Challenge 21 - First Crafty Addicts Challenge for August!

Hi everyone! Excited to be able to share my inspiration card for the 21st Challenge on The Crafty Addicts Challenge Blog.

This time the theme is "ATG/Emboss it!" and the two fab sponsors are Di's Digis ($12 voucher) and SamiStamps ($12 voucher)

I have used a stamp called "Pile of Whiskers" by SamiStamps and it was loads of fun to colour.

On the computer I layered the image over the top of the "Happy Birthday" before printing it out, so it looked like they were lay on top of the text. (Font is CheapskateOutline).

It's unsurprisingly all done in polychromos on kraft card with some Papermania star gems. To fit the theme I embossed some kraft card with a couple of plates from my crafty stash and used them on the back piece.

Close up of the detail.

Sponsor badges

Brushos!

Just wanted to update you with some images from my initial foray into Brushos! I wanted to make some background images to use on cards, using white emboss resists and watercolourish backgrounds.

So this is a shot after the heat embossing, adding dry brushos and then spraying water on top. The droplets can be dabbed away from the embossed areas afterwards. Stamp: Sheena Douglass, A little bit sketchy, falling feathers.

Same stamp set but this time I sprayed with water first and then dropped the brushos in tiny amounts on top! I like this better but it is hard to control the amount of powder you drop!

Also tried a more careful measured approach using this Hero Arts CG248 Large Solid Flower, and I think it works fine with a less intense look too.

Really happy with them, going to watch some more tutorials on how to use them now I grasp what they are about! :)

Christmas Card Workshop, back in November!

This might seem like a very late post, but honestly there is a reason. Although I would love to show you what we made that day, on the day - I can't if the cards might be received by people that might see them in advance. Now we are safely past Christmas, I can assume most have been seen and I am free to post!

We actually made 12 cards on the day, so here are a few of them. Most of them had room to add extra personalisation after, so these are the cards as I used them, rather than made them originally.

Distress Inks masked background with flicked water to make snow effect. Die cut sleigh and trees. Stamped fairy lights with added bling. 3D foam mounted greeting.

Cuttlebug embossing folder snowflake background. Die cut snowmen. Spotty ribbon and tiny bling.

Artemio Type F Pinguins with Sledge Wooden Stamp. (not sure if that's just a typo, or really Pinguins with an I?) Coloured with Polychromo pencils. HA greeting stamp. Stamped snowflakes in white. Mounted on Kraft Card.

Die cut sleigh, icicles and birch trees. Distress ink sky background with water flicked on to make snow. Joy wood paper as background.

Die cut snowflake frame and landscape scene. Sky using a white correcter pen on blue paper. Embossed background with added bling. 3D foam mounted greeting.

Snowflakes die cut from top layer. 3D foam mounted onto white card blank. Same die cut snowflakes from red card set inside the snowflake shaped gaps. Add bling and stamped sentiment.

Painting Cards

Had in an order for two "Arty" themed birthday cards for the same person. Tried two new designs with this in mind.

The first, on Kraft Card, was created by masking off an area of the card using post-it notes and then applying media directly to the card. I had a go at heat embossing a cowslip stamp and then layering on gelatos and pastels after. My edges weren't super tidy so I added strips of ribbon either side. 
Greeting stamped directly onto card, whilst " Grandad was printed and matt&layer'd on.

Had a go at this design using some Hero Arts stamps from there Stamp Your Story Brush Strokes set. The colours are all distress inks. I paper-pieced the brushes and added them after.


Made a really cheerful card, which is great for a man's card, they can tend to feel a bit solemn.

p.s. Cowslip Stamp was also a Hero Arts Cling Stamp called Elegant Weeds.