CAS

Floral abstract

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Hello again. I have had some new deliveries  – more in one day as the snow has gone and the delivery man could get in – so have took some time to create a card this morning.

I used the stamp set ‘Hope‘ from Altenew and some Altenew inks to make the flower and leaves. Some masking was involved, too, and I also used my new Misti creative corners. I can see I’ll be using those a lot in the future, even if it’s for lining the sentiments up – great for that.

I then used Lawn Fawn wonky stitched squares to cut it out, and embossed with an abstract die from Neat and Tangled – Modern Triangle Cover Plate die. I thought this design fit perfectly for the current challenge at CASology – cue word being ‘Abstract’. I didn’t think it took anything from the flower design, but also added a little interest.

The sentiment is a mix of words from the same Altenew ‘Hope‘ stamp set, and ‘mom’ is from The Ton ‘Fresh Cut Tulips’ – a stamp set I’ll be playing with very, very soon.

I know we don’t use ‘mom’ very much in the UK, but I really liked how it is quite quirky for us – I hope my mother-in-law agrees!

I shall be entering the following challenges:

CASology – cue word Abstract

Try It On Tuesday – mum/mothers day

Crafty Cardmakers – Floral Delight

 

CAS die cuts

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Good morning everyone. I have had a couple of hours this morning before I do my hospital run today, so I took inspiration from several challenges for this card.

I used the layout from the current sketch at CAS Colours and Sketches, used dry embossing for the tag for the challenges at Less Is More, and used only die cuts for the current challenge at AAA cards.

The black stripes were a challenge initially, but I remembered I had a vertical Stripes plate die from Reverse Confetti. I cut that out from black card, and used the cut-out stripes – usually the waste – to lay down on the card.

I then took a tag die from Stamps By Me, and after cutting it out, I embossed it with a Sue Wilson folder called ‘Twinkle Twinkle’, and stuck down the sentiment from the same tag die set, die cut with a piece of double-sided sticky sheet.

The three hearts are from a Catherine Pooler Stamp of Approval set.

A short posting today, but I hope you like it.

 

Friends

20180218_203048Hi everyone. I have moved away from the florals for a little while….for this card, anyway. I was inspired by the current challenge fro CASology, and as I had a delivery from Clearly Besotted this week, which included these cheeky monkeys…….off I went.

I know that many people are thinking Valentines at the moment, but I tend to buck the trend and think of other ways of ‘together’. This card is an homage to my best friend, and the sentiment taken from an Altenew stamp set just fits the bill nicely.

We are crazy when we are together, yet professional and somewhat calmer during our work time. In fact we hardly see each other at work, even when we worked within the same department. Which made it all the more special when we went away for a night or two. We are going away for the Uniko retreat this coming Saturday (24th), as we had so much lovely crafting time last time, we just had to! (Even though my bestie isn’t really a crafty card maker……..she just comes with me for the craic!)

So, this card….the images stamped in Versafine black onyx and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I actually stamped quite a few of them, as I didn’t know which of the images I wanted to use, and I didn’t know which colouring medium I would prefer.

I coloured some with my Zigs – the ones I used – and some with my Polychromos, then some with some Crafters Companion pencils. I then die cut them, arranged them on the card – fiddling several times – then added with 3D foam.

20180218_203102_001The sentiment is stamped in Versafine black onyx again, but not heat embossed. One thing I always seem to do – add the sentiment last, even when the card is complete except for the sentiment. How about if it stamped wrong?! I do like to live on the edge…..

 

 

Lilac Roses

Hello everyone. It’s been a week since I last posted, as I have been busy with family and hospital issues. I had a couple of hours this morning before going out again, so I gave myself permission to have a little crafty time.

This colours of this card were inspired by the current challenge from Color Throwdown, and I turned to a more clean and simple look.

The base card is Narwhal from Lawn Fawn, the white piece is cut with a Catherine Pooler die, and again embossed with a We R Memory Keepers embossing folder to give a really good 3D impression. The flowers are from Clearly Besotted and I used Altenew inks for each of the two layers for the roses, with a green Altenew ink for the leaves.

I die cut them, and arranged onto the white card, sticking them down with foam squares. As previously, I have not put a sentiment on it, but I may do in the future, though I quite like the look of the card as it is.

I will be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – lilac, green, grey, white

Addicted to Stamps and More – CAS

Simon Says Stamp – add a die cut

Clean and Simple on Sunday – CAS with dies

 

Sketchy colours

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Hello again. I will be spending some time in my craft room this weekend, and this is the first card I made today. It is using a range of different techniques – embossing, colouring, die cutting, stamping – but think I have kept it quite clean….

The rectangular card base has a layer of Lawn Fawn ‘Narwhal’ card (loving that grey card) then layered with white card which has been embossed using a Sweet poppy metallic stencil.

Now, I may have made a little mistake in using this stencil…… It is quite a large metal stencil, and when I took it out of my die cutting machine – it was a little bent! Well – not just a little! It was curved so much, I may not be able to use it as a stencil. I think the pressure and layers were too much. I straightened it a little, but I didn’t want to bend it too much, so I may be brave and run it through the opposite way – just to see if I can even it out a little more……I’ll let you know.

The Altenew ‘Hello Sunshine’ flowers were stamped and heat embossed, coloured with my Zigs, and die cut with the matching die set.  I arranged them underneath and on top of the banners, for a little dimension, but not too much.

The banners are from Sue Wilson, with the sentiment from ‘Hello Sunshine’ heat embossed with white onto the aqua card.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Freshly Made Sketches – sketch

Color Throwdown – aqua, orange, grey

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – layer it up

Cardz 4 Galz – anything but square

 

 

Somethings new, and old

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Hello there. I quick evening posting for this card, which I made yesterday. I had a delivery of the latest Catherine Pooler Stamp of Approval box, and I also ordered some more of her inks. I love her inks. Easy to use, stamp beautifully even on new stamps.

This stamp set is a new one from Uniko, paired with the new ink from Catherine Pooler ‘Royal Treatment’. A clean and simple design, using just the one ink colour on the white background.

The sentiment is from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous and stamped in the same colour.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

CASology – late

Uniko – something old, something new

QKR Stampede – anything goes

Stamplorations CAS challenge – CAS without optional twist

 

Hug Me!

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Good evening everyone. I have a little card for you today which I have been thinking about for a couple of days, and just this evening have gotten down to doin’ it.

I was inspired by several challenges again. I die cut the main image in a post-it note, stuck it to the card base, placed the Stampin Up stencil over the top, and used the three red/pink colours from one of the challenges below. I then moved the stencil a little, and inked the same three colours again. I did this to create a kind of ombre look……

After stamping the main image, I coloured him in using my Faber Castell pencils, again in three different red/pink colours. I tried a little blending, but I don’t think the card base was that suitable for this technique – but it doesn’t look toooooo bad, I don’t think!

I then stamped three individual hearts along the right hand side, in the three different coloured inks I used. No reason why I did that, just thought I would as I saw them sitting there in the same stamp set.

As I was going down the clean and simple route again, I judged my card as finished at that point – it would have been so easy to add bits here and there.

Anyhoo – here are the challenges I will be entering:

Paper Craft Crew Challenge – deep red, light pink, reddish pink, neutrals white and black

Moving Along With The Times – Clean and Simple

Simply Less Is More – Clean and Simple and cute, one layer card

Addicted to CAS – ombre

 

Simple sparkle

Hello again everyone. I have some time this weekend to do some crafting, and have put together these cards. I started to make these earlier in the week, and finally managed to complete them this morning.

The stamp set is from Uniko, one of their new stamp sets, and this time I have used the bud images from that set. After stamping with Versafine black onyx, I went in with my Polychromos to colour them, and even though they are quite small images, I still managed to give some dimension and blending to the flowers themselves.

I stamped the sentiment in black onyx too, as I like bold sentiments which stand out.

I then took a small piece of green glitter card from Crafters Companion, and die cut a strip from a Catherine Pooler collection I have, adding that for some added extra for a clean and simple piece of sparkle.

I am playing around with ways to photograph my cards, and these images came about as I have been putting my Christmas decorations on my table, and saw that this gorgeous plate – a Christmas present from a very dear friend – was just sat there, with some twig lights around it, looking all pretty……so I placed the cards on it.

I like how these turned out, and may have to keep the set-up for future cards.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

AAA Cards – CAS sparkle

Use Your Stuff – anything goes

QKR Stampede – anything goes

As You Like It – anything goes

Moving along with the times – flowers

 

 

 

 

Uniko Christmas Tree

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Hello everyone. I can’t believe it’s been two weeks since I posted to my blog. My goodness – time flies! I cut down my working days from 5 days to 4 days, and I seem to be even busier. Maybe it’s the time of year, and social occasions going strong.

I have been crafting and making some complicated Sue Wilson-type cards for family and then decided I needed some simpler cards as I seem to be falling way behind in making them.

I also went to the Uniko retreat in Stockton-On-Tees last Saturday. It was a great day, spending at least five hours playing with Uniko stamps, plenty of inking plenty of playing, and plenty of chat and coffee – my ideal day. Thanks Bev. :) :)

This tree stamp set is one I bought that day. I love the simplicity of the tree, and I find it is quite elegant.

I started by stamping the front tree in a red Altenew ink, masked it and stamped the green trees. I then added the sentiment from another Uniko set, stamping it in black, then heat embossing it with clear embossing powder.

I thought I’d photograph it with the snow in the background. It may not be a lot of snow compared to other places around the world, but it does seem to impact on travel in the UK quite quickly.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Aud sentiments challenge – Christmas and sentiment

Hand stamped sentiments – photo inspiration (trees and colours)

CAS on Sunday – CAS Christmas

Alphabet challenge – ‘T’ for trees

Uniko challenge – Christmas

 

Hold on to each other

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Hello everyone, just one card for today, though I am playing with other cards during the weekend, and I am sure you will be seeing them at some point this week.

This card was quite a simple idea, though it took a little planning – and constant washing of my hands so I didn’t smudge anything!

I used a sentiment stamp from a Sheena Douglass set I have had for years, then a silhouette couple from an Altenew set, and a street light from a Card-io stamp set. Then I spent some time placing them on a card base to see where I wanted them to go. This actually took quite a bit of time, trial and error, in deciding the size and shape of card, too. I went with a 6 inch square card, and stamped just to one side, leaving a lot of open space.

I also added a yellow aura around the streetlight, and took some guidance from a recent craft show I watched from Card-io. I took a dry baby wipe, and some yellow Altenew ink, and first tried it on a scrap piece of paper – just rubbing around in a circle.

Then – I Took the plunge. Yellow aura stamped first – just in case – then used my Misti to stamp the other elements direct to the card base in Versafine Black Onyx. Then left it to dry before I touched it again. It is at this point that I usually pick the card up to have a close look at it – and smudge!

Not this time!

I left it alone for a good 15 minutes…….

I shall be entering this card into the following challenges:

CASology – Cherish

The Card Concept – inspired by the lovey dovey two little birds

Hand Stamped Sentiments – inspired by black and the silhouettes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge – anything goes