APRIL TWOFER CHALLENGE

I used my long neglected Leaf Canopy set for my cards in the latest Twofer Challenge.  Actually made three cards, but one was way too busy for my CAS soul - but will post it here anyway.

I first stamped a bunch of the two sizes of leaves with DO inks and heat embossed with clear for a shiny look.  Made the "busy" card first by arranging leaves to cover the whole front.  Added the large sentiment and few clear sequins - there's shimmer on the sentiment too.  Next I made the white bouquet with only the die cut leaves.  The sentiment says "Happy Birthday" embossed in silver - hard to photograph.  Still had a pile of the colored leaves and made the third card.

 Thanks for stopping by today.

 

DAY 5 & 6 HOMEWORK

I think this is first one of these online classes that I've actually finished all the homework by the end of the class.

DAY 5

 

Lydia made a raised background for her layered flower and I did the same but with different dies.  The flower and leaf layers were colored with alcohol markers - I used a die cut background which I layered up using really thin strips of foam tape.  

DAY 6

 

Again, didn't have the same dies as Lydia used, but followed her techniques to make an aperture card.  Die cut the flowers and leaves and watercolored very loosely.

I am entering my second card at Die Cut Divas where the theme is a window/aperture card. 

Thanks for stopping by - always love to read your kind comments.

 

ALTENEW ACADEMY HOMEWORK

Altenew Academy has another free layering dies class taught by Lydia Evans.  Have been keeping up every day with the homework - so have four days worth today!

DAY 1

The see-through element on the lower portion makes this card really unique - a little putzy to make but I like the outcome.  This card used the Hibiscus die set.

DAY 2

This is a  gate fold card using vellum - I found using a lighter weight vellum worked the best - I used the Wild Rose 3D dies.

DAY 3
 

This card uses ink blending on the separate layers which was a quick and easy way to achieve the colors.  I added some veins on the leaves for a little added interest.  The front of the card is cut at slant and the flowers overlap the edge.  Lydia used patterned paper on the back, but that was too busy for me so I embossed a background and shaded a bit.  Floral Fantasy dies used on this card.

DAY 4

The shaker element and patterned paper makes this card special. Peony Dream is the die set used.

I am entering my first two cards at the Color Hues challenge since I used pink and green on those cards.  Also will enter my first and last cards at Die Cut Divas as their theme is aperture or window and my cards have apertures or is see thru like a window.

All About Layering 6 is a free 6 day class - lots of tips and tricks from Lydia.  Thanks for stopping by and always love to read your kind comments.

 

THE FLOWER CHALLENGE

The current theme at The Flower Challenge is "pretty pastels" and their sponsor is Varada Designs.  I chose one of their free digitals for my card.

 

I used an alcohol inked piece for the background for my flower which I downloaded and colored with copic markers.  After fussy cutting the flower and mounting it on the background, I popped it all up with fun foam on the card base.  Added a few clear sequins and done.  I chose not to add a sentiment at this time - will add when I want to send to someone special.

Thanks for stopping by and always love to read your kind comments.

 

 

 

THINKING OF YOU

Time for a new TicTacToe Challenge and Felicita has a fun new board with great starting points for you.  I went down the right side of her board with embellishment, coloring and stencil.

 

Wasn't sure where I wanted to go with the stencil idea so started flipping through my stash and found this layering stencil that I don't think I've ever used.  After stenciling the florals in two colors of ink, I added a bit more depth with colored pencils.  I spattered the piece and then die cut with a stitched rectangle.  Matted it on black and then onto my card base.  Added the sentiment and some clear sequins and done!  This was really fast and easy card to make - think I might "need" more layering stencils!!!

The colors at the Color Hues Challenge are pink and green - so will enter my card there too.

Thanks for visiting today.

 

EASTER BLESSINGS

 Awhile back, Yana shared an Easter card that I loved - so I CASEd it pretty closely.  I didn't have any of the products she used, but made my card a mini slimline in similar colors and basically followed her design.

 

After stamping the floral, I lightly colored it with light pink and light green copic markers and fussy cut.  I used a stencil with white pigment ink for the background on each corner of the kraft part.  After die cutting the cross, I backed it with champagne metallic cs and stamped the little sentiment.  Then put it all together on a white card base, added the flowers in the corners, trimmed and done.

Thanks for visiting today and hope you all have a joyous Easter.

 

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

It's a special anniversary theme this month at A Blog Named Hero!  We're celebrating out 9th anniversary and to kick things off there is a two day IG blog hop with a $50 gc from Hero  Arts.  To carry out the "anniversary" theme I have a slimline card for your inspiration.

I colored the lovely Togetherness blooms with copics and die cut with the matching die.  On my slimline card, I added a black border cut with the new slimline dies.  The sentiment was die cut four times and layered up for dimension and the "happy" was stamped and embossed.  Put it all together and done. 

Be sure to hop over to my IG post (bjkne0519) for the blog hop on April 1 and 2 - and also enter your card on ABNH for a chance to win one of two gift certificates from Hero Arts.

Thanks for stopping by.

CHRISTMAS SLIMLINE

52 Christmas Card Throwdown is a new (to me) Christmas challenge and I'm just getting my entry in under the wire!  Their challenge for this month is a slimline.  Will also enter my card at Die Cut Divas who also have slimline as their theme.

I watercolored some poinsettias and leaves and arranged them over the lattice background on a kraft card base.  Added some small gold sequins in the flower centers and a sentiment and done.

Thanks for stopping by and always love to read your kind comments.

OUT OF SEASON CARD

It was sort of difficult to make a Halloween card when I'm really in the mood for something more springlike, but this way I'll be ahead of the game.  Two Old Bats is a monthly challenge for just Halloween cards and their current theme is "anything goes".  

Went through my stash of backgrounds and found an orange alcohol ink piece which I die cut with an old PTI die.  Made this into a shaker and mounted on a black card base.  Very CAS and quite easy to make, but I really like the effect of the alcohol inked background.

Thanks for visiting - love to read your kind comments.

 

 

EASTER WISHES

LeAnne has created a wonderful board for us this week's TicTacToe Challenge - am sure you'll be able to find three elements for your card entry.  Since Easter is just a week away, I needed a few more cards - hope my card will inspire you.   

I used some watercolored green smooshed paper to die cut my leafy heart wreath - die cut lots of little flowers and colored those with some quick ink blending.  Put it all together with the sentiment in the center and added it to my card with the lattice  background.  I went down the right side of the board with leaves, green and die cut.

Thanks for stopping by today and be sure to enter our challenge for a chance to be a guest designer on a future challenge. 

 

HIPPITY HOP

Paper Players Challenge has CAS and animals for their current theme - since I needed another Easter card, I went with the bunny and chick for my animals and lots of white space - and no flowers anywhere!!

My little bunny, chick and egg are from an old PTI set called "Hippity Hoppity" - so cute.  I added a little color with copic marker to the bunny and chick - cut out the eggs from patterned paper.  Assembled with the die cut grass and added the sentiment.

Since I have a bunny on my card I am also entering my card at the ModSquad Challenge where the theme is "springtime bunnies".

Thanks for visiting today.

BLACK AND WHITE

The current Color Hues Challenge wants just black and white on a card - so did a variation of a design I did earlier this week.

I first spattered the background of my black card with white gouache.  Die cut a bunch of leaves and flowers from white heavyweight cs and arranged on the background.  Popped up the centers of the flowers for some dimension.  Added black enamel dots in the flower centers and a sentiment and done.

Thanks for stopping by today.

PRINTMAKING

CAS Mix-Up is celebrating their fifth anniversary this month with the challenge of using printmaking.  It's been one of those techniques I've been meaning to try when I first saw Kathy Racoosin demo it last summer.  The other reason I had to enter a card in this month's challenge 'cause it was  five years ago in March 2016 I was the winner on this CAS challenge.  Thought I should make an Easter card again, but couldn't think of anything that would work.

I used a old PTI stamp and die set - Meadow Greens - along with DI inks - faded jeans, iced spruce and forest moss. Messed around with the print technique and then found a spot I liked for a background and die cut a rectangle.  Stamped the detail on the die cut fern with forest moss.  Put it all together with sentiment and done.

Retro Rubber's current challenge is "anything goes" and since my stamp is probably over five years old, I'm entering my card there also.

Thanks for stopping by today.

EASTER BLESSINGS

I like to send Easter greetings to my family and special friends and thought the floral theme at A Blog Named Hero's challenge was a good way to begin.

 

One of my new Hero Arts purchases was the Hibiscus Fancy Die - die cut multiples of the flowers and leaves and using a blending brush colored them - very quick and easy.  Gave the card base texture with a circle impression plate before adding the flower arrangement.  A small sentiment and a few sequins and done!  The case base is HA nautical navy and used HA precision glue to adhere everything together.

Hero Arts has so many gorgeous florals - am sure you'll be able to create a beautiful card and enter it in our challenge this month and be eligible for one of two prize gift certificates from Hero Arts.

Thanks for joining me today.

 

LAYERED PEONY

Fell in love with the color combo at The Paper Players this week.

Recently purchased several Memory Box paper pads that are perfect for layered die cut flowers.  After cutting out my flower and leaves, I used my copics to add a bit of depth.

One of my blogging friends (maybe Greta or Cat??) sent me the die cut that I used for the background.

Thanks for visiting my blog today.