Gentle Christmas and Floral Thanks

For the Cut It Up challenge, we have to use a die cut and our favourite colour.  Mine is blue.  I have a friend whose husband just passed away so I need to send her a different kind of Christmas card.  "Merry Christmas" won't really apply for her first Christmas on her own.  So I made this:

I created a faux mother of pearl background with blue Distress inks and silver paint, laid the die cut over it, stamped and heat embossed the sentiment.  I like this sentiment for people who aren't going to be enjoying their first Christmas after a major loss.

I've also got a thank you card today for The Flower Challenge "Thanks".  And for the Sisterhood of Crafters "Thanks".

 I created a background using various light greens and blues of Distress Oxide inks.  Then stamped and heat embossed the flowers in white, and painted them dark blue.  Trimmed the panel and put it on an embossed layer.

  

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Impression Obsession sentiment
Ink - various Distress blue inks, ColorBox silver
Paper - white cs
Size - A2
Accessories - silver paint, unknown die, platinum embossing powder

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - PB flowers, unknown thank you
Ink - various light blue and green Distress Oxide inks
Paper - white cs
Size - A2
Accessories - SU embossing folder, white embossing powder, blue paint, stitched sentiment banner die

Colours with Dragonflies / Cardinals with Cups

For the Color Throwdown of green, yellow, and aqua:

I made a smooshed background with Distress Oxide inks on mixed media cs and added a bit of text stencilling for more interest.  I die cut the dragonflies corner twice and glued them together, then glued them on the corner. I bordered with a grey cs and popped the panel up on fun foam.

And, because I really need to get going on Christmas cards for my sale, I did a Christmas card for Stamping Sensations "Anything Stamped with a CAS Option".  Also for We Love Stamping "Birds or Animals", Double D "Things that Fly", and Country View Crafts Challenge "Things with Wings".

It's a stamp I've had for a while but never inked up - don't know why as I really like it!  So it's going to NBUS as well.  It's watercoloured, trimmed with  a pierced rectangle die, border with green, and popped up on a red shimmer card base.

Challenges:

Color Throwdown

 

Stamping Sensations

 

We Love Stamping "Birds or Animals" 

 

Double D "Things That Fly" 

 

Country View Crafts Challenge "Things with Wings"

NBUS

Supplies for card 1:
Ink - Distress Oxide blues, yellow, and grey
Paper - white, grey, and mixed media cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Memory Box dragonfly corner die, TCW text stencil, fun foam

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Power Poppy
Ink - Versafine Clair Nocturne
Paper - watercolour paper, green cs, red shimmer cs
Size - A2
Accessories - watercolour paints, Spellbinders pierced rectangle die, fun foam

A Horse Thinking of You

Cardz 4 Guyz want a "thinking of you" card and Addicted to CAS want an animal on the card.  So I combined the two.

My background was created by smooshing with various blue oxide inks. The die cut was layered on top. A very quick and easy CAS card!

Cardz for Guyz  "Thinking of You"

Addicted to CAS  "Code Word - Animal"

 

 

Supplies:
Stamps - unknown sentiment
Ink - various blue oxide inks, Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper - white cs, watercolour cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Starlitt Studio die

Encouragement

A card for my youngest sister who's having a hard time during Covid as she's lost most of her hours at work and is so worried about getting way behind on her mortgage.

I love the Kay Foley sentiment stamps and I have this one that I think offers real encouragement when people go through a hard time.

Since the sentiment takes up most of the card, I wanted to create an interesting background for it so used a whole bunch of Distress Oxide inks (the colours for this week's Color Throwdown).  I dabbed each ink on my craft mat, spritzed with water, then pressed my mixed media cs into it, drying between layers.

I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment and added two die cut wildflowers for interest.

I'm linking it up at the Color Throwdown challenge.

Supplies:
Stamps - Kay Foley sentiment
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black, Distress Oxides (Wilted Violet, Broken China, Cracked Pistachio, Antique Linen, and Seedless Preserves)
Paper - white and black cs, mixed media cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Tim Holtz Wildflower dies, clear embossing powder

A Challenge Card and an Improved Card

I'm on birthday cards today, a brief break from Christmas cards.

Seize the Birthday wants "Flowers" as its topping.

And The Flower Challenge is "Use Your Favourite Flower".

I used a new flower stamp that I love because it is an agapanthus, definitely a favourite flower because it is blue!

I put the stamp in the MISTI and inked up with various mini Distress inkpads and markers, spritzing with water, and stamping onto watercolour paper until I was happy with the results.

I trimmed the panel with a stitched rectangle die, added a vertical sentiment, and bordered in navy blue cs.

It will go off to my cousin in England who grows the most amazing agapanthus!

On to a second birthday card.  I made this card a couple of years ago:

See this post here for the details.  I was not totally happy with it and never sent it but my friend who is an artist has her birthday coming up so I pulled it out again and revamped it a little bit:

I re-stamped the image and added some watercolour paints to the jar, the brushes, and the tips of the brushes.  Then fussy cut it and glued it on top of the original stamped image.  A simple fix but it made all the difference - I am so much happier with the card now!

Supplies for card 1:

Stamps - Penny Black agapanthus, Rosie's Roadshow sentiment

Ink - various mini Distress inkpads and markers

Paper - watercolour paper, white and navy cs

Size - A2

Accessories - Lil Inker stitched rectangle die, blue pearls

Supplies for card 2: 
See this post here

Less is More Celebrations

A Christmas card for Less is More's "Celebrations" challenge.

The background was an experiment using some photo paper with Oxide inks and a baby wipe. I smooshed with various shades of blue Oxide inks, drying between layers. When I was finished and the piece was completely dry, I wiped off the chalkiness of the Oxide inks and was left with a lovely glossy background, similar to the Polished Stone technique done with alcohol inks.

I die cut my front panel with a reindeer die I hadn't yet used, added a sentiment, and popped it all up on fun foam.

A nice quick design to use over a variety of background pieces!

Supplies:

Stamps - Make an Impression sentiment

Ink - Tsukineko Kaleidacolor Blue, various blue Oxide inks

Paper - white cs, photo paper

Size - A2

Accessories - Memory Box reindeer die, Lil Inker stitched rectangle die, fun foam, baby wipe

A New Look for My Blog!!

I'm thrilled to introduce you to the new look of my blog, created for me by my wonderful generous talented friend, Loll Thompson.  Loll came across the image on my new header and knew right away it would appeal to me.  And sure enough it does.  I live in a small older white wood-sided house, and I'm a passionate gardener so this image really makes me think of my house, my shrubs, my flowers, etc.  Here's a photo of my house so you can see what I mean (though it's autumn in the photo so not much flower colour):

I also love the fact that the image on the header is watercoloured - my favourite technique these days.  And Loll found a perfect font for my blog name.  Thank you so much, Loll! 

Now on to a card.  The latest Color Throwdown Challenge really appealed to me as they are colours that a friend of mine loves to put together:

 

So I thought I'd make this card for her:

I used various blue, orange, and yellow Distress Oxide inks to create a smooshed background on mixed media cardstock.  When dry, I stamped the script in dark blue ink for added texture and interest.

I bordered with navy cs, added a white die cut, and popped the panel up on fun foam.

Thanks so much for coming by today!

Supplies:

Stamps - Penny Black script stamp

Ink - various blue, yellow, and orange Distress Oxide inks;  Ranger Cobalt

Paper - white, navy, and mixed media cs

Size - A2

Accessories - Poppy Stamps Delicate Dogwood, fun foam

Three Snowflakes for Two Challenges

I've been so busy baking, decorating, etc. for Christmas that I haven't had time to do any blog posts.  But I've got time this morning and I have a card for two challenges.

AAA Cards wants Three of Something.

And the Double D Challenge wants anything snow related.

Here are three snowflakes:

I created a background on mixed media cs with Distress Oxide inks and the smooshing technique - stepped out of my comfort zone and used a colour scheme that is not a traditional Christmas one.

I die cut the sentiment frame and three snowflakes, put the panel together, and popped it up on fun foam on the card base.

Love both these challenges so might have to come back again tomorrow!

Supplies:

Ink - various Distress Oxide inks

Paper - white and mixed media cs

Size - A2

Accessories - Simon Says Stamp Holiday Frame die, Impression Obsession snowflake dies, fun foam

Watery Smooshed Thank You

December's CAS Watercolour challenge is a very useful one!  Bonnie is asking us to use "Thank You" as the theme so it's a great way to get some cards made for sending out after we open our Christmas presents!

One of my favourite watercolour techniques right now is smooshing or splash watercolouring (see Loll's video tutorial here) with Distress Oxide inks.  I tap some colours on my craft sheet, spritz liberally with water, then smoosh my watercolour paper into them, dry with my heat gun, and repeat until I'm happy with the result.  I used Twisted Citron, Mermaid Lagoon, and Wild Honey to get my background:

Having added this photo right after adding the challenge image, I realize my colours are very similar to the CAS Watercolour graphics' colours - must have been channeling my inner Loll!

I die cut the top layer first with the wonky stitching die and then with the flower circle die.  And added the sentiment using Mermaid Lagoon ink.

Because it is December, this is a shorter challenge than normal in order to give us time off over the holidays.  So you only have until December 15th to link up your card.  Please be sure it is clean and simple, and follows the theme of "Thank You".  Head on over to CAS Watercolour for more inspiration from the rest of the Design Team and our fabulous Guest Designer, Michele (I Card Everyone).

Supplies:

Stamps - Emerald Creek sentiment

Ink - Distress Oxide Twisted Citron, Mermaid Lagoon, Wild Honey

Paper - white cs, watercolour paper

Size - A2

Accessories - Simon Says Stamp Twinkle Flower die, MFT Wonky Stitched Rectangle die

Smooshed Tranquil Twist of Gold

It's the last week of my 4 week stint as Guest Designer for SCS's Color Challenge.  This week's challenge is called "A Tranquil Twist of Gold" and the colours are:

They are based on SU colours that I don't own so I had to do my best with what I have.  Here's my card:

 

The gold of course was easy - I used it to heat emboss the sentiment and border the focal panel.   I created the lime by mixing Distress Oxide Twisted Citron and Squeezed Lemonade and smooshing with it.  Distress Oxide Evergreen Bough worked well for the Tranquil Tide substitute.  

After smooshing, I trimmed the lime panel down, heat embossed the sentiment on it, and bordered it with gold miri cs.  I die cut the tree out of the Evergreen Bough piece and again out of fun foam, gluing them together for more dimension.

I'm also entering it over at the Rudolph Days Challenge.

Supplies:

Stamps - Rubber Soul sentiment

Ink - ColorBox gold, Distress Oxide Twisted Citron, Squeezed Lemonade, Evergreen Bough

Paper - white cs, gold miri cs, mixed media cs

Size - A2

Accessories - gold embossing powder, Impression Obsession fir tree die

Frosty Penguins

Thanks to a few die cuts tucked into a Christmas card from a card-making friend, I'm able to take part in this week's Merry Monday challenge:

I don't own any penguin stamps or dies, so was glad to have received the two cute penguin die cuts I was able to use on this card:

I had a perfect background I'd made by smooshing Oxide inks on mixed media cs - it looked very frosty and chilly, just like a penguin's environment.  I kept the penguins white as I was worried I'd ruin them if I tried to colour them.  So in keeping with that, I added a white Christmas tree and snowflakes.  A few gold stars decorate the tree and a small unobtrusive sentiment finishes it off.

Supplies:

Stamps - Rubber Soul sentiment

Ink - Versafine Onyx Black

Paper - white and mixed media cs

Size - A2

Accessories - unknown penguin dies, clear embossing powder, various star and snowflake dies, Memory Box tree die

Two Favourite Techniques

A card for two challenges:

AAA Cards - "A Favorite Technique"

4 Crafty Chicks - "Flowers"

Here's my card:

Rather than just one favourite technique, I included two - smooshing with Oxide inks and heat embossing.

I stamped and heat embossed my flower image in white, then smooshed with Faded Jeans, Blueprint Sketch, and Broken China, drying between each layer.

I then trimmed the panel, added a few sequins, stamped and heat embossed my sentiment on a vellum strip, and mounted the panel on fun foam on a linen cs base.

Supplies:

Stamps - Hero Arts Elegant Weeds, Memory Box sentiment

Ink - Distress Oxide Faded Jeans, Blueprint Sketch, and Broken China; Versamark

Paper - mixed media cs, vellum, linen cs

Size - A2

Accessories - white embossing powder, Cosmic Shimmer Aurora Blue embossing powder, fun foam, sequins

Music and Holly Challenges

I got to spend the afternoon in my craft room today.  I had intended to work on organizing my unmounted stamps but instead, made two cards.

First up, for Jingle Belles "Hark the Herald Angels SING" - have a musical element on the card.

One of my goals this year is to use up lots of pieces from my UFO box.  This little piece of background was in there - it's smooshed oxide inks on photographic paper.  I die cut the musical score out of navy cs, added strips of navy cs to the top and bottom, stamped the sentiment in navy, and popped the panel up on fun foam.


I also wanted to make another card for the inaugural CAS Christmas Card Challenge "Holly".

I had a piece of mixed media cs in my UFO box that I'd sprinkled and spritzed with green brushos.  So I started with that.

I used a Tim Holtz stencil with white glitter embossing paste.  I missed a section of the stencil so I die cut the sentiment and placed it over that section to hide the fact that it wasn't evenly covered with the stenciled design.  I trimmed it down and added a narrow red border, and popped the panel up on fun foam.

If you want to join us at CAS Christmas Card Challenge, it's open until March 24th.

Supplies for first card:

Stamps - A Muse sentiment

Ink - Staz-On Midnight Blue

Paper - photo paper, white and navy cs

Size - A2

Accessories - Simon Says Stamp Jingle Snowflake die, fun foam

Supplies for second card:

Paper - mixed media cs, red cs, cream shimmer cs

Size - A2

Accessories - Tim Holtz Festive stencil, Cosmic Shimmer glitter paste, Tattered Lace Merry Christmas die, fun foam