CAS Watercolour June Summer Challenge

Summer has finally arrived on the beautiful Southern Oregon Coast.  My favorite part of Summer has always been the gardening..beautiful flowers, fresh vegetables and fruits !

The perfect time for our CAS Watercolour Challenge...Summer!

Here is my Distress Stains Watercoloured Card.

Last month when I went to my craft retreat in BC we learned a new technique from Susan (Cardmaker's Garrett).  We used Tim Holtz Distress Stains to watercolour open lined stamp images using our MISTI's.  It is a fun and easy technique.  The sponge at the open end of the stains bottle is an easy way to apply your watercolours to the stamps, which I secured in my MISTI.    I stamped my Penny Black "Full of Glee" flowers (a gift from Loll) onto Arches Hot Press 140#  Watercolour paper.

I used #4 and #6 wet paint brushes to move the stains on my flower image.  I also added more stain to an acrylic block to add the darker shades.  I used Seedless Preserves and Peeled Paint for my Stains. It is all about layering.  I let each layer dry before adding the next layer.   I then stamped Loll's PB "Gratitude" sentiment.  I was very pleased with my watercolouring.  Loll reminded us that her artist son,  Jer says to leave white tips on your flowers :-)

I finished my main image at home.   I stamped and cut a mask for my flowers and then added black acrylic splatters with a #8 paint brush.  Also added Washi tape to cover up a splatter smear...hate that! But like the Washi tape :-)    Also added a partial framing using SU Basic Black CS.  My card is 5" x 5 1/2" so I could have more white space.

Enjoy and hope you can join us at CAS Watercolour.  You have until  June 24th to play along.  Be sure and go to our challenge to see all the gorgeous DT cards.  This month we have 2 Guest Designers with beautiful cards to share.  Leanne (weeinklings) and Ksenija (Sweet Kobylkin).

Thank you again Susan for your fun technique,  Loll for your wonderful stamp gift and Christine for sharing your beautiful home for 6 days.  We had such a wonderful time learning new techniques, sharing and gift giving and especially becoming close friends in real life!!!

Congratulations Christine (It's a card day's night) for being chosen as our newest Design Team Member!  Seeing many of your past and present projects in real life made me even more excited to have you as part of our team. Besides your fun and enthusiastic personality being such a perfect fit! Welcome my friend. Hugs!

Joining...

SSS Blog:  Wednesday Challenge...Anything Goes

My 1st Distress Oxide Card!

I am a little late to the Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink Craze.....But...so worth the wait!

I used 6 Distress Oxide Ink Colors: Fossilized Amber, Worn Lipstick, Wilted Violet, Spiced Marmalade, Fired Brick and Cracked Pistachio.   I sponged one ink at a time using my T.H. Blending Tool using a different sponge for each color,  so as not to contaminate my ink pads.  After several colors I spritzed with water and dried with my heat tool.  Then added more colors and spritzed again and dried.  It is amazing how all the colors show thru the layers and never make "mud"!

I wanted bigger splatter water drops,  so put water in my palm and dropped larger drops of water onto my piece.  I loved the results.

I then cut down my piece and used the extra for a die cut for a future card.  I made my background at our recent craft retreat in BC.   I borrowed a grass stamp that Christine had just received from her China order..no name sorry.  I stamped it with Black Stazon and added just one tiny die cut dragonfly, which was from Loll's Memory Box Dragonfly Stems Left Corner Die.

I finished my card at home adding the SU "You're a Gem" sentiment and Basic Black CS trim.  I mounted my image with 3D foam tape onto a SU Very Vanilla card front that I had die cut with CUTplorations "Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Dies".

Enjoy and hope you get a chance to play with the new Distress Oxide Inks too....

I am adding to CAS Mix Up May Splattering Challenge.  I added stamping + Splattering with water + Die Cuts.  The challenge ends on May 24th...

STAMPlorations Anything Goes..using at least one STAMPlorations Product..I used my die cut frame.

CAS Mix Up May Splattering Reminder

It is time already for our CAS Mix Up Splattering Reminder.  You will be so inspired by all the amazing creative Splattering cards by our very talented Design Team and Guest Designer.

Here is my card using Stamping + Splattering with Distress Inks + Die Cuts...

I started my card by playing with splattering!  I laid a large plastic bag on my corian counter to catch all the splatters.  I then added a few drops of Tim Holtz Distress Ink refills: Peeled Paint and Tumbled Glass into my palette diluting a little with water.  Next I loaded my #8 paint brush with the green ink and started splattering my Strathmore Hot Press WC paper and when dry did the same with the blue ink.  I used a wooden stirring stick in my left hand and tapped my paint brush with my right hand on the stick. I saw someone doing this, but with a wooden skewer.  Before I would tap my brush on my index finger.  Either technique works,  but it seemed I had more control with the stick.

I really liked how my background turned out,  but ended up covering up most of it. Instead using it as a framing layer to keep my card more Clean and Simple.  I die cut the layer with my Memory Box Stitched Rectangles Die Cut.  Next I die cut my vellum leaves and alcohol ink (from my stash) smooshed leaves using my Memory Box "Fresh Foliage" Die.  I attached the leaves to my Stitched Die Cut Strathmore paper using SU Fine Tip Glue Pen and weighted down the leaves with my large acrylic block.

My last step was to stamp my SU "A Dozen Thoughts" sentiment using Versafine black ink and heat setting.  Popped up using 3M foam tape.  I attached the 2 layers with foam tape to my SU Very Vanilla CS card front.  I was very pleased how my card turned out. Enjoy..

I hope you get to join us at CAS Mix Up with your Clean and Simple Splattered card. You still have until May 24th to play along.  Happy springtime stamping my friends.  Hugs..

Supplies: Listed in Description.

CAS Mix Up May Splattering

Splattering has to be one of my all time favorite techniques for adding interest and a bit of dimension to a Clean and Simple design card.   I was thrilled to see our CAS Mix Up May Splattering Challenge!

I used Stamping + Splattering with acrylic paint + Color Burst Watercolouring and Die Cuts

I used the Rubbernecker "Tulips in Vase" stamp,  which is a challenge!  I placed my 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of Arches Hot Press 140# in my MISTI securing with Creative Corners and then placed my stamp.  I painted the vase and leaves with water using a #4 paint brush then sprinkled with Pthalo Green Color Burst powder and stamped my image.  I opened my MISTI and spritzed more water on my stamp and stamped again and helped move the reconstituted powder around with my wet paint brush.  I then did the same procedure again adding water and Sepia Color Burst to my stamp to ground my stamped image.  Moving the wet ink around with my wet paint brush.  Next I stamped the flowers using Alizarin Crimson Color Burst and the same watercolouring procedure.  I used reconstituted Sepia on my craft mat to add more detail to the flowers for dimension.

It is important to let your watercoloured layers dry before adding the next Color Burst color.  I used CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Die to frame my card front.  Next die cut my image with my CUTplorations ATC Tag Builder Die, which gave a nice beveled edge.  I purposely partially die cut one flower to give an over the edge look.   Almost forgot my sentiment.  My MISTI and Creative Corners came to my rescue. I just placed my card front in my MISTI and secured with CC's. Then stamped my 2 STAMPlorations "Birds of Paradise" sentiments with Archival black ink.  Worked great!

Next I splattered my card front after placing my main image into the die cut area of my card front and masked with 3M masking tape.  I used green diluted acrylic paint and a #8 paint brush to make my splatters.  I only made a few splatters to just give a bit of mixed media interest,  but not distract from my watercoloured main image.  Then I popped up my main image with 3M tape for a popped up inlaid design.  I attached my card front to my SU Whisper White Thick card base.  I was very pleased with my CAS Mixed Media card.  Happy May Day my friends!

I hope you get to join the fun at CAS Mix Up Splattering.  You have until May 24th to play along. Be sure and check out the Design Team and our Guest Designer, Elaine's (Craft-E-Place) beautiful cards too.  Hugs..

 

Supplies: Listed in Description.

More Challenges...

Seize the Birthday: Anything Goes

Simon Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes

STAMPlorations April CAS Challenge without twist

Time Out Challenge #82: Flowers with the optional twist of Kissing no kissing on my card

Loll's 2016 Twelve Tags of Christmas Event

Loll is Hosting her 3rd Annual "Twelve Tags of Christmas with Loll and Friends".

I was thrilled to be asked tobe the Guest Designers on November 9th... Day 3 of Loll's event! I do love making tags during the holidays and Loll's event is a fun way to catch up on my tags that I use for my Norwegian Krumkake cookie trays.

This is also my 1st time to share my tags with you as a new Blogger :-)  Enjoy and hope you get to play along too.

My Be Joyful Perfect Pear Tag......

I had so much fun making this tag using the Penny Black slapstick cling stamp: "Perfect Pears".  I used the brushstroke stamping technique.  Here is the video I watched that was very helpful..Brushstroke Stamping with MISTI by Penny Black.

I used Zig markers for my pear image and SU inks for my stamped background, sentiment and sponged edges.  I masked my pear to stamp my background with my SU Sanded and French Script background stamps (ret).  I love how it gave more depth to my pear.

I used my new STAMPlorations Mini stencil to trace and cut out my tag.   STAMPlorations has a new CUTplorations "Luggage Tag" set with 3 different sized of tags.  This is the largest size tag.. 3 3/8" x 5 1/2", which I traced from my Mini Stencil and fussy cut out.  I have the tag dies on my wishlist..love the shape.

I finished my tag with splatters using diluted Soft Suede ink and a paint brush.  Also added a few more splatters dipping the tip of my stylus in the ink.  A trick I learned from Jennifer McGuire.

Loll's event runs from November 7-18, but you can add your tag to her link until November 25th.   I hope you get to play along too.  You will be so inspired by all of Loll's tags, her very talented Guest Designers and the growing Gallery :-)

Happy Tag Making...Hugs,

Card Recipe

Stamps: Penny Black Perfect Pear.  SU Merriest Wishes (sentiment), Sanded and French Foliage background stamps (ret)

Paper: Arches 140# Hot Press WC paper

Inks: Zig Markers, SU Old Olive, Soft Suede, Early Espresso. Archival Jet Black

Accessories:MISTI, STAMPlorations Mini stencil (tag shape), papersnips, SU taffeta ribbons (ret), #4 paint brush, sponge dauber

Techniques: Tag, Brushstroke Stamping with MISTI, splattering, sponging, texting