CAS Colours & Sketches #277 - Colour Challenge

Wei's fun summer colors for this week's CC&S challenge took me in a different direction than I originally imagined.  After deciding on W Plus 9's Doodle Buds stamp set, this card started to take shape.  I pulled out black embossing powder, some watercolor paper, a water brush, and my Bermuda Bay and Calypso Coral inks.  The strips of paper are Bermuda Bay and Pool Party.  A sentiment from MFT's LJD Words of Inspiration is heat embossed and finished off the card.

I hope you will play along with our challenge this week on the CAS Colours & Sketches Blog.  Our DT has some inspiration to get you started.

Challenges Entered:
Back to Basics #5 - Heat Embossing
Through the Craftroom Door 6/19 - AG
Tuesday Throwdown #397 - On My Mind
Pammies Inky Pinkies #1824 - AG

Addicted to Stamps & More #286 - Anything Goes

I love an anything goes challenge, which is what we have for you this week at ATSM.  I pulled out my new Lilac stamp from Penny Black and used Calypso Coral, Old Olive and Rich Razzleberry (from CC&S's color challenge) to work on Challenge #286 at Addicted to Stamps & More.

I know these aren't typical lilac colours, but the stamp's flower is versatile and doesn't need to be limited to lilacs.  After using the three ink colors on watercolor paper, I went back in with an aqua painter and added a more color for a layered look.  The leaves have some of the Calypso Coral and Rich Razzleberry mixed with Old Olive, which created the brownish color for the stems. The flowers popped when I added Rich Razzleberry to the coral blooms.  A Lil Inkers die cut sentiment is inlaid.  Not sure that I like where the sequins are placed, but the big one at the top is hiding a little splotch of green ink!!  Oops!

Come and play with the ATSM's anything goes challenge this week!  Take at peek at the DT creations here!

Challenges Entered:
Cards In Envy 4/2 - Get Negative!

Playing with Watercolors . . .

. . . and another entry at the Right At Home Shop's celebration's for National craft Month.  Today's post is about trying a watercolor technique.  I have to admit, I'm a little reticent with watercolors.  I think part of my reluctance is not giving enough time to play with them and then there's the hard time with letting go of control of the results!!  This card turned out okay, though. 

I started out by using white embossing powder for the sentiment from Right At Home's Script Greetings stamp set and then getting my watercolor paper wet and laying down a couple of colors behind it.  I used an aqua painter to layer more colors;  the striation effect with the blues and greens was a happy accident, but I liked it!  I painted random colors for the flowers and leaves on another scrap of paper and then stamped the flowers from Right At Home's Abstract Florals and fussy cut around them.  Some of the leaves are drawn free-hand  and fussy cut.  The wispy leaves are die cuts from another company (as are the flower centers).  Three pink sequins finished this card off.

I had enough fun today that I am researching watercolor paper and paints to see if I want to add to my collection!!  I hope you will share your preferences in the comments!

Challenges Entered: 

Crafty Girls Creations #45/ - AG
A Perfect Time to Craft #03/ - AG
Just Us Girls #433/ - Photo Challenge 
Happy Little Stampers March Watercolor/   

CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #246 - Sketch Challenge

It's a sketch challenge week on the CAS Colours & Sketches blog.  At first, I thought I would use balloons for this sketch, but Right At Home's Abstract Floral stamp set called to me instead.  I pulled out my Distress Inks, watercolor paper, and my spray bottle and went to work! After stamping the first layer and letting it dry over night, the outlines and details were stamped with SU! inks.  The sentiment was on my desktop from a different card (because I sampled different colors of embossing powder and the orange was a reject for that card, but perfect for this one!).  I'm not so crazy about all of the dots in the background - there are too many of them, but once they're stamped you can't take them back!  Lesson learned!

The color combination makes for a lovely fall birthday card and I have just the person in mind to give it to!  Last week, the leaves on the trees in my neighborhood had these colors in them.  After some rain this weekend, most are off the trees - and out weather folks are predicting snow next weekend . . . brrrr!  I'm not ready for that!

Hope to see your card in the CC&S gallery this week.  Pop over and check out the DT's inspiration!



Challenges Entered:
A2Z Scrapbooking October Challenge/ - Watercolor
A Bit More Time to Craft #54/ - AG
Penny Black & More October /- Close to Nature
Stamping Sensations October/ - Autumn Glory
Inspired By All the Little Things #69/ - photo challenge

CAS Colours & Sketches #245 - Colour Challenge

Happy Tuesday, CC&S Fans!

The third Tuesday of the month means a color challenge and Emily has a great combination for us this week.  I used two stamps from Altenew's Bamboo Rose set and Scripty Sayings 2 Gina K Designs' for my card.  My fellow DT member Samantha uses watercolors so beautifully on her cards, I was inspired to give them a try this week and combined pulled out some gold embossing powder for the line work.  It's a beautiful combination!  Thanks for the inspiration, Samantha!

Check out the rest of the DT work here and then share your creation in the CAS Colours and Sketches gallery this week!  We're announcing a DT call; read more about it on the CC&S Blog.

Challenges Entered:
Addicted to Stamps #155/- AG with Flowers
Glitter 'N' Sparkle #261/ - AG
Penny Black October - Close to Nature
Sweet Stampin' Oct 14/ - Sparkle & Shine
Colour Crazy Challenge #41/ - AG
Creative Knockouts #215/ - CAS

CAS Colours and Sketch #232 - Colour Challenge

Hi Everyone,

Another new 2017-18 In-Color for you to try with this week's CC&S challenge.  This one is Powder Pink, which reminds me of the pink ballet leotards are made in.  It's very similar to Blushing Bride, but with a little less brown undertone.   I have to admit, this isn't my first card.  It's not even my second card!  The colors challenged me a bit because I was determined to make the Powder Pink and Soft Sky the feature colors.

I worked on watercolor paper using the smoosh technique with Powder Pink and Soft Sky inks.  I applied the ink to a scrap of clear acetate, spritzed the paper with water and let the inks work their magic.  Because the colors are soft, it needed a little more dimension. Using a very old SU stamp,  the splash of extra dots were created by stamping directly on the paper.

The Night of Navy birthday script is a die from MFT and the border die is from Avery Elle.

I hope you will come and play in the gallery this week - but first, pop by the CC&S blog and peek at the rest of the DT's creations!

Challenges Entered:
Happy Little Stampers July 2017/ - CAS Birthday
Crafty Friends Challenge #62/ - Florals
My Time to Craft #350/ - In the Garden
Simply Papercraft #48/ - AG
That's Crafty! July 7/ - AG

Making Memories Crafting Challenge - Team B

A while back I was invited to join the Making Memories Crafting Challenge Blog DT and I am thrilled to share my first card for them with you. I got a little ahead of myself and had my card go live on the first day of the challenge, but my day to post is the 15th of the month - oops!!  Newbie jitters!

My card features rectangles using images from three stamps sets from Right At Home Stamps.  I'm a little obsessed with them right now and having fun with the purchase I made a couple of months ago.  The tea cups are from a set called Cup of Joy , the sentiment is from an accompanying set called How Have You Bean?, and the cup decorations are from Abstract Florals.

Luckily, I had a whole day to play as I created this card!  Instead of using Copics, I decided to pull out my Distress Inks and work on the no-line faux watercolor technique.  I used the variety of colors of 1" ink cubes in my stash to create contrast.  It was a great adventure in mixing colors rather than layering on the same color.  I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.

Take a peek HERE at the inspiration from the rest of the Making Memories Crafting Challenge DT  has created for you this month.  We have two fabulous sponsors.  The Cutting Cafe is giving 3 cutting files to one winner and Cute As A Button is giving 3 digis to a second winner.  Hope you play along with us this month!

Making Memories Crafting Challenge #7 - Anything But A Square

A while back I was invited to join the Making Memories Crafting Challenge Blog DT and I am thrilled to share my first card for them with you.  My card features rectangles using images from three stamps sets from Right At Home Stamps.  I'm a little obsessed with them right now and having fun with the purchase I made a couple of months ago.  The tea cups are from a set called Cup of Joy , the sentiment is from an accompanying set called How Have You Bean?, and the cup decorations are from Abstract Florals.

Luckily, I had a whole day to play as I created this card!  Instead of using Copics, I decided to pull out my Distress Inks and work on the no-line faux watercolor technique.  I used the variety of colors of 1" ink cubes in my stash to create contrast.  It was a great adventure in mixing colors rather than layering on the same color.  I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.

Take a peek HERE at the inspiration from the rest of the Making Memories Crafting Challenge DT  has created for you this month.  We have two fabulous sponsors.  The Cutting Cafe is giving 3 cutting files to one winner and Cute As A Button is giving 3 digis to a second winner.  Hope you play along with us this month!

Challenges Entered:
4 Crafty Chicks #358/
- Stamping - No Digis
Craft Rockets #39/ - AG
Crafting By Designs July Challenge/ - AG
Watercooler Wednesday #126/ - Feminine AG
Deep Ocean Challenge #158/ - Lots of layers
Crafty Cardmakers #192/ - Tic-Tac-Toe {Heat embossing, stamp, summer (colors)}

CAS Colours & Sketches #224 - Sketch Challenge

I knew just the perfect stamp to use when I saw Emily's sketch for this week's CAS Colours & Sketch Challenge and went right to the Stamping Bella section of my collection and pulled out Edward the Edgy Bunny!  Along the way, I noticed MFT's Label Makers stamp set and decided to use it to create the small rectangle shape from the sketch.    

   

I stamped the bunny in grey on watercolor paper and attempted the no-line watercolor look with Distress Inks and then fussy cut around the shape.  I love the way it turned out.  

Pop over to the CAS Colours and Sketches Blog for some DT inspiration.  I hope you decide to give this sketch a try!  I can't wait to see how folks interpret this week's sketch in the gallery.    
Challenges Entered:
Colouring in Scrapland 5/15 - AG
Simon Says Stamp 5/22 - Little Critters
Creative Craft Cottage #88 - Critter
Pile It On #130 - Animals

CAS Colours & Sketches #222 - Sketch Challenge

This week is a sketch challenge for the the CAS Colours and Sketches Blog this week and Karen is our designer.

I'm using a free digi called Spring Poppy, posted on the A Day for Daisies Facebook Community.  ADFD artist, Tammy Seimers Thompson inspired me to keep the coloring simple with a video she posted.  I loved both of her videos, so I combined her two ideas for my card.  A little color and some splatters!  It's a super-quick technique with either Distress inks or watercolors.













Pop by the CAS Colours & Sketches Blog - check out the DT inspiration and then play along with us this week!







Challenges Entered:
Crafty Cardmakers #188 - Add a Sentiment
Incy Wincy Designs May1 - CAS
Crafting When We Can #143 - CAS

Sketch Saturday - Sketch #388

We're back with a new sketch for you at Sketch Saturday.  This one was perfect for the leaf I embossed on watercolor paper (a year ago) and added the embossed sentiment to for a sympathy card.  I colored the leaf with a variety of old SU! markers and watercolor brush.  I decided to keep the card CAS, so back in the scrap drawer, I noticed a discarded embossed card back, and used the debossed side of embossing folder in the background.

Stop by the SS Blog to check out the DT inspiration and play along for a chance to win this week's prize from sponsor, Bunny Zoe Crafts.








Challenges Entered:
CASology #173/ - Cue word: Pretty
Cards in Envy /- Extra Layers
Color Throwdown #369/
Crafty Gals #46/ - Use scraps
Aud Sentiments #145 /- AG + a sentiment

4 Crafty Chicks #257 - AG

It's my last post as a GDT member for the 4 Crafty Chicks.   It's been fun to be on the team and I wish them well.  I know I'll continue to enter their challenges!

The fifth Thursday of any month is a"Crazy Egg" or anything goes challenge for the Chicks, so this one should get your creativity revved up.  I decided to do a little something different and tried one of the watercolor techniques for my card.  I dug out an SU!'s long-retired stamp set, Petal Prints and inked up the open daisy with Daffodil Delight (at the center), Melon Mambo (middle), and Antique Linen Distress Ink (tips), spritzed with water and pressed!  Sounds easy, right?!?  I was in my craft room for hours getting this right!  Placement of the flowers around the sentiment, masking, and color combination!  One of those cards that took a whole lot longer than I thought.  It kind of works that way, doesn't it??  I'm pleased with the results, though. . .  love the look of it.

Stop over at the 4 Crafty Chicks to see what the DT has for you this week.  See you in the gallery!



Challenges Entered:
Fantastic Tuesday #96/ - Make it Feminine
Creative Inspirations #323 - Flowers
Addicted to Stamps & More #155/ - Photo Inspiration
Crafty Gals Corner #30/ - AG

SugarPea Designs December Challenge Theme - Anything Goes!

Gotta love an anything goes challenge and SugarPea has one for you this month!   

I decided to keep my card simple and get ready for some of the thank you cards I will be writing after Christmas.  I dug out some watercolor paper and just played around with dropping splots of color on the wet paper.  After the paper was dry,  I stamped the three trees from the Merry Christmoose stamp set and then doodled in some more color.  At this point, I almost trashed the idea and thought about starting again with my Copics - but I hung in there!  I cut out the window using the Gift Tag Sugar Cuts Die.  The sentiment and doodles are done by hand and my ScorePal was used for the horizontal lines inside the doodle.

Using the tag die to cut the window was fairly simple.

Here are the steps I used:

 STEP 1:
•Mark how big you want the square to be on the edges of the die.
•Tape the die where you want the window on the paper.

STEP 2:
•Move the die so the marks you made are lined up with the end of the plate. Your die and paper will hang off of the platform - which is what you want so it doesn't cut the paper.

After you make the first cut, your window will look like this!
One more cut left . . .




STEP 3:
•To cut the fourth side, turn your die around and place the rounded corner side on the uncut edge of the square.
•Line up the side edges in the grooves of the die.
    •Tape it down.


Tip:
•Only run this last side through the machine and then back it out.  I just do mine to the point where I hear it cut and not any farther.  That way I don't have to worry about how exact I lined up the sides of the die with the already cut square.




This is a great way to get  more options out of one die!  To be honest, I am more in love with the idea of the card than this actual card.  I think I will be playing around a little more with using a simple window and a few of the "extra" stamps to create some quick thank you cards.  Hmmmm - how about a window with heat embossed snowflakes and a watercolor wash over them?!?  So many ideas and so little time (right now!!).

Play along with the December anything goes challenge.  The prize is a $10 gift certificate to the SugarPea store; if the winner uses a SugarPea stamp, the prize is increased to $15!




Challenges Entered:
Love to Create #146 - Create a Scene
Sentimental Sundays #237 - AG
Sister Act #87 - AG

Sketch Saturday - Sketch #326

Happy Saturday, Sketchers!  Our own DT member, Lizy is sponsoring this week's challenge with a gift pack from Stampin' Up!  Lizy is an Independent Demonstrator, so I am sure she has some fabulous things in store for this week's winner.

Lizy created the sketch, too.  I had fun with it, even though my card didn't turn out like I was originally picturing in my head.  I have been playing around with the faux watercolor technique lately.  Part of me wants to break down and buy a set of watercolors rather than making due with my SU! watercolor markers, inks and my limited selection of Distress Inks.   It would probably be better to invest a little money on the small Distress Inks using coupons from Michaels!   We'll see what happens and how long I practice impulse control!

My card uses one of the Lil' Inkers Designs Stitched Rectangle Mats, their Stitched Oval Mats, a crocheted flower my SIL made, an old felt flower center from SU! and their French Script stamp for the background.  The main image is called Jar Bouquet from Stampendous.  Take a look at the variety of ways the Sketch Saturday DT used Lizy's sketch here.

Challenges Entered:
ppinkydolls #1 - AG
Crafty Girls Challenge #26- AG
Through the Craft Room Door - AG
Crafting From the Heart #34 - AG
Clear It Out - AG/AG
Inky Chicks #37 - Stitching (real or faux)

Sister Act - Challenge #73

Back again with another card using the faux watercolor technique this week for Sister Act.  This one uses MFT's Pretty Poppies Stamp.  After inking the flowers, leaves, and stems, then spritzing each with water, I masked off the image and used the script stamp that comes with the set to stamp the background.  I purposefully used a darker ink in the center around the flowers to provide a little shading and visual interest.

This will be my last week on the Sister Act DT.  Life has gotten a little hectic and I need to cut back.  It's been a great experience and I will always be grateful to Jenn and Tricia for launching me into DT work and for starting a blog.

Fitztown is the Sister Act Sponsor this week.  Stop by the blog to be inspired by the DT's creations.

Color Challenge #489

Sister Act - Challenge #72

Digital Delights is this week's sponsor for the new Sister Act anything goes challenge.

My card is a CAS card using a faux watercolor technique.  I inked up flowers and leaves from Avery Elle's Thanks a Bunch and spritzed them with water.  The embossing folder provides the background and the sentiment is from PTI.

Challenges Entered:
The Pink Elephant #265/ - AG
Through the Craft Room Door 8/26-9/1/ - AG
Tuesday Throwdown #210 /- AG
Clear it Out /- Color challenge (salmon, green)
Creative Inspirations #278/ - Flower Power
Cute Card Thursday #336 /- AG
Crafty Girls #25 /- AG

Sketch Saturday - Sketch #323

Another Sketch Saturday for all of you sketch fans this week! Alex is our sketch designer and Bunny Zoe is the sponsor.

I have with another card from Penny Black's stamp set, Dahlias.  This is a different stamp from the set than was used for the card I posted a couple of weeks ago.  This time I used watercolor paper, embossing powder and water based inks to give a watercolor look to my card.













I bought the set when it was available from The Paper Trail, a wonderful online shop that is an especially fabulous resource for Canadian card makers.  Chelsea is having a clearance sale, so it's worth popping over for a look.

Speaking of "popping over" - you won't want to miss the great inspiration the Sketch Saturday DT has for you this week.   Take some time to relax and play along with us this week!

Challenges Entered:
Little Red Wagon #250 - Birthday
Crafty Girls #24 - AG
Southern Girls - All About the Texture
Seize the Birthday - AG
Card Mania #53 - Birthday