Thinking of You

 I have a ton of stencils that I loved, purchased and filed away never to be used - so I found some craft room time today and thought I should get one of them out and play!

I made this background with a 3 part Modern Mosaic Layering Stencil from Taylored Expressions.  The sentiments are from In My Thoughts by Altenew (retired).

I'm linking my card to:

Stencil Fun Challenge

Layered Stencils

NBUS

First time using this stencil and stamp set

Less is More

Addicted to CAS

Path of Positivity #113

Inspired by a Pattern

Stamps: In My Thoughts - Altenew (retired)
Paper: White - Papertrey Ink.
Ink: Peach Parfait, Sea Glass - Altenew, Light Carnation - Gina K Designs, Nocturne Versafine Clair.
Accessories: Modern Mosaic Layering Stencil - Taylored Expressions, Blender Brushes.

Use Your Wings

 I'm joining in with the July CAS Mix Up challenge today.  The challenge this month is Watercolor and the theme is 'Things with Wings'.

My thing with wings is the dragonfly made using Curio Summer Findings from the Greetery.  My water coloring is the wings as well as the blue background.  I smooshed Dox inks in Speckled Egg and Spiced Marmalade (one at a time!)  onto my craft mat, spritzed with water and then smooshed panels of water color paper, one into each color.  I hope that counts as using watercoloring!

I used Pin Point Rings from Poppy Stamps to emboss the circles and a Small Talk Sticker for the sentiment.

Linking to:

CAS Mix Up

 

 

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Wishing everyone in the USA a Happy 4th of July!

My vase is a cute little woodpecker filled with Blanket Flowers from my garden.  

I thought they looked bright like fireworks!  

I change his topper every week using whatever is blooming.

The eagle is a die and stamp set from Papertrey Ink.

Paper: Water color paper - Canson Cold Press, white - PTI
Ink: Ranger Distress Oxide Speckled Egg and Spiced Marmalade.
Accessories: Curio: Summer Findings Dies- The Greetery, Pinpoint Rings Emboss - Poppy Stamps, craft mat, water mister, Small Talk Stickers - Tim Holtz/Idea-ology, black Copic.

CAS Stencil - April Mid-Month Reminder - Embossing Pastes/Gels

I'm here today to remind you there's still time to join in on the April CAS Stencil Card Challenge!
Barb is our hostess this month and she wants us to use Embossing Pastes/Gells with our stencils.

 I made a white on white sympathy card.

I laid the 6"x6" Leaf Burst Stencil from Altenew over a panel of white card stock.  Then I spread Worn Linen Nuvo Expanding Mousse over the stencil with a plastic spatula.

It looks flat and shiny when you remove the stencil although it is raised up because it's thick.

(Wash off your stencil immediately after lifting it off the cardstock).  

If you let the panel dry naturally, it will stay looking like this

 If you dry it by heating it with a heat tool, it will puff up (hence the name 'Expanding Mousse').  

I like this heated look better than letting it dry naturally but you have the option of one or the other.

 Here's a close up where hopefully you can see the 'pouffiness' and a little glimmer.

I cut the stenciled panel right down the middle of the design and then I fussy cut around the petals and adhered half of the stencil onto the left edge of a watercolor paper card base.  It just fit on the
5 1/2" card base height!  I stamped the sentiment from Faithful Flutterings by Catherine Pooler onto a strip of watercolor paper and adhered it over the stencil with foam dots.

 So please join us over at CAS Stencil Card Challenge and show us how you use your stencils with Embossing Pastes or Gels!  Check out all the inspiration from the Design Teams as well as our 

April Guest Designer:  Bobby (Bits & Pieces)

You have until 4/24 to link up your CAS creation!

I'm also linking my card to:

Less is More

AAA Cards

Just Us Girls

Mod Squad Challenge

Use a Stencil

Stamps:  Faithful Fluttering - Catherine Pooler

Paper:  Water Color - Canson, white - PTI

Ink:  True Black - PTI

Accessories:  Leaf Burst Stencil - Altenew, Nuvo Expanding Mousse - Worn Linen, Heat Tool, foam dots.

CAS Mix Up - November Challenge - Embossing Folders

It's the first of the month and time for the November CAS Mix Up Challenge!   Bonnie is our hostess this month and she wants us to use embossing folders in new and different ways.

Who knew there were so many ways to use an embossing folder?

Dry embossing can add wonderful texture to a background or stamped design, 

but don't stop there.  Check out some or all of the videos over at CAS Mix Up to find 

new and exciting ways to use those folders. 

I was inspired by this embossing folder technique video for my cards today.   I made two similar cards as the technique I used involved sponging over either one or the other insides of the opened embossing folder.

I used an embossing folder, stamps, die cuts, washi tape, little flowers, and a puffy heart!

So this is what happened when I sponged Guacomole Acrylic Paint over the inside of the front panel of Tim Holtz/Sizzix Cracked Embossing Folder, spritzed it liberally with water and pressed a panel of watercolor paper over it, pressing for a bit to allow the watery paint to absorb into the watercolor paper.  

I'd call this one the positive print from the embossing folder.  The green has colored the actual cracks of the design.

Stamps are from Thanksgiving Wishes by Lil' Inker Designs, Die cut frame is Pierced Feature Frames from PTI.

And here is my 2nd card that I used the same technique on but sponged the paint over the inside back panel of the embossing folder - getting what I would call a negative print.  The green has colored the spaces between the cracks of the design.

Stamps are from PTI  Forest Floor: Autumn.  The die cut frame is Pierced Feature Frames from PTI.  

The outside frames are popped up on foam tape.  I added little white flowers to the first card and a puffy heart sticker to the 2nd.  I wrapped a piece of washi tape - Lena's Pattern by Alexandra Renke - around the middle of both cards before adhering the print.

You can also try to get a 2nd print off each side.  Be sure you have your watercolor panels ready to press it right on the folder  -  a 2nd print comes out a little less defined since there is less watery paint on the folder.  Be sure to wash off your folder immediately so the paint doesn't dry on the folder.

I took one photo from my worktable showing the embossing folder, the paint, sponge and the two designs I got - the one on the left resulted from sponging over the inside of the back panel (my 2nd card) and the one of the right resulted from sponging over the inside of the front panel (my first card).

So two rather different looks from one embossing folder - used in a different way -  by sponging acrylic ink over either the front or back, spritzing with water liberally, and pressing watercolor paper over the panel!   Remember to wash your folder immediately so the paint doesn't dry on it!

We hope you'll get out all of those embossing folders you have and try out some of the new ways to use them!

Hop on over to the CAS Mix Up Blog to see how all of the talented Design Team and our wonderful Guest Designer Cornelia (Stempel Spass) have used embossing folders in different ways!  You have until 11/24 to link up your creation!   Remember to keep it CAS!

I'm also linking my card to:
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Cupcake Inspirations
Theme - Fall

Stamps:  Forest Floor: Autumn - PTI, Thanksgiving Wishes - Lil' Inker Designs.
Paper:  Water color paper - Canson, Vintage Cream - PTI
Ink:  Cocoa Bean - PTI
Accessories:  Guacomole Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics - Paper Artsy, Pierced Feature Frame Dies - PTI, puffy heart sticker - Michaels, Vanilla flowers - Simon Says Stamp, foam tape, Washi Tape - Lena's Pattern/Alexandra Renke, sponge, water mister, Cracked Embossing Folder - Tim Holtz/Sizzix.

Deck the Halls in March

Well, since we seem to be getting a blizzard every week in March here in New England 

(the next one is expected this Wed and Thurs with possibly a foot of wet snow!)  

I don't feel too out of season making a Christmas card!

It's a clean and simple one -  just one layer.  I stenciled the background using a  Mini Layering Stencil from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous using Classic Kraft Ink.   Then I stamped the solid holly over the stenciling using Hawaiian Shores Ink and finally stamped the holly outlines, berries and sentiment using Cocoa Bean Ink.  The stamps are from the Layered Holly set by Stamplorations.

I'm linking my card to the following challenges:

Less is More

CAS Christmas

Just Us Girls

Stamps:  Layered Holly - Stamplorations
Paper:  White - PTI
Ink:  Cocoa Bean, Classic Kraft, Cocoa Bean - PTI
Accessories:  Mini Layered Stencil - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous

Celebrate with Green Balloons!

Balloons are such happy little things and certainly scream birthday celebration, don't you think?!   Today I have a card to share that I used my brandy new Birthday Balloon stamps and stencil from Papertrey Ink.  

 I stenciled the balloons using Limeaide Ice and New Leaf  inks from PTI, then I stamped over them using Olive Twist Ink, also PTI.  I die cut the sentiment 3 times using a Birthday Top Edgers Die from Impression Obsession glued them together so it was thicker and adhered it over the balloons with foam tape.  I forgot to stamp the strings on the balloons before I adhered the sentiment (whoops!) so I drew them on with a Copic Marker!

I went over the  stars, lines and dots on the balloons as well as the sentiment with a clear glitter Wink of Stella so there's a lot of shimmer

My card was inspired by the following challenges:

Just Us Girls

The Card Concept

My card is layered CAS

 CAS(E) This Sketch

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We went from bare ground to about 8" of sticky wet snow overnight!  After a morning of shoveling and snow blowing -  the sun is shining and it's all dripping off the trees and electric wires!  Lots of people in surrounding towns have lost power due to the weight of the snow on the lines - but luckily we did not!

Stamps:  Birthday Balloons - PTI

Paper:  White, Limeaide Ice, Ripe Avocado - PTI

Ink:  New Leaf, Lineaide Ice, Olive Twist - PTI

Accessories:  Birthday Top Edgers Die - Impression Obsession,  Birthday Balloon Stencil - PTI, Clear Glitter Wink of Stella, Putty Copic, foam tape

March CAS Mix Up Challenge! Happy Easter

Well, it's the first of March - and time for the new CAS Mix Up Challenge!   Susan is our hostess this month and here is her challenge:

This also marks the CAS Mix Up 2nd Birthday!! 
So check out the blog where there are prizes to be won!

 For my card today I used dry embossing on acetate, stamping, die cuts and markers.

Here's a close-up of the embossed acetate - I used a Chevron embossing folder thinking it's like a design you would put on an Easter egg!   I stamped the images onto the rectangle piece left over from die cutting the front panel.  I drew in the grass with a green Copic.   Then I stamped the sentiment on the panel.  All the stamps are from A Bit More: Bunny Blessings from PTI.  
($5 for this cute little set! just sayin'!)

You'll find the challenge details along with links to technique videos using acetate -  and the link up here on the CAS Mix Up Blog.  You have until 3/24/18 to link up your CAS challenge card!

I'm also linking my card to:

Less is More

Stamps:  A Bit More: Bunny Blessings - PTI
Paper:  white, clear cardstock (acetate) - PTI
Ink:  Cocoa Bean, Spring Rain - PTI
Accessories:  Chevron Embossing Folder - Provo Craft,  Rectangle Peek a Boo Die - MFT, Freen Copic YG63,  Scor Tape.

A Basket of Daffs

I have another Easter card to share -  with snow predicted for tonight (3-6"!) I'm going to just stare at my card and pretend it's spring!

I colored my image with Tombow markers and brushed over it with a Clear Glitter Wink of Stalla - so it looks really sparkly in the right light!

My card was inspired by two challenges.

The Inspiration Challenge over on Splitcoaststampers was a web site selling all kinds of gorgeous Iris - but not having any Iris - I used Daffodils!

And I used the Freshly Made Sketch for my design.

Also linking my card to:

Less is More

Stamps:  Spring Baskets - Waltzingmouse (retired)
Paper:  White - PTI
Ink:  Hero Arts Black
Accessories:  Tombow Markers, Clear Glitter Wink of Stella, foam dots, enamel dots - Stamplorations, circle Nestability, butterfly embossing strip - Tim Holtz/Alterations Springtime Background, chevron embossing strip - Cuttlebug.