Thursday 28 January 2016

Simon Says Stamp Exclusives

Simon Says Stamp Exclusives

I got my dies in from the Diecember order, and I love them! the bold painted (brushstroke like) sentiment and the  scribbly flowers from painted roses really caught my fancy so I ordered them! ha

I'd like to enter my card to:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: anything goes with Simon Says Stamp exclusive products
and
Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday January 2016: something new



So for my new I used these fabulous dies and the new Distress inks Candied apple, carved pumpkin and an old one mustard seed.

I started by painting 2 panels with the Distress inks, diluted with Perfect pearls mist instead of water, for a glorious shimmer.
I wanted the roses and the sentiment the same, but I changed my mind ;-) Chose black instead.

I diecut the roses from white cardstock first, but I also changed my  mind here and went for black also, the white dissapeared against the white cardbase, so I diecut them again from black and glued them on top of the white, I didn't do a perfect job, on purpose, I kind of liked the drop shadow effect it gives, altough white, not shadow colored ;-)...
I then cut the roses out with scissors.
I diecut Happy Birthday from the card panel and placed the  other watercolored panel behind it.
I thought it was too samey and was detracting attention from the roses and well, we can't have that!
I really like stamping sentiments in black and love bold sentiments so I diecut it all again from white carstock and placed a black card behind the Happy Birthday

I adhered the roses with foamtape at different heights so one, two layers or just flush agaisnt the panel.
I tucked the leaved behind the flowers.
Few dew drops  here and there.
Mounted the panel onto the cardbase with tape runner

For more information about these challenges, click the links
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: anything goes with Simon Says Stamp exclusive products
and
Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday January 2016: something new



CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #158

CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #158
This is my last card as Guest designer for CAS Colours & Sketches.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my entries, I sure had a ball making them.
This card is a bit special as I used the Spectrum Noir aqua markers I won on this blog a few challenges ago.
These markers came in last week and I just had to use them.
Now I chose the floral set as it had lovely purples ;-)
But it has no browns, just  a few oranges and greens and yellows and purples, flower colours...
So for the cat I layered leafy green with marigold to get a orangey brown cat.
His eyes are bud green with meadow yellow.
The background is heather.
I used hot pressed and smooth water colouring paper from Schut 300grams (I think that’s 140lbs).
The idea here was the photo frame, with a picture, maybe a flower, but then I matched the grumpy cat with the sentiment I feel everyone shouts before taking a picture, it all seemed to go together perfectly.

To make the photo frame I used my biggest rectangle die and a square one for the opening.
I die cut a piece of black foam for dimension but also because instant photos always seem(ed) to have a black backing. I haven’t used any instant photos in decades, so excuse me if wrong, I’m ancient ;-)
I then die cut two pieces of white cardstock and layered those.
The sentiment is from Uniko stamps (all occasion sentiments #6) and I stamped it with Versafine black  ink.
The grumpy cat is from Katzelkraft (les chat russe) and I stamped him with StazON because of the water colouring.

Hot pressed paper I think works the best with these markers as it’s less porous so I had time to apply the marker in the places I thought there should be shadows and then faded them out with a brush and water. If you use more porous paper, blending it out is very difficult as the marker ink absorbs into the paper. Also work on small areas at the time. 
Or scribble some ink onto an acrylic block and pickup the ink from there with a brush. To me that defeats the purpose of the  marker though.
 If you have these markers or are looking to get them, try different papers, I’m glad I did ;-) I got to know them well..lol

Attached all layers with tape runner adhesive.


For more information in the CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge, see this



Wednesday 27 January 2016

Less is More Challenge #260: silhouette

Less is More Challenge #260: silhouette

For my card I was torn between a stamp of silhouette birds and this die.
I chose the die in the end as it involves a few more techniques, mainly partial die cutting
and inlaid diecutting.
I don't know the brand, I've die cut it from black cardstock and the same from marble like patterned paper for the sky.
the stamp is Dutch for sincere condoleances and is from Marianne Design, stamped with Versafine black ink.
I've adehered it all onto the cardbase with tape runner.

I'm not good at partial diecutting, so for me this was quite the challenge, but I think it turned out well.
The only thing I don´t like it the photo, I´ve taken it over and over , but somehow I can't get rid of the white edges from the bach flap, so it looks like I didn´t adhere it properly, it bugs me ;-)


For more information on the Less is More Challenge #260: silhouette, see this


Tuesday 26 January 2016

Guest Designer call over at Gerda Steiner

Guest Designer call over at Gerda Steiner

A few days ago I got the newsletter with the guest designer call.
It's for the month of March and you can apply too via the link at the bottom of this post.

I used a digital image from Gerda Steiner (kitten in the movingbox) and it's a free one!
I don't have a creditcard so I've never been able to purchase anything but the freebies, but I've just seen that Gerda Steiner now accepts Paypal, so I might have to go and shop later ;-)

I love anything kitty and this image just melted my heart. Cats and their love of  boxes....
here's one of my cats helping me open a box...lol

As the Love and fun boxes were ticked I ignored the moving house part  and made it into a Hello card.
I foiled a heart diecut with red foil and I diecut the hello from black cardstock (not from Gerda Steiner).
On the cardbase I sponged Mermaid lagoon and cracked pistachio Distress inks, the green to ground the image.
I've applied a double layer of foam tape to the image I have cut out. I wanted to give this box some real dimension.
I coloured the image with my Spectrum Noir alcohol markers on Neenah Solar white cardstock. The box is much darker than a "real" box, on purpose..it makes the kitten stand out better.

Being invited as a guestdesigner on a couple of blogs lately really has given my the confidence to apply for this opportunity, what an honour it would be!

I encourage you to apply too, all the inforamtion you need and the link up can be found here

I am not really sure what they're looking for and as I love CAS cards I tried to showcase my style

Anyway:  good luck!

Monday 25 January 2016

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: red

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: red


I made a little gift, a little box for one of those jumbo or xxl scented tealights. Mine are from Ikea but I think the size is standard.

I used Simon Says Stamp (schoolhouse red) cardstock and for the patterned cardstock a piece of 12x12"paper from Jillibean Soup (heart healthy red bean soup-bay leaves) for the heart.

I also used the new Lawn Fawn XOXO die in red and white and instead of a cigar band or belly band I closed the box with some unbranded washitape.


At first I only diecut the xoxo in the same red, but it was all too matchy match, it almost disappeared, so I slightly offset a white one, to give it a kind of drop shadow.
few clear rhinestones from Hero Arts and foamtaep to raise the heart diecut off the box

To make the box you'll need a piece of paper that is 4"1/8 by 7"1/4
you score it on the long side at 7/8, 3"1/4, 4"1/8 and 6"3/8
on the short side you score it at  7/8 and 3"1/4

cut and glue as indicated on the photo (not precisely to scale as my grid is in centimeters)

For more information on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, see this

Sunday 24 January 2016

4 boxes for 3 scented tealights from one sheet of 12x12'' or nearly 12x12" paper

I was making these boxes as per a pattern from Pootles.co.uk.  with my envelope punchboard. and some were great and others weren't, I kept doubting myself, did I score it properly, did I do this or that?
Then I remeasured my paper, I always just assumed they were all the same 12x12" but I found out they aren't. Some of my papers are from Lawn Fawn, Jillybean and other (imperial) brands, those are fine, some I bought at my local craftstore, and those are probably  made in cm sizes, resulting in papers about 11 7/8 of and inch instead of 12".
I thought that little bit shouldn't matter, but it did!
So I designed a box that still fits 3 tealights and you can still get 4 from a sheet, you even have a bit left over, but you'll have to make them with a scoreboard instead.

On the same day I found out that my metal ruler that has both cm and inches on it, isn't divided properly. The inches are the right size, but they've been divided up in 10 notches and not 8 or 16! No wonder I always mess things up!
I try to work in inches, altough very difficult for me (as a metric person) as my scoreboard just works better in  inches, the scorelines in centimeters don't line up well, or at all.
So I would measure an item with my ruler and count the notches, say 4 down from an inch, but as the inch isn't divided properly it wouldn't translate to the scoreboard or envelope punchboard, driving me slightly insane to be honest....

Weird eh how you just assume things to be right? I mean I bought this ruler somewehre trusting it to be right...

Anyway I will order a Tim Holtz Ruler as soon as I'm able as I find my T square ruler a bit flimsy, I'm scared to break it. I can be assured an Amercian brand ruler is ok! and I like the Tim Holtz one as it had punch holes in it too, which should look cool on a card I think



Ok back to the box. You'll  need a piece of paper, solid or patterned  of 5"7/8 by 4"7/8

On the long side you score it at 5/8"of an inch, then turn the card 180 degrees and score that again at 5/8" this is a must as you'll see the first scoreline is now in between two scorelines and the box wouldn't end up symmetric.
then turn your card 90 degrees and score on the short side at:
5/8", 2" 1/8, 2" 3/4 and 4"1/4
burnish all scorelines and then cut all the little scorelines on either side as the photo indicates.
put glue, tape, gluedots on the little square tabs and stick your box together.
I start with the bottom and fold the lid around the bottom.
the bits left over from dividing hte 12x12 paper can be used to make the belly band or cigar band, the width is variable the length should be 6" so you can get at least 2 belly bands.
I like to mix up solid boxes with patterned bands or patterened boxes with solid bands. Then I decorate with different die cut sentiments and embellishments, even an envelope punchboard ribbon. Only your imagination is the limit, not the sky ;-)
If you can think it up, you can make it!



the pattern above was drawn on centimeter gridded paper, don't pay attention to that, just follow the instructions and if you want redraw it on plain paper or paper with inch grids, this might not be accurate because of the cm.


Saturday 23 January 2016

Addicted to CAS Challenge #80: RED

Addicted to CAS Challenge #80: RED


For my card I used homemade red and clear enamel dots.
I hope there's enough red to meet the red requirement. 
I tried the diecut sentiment in red, but it just didn't look right to me. I like bold black sentiments ;-)
it's a  diecut from Marianne Design creatables (lr0301)
I made it into a sticker and I stuck the enamel dots on with gluedots.



For more information on the Addicted to CAS Challenge #80: RED, see this


Made these two first, the lips is a sticker with glittery lipstick, nice but I thought I shouldn't use a sticker ;-) I don't have a stamp like that but I actually like the card a lot! It's very CAS.
The one with the buttons wasn't just red, some pinks and something that looks purple in the photo but is actually a burgundy color, so I wasn;t sure if it would be ok to enter it, but I thought I'd show you the process ;-)

If friends were like flowers, I'd pick you

I'd like to enter this card into the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: best friends
and the
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: create with critters and Lawn Fawn

So, for my card I stamped a sentiment in Versafine Black Onyx, it's from Joy! crafts (cherry blossom tree)
and then I stamped all the images (from Lawn Fawn gleeful garden) with Memento black ink and colored them with my Spectrum Noir and (a few) Copic markers, then used the matching dies to cut them out.
I cut apart the antennas of the big snail and stuck a flower in it as if he's carrying it to his little friend...like the sentiment says... does that make sense?

I used the My favorite things snow drift dies to diecut green cardstock in 3 different hues to make hills. A blue panel for the sky,
I mounted the hills with foamtape so I could stick the flowers behind.
Was contemplating to  do the sentiment in white embossing powder as if it were a cloud, but then decided against it as I like bold sentiments.

For more information on the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge, see this
For more information on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, see this



Friday 22 January 2016

Cas Colours & Sketches CHallenge #157


Cas Colours & Sketches challenge #157

The colours from Stampin’ Up:
I’ve used Distress inks as a watercolouring medium:  Abandoned coral. Scattered straw and frayed burlap.
I’ve used monsters as they can be any colour in my opinion, and I gave them googly eyes because monsters need googly eyes ;-)

I’ve used a Create a smile stamp set called Big time for both monsters and sentiment. Stamped it all with StazOn  black ink as it’s waterproof. Because it’s watercolour paper , and although I stamped on the smoother side, the stamping wasn’t perfect, so I used a black fine tip Sharpie to fix the lines that weren’t perfectly stamped. If you have a MISTI you can stamp more than once, I didn’t want to risk a second stamping, it never works out if you freehand it..not for me anyway even with clear stamps.
I’ve only used the three colours, even the ground their standing on is frayed burlap, watered down more.

I’ve attached my watercolour panel with foam tape to a card base.



For more information on the CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge, see this

Thursday 21 January 2016

Lawnscapingchallenge #122:watercoloring


Lawnscapingchallenge #122:watercoloring

For my card I watercolored a piece of watercolorpaper with Distress inks (barn door, worn lipstick and picked raspberry) I watered it down with perfect pearls mist, to get a lovely shimmer, which is probably lost on the photo, but it's there ;-)
I then managed to get two hearts out of the panel and for my initial card I just mounted the heart and sentiment with foamtape, dotted sequins around the card.

The xoxo diecut is from Lawn Fawn and the enamel dots are diy homemade, attached with gluedots.

At this time I thought the sequins made it too busy, I want the focus on the heart and the watercoloring.
So I made my final card by diecutting the xoxo out of the heart and red glitter paper.
Mounted the heart with foamdots as well, but not the xoxo diecut.

then I thought should I add a hedgehog or two? and the sending hedgehugs sentiment? then I could also enter it into the SSS challenge, but I decided against it as I like it CAS.
I'll just make another card for SSS lol.

I've been waiting 2 months go get this xoxo in, and I'm so glad it arrived before Valentine's day ;-)
Although I think you  can use it all year round...

For more information on the Lawnscapingchallenge #122:watercoloring, see this

Sunday 17 January 2016

Less is More Challenge #259: kissing technique

Less is More Challenge #259: kissing technique

For my card I used the most solid stamp I have (or one of the few), it's a brush stroke from Marianne design (Eline's brush) very new, came out a few weeks ago.

I inked it up with pigment ink as they stamp better than Distress inks, also they stay wet a bit longer, useful for this technique.
this last version is one of 4, I started with purple on purple, liked it, but thought it to be too subtle, so I switched to black...way too overpowering for me..so instead of adding a color I stamped it with a dry stamp and took color away, almost looks like white on purple, like that!
for the kissing stamp I used Hero Arts la letter a woodmounted stamp. The words are now mirrored/backwards, but I'm not bothered, couldn't read them the right way up anyway. Just a bit weird
they lean to the left, even for a leftie like me ;-)
For the sentiment I used an Uniko stamp from All occasion sentiments #6 and I stamped it in Versafine black onyx.
I trimmed the panel as I stamped the sentiment a bit slanted ;-)
Originally I started out with a one layer in mind, but as I messed up a few I used their backs as well to practice, infact on the back of this final piece there's a pratice one as well...Love how paper has two sides lol.

Mounted the panel with foamtape.

For more information on the Less is More Challenge #259: kissing technique, see this

Saturday 16 January 2016

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: ombre with Hero Arts

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: ombre with Hero Arts

For my card I've used  hot pressed smooth watercolor paper of 300grams ( 140lbs i think) and I've used Wilted Violet from the Distress inks line for the ombre background. I used the re-inker ink for this, to get the intense color wilted violet can be.
Dark at the top, fading to the bottom.I hiope you can see it on the photo, the ombre is pretty subtle.

I've used the Hero arts butterfly cling stamps and Versamark ink on vellum and then White embossed them with Hero arts white embossing powder.

Then cut them out, on the big one I chopped off the antennas, by mistake, so drew those in with a white pen, was more careful with the others. I've glued the butterflies to the background with a glue stick glue.
I stuck on some Hero arts rhinestones, few different colors and sizes.
I've diecut the sentiment from SSS (small hello) from glitter paper. Before diecutting I adhered some double sided adhesive onto the paper to make it into a sticker.
Mounted the panel with foamtape on the cardbase.

For more information on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, see this




Simon says stamp Monday challenge: stencil it!

Simon says stamp Monday challenge: stencil it!
and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: ombre


For my card I used the Simon Says Stamp feathers die to  make a stencil from cardstock.
I used a grid paper so I could line the dies (I haven’t taken apart) up straight.
I then sponged Distress inks through the stencil (mustard seed, picked raspberry and spiced marmalade).
Then I thought about how some feathers have dots so I grabbed the Simon Says Stamp falling snow stencil and with another Distress ink (barn door) I gave the feathers measles..erhm I mean spots...lol

It was pretty hard to push the dots through with the mini blending tool as the homemade stencil from cardstock was quite thick, I managed though I chose bits from the stencil here and there to get a few, not too many well distributed dots.
Then I used a new (to me) embossing paste, from Ranger:  transparent glossy,  I just got it in and it’s to replace my Wendy Vecchi translucent one. It’s much smellier than the Wendy one, I mention this just in case you can’t stand strong odours.
It’s drying now whilst I type a part of the blog. The paper is bowing from the moisture a bit and the paste reactivated the Distress ink, so I had to wipe my palette knife before dunking in in the top again to get more. No biggie though, just having to get used to that.

I've waited untill Saturday evening incase my last order from SSS would come in, according to the tracking list it has departed the Dutch airport on the 8th, I guess it's walking, it's not here yet and I really had my heart set on using the brush stroke sentiment dies, hello and happy birthday.
I hope they come in soon, so for now I used the SSS small hello die on red glitter paper. I stuck the sentiment on vellum, made easy by first putting some double sided adhesive on the glitter paper and then diecutting both at once, basically I made a sticker.
I've torn the edges of the vellums strip for interest and stuck on 3 rhinestones from Hero arts, pale pink on the background.

For more information on the Simon says stamp Monday challenge: stencil it!, see this
For more information on the Simon says stamp Wednesday challenge: ombre, see this







Thursday 14 January 2016

Cas Colours & Sketches Challenge #156

Cas Colours & Sketches challenge #156

Thank you again CC&S for having me as a guest designer the whole month.
For my card I made a panel narrower than the card base as the sketch indicates (two grey borders, i left mine white)
For the focal point I  made a mask with an oval die and then sponged a sunset into it.
I’ve used Distress inks for it (wilted violet, picked raspberry, ripe persimmons, mustard seed and for the sea chipped sapphire over the mustard seed)

I then removed the mask to  reveal the sunset.
On hindsight I wish I hadn’t sponged the blue on, blue and yellow, of course make green and here it went into a greyish greenish hue I don’t like very much, I thought the chipped sapphire would be dark enough to cover the yellow... oh well you live and learn

On the sketch there’s a circle I chose to use a sailboat die cut instead. And I made it black as it’s in front of the sun.

I thought of adding another circle with a
sentiment but I like it this way to be honest and it’s closer to the sketch, although I put the boat on the other side...

I mounted the panel with foamtape.

For more information on the Cas Colours & Sketches challenge #156, see this

Sunday 10 January 2016

Addicted to CAS Challenge #79: cake


Addicted to CAS Challenge #79: cake


For my card I made a window by diecutting a circle in the cardbase, same size as the Simon Says Stamp die (birthday circle) the cupcake is also from that die set.
I've used purple glitter paper for the outline and sentiment. I made them into a sticker by adhereing double sided tape (elizabeth crafts) prior to diecutting.
I kept the birthday circle in the die whilst peeling off the backing, so it would be easier to place. Somehow I lifted it anyway and it went wonky. Now the Elizabeth Crafts tape is super sticky, so once down on the paper, it's stuck for good.
I thought about cutting away the inner edges, but frankly was worried to make it worse, and hey, it's handmade afterall ;-)
I diecut the inside of the cupcake from some watercolored paper scraps, I just happpened to have this glorious purple/lilac whipped cream and blue wrapping paper. adhered those in place with some liquid glue.
On the inside I used a stamp by Dovecraft, from the cupcake boutique and I stamped it in Versafine black onyx.
To stamp the sentiment I taped the card to the craftmat and when I peeled of the tape I damaged the cardstock..sigh...I covered  that up with some glitter washi tape.

 For more information on the Addicted to CAS Challenge #79: cake, see this


Saturday 9 January 2016

Less is More Challenge #258: one layer with a flourish

Less is More Challenge #258: one layer with a flourish


For my card I made a mask with a heart die and then sponged Distress ink spun sugar on it.

Then I stamped a swirly twig with leaves and heart several times, to fill the heart. It's from Imaginisce (heart vines)
I used red pigment ink to stamp it, then filled in the hearts with a red marker and used grey markers to give it a drop shadow, as if there's  dimension on a one layer card.
The Love you is from Technique Tuesday (say it -love you by Ali Edwards) and I used Versafine black onyx to stamp it.


For more information on the Less is More Challenge #258: one layer with a flourish, see this



edited January 10th:
I've added a link to  a video I made about washi tape, different shape, same technique, and a close up for the shadow...