Christmas ginger cat.

Hi everyone, I'm getting to the end of making Christmas cards, writing them up and posting.

I'm hoping they still get to their destinations in time.

Everything has been so "last minute" this year!

This is another Katzelkraft cat. I love his expression! He is coloured with prismacolour pencils and fussy cut.

The presents were stamped with a star stamp and gold embossed, then diecut and inked with distress inks. The hat was fussy cut and coloured with distress markers.

I'm linking up to the challenge at Simon Says Stamp Monday where the theme is Christmas/winter holidays.

At Addicted to Stamps & More the theme is make your mark.

At Happy Little Stampers Christmas Card Challenge 

I'm taking the anything goes option.

At Inkspirational the word prompt is gift.

Supplies:

Hero Arts tiny star background stamp; versafine ink, gold ep; Katzelkraft cat stamp, versafine ink & clear ep; distress ink and markers; Stampers Anonymous crazy things hat stamp; MFT tag stax dies; prismacolour pencils; sentiment sticker.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Christmas Kitty!

I love how cats just can't resist cardboard boxes, and sitting or squeezing into even the smallest of them!

 So this kitty is squishing herself onto this pile of pressies and hoping no-one will disturb her lol!

I've used stamps and dies from a range of companies. Hero Arts tiny stars background, embossed in gold, diecut with Spellbinders rectangles and squares, then coloured with distress inks.

Katzelkraft cat coloured with Prismacolor pencils and fussy cut. The hat is from the Stampers Anonymous crazy things set, fussy cut and coloured with distress markers and a touch of wink of stella for some sparkle.

The speech bubble is from Stampin Up stamp and dies set Just Sayin. I masked the miss you already sentiment that was there and replaced it with a christmas sentiment sticker.

I'm linking up to a few challenges:

Happy Little Stampers anything goes with dies.

Simon Says Stamp blog where it's time to show what christmas cards you are making.

The take it make it anything goes stamping challenge at Craft Stamper Magazine.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday where the theme is gift it.

I hope the cat sitting on the gifts fits the theme ok.

AAA Cards where the theme is Christmas,

and the anything goes challenge at Addicted to Stamps & More.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Opal painted baubles.

Hi everyone, I thought hanging the baubles from the sentiment was a great idea at the time but boy was it fiddly! I'm happy with the end result but this card is a one off lol!

The sentiment was stamped onto tissue paper, embossed and glued on with Ranger glue n seal.

I painted some card with opal magic paints in violet gold; pink blue and green gold, then diecut the ornament topper and sentiment. The ornament base is cut from some scraps of white shimmer paper,  and the metal tops diecut from scraps of metal sheet, so I'm linking up to the snippets challenge at Pixie's Crafty Workshop. You only need 1 scrap or snippet to join in the fun!

I'm also entering the anything goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday,

and the Christmas challenge at Happy Little Stampers, I've gone with the anything goes option.

At Cuttlebug Mania the theme is Let it Snow.

I've used a Cuttlebug snowflakes embossing folder.

Supplies:

Cuttlebug snowflakes embossing folder; Poppystamps Marconi and Clarissa ornament dies;

Mama Elephant merry die; Stampin Up four seasons sentiment stamp, tissue paper; versafine ink & silver embossing powder; Art Alchemy opal magic acrylic paint; shimmer card for the base card.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Double embossed Christmas tree.

Hi everyone, I've still got lots of Christmas to make! This one involved colouring in and double embossing with clear powder.

I seem to use this Christmas tree every year but haven't used it with this technique, which has been around for ages.

The tree is diecut from an empty tissue box as it's easier with something a bit more robust than normal cardstock, and I like recycling lol!

I've coloured it with distress markers, festive berries, peeled paint and forest moss.

I dried it well with my heatgun, then dabbed versamark ink over it. (I made sure my inkpad was reasonably juicy). Then sprinkled on clear embossing powder and heated it. I dabbed versamark on again and repeated the process to give more depth.

I was worried that the markers might stain my versamark pad, but it was fine. Just dab on quickly.

I used a toothpick to put some gold liquid pearls into the centres, and stamped the sentiment in versafine onyx black, then embossed with gold embossing powder.

I'm linking up to the red and green challenge at Less is More,

and to CAS Mix up Card Challenge where the theme is anything goes Cas.

I've used stamping, diecutting and wet embossing.

I'm also linking up to the holiday greetings challenge at Outside the Box,

and to the anything goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday.

Supplies

Memory Box Flowering Christmas Tree die; distress markers; versamark ink & clear embossing powder; Stampin Up Four the Holidays sentiment(retired); gold liquid pearls; Wow super fine metallic rich gold powder.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Alcohol ink metal decorations.

Hi everyone, I was so excited to be asked to play along at AAA Cards as guest designer this week!

I love CAS cards, although I do like to dabble in mixed media and messy techniques lol!

The theme is Christmas, so it's the perfect opportunity to build up your stash.

I must say a big thank you to Jane for helping me with the technology,

 as I'm a bit of a technophobe!

It's been quite a while since I made some metallic embossed ornaments, coloured with alcohol inks. The last ones were quite small and since then I've managed to buy some larger ornament dies (2nd hand SU) and I think they'll work well hanging on a Christmas tree!

I diecut the adhesive backed metal sheet, then ran it through my cuttlebug with a flourish embossing folder. 

Then the fun began with pouring on some alcohol inks, stream, wild plum and citrus. I love how the inks blend to create new colours.

Once I was happy with the coverage I painted on a coat of glossy accents to seal in the colours.

I diecut some black card as a backing layer to give the ornament a neat finish when it's hanging on the tree.

I'm also linking up to the let it shine challenge at Less Is More.

and to the CAS challenge at Addicted to Stamps & More,



also the challenge at Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge, where it's a christmas theme,



and to Happy Little Stampers anything goes with dies challenge.

Supplies:

Stampin Up delicate ornaments thinlits; Quikcutz metal sheet; Kaisercraft flourish embossing folder; Ranger alcohol inks; silver paper; sentiment sticker; silver cord; glossy accents.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

White on White mixed media.

Hi everyone, I wanted to play along with the white on white challenge at PaperArtsy.

There are a number of gorgeous inspiration posts by the DT but I was inspired by the amazing poinsettia hanging by Wanda.

She made her flower with stamped and fussy cut leaves and her flower is so beautiful!
  I used the blooming poinsettia die by Poppystamps.

I used a scrap of cardboard from a box. Ripped off some of the paper to reveal the corrugations and covered it with white gesso, then used metallic icing gelatos to add some "colour". It's a shimmery off white, champagne colour in real life. 

I painted the diecut flowers and leaves with PaperArtsy pearl glaze. It gave the white card a starker white sheen with a touch of silver shimmer!

I added a tiny bit of silver gelatos to the leaves just to make them stand out from the flower, then added some shaping with a mat and some flower shaping tools.

I roughly dabbed on some white opal liquid pearls to the wreath, then decided to add some snowtex. I added this for texture around the edges of the panel too. There are some tiny blobs of liquid pearls on the wreath to look like berries, but the snowtex makes it hard to see them!

I did add some silver micro beads to the flower centre,a silver sentiment sticker, and I dabbed on a faint line of silver ink to add a touch of shadow around the edge of the panel, as all the whiteness just needed it, so I hope that's ok!

Since I tore the carboard box I'm also linking up to the tear it up challenge at Simon Says Stamp Monday.



Here too, there are some fantastic projects for inspiration from the DT.

Supplies:

Poppystamps blooming poinsettia die; Memory Box bramble circle die; Gelatos; PaperArtsy pearl glaze; Snowtex; white opal liquid pearls; multi medium matte; silver micro beads and sentiment sticker; leathergrain white card base.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Christmas ornament tag.

Hi everyone, I'm racing in as the door shuts to Loll's 12 tags of Christmas challenge.

There have been so many beautiful tags created by Loll, the guest designers and the participants that it is a must see!

I've used stamping, dry embossing, diecutting and alcohol inks on metal for my tag.

I've also used scrap pieces of adhesive metal sheet and the sentiment is stamped and embossed onto a snippet of black card, so I'm also making a last dash for the snippets playground at Pixie's Crafty Workshop.

Edited to add: I'm also linking up to the mixed media challenge at Happy Little Stampers where the theme is to make a tag.

Supplies:

Stampin Up delicate ornaments dies; Poppystamps marconi ornament top die; MFT pierced tag stax die; Quik Cutz metal sheet; alcohol inks; white shimmer paper; Poppy Stamps happy holiday stamp; versamark ink & wow fine detail silver powder; Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder.

Thank for visiting,

Cathy x

Glittery xmas wreath.

Hi everyone, I can't believe how quickly time is passing!

Christmas will be here soon and there's so many things to get organized!

I really wanted to play along in the CAS Mixup Card Challenge where the theme is  to use glitter, stamping and at least 1 other element on your card. I don't own  much glitter but do have frantage embossing enamel which has glitter in it. The colour I used was aged scarlet. In addition to stamping I've also used diecutting and embossing, both wet and dry.

I'm also linking up to the Happy Little Stampers anything goes with dies challenge,

and to challenge at The Card Concept where they have this gorgeous inspiration pic. I was inspired by the pretty pinks and white textured background, I think my card is clean and simple.

Supplies:

Memory Box catalina wreath die; versamark ink; Aged scarlet frantage embossing enamel; Annabelle Stamps sentiment stamp; versafine ink & clear ep; Darice crackled embossing folder.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Distress paint rust.

Hi again, I've been trying to make a rust effect with distress paints.

To start with I diecut the tag and embossed it with a distressed stripes folder

I don't have a lot of paint colours but used a couple of browns, antique bronze, fossilized amber and dried marigold. I added some grit paste and then more paint on top of that too, spritzed with water and dried off.

I brushed some walnut stain and black soot distress ink around the edges though it's hard to see in the pic.

The sentiment was stamped and embossed onto tissue paper and glued on with multi matte medium.

The butterflies are coloured with inktense pencils.

I'm adding another entry to the rustification challenge at Paper Artsy.

There are lots of gorgeous pics for inspiration and amazing projects by the DT.

I'm also linking up to Addicted to Stamps & More whwre the theme is to make your mark.

Supplies:

MFT tag dies: Distress paints; grit paste; distress inks; Stamplorations Noteworthy sentiment stamp; Cuttlebug distressed stripes embossing folder; Hero Arts antique engravings butterfly stamp; inktense pencils.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Rust, distress paint and crackle medium = Mixed Media Experiment!

Hi everyone, I wanted to try something a bit different with rusting powder.

I've used it on corrugated card scraps before with distress spray stains, but wanted to add some colour into the mix. 

My family are quietly reserved in their opinions lol, but I quite like it!

I painted on a few distress paints and watered them down so they ran on the card. Next I thought I'd add some clear rock candy crackle paint.When that too was dry I added multi medium matte to spots  and sprinkled on the rusting powder. Tapped off the excess, then sprayed with vinegar. Some ended up in the cracks which was ok by me.

I stamped and embossed the sentiment onto tissue paper and used multi medium matte to glue it on.

The butterflies are coloured with Inktense pencils as I just thought it needed something else, well, butterflies!

This was my inspiration pic from the PaperArtsy Challenge, rustification. There are so many great projects from the DT too but I just love this pic!

       

I'm also adding a link to the creatures great and small challenge at Simon Says Stamp Monday.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Night sky silhouette.

Hi everyone, hope you are able to get some crafting in on your weekend.

I've got a few chores done, so I could take a break in the craft room, always more to do though!!

I had a watercoloured panel in my stash that I decided would make a great night sky.

Here's a closer look at the silver paint specks that give a starry effect.

I stamped one of the Altenew to the moon stamps and embossed it with liquid platinum ep, then added colour with distress ink. I used a circle die to make it smaller for this scene.

The theme at The Male Room is silhouettes.

At Happy Little Stampers Watercolour Challenge I'm taking the anything goes option.

Bizzy Bec's Store Challenge has an anything goes theme,

as does Addicted to Stamps & More.

I'm also choosing the anything goes option at Seize the Birthday.

Supplies:

Kuretake gansai and Finetec watercolour paints; Altenew To the Moon stamp; versafine ink & liquid platinum ep; Spellbinders card creator A2 borders die; Memory Box Twiggy Tree die; sentiment sticker.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x