CAS Mix Up - September challenge

 Bobby is the host for our September challenge over at CAS MIX UP and this time our challenge involves Watercolouring!

The theme is Sunflower. There's some videos over on the CAS Mix Up blog to help - just remember - your make has to be CAS.

My card is made using an Indigo Blu stencil. The stencil is half sunflower and half mandala.

I outlined the petals with Mondeluz Aquarelle pencils then simply drew out the colour with a wet paintbrush. Once dry I went over the base of each petal again with a darker shade of orange.

A few spatters (as always!) and the sentiment is from Card-io.
Go look at the challenge blog and see what the rest of the DT have done this month - and I hope you'll join us! 








Sharing over at 
Stencil Fun - A stencil with the option of yellow
Inspiration Station - Sunflower
Ellibelles I Spy - Sunflowers

Another for CAS Mix Up!

As I'm the host this month for the CAS Mix Up challenge I thought I'd do another make!
My theme is Stencil Over Patterned Paper and to be fair it was not a technique that I've used often but surprisingly I enjoyed doing it! 

The hardest part was picking out a patterned piece that I thought I could do something with and to create within the rules regarding the CAS remit (which are on the challenge blog)

This piece of card was one of those that you like but don't know what to do with! 

It came in a pack of 'tropical' themed backgrounds and to be honest I wasn't sure that pink was the best colour option for ferns.

Anyway as luck would have it I had a fern stencil (bought some time back and never used) which was perfect. 
(Sharing over at NBUS and Stencil Fun too!)

I used Cosmic Shimmer Sparkle Paste and was really pleased with how it turned out. The sparkle is really good and I actually managed to apply it smoothly and evenly without smudging anywhere else!

I opted to stamp the sentiment in pink to tie it all together.

If you've not tried this technique please give it a go - it's amazing what you can do with a piece of patterned paper! (My first card is a little down the page)

Lots of inspiration from the rest of the CAS Mix Up DT  and a few tips and tricks on the blog too!

Thanks for looking  and have a great day whatever you're doing. x  

CAS MIX UP August Challenge

I'm hosting the challenge this month at CAS Mix Up and it's a Stencil one - use your stencil over patterned paper.

There's a couple of video links over on the CAS Mix Up blog to give you some ideas and of course you can see what the rest of the talented team have done to inspire you! There's also some guidelines for the challenges in general.

I used a piece of patterned paper from an Indigo Blu Magazine - it had daffodils on it but there were some large spaces which had a more muted background design, with some lines and a bit of scripty flourish.

Wild Honey (very apt!) sponged over a honeycomb stencil to create my finished background.

The bee is from the stamp set that came with the Magazine. After watercolouring I used a liberal helping of Glossy Accent over his body and applied some very fine glitter to his wings.

For a change I used some hammered textured cardstock instead of my usual bright white - I like it!
The sentiment is from MFT.
The CAS Mix Up rules are over on the challenge blog - have a look!

We're back!

After a long absence CAS MIX UP has returned!
It's great to have the team back together - some old faces/some new ones and I am soooo happy to be back and part of it!
All the info as to what is happening and the rules are also on the CAS MIX UP blog.
Our challenges run for 1 month, all the rules are shown on the challenge blog and there in my sidebar. 

Our first challenge is a mixed media one, simply called 'ECLIPSE'.
Please make sure your creation follows the definition of Clean and Simple and your make must include stamping.
There are some video tutorials to help you along the way on the challenge blog and also some amazing inspiration from the Design Team and our Guest Designer this month  Michelle (I Card Everyone) 

 I really hope you will link up a creation to the gallery. 

This was my very first attempt at this technique - I stamped and heat embossed then watercoloured. 

I have no idea why I have never tried this before as I really like the 3D look.
I was that excited 😄I made two! 
Thanks for stopping by. x

CAS Mix Up Mid Month Reminder

 Half way through Hilary's challenge at CAS Mix Up where we have to use Gesso and a Stencil!
Lots of lovely examples over on the challenge blog and also some links to video tutorials to give you some inspiration.

The stencil is from Honey Doo and I used Spun Sugar ink over.
The butterfly was coloured, fussy cut and given a liberal helping of glossy accents so it shines bright.
The sentiment is from SU.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sadly this is our very last challenge at CAS Mix Up, I have loved being on the Design Team with the most talented group of crafters.

Thank you to everyone who has played along over the years, it has been a joy to see all your wonderful creations. x

CAS Mix Up September Challenge

This month at CAS Mix Up Hilary has set the challenge of 'Using Gesso with your Stencils'.
I have used Gesso for mixed media projects but rarely on a CAS make so I had to think quite hard! I must have been on my own as when I saw the beautiful makes from the rest of the Design Team and our Guest Designer Sue I wondered why I struggled so much when everyone else had done such beautiful makes!
Anyway here it is -

The cogs and gears stencil is from Hunkydory.
After painting on the gesso and letting it dry I had a bit of a crisis moment as I simply couldn't decide what colours to use - I didn't want orange rusty colours but something more subtle as I'd already made my mind up on the colour of the base card!

Delving into the drawers I remembered I had several pots of Imagination Crafts metallic gilding wax in different colours so thought I would try them out.

White Gold, Pewter and a tiny amount of Green rubbed all over my stencilled panel and then wiped off with a cloth gave me a dark background with the stencilled cogs taking on a dark silver.

Was quite happy with the result although if I did it again I think I would use Cobalt with the green to give a more verdigris type effect!

The die cut cogs are Spellbinders using the same gilding wax.

This card looks so much better in real life - taking pics using metallics has to be one of the hardest things!
There's lots of inspiration over at the challenge blog and links to videos if like me your initial reaction to the theme was dread!

Have fun, get the gesso out with your stencils and make something CAS and share with us! x

CAS Mix Up Mid Month Reminder

We're halfway through our challenge at CAS Mix Up, which has the challenge of 'Emboss Resist', set by Nancy.

My stamp is an old one from Kaiserkraft.
It was one of those that I bought because I liked it - then hardly used!

The heat embossed stamp was inked with Distress Oxide.
I stamped again on a scrap of card and black heat embossed the centre butterfly before colouring and fussy cutting.

Popped up with a small foam pad for dimension.
Finished with a sentiment from SU.

I went a bit mad with the splatters - they were supposed to be a little less intense - but the Posca pen decided to spit out a few larger blobs!

Thanks for looking and I really hope you have found time to join us this month - there's a little time left if you haven't! x

An old favourite

Here's another card which is going into our gallery at CAS Mix Up where the theme for the month is Emboss Resist.

I have had this stamp set for ever - It is by Chocolate Baroque but back then the company was called Elusive Images!

The wild meadow we can see from the back of our house is full of wild flowers and native grasses at the mo and this stamp could have been done to imitate the scene.

The meadow framed stamp was stamped and heat embossed in black.

Used a small coin to make a moon mask and simply ink blended the background in some of my fave shades.

I then used a rectangle mask to cover it up and did some secondary stamping in grey ink either side.

A card that I was pleased with for a change and the theme at TIOT is Summer Blooms so am linking this.

We are having some fabulous weather -even though it is a little too hot for me to actually sit outside in it - it doesn't stop me feeling happy when I see the lovely blue skies and sunshine!

Hope the sun is shining where you are and thanks for stopping by! x

CAS Mix Up August Challenge

 August already!
And it's time for a brand new challenge at CAS Mix Up, this time set by Nancy with the theme of 'Emboss Resist'.

I stamped and heat embossed in white then fussy cut the leaves and flowers.

I have a feeling that the flower stamp came free with a mag - but who knows?!

I used Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry and Seedless Preserve to watercolour the flowers and Twisted Citron and Mowed Lawn for the leaves.

I used a diamond stencil for the background and lightly inked in Bundled Sage and Stormy Sky.

I liked the subtle effect of the background as it made the flowers stand out a bit more.

There's some wonderful examples of this technique over on the challenge blog, so please go visit!

We have BRENDA as our Guest Designer this month - please go visit and see her lovely card!
I really hope you'll be able to join us this month and look forward to seeing your creations in the gallery! x

CAS Mix Up Mid Month Reminder

Linda chose 'Things With Wings' for her theme for this month's watercolour challenge at CAS Mix Up.

Our friends recently celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary and I made this for them using a new Penny Black stamp set called 'How Sweet'.
A golden anniversary calls for gold embossing doesn't it?! And of course the flower had to be yellow!
The little hearts above my two love birds are from a really old set - but they didn't let me down and stamped and embossed beautifully.

Thanks for stopping by - hoping you will join us us this month - please pop over to the challenge blog and see whatthe rest of the DT have created! x

 

CAS Mix Up July Challenge

 We have a new challenge today at CAS MIX UP set by Linda. This month is Watercolour month and Linda has set the theme of 'Things with Wings'.

I have been playing about a little with Brushos - I am not confident using them as I am a little too heavy handed and the card usually ends up swimming with blob pools!

But here's my card for our challenge -
Green shades are not colours I use often, maybe I was inspired by all the green in the garden!

Brushos applied first then once the card had dried I stamped the background with some grungy stamps which I have had for ever, then stamped the 2 butterflies direct onto the card for placement.

The 2 butterflies were from different sets - and remember I mentioned about blob pools?

Well my first attempt ended up very blobby and was still blobby when I stamped and fussy cut the butterflies so I smooshed them through the wet bits and then stuck them on top of the stamped ones!

Hope you can join us this month - the rest of the DT have some fabulous makes to inspire you over on the blog!
Watercolour, Wings and keep your make CAS - that's all you need to do and I am looking forward to seeing your creations! x

Sparkly Flower

Whilst doing my DT makes for the CAS Mix Up challenge of 'Gels and Pastes', I made a couple more so this one is destined to be added to our gallery which is full of gorgeous creations!
(I'll share the others I made at some point.)

I love this floral spray stencil from Honey Doo - it comes as a pair - this smaller one and a really large one big enough to fill a DL card (which I have - twice!!)

I used another Honey Doo stencil for the background and inked lightly in pastel colours.

The floral spray was done using Glitter Kiss paste which is amazingly sparkly and I love it!
Finished with a gold embossed sentiment.

I am though having a lot of bother trying to find somewhere inside the new place to get decent pics, eventually I will find somewhere that isn't full of shadows or is that bright everything looks ice blue white!

We've had some beautiful weather the last few days - fingers crossed we get more of the same!

Hope the sun is shining in your part of blogland and thanks for looking. x

CAS Mix Up Mid Month Reminder

 Mid way through June and here's my reminder post for CAS Mix Up!

The challenge this time has been set by Loll and is a Stencil one using 'Gels and/or Pastes'. I really hope you can join us if you've not already done so and don't forget to make your entry CAS!

I used a colour combo that I've seen several times before and it just appealed to me! Rocket Red and Peacock Feathers are not colours I would normally put together but I think they work well!

I used gesso for my stencil and once the gesso had dried I re-applied the stencil and sponged over it. Did a couple of random watercolour splodges with the Peacock Feathers D.Ox.

The flower is by Visible Image, stamped, coloured and fussy cut. Was a bit fiddly but managed it!

We've some lovely cards in our gallery - hope you are there too!

Thanks for looking! x
PS - Thank you to everyone who sent me cards and messages today, I've had a lovely birthday!

CAS MIX UP JUNE CHALLENGE

 CAS Mix Up is back this month after our extended break. The challenge this time has been set by Loll and is a Stencil one using 'Gels and/or Pastes'. I really hope you can join us and don't forget to make your entry CAS!

I started by using a masked off square and lightly inked using Twisted Citron blending outwards, then took another stencil and lightly brushed shades of pink and green round the square.

My Cherry Blossom stencil is by Indigo Blu. I wanted a shiny effect for the blossom so used some heavy structure gel first which dries clear but leaves a raised impression.

Once dry I sponged (very carefully!) a deep pink over the flowers and a light brown for the branches.

Finished with a few Gold Pearl drops for the flower centres.

It has a wonderful shine in real life and although it doesn't show very well in the photo, the structure gel has given a good dimension.

The sentiment is from Stampin Up.

There are some gorgeous makes from my buddies on the DT over at the challenge blog and our guest designers Jules and Darnell. I am looking forward to seeing your creations in our gallery too!
Linking up at
A2S+M - Stencils
Thanks for looking today! x

Circles

This is a quick scheduled post from me as although we have FINALLY moved into our lovely new home (soooooo happy!!) we will not have an internet connection until at least the middle of this month and uploading pics is taking a massive toll on my mobile data allowance!

So my make here was intended as a DT card but as CAS Mix Up is temporarily on hold we have no challenges for a short while so I thought I would just share it anyway!
Various circle stencils and circle dies, sponging and stamping to make this birthday card!

We have been busy constructing the 'Happy Place' otherwise known as 'our joint Playroom' where I have my craftie space and OH' has his monitors and PC for his mad gaming with his middle aged mates - will bore you all to death with the pics once I get broadband!

Until then, thanks for looking and and any comments you may leave, I hope it won't be too long before I can catch up with you all again. x

Mid Month at CAS Mix Up and FINALLY!!!!

Our CAS Mix Up January challenge of 'Loose Watercolour' is half way through and you have until 24th of the month to join us.

There's already some lovely cards in our gallery and we love to see your creations!

I did a bit of accent stamping to highlight the lovely big flower which is from Altenew. It's one from their layered sets and I just used the outline stamp.

Stamped it in a pigment ink in a dark pink shade and then once dry watercoloured.

Hope you can join us this month - the DT and our Guest designer Karen (Random Reflections)
have lots to inspire you!


My lovely blog visitors will know what a terrible trial we have had since selling our home last May and then moving into a tiny (and very cold) rented property supposedly for a few weeks.
Almost 7 months on we finally exchanged contracts on our new home on 11th of this month, we get our hands on the keys on the 19th and our removal firm are booked for 21st.
I cried with relief when we finally exchanged contracts, it has been a long hard few months, fraught with worry wondering if it was going to happen at all.

I have several more grey hairs than I did 6 months ago! Anyway, onward and upward for us now.
The new place doesn't need anything doing in terms of decorating but we do have to buy new furniture so that will be exciting and more importantly I am looking forward to a brand new craft space! (The only downside is no internet until mid February!)
To those of you who have sent me message of support and put up with me generally moaning and being miserable for what probably seems like an eternity, (you know who you are), I thank you and am eternally grateful for my blogland buddies.
I will be back as soon as I am able. x

New Year, New Challenge!

Today is the start of our new challenge after our December break over at CAS Mix Up. Jenny has given us the task of 'Loose Watercolouring'.

There's lots of links to tutorials over on the challenge blog and also some fab examples from the DT and I really hope you will be able to join in with us - after all no doubt you all got lots of lovely stash at Christmas so time to use it!

I enjoyed doing this as it was nice to just be able to watch the colours blend together without any effort on my part - apart from putting the paint on the brush.

Stamped the flowers onto watercolour card and just left to dry overnight. Wet the image then added the colour - simple and looks quite artsy (well I think so anyway!)
It's unlikely to win any accolades from art critics but I'm quite pleased with it!

Quick and easy, added a simple sentiment and matted onto coloured cardstock - job done.

Visitors to my blog will know that the latter part of 2021 was quite a stressful time for me on top of Covid, let's hope 2022 is a better year for us all.
 
Thanks for looking today, appreciate it! x

Mid Month at CAS Mix Up

Our 'STENCIL MONOPRINT' challenge is halfway through at CAS Mix Up. My first make at the start of the month is here
It's hard to believe that we are in the middle of November! We all have a little break over December so this is my last CAS Mix Up post of the year - we are back on 1st January with a brand new challenge for a new year (and hopefully a new house for me!)

So I have done 2 cards in anticipation of our little holiday during December - bit of a long post!

The first one is another masculine card using an Art Deco style stencil from Funky Fossil.
The print was done using Chipped Sapphire and Blueprint Sketch inks.

I matted the panel onto dark blue card and the sentiment was stamped in Versafine Midnight ink

The second card has lots of white but has a couple of layers so although not absolutely strictly CAS it does show how much I like messing about monoprinting stencils!

Again my stencil is from Funky Fossil and it gets a lot of use at this time of year - I really like the modern look of the trees.

I used Bundled Sage and Mowed Lawn to pull my print and then die cut the trees.

Added another die cut piece of a snowy hill with trees and an embossed snowy sky.

Lots of gorgeous makes from the DT over at the challenge blog, hope you will have a go at this technique if you've not already done so - it's another way of stretching your stash and the results can be fab!

CAS Mix Up November Challenge

 This month's challenge at CAS Mix Up has been set by Loll.
It's time to use a stencil and the challenge is 'STENCIL MONOPRINT'. This is one of my fave ways to make a background using a stencil although I confess I am still struggling as no house move date has been fixed yet so concentrating and creativity are a little thin on the ground!
I opted for a masculine card as I never have a lot spare in my stash -

The waves stencil is from Funky Fossil and I used Salty Ocean, Mermaid Lagoon and a little bit of Cracked Pistachio ink to make my monoprint.
The circular frame is supposed to look a little like a porthole!

My little boat being tossed about by the waves was stamped direct onto the background, stamped again and fussy cut then paper pieced after colouring.

I lightly inked through the stencil as normal to give the background of the card a bit of interest and added a couple of birds and a sentiment.

There's some amazing examples of this easy technique over on the challenge blog done by the DT and our guest designer Steph.

There's also links there to tutorials and I hope you will give it a go and join us in the gallery!

There's very little movement on the house front, we are in the hands of others further down the chain and can only hope they don't drag things out unnecessarily.
Thanks for sticking with me and visiting - will stop by you all as soon as I can. x

Mid Month CAS Mix Up

It's mid month reminder time for the challenge at CAS Mix Up. This mixed media month has the theme of BOTANICAL PRINTS.
This is a fun technique and although I am struggling to have any inspiration for card making, I did enjoy the theme set by Bonnie.
Lots of gorgeous examples from the Design Team though and our special Guest Designer Izzy along with some video tutorials all on the blog!

As I steered away from Autumn shades in my launch card, I used them on this one but opted for the duller brown shade rather than the vibrant red and orange with which we always relate this time of year to.
This botanical print was done with leaves from a rather large oak tree which sits at the bottom of the path in this rental house.

I used Espresso Truffle ink to get the impression.

Some soft ink blending for a bit of background interest and matted onto brown card.

The acorns were from a free set with a magazine, stamped, embossed, watercoloured and fussy cut then I added some glossy accents to make them shine.

I apologise for the poor picture which really looks rather 'flat' and doesn't show the colours very well at all - there simply isn't a place anywhere here with good light to take images - soooo frustrating!

Thanks for looking and hope you will join us this month. x