Stenciled +

 Hola! and happy weekend!

I am WAY behind on my Copics for Cardmakers homework, so posting something I made last weekend, instead.

I LOVE the idea of this blog challenge:

I "found" it last week, through my very artsy virtual friend, Lyndal Higgins.

The challenge is to add texture, dimension and technique to your card-making.

With that in mind, I finished up with some stenciled, watercolor, embossing-paste panels I had made, following Jennifer McGuire's examples, HERE.

I used the Dreamweaver's paste I had on hand, and a stencil I bought from Club Scrap. After allowing the paste to dry, you apply watercolour paint. I believe Jennifer used a texture paste, which absorbs the paint better than the stenciling paste I had. So my watercolouring is kinda pastel; her's were lovely and vibrant.

However, I jazzed it up with a water-coloured stamped image, on vellum. Vellum is EVERYWHERE again! The stamp is last year's, from CTMH (thanks, Diana Saunders, for reminding me it was in my stash!), and I added several colours of Distress Ink, direct-to-paper. I let it dry VERY patiently, and added it to my card front with clear foam tape, from Clear-Tac.

Some falling sequins from Studio Calico and Pretty Pink Posh, and good to go.

As the challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Monday blog involves STENCILS & STAMPS, I've got that covered, too.

Now off to do my "homework!"

enjoy your weekend

Caroline

Supplies:

watercolour paper and watercolour paint set, vellum:  Michael's

cardstock and "blessings of the season" stamp:   CTMH

Stencil:  Club Scrap

Embossing paste:  Dreamweaver's, purchased from Paper Wishes

Distress inks: lipstick, marigold, persimmon, walnut stain; Ranger

Woodgrain sequins: Studio Calico

Flat copper sequins: Pretty Pink Posh

Gilding the ... card!

Still on the birthday card band-wagon...

This one was made for my SIL.  Autumn is such a beautiful time of year for a birthday. Or to get married. Or for anything, I guess. Love the leaves and colours.
Linking up to: Seize the Birthday.

I CASE'd this card from a technique shown on a Paper Wishes webisode (here's the link to the instructions, but the episode is worth watching, too).  I used the same embossing folder and Perfect Pearls Metallic powders.  I inked the raised portion of the folder with the Perfect Medium ink-pad (it works like Versamark--kinda sticky), then ran some brown card-stock through the Big-Shot. This transfers the Medium to the recessed parts of the design. Then I used a dry paint-brush to add Gold, Bronze and Copper Perfect Pearls pigment powder to the design, brushing off the excess. The powder sticks only in the recessed areas, giving a gilded, metallic look to the design. 

Since this is a technique (even if I made up the name!), I'm linking it up to Simon Says Stamp's Monday challenge: Rock the Techniques.

And also linked to a new-to-me challenge, The Mixed Media Card Challenge.  

This is a fun one! Invites you to get really messy... In this case, I added TEXTURE with dry embossing, DIMENSION with die-cuts & embossing powder, and that gilding TECHNIQUE with the pearl pigment powder. Oh, and the challenge this month is to use Autumn Colours.

 Here's a photo taken on more of an angle, to show that beautiful, gleaming effect.

I changed up the rest of the card from the original, adding a gold-embossed sentiment on a separate die-cut label, and then those lovely leaves (Paper Smooches dies--just the right size!) (and a BARGAIN at $4.49). They are cut from hammered gold, holographic mocha and metallic bronze papers.  I added three more leaves to the inside, too.

As the embossing folder wasn't the same size as my A2 card front, I borrowed a trick from Jennifer McGuire, and gold-embossed the top and bottom edges of my card, where the brown panel didn't cover it. Gives some extra glitz and ties in nicely to the elements on the front.

So there you have it, GILD-IT technique, and BDay card #5 of 10 for this season. Come back to see more!

Happy crafting,

Caroline

Supplies:

Products linked above, plus:

Cardstock: chocolate and colonial white card-base, CTMH; 

water color paper for label, bronze metallic paper, Michael's.

Label die and sentiment stamp: Paper Wishes LINK HERE and HERE

gold adhesive nail heads LINK HERE

Ranger gold embossing powder LINK HERE

If I forgot anything, contact me and I'll tell you more...

Just...Hello!

I had such fun playing with Simon Says Stamp's Favorite Flowers last week (see my FMS post, HERE), that I decided to continue exploring its possibilities.

This is a card design I CASED and used for a card workshop back in May.  I had a bunch of watercolor paper already cut to size, so might as well use it up.  I love the look of black line-drawing and water-coloring.  It has a kind of pretty, cartoon vibe.

Orange and pink.  

This is the first version, and I decided to add a little border/definition between the DP and the watercolor panel.

Pink and yellow. 

The border is just a line of Forest Moss Distress marker, drawn across the card base.

Orange and blue. 

I think this is my fave. The shading on the blue flowers turned out especially pretty.

 It's "Anything Goes" this week at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge blog. So these beauties are going to get linked up over there.

Happy crafting!

Caroline

Supplies:

watercolor paper: Michael's

Favorite Flowers stamp set: Simon Says Stamp

Designer Paper: Skylark, Close to My Heart

Hello die: The Crafter's Workshop

Black textured card-stock: Wausau Papers

Tim Holtz Distress Markers

Water brush

Archival Black ink:  Close to My Heart