My wonderful stampin buddy sent me a new stencil for making circles and I decided to use it to do the bokeh technique which I’ve not done for a while. After first using colour burst powders to create the background and loving the result of that I spent some time drying the piece so I could add the effect.

I found drying it on both sides with my heat tool prevented it from curling too much. As I’m impatient and can’t wait for something overnight, I immediately began adding the circles using white pigment ink. I just love how it turned out but it still needed something. I had the tiny butterflies (puffy ones) sitting around in a tray from ages ago and I added them. I deliberately didn’t want anything to stand out too much from the background so these work just fine to me. I mounted it onto some sparkly background CS and then onto the purple Card front. Added the sentiment strip on an angle and added some dots to the front so it wouldn’t be a stark white. There are speckles in the background so I thought tiny dots would mimic that a little.

I had one stackers ribbon frame left from yesterdays work so decided to use it somehow. Initially I took a stamp from Lisa Hetricks Today & Always set and added ink to half of it and then another colour to the other half. Did this twice to get the random polka dots. I placed the frame on an angle.

I had the flowers already cut out and coloured but I wasn’t happy with them when I made them a few weeks ago so they had been languishing on my desk for a while. I decided they would work here but needed a bit of sprucing up so I used a gold pen and added it in places to get some definition. I popped them up inside the frame and added some random foliage that I cut out with various dies.

The Sophie Pig stamp set by Beth Silaika has long been a favourite of mine but I haven’t used it in a while. Making some cards for my friends who have grandchildren made me bring it out although any adult would probably enjoy this card too.

After stamping Sophie first I masked her off using liquid masking fluid. I’ve had it for ages and forgotten about it so this is the first time using it. It is so easy and far less time consuming than cutting a mask. Comes off by using an artist eraser. I then stamped the water and the umbrella. Once the mask was removed I coloured in the images using my pencils and gamsol. I added 3 colours of blue to make the look of water but did not use any gamsol as I wanted a rougher look. Once coloured I added some nuvo crystal glace to Sophie’s ears, feet, nose and water. Added the hearts and the sentiment and then mounted onto a red piece and then onto card front. Don’t know why I haven’t done more of these CAS cards as they are quick and easy to do. I’m now on a CAS kick.

Viewing Pinterest is a very satisfying pastime for me, but one I have to be careful of, as once started I find it hard to stop. Saw a version of this and here is a CASED idea of it.

Its a very simple card and I quite like the simplicity of it. Using a gifted stencil from a stampin buddy, I inked the circles in Twisted Citron. I then stamped the letters and heat embossed in black. Sentiment is from Grand Greetings by Gina K and I cut it in half as I only wanted the birthday part. Got an accidental shadow but I liked it so kept it this way.

This card is inspired by one of Barbara Campbell’s designs. I loved what she created and was determined to try something myself. My sky is nowhere near as good as hers but thats okay. Mainly created from scraps on my desk as I wanted to use them somehow.

I used Penny Black’s ribbon stackers die set to cut out the frame and the panel, but I first tried my hand at sponging the background and then cut it out. The dark blue bird is a small die I’ve had for a long time, and the other images are from a set called Happy Spring by Gina K Designs. Used mostly copics to colour the images but the flower was done with glittery gel pens.

Created for the Double D challenge of using frames. I had several scrap pieces on my desk from other projects and decided the negative space from which I had cut flowers was something that could be used. I mounted it on the blue card and then mounted that onto the card front. I added the bling centers but it needed something more so I added blue perfect pearl powder to the flowers as well. It adds some nice shimmer but not showing well in a photo.

To give slightly more definition I also used a blue copic pen and added some shading to the petals. Stamped the sentiment from a Concord & 9th set in Blueprint Sketch distress ink. Added a bit more bling. On the photo it looks a bit dark but it is much prettier in RL. I hope it qualifies for the frame challenge. To me the negative space created the frame.

I’ve had this stamp set for ages and never really tried to use it until now, except for the XO stamp. Of course I managed to get ink where I didn’t want it – managed to get the edge of the block in the ink so it created a few unwanted lines before I realized.

I think I covered them up reasonably well using the XO stamp and some light gray ink. I have absolutely no idea how I acquired this stamp set or who made it but most likely purchased it in Homesense on sale.

Using the same idea as previous card and the Simon Says Birthday celebration set I created another cute card. Well it’s cute to me anyway.

I’ve used this stamp set a few times and always enjoy colouring it. This time I used some gel pens to colour the hat and of course they are juicy enough to spatter a little. Hence all the little dots. It’s the only way I could think of to disguise an unintentional spot. I did wait until the hat was dry before continuing with the rest as I knew I would smudge the entire thing if I didn’t. Used my pencils but this time I blended with the special pencil that came with the set. Worked great. Added some nuvo crystal glace to the balloons for dimension/shine and a few small stars around the sentiment.

After several times forgetting that the challenge requirement is a single layer CAS I have finally accomplished two. Both cute cards intended mainly for a child but some adults like cute too.

I got this stamp from Wild Rose studio after winning a challenge and I like it a lot. Had fun colouring with pencils and gamsol. Added the sentiment from a Simon Says set called Birthday celebration. In general I don’t do many CAS cards so this was a challenge for me and my brain.

I’ve never done any of the one sheet wonder cards one sees on various blogs and on Pinterest and decided to have a go. Using a template found here:
https://ellocindesigns.com I did my best to cut the chosen 6 X 6″ PP into pieces.

I wasn’t entirely successful in copying the template exactly but I had enough for 6 cards so here they are. I used scraps of other pieces for borders etc and added a few flowers and bling here and there. I also used some of Tim Holtz idea-ology small talk sayings. They are intended as a gift for a friend I am visiting soon in Montreal.