Mid month reminder for the CAS Mix Up challenge .......

Happy Sunday evening ........

I hope you're enjoying your weekend.

Can you believe it's the middle of November already ...... only five more weekends to go before Christmas!!!  I've still got all my Christmas cards to make ..... guess what I'll be doing next week!

As we're mid way through the month it's time to remind you about November's CAS Mix Up Challenge ...... it's the last one of the year!

It's a Watercolour challenge, that means watercolouring must be the main element on your design. 

Bonnie is our host and the theme she's chosen is ...... Off the Edge, one of my favourite looks.

This is a great technique for using larger stamps on smaller cards.

This is one festive design that I'll be making more of, I love how this has turned out. 

I used the gorgeous wreath from the Memory Box stamp set ..... Tidings Wreath.  It's quite a large stamp but I think it fits beautifully, just off the edge of a 7x5 inch card, and there's still room to get a sentiment on there too.

I stamped the wreath in Versamark ink and then heat embossed in gold.  

I know I say this every time but, heat embossing really does make it easier when watercoloring stamped images, especially when using metallic or pearlescent paints like I've done here.  

The raised edges from the heat embossing help to stop the colour from bleeding outside the lines, and it acts as a resist to the paint so that you still get those nice crisp lines and keep the detail of your stamped image.

I used LuminArte's Twinkling H2O's to colour the wreath.  Remember those beauties ....... little pots of  solid, high pigment paints, with added mica, and when you spritz with water and mix they become these gorgeous, rich in colour and very sparkly watercolour paints, and they work so well on black cardstock!

I added a simple heat embossed greeting on the bottom and the card was done.

As I said, I'll be making more of these!

The challenge is open until the 24th of November so there's still time to play along ...... it's your last chance for this year! 

It's been great seeing all your CAS Mix Up designs during 2020 and I look forward to seeing you all again in 2021!

Happy stamping! 

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

It's been all go here this weekend, getting Lauren and the little man settled in.  We're getting there .....  slowly!  

To make room for everything I've had to empty a few wardrobes and cupboards and oh dear, guess what's had to come out .... the Christmas decorations!

I'm afraid this happened over the weekend ....... oooops!  Our festive season has started a little early ...... Ho! Ho! Ho! (we haven't even had the lights switch on in town yet!)

Well, I didn't see any point in putting all the boxes away again.  To be honest, I haven't figured out where they're all going to go, so .......... this is as far as I've got, the conservatory tree is up, the lights are on and I have a hot date with Mr Buble and the baubles to look forward to next week ....... as well as making Christmas cards!!  

We're off out for a well deserved dinner this evening, and it's Chris's girlfriends birthday too so another reason to celebrate.

Cheerio until next time .......

Products used:

Stamps: Tidings Wreath (Memory Box); Mixed Christmas Sentiments (retired set from Happy Little Stampers) 

Inks & Paints: Versamark ink; LuminArte Twinkling H2Os - Mallard Green, Douglas Fir; Cosmic Shimmer  Iridescent Watercolour Paint - Red

Others: Gold Detail Embossing Powder (WOW!)

Off the Edge for CAS Mix Up .........

Happy Sunday ........

Welcome to November!

It's the beginning of a new month again ......... I don't know about you but I think October flew by!  

Of course the first of the month means the start of new blog challenges ..... yeah!!

First one up for me is ........... the CAS Mix Up Challenge.  

It's our final challenge of 2020 (sigh!), and our host this month is ........ the lovely Bonnie.  

She's given us the theme Off the Edge and, it's a Watercolour challenge.  That means some form of watercolouring must be the main element of your design, and remember ..... keep things Clean and Simple (CAS)

Off the Edge is one of my favourite techniques, and I do use it quite a lot.  Just by taking a stamp. or even a stencil design, just off the edge of your card gives a bit of a different look 

I used this pretty floral design from Unity stamps ....... stamped it with a black ink and then heat embossed with a clear powder.  I like to do this when I'm watercolouring stamped images, it helps to stop the inks bleeding over the lines

I used ZIG Clean Color Brush Markers in Autumnal shades, and a waterbrush to add the colour.  

I painted the petals first with clean water and then added a touch of colour from the pen and used my waterbrush to move the colour around, building up the depth gradually, and adding a touch of shading in places

I added some splatters of ink onto the background .....

 a simple sentiment ........

and a little bit of the same stamp off the edge at the bottom of my card

We have a fabulous Guest Designer this month ...... Michelle (I Card Everyone) is joining in the fun so be sure to pop by and say hello.  

The challenge runs until the 24th November and I'm looking forward to seeing all your Off the Edge designs in the gallery.

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

We've been busy sorting out a couple of rooms and tidying cupboards, and the garage ....... getting rid of stuff we have no idea why we've been hanging on to.  I mean how many remote controls, for TV's we no longer have, do we need?!!!  And power cables ...... you yes, we had loads of those!  

Anyway we now need a trip to the recycling centre next week.

This is all because Lauren and the little man are moving back home for a while ...... long story but, it'll be nice having them here ........ so we need to make some space for all their stuff!

And in the process this has happened ........ ooops!

A little earlier than usual but,  at least I haven't started decorating the actual Christmas tree ........ yet!  Those decorations are in a different wardrobe!

Cheerio until next time .......

Products used:

Stamps: You are Forever Beautiful (Unity); happy snippets (Penny Black)

Inks: Versafine Clair - Nocturne, Delicata Metallic ink - Golden Glitz

Other: Clear Embossing Powder (WOW!); ZIG Clean Color Brush Markers, Water Brush

Off the Edge ......

Good Morning ...... and a Happy Weekend to you,

Well today's the day (whoo hoo!!) ......... we get the keys to our new house!!!  Yes we're moving (again!)
We pick up the keys today but, the removal men don't arrive until the 31st.  So, we've got 10 days to get used to the place and move some of the smaller stuff ourselves.  The old craft room is one of the first jobs on the list, along with all the kitchen stuff.  So ..... I've got a busy few days ahead of me.

Before all that though, there's something else going on today .....  it's the launch of the latest Challenge over on the IndigoBlu Challenge Blog.
Thanks to everyone that took part last month .... you all seemed to like the Spring Greens theme as much as the DT did.
If you entered, check out the Blog to see if you're our winner, or one of the Top 3 .... and you could be joining the DT on a future challenge.

So, what's this month's theme?  ...... Well the title is ......

Off The Edge ......

I can't wait to see what you all do with this one.

'Off the Edge' for me, means exactly that ..... off the edge of the card, or canvas, or whatever your project is.  You've probably seem me use this technique quite often .... especially on the inside of my cards.

You don't always need to use the whole of the image from a stamp, try staying clear of the centre of your card, go more to one side, or try the bottom, or the top.  Stamp the image off the edge slightly and see what a different look you achieve.

I've used the new Lost in Thought stamp, stamped slightly off one edge, and the bottom of my card

I added a touch of colour to her using Distress Inks and a little water.  I just kept to two colours (Spun Sugar and Faded Jeans) for the whole design as I didn't want it to look too fussy.
Once she was dry I made myself a mask of the image, covered it up and then built up the background around her.

I used the Script Background stamp, and Spun Sugar Distress Ink, all over, again going off the edges

then followed with the Faded Jeans, mixed with water, splattered over the top using a paintbrush.

I stamped a couple of Limor Webber's Industrial Lamps at the top ..... keeping them off the edge, and embossed them using a clear powder

The design is finished off with a little more Distress ink sponged around the edges and one of the words from my favourite Sarah's Choice stamps

I've taken some of the design onto the inside of the card too ....

Take a look at your rubber stamp collection and see which images lend themselves to being stamped off the edge .... you'll probably find you can use this technique with most of them.

Here's another idea for you ..... this time using one of the beautiful new floral stamps .... Peony Posy

This is so quick and easy but makes a really nice card, for any occasion

I've stamped the image off the edge, and embossed with clear powder, then added colour to the blooms using Distress ink

A little ink around the edges, a few splatters here and there,

And some nice words finish it off beautifully ..... these ones come with the gorgeous new Caitlin rubber stamp .......

Again, more of the same inside

If you need more inspiration pop over to the IndigoBlu Challenge Blog to see what the rest of the DT have come up with.
Then it's over to you.  You've got until 8pm on April 20th to get your entries in ..... loads of time to have fun, and go 'Off the Edge'!

Thanks for popping by ...... have a great weekend.

Cheerio until next time

LindyLou

xx

Guest Designer Spot for Less is More ...... so excited!!!!

Happy Saturday morning folks,

I'm doing a little dance this morning as I'm so proud to say that I've been asked to do a Guest Spot on my FAVOURITE Blog Challenge ..... Less is More.

This was the first ever Blog Challenge that I entered back when I'd just started blogging, and I've been entering ever since ..... when I have the time.

A few weeks ago they put out a DT call and I put my name in the hat.  It's not surprising to say that there were quite a few names in that hat ...... it's one popular challenge!   Unfortunately I didn't make it ..... but everyone that applied has been invited to do a Guest Spot on one of the challenges, and this week it's my turn!!

It's ........ One Layer Card Week

with the theme 

'Off The Edge'

Yes, it's the dreaded OLC ..... they're not always the easiest designs to make.  No room for error, remember only one layer, so you can't cover up that ink mark with a butterfly or a flower (go on admit it, we've all done it!) And then there's the addition of the 'Off the Edge' bit ...... here's what I came up with

The beautiful large Swallowtail Butterfly from Stampin Up! stamped 'off the edge' of my card and coloured using the new Spectrum Noir Pencils

A little touch of Glossy Accents on the body, and a sentiment from the CAS-ual Fridays Stamp set  Truth Is

stamped using Tangelo Memento ink.

Next up is a really simple design using the masking technique ......

I die cut a circle from some copier paper and used the outside section as a mask to ink through.  Note that I placed the mask 'off the edge' of the card, applied Distress ink and then with the mask still in place I stamped over the top using the Script Background from IndigoBlu.

I removed the mask and then using Black Versafine ink, I stamped the bird on the branch (from the new Hero Arts set Forever) off the edge of the card.  I suppose you could say it's 'off the edge' of the circle too.

One of my favourite little sentiment stamps finishes off the front of the card, and the bird finished off the inside.

And finally, a pretty floral design ....

I've used the Wendy Vecchi Stencil  From the Garden,  from Studio 490 for the blooms and inked through using Picked Raspberry, Dried Marigold and Mustard Seed Distress inks

I added in some leaves and used the lovely CAS-ual Fridays sentiment.

The centres of the blooms have been finished off using a touch of White Enamel Accents ....

I carried on the design inside the card and added a sentiment from one of the JOFY stamp sets (JOFY14)

Thanks to Chrissie and the rest of the team for inviting me along this week, it's been a real pleasure.

Why don't you join in the fun and go 'Off the Edge' with this week's challenge over at Less is More.
Good luck everyone!

 *********

I'm also entering one of these cards into another Challenge ........ One of my lovely Blog friends, who's been with me on my crafty journey since the beginning, is hosting her own Blog Challenge,

The fabulous Darnell, from djkardkreations has reached over 500 followers on her blog and I'm not surprised.  If you're not familiar with her blog please go over and visit it's always full of great inspiration, it's a fantastic read and the lovely lady has such a sense of humour ........ every post comes with a smile!  Pop over and see what I mean, you'll be glad that you did.

Anyway .... to celebrate the landmark figure, Darnell is hosting the first ever NBUS Challenge

Darnell's challenge

What is NBUS I hear you say ....... if you're already a follower of Darnell you'll know it stands for Never Before Used Schtuff.  This was something that Darnell came up with some time ago and it's really caught on in the land of Blog.  It's all about using that stash that we buy, and just look at, or put away and forget about ..... you know the stuff I mean.

Well I've done it!!!  I've used NBUS on all of the above cards ..... stencils, stamps, pencils, even ink (no not the Distress inks .... the orange Memento.  Would you believe this little ink pad still had the seal intact - shame on me!!)

So .....  for NBUS Challenge #1

Anything Goes

(with a Friendship Theme)

This is the one I'm entering ...... the stencil, the stamp and the Enamel Accents are all new, never before used stash ..... and the card is now winging its way to a special friend for her birthday.

It may be the first time that I've used the stencil but it won't be the last ...... I love it! The flower is such a pretty design and a nice size too,  can't wait to try embossing paste through it!

Well we're here in the Cotswolds ..... we had a lovely, calm ferry crossing, hit a bit of traffic on the motorway, on the way down on Friday afternoon but nothing too bad, and the cottage is just beautiful!!  I'll take some pictures during the week.

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy your weekend.   We're off to the Cheltenham Food and Drink Festival at some point so we should have a good one.

Cheerio until next time

Linda

xx