More Mono...

If you read my last post you will know that I have been playing with stencils and Monoprinting.
2 cards made began their lives as 'practice' pieces for CAS Stencil - but they turned out OK so I used them up!

They are almost identical except for the sentiments - but have grown my Christmas stash to more than I have ever had by this time of year so am happy, despite the fact that it is very unusual for me to make 2 cards the same.

Chipped Sapphire, Weathered Wood, Blueprint Sketch and Stormy Sky inks used.

The sentiment on this one was also an experiment.  I used a blue ink first then moved the paper slightly then white heat embossed. In real life it does look like a shadow but it was very difficult to photograph. Mounted the stencilled piece onto white card.

Here's the second card

Chose to simply use a full piece of mixed media paper so this one is one layer - unusually for me, I managed to keep the back of it free of ink!

This sentiment simply stamped with Chipped Sapphire.

I have become rather hooked on monoprints - I think probably because they all turn out different even if you use the same stencil and they have this artsy random soft look about them - satisfies my messy side!

Sharing over at

TIOT - Cold, Cold, Cold
Cardz4Guyz - Icy Cold
Creative Inspirations - Winter Blues
Stamplorations Stencil - A/Goes

CAS Stencil - November half way reminder

Half way through November and halfway through our  challenge at CAS Stencil.  This month our host Linda has chosen the theme of 'Stencil Monoprint'.

I had some fun with this challenge and made quite a few monoprint backgrounds which are now in a neat pile waiting to be used up!

I had two attempts using a snowflake stencil. One was perfect and I have used the monoprint in it's entirety on a card front.

The other attempt was the second pass and a little too patchy for my liking but I did manage to cut out some circles!

The sentiment was done using Pearlescent Ice Blue ink.

Do pop over to the blog and  have a look at the lovely examples done by my team mates and our Guest designer Lucie 

We'd love you to share a make with us in the gallery this month.

If you've not tried this, it's not as difficult as you think! Honest!!

The CAS Stencil team are having a little break during December so we will be back in January with a brand new challenge.

I hope though you will continue to visit me during the next few weeks and that you also remember to check the blog at the end of the month to see who our Top Picks are!

To all of you who have joined us at CAS Stencil this year we wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas and look forward to seeing you all again in 2020. x

Mid Month at Stamping Sensations

Not long to go now till Christmas and here's my mid month reminder card for our November challenge at Stamping Sensations, which this time is 'Traditional Christmas Colours' - so we want to see creations made with the colours - Red/Green/Gold - any or all!
I have gone for a relatively quick CAS card which I have batch made in different colours - I made a similar one some time back using blue and silver and this time went for red and gold.

I randomly stamped pine branches and ferns using Gold Encore Ultimate Metallic ink.

Once dry I took one of my really old stamps from a flower collection (no idea who's it is or how old it is!) - and stamped the stems in the same ink and quickly added some gold embossing powder. The photo doesn't show it very well but the flower stems stand out really well!

Re-aligned the piece in the Misti and used Crimson Red Versafine for the flower heads.

The die cut sentiment has to be one of my faves - and it looks really nice embossed!

We have the fab Chocolate Baroque as our sponsors this month - full details over on the blog.
Please remember though we have to see STAMPING as the focal point of your entry for you to be eligible for the prize!

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

Two cards- one post

I made this card a couple of weeks ago just before the Monochromatic challenge at CAS Watercolour started. As I am trying to expand my watercolour skills I wanted to have a go at this months challenge and also to continue my promise to myself that I would try and enter each month.

I thought twice about linking it when I saw the wonderfully talented Birgit, this months Guest Designer, had produced another wonderful watercolour for her DT spot which makes mine pale in comparison!!!
It was only when I realised that I would maybe not have time to do another that I made the decision to post.

So continuing with my entering the CAS challenges here's one made for the CAS Christmas challenge which has the theme of 'Warm and Cozy'.

I hereby announce that it is official - I am RUBBISH with digi stamps! I have never really got to grips with them although I must have amassed hundreds of them over the years.

I never seem to get the sizing right and so it proved on this card which maybe doesn't have enough white space - but am sharing it anyway to show that I tried!

Little Scottie is from A Day For Daisies and I paper pieced him a plaid coat to keep him warm and added a little sparkly ribbon collar.
Some light ink dusting and some secondary stamping using a Uniko pine branch and then stamped the sentiment.

Both these challenges are half way through so there is still time to enter!

There's also still time to enter the CAS Stencil challenge and I will be back tomorrow to share my mid month DT card. Pop over and get out your stencils!!

Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Twofer and more!

I took advantage of the Twofer Challenge rules being relaxed a little this month as we can make 2 different cards for the same occasion instead of different occasions with the theme of Holiday Greenery.

I used a Penny Black tree stamp from the Peaceful Winter set (30-450).

The square one uses 2 different tree stamps in varying shades of green, with one topped with a punched out gold shiny star and a sentiment from the Merry Up set (30-622).

The larger card on the left had the 'sky' inked with Chipped Sapphire and Seedless Preserve and the snowdrifts done with Tumbled Glass and Weathered Wood.  White embossed the tree, stamped the sentiment and spattered with acrylic paint before mounting it onto a stitched die.

As well as the Twofer challenge I am also linking up to -
PB&More  -  Christmas
Holly & Ivy - Anything Christmas
Christmas @ Sweet Stampin' - Trees

Thanks for looking and if you've left me a comment I really appreciate it. have a lovely day whatever you're doing. x

Inks and Powder

Blue skies and sunshine (but cold) here today after all the rain yesterday - mad when you think just across the Pennines 40 minutes drive away they once again are experiencing floods. Although one of the downsides of living so high up on the top of a moor means you experience high winds 💨and snow ⛄ the upside is at least you don't get flooded out💧⛆🌊!

Because the weather was so bad yesterday I spent a very nice cosy time in the craft space doing what I do best - making messy!

I have never tried hot glue embossing but continuing with my decision to try out new techniques and re visit old ones and after seeing a similar card to this on Pinterest the small piece of metal left on the desk from my card here seemed to say 'Use Me'! - So I did!

I ran the metal through an embossing folder and then dropped some Alco Inks on it and simply let them run.

Out with the glue gun! Confess don't use the glue gun a lot (cos I am VERY messy), but am really pleased that I only managed to get the glue where I wanted it and not all over everywhere else!
A few blobs, then gently heated again to make warm, added some gold embossing powder and heated again.
Once finished I matted it onto an off cut of gold card before putting on the card base and stamping the sentiment.
Another 'man' card I think?

Liked doing this technique so the glue gun is still out........😏😏

CAS Stencil - November

Time for another challenge at CAS Stencil and this month our host Linda has chosen the theme of 'Stencil Monoprint'.

If you've never done a stencil monoprint before I promise you will be hooked once you try it. There are some video links on the challenge blog to give you some tips and instructions, and whilst you're there have a look at the lovely examples done by my team mates and our Guest designer Lucie 
So here's my card -

Love these colour combos - Fossilized Amber, Peacock Feathers, Mermaid Lagoon for the monoprint frame.
Once dry I cut out the inside frame with a stitched die.

The background behind was done by smooshing the colours on my craft mat with a small piece of watercolour card.

I used a tiny 'circles' stamp (and it WAS tiny) inked in Salty Ocean.  It reminded me of bubbles.

A simple white die cut anchor and a sentiment stamp finished it off.

 I really enjoyed this challenge and hope that you will find time to make something using one of your stencils and share it with us in the gallery!

November Challenge at Stamping Sensations

Our November challenge at Stamping Sensations, is  'Traditional Christmas Colours' - so we want to see creations made with the colours - Red/Green/Gold - any or all!
Another great prize on offer from our sponsors,  Chocolate Baroque - pop over to the challenge blog and see what you could win!
I have been enjoying myself with some 'new to me' stamps which someone else has pre loved and I am loving all over again!

This make is a mix of a Pine Branch stamp (old one - make unknown!) and a 3 bauble stamp ( new to me - 'Adornments' by Penny Black).

Started by stamping the pine branch first, inked up just one of the baubles on the stamp, spritzed it lightly and using the Misti stamped it, then just kept adding more depth of colour until I was happy.
I drew a line with a black pen for the hanger.

A soft watercolour wash for the sky and watercoloured the 'snow' before adding the sentiment and spattering some acrylic paint.

This is very much a learning process for me and I am enjoying it a lot, not least because I was really happy with how this turned out!

Sharing over at -
PB&More - Christmas
Dragonfly Dreams - Christmas/Winter
CHNC - Anything Christmas
MIUCB - Christmas/Watercolour
Country View - Hand Stamped

Metal

CAS Mix Up has the challenge of 'Oxidized Metal' this month.

I wanted to try a 'new to me' technique using ink refills on mirri card  - as I have tons of it which I don't use - but don't have many ink refills as I usually just buy new pads when they dry out!
When I went to find the refills I possess 2 were empty and the other had dried up! So it was back to a tried and trusted technique using a thin flexible metal bought when I was doing a lot of mixed media and now a little neglected.

I had it in my head to do a 'man' card too as I so rarely make them.

I took my piece of copper metal and dry embossed with a 'Cogs' folder  then used my clear embossing pad on it.  Gold, Silver and Copper embossing powders sprinkled on top. I re did this a couple of times until I got the effect I wanted.

Once dry I swiped a Stazon Ink pad across the top.

I fiddled about with layouts and frames for a while but in the end I chopped up my metal piece into 2 strips!
Simply matted onto black card before placing on the card base and stamped the sentiment.

To be honest I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed messing about with metal  - so whilst I had the metal pack out I embossed a couple more pieces and have made my hands very very messy using alco ink on them without gloves.....😒😒

As well as CAS Mix Up, I am also sharing my man card at
Rainbow Card Challenge - Magically Metallic
Sisterhood of Crafters - CAS

Technique

I have been trying out some techniques - some have been successful, some not!
This was one that isn't perfect but am not too disappointed.
I tried this technique last year and thought I should try it again. I forgot though the one thing I learnt last time - DON'T PRESS TOO HARD WHEN SWIPING THE INK PAD'!!!

I think practice may make perfect on this 'Black Ice' technique and no doubt I will try it again on another scrap of mirri card.

This is not a big card - it only measures 4" square. The mirri card was just an odd piece, as was the black linen textured card, both left over from something and put onto a white card blank. (Playground for me then!)

The tree stamps are Inikadinkadoo and the stag is Inkylicious.
I watched this video from the Serene Stamper - and looking at her finished cards compared to mine - more practice required!!

Thanks for looking  - we woke up to the first frost this morning and as usual after a frosty start we now have clear blue skies and sunshine! Have a great day whatever you're doing! x
Sharing over at -
MIUBC #30 - A/Goes with Open Technique
Just Add Ink #430 - Add a Technique
Double D - Silhouettes
Dragonfly Dreams - Use Black

A Foiling First!

I have been trying out some new to me techniques the last couple of days and I confess I am now hooked............... on.................. foiling! I am sat here now waiting for some new stash 😊😊 after buying some teeny samples to see if I could master/like using foil.
I have a laminator (very old but works!) and I have also made some cards using that too and been happy with the results for first attempts.
This share is a card made without having to use a laminator!

I am dead chuffed with how this turned out (although those of a nervous disposition should not have been in the room when I was trying to take the photograph!)

Red Pepper and Lettuce Alcohol Inks onto a scrap of Yupo and just let them mingle together.

Allowed to dry for a short time then laid over a small piece of gold foil and rubbed with my finger. Where the 2 colours meet and leave a marked 'join'  the foil simply sticks to whilst it is tacky!
Simples really!

My trees were done by using double sided tape on another odd piece of card and putting the foil over. Rubbed lightly with a bone folder and then die cut.

Here's a close up -  I L💗VE it!!
 
Stamped a greeting in Metallic Gold Ink, die cut an oval frame and done!

CAS Mix Up's challenge this month is Foiling so am linking up to the gallery before the challenge closes in a couple of days.

Allsorts challenge is Add something gold/silver

It's dry here but a little overcast today.
I am off for some fresh air and a little walk round out local dam and then intend to foil, foil and foil some more!!
Have a great day whatever you're doing! x

CAS Stencil - October Mid Month reminder

We're halfway through our October challenge at CAS Stencil where Loll set us the theme of 'Patterned Paper'.
My paper comes from a vintage themed pad called - ?????  No idea 'cos I lost the front cover but it is full of scripts/roses/newspaper print/old franking machines and ink and pencils!

I used one of the lighter coloured and less fussy sheets for this make.

The newspaper print, pencils and word 'Perfect' is actually part of the sheet and I just stamped the other words round it after heat embossing in white through this pretty corner stencil.

I dabbed a little bit more embossing powder round the edge before matting onto grey card.

Finished with a couple of scored lines and a bit of twine.

So - you have time to come and join us oif you haven't already done so - and even if you have - MAKE ANOTHER!!!
Our Guest designer Gundi and the rest of the team have some great makes to inspire you!

October Mid Month at Stamping Sensations

The 'Trees and Leaves' challenge is half way through at Stamping Sensations, so here is my reminder post.
We are sponsored by Stamp Addicts and full details of the wonderful prize are shown over on the challenge blog - please follow our rules so you can be in with a chance of winning!

Having done a bright rainbow card for the start of the challenge(which you can see here) I have reverted back to traditional Autumn colours for this one!

I randomly sponged some Antique Linen DI over a piece of card first.

The stamps are from a Stampendous set called 'Summer Leaves'.
Used Tea Dye, Rusty Hinge and Dried Marigold and the fern stamp was inked in Bundled Sage.

The script stamp is from Indigo Blu and is second generation stamping with Pumice Stone.

Sponged the Pumice Stone lightly round the edges and stamped the sentiment and a tiny leaf onto some cream vellum and heat embossed.

Matted onto Kraft card before placing on the cream base card.

If you haven't already done so, stamp up a 'Trees and Leaves' project and come and join us! The prize is worth having!

Am sharing my Autumn Leaves over at
SOS - Pumpkin Spice
Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - Stamp It
Let's Create - A/Goes with option Fall Colours

Happy Crafting! x

CAS Christmas - October (Part 2!)

My Christmas cards are coming along - I am still  needing a lot more but I am currently away visiting my friend in a nice warm country🌞 (and attending meetings about an event we are running next year - so it's not all sun and pool lounging!). Unsurprisingly I really can't get my head round snow and ice at the minute. No doubt when I get back in a few days the British weather will soon change that.
I made these before I left when I was in Christmas card mode! It's very rare that I make 2 cards that are almost the same, and to be honest that was not the intention with these - the one on the left was a 'practice run' and I full expected to at least smudge it - but although I made a few changes when I came to do the second one as I looked at the first I thought it wasn't too bad- so onto a card it went!

I used the solid branch stamp from an Altenew layering set called Cherry Blossom, partly inking and adding bits of it to main branch in Versafine Smokey Gray.
The sponged background is Pumice Stone DI liberally splattered with water and once dry added my two Inklylicious birdies stamped in Crimson Red.

I used Iced Spruce on the base of the first card (not happy) and Tumbled Glass on the second - (much happier) before adding a little bit of glitter.
The 'snow' on the branches done differently too - the  left one had Nuvo Crystal (too thick) and I used a white gel pen on the second one!

Sharing these into the gallery at CAS Christmas where the theme is 'Winter Scene'.
Thanks for looking today - will catch up with you all in a couple of days when back home with the heating on! x

CAS Christmas - October (Part 1)

Even though I didn't manage a make last month, taking part in the CAS Christmas challenge as often as I have been able this year has managed to give me a few more cards than I usually have at this time of year. I'll still be panicking come the start of December as that has now become part of my normal build up to Christmas!

This month the challenge theme set is a 'Winter Scene'.

I have actually made a couple of cards for this challenge and will pop them in the gallery when I can but thought I'd share this one first.

I bought this stamp over 10 years ago - and as with a lot of my stash, think I used it once!

Stamped and watercoloured and a liberal amount of glitter on the chimney top and roof.

Oh and I used the tiniest blob of Nuvo Crystal drops on the reindeer's nose! And I am a little pleased with myself 'cos it looks cute!

Thanks for looking - have a great day! x

October Challenge at Stamping Sensations

This month our Stamping Sensations challenge fits in nicely with Autumn as it is -  'Trees and Leaves'.

We are sponsored by Stamp Addicts and full details of the wonderful prize are shown over on the challenge blog - please follow our rules so you can be in with a chance of winning!

My card has been inspired by the colours from 2 other challenges -
(Pin)spirational (pic shown here on the right) and Colour My Heart Dare #362.  (Photo at the end of this post)

Using a piece of bright white card, I heat embossed the leaf stamps (which are from the Altenew Spring Bouquet set) before inking over it.

After inking the background I spattered some water drops and mixed some gold Perfect Pearls with some water and spattered a few tiny drops.
This has given a little shimmery effect to the tiny gold spots.

Matted it onto black card before fixing it to the white base card.

I added a white heat embossed sentiment from Technique Tuesday.

Hoping that you can come and join in with us this month at Stamping Sensations.

Have a great day! x

CAS Watercolour October Challenge

CAS Watercolour is celebrating their THIRD Birthday🎂🎂🎂 this month (time has certainly flown!). Loll is hosting and she has set the challenge of  'Maple Leaves'. 

So here's my card!

I coloured some watercolour card with Distress Inks in shades of Rusty Hinge, Fossilized Amber and Spiced Marmalade and then die cut 3 maple leaves.

A stitched frame over another piece of watercolour card (a scrap but I thought the colour blended OK) and then arranged 2 leaves and cut the third up and tucked it behind the frame.

The die cut and the stamped sentiment is from Technique Tuesday

If you play along this month you will be in with a chance of winning a prize and all you have to do is create a card with a watercoloured Maple Leaf ( or Leaves) and make sure to keep your design CAS (clean and simple) with lots of open space.  Simples!


There's a few Autumn themed challenges about so am sharing my card at -
Die Cut Divas - Fall Colours
HLS (Watercolour) - A/Goes/Botanical
Stamplorations October CAS - Shades of Orange

Thanks for looking today - have a great weekend! x

CAS Stencil - October

Our challenge at CAS Stencil this month is 'Patterned Paper' and has been set by Loll.
Loll seems to think that we all have patterned paper mountains lying about.. have no idea where she gets that idea from...............😄😄
So here's my DT card -

I recently had a mass purge of patterned paper and got rid of a lot but I did keep some odd sheets from pads which I knew I would definitely use!

I used a small hearts stencil and heat embossed - white ones first leaving the centre red one till last.

Placed onto a die cut piece of black card.
I heat embossed the die cut sentiment and it is really shiny in real life! (Saving this card to give to my other half!)

Stencilling onto patterned paper was another first for me and I hope that will have a go and join in with us this month - 'cos I know you're all now looking at your paper pads!!

Lots of inspiration over on the challenge blog too - my talented teamies have so many wonderful ideas!
AND - we have a wonderful guest designer this month - Gundi- who has made a fantastic card showcasing her stencil and patterned paper!

Am sharing my make over at -
CHNPP - A/Goes
The Male Room - CAS
CAS on Friday -  Masculine

Back

I had a terrible job of dragging myself away from the wonderful warm sunshine and beautiful sandy beach that we have enjoyed for the last couple of weeks.... home to wind, rain and the heating on!😢

I have a make to share though -  a card made for the stash box  and out of leftovers!

The 3 stitched rectangles were the middles from some frames I cut out for other cards.

I stamped and white heat embossed the leaf ( from the WOW Flights of Fancy set) on some other scraps and simply watercoloured.

Layered them to the rectangles then layered the rectangle to the card base.
A quick make!
 
The dew drops are maybe a little large? But they're all that I had so they will have to do!

Popping into the Playground to see what everyone has been up to whilst I've been away and also linking to -
SOS - Dream the Embossable Dream
Crafty Gals Corner - Fall Colours
Cardz4Guyz - Trees or Leaves

Thanks for taking the time to look at my blog today - hope all is well in your part of blogland! x

CAS Stencil - Mid month reminder

It's time for my CAS Stencil little mid month reminder!

Julia set the challenge of using Baby Wipes with your stencils - a simple technique but really effective for backgrounds!
My first DT card this month (if you haven't seen it) is here - and here's my reminder card!

One for a rather sad occasion but there's no getting away from it - we all need sympathy/condolence cards at some time.

Watercolour card inked with Peacock Feathers DO.

The leaf stencil ( a bargain buy from The Range), placed over and the baby wipe used to reveal the design.

A simple die cut frame for my leaf sprig die cut and a sentiment stamped in Smokey Grey ink.

There's lots of lovely ideas and inspiration  on the challenge blog and also a couple of links to video tutorials.
Hope that you will join us this month - we love to see our gallery full of amazing creations!

By the time you read this I will have just arrived on Day 1 of my holiday - warm sunshine and a complete relax -and no doubt the odd long cool drink on occasions!! (Purely to be sociable 😇😇😁)

Thanks for looking today - whatever you're doing and wherever you are, I hope your day is a good one. x

Mid Month - Stamping Sensations September Challenge

A reminder that our challenge at Stamping Sensations this month is 'Anything Goes with Flowers'

Bee Crafty are our sponsors and there's details of the prize over on the challenge blog.
(Please read our rules before submitting your entry)

This was a reasonably quick make as I have not had much time - (holiday looming! - in fact by the time you read this I shall be on my way ✈⛱🌞)

Stamp heat embossed in black and watercoloured.

A simple die cut sentiment and job done!

Would love for you to join us this month - grab your flower stamps and get making!

Hope the weather is as nice for you as it is where I'll be!! Happy Crafting. x

Opposites Attract!

I managed to grab some time in the craftie space in between the ironing and packing - we're off for a 'celebratory holiday' in a couple of days (our 20th anniversary)  - then when we come back we're only home for a week and we jet off again - this time to visit our friends who live overseas who are also celebrating a big anniversary - double ours!!

But I couldn't go away without a fix of inkiness and paper - I made a couple of cards similar to this last year and when I saw the challenge at CAS Watercolour I remembered that the colour combo fitted -
The orange and blue hues are opposite on the colour spectrum and I think they go really well together.

I used watercolour card and my paints and once dry I stamped the bullrushes and the birds. 
No sentiment on it yet - originally I thought it might work as a Sympathy card  but think it would be suitable for other occasions - so will keep it plain until I use it!

Thanks for looking and leaving any comments - I really DO love to hear from you. x

Leaves

Autumn is here in the north west of England - we have had really strong winds overnight and it's still blowing a gale this morning - had to rescue a few of my pots on the patio which had been battered by the wind. The weather as always though gives me the perfect excuse to shut myself in the craft room - and that's what I intend to do!!
So here's today's share -

A simple and quick birthday card - and it's one layer too, so not too fat for posting!

I fixed my leaf stencil over the card and masked off the bottom using masking tape.

I used Twisted Citron and Peeled Paint Distress Inks and using a baby wipe I pressed the colour through the stencil.
Using a wipe instead of a sponge gives a lighter and more delicate colour impression which I really like.

Am popping this into the gallery at CAS Stencil where our theme this month is to use Baby Wipes!

Cut 2 leaves and before removing from the die pressed the inky baby wipe through the die.

Stamped the sentiment, fixed the leaves adding a teeny bit of twine and job done.

Desperate for masculine makes in my stash box so this is the first one done!

Sharing my quick CAS card over at
AAA Birthday - Use a Stencil
APTS - Masking
Dragonfly Dreams - Happy Birthday

Thanks for stopping by - have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Inchie

Made a couple of cards today - both for the same challenge but will just share one for the time being!

CAS Mix Up has 'Inchies' as it's main challenge - so one single Inchie, a tiny bit of stamping, some die cutting and a little watercolouring make up my required elements for this first card.

I used my small cone flower die and cut it out twice,watercoloured then snipped off the smaller flower stem from each (as there wasn't enough room!) - not wasted them though - have glued them on the inside!

Embossed a frame round the Inchie and then die cut using a cross stitch die.

The sentiment stamped in Smokey Grey ink.

Our weather has turned distinctly Autumnal the last couple of days - seems this summer has been one of extremes - with red hot days then rain of monsoon proportions - and as always the nice weather was over far too quickly.
That said I have managed to get all my washing dry today! (Ironing is the problem......😡😡!)
Linking to these other Challenges
Flower Challenge - Anything Goes
Sheepski - Dies
MMM - Use a Shape

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

CAS Stencil September Challenge

Julia is hosting our CAS Stencil challenge this month and she would like to see us using Baby Wipes with our Stencils to make CAS cards.

There are some links on the challenge blog showing a couple of techniques, so if you're unsure of how to mix a baby wipe with a stencil, pop over and have a look!

The idea for this card has been swimming round (no pun intended!) in my head for a little while. But several attempts to make it look like I imagined it (using a Bokeh technique) were unsuccessful - this month's challenge though gave me an opportunity to have a re-think as to how to achieve what I wanted.

The Oyster stamp was a mag freebie. Heat embossed with Platinum EP and coloured with Cosmic Shimmer powders. The pearl was done using Nuvo Crystal with a teeny bit of Pearl Cosmic Shimmer scattered over it then when dry added a layer of Glossy Accents. I was rather pleased with the way it turned out as it stands proud of the shell and kinda 'glows' -  even dear husband said it looked like a pearl!!

Blended Salty Ocean, Fossilized Amber and Mustard Seed DO onto watercolour card and stamped some 'sandhills' and a starfish.

My 'wavy bubbles' stencil I have had for a while and never used but I kept fingers crossed it would work and turn out like the idea in my head!
I used the baby wipe and very carefully removed the colour by GENTLY rubbing across the stencil, it worked better in some places than others but having messed up a couple of pieces by pressing too hard when trying out this technique I learnt my lesson - only LIGHT pressure is needed!!

The sentiment also from the same freebie set simply heat embossed in white onto black card.

I hope you will try out this simple technique and share your makes in our gallery. We have a great Guest Designer too this month - Sarah and the rest of the CAS DT would love to hear what you think of their cards too!
Thanks for looking - hope I have inspired you to have a go! Happy Crafting. x
Sharing over at
Crafty Cardmakers - Pearls
Country View - Under the Sea

Stamping Sensations September Challenge

I needed a retirement card so this seemed a good opportunity to use this lovely sentiment stamp from Bee Crafty, who are our sponsors this month at Stamping Sensations.

Our September challenge is - Anything Goes with Flowers - so I also used Bee Crafty's pretty Dandee Border!😁😁

Started with a blended ink background in lilac and blue shades.
The Dandee Border stamp and the sentiment stamped in Versafine ink.

The large dandelion is one of the first stamps I ever bought and ranks amongst my favourite stamps EVER!
(Now removed from it's wood backing so haven't a clue which make it is?)

I sponged some Black Soot DI round the edges to soften them before matting onto black card then layering onto lilac.

Hope you will join us this month - please pop over to the Stamping Sensations blog and check out our rules before linking your entry!
The DT have some fab examples and they would also appreciate a comment! Thanks for looking and have a great day. x