Card Scramble #143 - Card 2

I didn't actually get this one done in time to meet the deadline to the Hero Arts Flickr Card Scramble Challenge #143, but here it is.

My second entry to the Hero Arts Holiday Challenge

and for Just Us Girls Challenge : Sentiment as focal point

Card Scramble #143 - Card 1

LaVon was running the card scramble at Hero Arts Flickr group tonight.  Her theme was to use a diagonal design.

This is my first card ... I used Princess Gold Embossing powder for the sentiment.

My first entry for the Hero Arts Holiday Challenge

And my entry for ...

... CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge #197

... A Blog Named Hero : Holiday Challenge

Blue Pearl

Getting some really old supplies out now ... my pearl embossing powders from about 18 years ago! In the pots they look the same colour (except the gold). If you use versa mark ink and white paper, you can hardly see the colour.

BUT ... if you use black card, it just pops with lovely pearl shimmer colour!

A close up ... in real life the colours match, but I think the camera changes the shimmer colour.

My entry for ...

... Retro Sketch Challenge #237

... Inspirational Challenge #120 : Black and 1 Colour

CASology Guest Designer - Week 4

I have so enjoyed my weekly posts as guest designer this month, and although it has come to an end, I’m sure I’ll see you at the challenge each week.

I seem to be going through different techniques and products in the past weeks and this week’s focus is on patterned paper. It is not a natural tendency of mine to use patterned paper. When I started stamping 22 years ago, it was just stamps and ink without all the wonderful new products that are out there now, so often I forget to use patterned paper.

So I decided to do some paper piecing and besides being so much fun, it lets you use up the little bits that are left over from scrapping or other projects. I have gone with another Z-fold card. When I had finished my first Z-fold card a couple of weeks ago, I thought it would be great to use the grass die as the strip. So today's the day!

I used distress pens to give shadows and added white gel pen to highlight areas.

So here’s sending you all some Happy Thoughts … and a creative weekend.

Thank you Melissa and the CASology team for having me as the guest for October.

Mix and Match

I'm mixing and matching my challenges ... the inspiration from one, and the sketch from another.

As my mother says, "You can't go wrong with roses".

Whether real ones or on cards.  

Fusion Card challenge has a sketch and an inspiration photo and your can follow one or the other, or both; and CAS(E) This Sketch obviously has sketches.

Happy Thoughts

Having recently used embossing paste with stencils, I decided to get some stencils out again. I love how you can use them to create so many different effects. This one is soft and dreamy which is so different to the masculine one from a few days ago.

This is my entry for The Paper Players : #318 Challenge

and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge : Anything Goes #32.

Wish

It's almost as if I'm going through my supplies and taking turns to use them ... this time it's Alcohol Inks AND acetate with a new movers and shapers die. I bought it without realising that you have to have the base plate. Well, I improvised and got it to work. Yay. 

I used Stream and Citrus Alcohol inks on the acetate, then did the die cut.

My entry for Less is More : Acetate or Vellum Challenge.

Masculine Card

Time to get the embossing paste out again. I used the white with Tumbled Glass and Twisted Citron Distress Inking 2 batches, and Silver. The stencil was made from the Hero Arts Triangle Background die. Added a couple of die cut gets and circles.

My entry for AAA Cards : Masculine Challenge.

Thinking of you

Inspired by Therese's card and colours, I tried another z-fold card.

Entering Virginia's View Challenge : Focus

CASology Featured Designer - Week 3

Another week has flown by and I'm back for my third post as CASology Featured Designer.

This week I'm sharing my happy space ... my studio, but if you're only interested in cards, zoom down to the bottom of the post. As I shared in my first post, I do give lessons regularly. I used to have my personal space and the teaching space separate, but I was going crazy with moving supplies to and fro. So I have usurped the "garage space" as my combined studio and classrooms that I can teach from "my space".

I've had "make Vinyl words" on my to do list for a couple of months. Since I knew I was going to share my space I was spurred on to get into action. Cut them yesterday and placed them today. Now that I've had my first taste of it, I know I'll be doing more.

On the left I have my cutting, scoring, punches section 

Followed by the Big Shot Station, with the die cuts organised the same way as my stamps, and my "bits of paper" stored in rainbow colour ordered folders right at hand. The embossing folders couldn't fit on the space, so they are in the blue box on the cutting table only an arm's reach away.

Then we come to my specially made to measure wood stamp storage. I took all my firm favourites and go-to stamps, laid them out to calculate how many shelves and what size I needed. The rest of my wood stamps are still stored in the next room on similar shelves there (which have since been painted white). Spot any of your favourites in here?

I like to have things within reach as much as possible so I have the supplies I use most within arm's reach. Stamps are behind my chair in the pink and blue boxes; inks at my left; tools (distress sponges, acrylic blocks, scissors, paintbrushes, spray bottles, glossy accents, wink of stella) on my right. 

Because I couldn't be bothered to dig in drawers or containers for my inks, I used my Silhouette to make my ink drawer system. So so handy.

The half-circle handles are actually inked up with each ink so I know exactly what colour I'm getting. I created them on silhouette using the print and cut options to print the name and then inked afterwards.

My distress inks are ready to hand too, but my pigment inks are in a tupperware in a drawer next to me : have to protect them from the heat and humidity that we have here. I have thrown out quite a few as the colour seems to separate from the "oil" so it looks like you have the colour on your stamp, but all that goes on the paper is oil.

I didn’t make a card for this week's challenge at CASology : Coffee. I’ve had a hectic week … and I’m more a tea person than coffee. The French & Indian & Creole influence on food here means we don’t have the same coffee fixation as in the States.   No Starbucks here. (I love this Ellen Degeneres coverage of the same subject).

I've made a card inspired by Deidre as I loved the colour combination. I turned it into a Z-fold card.

And when it is opened ... and I'll add a sentiment when I know who the recipient will be.

I will enter it to ...

... Less is More : Spiders or Insect Challenge

... Addicted to CAS : Anything Goes Challenge 

Pretty in Pink

With all the amazing stampers and bloggers out there, it's a waste not to use their creations as inspiration. Susan Raihala is a favourite with her Top Class CAS cards, helpful design tips, thought provoking ideas on crafting (and our stashes!) & delightful sense of humour. It's always worth a visit. This card was definitely worth a CAS(e), but I went with pinks to play in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge : Think Pink.

Fall leaves & the Magic of Distress Inks

I was playing with Distress Inks as you there are so many techniques you can use with them. This one is not new, but with all that's out there these days, one forgets. Or at least I do.

I started by distressing a panel with Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn and Brushed Corduroy. Then I stamped with Versamark and embossed with the deliciously sparkly Enchanted Gold embossing powder. Now comes the magic ... paint the leaves with water and dab with a tissue or roller towel! 

And a close look at the sparkle.

But then I thought the leaf outlines were a bit lost, so made another card using Versafine Vintage Sepia and still embossing with Enchanted Gold.

Just lovely! Much better definition.

And the shimmer is still there.

Here's the pair together so you can see the difference. So if you first don't succeed, try again. And it's all fun when you're playing with inks and stamps.

This is my entry for ...

... the Altenew October challenge

... The Paper Players : Clean & Simple Leaf Challenge

Happy thoughts

Happy thoughts to you all ... it's the weekend and we can get inky.

Trying to catch the lovely glimmer of Delicata Gold.

Inspired by Ardyth's card for the Time Out Challenge.

It's Raining Rainbows

Today is my second week as the October CASology Featured Designer.

This week's challenge at CASology is Spooky ... and I'm going in the opposite direction with rainbows. Besides being so colourful, they are signs of hope and promise. 

Mauritius is a land of rainbows, and I have always loved rainbows.  I have taken so many photos of rainbows while driving around Mauritius. The first is taken from the west coast with the escarpment in the background with the sugar cane in the foreground.

Coming out my gate ...

I love how the light is separated in this one almost creating a bubble ... taken when I was on the way to fetch kids from school a couple of years ago.

At school!

I have also made so many cards with rainbow colours. These are some of my favourite ...

And the one of most popular of my posts, my framed rainbow twinchies.

This is the one I created today using an older Hero Arts set. You never know when you're going to find a new way to use an old stamp.

A close up of the fun and shiny dimension of glossy accents dots.

Next week I share some of my happy place … my crafty studio. In the meantime, you can join and play in this week's challenge at CASology : Spooky.

This is my into the AAA Cards : Photo Inspiration Challenge