CASEplorations February

I've got two posts going out at the same time today.  Click here for The Mixed Media Card Challenge.  And come back in a few hours for a very special STAMPlorations post!

It's a new month and a new challenge at CASEplorations.  This month, for your delectation and delight, we have Anita in France!  Famed for her très chic CAS cards, Anita is also one of the sweetest of blog friends.

This is the card that we're CASEing.  You can find Anita's original post here.

So, what elements of the card could you CASE?  Die-cut negative space; ombré shading; linear grouping of images; mixed colours, fonts and sizes on the sentiment; and one of Anita's typical touches - the tiny little heart nestling under the swash (I had to look that up) of the 'love'.

I went with ombré, using the same range of colours as Anita.  I started by white-embossing the macarons from Sugar Rush, then added a Distress Ink wash over and around the macarons.  The sentiment is also from Sugar Rush.  And then I couldn't help myself - I added some splatter.

Pop on over to the CASEplorations post at STAMPlorations to see how the rest of the Design Team  and Anita have CASEd Anita's original card, then play along for a chance to win.

I'm adding my card to One Layer Simplicity Challenge where, in celebration of their new Facebook page, the theme is 'friends', so the actual word friend/s, friendship etc has to be included in the card.

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

Are you prepared for the changes that Blogger is making?  Will you be here tomorrow?  Will you still have all of your followers?  You've probably seen the warning notices on other bloggers' posts, but if you haven't, click here to get it from the horse's mouth.  (I think I'm ok, but just to be on the safe side, I've printed out a list of all the blogs I follow as a cross-check.)

Anyway, never mind that, what about today's card?  I'm playing along with CAS(E) This Sketch, and pretty much doing a straight CASE.

I'm also playing along with One Layer Simplicity Challenge, where Heather has set the challenge: The Sky's The Limit

I've used butterflies from my new set, The Bee's Knees Winged Things, and a sentiment from Shery Russ Designs Big Greetings, both of which are being released this week.  Becca and Deepti also have new sets, so stay tuned to STAMPlorations for the Big Release week.

I stamped everything with Versafine Onyx Black, then dropped Distress Inks into the shapes and let them bleed together.  And a bit of splatter.  Of course.

That's it from me today - hope to see you tomorrow :)

Is It Too Early For Snow?

Where I live we rarely get snow, so I'm quite happy for big snowflakes to appear on my cards.  This snowflake is the Tim Holtz Blueprint snowflake, without the blueprint markings.  I coloured just the snowflake with Neocoour II crayons and spritzed before stamping.  This is version 4.

Version 1: Not enough crayon, not enough spritz.
Version 2: Changed to Gelatos.  Again, not enough crayon.
Version 3: Back to Neocolour II.  Note to self: ensure stamp is properly clean, then the bits that you don't want to show won't show.
Version 4: Neocolour II again.  The cleaned stamp was still damp so more of the colour stuck to the rubber, giving a much better result!

The sentiment is stamped in Brushed Pewter Distress Stain.

I'm entering this into the One Layer Christmas Card challenge, Anything Goes with a twist of Silver.  Well, pewter.

I'm also entering into One Layer Simplicity Challenge - Whatever the Weather.

Seize The Birthday - No Toppings

We've got a new challenge for you at Seize The Birthday, and this time there are no toppings, so anything you like, as long as it's a birthday project.

I've done a one layer card so that I can play along at One Layer Simplicity where the theme is What's Your Number?  Erm - all of 'em!

I'm also playing along at Inkspirational, where they also have a one layer challenge.

This card didn't start out well, as my first imprint with spritzed Distress Inks didn't turn out as well-defined as I'd envisaged, so I just overstamped with black, and now I like it :)

Pop on over to Seize The Birthday for some fabulous inspiration from the rest of the design team, and play along with us!

I'm off to build my new Rastog trolley and re-arrange my craft room.  Who knows what treasures I might find??

Now and Then

I got all excited when I saw the current challenge at The Card Concept, because I had some NBUS papers that were pretty much exactly the same design as the inspiration photo:

So out came the paper stash and I made this card.  Back then, I would use buy a lot of patterned paper, but having bought it, couldn't summon up any inspiration.  This card?  Bleh.  S'alright, I suppose, but not really doing it for me, doesn't make me happy.

BTW, have I shown you my ribbon stash?  I was surprised not to find any polka dot pink and white grosgrain in there...  The holes go all the way round, and each one is filled :)

But I digress.  Back to the cards.

Now, this card makes me very happy!  One layer, lots of stamping, lots of splattering, clean design, so this is the one I'm entering into The Card Concept.

And also in the One Layer Simplicity Challenge - Blossom.

Prisoner in the Dock, explain to the jury why, having confessed to hoarding patterned paper and hardly ever using it, you buy online, premeditated, more patterned paper.  And why you persisted with this foolishness by purchasing a 36 pack of 12x12 papers at the Port Sunlight show on Saturday.

Well, m'lud, the online purchase was 20% off with free p&p, and it was soooo pretty....  And the 36 pack of 12x12 was Tim Holtz papers, a bargain at half price :)

Guilty as charged.

In The News

Playing along with a few challenges today with this one layer card.  I've used one of the images from my new stamp set, The Bee's Knees BabyBump.  I pencilled a washing line, then stamped the jacket three times at different angles to make it look like they're blowing around in the wind, then drew in the line and the posts with a 0.5 fineliner.  The jackets are coloured with Distress Ink and the same colours are splattered across the card to look like pollen and dust floating on the breeze.

Ok, first up is One Layer Simplicity, where Karen's challenge is Blowin' in The Wind.

Then there's CASology - News, to celebrate the birth of DT member Gillian's baby boy :)

Next up ShowCASE Your Style where there's a (stretch-a-)sketch.  What do you think - a stretch too far?

And finally at Less Is More, it's a one layer splatter challenge - yay!

The grasses stamped on the card belong to a set that was in the goody box that I bought from Debby Lime Doodle in aid of breast cancer causes.  Wanna see all the contents?

Papertrey 8th Anniversary - Take Three

Third and final post for Papertrey 8th Anniversary. This next card is for Challenge 5 - Spring into action - use a stamp set that hasn't seen ink yet and Challenge 7 - Heavy Metal - use only metallics and neutrals.

I've had the robot set for ages and never had the excuse to use it.  I stamped the heart from Wet Paint in his belly and embossed it with silver, and added nailhead for eyes.

This next card is for Challenge 8 - blue ombré:

Washed a piece of mixed media paper with Distress Inks and spritzed, then stamped Larger Than Life wildflowers over it, and mounted it onto white card.

That's all folks (for today anyway!).

Papertrey 8th Anniversary - Take Two

Back with a couple more challenges for Papertrey.  Click here for the first two.

Challenge 3 - Make a Tag for a Bag

I used a Waltazingmouse stitched tag die, sprayed some Dylusions into the corner, then stamped using the Wet Paint set.  Tied it on to the handle with some lime and black polkadot ribbon.

Challenge 4 - Build a Bouquet

Larger than Life, Communique Curves Sentiments, Distress Ink Minis and splatters!  I'm also entering this one into Simplicity One Layer Challenge - You Blend.

Back soon with the last two!

ETA: Just re-read the rules for the Build a Bouquet - only used one floral set.  Oh well!

Papertrey 8th Anniversary - Take One

I'm entering a few of the challenges at Papertrey, so I've split them into a few posts.  Here's post No.1 for Challenges 1 and 2:

Challenge 1 - Colour Recipe and Sketch

I've used the Wet Paint set together with a Penny Black die which I've covered with encaustic wax.

Challenge 2 - CASE Maille Belles

I chose this card by Maille:

Maille Belles

Here's my version, which I'm also entering into Simplicity One Layer Challenge - You Blend.

The tree is made a from a wildflower in the Larger Than Life set, sentiment from Communique Curves Sentiments, house from The Bee's Knees Houses.

Back soon with the next instalment!

Just Married

Quick post from me - I've been away on a girly weekend (four of us turned/turning 60), so I'm playing catch-up.  I found time to play with my new stamps before I went away, and here's one of the cards I made, which I'm entering into the following challenges:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - New

Virginia's View - Clean Slate

ETA:  Just realised it fits Simplicity One Layer Challenge - Attractive Opposites

Autumn and Splatters

I'm having a change from poppies, and going back to sunflowers, for a few challenges.  First up is Fusion:

Next is One Layer Simplicity: Turning to Fall

Also Virginia's View - Clean and Simple

And here's one challenge I can't miss out on: Casology - Splatter!

I inked the sunflower from Bloom Sketches in Antique Linen Distress Ink, then sloshed and rolled some yellows, olive and rusty hinge onto the image, and added splatters (yay!).  I added a few falling petals and painted in a stem, then stamped the sentiment down the stem.

One Layer Jingle Bells

Another Christmas card from me.  At this rate, I'll have all my christmas cards done by November - what will I do in December instead of panicking?

I'm playing along with One Layer Simplicity Challenge, where it's Hip To Be Square.  I've used a square card and also drawn a wobbly square around the edges of the card with a Sharpie.  I stamped the bells image first, then the sentiment, then drew in the wobbly square.  I watercoloured the image with Distress Inks and added Wink of Stella to the middle nut/pinecone thingies.  You can just about make out the WOS in the close-up below.

I'm also playing at AAA Card Challenge, Watercolours

and Allsorts, Early Christmas Makes.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Holiday Sketches: Christmas Bells

Watercolour Butterfly

I'm doing the Online Card Class - Stretch Your Stamps 2.  We've already had a full week and this is the first piece of homework I've come up with so far.  This is inspired by Melanie Deasy's no-line colouring technique.

I've used one of Susan's colour schemes from One Layer Simplicity Challenge #8, Shades of Summer:

I stamped the butterfly image (Uniko Studio) in Antique Linen then swooshed some Distress Inks onto an acrylic block and used them as watercolours.  The challenge at Shopping Our Stash is Splish Splash - use some form of wet medium on your card (yes please!!).

And I'm entering it into Uniko Studio Challenge Anything Goes.

I'm off to splash and splash some more!