Always chasing rainbows... Addicted to CAS

Good morning, crafty friends.

I created this graduation card for my son following a Stamp Nation challenge.

It looks deceptively simple, but contains a surprise.

It also fits the current code word at Addicted to CAS, which is RAINBOW!

You will note I didn't use the entire seven-colour palette for a proper rainbow. I focused on my son's favorite colours, one of which is purple.  I used Catherine Pooler inks, which work wonderfully for blending. I masked off the area for the rainbow and applied ink with a foam blending-tool. Next I used the MISTI to add the sentiment in black ink.  I added thin strips of black cardstock to define the rainbow section. A few stars and sequins hide some smudges!

Here's the inside:

An explosion of sentiments and fire-work-ish images.

 

The challenge at Addicted to CAS runs for another week--make sure to check it out.

Thanks for taking a look today!

Happy crafting,

Caroline

Supplies:

Catherine Pooler inks: Tiki Torch, Tiara, Lime Rickey, Aquatini, Something Borrowed, Flirty Fuschia and Midnight (black)

Cardstock: Catherine Pooler-white; Michael's-black

Stamp sets: Catherine Pooler, from the "Perfect Reason" collection

Sequins: Close to My Heart

Cross Canada Hop--Alcohol Markers

Hello there, crafty friends!

Spring has finally sprung here in Ontario, just in time for the lovely long Easter weekend.

Canadian Close to My Heart consultants are celebrating with a blog hop

featuring ShinHan Twin-Touch alcohol markers.

If you've come from Dominique's blog, you are on the right track. If you'd like to start at the beginning, go to Michelle's blog where you will find the entire list of participants.

I have loved playing with alcohol markers since taking a Copic colouring course a few years back.

Close to My Heart sells 24 colours of the ShinHan Twin-Touch markers, along with a colourless blender pen; they work just as well as Copics for many colouring effects.

On today's card, I'm showcasing a couple of different techniques:

1)    No need to worry about not having just the right marker for your project; you can blend two colours together without contaminating either marker.

Scribble the darker shade onto an acrylic stamping block. This functions as your palette.

Pick up the colour on the block with the lighter shade of marker; you will get an intermediate shade to add to your project. To clean the lighter marker, just use it on white card stock until the colour runs true again.

Example: for the bunny's shirt, I coloured with Y22 Golden Yellow, then scribbled some YR24 Marigold onto my block. I picked up the darker orange colour with the yellow marker and used it to add shading to the image.

 I did the same with the bunny's shorts, using B68 Turquoise Blue and BG61 Peacock Green.

2)  I also created a fun piece of patterned paper, using my markers to make matching plaid. I added adhesive to the back of a piece of white card stock and stuck it to my Versamat.

I used the diagonal marks on the mat and the 14" ruler to draw parallel lines in Turquoise and Tender Pink.

 Then I rotated the mat 90 degrees and drew lines in that orientation to complete the plaid.

The ShinHan markers have two ends: a fine bullet tip and a broad tip. You can create lines of different width depending on which side of the broad tip you drag over the paper.

The speed with which you drag the marker across the paper will also have an effect--the slower you go, the more ink can sink into the paper, making a slightly wider line.

Break out your markers and give these techniques a try!

The next stop on the hop is Sheena at Kanata Newf.

Please remember to leave comments and love as you hop, quick like a bunny!

Happy Easter,

Caroline

P.S:  Next month's hop on May 15th will feature new paper packs from Close to My Heart.

Supplies:  all supplies Close to My Heart, unless otherwise indicated.
Stamp set: Easter Bunny/February 2017 stamp of the month
Ink: Archival Black, Fern
Markers: ShinHan Twin-Touch markers GY234, Y222, YR24, P282, P83, B68, BG61, RP198
Copic Markers in E31 and E33, R20.
Shimmer trim in green
Embossing folder: Lifestyle crafts/houndstooth
Versamat 12x12 crafting mat
14" ruler
Contact your local Close to My Heart consultant to purchase any of the items featured here.

Freshly Made Sketches & National Tartan Day...

Good morning, crafty friends.

This post is a little late for the celebration, but last Thursday, April 6th, was National Tartan Day in Canada. It's not an official holiday, just an observance, and has been in effect since 2010. It commemorates the signing of a document of independence in Scotland in 1320. People of Scottish descent can celebrate and wear their family tartan!

I've been playing around with plaid lately, with water colour paint and with alcohol markers. This is a paper version of the clan Macdonald tartan. It's much more beautiful in real life!

 The inspiration this week over at Freshly Made Sketches was all about squares.

Plaids and tartans are definitely all about right angles!  I decided to feature a piece of water-coloured plaid, with some of the stripes done with  opalescent gold paint.

 All squares were cut with Lil'Inker Designs' Stitched Mats square dies, then attached to a 5" square card-base. Along with the water-colour panel, I cut squares from Close to My Hearts' fundamentals collection. These papers have white designs on one side, with embossing on the other. The sentiment is from Catherine Pooler Designs' "Hello World" stamp set. Pretty easy card to put together!

Make sure to check out the amazing submissions over at Freshly Made Sketches.

Fare ye weel!

Caroline