It's Snowing!

     This is perfect timing, it's snowing outside as I'm typing this.  It's another week of inspiration from CASE-ing Christmas and our last week of candy so come and join us for a chance to win.
     I bought some Brusho ink powders before Christmas but have only had time for a little play until now, I really would like some more colours, this coupled with a new Tim Holtz Sizzix Snowflake die worked out well.
     I cut the snowflake from the centre of the white pearl card and set it aside while I painted the background. There are many things you can do with Brushos but I chose to sprinkle Ultramarine on to damp card. The component colours split and give blue, turquoise and purple as it hits the wet card, I could watch this happen all day. I used the plain side of the card so I could save the pearl side for the snowflake. To add sparkle I spritzed with a clear mica spray.
     This snowflake is not symmetrical, as I discovered when I flipped it over to the pearl side and tried to put it back in the hole. No problem, just cut another one the other way up, that way my snowflake is plain and my background is pearl. I'll just have to make another card later with the spare bits.
   

     The Sizzix die comes with an embossing folder so you can add texture to your flake. Once embossed on the pearl side it looked good but not quite good enough, so I added some clear glitter to the ridges to make it sparkle.
     I put the snowflake back in the hole it came out of once the paint was dry and stuck it down. The corners looked as though they needed a little something but nothing to take away from the main flake, so I added some tiny clear gems.
     It's not exactly a one layer card, I had to put the decorated layer on to a card blank to finish off. If I had tried to colour a card blank this way I think it would be everywhere inside and on the back as it's a slightly messy, but great, process. The die cut is inlaid so the only height is the tiny gem. There is no greeting on the outside as I want to keep the background effect clear.
     Mynn's original card has a snowflake and some blue on it so that was my starting point but I must admit I really wanted to play with the die and the Brushos, I hope you like it.
     Come and join us at CASE-ing Christmas this week, you might be one of our lucky candy winners.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Inlaid Die Cut Technique

One Layer Christmas Cards - Anything Goes optional Snowflakes

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Anything Goes for Christmas

Christmas Card Challenges - Anything Goes

Paw Print Pickle

     Hello and welcome to my next project using Pickle the cat from Creative Expressions, I thought I would make a tag this time.
     I began with a plain white tag and used shaving foam and Cosmic Shimmer Mica Sprays to marble the tag. You can find a small tutorial on marbling with shaving foam here. I used some very pale colours to give a subtle effect but unfortunately the shimmer doesn't show up well in the photographs.
     Next I stamped Pickle on to black card and embossed him with Cosmic Shimmer Detail White. Then I cut his head and paws out, making sure to cut up a little way between paws and head to make slots so he would 'hang' over the heart.
   

    I used Distress Ink Broken China to colour around the edges of my tag, some Red Sheer Wrinkle Edge ribbon at the top and the addition of two small black cats that my Mum gave me. I have a black and white cat so making Pickle black and white seemed the right thing to do.
    The sentiment is from the Paw Prints On Your Heart set, this made me think about triple embossing.

       I cut a heart shape from some red card and used Cosmic Shimmer Ultra Thick Clear embossing powder to build up two layers of shine. Then  I inked up the Paw Prints Lattice stamp with Archival Ink Jet Black before adding one more layer of UTEE to the heart, while this layer was still warm and soft I stamped the paw prints into it, this gave me my 'paw prints on my heart'.
     The heart is stuck on with some red line double sided tape as it's very strong and I don't want the heart to drop off, it's quite stiff and a little heavy.
     This might make a nice Valentine for a cat lover, it could easily be made with the dog stamps too.

Materials used
Pickle single stamp
Paw Print Lattice background stamp
Paw Prints On Your Heart sentiment set
Cosmic Shimmer Mica Misters
CS UTEE clear embossing powder
CS Detail White embossing powder
Archival Ink Jet Black
Red Sheer Wrinkle Edge Ribbon

I would like to enter my Pickled Heart in the following challenges:

Amusing Challenges - Anything Goes

Pile It On Challenge - Hearts and/or Flowers

Robyn's Fetish - Animals 

Hats Off To Christmas

     Welcome to another CASE-ing Christmas post. Each week we have to CASE another team members card and this week it's my card that we're CASE-ing. For me this hasn't been so easy as I really loved the original (still do, but don't tell), thanks to the inspiration out there in blogland I decided to go for hats and retain the sketch.

     The original had snowflakes which are my favourite thing from winter, they are so pretty and delicate. If I'm out in the snow I always wear a hat so I suppose they almost go together.
     For the images, I have drawn them with a fineliner pigment pen and then coloured them in with alcohol markers. Each hat is slightly different, two have pompoms and one has a bell sewn on. Each image square has been matted on red card to give it a border.  
     The backing paper is made using some tiny snowflake stamps and a red ink pad, stamping randomly all over the paper. This is matted on some more red card and then on to a large white DL card blank.
     The greeting is die cut from gold mirri card using some Joanna Sheen Signature dies. I tried red and white but they both got lost on the background so I went for gold to match the bell.
     It would be lovely if you would join us at CASE-ing Christmas and it will help you build up a stash of cards ready for the festive season. This is the last week that we have candy so don't miss a chance to win.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Anything Christmas

Christmas Card Challenge - Photo inspiration  red/white, hats

If You Give A Crafter A Cookie - Photo Inspiration  hats

The Male Room Blues

     This time in The Male Room we are looking for anything masculine created in shades of blue. For me this whole card started with a new mask/stencil from Memory Box, called Style.
     I wanted to use my new mask and thought it would make a great sky if I only used half of it, so I masked off the lower half with some copy paper and got out my trusty Distress Inks. Working with Broken China first I inked over my mask, then added a little Faded Jeans around the outside.
     I removed the mask and gently coloured the lower half with Broken China. Once happy with the look I went around the outside of the image with Faded Jeans to draw the eye to the centre.
     The main image is a stamp from a set called Down By The Seaside by Inkadinkado, this set has been in my stash for at least six months waiting to be used on some scrapbook pages....it's still waiting! I have used Archival Ink Cobalt to stamp the image in the centre of the beach scene.

     The tiny shells are made with air dry clay and a silicone mould of seashells. The finished card is an A6 size so you can tell the shells are tiny. I haven't painted them, just left them white as they dried.
     The image is mounted on a layer of dark blue and then on to a white card blank that has been distressed with Broken China.
     Please come and join us at The Male Room with your creations, we would love to see you there.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Fashionable Stamping - Something New

Sentimental Sundays - New Beginnings

The Artistic Stamper - New Beginnings

Naughty or Nice Chalelnege- New, New, New

Darnell's Challenge to use Never-Before-Used-Schtuff

Top Tip Tuesday Guest Spot

     Today's project is for Top Tip Tuesday, I was lucky enough to win a guest designer spot with them, the challenge theme this time is Something New. You don't have to leave a crafting tip to enter, but if you do you could win a top tipper prize.
     I have chosen to use some heart die cuts from Stix2 which are new to me, the scalloped heart die is also something unused until now.

     The box card is made from one sheet of Stix2 White Stardust Glitter Card, also new to me. Cut the card to measure 8 inches by 4 inches x 2 pieces. Score each piece at 1 inch , 2 inches, 6 inch and 7 inches.
     Die cut the heart in the centre panel of one card. Fold along the score lines. The inside back has been covered with a piece of card stamped with a script stamp and embossed in silver. I did this as a separate piece just incase it wasn't perfect, it's fixed in with double sided tape.

     Once the inside back had been decorated I then cut a 6 inch long piece of acetate, 3/4 inch wide. The hearts are coloured with an alcohol marker and the inner heart is covered with red glitter.
     To get this to hang in the right place the top edges of the outer heart are stuck to the acetate with red line tape. After sticking the heart on I lined it up with the centre of the opening and then stuck it to the very edge of the card, in the area that will be joined to the back. This is the first time I've tried this and I have to admit I made a dummy run with copy paper to see if it would work. I am pleased to say it did, so this would have to be my tip...try it out on rough card or paper so you don't ruin your good stock.
     The heart on the outside is from the centre of another die cut, there are 15 hearts in a pack and they are cut from firm card, it's stuck on with a foam pad.
     Once the acetate was in place I stuck the front and back together along the outside inch panel only. To decorate the outside edges I have used two different widths of red line tape and covered them with red glitter.
     The card will fold flat for posting and fits in a standard C6 envelope so no extra cost either. Stix2 products are available from your local craft shop so pop along and see what you can find.
     Don't forget to go over to Top Tip Tuesday to see what everyone else has made and see what great tips they are sharing.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Alphabet Challenge - X-periment  use a new technique

Amusing Challenge - Hearts
That Craft Place - Love / Valentine

Darnell's Challenge to use Never-Before-Used-Schtuff

Hanging Around.

     Pickle is my third project for Creative Expressions this month. This lovely little cat is in just that, a pickle! hanging on a rope over something interesting like a fish pond.
     With postal restrictions as they are now I chose to make a one layer card with no embellishments, this way it will go as a basic letter at no extra cost. I have also made it with more of a masculine feel to it by using browns.
     The base card is 5 3/4 inches square with the edges coloured dark brown with Archival Ink Coffee.
     I have worked my image on a piece of Coconut White card cut to 5 3/4 inches. I have trimmed it to fit once finished, this allows for any slight off centre stamping to be corrected. So it's not strictly one layer but it saves messing up a card blank if I make a mistake.
     I have also cut a mask, slightly larger than the card, of a paw print. I had to draw and cut  the large pad by hand but I have used a Spellbinder die oval for the four small pads.

      With the card fixed to my mat with masking tape I then fixed the mask at the top over the card, this way I can lift it up and take a look at the card when I need to. I have covered the holes I'm not using with scrap paper while I work so I don't leave dirty marks where I don't want them. (Especially if I drop a stamp by accident)
     The stamp I have used for the small pads is Kitten Treats inked up with Archival Ink Coffee. Each pad has also been coloured in with Distress Ink Brushed Corduroy.

     Pickle has been stamped with the same ink to appear in the large pad of the paw. I have also stamped him on a sticky note that I no longer need to keep and without re-inking too, he's going to be a mask so he doesn't need to be perfect. Cut out the sticky note and cover up the card image while colouring in the pad with DI and Pickle will stay nice and clean.
     Pickle is coloured with watercolour pencils in an effort to give him a ginger tom type look. The rope is coloured with a different brown.
     Each corner of the white card is punched with a small paw print. To finish off the card I have stamped with Distress Ink Old Paper using a paw stamp from stash, to make sure it was pale each stamping was second generation (stamped on scrap and then on the card without re-inking). I have mounted the card on to the coloured blank with double sided tape, making sure to avoid the corners so it won't show through the punch holes. The sentiment is from the Paws-itively Great set stamped in Archival Coffee and Clear Embossed with Cosmic Shimmer powder.

I would like to enter Pickle in the following challenges:

Send Us A Smile 4 Kids - Anything goes 4 Kids

     

Stocking Up For Christmas

     Today is some mid month inspiration for CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra. Our challenge is for Christmas creations, not just cards. With this image I am 'stocking up' for Christmas by adding another card to my collection. It really takes the worry away at Christmas knowing I have already made the cards, it leaves time to create other things too.

     This image is called Stocking Line  from Bugaboo Digi Stamps.
     I have printed on to plain white card, then I covered the image with some double sided sticky sheet. After removing the top cover I sprinkled clear glitter all over the image.
     Then using alcohol markers I have coloured the image through the glitter, this gives a sparkly image but I must say I think I prefer to colour my card and then glitter, it was a technique that I had seen and wanted to try for myself. This may be of more use if you were colouring an image that could be damaged by the markers, having a layer of very thin plastic between the image and the pens would protect it and you would still be able to add colour.
     The image panel has been mounted on some backing paper from stash, I've had it so long I can't remember where it came from, but it has little stockings all over it. At each end of the line I have added a tiny gold square embellishment instead of a brad. In opposite corners I have added a small gold holly leaf peel off and coloured it in with Stardust pens. It's a simple card but with lots of sparkle.
     It may seem crazy to be making Christmas cards already but it really does help build up your stock if you make one or two a month, you get time to spend on each one rather than having to batch make to produce enough in November. Come and join us, we have lots of inspiration on CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

CraftyHazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - Use your patterned papers

Card Mania - Make It Sparkle/Let It Shine

ABC Christmas Challenge - A Is For Anything (optional antlers)