Blues, Breathe, and Treat

This post is for Scrapbook Boutique's September 2017 challenge with the following mood board:

I'm quite pleased with my take on it. This art journal double-spread has lots of blues and a cat even.

I can't quite get it to lie flat unfortunately so the photo's a bit askew.

Stamps: Tim Holtz Crazy Cats and Dogs, Dylusions alphabet stamps

Inks: TH Distress Oxides - Cracked pistachio, Broken china, Salty ocean, 

TH Distress ink: Old linen, Worn lipstick,

Memento black

Paints: TH Distress stain - Picket fence, Dylusions Vibrant turquoise, 

Dylusions paint pens - black, white

This journal page already had the Vibrant turquoise circles to begin - one of those pages that Dyan Reavely suggests one has for cleaning off ink foams.

I added concentric circles from the middle starting with the lightest Cracked pistachio, then Broken china and finally Salty ocean. I just love how the colours blended and oxidised after spraying liberally with water....and the original turquoise circles remained intact.

The background seemed too busy for the cat and dog so I decided to create lighter circles using Picket fence distress stain. I think it really helped put the spotlight on the animals.

I stamped all the images and key words and then just hand-wrote the rest using the paint pen. I coloured in the animals, adding more white to the eyes. I also outlined all stamped images including the words using the paint pen.

So much inky fun.

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Thanks - Scrapbook Boutique Challenge Aug 2016

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I love the new Scrapbook Boutique challenge mood board. Here's my take on it, a thank you card...because I needed to make one for one sassy lady!

Lime, Black and White!

This is again a mixed media piece:

• Dylusions paint - Fresh Lime
• Twinkling H2O - Lemongrass...for a touch of glimmer on the eyes and dress!
• Dylusions archival ink - Dirty Martini
• Versamark Onyx Black ink
• Distress Ink - Picket Fence (white)
• Dylusions Paint pens - black. white
• Stampin Up Embossing Powder - black
• Dyan Reavely stamp -Strength (woman)
• Hero Arts stamp - thanks
• Tim Holtz diamon stamp

This is a one-layer card so I used a masking technique to keep the woman in black and white as I painted the background in Fresh Lime. Versamark ink was still a bit wet so you can see a bit of smudging on the edges. I loved this shadow-y effect so much that I added more gray shading later to accentuate it.

To repeat the harlequin diamond on the lady's top, I used a "rolling" stamp technique I learned from one of Dyan Reavely's videos. Instead of mounting the stamp, just kinda roll it on and don't re-ink each time.  I love the random-ness of the effect. I did this using both the Dirty Martini and Picket Fence inks.

Once the background dried, I heat-embossed 'Thanks'. I love the accidental smattering of black dots which add to the over-all grunge look.

For a touch of shimmer, I added on some Twinkling H2Os. It's so hard to photograph but maybe you can make it out a bit in the zoomed in photo below.

To finish off, I outlined and added highlights to the eyes and lips using the paint pens to make them pop even more. AND, I also added some grey watercolour around the lady.

I loved the materials and techniques I used so much, I reckon I'd replicate this in my Art Journal.

Live the Life

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I'm back again to my crafty blog after a few years...w00t! This time, I'm dabbling with art journalling. What a fun way to experiment with various tools and techniques and thinking ink creatively ;)

Here's my most recent one which I'll enter into Scrapbook Boutique's July challenge; in fact, it draws heavily on the mood board particularly with the use of grids, quotes and colours.

My piece is in mixed media:

• watercolour (Kuretake)
• pigment ink - Versafine black...results are always crisp even with fine details
• dye ink - Stampin Up Rose Red, Bermuda Bay, Island Indigo, Not Quite Navy
• Dylusions paint - White Linen
• cour pencils (Derwent Academy)
• white Uniball Signo pen

All stamps are from various Tim Holtz sets except for 'enjoy little things' which is by Kaisercraft.

This was so much fun to create. Here are a couple of closeups:

CFC67 - Flags, banners and more besides

It's been a long time in-between crafting, for sure, so it was so good to get back to it! I've been playing with the new Stampin Up In-colours and the best way to get inspired, imho, is to join challenges.  CAS-ual Fridays did not disappoint and here I am with my entry to challenge  #67 - Flags & Banners.

All products are from Stampin Up

cardstock: Silver Glimmer (vase), Primrose Petals, Summer Starfruit, Midnight Muse, Gumball Green

stamps: En Francais background, Fabulous Phrases

punches: small heart, Ornament

I love using the Ornament punch and turning it into a vase; the Glimmer paper sets it off, methinks.

This is very much inspired by Lorena's work...so cute and clever, I thought.

Here are the other cards I made, while inspired. 

 Welcome back me! :-)

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PDCC119 - Thank you card

Anita Hiess ran a Twitter competition on Valentine's day.  I didn't really win the competition and yet Anita, kindly and generously, sent me her book Manhattan Dreaming anyway; autographed with personal dedication at that.  Super awesome.

The least I could do was create a handmade thank you card.  I got my colour inspiration from The Play Date Cafe Challenge 119 - black, white, hot pink; it also fits in perfectly with Scrapbook Boutique's February challenge so I'm entering it there, too.  Here's my card:

Stamps: SU Vintage Vogue, Tiny Tags
Inks: Basic Black, Melon Mambo

As this card would be posted, I kept it fairly flat.  I did layer the big flower though that didn't show very well on the photograph, even enlarged.  I also attached the button using twine, paying homage to the twine theme over at PDCC (hey, I'll take inspiration where I can) :-)


It's a very simple layout; one I seem to do a lot!  I probably need more inspiration. haha.

cheers all.

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CFC #31 - Special Birthday Card

I haven't been here for soooo long! It feels good to be back.

I had to make a special card so searched out my favourite challenges for inspiration.  This one's from CAS-ual Friday CFC31 - use a misting technique.  It's an easel card with the happy birthday actually inside the card.  The front is fairly simple and misted with a home-made glimmer mist using water and perfect pearls. Shimmery card is hard to photograph - as many of you know - so I tried to a few angles and hopefully, this one captures it well enough.

As an easel card, I had to also decorate the inside a little.  In fact, this is a little desk calendar so my friend will get my well wishes every day of the year. Pretty cool huh?

All products except the calendar and Perfect Pearls are from Stampin Up

cardstock: Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive (love this combo very much)
inks: Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Versamark
stamps: Baroque Motifs, Cottage Garden, Bliss (on butterfly), Bring on the cake
punch: Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border
SU die/folder: Beautiful Butterflies. Manhattan flower
embossing powder: clear, white
embellies: pearls, buttons

Phew! That's a lot of products.  Still, I think the card is still fairly clean and simple.  And the misted shimmer lifts it up ever so slightly. What do you think?

CFC #21 + LIM #34 - CAS thinking of you

It's been a while since my last entry into CAS-ual Fridays and even longer for Simply Less is More.  It's been soooo busy around here and I have been busy with my other blog - on education.  Apologies to my followers. ;-/

This week I'm doing a joint one inspired by the sketch for LIMmettes (challenge 34) and the colour inspiration over at CAS-ual Fridays (challenge 21).

The card is 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 " square.

All products from Stampin Up

Cardstock: white, baja breeze, chocolate chip

ink: Marina Mist, not quite navy, chocolate chip

stamps: Artistic Etchings, Teeny  Tiny Sentiments (best sentiment set ever)

I think I've lost my touch in terms of crafting and craft-blogging. ha ha.  Feeling rather awkward!

I hope you like this.

cheers,

Malyn

CFC 15 - Sketch Challenge

It's been a while since I entered a challenge.  I think doing a scrapbook project did me in - 40 layouts in 2 weeks!  Anyway, slowly getting back my mojo.

CASual Friday Challenge 15 is a sketch challenge - and what a good one it is too.  Do go and check it out. ;)  Here's my entry.  With netball season over, I've got to make loads of thank you cards for my girls' team coaches, managers, etc.

Very much inspired by this week's card by DT gal, Julie Day.  Hers is an OLC while I used some designer paper.  but the stamp is the same - Stampin Up Just Believe set.

This sketch is so fab and easy and really works.  Just what a girl needs for making a stack. :-)

For an extra touch while still in keeping with CAS guidelines - a bit of twine, a small flower and the tiniest pearl.

Did all of them in an hour, maybe less even.  You know what it's like - time flies when you're stamping!

Cheers all and thanks for stopping by.

OLW 62 - Make it personal

I haven't played with the OLW crowd for a while and it's about time I did!  Susan's OLW challenge #62 is to make it personal - my kind of crafting as mentioned here and I really needed to make this (read more below).

I like OLW challenges because of the focus on simplicity and design, CAS-style.  There are no prices or badges or anything like that.  The community is great and friendly and truly talented; not that I'm saying I am. :-)  Plenty of pure CAS inspiration there, let me tell ya.

'Nuff prologue, here's my card:

All products from Stampin Up.

Stamps: Bring on the Cake, A Slice of life
ink: Basic Black
various markers

This is my 2nd attempt and design - 1st one obviously failed (ha ha).  I had a few other design themes in mind but this one is okay so will go with it.  I decided not to go OC about the colouring and lining up as it looks more handmade and less contrived....more fun, in a way, too.

The personal bit - this card is for my younger brother whose birthday is on next week.  It is rather cheeky to tease him about the number of candles because I certainly have 1 more than him this year, and every year for that matter (if cheeky is your thing, you might care to check out another of my challenge-entry cards here).  Because it is for my brother, I restrained myself from putting on some sparklies (dang).

Cheers.

CFC #10 - Shaped Card:iPhone(R)

I don't tend to do shaped cards so very nearly passed up on CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #10.   Head on over to see what others have done but first, check out what I've got ;)

Ta da!

The inspiration came from the latest issue of PaperCrafts magazine.  There was an old-style phone there created using a telephone die-cut.  Well, here's a phone, too, so technically it is a shaped card even if it looks like it's not.  Cheeky, just a bit.  I'll have you know, thought that it is to-scale (1: 1.375, to be exact, roughly 3"x6").  I thought it would be fun to give to someone who loves their iPhone (mine's white just like this) and chocolate ...yes, I know just the girl.

Tossed up between this "view" and a text message of "call me".  Obviously, this one won out.  Putting it out there, though, to inspire you to create something similar.

I was going to put more little bits but decided not to, to keep it CAS and focused on the To-Do list.

stamps are all from Stampin Up: Eat Chocolate, Playful Pieces, Short & Sweet.

Cheers.

PDCC 89 - texture+

The Play Date Cafe Challenge #89 is to use Mint...Buttercream...Taupe. Combine this with Jac-Inks Challenge for die cuts + texture and what have you got?

Something like this.

I don't use yellow much so struggled a bit with this one, probably why I decided to combine challenges in fact.  I needed an extra boost. ;)

I used a really light yellow cardstock and embossed it using Stampin Up embossing folder (Manhattan Flower).  I brayered on some SU Crumb Cake ink (closest to taupe that I've got) and inked around the corners and edges with TH Shabby Shutters (don't really have mint and figured green should be good enough).  The sentiment is from Stampin Up as well (Heard from the Heart).  Yellow ribbon is from Martha Stewart.  The trim is a die cut from TH alterations (brackets).

This is really quite a simple card with a traditional layout.  I wanted to try something fancy like dazzling diamonds on the raised outline (flip side of the embossing) but that didn't go very well this time...will try again next time.

Anyway, this card is going to an inspirational woman I recently met.  Her kids are incredible young adults whose capacity to engage, inspire and encourage are testament to the wonderful background they've come from.

I'm a sentimental crafter ain't I?

cheers,
Malyn
 

PDCC 88 - Artistic Etchings

The Play Date Cafe Challenge #88 involves Red-ish/Orange...Yucky Yellow...Juniper  colours.  Lovely colour combo, for sure, but it took me a while to think of something particularly as I generally want to try something different.  That said, my cards always seem to look the same to me.  That said, a quick look at my cards in flipcard (or mosaic) view  shows that occasionally, I do come up with something a bit different (btw, if you use Blogger - you can also create a mosaic view - see how to here).

Right, better get posting as PDCC 88 is about to close!

Here's my entry this week.

Night-time here so this isn't the best shot. I tried a few but there's just too much shadow.  Oh well.

The deets:

stamps: Stampin Up Artistic Etchings

inks: SU Poppy Parade, Tempting Turquoise, Daffodil Delight

It's pretty CAS - lots of white space but that 3D "bauble" must make up for it, surely. ;)  Also, no sentiments as I intentionally wanted to keep this card blank.  Besides, I really couldn't find any sentiment (or font) that suited the style.  What would you suggest? Script? Small?  Where?

Cheers.

CFC #9 Kraft-men

CAS-ual Fridays challenge #9 is to use Kraft on a CAS masculine card.

Here's my take. Not sure if it's CAS and/or masculine enough but I did try.  It's for one of the members of my daughter's Gang Show production....hence the "ticket", "starring" theme.

Stamps are from a couple of Tim Holtz sets. Frame was stamped twice - craft white then black - then heat embossed.   Thanks sentiment from Stampin Up Pocket Silhouette set.  Button and Cherry Cobbler ink from SU as well.

Cheers.

simply Less is More #22 - Shades of Blue

Simply Less is More challenge #22 is SHADES of BLUE.  Cool blues!

I needed to make a birthday card for a boy urgently so took this opportunity to do a challenge as well.  As it happens, I'm giving him an iTunes card so my design was constrained accordingly.   Here it is:

The pocket did start out as a white piece of card.  Emboss-resist is one of my favourite techniques. What's new here (for me, at least) is using a brayer!  That was a challenge as I built up the colours.  The gradient was supposed to be vertical but, as you can see, it ended up horizontal.  No matter, I've got my shades of blue.

All products except ribbon and floss from Stampin Up

inks: Versamark, Baja Breeze, Marina Mist, Tempting Turquoise, Not Quite Navy
stamps: French Foliage, Playful Pieces, Bring on the Cake

I had visions of using scallop punches and all that but being a card for a boy, I restrained myself. ;)  The Baja Breeze cardstock looked a bit plain hence the raindrops (Marina Mist) and sponging of the edges.

I need more practice with the brayer methinks.

cheers,
Malyn

simply Less is More #21 - Sketch challenge

Simply Less is More Challenge #21 is to use a very elegant sketch - simple but, if executed well, really good and pleasing to the eye.  Question now is did I execute the sketch well? See for yourself.

The deets:

stamps: Stampin Up Very vintage (roller), Sweet Sentiments
inks: SU Crumb Cake, Soft Suede
others: Cuttlebug embossing folders, rustic twine, SU perals, 1 3/8" circle punch

I wanted to try a new technique I learned, brayer ink over embossing.  I'm really quite happy with the effect. By the time Crumb Cake was layered on, it looked rather dark hence the decision to go with Soft Suede for the sentiment.  I had trouble deciding where to put the sentiment - bottom centre or bottom right.  I'm still not sure, it is where it should be but there it is. I'm declaring it done.

cheers.

CFC #8 - Getting Edgy in Pink

CAS-ual Friday Challenge #8 is to get creative with edges, e.g. use border punch/dies, tearing etc. How fun is that?  I knew exactly which die to use; it was just getting 'round to doing it!  I'm also entering this to The Sumer of Color - Pink; in the middle of winter here in Australia!

Here it is:

It's going to be to a gorgeous 10-yr old girl.

The deets - all produccts from Stampin Up, except for the border die (Tim Holtz)

inks: Blushing Bride, Regal Rose
Stamps: Punch Bunch (owl), Medallion
Punches: 2-step owl, 1 3/4" scallop (wings)
DSP and Cardstock from SU

I've never done pennant banners before and I think it's the perfect thing to 'lift' the card.  Doesn't it just look joyful? Well, it does to me.  DSP used was just from scrap and it's amazing what a little bit can do.

Quick Technique/Tip to get matching twine: (sorry, can't remember where I got this from but it's not exactly rocket science so will not worry too much about attribution here)

1. Get some plain white twine.
2. Run it over the stamp pad, with a paddle pop stick (or plastic ruler) to keep it down 
3. Turn twine and keep running through until inked up as desired

Super-easy. Super-quick. Perfect match!

Note: if you use a clean plastic ruler, you can excess ink on the pad again, wipe it dry with a rag and you have less waste. How green is that? ;)

In the spirit of sharing, here's a farewell card I made. It's going to be from the whole IT department (where I belong) so there's lots of owls. Fun.

This card is a big A5 size.  I also put in a piece of copy paper, attached via a rustic twine to give plenty of room to write well wishes.  I also popped a few owls using dimensionals.  I had the owl punch and stamp out from above so the it just kinda flowed on to this.  Yet, how different do they look?

Cheers,

Malyn

OLW 59 - OLC thank you card

It's been weeks since I played with OLW and challenge 59 (especially the post by Susan) lured me back. Seriously, that lady can write.  And yes, she stamps really well, too.

Here's my entry:

As soon as I saw the grid of glass jars on the photo, I knew which stamp set to use: Stampin Up Apple Blossoms.  The grid of circles have been heat embossed though it probably didn't make any visual difference but there is a "roughness" about it that adds dimension to an OLC.

If you look closely, there are spots of shimmery silver.  I'd like to say that was intentional but to be honest, they're a serendipitous accident as I was battling with the SU Smooch Spritz in silver which I used for this card (and what a challenge that was).  I actually think the misty effect on this card is better. :)

There you have it.

PDCC 87 - Thank you PDCC DT gals

I won the PDCC cup a few weeks ago for which I got some fantastic stamps from the PDCC team and Stepping Stones Design.  I figured, using them for a PDCC challenge would be a great way to say thank you.

Here's my PDCC 87 challenge entry. This week's suggested colors are....

Slate Blue...Barn Red...Grey

This is really for all you wonderful people behind the PDCC - Thank you. Thank you for my win. Thank you for your fun challenges. Thank you for your inspiring work and friendly blog visits and comments. Thank you with all my heart.

The deets:

ink: Stampin Up  Basic Gray, Real Red, Not Quite Navy

Stamps: Stepping Stones Design 

other: SU Smooch Spritz in Silver, spica pen - clear, SU rhinestones

punch: SU heart

I found the SU Gray too dark so I stamped off before stamping onto that paper ribbon - much better I reckon.  I also had a lot of problem with the smooch spritz; I don't use it often so had trouble controlling the spray.  This is the 3rd card and I figured it's probably good enough - not quite the "shape" I had in mind but near enough.  Once I got started with the sparklies, I couldn't stop and so had to put a touch of spica and rhinestones on the butterfly...just for fun. ;)

For the focus heart, I stamped the butterfly on in blue before punching out (heart). Then I just sponged on red all around it.  I stamped and cut out another butterfly and only adhered the middle bit for extra lift and dimension.

Anyway, to all you wonderful gals at PDCC 

- including its talented community of challenge participants - 

thank you.

This card's for you.

simply Less is More #20 - Monogram

Beautiful challenge #20 at Simply Less Is More using monograms.  Mandi and Chrissie keep coming up with interesting challenges and divine inspiration cards.  Mandi's (see pic at the end of post) really blew me away - so CAS, so elegant with a touch of cheek.  Perfect.

My first instinct was to do something similar but in the end, opted to match my entry to The Summer of Colour - green.  I made a gift box in green - my friend's favourite colour it seems - so perfect for the challenge.  I decided the card will have the same elements and colour but with a monogram, of course.  Here they both are:

My friend's name starts with a C and that card is full of meaning. C in my heart. x (stitched) as in xoxo. A pearl (tiny one on the flower on happy birthday) because this friend is precious to me.  I wonder if she'll pick up all of these little hints? The C, certainly.

A few other tiny design decisions: rounding the edges on the 2 strips using scallop scissors. Rounding the edges on the card using a punch. Use 2 shades of green ink both from Stampin Up: Pear Pizzazz and Old Olive.  Emboss-resist the C, instead of die-cut (I love how white paper can be transformed so much).

Mandi's inspirational card

The quality and quantity of entries at Simply Less is More are growing steadily. I'm beginning to feel out of my depth, as in out of my league.  Having played in the last 16 weeks though (missed first 4), it's really a habit now so maybe I'll keep playing anyway.

CFC #7 - Colour Blocks

Another super-fun challenge (#7) at CAS-ual Fridays.  Colour blocks.  I've been wanting to do this for a long time now so this was a perfect opportunity to do so.  My initial thoughts were to use paper using this sketch from Jennifer McGuire, which I first saw in a PaperCrafts magazine.

BUT, I changed my mind.  Instead I decided to go with colour blocks using inks.  Yep, inky-inky messy fingers.  Here it is....

To be honest, this was my second attempt.  The first one was more like this "hi" card I made a while ago (click photo to take you to the post).  I love this card and have not managed to give it away.  Anyway, I wanted to do this technique again but this time I wasn't so successful.  In fact, it got too inky and messy. Let's just say, I followed the sentiment on the card. This is far more CAS, believe me. :)

The deets:
Distress Inks: Shabby Shutters, Tumbled Sky, Worn Lipstick, Spicy Marmalade
Dye Inks: Stampin Up Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise
Stamps: HA Friends definition, Tim Holtz set, small flower from SU Always
Punches: EK notebook border, SU 3/4" and 1/2 " circles

I was going to stamp the text in black but it was too 'in your face'; lucky I tried on scrap paper first!  Also, the background flowers in Old Olive were stamped off first for a more subtle effect which ties in better with the distress ink. I used dye ink because I wanted a cleaner finish than I would get with the distress inks being too wet.

Colour-blocking technique:

1. Tear up a piece of copy paper to form a wavy edge
2. Position this as a mask on the Friends background stamp - expose about a third length-wise
3. Put a post-it note or copy paper to expose just about an inch of the stamp.
4. Ink up exposed stamp (it's a teensy bit)
5. Lift up post-it and position a bit further down
6. Ink up the un-inked bit with another colour
7. Repeat 5 and 6 until you've inked the entire length
8. Leaving your stamp facing up (don't lift it), position your card on top of it and press - upside-down stamping is fun!  For best results, use a brayer - the pressure applied is more even this way.
9. I also sponged in a bit more colour using the same inks.

There you have it.  It's messy so be careful. I actually covered up the white side as I did my sponging (step 9) in fear of leaving some unwanted fingerprints.

Now, for another post....