Brushos

Sending Snowflake Kisses

Hello there. I have been playing with different media over the weekend, and trying some new techniques. One of those I want to share on a card:

This card took quite a bit of thinking about – and a few changes along the way.

I started by die cutting the Hero Arts snowflakes ornament die out of silver glitter card stock, cutting off the ornament topper to create a circle. I then die cut a silver circle frame using a couple of different sized circle dies, and layered on top.

The blue background to the circle, which was previously created using Brushos, again die cut with a circle die and adhered to the back of the snowflakes.

For the background panel, I tried the ink pad to embossing folder technique – on both sides – debossed and embossed, to see what happened. I tried this several times, with different blue Distress inks, and liked this debossed panel the best. I adhered that to the white card base using 3D foam, then stuck down the snowflakes circle.

I wanted a little more bling, so I added some separate snowflakes die cut in the same silver glitter card, from a Pinkfresh Studio set, snipping and placing as you see – of course – this would have been easier had I done this prior to adhering the circle – but there we are……

I added the foiled sentiment – and then decided to add more shine by adding a little silver gem to each of the little snowflakes in the circle…….who knew there were many of them in there?

I shall be entering the following challenges:

CYHTP – embossing folder – option Christmas

We Love 2 Create – anything goes mixed media

Beyond The Blue – snowflakes

Peace On Earth Christmas – anything goes Christmas

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Snow Season

Hello there. I have a CAS card to share today:

I had some of this blue ‘creation’ card left over and decided to use it for this card.

The blue card was created by putting glue onto a plain white card, placing tissue paper on top – moving it around a little to create some wrinkles – spritzing it with water, and then adding Brushos. More water, some tipping to let the colour move around – and then let it dry.

Once dry, I rubbed some gold wax over the top to create some wrinkles, and then die cut the four letters. Rub the wrinkles before die cutting, as sometimes the wrinkles can be flattened a little.

I then die cut the same letters from white card stock another two times, and layered all three together.

The sentiment is from a previous foiling session.

I’ve tried to capture the shine and colour on the letters, as well as the dimension.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Addicted to CAS – CAS – layered

Creative Artiste Mixed Media – anything goes mixed media

Winter Wonderland – Christmas and let it snow

TTCRD – anything goes


Meowy Christmas

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge has started a new ‘anything goes Christmas’ challenge. Here is my card:

I first started by creating the acetate layer you see behind the cat. This is a technique demonstrated years ago by Sue Wilson – the ‘caught in crystal’ technique. I have tried it a few times and always like the result.

Onto acetate you squirt clear lacquer, spread it around, add Brushos or colour bursts. I also added some bits of glitter for a little sparkle, then add a layer of tissue paper – scrunch and spread that around so it all has contact with the colours and the lacquer – then let it dry. I left this overnight.

Meantime, I die cut the layer with curved rectangle dies, then die cut the ‘peeking cat’, adding some black gel pen to the eyes and nose.

I then heat embossed the sentiment you see.

When the acetate panel was dry, I die cut a circle to fit behind the cat, used red liner tape to adhere it, then used 3D foam to stick that down to a white card base.

I hope you can come and join us with your Christmas/festive creations. I look forward to seeing you in our gallery. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies – anything goes with a critter

Crafty Animals – anything goes with an animal

Crafting Happiness – anything goes

Stamplorations CAS challenge – CAS anything goes (option blue and purple not taken)

Wishing You Warm Winter Fuzzies

Hello once again. I have had the opportunity to use one of the Brusho and Sparkle pen backgrounds I created last week to create this CAS card:

The main card is die cut with a Lawn Fawn backdrop die, and stuck down onto the glittery, splattery and inky background.

The Snowman is from Mama Elephant, and I used a technique taught by Jenn Shurkus in a recent virtual craft session – outline a white object with C1 Copic marker. When we did her class it was polar bears, but I see now that it also works for snowmen, and therefore not complicated, and actually adds some dimension without being too fussy……

The sentiment is from the same stamp set.

No adding of extras, keeping the card quite simple and showcasing the blue background – though it was difficult trying to get a picture of the glitteryness – and the snowman.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

CASology – CAS Snowman

CAS on Sunday – CAS Best Wishes

CAS Mix Up – CAS splatters and stamping and one other from the list (die-cutting)

We Love To Create Challenge – atg mixed media (see guidelines for mixed media usage – very helpful!)

For your blog


Glittery and Inky Snowflakes

Hi. A quick post to share some inky backgrounds with some very glittery snowflakes.

For the two darker blue backgrounds, I used Tim Holtz Water-colour card, Brushos, Crafters Companion sparkle pens, and lots of water, and smooshing.

For the teal background I used the same card stock, lots of water, and ink smooshed with the sparkle pens on top of Peacock Feathers Distress ink.

The snowflakes are a mixture of Tim Holtz and Simon Says Stamp die cut out of bright silver glitter card. The sentiment is from Lawn Fawn.

Some of the glimmer and shine:

and a cat who wanted to help place the card in the right place for the photo:

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Cup Cake Inspirations – photo inspiration

Always Fun Challenges – Christmas

Allsorts Challenge – sparkle and shine

MMM Challenge – create own background – in an inky way – smooshing/water-colour/Brushos etc

Christmas Craft Creations – Christmas and Winter Blues

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Never Doubt Yourself

Hi once again. I hope you are all well. I have a card to share today using Brushos and playing:

I have had this stamp set from Thirsty Brush and Co for quite a while – it was a members gift from Create and Craft. I knew I wanted to colour it at some point, but whilst I was adding items to Color My Life app – I came across it again – just after I was sorting through my Brusho and water-colours……

Again – finding things and playing whilst also sorting – that’s why it’s taking me so long…….well – and the fact I have so much stuff!

I used some Arteza water-colour card, stamped then white heat embossed the butterfly image, and then played. And got messy……so much fun!

I wet the card, then dropped in a couple of Brusho colours – some I moved around, some I left very vivid – then let it dry.

When it was dry…………………I didn’t like it. I didn’t think the butterfly and the flowers on the butterfly were obvious enough. I was ready to throw it in the bin – when I remembered what the stamp set is called. ‘Never Doubt Yourself’.

So – I made a card anyway – and the more I look at it, the more I like it – the colours, the wildness, the sentiment…….so here we are! An encouraging card – maybe I should send it to myself…………..! 🙂

I shall be entering the following challenges:

IAAS – Flowers and butterflies -(on the one stamp)

Animal Friends Challenge – see an insect

Crafty Card Makers – Butterflies

Happy Little Stampers Water-colour Challenge – watercolour with option to emboss

Arty Divas Challenge – anything goes

Fusion Card Challenge – sketch =/- photo (photo)

Stitched Flowers

Hi everyone, I have some days off now, and so will be able to spend some time in my craft room. It’s been busy at work, and – to be honest – I haven’t felt much like crafting when I got in.

However, having just received a Stampin Up order and the newest Catherine Pooler collection – on the same day!!!!! – well, those creative juices started to flow.

Even though this card isn’t using those new products, the die cuts were sitting on my craft table waiting for me to put this card together for this coming Sunday – Mother’s Day here in the UK:

I used some yellow Brusho’s and green Brusho’s on damp water-colour card, let it dry, then die cut these gorgeous Lawn Fawn ‘Stitched Flowers‘ dies.

I wanted a bright and colourful card, but not a solid yellow for the images. I did think about using my Copics for the yellow and green – but went with a more ‘uneven’ look.

The background is an embossing folder from Crafters Companion – a leaf image – and I think adds some detail to an otherwise too plain background. I didn’t try to match the folder on both layers, though I could have done, but again didn’t want such a structured look and taking away from the actual flower die cuts.

The card is actually 8 inches square, so I felt it needed something behind the flowers.

And I did it again with the sentiment – I stamped it after I had embossed the background, and after I had put the card together – thank goodness for the stamping platforms – that’s all I can say!!

I shall be entering this into the following challenges:

The Rainbow Card Challenge – yellow

Watercooler Challenges – occasions

Cut It Up Challenge – flowers and die cuts

Now I’m off to play with my new stuff…………. 🙂

Orange Wild rose

Hello again everyone. I have spent a lot of time in my craft room today, as an escape and a ‘take your mind off’ kinda day. I mentioned I had a poorly cat a couple of weeks ago – Spike – well overnight I took him to the vets, and had to make the decision to let him go. 😦

He has been with us for almost 15 years, a humongous black cat, but the time was right. We lost his brother last year, after a short illness, so at least we can put them both together when we get dear Spike back. We do have two other cats, which we bought to keep Spike company last year, so they are getting really, really spoiled today!

Crafting for me has always been a release, an escape, and a time for me to relax and concentrate on what I am doing at that point. I use crafting as a stress reliever, and sometimes just going and splashing some water-colour down on some card, colouring a little small image, adding some double-sided sticky sheet to some card ready for when I might need it again, is all it takes.

These cards are made using Brusho crystals on water-colour card, and die cutting the Altenew ‘3D Wild Rose‘ die set – once it had dried, of course:

Before I stuck the layers together, I splashed a little Winsor and Newton black water-colour onto them. I have splashed in the past, but this time I wanted actual ‘blackness’, not too watered-down. I also added some black Nuvo drops too.

The background is the Altnew ‘Cozy Flannel Cover Die‘, removing the larger white squares, but leaving the smaller pieces in the die cut. This was a little easier than thought it was going to be…….

The sentiment is also from an Altenew stamp set, and kept on a plain white strip so it doesn’t take away from the rose and leaves too much.

Here are the other versions:

and two waiting for me to add a sentiment:

I shall be entering one of these cards into the following challenges:

Watercooler Challenges – all about occasions

Altenew February Challenge – picture inspiration – inspired by a single flower

Toulouse background

Hello again. I have made variations of colours with this card layout, using a couple of recent purchases.

The card was inspired by the current challenge from Inspired By All The Little Things, using their photo inspiration.

I used the Memory Box ‘Toulouse Background‘ die, which I think matches the florals in the photograph, and I cut it out of a range of water-coloured card I had been using my Brushos and Distress Oxides on. I must say my fingers were definitely multi-coloured once I had finished playing!

The floral die was stuck down onto the Altenew ‘Water-colour Stripes Cover Die’ which I kept white for a more subtle background to the floral image. I initially stuck it down with Crafters Companion spray adhesive – again I am disappointed in that spray. The floral image came away from the background yet again, so much so that I could peel it away and run it through my Xyron machine for a more permanent adhesive. I think I’ll call into my local Crafters Companion shop to see if I am doing anything wrong!

Here are the other cards I made along the same theme:

The sentiments are all from Stamps By Me, using Versafine black onyx. The variations in the cards and the die cut-out are my me removing part of the frame just to see what effect it gives. I do like to snip my die-cuts occasionally.

Even though this looks quite a simple card to put together, it did take some faffing around with the glue, and re-gluing – annoying! Gotta love the Xyron!