Adventure awaits

 Yesterday I was making a back-to-school greeting to my young GD, today I am making it for an older one who will start a vocational high school come fall. (Austrians are big on vocational schools, you learn a trade and get your high school diploma at the same time.) This will mean new friends, new teachers and a lot of hands-on learning.

The idea for the card came when I perused the current challenges. Don't laugh, but my main inspiration came from a photo prompt for Christmas in July, followed by some others.  So I gathered my supplies.

 

It's my birthday this month which explains the new supplies entering the playing field. The dies are new and I was eager to try to circles background die especially. I have seen it used to in one blog (sorry I forget who it was) and 'had to' have it. too.

I actually wanted to make the flamingos stand facing right. I have had this mirror image stamping aid for a while, but never could make it work. Does anyone have a tip for it?

 

In the end I went with one - and one only - left-facing flamingo. I did make three and even colored them all in with ink-blending in three colors - before realizing that those three flamingos in a row had a very menacing appearance. I punched the circles out of glitter card stock and colored over them with markers to give the colors a warmer hue. Some of them are raised, as is the flamingo.

 

Entering this in these challenges that inspired me today:

Inspiration Station: #87 Inspiration photo - I was inspired by the flamingos and balloons

Simon Says Monday Challenge: Back to school 

Pick 3 Challenge: #6 I picked the elements in the lower row 'Ink blending - sparkle - sentiment'

 

AAA Birthday: #87 For girls 

NBUS: #88 - my new schtuff were the dies 

 

A jungle cat in his garden

 Today I am showing the card which has already gone off to its recipient (go meet Julia and view her great blog). We both participated in the Daisy Chain card exchange - perhaps you will, too? (here)

 

The card started with a brand new embossing folder ('Enchanted jungle' by Craft Consortium). After having watched a bunch of YouTube videos on how to apply multiple colors on an embossing folder, then pressing it and calling it a day, I wanted to try it too. However, I got very disheartened as I just didn't get this technique to work for me.

I resorted to easier means. I swiped the debossed side of the folder with black in and pressed it through. This gave me a blotchy background (which was easy to correct later), but it also gave me me outlines. I painted the figures in with my Gansai Tambi watercolors.

The result reads like a wonderful painting of a leopard sitting in his jungle garden.

 I am showing this in these challenges:

Craft Rocket: #138 Animals

SUYP: #125 Summer

Critter Crazy: #112 AG w/a critter 

CYHTP: AG w/a twist of Purple  - I am playing AG

NBUS: #88 AG never before used schtuff - the item being my embossing folder

 

 

Two adventurous fish

 After 'three of something' there is now a challenge with 'two of something' - how fun. I paired it with a sketch and got ideas for it via two other challenges.

 

But first,  I pulled out the fun stuff I thought I would need: two embossing folders, dies, stamps and gelli printed and ink smushed paper in suitable colors. I sketched the outlines of the wavy pieces, then tore them. The sun was die cut. The fish were first stamped with pale blue an a pink gelli print, then stamped again with grey and when that didn't look good enough and it was still wet, I sprinkled some clear embossing powder on them and heat embossed.

 

The bottom blue layer was dry embossed with a seaweed kind of pattern - not that you can really tell. (It is Weeping Willow by Creative Expressions.) The 'sky' part was embossed with a ray pattern.

 

Entering this in these lovely challenges that inspired me today:

Freshly Made Sketches: #740  

Cardz 4 Gyuz: #386 Squash it 

The Sisterhood of Crafters: Fish / Sea creatures 

The Alphabet Challenge: D is for Double 

And because this was the first time using the seaweed dies, I am showing this in the

NBUS: # 87 June

Everything will be good

Rainbows were used as a symbol for hope in the Covid times. (Remember?) Back then I found it kitschy , but today it feels less so and I have quite come to like it. I even have a miniature rainbow die set. Add that to a new stamp set that I bought in a local 'everything' store and my brain started to jump from idea to idea. I also have a sentiment "everything will be allright" that I thought was fitting. 

 

This is a simple one layer card. The rainbow was fiddly to assemble and doesn't align right. A sequin or two might remedy the situation, but we'll see about it. For now it stays as is.

 

Entering it in these challenges that I took inspiration and guidance from:

CAS on Friday: #335 Rainbows

Nachteulen / Nightowls: NSS #61 Clean and simple

Let's Craft and Create: #232 Penny for your thoughts (use a sentiment) 

Moving along with the Times: #190: Use your favorite stamp or die - All my stash is my favorite, but this new set is my Newest favorite

and because the stamp set with the girls is a new and never before used 'stuff' I am showing my card here as well:

NBUS: # 87 June AG 

Thinking of spring

 I don't know about you, but for me Spring can't come fast enough. It has been an especially dark and snowy winter here in the far North. Now that the snow has started melting it freezes in the night and we have to mind our steps walking on mirrored icy surfaces.

So no wonder I turned towards brighter colors and happier thoughts.

The background was done with a stencil (which I used for the first time, thus making this a NBUS, "never before used schtuff"). I used Distress oxides, for the small openings I dabbed them in with a water brush.

The rabbit was stamped and then colored, and there is no sentiment because the text is inside.

I am entering this card into these fitting challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Fur or feathers - Fur!

Stamping Sensations: Spring

613 Avenue Create: March AG / twist of pearls or diamonds - I am entering without the twist

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: AG

NBUS: March

Thank you for your visit!

New again

Something old that's new again: I have been neglecting my mixed media work lately. What is actually new: the stencil. I treated myself to a Christmas calendar that had a stencil for each day. That makes 24 shiny new stencils to play with.

I started with a background that had random streaks of paint on it. I covered it with a stencil and some Simon Hurley Lunar paste (Slippery when wet, a lovely gold tone) to get some texture. When the paste had dried I sprayed the background with blue ink.

The card didn't need much else. I wrote a sentiment onto a die cut oval, and because it did look like it needed something I used 7 little half pearls in iridescent blue. I am definitely a pearl person, I love that subtle sheen whereas jewels feel too gaudy.

Entering the card into these lovely challenges that inspired me today:

As You Like It: What's your favorite, pearls or gems

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Add some texture 

Double D: Sparkle and/or shine

NBUS: #58 January schtuff

 

Thank you for your visit!

Blue Christmas wishes

 Just in time - a rather tongue-in-cheek card - but one the recipient will appreciate.

I treated myself to a couple of new stamp sets this holiday. The layered goldfish set is by Hero Arts, as is also the skinny alphabet. 

The first layer of the goldfish was stamped in teal, the top layer was embossed with gold. I used the dotted embossing folder again to create a wintry background. I built a little winter scene for my card with the white tree and snowflakes (the blue one is cut from a gelli print).

I am entering it into these challenges:

Die Traumfabrik: #123 Cobalt blue AG w/ blue

Stay Crafty with a blog named Hero: December challenge - I used sets DC 136 and CL945

Basteltraum: Winterlandschaft - Winter landscape

We Love 2 Create: #11 AG 

NBUS Challenge: #57 December - the goldfish stamps were NBUS

Blue and gold for Christmas

 I was very inspired by a couple of challenges. They really are a tremendous help for my thinking process. I know I can go all over the place, but they keep me on the straight and narrow and help in editing my design choices.

Today's card has a tight color palette and a great simple layout - thanks to Color Throwdown and Freshly Made Sketches! It features a snow globe (courtesy of Day of the Month Card Club), and I am using my star die cut for the first time (NBUS here I come!).

Entering this in these challenges:

Color Throwdown: #CTD772  

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Winter Blues 

Freshly Made Sketches: #615 sketch

Day of the Month Card Club: #58 Day of the Snowglobe

NBUS: Challenge #57

A snow scene for Christmas

 I was inspired by a few challenges today. It started with a sketch that frankly seemed rather overwhelming at first. 

I have this new snowy scene die that I wanted to use. Also the stars have their first outing today. The sky and stars were cut from a gelli printed paper, not that you can see much of it... The sentiment has been stamped and reads Merry Christmas.

 

Entering this into these inspiring challenges:

Allsorts Challenge: #756 Colors of winter

Try Stamping on Tuesday: #634 sketch 

Just Us Girls: #707 CAS week: in a circle 

CAS on Friday: #271 Christmas

NBUS: #56 November AG as long as something is used for the first time

Thank you for your visit!

Woven

 For a while now I have been keeping all my off cuts that come from trimming card bases or papers. Today seemed like a good time to use up all those snippets and scraps. I created a woven background that I inserted into a round opening.

Two black die cuts form the backdrop for the vividly colored rose, which was embossed with clear embossing powder before I colored it in. 

Entering this in the challenges that inspired me today: 

Scrapping4Fun: #225 Birthday

Stamping Sensations: Summer flowers  (2nd entry)

We Love Stamping: Fabulous florals (2nd entry)

Let's Create Challenge: #197 Add flowers (2nd entry)

NBUS Challenge: #52 - This was my first outing for my neon colors.

Pastels

 Today I was inspired to combine two challenges, one asking for embossing and butterflies and one presenting a beautiful pastel color palette. The embossing folder had just come in in the mail, so it was fun to try it out right away. I ink swiped it after embossing.

It became a birthday card.

Entering it in:

Global Design Challenge: #401 Color palette 

Can You Handle the Pressure: AG/ twist: Butterflies

Addicted to Stamps and more: #449 Any Occasion - mine is for birthday 

NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff) - Challenge #52 - I broke out all my recent purchases for this one: leaves, embossing folder and the butterfly stamp.

Thank You for your visit and comments - I love reading them.

Flowers, always flowers

It's time for some flowers. Today I challenged myself to move away from my favorite colors (which are plenty) and try to use my least favorite color, which is purple. 

I recently purchased this stamp set second hand - it looked so whimsical and I today I am using it for the first time. I think the whimsy takes away the serious edge of purple. (Anyway, that's how I feel about purple.) Here I am still toying with a green stenciled background. Which I then ditched for a simple grey-beige one, the flowers are busy, the background dows not need to be.

The finished card:

Entering this into these challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms: AG with flowers -or moodboard - I took my inspiration from the mood board

Creative Inspiration Challenges: Challenge #3 AG

Allsorts Challenge: #733 AG/ option Bees, Blooms or Butterflies - I am entering with the floral option

Use Your Stuff: #486 Flowers 

NBUS (Never before used Schtuff): June Challenge - it's the stamp set!

 

Thank you for your visit!

Birthday wishes

 Again - a card inspired by several challenges. I was inspired by a color palette and by a prompt 'make it pop' - I think these two challenges went nicely together. I then was inspired by another to use die cuts. Lastly I wanted to see if I could keep it simple.

I have a new set of heart dies and wanted to combine it with flowers in the palette colors. It was admittedly a lot of fiddling to get the flowers inside the heart die, but I am so glad I persevered. The next one will go so much faster.

Entering in these challenges that inspired me to create this card:

for the colors: Through the Purple Haze #204

For using the die cuts: Everybody Art Challenge #536

For keeping it simple: Tuesday Taggers 

For making a birthday card with colors that pop: Seize the Birthday #262 

and finally, because all these dies were used the first time, this was also a NBUS project.

Thank you for visiting!

Oh crap! it's Christmas - again!

 Today I was inspired by several challenges that collided nicely. Enter die cuts, critters,  Christmas, coloring pencils and 'juvenile'...

I started by stamping a crocodile and then coloring it in, Christmas-like. It is an old stamp, but new to me, this was its first outing so to speak.

I then die cut a garland and some Christmas baubles and a snowflake.

I couldn't resist an irreverend speech bubble: Oh crap! It's Christmas - again!

Entering it in:

Critter Crazy Challenges: #68 AG with a critter

Crafty Animals: #67 AG with a critter 

SoSS: 222 J is for Juvenile 

Crafters' Challenge: #291 Dies or punches 

HLS: November AG with dies 

Daisy Chain Challenges: #69 Christmas is coming

Kleuren met potlooden: November alles mag (AG) 

Mix It Up: #62 AG+optional open technique  I like water color pencils, they give such a great coverage.

And since e verything I used today was new to me and used the very first time, I need to link this with NBUS again.

 

The magic of Christmas

 The dark season is upon us up in the north. Which makes me gravitate towards moody colors. I was overjoyed to see several challenges offer themes that would inspire me for creating cards that fit the mood and the season.

I stenciled little tiny dots with a glittery paint. It is a wonderful paint, it comes on white but dries as just a glorious heap of glittery gold.

For the big stars I used a new to me die which I cut twice but only used the center star from the other dies cut. The stars all have glossy accents on top.

The words have iridescent embossing powder on them ("Psychedelic transparent" by StampingUp) and it reads 'it's the time of Christmas magic' (roughly translated).

 

I am entering this in the following challenges that inspired me:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Stencil it

Cardz 4 Gals: #186 Use a stencil

As You Like It Challenge: Favorite non-traditional Christmas color combo and why: Brown on black catches the mood of darkness that we experience here in Scandinavia, and I like it for it's quiet elegance.

Moving Along with the Times: #148 Bright on Dark

Beyond the Blue: #74 Gold 

NBUS challenge: #44 : The die and iridescent enamel were today used for the first time.

Whale hello there!

This cheery Congrats or Happy birthday card (the sentiment can mean either) was made with several gelli printed papers and my new stamps.

I am entering it into these lovely challenges:

Use your stuff - #452 Mood board

Simon says Stamp Wednesday challenge- Make your own background

Double D Challenge - Creatures in or under the sea 

NBUS Challenge - AG / never been used - these new stamp sets. I used the waves and the banner (which is hiding beneath the top of packaging) from the first set and the whale from the second one.

 

Birthday Wishes

This card started with my most favorite floral stamp. I used it last year, but not since. Instead of coloring it in I decided to draw different size circles and stripe them up.

 Even though I wanted to go with a clean look it still was a bit bare. I stenciled hearts with a puffy pink paste.

 The sentiment is my most recent acquisition, I desperately needed some new birthday texts.

Entering this in the challenges that inspired me or which are suitable in other respects:

Seize the Birthday: #235 AG or Stripe it up - I used the stripe option

Make My Monday: #171 Use a stencil

We Love Stamping: April - Stamp of the moment 

We love 2 Create : Week 4: AG

NBUS: #37 AG 

Recycled and never been used...

 Yes, it's sad but it happens! Some items for whatever reason will stay unwrapped for a while (or a long while...). Today I decided to do something about them.

Firstly vellum, secondly Pearly Pigments. And last week I took home some stickers (as I thought) of apple blossoms (that I adore) that a neighbor had laid out. (We have this great habit in the building, a tiny recycling center for neighbors near the mail boxes.)

I started by stamping the vellum with white ink. The stamp was bought from a flea market last summer but never put to use yet.

The white ink is slow to dry and I didn't want to use a heat gun. Then I remembered the pearly pigment that dries the ink and pearlizes the whole surface.

What I thought were stickers were in fact wet transfer pictures. Luckily the water did not mess up my stamped background.

Entering the card into these challenges:

Simon Says Monday Challenge: Recycle

Everybody Art Challenge: #510 Frühling / Spring

Arty Divas: March AG

Stamps& Fun=Creativity: #407 Lieblingsblume - ich sehe diese als Apfelblüten die ich sehr gerne mag

NBUS: #36 AG as long as it's never used stuff