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

Happy Monday .......

It's the start of a new week, at the beginning of a new month, so that means there's a new CAS Mix Up Challenge.   

This month our Challenge Host is Viv,  and it's a Stencil Challenge with the added prompt  

Stencilling over Patterned Paper.

We've all got piles of patterned papers.  Some we love and can't bring ourselves to use (I've got lots of those)  Some that are nice but we're not quite sure what to do with them (got quite a few of those too).  And then, there's those that are not really our favourites (yep! got some of those too!) 

Well, here's a great way of using all those patterned papers ....... why not stencil over the top of them.

Add a little more detail and interest to those plain-ish sort of papers.  

Cover over a design or colour that you're not quite happy with.  Or, simply stencil a pretty focal point on a nice background paper.  The hardest decision will be which paper to use.

I've got a couple of ideas for you here.

First up, one of my favourite leaf stencils ...... Natures Treasures II from Uniko.  

I've used it here over a lovely paper from 49 and Market.  Beautiful mix of shades and colours with a pretty leaf detail here and there.  I simply added a bit more interest to the edges.

I used the stencil with Distress and Distress Oxide inks first (Peacock Feathers), and then I added another leaf over the top which I heat embossed in gold.

A bit of ink around the edge, a simple sentiment, and a touch of gold splatter finishes it all off.

For the second card I've used another pretty background paper, which I think is from the Spellbinders Beautifully Imperfect Collection.  Quite delicate colours with a little bit of detail, it just needed a bold focal point .........

The Tim Holtz Roses stencil did the job perfectly I think.  Simply stenciled onto the paper using black Versafine Clair ink

I heat embossed my sentiment using WOW's Platinum Embossing Powder,

and finished of with some tiny gemstones for a touch of sparkle.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how you stencil over patterned papers.

Check out the CAS Mix Up Challenge Blog for more inspiration from the Design Team, and you'll also find some great videos on there with more tips and techniques.

You have until the end of the month to get your entries in ...... happy stencilling!

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

Cheerio until next time ....

Products used

Card 1

Inks ...... Distress and Distress Oxide ink (Peacock Feathers); Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Versamark Embossing ink

Stencils ....... Natures Treasures II - Uniko

Others ...... Patterned paper; WOW Gold Superfine Embossing Powder, Gold ink for splatter

Card 2

Inks ...... Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Versamark Embossing ink

Stencils ....... Tim Holtz Roses

Others ...... Patterned paper; WOW Platinum Superfine Embossing Powder; Small clear gemstones

Autumn's on it's way .........

Happy Friday .......

I hope you've had a good week.  September is well under way and I don't know about you but I'm noticing a little change in the weather.  The leaves have started falling over here .... it'll be Autumn before we know it!
Colours in the old craft room have taken a change too ..... definitely going more autumnal I'd say.  It's not a bad thing though .... I love the autumn shades.

If you haven't already entered this months Craft Stamper Take It Make It Challenge there's still lots of time.
It's a Take a Stamp month ..... anything goes as long as there's actual rubber stamping on there somewhere

I said my colours had taken on a autumn feel ... what do you think?
A nice simple design using the Stampendous Daisy Stem Trio set of stamps .....

I stamped them using black Versafine ink and them embossed with a clear powder

Before colouring in the flowers I used a piece of acetate to smoosh some Distress Ink onto the background (Scattered Straw), just to add a bit more colour and interest.
I then used my Cosmic Shimmer Mica Powders ..... mixed them with water to create a paint and used them to add colour to the flowers.
I do love the effect you get when using Mica Powders ...... the shimmer is so pretty. I should use them more often really, but they're one of those products that kind of get forgotten about in the old craft room.  Maybe I'll leave them out on my desk for a while!
There's loads of different brands on the market ..... these particular ones were by Cosmic Shimmer but I do like the Perfect Pearls powders, there's a Finnabair range from Prima and IndigoBlu have just launched their brand new range of Luscious powders ....... think I might have to get my hands on some of those!!

This months challenge is sponsored by the fabulous Visible Image ......

And the challenge winner will receive 3 of their cool stamp sets

Don't forget .... we also have a Design winner each month, chosen by the DT. Would you like to see your project published in the Craft Stamper magazine, be a Guest Designer on a future challenge and have a Winners Profile on the Craft Stamper Blog?  To be in with a chance you have to enter the challenge so .... Take a Stamp and create something fabulous!
If you need a little more inspiration you'll find loads on the Craft Stamper Blog today .... the Design Team have been busy again.

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

It's a workshop weekend for me ..... always fun.  Guess what we're playing with this weekend ..... you got it ..... Mica Powders!
I've got to get the craft room tidy first though ....... plenty of strong coffee and a little bit of quiet is needed this morning.  I'm not saying I'm a bit delicate but ...... we did end up at the Saddleoke last night! Oh dear ....... I didn't do any singing, well not with the microphone that is ..... I did have a few G&Ts though.  Don't worry .... I'll be fine by lunchtime!!!

Cheerio until next time

Still in the festive spirit .....

Happy Thursday to you,

Weekend's on it's way again (yeah!) 

Had enough of Christmas yet?  No ...... oooh good!  If you're screaming YES!!!! at me right now ...... sorry, because I thought I'd stick with the festive theme for this weeks Less is More Challenge

It's Sketch week and here's what we had to follow ......

Very simple and straightforward ..... lots of white space as always.
Here's my take on it .... what do you think?

I've turned it round a little ..... gone for landscape rather than portrait.  Still CAS enough I hope ....... and I've included the partial panel on the front ... sort of ...... with the dusting of ink.

The snowflakes are a mix of Stampin Up! ( the large one in the centre) and Penny Black for the smaller ones .....  and they've been stamped using various shades of blue ink

Once these were dry I brushed over the top using Stormy Sky Distress Ink to get the look of the panel from the sketch ....

The sentiment is from the Happy Little Stampers ...... Mixed Christmas Sentiments

And I finished off with a touch of fine crystal glitter on the main snowflake ..... done!

It wouldn't be me if there wasn't something on the inside too .....

More sparkly snowflakes and a nice festive greeting ....... perfect!

It's definitely beginning to look a lot like Christmas ...... well down at the local garden centre it is anyway.
We were down there last night for the Christmas preview evening ..... lots of festive displays full of glittering baubles and twinkling lights, with the odd Christmas carol being played in the background ...... Ho! Ho! Ho!
No mulled wine though this year (sigh!) ..... maybe we were a little too early!!

I couldn't resist topping up the old tree decorations though, all the sparkle got to me! ....... a little red and gold for the main tree .... nice!

And some icy silver and white for the one that's usually in the hall ..... pretty!

Now I'm a bit weird when it comes to buying baubles ...... I always have to buy them in odd numbers. I just didn't realise that last night I ended up with 13 (oh no!) .... unlucky for some ..... unlucky for us actually!

When we got back to the car we realised that hubby had left the headlights on (long story but, the car no longer beeps when you get out and leave the lights on ..... so you forget sometimes) 
Now we hadn't been in there that long but, the battery was dead!  Car wouldn't start, nothing there .... completely drained ...... just marvelous!!

We had planned on going on somewhere to get dinner out but instead we were stuck on the garden centre car park!
After a few phone calls to see if we could get some jump leads, or someone to pick us up we decided to get a cab and go on to the restaurant anyway ..... Lauren's boyfriend could come to the rescue (again!) but not for a couple of hours.  So off we went .... well, we were out anyway!

We had a fabulous meal down at a place called The Forge ..... good food, nice wine and we virtually had the place to ourselves, there was only a couple of other people in there.
We got picked up later, went back to our little old car and would you believe it ...... tried the engine and she started straight away ..... what was all that about!!!?
So, no messing around with jump leads in the dark ...... the evening ended well after all.  I must remember to buy a couple more baubles though ..... I'm not leaving it a 13!!!

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

Cheerio until next time

Linda

xx

Guest Designer at Country View Crafts Challenge Blog

Good morning! ...... and a very Happy Friday to you.

It's soon come around this week ...... because of the Bank Holiday I suppose! It should be a nice quiet weekend though .... it's hubby's turn to fly across to the UK.  He's going over for a guys get together ..... so it's bound to get messy!! Glad I'm not going.

Anyway, to get the weekend underway, I'm absolutely thrilled to be today's Guest Designer over on the Country View Crafts Challenge Blog.

This month's challenge theme is .....

 Simply Scenic

There's already been lots of fabulous inspiration for you through the month and today it's my turn.

Summer is on its way, so I'm told ..... and with that in mind my take on this month's challenge is .... a piece of home decor, with a pretty little summer meadow scene .....

This is so simple to do and the picture inside can be changed to suit the seasons throughout the year. Would make a lovely little gift too!
There's some fabulous shabby chic picture frames around, and not that expensive, it's what you put inside them that matters.

I cut a piece of white cardstock to fit the aperture then added some colour using Distress Inks ..... pretty shades of blue to create my summer sky ........

I spritzed the ink with a little water, let it sit for a while then removed the excess with paper towel removing some of the ink as well.

I then stamped the flowers across the bottom using a black Archival ink.  This particular image is from IndigoBlu ..... Wild Flowers and is one of my favourites.  Depending on how you colour the flowers they could be anything ..... buttercups, poppies you name it!

I decided NOT to add colour this time ........ instead I took more of the background colour away ...... using a paintbrush and some clean water I painted over each of the flowers, dabbed with a piece of kitchen roll and removed the ink ......

I stamped some butterflies above the flowers, once directly onto the scene and then again onto pieces of previously inked card from my scrap box ...... leftovers really from previous projects (I never throw anything away!)

I then fussy cut these and attached them over the top of the ones on my summer scene (cuts out the need to cut around the really fiddly bits like the antennae)  

I took one of the sentiments from a set of JOFY stamps (JOFY 09) and stamped it across the top ...... perfect fit (phew!)

and to finish off I used some watered down Picket Fence Distress Paint splattered over the scene using a paint brush.

I also added a touch of White Fire Treasure Gold to the ornate bit at the top of the frame ...... gives it more of an aged look I think.

I hope you like it ......... you've still got time to enter the challenge  so why not give it go.

Thanks for popping by ...... it's been a pleasure to be GD on the Country View Crafts Challenge Blog. It just so happens that Country View Crafts is my favourite online craft store ..... fab products, great prices and it's FREE  P&P (UK that is)

Have a great weekend ...... it's my turn to host our crafty get together tomorrow ..... 6 stamping mad ladies around the table (hubby's glad he's away!)  You never know we might just get something finished this week ..... there's always a first time!

Cheerio until next time

Linda

xx