Time Out 2

Last week, I did an entry for Time Out's challenge of "grunge with an optional twist of embossing". I wasn't entirely happy with it. It utilised grunge elements, namely the splatter effect, provided by  Stampin Up's  Gorgeous Grunge set but it was essentially a CAS card.

I started to wonder what would happen if I actually tried to create a real grunge-style card. Could I? Would my tendency for clean, open space get in the way? So I studied up a few examples from the design team and Stamplorations blogs, read around a bit and plunged right on in. Here is the result, which utilises both grunge and the optional twist of embossing.

The panel started out Whisper White but was swiped through an ink mix of distress inks: Spiced Marmalade, Scattered Straw and Brushed Corduroy. The edge was distressed with Vintage Photo, and TCW chevron stencil was used with Vintage Photo to add the chevrons.  Some stencils out of the kid's art box provided the HB2U, which is Spiced Marmalade overlaid with Vintage Photo. Splatters from Gorgeous Grunge using Spiced Marmalade and Mustard Seed added splatter down the vertical formed by the chevrons and the horizontal provided by the words. The Happy Birthday was stamped using black with Altenew's Label Love set.  I used black with SU Dictionary to add in some spots of text  and to pick up the colour of the main sentiment.

Finally, I used a Tim Holtz Alteration embossing folder, that I got cheap at The Warehouse, to emboss the top 3/4 of the panel and then I brushed very lightly over the top with a blending tool and Vintage Photo ink to highlight the embossing.

Then, I mounted the whole thing on foam onto an Early Espresso card base. Actually, it's a card I wouldn't mind receiving and I'm pretty happy with it! I've got some other panels inked in different colours and based on this, will carry on to make them into cards.

Just Add Ink 263: Wedding

This week's challenge at Just Add Ink is a wedding card, which is something I've seldom done before. So I have decided to shamelessly indulge myself in a luxurious, opulent gold and white creation.

I had to dig out the gold embossing powder to pair with the vellum flowers, butterfly and sentiment. The gold ink used with Flowering Flourishes laid down a background for the rest of the flowers. Gold metallic embroidery thread looped around created an added layer. The vellum has photographed quite grey but it looks whiter in real life.

So, I'm pleased with how it turned out. Now, if only someone I knew would get married...

Ingredients

Card: Whisper White, Gold

Stamps: SU Flower Shoppe, SU Papillon Potpourri, SU Flowering Flourishes, Clearly Besotted Love Blooms

Inks: Gold, Versamark

Other: Leaf sizzlit, Gold metallic embroidery thread, Textile embossing folder, Organza ribbon, brad base, pearls, dimensionals.

Music Card - take 2

Yesterday,  I made two music cards thinking of the challenge at Cas-ology. For this one, I was also thinking of the challenge at Time Out - Grunge with an optional twist of embossing.

It seemed a bit odd, combining a CAS challenge with a grunge challenge! Funny how grunge elements can work well in a CAS card. This is certainly a simple card - the Virtuoso Music die is beautiful and needs little else with it.

Ingredients

Card: Whisper White, Black

Stamps: SU Gorgeous Grunge, SU French Foliage, Altenew Label Love

Inks: Cherry Cobbler, Basic Gray, Black

Other: Memory Box Virtuoso Music die

Connie and Mary 355

As soon as I saw the sketch at Create with Connie and Mary this week, I knew what I wanted to do: stamped collage tiles based around Butterfly Basics, but wasn't sure what colours I wanted to use.

I have been lucky enough to be a guest designer at Just Add Ink this month, and the colours for this week's challenge are Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Crumb Cake and Pear Pizzazz. I realised that I just hadn't finished exploring with them, so decided to play with them some more - but also with the freedom to include other colours if I wanted.  I discovered the last time I tried this that I got better results by sponging a panel and then cutting the butterfly than the other way round. I like the look and might give it a go using three colours sometime.

Update: So delighted to be in the Top 3 at Create with Connie and Mary!

Ingredients

Card: Pool Party, Whisper White

Stamps: Hardwood, Butterfly Basics, French Foliage

Inks: Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Pear Pizzazz, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Black.

Other: Linen thread, Butterfly thinlit, brad base, Soft Suede candy dots, sponges, dimensionals

Cas-ology 146

I often look at Cas-ology but don't often play; the entries are always so beautiful and so intimidatingly clean!

But this week's cue card was just too tempting. I'm a bit of a sucker for music cards, since I have a son who is a composer and classical pianist and am always thinking of occasions for him! Consequently, I do have a stash of musical stuff.

Anyway, I made two cards for this but I'm not sure if I'll post the other one yet - I'll start with my favourite one. My son has a performance of one of his compositions premiering in Wellington next week and a card would be nice for that. I was also thinking about times when I've wanted a card for children who are doing music exams or recitals so that's how the 'bravo' came into the card. 

I made a circular mask for the musical score stamp and it worked really well: far better than on previous attempts!  The die cut clef is from my new stuff stash, from an on-line sale - like I said, a stash of musical 'stuff' has grown!

UPDATE: So amazed and pleased to be chosen Winner at Casology

Ingredients

Card: Whisper White, Coastal Cabana

Stamps: Heidi Swapp Music, SU A Dozen Thoughts

Ink: Black

Other: Marianne die-cut Music Clefs

CAS Colours and Sketches 124

This week's sketch at CAS Colours and Sketches almost had me stumped and initially, I wasn't going to play this week.

If you have read other recent posts, you'll know that one of my current areas of experimentation is in highlighting areas of stamps, so that gave me an idea for this sketch after all. So, I've had a go but I'm not sure what I think. Usually, I know if I like it or not but I keep changing my mind about this one.

So, in a moment of feeling fondly about it, I'm going to post it after all!

Update: Delighted that this card made the Weekly Winners at CAS: Colours and Sketches.

Ingredients

Card: Whisper White, scrap of Elegant Eggplant for the under-butterfly

Stamps: Hero Arts Spring Gems, SU Papillon Potpourri, Clearly Besotted Many Mini Messages

Inks: Crumb Cake, Elegant Eggplant

Other: Bitty Butterfly punch, circle framelits, dimensionals, Elegant Eggplant marker.

Just Add Ink 262: A Colour Challenge

Well, it's week 2 of my guest designer time at Just Add Ink and, as always, another beautiful challenge. This time, a colour challenge, using some of my favourite colours from the Stampin' Up Subtles and Neutrals collections.

Since I'm still in love with my Dictionary Background stamp, despite its imminent retirement, and I'm still besotted with my last minute purchase of Butterfly Basics, both of them make an appearance in today's card.

I do love playing with the effects you get when you spotlight part of a stamp by framing it and/or raising it up and keep coming back to experimenting with that idea.

First I tried cutting the butterfly and sponging it after, but I got better results when I sponged the white card with Pool Party and Calypso Coral and then cut out the butterfly.

Another favourite of mine is the linen thread and I think that technically speaking, it's Crumb Cake coloured! So I used it on the butterfly and the ribbon.

Ingredients

Card: Pool Party, Whisper White, Calypso Coral for the under-butterfly

Stamps: SU Dictionary, SU Butterfly Basics, Clearly Besotted Fabulous Fuchsia for the sentiment.

Inks: Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Calpyso Coral, Pear Pizzazz, Black for sentiment

Other: Butterfly thinlit die, Pool Party seam binding, Brad base, Calypso Coral candy dots, linen twine, oval framelits, dimensionals.