CAS

Hello Spring…..

Hi there everyone. So – in the midst of snow flurries and windy/icy conditions yesterday – I made a card for Spring. I know – but that’s how my mind works……..! Maybe it was wishful thinking…….

Here is my card:

I have been ‘trying’ to sort out my stamps and dies – putting them in pockets, sorting alphabetically by company (O.C.D. much!) and came across this stamp set I have never used. I don’t have the matching dies for this set, so I started by trying to create a one-layer-card…….then realised Copic colouring just doesn’t work with one-layer-cards – too much seepage through the card. So – I matted it onto a card base.

I stamped the images as you see, then masked the bottom of them to stamp the little floral/grass arrangement repeatedly across the bottom. The Copic colouring I kept to the same colours, to kinda join the image together. I did a little shading, but with these images, a solid block of colour works quite well, I think.

One thing about the middle little bunny – I didn’t realise until colouring her that the stamped image has a sad kind of look, so I took an Artliner pen and drew a smile………….but I think I added a moustache instead……what do you think?

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Freshly Made Sketches – sketch

Addicted to Stamps Challenge – anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – create a scene

AAA Cards – sentiment + 3 = sentiment + stamped image/colouring pens/one matted layer

A second jump for joy..!

A very quick posting today, to add a card put together for a couple of challenges:

Looking through some of the challenges I enter, and am inspired by, I came across the colours for the MFT colour Challenge – Teal, Wisteria, Cream, Apple, and the the theme for the current challenge at CASology – ‘Bounce’.

I know I used this little sheep yesterday, but having just received the Neat and Tangled ‘Jump For Joy‘ stamp and die set from Seven Hills Crafts – this little trampoline was just begging to be used! So – instead of the little images in that stamp set, I coloured my little sheep with the wisteria shades of Copics……..just because I could………used the other challenge colours as you see………and there we have it.

A bouncing sheep – trampolining – but not looking quite sure that they are enjoying it……. I just realised the look on it’s face…….I may have to change that to a grin – just a little.

I hope to catch you again very soon – :)

Jump For Joy

Hi there. Another card to share with you today, based on the current colours at Color Throwdown – coral red, blue, green, Kraft:

I used the MFT ‘Over The Moon For You’ stamp and die set, stamping the images and colouring in the challenge colours – with an added grey neutral for the sheep.

The Distress Oxide blue background using the ink blending technique – not too dark, just a hint of the sky. The green hillock was a piece of card coloured using the emerald green Copic, then die cut from the matching die set.

The coral red component was for colouring the little flowers, and Kraft for the fence and background card.

No sunshine here today to take the picture, but at least it was day-light!

I shall also be entering this card into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, with the theme of ‘anything goes’.

Have a good one, and I’ll see you again soon. :) Lynda

Find Beauty in the Simple Things

Hello again. Another session in my craft room today. I have one card I am still working on, and this card:

We’ve had some sun here in the UK for the past few days – quite warm during those sunny spells – and I managed to take a photo where I prefer to – in the sun in the back garden.

This card is using a stamp set from Uniko – currently having free world-wide shipping on orders over £30!! Wow!! (I believe that ends at 8am GMT 25/02/19) Seeing that offer, gave me the idea to use one of Bev’s stamps for this card.

The colour scheme is for the current challenge at CAS Colours and Sketches – Pear Pizzazz, So Saffron and Daffodil Delight; the layout is for the current challenge at AAA Cards – CAS one corner with optional twist of ‘music‘ – obviously not following the optional twist – and Addicted to Stamps and More, who are looking for a CAS card.

Now – back to try and finish my other card, currently drying following some water-colouring…………. :)

CASology Bouquet

Hello everyone. I have a card for you today that is for the Guest Designer position this week at CASology: (little jumpy dance!)

The cue word is ‘BOUQUET’, and let me tell you – I actually struggling with a stamp set and design for this card………..

I hunted through my stash and took out several stamps to consider, but as you can see – I finally settled on Altenew ‘Celebrations‘ stamp set and this little bouquet image, along with a sentiment from the same stamp set.

I stamped it on a separate piece of card first and tried several variations of colour with my Copics, then decided on this layout, and these colours. The stamp itself is quite sketchy – so I went that way with the colouring too – no shading, and not quite filling in the leaves and flowers.

It ended up being a one layer card – very, very unusual for me – but I am really pleased with how this looks.

I hope you can play along this week, and I look forward to seeing what you can create. :)

Colour Layering Trimmings

Hello everyone. I am pleased and excited to announce that here is the first post as fully-fledged Design team member at ABC Christmas Challenge.

The current challenge is the start of the New Year, and the start of the alphabet. Goodness – there are some amazing themes coming up – I hope you can play along. I have discovered an amazing and friendly team, I have learnt how to use blogger – a little, anyway – and I’ve discovered that I’m going to be making Christmas cards all year long. All. Year. Long.

All those will be posted here, and will all be posted on Instagram. Please say hello when you see our cards.

The first challenge is ‘A’ and ‘B’, of course. The theme being anything goes, and/or berries. Now, I hunted everywhere for berry stamps or dies, and couldn’t find anything with berries that I really wanted to use. What I did find, was this unused, yet been with me for ages, Hero Arts Colour Layering Trimmings stamp and dies.

Here is the card – anything goes (Christmas):

I stamped the layers of the leaves on a white piece of card, then added to a green and white card base – then stamped some more, die cut them, and added to the edge for dimension.

I wanted to give the impression of a Christmas Tree hanging over the edge of the card.

I hope you are able to come and join the fun, and I look forward to seeing your makes – and I even get to comment officially now – yay!

I shall also be entering this card into the following challenges:

AAA cards – three of something – (three added branches)

Clean and Simple on Friday – CAS Christmas card

The Alphabet Challenge blog – ‘T’ for Trees

Joy Wreath dies

Hello there. Having time to craft today, I started off with one project – and came up with this one. Does that happen to anyone else?

It’s only a few more days until I begin my first challenge as Design Team member for the ABC Christmas Challenge, but in the meantime I have this card for you:

I was looking for some holly stamps – for some reason I don’t have many that I could put my hands on – then I remembered my Catherine Pooler ‘box’. I have a whole storage box where I put my Catherine Pooler stamps and dies – there is a bunch of stamps I’ve never used, and I came across this die set from the Winterhaven collection.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m learning all about alcohol markers – Spectrum Illustrators and Copics. I recently bought some Copics from Ebay – and I really, really see the attraction. What amazing pens these are – totally fallen for them. And – I think I’ve developed a ‘full set’ syndrome……help me now!

I’ve been doing a little internet searching and currently reading all about Copics from the Copic Marker Tutorial page, and the Kit and Clowder tutorials. Still not feeling relaxed and chilled when colouring, but enjoying the process of learning.

This card is made from the die cut wreath, with the individual parts coloured simply with Copics, and adhered to the card base.

The sentiment is cut from a Copic coloured piece of card, with several layers underneath for just that little dimension.

I may have to return to my craft room to complete the project I was initially going to do – I think I can manage that. :) :)

I shall be entering this card into the following challenges:

Stamplorations CAS card challenge – CAS with option to use green

CASology – CAS Holly

Simple Christmas

Hello everyone. I have remiss in my blogging recently, as I have been busy with work and family ‘stuff’. I have doing a little colouring and playing the past few days, and trying to build a stock of Christmas cards for a charity thingy in a few weeks.

Here is an example of one – including my attempt at alcohol marker colouring! (I think I need to get the grey’s a little less blendy!)

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I used the Lawn Fawn ‘Quilted Backdrop‘ die for the – well – backdrop……and layered with foam pads to create a little dimension.

The little hippo is from Clearly Besotted – ‘Hippo Christmas’ – and coloured with Altenew Alcohol Markers. I love these markers, but am finding a problem with colouring of animals – browns and greys etc…….I may have to invest in some Copics! Any ideas on colours I should purchase?

I am not a huge fan of colouring, and actually struggle with sitting down to do it. I have quite a few hippos and deer and penguins stamped – just not coloured. I don’t know why I don’t just get them coloured – maybe it’s because I find colouring a ‘task’, and not something I would think to turn to for relaxing……I’ll keep looking at the YouTube videos and keep trying…..

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps – Holiday

Allsorts Challenge – Christmas

The Holly and the Ivy Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Christmas at Sweet Stamping – anything goes Christmas

 

 

A Tweet note

Here I have a one layer very clean and simple card following the colours and sketch layout of a couple of challenges:

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I used the MFT ‘A Tweet Hello’ stamp set and three of the little birdy images, stamped directly onto the card base, and coloured with my Zigs. I don’t have the exact Stampin Up colours named on the challenge, but I tried to match as best I could. The sentiment is from the same stamp set. (And…………no smudges. Yay!)

I had this set in mind as I have a colleague going through some exam issues at the moment, and I liked the sentiments.

The colours of the birds are from the current challenge at Just Add Ink, and the layout from the current sketch challenge at CASE(E) This Sketch.

Trying to photograph this card in the fading light was a challenge, but I had a little help:

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This is Rosie, otherwise known as Girly Girl or Fluffy One. It all depends on what we feel like calling her, and whether she is in an affectionate mood – or not! Having lost one of our two cats at 14 years of age earlier this year, we decided to obtain not one cat as companion for our main big boy – Spike – but two more cats. She has a brother Jim – …..Rosie and Jim. 12 years old from the Cat Protection League. I am sure he’ll appear in a card photo in the future……

:)

 

Altenew Folksy Florals

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Hello there. I have a bright and cheerful one layer, clean and simple card for you today. I was playing with this new stamp set from Altenew – ‘Folksy Florals’ – and decided that these stamps are just crying out for bright and vibrant colours.

As some off the stamps are solid, I turned to my Catherine Pooler inks, as they give great coverage from the get-go.

I played around with the colours, and just swapped and changed for each flower, leaves, and stem. The sentiment is also from the same stamp set, just mixing around the multitude of words and phrases you are supplied with. Who says you can’t have blue, purple and orange leaves?

I didn’t actually follow their guide for stamping and adding the different bits to each flower, and just went with the flow. It was actually quite hard to stop myself, so much so that I carried on and created some backgrounds with this set – I just kept stamping and stamping.

I shall be entering the current challenge at Addicted To Stamps, with the theme of ‘clean and simple‘.

Have a great day, and I’ll catch up with you soon – but not until I have watched the England match this afternoon!