Time to make a start on the Christmas cards .........

Happy Monday ........

Welcome to November ....... and dare I say it ......... the run up to Christmas!!

I hope you're all well.  Did you have a lovely Halloween?  It was very quiet here, we didn't even bother with Trick or Treat!!

 

It's still a little quiet on here too .... sorry!  I'm not quite sure what I'm doing with my time but, I don't seem to have had much spare recently.  And, with not having to do the Blog Challenges each month my cardmaking has taken a back seat for now.

I have made a start on some Christmas cards though, which is not bad going for me.   As you all know I'm usually on the last minute, still making them in December!!    This year though,  I thought I'd try and get them out of the way early so,  I've spent the last two crafty get togethers with the girls in a festive mood.  I prepped everything during the week and then on the day all I had to do was put everything together ...... easy!  And look, a whole batch done .........

Nothing too fancy ..... festive red and gold, and very CAS.

I used the beautiful new Big & Bold Joy Ornaments from the Colorado Craft Company.  A gorgeous stamp set with pretty detailed baubles, two sentiments, and the letters to create the word JOY

I simply stamped onto red cardstock, and then heat embossed in gold ......

I did the letters with plain gold embossing powder and the bauble in the centre using a sparkly gold

I stamped and embossed the rest of my sentiment onto a seperate strip of red card, and attached this underneath with foam pads ..... simple to do, but a very classic look I think.

I also had a play with my version of a technique I saw on Katrina Werner's blog a while ago ..... using Distress Re-Inkers to create a sort of ombre effect background ...... what do you think?

I really like the effect, and again it's another great way to create a whole batch of fabulous Christmas cards in no time at all.  Just paint your background cards, leave overnight to dry (that's what I did anyway) and then use large Christmas sentiments to add your greetings.

I used Festive Berries Distress Re-inker and Hot Pressed Watercolour cardstock (the smooth stuff!) 

I mixed the re-inker with some water, and used a paintbrush to add the colour across the card, starting at the top working my way down the card adding more water as I went along to get the ombre effect.  I repeated the process a few times until I got the colour, and the blend, that I was happy with and then left the card to air dry.

Once it was completely dry, I used an anti-static bag over the whole piece and then stamped and heat embossed my sentiment in gold

Another stamp set from the Colorado Craft Company ....... Quick Holiday Cards Savvy Sentiments .... I do like a large sentiment stamp!

To finish off I sprinkled on a little Chunky White Embossing Enamel and heat set this from underneath

Well, that's another one for the festive box!

This technique was so much fun to do, I might just give it a try using some different colours!  Gets me using those Distress Re-inkers too!

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day.

We're off out for tea this evening, first time in a while.  No special occasion, I just didn't feel like cooking!

Cheerio until next time .......

CAS Mix Up Challenge ...........

Happy Tuesday ........

Belated Happy Valentine's too 💕 ....... I hope you had a nice day!

It's the middle of February, so that means we're half way through this month's CAS Mix Up Challenge. 

It's a Mixed Media challenge this month.  Susan's our host, and she's chosen Faux Cloisonne as the theme .......

If you're thinking ...... what's faux cloisonne? (like I did) then don't worry .......

 Susan's Message

For my challenge I would like you to recycle glossy Magazines, Advertising material or you could use Designer Paper that has been hiding in your stash.  Most cards I have seen are embossed with Gold embossing powder but you could use other colours too. 

 

You can also check out the CAS Mix Up Blog,  where you'll find links to some videos showing how to use this technique.

Now I don't buy that many glossy magazines so, I had to really look hard for something to use.  In the end I found a couple of pages in one of our motorhome club magazines.

The next problem I had was deciding on which stamp to use.   Before I ran out of magazine pictures to use (it's not often I throw things in the bin but, boy was this a challenge!!) ..... here's one that survived the cut

(Faux Cloisonne, Stamping,  & Watercolouring)

I stamped my image onto white card, watercoloured the little bunny and the background,

and then used the faux cloisonne technique for the bunny's umbrella.   

Stamped the umbrella part onto my magazine page, heat embossed in gold and fussy cut.  I then paper pieced the umbrella onto the stamped image ...... 

A simple, fun technique, and a great way of adding extra colour to your designs.  I will definitely be using the faux cloisonne technique again ...... I just need to get my hands on some glossy mags!!

Another way of doing Faux Cloisonne is to use pearlescent paints with your gold embossing

(check out the link to the Lindsey Weirich video on the CAS Mix Up Blog)

Here's my take on that .......

(Faux Cloisonne, Stamping, Heat Embossing, & Ink Splattering)

Black card stock, and a pretty Altenew stamp ....... love it!

Go on ..... why not give it a go and join in with this month's challenge. 

You have until the 24th of the month to get your entries in.  Just remember to include the Challenge Theme, Rubber Stamping, and at least one other Mixed Media technique on your entry.

Happy stamping!

Thanks for popping by ...... enjoy the rest of your day.

Cheerio until next time ........

Supplies

Card 1

Stamps: All weather Friends (Anita Jeram - Colorado Craft Co.)

Inks: Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Delicata Metallic Ink - Golden Glitz; Versamark; Distress Inks to watercolour with 

Others: Gold Embossing Powder (WOW!); ZIG Markers to Watercolour with; Magazine page

Card 2

Stamps: Everlasting Happiness (Altenew)

Inks: Versamark ink; 

Others: Gold Embossing Powder (WOW!); Pearlescent Paints

Craft Stamper Challenge ..... did someone mention cake?

Hello again ......

Busy day today ....... and it's only 9am!!

It's time to remind you about this month's Craft Stamper Blog Challenge  have you entered yet?

The theme is Anything Goes so it really can be anything you like ...... a card, a journal page, an ATC maybe.  Just remember you MUST include some actual rubber stamping on your project.

The challenge has already been running for a week, but there's still plenty of time left to play along and be in with a chance of winning one of the fab prizes up for grabs ...... more about that later.

Just in case you need a little bit of inspiration, here's a fun idea for a birthday card ...... I need so many in January!

Cupcakes are always welcome ...... especially chocolate ones!

I stamp the cupcake image onto a piece of white cardstock, heat embossed with a clear powder, and then fussy cut it.

I used ZIG markers to colour in the actual cupcake and the strawberry on the top, and the cream on the cake I painted with a white pearlescent paint and just a touch of pink marker blended in.
A few dots of glitter glue here and there add a touch of sparkle.

I stamped the sentiment on a scrap of card and used a die to cut it out and then attached it to the back of my cupcake

I cut a piece of black cardstock to fit the front of a 7x5 inch card blank, and splattered it using gold and silver inks

To add a bit more fun to the card I used a Wobbler to attach the cupcake so that it moves .......

Check out more inspiration and ideas from the rest of the Design Team on the Craft Stamper Blog today and then join in the fun.  You could win one of the fabulous prizes on offer. 

We have TWO winners each month ...... a Design Winner chosen by the DT, from all of the eligible challenge entries.  The prize for that is a double page spread in Craft Stamper magazine featuring the winning project, a Winner's Profile post on the CS Blog and, the chance to be a Guest Designer on a future challenge ..... not bad eh!

Winner number two is randomly chosen, again from all the eligible entries and they receive the Blog Challenge prize.  Look at what's up for grabs for the January challenge ........ I wouldn't mind winning that little bundle! 

So ..... get stamping!!

Thanks for popping by ..... have a great day, and a fabulous weekend.

Cheerio until next time ......

Products used:
Stamps: Sweet Friend Cupcake (BIG & BOLD collection Colorado Craft Company); Cupcakes (Hero Arts) - for the sentiment
Inks: Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Delicata Golden Glitz & Silvery Shimmer inks for the splatters
Others: Fine Detail Clear Embossing Powder (WOW!); ZIG Clean Color Brush Markers; White Pearlescent paint; Stitched Oval Nesting Dies (Stampin Up!)

It's Friday ..... it's the first one of the month ...... it's The Craft Stamper Challenge!!

Happy Friday ....

The weekend is almost here.  I hope you've had a good week.

It's time to get the final Craft Stamper Take It Make It Challenge of 2019 underway.
Why not take a break from all the festive preparation, and play along.  Go on .... spend some time with your craft stash!
If you're like me, you're still making your Christmas cards ..... oh yes, I'm not done yet!

This design was inspired by the lovely Jennifer McGuire, using the Distress Oxide Spray Resist technique, and then finishing with an iron!

I love the Oxide Sprays ....... I'm hoping Santa brings me the final set of 12 (hint! hint!)
I really like how they work on coloured cardstock, and this technique is so much fun to do.

I used the gorgeous large snowflake from the Colorado Craft Company and heat embossed it with a clear powder onto a piece of teal coloured cardstock.
I then used the Oxide Sprays, spritzing gently down the card and over the top of the embossing.
I used a couple of different colours, allowing each layer to dry before adding a different colour.

Once it was all dry, I place a piece of copier paper over the clear embossed snowflake and used a hot iron over the top, to remove the embossing powder.  I love the effect that this gives.
The heat from the iron melts the embossing powder and it's soaked up into the copier paper, along with any of the Oxide Spray that may be sat on top of the embossing,  leaving this beautifully smooth image behind.

I added some fine crystal glitter onto the snowflake ........ well it is Christmas! and then heat embossed my sentiment on the top with a white embossing powder .....

I finished off with a few splatters of gold and silver ink onto the background, and added a few sparkly gems.

The theme for the challenge is Anything Goes ...... cards, journal pages, 3D projects, scrapbook layouts, whatever you like.  Just make sure there's actual rubber stamping on your project somewhere.  No Digi images please, new original work only, and ..... please keep to the one project per blog post, a set of something such as cards or ATCs count as more than one.

You can enter the challenge up to three times, just make sure that each entry has it's own blog post, and don't forget to include a link back to the Craft Stamper challenge.

As always there's two prizes up for grabs ....... 

• the Design Winner, chosen by the DT.  They will get their winning project published in the Craft Stamper Magazine, a winners profile, and an invitation to be a Guest Designer on a future challenge.
• the Challenge Winner, randomly chosen.  They will receive this months fabulous prize .... a set of Jane Davenport Brights Watercolour Paints.

Happy stamping folks!

The Christmas spirit has finally found its way here ..... Ho! Ho! Ho!  and the house is looking more like Santa's grotto each day.
The trees are finally up ....... both of them!  It took me a while but, we got there in the end!

Most of the Christmas shopping is done, and the party season starts this weekend!
We even watched our first Christmas movie last night .....

Thanks for popping by ...... enjoy the rest of your day, and have a great weekend.

Cheerio until next time ......

Products used:
Stamps: Winter Wishes Snowflake (Colorado Craft Company);  Merry Christmas (Simon Says Stamp)
Inks: Versamark ink; Distress Oxide Sprays - Broken China, Mermaid Lagoon; Delicata - Golden Glitz, Silver Shimmer (for the splatters)
Others: Clear Embossing Powder,  White embossing powder (WOW!); Quickie Glue Pen, Fine Crystal Glitter; Clear crystal Gems