Hello card, Yupo, alcohol inks and heat embossing

I had a piece of Yupo I had played around with, with my Copic markers and didnt like the end result and waited too long to clean it off so it wouldn't clean off. I threw the piece in the bin and hated that I had wasted this piece of Yupo, its not like scrap paper and certainly not cheap (to me). Then I decided to try heat embossing and thought best to try on a piece of scrap first so out of the bin it came. One thing I forgot is that because one side is written off doesn't mean you cant use the other side. It was perfectly fine, there is no seepage, the only thing you have to watch is that if you are using an agent to reactivate the ink you are playing with on top it could reactivate anything underneath and make a mess so just be aware.

Check out my reflection in the acetate!!!

I stamped and gold embossed this flower. First I got the heat gun well and truly heated and I didnt but it too close to the piece and did a lot of moving around. It did slightly warp the piece but only slightly and was straight again in the morning after sitting on my desk with the Misti on it over night.

Did you know if you put alcohol inks (Adirondack or Copics and blending solution) they will change colour when heated so you get other colours happening also you get different reactions between Copics colourless Blending solution and Alcohol Blending solution.

Here I have used Copic refills, I just added a couple of drops onto my mat and used a small tool with a spongy end to add the colour, started with a red, added a bit of black then came back with blending solution (barely any) and the red and dotted. Did the same for the top with pale yellow then a richer yellow.

Leaves with a very light green, then a little bit darker.

I die cut the piece, even though this yup is so easy to cut you could easily cut this flower out yourself. I die cut the front of the card and it was too small for my flower and after lots of procrastinating I decided on an easy shaker window. Acetate, edge of thin foam, added the sequins, added the top layer of acetate and all finished.

I finished the card off with the little stamped 'hello'- boy I hate that hello but Im not home so I haven't got anything to fix it with, it looks so wrong.

Challenges:

CAS Mix Up August Challenge

stamped the flower

alcohol inks to colour the flower

heat embossing

die cutting

HLS August Anything Goes With Dies Challenge

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #490 Embossing

Heat embossed the flower 

Thank you so much for coming to have a look and I hope you enjoyed 

your visit and come again soon.

Wonderful, that's what you are.

A special card for a special friend. This is the first time I have used this beautiful die, shame on me. What a beautiful flower die from Memory Box. Delicate and one I could have keep the negative pieces for for not but I decided to go the easy look for this card as it went well for a Challenge that is on. I first coloured a piece of Multimedia paper with the new Tim Holtz Distress Oxides in a rainbow of colours and then cut into the panel (mind you once you make these beautiful panels all you want to do is look at them). these inks blend so so beautifully.

As you can see I have cut from two different sections to include a wider range of the colours and because odd numbers always look better than even I doubled up on the small bud rather than have four in a row. I liked how it looked. I die cut a piece of black card stock with a rectangle stitched die.

Added to the front of the card and glued the flowers in place, Then finished off with my die cut gold mirror cardstock 'wonderful' and some wee little gems and the rest of the sentiment stamp inside.

Challenges:

Muse Challenge #228

Just looking at Anita's card you can see my inspiration,

Black card panel, the rainbow coloured die cut flower. Amazing design,

amazing inspiration thank you Anita.

HLS CAS Challenge August

Perfect for this challenge

Unique Challenge #42 Flowers

Thank you so much for coming to have a look and i hope you com again soon.

Happy Birthday Pretty in Pink

A sweet little birthday card. Ages ago Therese from Lost in Paper did this wonderful card where she stamps these sweet little ballerina's in pink then a very soft watercolour wash. Now if you click on the link you will see a totally different look to what I have done as I don't know the word light, I try I really really do but my hand just laughs at me and does what it wants so what you see is my version of light watercolouring. 

But do go check out Therese's blog after you have finished here because she has an amazing talent that covers so many areas in card making and I love watching her videos and checking out her cards for ideas and just to see how easy she can make it all look.

Now back to mine.I don't have the stamp so first I had to work out how to change the black line work to pink line work and that only took me approx 6 hours on and off during the day and hopefully I wrote it down somewhere cause as Im sitting here typing this I'm thinking "now how did I do this??"

Okay so I changed the line work to pink and a few other colours just for interest then I printed onto watercolour paper through my laser printer that wasn't keen on the thickness of my watercolour paper. and threw a bit of a fit.

I have since checked at Officeworks and they will give my watercolour paper a go down there and if it goes through their machine ok they will print up down there so thats good to know.

Anyway I then used very sparingly my Zigs Skintone, Pink

Yellow and Brown. a wee bit of Grey for shadow.

I added to a card front, a strip of glitter washi top and bottom, a couple of gems and a piece of vellum with a gold foil 'Happy Birthday' and watercolour wash.

So easy to do with the light washes that I got half a dozen cards painted so will make great cards for my granddaughters friends as they are all into dancing.

Thanks so much for coming to have a look and I hope you come again soon.

Challenges:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge For A Child

Watercooler Wednesday #131 Kath's "All About Birthdays"

Day Dreamer Challenges #1 Anything Goes

Three cards, each very different

This first card I did simply because I enjoyed colouring the last ones much.

Love the look of Prismacolour pencils on kraft cardstock and these flowers

look so pretty cascading down the card front.

A bit of masking involved and once the mask was removed I went back and drew in some lines with a black marker here or there to keep things a bit more fluid. After colouring I again went over the stamped images with a black line marker to define the black lines more.

I either added white or the very palest colour from the colour range each time to highlight the tips of the flowers. Finished off with a stamped sentiment from the same set. Felt the card didnt need anything.

This next card is a combination of a digital image of Mo's that I have coloured with

 Copics in lovely Summer colours.

Check out the hair, I thought I would give her that coloured just on the ends look. Anyway

I managed to damage the piece I was colouring quite a bit with marks here and there so had to do quite a bit of trimming and ended up with a bit of engineering required.

Was able to use a scalloped stitched edge and though the top was too short a couple of palm leaves cut from watercoloured paper I had in the scrap pile saved the top of the card and a nice piece of patterned paper that changed colour from orange to yellow highlighted the side and found a sentiment that stamped out perfectly " Sand, Sea' You & Me' Who could ask for more!!!

Now this card was a bit of a play around with a couple of dies that had been purchased and not used and a challenge 'home'. Few of the Design Team had used Maps or map related and I had some pattern paper related to maps that I was going to give away but held onto cause you never know.

I have one of those 'light bulb' moments. I thought of the background did and thought it reminds me of the sea so die cuts page of map design and one of silver card stock then inlaid the map design into the silver after adding double sided tape to the base of the card. 

Die cut the yacht and added with a bit of dimensional foam and stamped the sentiment 'wishing you the very best on your new home' for friends setting off after retirement on a rond the world trip in their new home (a yacht). Of course my son then pointed out it would have looked much better if I had cut the page in the right direction, so I had to point out that it depends on which way they are travelling at the time, he just shook his head at me like I'm an idiot or something.

Challenges:

TIME OUT Challenge #89 Home Sweet Home

Inspiration photo - home, traveling the world,

the map in the background.

Color Inspiration Monthly Challenge

I think your Amazing card

Stamping Sensations August Anything Goes

I Think Your Amazing card

Addicted to CAS: #117 One Layer Card

I Think You Are Amazing card

Crafting By Designs August Anything Goes

Sand Sea You & me Card

Crafty Creations Challenge #347 Anything Goes

Sand Sea You & Me card

The Male Room: Challenge #66 Theme 

Wishing you the very best

thanks so much for coming to visit and please come again soon.

The Flower Challenge #11 Focus on Background Stamping

Its that time again. A new Challenge is up on the Flower Challenge Blog and this month is all about the background. We want you to make the background from your flower stamps, we want you to design your own background that is the focus of the card this month. 

The Design Team have been busy trying out lots of ideas and are waiting to share with you.

I have done a card with lots of detail.

The flowers, die and sentiment all come from Honey Bee Stamps  I love them all, the die cut is so elegant with that long 'l' and the flowers so pretty and detailed. Make sure to go check out the wonderful stamps they have.

I had previously coloured this panel for a colouring challenge that The Daily Marker does on a regular basis throughout the year but once coloured I couldn't decide what to do with it as I didnt want to cover up any of the wonderful flowers.

When we decided to have this challenge I found the perfect answer by adding the 'smile' die that I cut in gold cardstock and pink foam to layer up and stamped the sentiment on a vellum tag so it didn't totally cover the background.

Now I have added another card where I have made a background with minimal stamping.

First I used a piece of masking tape across the upper part of the card so I had somewhere to add my sentiment later. I have used Altenew Flowers and this is another beautiful set that I had bought  and not used so I am glad I finally got out and inked up.

As you can see I have not used all the flowers in the set but most of them and only 1 leaf. In all I have only stamped 6 times on the card base and once on a scrap of copic card stock. I then randomly coloured petals and centres and the leaf. Used R81 83 85 YG01 YG25 . I also coloured the full flower with the same colours.

I fussy cut the single flower. Used the Misti to help me line up the sentiment from another Altenew stamp set (wondering if I should have added a line top and bottom now.....What do you think???

Anyway finished it off with the fussy cut flower and some wee nuvo clear drops, they are so small you can hardly see them. Anyway heres a very simple background flower card.

  Now its time to go to The Flower Blog and see what the rest of the Design Team have done to inspire you and hopefully we will see your cards linked up before long.

Thank you so much for coming to visit and I hope you come again soon.

Challenges:

Muse : #227 Anything Goes

Who could resist entering with my 

'birthday wishes' card

HLS August CAS Challenge Flower

Birthday Wishes Card

Watercooler Wednesday #130 Gail's Feminine 'Anything Goes Challenge

Smile it looks good on you card

Hello Gorgeous

A quick card made using a flower die. I cut the flower from the front of

card and again from a piece of glossy card that I had used different alcohol inks

on.  I added a piece of double sided tape on the inside of the card

then added the white die cut flower outline back into the original card front.

Then came the fiddly bit which is a bit like putting a puzzle together.

Once everything was in place and pressed down so it wouldn't move I

 added a few clear drops with Glossy Accents.

Finished off with a Silver diecut 'Hello' and stamped 'gorgeous'.

The alcohol ink colours look so pretty in this mix and its a lovely card, perfect for

a lot of different occasions.

CAS Mix Up Card Challenge August Challenge

Minimal stamping here so I hope it still meets

criteria. stamping+alcohol inks+ die-cuts

Southern Girls Challenge #165 Flower Power

Watercooler Wednesday #130  Gail's Feminine Anything Goes

Thank you so much for coming to visit and I hope you come again soon.

Three More Cards using the Exploding Blocks Die

I'm back with some more cards using this fabulous coverplate from Neat and Tangled. The die is currently sold out but you can let them know you are waiting to hear when it comes back in and I am sure it won't take long.

I have another three cards today and thats not all of them but I will have to take a break after these as I have other cards that need to be posted. Also if you go to the Neat and Tangled blog you will see cards that are the same or very similar to mine as that is where I went for my inspiration in the first place. Whenever I purchase a stamp set or die I go to the place it is from and google image search and type in the name of the set i.e. 'exploding blocks + card' to get ideas to get started. 

My glitter card idea was from seeing a different card on google and thinking this die would suit the idea tried and liked. It was fast and easy as I used a double sided piece of tape on the card front, attached the die cut, covered what I didnt want glitter to go on and added glitter and pressed on with my finger. Really easy though Jake and I were rather glittery for a day or two after.

The Copics version I saw on Neat and Tangled but my version needs a lot of thought: 

You don't use the whole die cut piece, you cut down so you use two panels then

a)you need to remember to centre the dark colouring so it is in the right place when die cut and 

b) a better way to add the pieces back into place than glue as it is messy

c) and very, very time consuming finding all those itty bitty pieces

that actually look smaller than the frame itself.

These next cards are easier versions

This card was inspired by the card on Neat and Tangled and the Muse card for this week.

This card was done using mostly pages from a very old pad of card stock I had forgotten I had bought, if you see it around honestly grab it. IT is PERFECT for die cuts especially the plates perfect size 4.5" x 6.5" this pad is Brights and includes black and white ADHESIVE MAT STACK. It cut perfectly first time. I did have to sit there and use my poker thingy to push the pieces all free but how brilliant, so easy to take the backing off and attach to the card.

White card base, black frame exploding blocks cutout and attached.

Also had a white version cut out and used parts so it looked like a black card

with a white mat then black and coloured blocks.

In the close up you can see some parts where I haven't stuck with doing just the ends

with colours and have filled a side hearer there and thats because I had a case of black

pieces that just disappeared or jumped off the table and I was tired of looking for them

and decided it really didnt matter that much.

I have so much left I will cut out some more black and white sections and make some more, perfect male cards too. Finished off with a MFT 'Celebrate' die cut.

These next two couldn't be any easier..

Watercoloured panel pink,  orange and yellow Distress inks blended 

until I was happy.

White version of Exploding Blocks attached with little glue dots, perfect love it.

Finished off with a die cut ' Just because'

Last one and my absolute favourite.

Panel made with Distress Oxides, smooching, drops of water, drying

more smooching, love love the colours.

Attached the Exploding Blocks die cut. I don't know why but it makes me think of outer space

if it was light out there.

Loved the look of the panel too much to cover it up and wanted to add a 'Happy Birthday'

Diecut so I did what anyone would do in this instance I added it to the inside of the card.

Come with me to check out this new universe.

Cant wait to show you the next lot of Exploding Blocks.

Thank you so much for coming to visit and I hope you come again soon.

Challenges

Muse Card Challenge #226

I saw Marcie's card and was inspired but also struggled as its really a very different style.

As always I like to wait for inspiration to hit and as I was playing with my latest die coverplate Exploding Blocks I felt I had found what I was looking for. I had at first tried stamping but It was bring in the black that I was struggling with, then I thought black cardstock then the rest just fell into place.

Black frame, Bright colours exploding and bold sentiment. If I have stayed too much with Neat and Tangled inspiration let me know and I will remove my card.

Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes

Happy Birthday Card

CASual Fridays CFC179 Dies Only

Just because

Seize The Birthday Splatter

Not often I get to do the topping but definitely

this time with my 'Happy birthday' card - third

card down splatters for sure.

Addicted to Stamps and More: Challenge #252

Happy Birthday card done with Distress Oxides

I am so enjoying playing with these unbelievable inks.

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #133 Anything Goes

Just Because card

Day Dreamer Challenges: Anything Goes

I am entering 'Just Because' Card

This is a brand new Challenge people , so why not check it out.