Halloween magic

I did not set out to make a Halloween card per se, but now I am glad I did. 

It all started with stencils and sprays.

 

To build up texture I used more stencils and 'Aged silver' embossing enamel (Stampendous).

 

I wanted a grungy look, so I stenciled black gesso onto the card, then poured the enamel over and heat embossed it.

 

To complete the card I found die cuts of a gigantic star and two cats that I had received from my crafting friends. Never knew what to use them for, but today was apparently the day - I was aided in my thinking process by a couple of challenges.

 

I cut out the bats from black card stock and arranged everything. I printed out the sentiment.

 

Entering this in the challenges that inspired me today:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Add some texture

TioT: Emboss it 

Archiscraps: Use a large star as a feature

Craft Rocket: #140 Use dies 

As You Like It: Favorite Halloween colors - and why?  - Mine is anything with purple, be it yellow, orange, black, even green.

Creative Artiste Mixed media: #130 Anything MM goes 

I did not forget your birthday

 Today's card features a piece of gelli print, some ink smooshing and ink flicking, watercolors and a fineliner, a die, a stamp, a remnant - and paper and scissors, of course.

It all started with two prompts: a photo collage of vases with lovely hues of blue (see below), and the prompt to use only one color next to black and white. My decision was instant: I would use that beautiful blue as my one color. I gathered my supplies:

 

I started by stamping a part of the gigantic forget-me-not. I then prepared an ink smooshing bath (Blueprint Sketch DO) and repeatedly took the middle part of the image to it, letting it dry in between. As the color was still not dark enough, I helped it out with GT watercolor (Ultramarin).

I then cut the vase out of a gelli print and used the rest to make a 'table top' for the vase to sit on. I fussy cut the flower and attached everything in place. I then flicked the background with black ink and drew a partial frame with a fineliner.

Entering this in these lovely challenges that inspired me today:

Double D: Vases and/or pitchers

 

Lost Coast Portal to Creativity: #213 Black and white plus another color

 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Stamp It 

Stamps+Fun=Creativity: #500 Jubiläum

Creative Artiste Mixed Media: #130 AG mixed media

Paer Rock Scissors: #20 

Find your song

 The starting point for today's card was the prompt 'use envelopes'. This was the nudge I needed to get out the stash of envelopes I have been meaning to work with... some day. The second challenge that led my way was a sketch and the third one was the theme 'nature'. 

This was my desk when I started: circular dies, pressed flowers and windowed envelopes. (It was that glassine window I wanted to work with!)

I didn't need much in terms of paper, a few remnants from an earlier used sheet were enough. I cut the circles twice and glued the bottom one on one envelope window, then applied some glue onto the flower and pressed it against the glassine. Then I glued another envelope window on top, waited till everything was dry and cut the circles out very neatly. Lastly I glued the purple circle on top of this floral sandwich. 

 

I placed the circles according to the sketch I was using, the smallest is raised with a foam strip. The sentiment comes from a bird collection (via Creative Stamping magazine), but I found it suited the rather poetic mood of this card.

 

Entering this in these wonderful challenges:

Little Red Wagon: #870 Card plus / Use an envelope

Freshly Made Sketches:  #748

 

 

 

 

 

Simply Clean & Simple: #SCAS August AG w/ option Nature - I am playing with this option

Just Us Girls: #835 AG w/ die cuts

 

 

 

Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenge: #129 AG mm

and as I used snippets/ remnants today I am showing this in the

Snippets Playground: #538 AG 

 

Shiny and earthy for your birthday

 Yesterday I made a square non-white card to fit certain challenges. Then I thought: what if I change one parameter of those four (of yesterday's card) and see what else I can do?

I removed the color challenge and kept 'blooms' and the 'square non-white card' requirement. I added stencil and shine. Out came the supplies:

 

I brayered a background paper first with cream, then pearlescent white acrylic paint. When it was dry I stenciled over it with gold paint. I cut it to size, then die cut the flower silhouettes from white card stock. I painted two of those with brown and left one white. Lastly I adhered the sentiment "Congratulation". 

 

This card became completely diffrent from yesterday's.

 I am entering this in these lovely challenges that were my inspiration today:

Seize the Birthday: #331 Square card, non-white base (2nd entry)

TioT: Summer blooms (2nd entry)

Just Us Girls: #833 Stencils week 

 

Creative Moments:  #284 Shimmer and shine

Creative Artiste mixed media: #128 AG Mixed Media

Birthday bouquet

 I haven't done flowers for a while - or so it seems. Actually, the last couple have included flowers, but they weren't the focal point, just a supporting character. Today I went full in with a new old stamp set - one I bought two years ago and haven't broken it out yet.

These were the supplies. I am making a further small dent into my sizable card stock hoard. I found an exact match for a challenge inspiration photo. (Such a lovely color combo, btw!) Also on the table my Gansai Tambi watercolors and a background die. 

 

I started with cutting the top half of an arch with the die, then added a straight piece underneath. I stamped the wildflower bouquet and clear embossed it for easier water coloring. Afterwards I fussy cut it out and placed it into the arch. It is raised with foam adhesive strips. The sentiment reads "More wonderful with each passing year".

 

I am entering this in the following challenges that were my inspiration today:

Sunday Stamps: #ssc390 Garden grandeur 

 

Alphabet challenge: F is for festivities - my card is for a birthday 

Simon Says Wednesday challenge: Fabulous Florals 

We Love 2 Create: #7 open challenge 

Creative Artiste Mixed Media: #128 Anything mixed media 

Pink and silver

 I was in need of a gift box. Earrings a small, so I figured the gift box should be much larger than the gift itself. I took my color cues from Color Hues current challnge - pink and silver just felt very apt for this gift.

I started with a pink gelli print. It was made with acrylics and TH fir tree stencil, it seemed very apt for a Christmas gift. 

I also used a mirrored silver card stock for the flower detail on the front and added a silver sparkle and a white die cut leaf to soften it up.

 I also adhered a piece of pink tissue paper to a rectangular piece of silver card stock which sits on the bottom of the box. The tissue is wrapped around the bottom part and so it stays always in place. The tissue is longer than the package itself, so it wraps over the gift.

Lastly I attached a length of silver twine as a closure.

Thank you for your visit!

Entering in these lovely challenges:

Color Hues: #77 Pink and Silver 

Crafters' Cafe: Feminine

Paperminutes: #826 Gescheckschachtel - Gift box 

Creative Artist Mixed media Challenge: #100 - my 2nd entry

DieCut Divas: Have a wonderful time of year - my 2nd entry

Mixed media for Christmas

 Today I wanted to play with acrylics and metallic flakes. I have a set of mixed metals, gold, silver, brass and bronze. Back when I purchased it, seven years ago, I thought I would just pick my metals, but it is not that easy. These metal flakes are small and have static,, they cling everywhere they are not supposed to. Anyway, I made two backgrounds, a pink and a pale turq.

I was inspired to pull out my old rubber stamps with musical notes. I purchased them as long ago as 2007 from Above the Mark.  I used two die cut snowflakes, a golden one in the back and the one cut from my gold flake card stock in front. I also used a Altenew circles border stencil for the side strips.

Entering this into these lovely challenges that served as my guide and inspiration:

Simon Says Stamp: Use dies in Die-cember

CreativeArtistes Challenge: #100 Anything mixed media goes

Retro Rubber Challenge: #rrcb 221   - I was inspired by the sheets of music

Shopping Our Stash:  #SOS511 Whatever weather - it is snowy weather!

Atlantic Hearts Challenge: #555 sketch --- I went very literal with the sketch, it was just too beautiful!

Colorful circles

 Do you prefer circles/dots or stripes in your card making projects? My big love are circles and dots, hands down. They create a lively atmosphere and can add an element of fun.

That element of fun was on my agenda today. I created it using dots and small circles, either punched or die-cut, on a background that also features circles. All papers have been gelliprinted. The fun factor is also created by the use of many colors.

The text was found in a book, the crow is a rub-on by TH.

Entering this in these inspiring challenges:

Paperminutes: #821 Bunt / Colorful

Double D Challenges: Stripes and/or dots - and why

Creative Artiste Challenge: #99 AG mixed media

Crafty Gals Corner: #249 Dots and/or stripes

A collection of fish

 This set of ATC cards was created using a cereal box as substrate, in fact you can still see a bit of the bar code behind one fish.  I lightly sanded the background so it takes color better. 

 

After painting the background with acrylics I for the fish and applied different colors. Then I removed the stencil and stamped the fish with black ink and heat embossed them with Psychedelic transparent emboss powder.

It makes the fish glitter and glimmer. Lastly I applied "waves" through a (flower!) stencil, stamped a bit of background noise and applied the collector numbers.

Entering this into challenges that inspired me:

ATC around the world: Im/am Meer

Make my Monday: On water

Creative Artist Mixed Media. #94 

The Outlawz Paper Challenge: He's some guy 

Simon Says Monday Challenge: Pick a number

 

Thank you for your visit!

Something yellow

 I just love challenges that, well, challenge me. At Frilly and Funkie the brief is to do something or use something that you find challenging.

For me it's the color yellow. I like to use many other colors but not yellow.

So I used it, and found out it needs rather strong colors as counterparts, but even when combined with a riot of colors it still manages to hold its own.

All leaves are cut from papers that I first made with a gelli plate. I used acrylics and printed paper as my substrate. I find the print gives the color a nice structure.  The flax twine is from my knitting stash, it miraculously matched the color of the yellow twig and brings a whole other dimension to the mix.

The sentiment was stamped and then heat embossed.

 

 I'm entering this card into:

Frilly and Funkie: A rather blustery day

Fab 'n Funky: #546 Dies or Stencils - dies!

Creative Artiste: #80 Anything Mixed Media 

HLS: Anything goes with Dies Challenge 

Some sparkle

 This card came together easily. I created the background with Distress inks and Oxides (chipped sapphire, prize ribbon, mowed lawn),

then stamped the giant poppy twice and colored it in with shimmer Gelatos. I cut the center out of the second poppy and sprayed it with Mica spray for added shimmer, then attached it with some foam tape. Lastly I dabbed some spots with glue and put sparkly blue flakes on them.

Entering in:

Try it on Tuesday: Summer Blooms

Allsorts Challenge: Week 637/8 Add some sparkle

Creative Artists: #74 Anything Mixed Media goes

NBUS Challenge: #29 August - this Poppy stamp by Stampendous arrived this morning.
 

 

Traveling

Tässä tulee inspiraatiota KKvintagen tänään alkavalle haasteelle 'Matkoilla'.

 Today I would like to show you a journal spread.  I am trying to acquaint myself with the large size - my usual size of work being 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches.

I went for a travel theme. There is a map on the left that was partly stenciled over. I have been experimenting with dyeing my texture paste. So far it has been a hit or miss. This time I used blue mica powder and dark blue ink (yet the result looks grey).

I added an old-fashioned film camera.

I am loving ransom style lately, so I mixed several different alphabets. There is grey wood veneer, polka dot cardboard, black plastic round domes and white rub-ons. The text reads: Be in charge of your own life. I am especially in love with the round domes as they look like old typewriter keys.

Letter detail:

entering in:
Creative Artistes Mixed Media Challenge: #27 Anything goes

 Mixed media Monthly: #37 a year of choices. I chose #27: Travel

Our MixedMediaMoods May challenge