In trying out my new Yasutomo mineral paper I created this background. First I inked it completely with various blues and then I added the look of the Aurora Borealis with other inks and by swiping. Using a star stencil, made by my stamping buddy Bonnie, and a squeezed out baby wipe, I placed the stencil and basically wiped off the colour through the stencil. When it was completely dry I mounted it on top of the blue foil and added it to the card front. The birch trees were cut from a distressed foil piece I made a few weeks ago and after adding some dimensionals in strategic places I added it to the side. I let it sit for a day or two because I wasn’t sure which direction I wanted to go next. After some thinking and going through my stamps I decided on adding some falling stars and I stamped these with a set from GKD called All Stars. I added some shine with opal blaze and then added some Nuvo Chrystal drops to the top. I pierced each star to make a hole and added some gold cord through the holes to make them seem as if they are falling out of the tree. Sentiment is from same set and I fussy cut the words to make them fit on the tree. They also have some sparkle and dimension. I figure this card could qualify as a Christmas card so it will get added to that small stash.

Inspiration from the photo is the pinks and the flowers and the design style is clean and layered.

After my new goodies arrived I was eager to try them out. Firstly I had bought a couple of Taylored Expressions stencils as well as some paper I had read about and wanted to try. The paper is by Yasutomo and is a mineral paper. The beauty of it is that you can wipe it clean if you don’t like the results. It is very different, but for some things I think a fun product to have. Haven’t tried stamping on it yet.

Using a template given as a freebie by Susie Moore with her clear instructions it was really easy to play at making some plaid. When happy with my plaid and sure it was dry, I cut it with a scallop die and glued to my card front. Taking a small piece of water colour paper I stamped the flower image with my new MFT fine lined floral using antique rose distress ink. Then when that was dry I took my pastel Tombow markers and coloured over those lines spreading the colour with a bit of water. I used 2 different pinks and some green for this step. The stamens were done with a gold pen, then I took a shimmery water colour and added that over the top so that the flowers have a lovely shine to them when card is tilted a bit. Can’t get that showing in the photo. I cut this piece down quite a bit using another of the scallop dies and then grounded the stems with a scrap piece of pp that was already cut into a grass shape. The sentiment is from CTMH and I hung it off a tiny strip of water coloured paper that I had left over from something made long ago. This was fun to make and to get the result I hoped for.

When die cutting the outline for the ornament for another project I messed it up trying to get it out of the die. I had to cut a second one and still had this piece on my desk. I fixed it a bit and glued it on top of the red solid shape. Then to hide the torn bits I added gems. It sat on my desk for about 10 days as I wasn’t inspired to use it immediately. I had the ribbon also on my desk and was about to put it away when I thought of adding a bow to the ornament. Then it sat around for a days more. The frame was another scrap that I was thinking about trying to use and by accident it slid underneath the ornament. My mind said Hmmm … I wonder if … I found the scrap green cs and dry embossed it. Added it to the red card front and after stamping the sentiment to the frame I added that on top of the green panel. The tiny poinsettia is a fussy cut bit from a scrap of dsp. Sentiment is from a GKD set, the folder is from CTMH but I cannot remember who made the die set and have had it for ages.

I saw a tutorial recently on a blog and stupidly I forgot to bookmark it so cannot give credit to the person. Anyway it inspired me to make this card which folds flat for mailing but weighs nothing. I had already made the sea portion and this was a small torn off piece that I didn’t want to throw away. This design was the perfect way to use it. I added it to a small piece of cream cs and then added the fussy cut beach chair. Stamp from Inspired by stamping, Seaside set. I embossed the darker blue piece for going underneath and embossed two strips of cream cs for the sides. The large shell came from a Hero Arts set and the smaller shells from a GKD set and all of those I fussy cut before gluing on. I used some opal blaze on all the shells so they have shine and sparkle. The larger shell is popped up so that the easel part will stand properly. Sentiment is from another GKD set. It looks better in reality than on the photo and I am quite happy with the end result.

One can interpret the word Sketch in so many ways but I chose to make a window card. I had been wanting to make one of these type cards for a while and figured it would work for the challenge. A few weeks ago I made a background piece based on a book cover I had seen and I had a strip left over. Instead of stamping the part seen through the window I used this left over strip and added a fish and a turtle to it. These stamps came from GKD one called Wetlands and one Under the Sea. I coloured them and fussy cut so I could glue them on top. I created the acetate window by cutting the card front adding the see through behind. To give it some strength I added 2 strips on the outer edge. I stamped the sentiment and heat set it clear. The I stamped the pelican and wooden posts on a scrap piece using an Inspired by Stamping Seaside set and a bit of masking. After colouring him in with pencils I fussy cut this piece and added it to the card front. I also cut another one to glue behind to keep the inside looking tidy. I added a few cattails and grasses as well. Didn’t get quite the effect I imagined here unfortunately and because I didn’t use my Misti I can’t really fix it. I may play a bit more before actually sending this to anyone, but for now I’m leaving it alone because I know if I do anything right now I’m likely to spoil it altogether.

I found this purple piece of fabric in a box the other day along with a couple of pretty paper bits in the same size. I remember getting it years ago in a small kit I purchased through Readers Digest. For some reason I never used these pieces. Anyway I die cut the background using a set purchased in a garage sale. Not sure of brand, but I think possibly Spellbinders, and added the fabric to the center. Using an Altenew stamp set called Sunlit Flowers I stamped the flowers and leaves, fussy cut them. My ink layers need work but the flowers are good enough to use. I popped them on top using dimensionals. Added the sentiment from a GKD set that I fussy cut out and a few sequins to finish it off. My hubby really likes this card, I just think it is okay. I’m never sure why I am not happy with the ink layers on these multi step stamps but mine never look as good as those done by others.

This is the first card I’ve done in a few day due to several reasons, one being busy with our boat and the other a lack of motivation. In my recent order from MFT this cute little stamp was included as a freebie and I bought the die that goes with it. Tried to create some movement in my stamping but I really need to practice the technique a bit more. I coloured it with pencils and added the BOING by hand. Followed the sketch using some gift wrap left over from a long time ago, stamped and cut out the sentiment to go at the top and added some metallic copper to the edges as it matched the copper layer. Added a few gems at the bottom and called it finished.

I am amazed at how quickly my stamp order from MFT arrived and decided to use one of them for the AAA challenge. I didn’t do the optional twist for this card. I did however, try to use some of the tips from an AI water colour video to add the colour to it. To cut out my panel I used a die set from Spellbinders. The sentiment is from a GKD set. To get the colour I used Tombow markers and an almost wet paintbrush which helped to spread out the colour to the rest of the flower. Once the flowers were done I used a shimmer water colour paint to add the wash behind the flowers. I need a lot of practice before I can say my water coloring is decent, but even so, I’m not unhappy with this card.

My hubby has been taking photographs of ferns recently and then in post production he changes the photo a little. The background for my sketch effort is one of those changed photographs. The photo here doesn’t do it justice as there are a lot of colours in it but they show up quite dark for some reason. That said I pulled some of the colour from the background into my focal pieces as well as into the layered borders.

The die cut hexagon is one of the rescued pieces from a project I did some days ago. The inchies are also from previous projects and the die cut flower is using up the last of a water coloured piece I did some time ago. Die used for flower is from GKD and the hexagon is from a set that came with my Gemini. The stamps used are from CTMH and I stamped with Distress Oxide ink Mermaid lagoon to try to match the turquoise blue elsewhere. The pink glitter strip is also a left over piece. I am happy with how it turned out.

With one challenge requiring the use of stencils and the other stitches I came up with this card. Stamps, dies and sentiment are from Hero Arts with the exception of the ribbon die which is from GKD. The cable knit background is a Bonnie created stencil which I thought perfect for both challenges. Thanks Bonnie. I inked the stencil twice as the first colour I chose (yellow) wasn’t right and I went over it with Fired Brick. I let a bit of the yellow still show to give a tweed look. Cut it down to the size I required and added to card front. Added the ribbon strip also Fired Brick down the side. After I had stamped the images I die cut them, coloured them and glued them in place. I fussy cut the sentiment after heat embossing it before gluing it at the top. Another Christmas card to add to the few I’ve done so far.