Double Stencilled Butterfly and a CAS Dove

Inkspirational wants us to use stencils.  I used both a butterfly stencil and a text stencil.  Try It On Tuesday wants us to add some text.  And Seize the Birthday wants to see silhouettes.

I sponged through the butterfly stencil with various blues and mauves, then laid the script stencil over it, and went over the script with embossing paste. Because the butterfly stencil was still in place, I only got text embossing within the butterfly.

I then stamped the two small butterflies on my main panel and trimmed it with a square die. Then stamped the larger butterfly and sentiment in purple on scraps of cs and heat embossed them, then die cut them with oval dies. I rubbed the edge of the ink pad around the ovals to give a bit of definition to them and then assembled the card.

I was going to add it to the Paper Players tic-tac-toe challenge (the top horizontal row - CAS, something that flies, square card) but realized it wasn't actually CAS once it was done.  So I made a quick Christmas card for the same tic-tac-toe row (and I really do need to plough on with Christmas cards).  I'm also adding it to Christmas All Year (blue Christmas).

A very easy card with a stamped and heat embossed peace dove, die cut with an oval, and mounted on white glitter cs cut with a fancy die, and on a blue shimmer card base.

   

 

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Visible Image butterflies, A Muse sentiment
Ink - Distress Faded Jeans and Dusty Concord
Paper - white and mixed media cs
Size - 5.75" square
Accessories - Visible Image butterfly stencil, Stamperia text stencil, Dreamweaver embossing paste, clear embossing powder, Spellbinders oval and square dies

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - unknown small dove stamp
Ink - ColorBox True Blue
Paper - white cs, blue shimmer cs, white glitter cs
Size - 4.75" square
Accessories - Spellbinders Fleur de Lis square die and small oval die, clear embossing powder

Stencilling over Heat Embossing

The Group of Seven Cardmakers are trying out a technique seen in a Gina K 5 minute card video from a couple of years ago.  It's called Stencilling over Heat Embossing.  I'm definitely not as fast as Gina K as each card took me quite a bit longer than 5 minutes!  But I do like the end results!

First up, a card with a holly theme:

I stamped and heat embossed the tiny snowflakes background stamp.  Then laid the stencil on top and sponged over with two shades of green ink.  After removing the stencil, I gently wiped a paper towel over the panel to remove any ink sitting on top of the heat embossed snowflakes.  Bordered with green shimmery cs, added a sentiment stamped on a separate strip of white cs, and embellished with red stick-on pearls for the berries.

I did a second Christmas card with the same technique:

Because my stencil was larger, I went with a more detailed background stamp - in this case, a collage of Christmas greetings.  I used a poinsettia stencil made for me by my friend Loll on her Cricut.  I used two shades of red ink, trimmed it down, bordered with black, added a sentiment heat embossed on black, and embellished first with gold Stickles (but I didn't like the look so dabbed most of it off) and then with yellow Liquid Pearls.

There are lots more examples from the Group of Seven Cardmakers over on our group blog.  Feel free to make a card using the technique and link it up there, but be aware it's not a challenge blog - the entries are for sharing and inspiration only.

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Rubbernecker snowflake background, A Muse sentiment
Ink - Versamark, Distress Rustic Wilderness and Evergreen Bough
Paper - green shimmer and white cs
Size - 6x4.25"
Accessories - Dreamweaver holly stencil, white embossing powder, red pearls

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - unknown Christmas text background stamp, Make an Impression sentiment
Ink - Versamark, Distress Candied Apple and Festive Berries
Paper - white and black cs
Size - A2
Accessories - white embossing powder, homemade stencil, gold Stickles, buttercup Liquid Pearls

A Notecard for National Letter Writing Day

Slipping in under the wire for a challenge at Festive Friday to celebrate National Letter Writing Day.

I've got three of the required elements for the challenge - script, postmark, and embossing folder.

I pulled out a bit of blue background (created by sprinkling Brushos on mixed media cs and spritzing with water) from my unused backgrounds box and stamped and heat embossed the postcard collage image. Trimmed it and bordered it with black. I used a postcard collage embossing folder on the card base. 

Supplies:
Stamps - bird / postcard collage stamp
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black
Paper - white, black, and mixed media cs
Size - A2
Accessories - clear embossing powder, Sizzix embossing folder, blue brushos

Turquoise Background

The Flower Challenge is asking for turquoise this month.

I created a turquoise background with a bit of orange in it as those are one of my good friend's favourite colours and I'm a bit late getting a birthday card in the mail for her.

The background was made on a gelli plate with acrylic paints and a coffee rings stencil (the coffee rings are there but they are quite faint).

When dry, I added some script stencilling with embossing paste. And added a die cut white flower and a stamped sentiment on a banner.

The Flower Challenge

Supplies:
Stamps - SU sentiment
Ink - Memento Potters Clay
Paper - white and mixed media cs
Size - 4.75" square
Accessories - various blue and orange acrylic paints, coffee rings stencil, script stencil, embossing paste, Memory Box Honeyblossoms Sprig die

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