of Valentine's Day treats, preferably chocolate if you're like me!

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Impression Obsession sentiment, Darkroom Door robin, Wendy Vecchi script stamp
Ink - Versafine Clair Nocturne
Paper - white cs
Size - 5" square
Accessories - Distress Antique Linen spray, Memory Box Double Stitch Happy Heart Cut Out die

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Impress Cards and Crafts sentiment stamp, SU script stamp
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black
Paper - white cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Memory Box Double Stitch Happy Heart Cut Out die, Spellbinders layering rectangle die, clear embossing powder, pink alcohol inks, fun foam

A Red Valentine and a Shiny Birthday

I've got two cards to post today.  First up a Valentine card:

Using mixed media cs, I sprinkled two shades of red Brushos through the hearts on a heart stencil and then spritzed with water. After it dried, I framed it with dark red cs with a large heart die cut in the centre. 

Next up, a birthday card:

I used the "black ice" technique.  I followed this tutorial on SCS.

To make the background, I took a piece of silver foil cs and lightly dragged my black Staz-on pad down it to create some streaks. I then stamped the wildflowers with the black Staz-On and then heat set just to be sure I wouldn't smear it. Then I lightly dragged a Versamark pad over it in the same direction as the black streaks, covered with clear embossing powder, and heat set it.

I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment in white on black cs and cut it into a banner and add it to the main panel. I bordered it in black and added to a white card base.

The first card is going to these two challenges:

Addicted to CAS "Hearts"
 

Tic Tac Toe Challenge - I used the left hand vertical row - Red, Heart, Sentiment

 

The second card is going to:

Seize the Birthday "Sparkle and Shine"

 

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - PTI sentiment
Ink - Archival Jet Black
Paper - red cs, mixed media cs
Size - A2
Accessories - large heart die, Brushos (Scarlet, Brilliant Red), TCW hearts stencil

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Unity Insightful Meadow, SU sentiment
Ink - Versamark, Staz-on black, ColorBox white
Paper - silver foil cs, black and white cs
Size - A2
Accessories - clear embossing powder, white embossing powder

Red and Black Valentine

I've been busy making some Valentine cards that a friend of mine orders every year.  Here's another one of them:

I used a red glitter paste through a stencil on black cs. I trimmed it down and popped it up on fun foam, and added a die cut "Love You" sentiment.

It's going off to these challenges:

Color Hues "Red and Black"

 

Double D "Hearts" 

 

The Paper Players "Love and Friendship"

 

Supplies:
Paper - white and black cs
Size - A2
Accessories - hearts stencil, red glitter paste, "Love You" die, fun foam

Icy Snowflakes

I'm trying a challenge I've never entered before - The Funkie Junkie challenge.  The current one is "Icy and Cold" and seemed perfect as I needed to make a thank you card for my neighbours who did all my snow shovelling for me during our recent snowfalls (for health reasons, I'm not allowed to do any snow shovelling).  Here's the card I made for them:

I started by laying a snowflake mask down on mixed media cs and sparayed with various blue, grey, and silver sprays.  Once that was dry, I laid a snowflake stencil over it and used a glittery paste through it.  Trimmed it, popped it up on fun foam, die cut "thanks" in black and its shadow die in white, and stamped "just a note of" on a scrap of white cs.

It's quite outside of my usual style but I'm really happy with the results.  And it definitely looks icy and cold to me!

Funkie Junkie Challenge "Icy and Cold"

Supplies:
Stamps -
Ink - Archival Jet Black
Paper - black, white, and mixed media cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Memory Box Delicate Snowflake mask, unknown snowflake stencil, sprays, glitter paste, fun foam, shadow thanks die

A Peaceful Poinsettia

It's time for the new Peace on Earth Christmas card challenge.  It's an "anything goes as long as it's Christmas" but there is a mood board to inspire you if you choose to use it.  I used it to create this very soft pink poinsettia:

I stamped the poinsettia and sentiment in grey ink and watercoloured the poinsettia with shades of pink.  I added a tiny bit of subtle grey splatter, bordered with a matte silver cs, popped it up on fun foam, and added silver nailhead embellishments to the centre of the flower.

Here's the mood board that inspired me (I chose the two bottom photos for colour and for the poinsettia):

Please come and join us!  We'd love to see you getting your Christmas card stash built up well ahead of time!  There's lots more inspiration from the Design Team at the Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge.

Supplies:
Stamps - Penny Black
Ink - Archival Watering Can
Paper - watercolour paper, white and matte silver cs
Size - 5.25" square
Accessories - watercolour paints, silver nailhead embellishments, fun foam

Cozy Pup

For the Penny Black Saturday Challenge "Something New":

A new stamp set (new to me, not sure how new it is for Penny Black) full of the wonderful PB critters.  A simple card, stamped, watercoloured, trimmed, with a thin red inlaid border, and a bit of fun flock added to the hat.  

The image reminds me of my dog, Tessa, curled up in her dog bed "guarding" one of my socks that she loves to steal.

Here's a photo of her:
 

Penny Black Saturday Challenge "Anything Goes or Something New"

Supplies:
Stamps - Penny Black
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black
Paper - watercolour paper, red and cream cs
Size - A2
Accessories - watercolour paints, SSS thin rectangle frame die, fun flock