Hidden Treasure

I had a little spendie recently and amongst the haul were some stencils from Funky Fossil. My stencil stash has swelled massively in the last year - like my stamp stash it doesn't mean I shall use them!😂🙈

But I did use this one!

Actually this is the second time I have used it -  so my spend was justified (in my mind anyway!)

I stencilled the mermaid over the background first - she comes with a mask too which is really useful - I used the mask and then stencilled the waves using a mix of Mermaid Lagoon and Salty Ocean inks.

I stamped up the scene at the base with a variety of different stamps from Inkylicious, Lavinia and my 'sea themed' stash, and then added a few stamped bubbles in Wilted Violet.

I went back to my stencil and used it to make two more closed oyster shells at the bottom - not sure this worked - but you get the idea!
A tiny drop of Liquid Pearls on the open shell in our mermaid's hand finished the card which I have left without a sentiment for the time being.
Sharing over at
HLS Stencil - Anything Goes
Fairy and the Unicorn - Anything Fantasy
Use Your Stuff - Use a Stencil

Thanks for looking today. x

CAS Mix Up April Challenge

It is Mixed Media month at CAS Mix Up and Linda has chosen the theme of 'Paper Piecing'.

I have lots of coloured cardstock which I very rarely use as I much prefer crisp white backgrounds for CAS but once I'd decided on which stamp and paper I was going to use I thought I would try a different coloured base.

I stamped the Funky Fossil Lotus Reflections stamp onto the card first, then used the additional flower from the set, stamping and heat embossing onto the patterned paper which is so old I can't remember anything about it!

I also stamped and embossed two of the smaller elements.
The sentiment is from another Lotus set (no packaging so no idea again!) but I think I may have bought it from Amazon.

The thick black line looks really odd on the pic but it is straight and true on the card!
My elements for the challenge are Stamping, Heat Embossing and of course the theme - paper piecing.

Please go visit the challenge blog and my talented team mates and we have Bonnie (Paper Crafter at Large) as our Guest Designer this month too.

Hope to see you linking up your creation in our gallery! x

Guitar Hero

I have really enjoyed playing with some of my new purchases over the last couple of weeks - despite the occasional 'Mojo-Less Moments', I have simply carried on regardless with no exact plan in mind and seen what has turned out.

I bought this Guitar Hero stamp set and co-ordinating Rock Star stencil from Funky Fossil and have made 4 cards with them up to now so have swelled the man stash a bit.

My background was made from Squeezed Lemonade, Peacock Feathers, Dusty Concord and Seedless Preserve inks.
Then I just messed about with some stamps and stencils!

The grungy harlequin stamp simply clear embossed added a little texture and I remembered I had bought this 'Equalizer' stamp from Uniko which I thought would be perfect.

The two guitars from the set were stamped onto cream pearlised card, clear embossed and fussy cut.

It was a little enjoyable change for me to abandon the CAS 'clean white space' and revert back to inkiness too.

It's been really cold the last few days, some snow flurries too  and as it's been icy underfoot I've been reluctant to venture out - inhaling fresh air on the doorstep whilst waiting for ink to dry is all I have done!
Stay warm and safe and thanks for looking! x

Lotus

A very foggy damp day - can't even see the fields at the bottom of the garden, so another day of staying put (not that we could go anywhere even if we wanted to! 😄)
I was supposed to be trying for a 'no buy' month this month after us having a rather hefty bill for a new central heating boiler -  - - I can at least say I tried.....???

As soon as I saw this new stamp set from Sarah over at Funky Fossil, I had to have it. I just loved it. 💝

I have made a few cards with it and a first for me - I have actually used all the stamps in the set! So there will be more to show in the future but today I am just sharing a quick CAS make.

The stencil background is also from Funky Fossil (it just sort of fell into my basket🙈) - simply inked in Cracked Pistachio and Spun Sugar.

The single blossom stamp heat embossed, watercoloured and fussy cut and just popped on with foam pads.

I like the simplicity of this card - at a time when there is so much uncertainty and sadness I needed to make something serene and uncomplicated.

Linking up at
Stamplorations Stencil -A/Goes.
Unicorn -  CAS
TTCRD - A/Goes

Thanks for looking and wishing you all a lovely day whatever you're doing. x

 

Bling!

Grey day here so needed something to brighten it up!

I also brightened up the desk with the glittery embossing powder - 🙈🙈
Started with two pieces of leftover black card  and stamped then clear embossed a Diamonds stamp by Kaisercraft down one side of the largest piece.

I bought this Funky Fossil Diamond stencil some time back - and tried a few times to use it with different mediums but simply wasn't happy with my end result -  then I bought some WOW 'White Twinkle' Embossing Powder. Which does exactly what it says!
Really happy with the result although I had two attempts at embossing the stencil on the other leftover piece before I was satisfied. 

After fussy cutting I positioned it over the diamonds but it looked kinda odd on it's own - so I embossed a Sun Ray stencil in the centre (Inkylicious) and sat the diamond on top.

Sentiment also by Inkylicious embossed with the same powder and added an odd strip of glitter card to make the size right for the base card!
Linking up to
Pixies Playground #390
Stamplorations (Stamps and Contrast)

Been a changeable week here - we've had some lovely days weather wise but also some fog and damp.
Being in lockdown means I want to be cheered by lots of blue skies and not made miserable by wet weather!
We are though better off than most as we do have lovely fields to look out on whatever the weather - and this morning the sheep arrived for their yearly overwinter visit from higher up!
Wherever you are I hope that all is well with you.
Thanks for visiting. x 

Blue tones

I started this card intending it to be my DT card for my Tone on Tone challenge at CAS Mix Up this month - but once it was completed I realised that there probably wasn't enough 'clear space' (actually there was NO clear space!!) and although I considered (briefly) cutting it into a panel, I decided against it as I liked the whole stencil!

 I was happy with the card once it was finished so just sharing another example of 'Tone on Tone' stencilling.

I rarely use coloured card stock for a base but this card I thought was light enough to show up a stencil.

My 'Petal Burst' stencil is from Funky Fossil and I used Versamagic 'Sea Breeze' ink.

White heat embossed/ black sentiment, a few white enamel dots added, and after sponging lightly round the edges, I popped it onto the blue card base.

This was a quick make too and maybe the coloured cardstock I have will get used for this technique more often, especially when I need a card in a hurry!
Happy crafting and stay safe wherever you are in the World. x

Face

 I think many areas of the UK have been having really high temperatures the last couple of days - I am wondering where the person who used to be able to sit out and toast herself all day has disappeared to! I am afraid that me and hot don't seem to mix anymore! So when it has got too hot for me I have retreated to the craftie space and turned on the fan.

This is another make using the lovely Face profile stencil from Funky Fossil.

This time  I heat embossed it in white and then created an inky background using Cracked Pistachio and Peacock Feathers DI's.

Some random stamping using various odd stamps in the same shades and a triple die cut in white to complete the sentiment.

I have been devoid of inspiration recently - I don't suppose the ongoing situation is helping. We are in an area that has had further restrictions imposed so we can't even pretend that things are becoming normal! I am still struggling wearing a face mask on the very rare occasions when I do venture into a shop and am finding it very difficult to accept that wearing for the forseeable future is the new norm. (I know it's better than the alternative but it doesn't make it any easier!) 

I hope everyone is safe and well out in blogland and thanks for visiting today. x

Linking to -  Inkspirational who has the word prompt - 'Face'   and to Tuesday Throwdown where the challenge is to Use a Stencil

CAS Mix Up - July Challenge

This month's challenge at CAS Mix Up is called 'Stencil Tracing' and has been set by Nancy.

There are a couple of ways to do this really simple technique - Nancy has links on her blog to several different examples and there's also plenty of inspiration from the DT over at the CAS Mix Up blog.

We also have "Three" very talented Guest Designers this month as they all were
Top Picks for the May CAS Mix Up, CAS Stencil and CAS Watercolour Challenges:-)

Be sure and check out Greta (GG Creations), Sandie (London Days) and Kia (Kia's Place)

Gorgeous CAS Creative Stencil Tracing cards

This is a one layer card that took very little time to do - the longest time part was masking off the actual face and leaving the rest!

The stencil is from Funky Fossil and I blended some bright coloured inks (Violet/Raspberry/Amber).
Before removing the stencil I outlined it with a black sharpie.
Some ink spattering and a little blending round the edge of the card to finish before stamping the Visible Image sentiment.

Once completed I thought that maybe it wasn't 'CAS' enough as I went a bit mad with the ink spatters!  In the end the consensus was that there was definitely enough uncluttered space to qualify. 

This is the second month of our new look CAS Mix Up and hope to see you in the gallery!
Happy Stencilling! x

Rat Pack

I treated myself recently to some of Sarah's fab Funky Fossil Design stencils. (Well you simply have to have a treat now and then don't you????😁😁 )

Thing is there are so many wonderful designs it's hard to choose!
But here's one which I loved as soon as I saw it - called The Rat Pack. It arrived the day after I placed the order - how good a service is that?!

I mixed it with a sentiment stamp from Visible Image's  'Brighten the World' set and the skyline from  'The Right Direction'.

Die cut and watercoloured my Manhattan Skyline and mounted it all onto black card using a bit of Black Soot DI round the edges.

The light here is not the best as once again we have been treated to a deluge of rain, sleet and snow so the pic is not the sharpest or brightest - will try and amend that as soon as we get a good day for picture taking!

Linking up to -
Craft Stamper - A/goes
Cardz4Guyz - Use Ink/Paint
AP2S - Masculine
Mix It Up -A/Goes + Stencilling


Thanks for looking today - hope you are warm and dry in your part of blogland! x