Kookaburra silhouette.

 

Hi everyone, 

 2020 has been such an emotional whirlwind of a year, that I'm often thinking of family and friends who are overseas, or even in other states, as up till recently our state borders were closed due to Covid.

So many occasions that we've missed catching up on, hopefully next year things will improve!

I found this new to me kookaburra die from Paper Rose and thought it was perfect for sending overseas.

The circle is blended with distress inks.

I'm linking up to these challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday where the theme is remembrance /thinking of you

Watercooler Wednesday,

Supplies:

Paper Rose kookaburra on branch, Crafts 4 U stitched rectangle and Memory Box stitched circle dies; distress inks; sentiment sticker; hammered card base.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Purple embossed thistles.

 

Hi everyone, it's time for a new challenge at Seize the Birthday and Glenda has chosen a 123 challenge.

1 diecut, punch or stencil, 2 colours plus neutrals and 3 embellishments.

I managed to get 1 diecut, 2 colours but not the three embellishments. I did use 3 other elements, embossing, a mat frame and a sentiment sticker but I'd better say I'm playing along with the anything goes option.

My team mates and our party guest Julie did manage to get the 123 right though and have some wonderful inspiration for you, so I hope you get the chance to play along.

I had a piece of a purple inka gold background left from another project and diecut the stitched rectangle from it. I stamped the 2 thistles and embossed them with a violet powder.

Here's a closer look at the colour.

I'm linking up to the challenge at

Watercooler Wednesday

Supplies:

Lavinia thistles stamp; Versafine Clair ink & Lindy's midnight violet ep; Kasercraft flourish embossing folder; Crafts 4 U stitched rectangle die.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Alcohol inked celeste snowflake tag.

 

Hi everyone, it's time for a new challenge at CAS Christmas and Trina has chosen the theme of non traditional colours. It will be fun to see the colours in the gallery other than red and green.

The design team and our guest Vicky have some wonderful inspiration for you, so I hope you can play along.

This background was in my stash and from memory its alcohol inks on glossy cardstock, blues, silver and a touch of purple. 

I diecut one from my background and another from white card , so I can used the reverse pieces on a second card. It was a bit fiddly inlaying the diecut pieces but I like the effect.

I'm linking up to these challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday where it's anything goes.

CAS on Friday, Christmas.

Merry Little Christmas Challenge, anything Christmas goes.

Stamplorations CAS Challenge, without the optional colour twist.

Supplies:

Poppystamps celeste snowflake tag; glossy card; alcohol inks; sentiment sticker; hammered card base.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Inka Gold 3D texture.

 

Hi everyone, it's time for a new challenge at Seize the Birthday and Shirley has chosen texture as the topping.

You can always play along with the anything goes birthday option too.

The design team and our party guest have some great inspiration for you, so I hope you can play along.

A liitle while ago I went to use some of my Inka Gold colours and they had gone rock hard!

I found a you tube that advised on rehydrating them and then thought after all that effort I need to use them regularly to keep them from drying out again.

(Edited to add: Here's the link to the youtube I watched.

It involves breaking up the block of inka gold, adding cooled boiled water and when it is a creamy consistency then add a few drops of glycerin. Another tip I found was to put a folded baby wipe inside the jar, it helps retain the moisture. I cut the baby wipes in half so they weren't to bulky.

I think the main thing will be using them regularly and adding more cooled boiled water and glycerin when they start to thicken up too much.)

So, I'm reluctant to buy more colours, and decided to combine steel blue and magenta to try and create purple.It sort of worked lol!

I smeared the paste onto a craft mat and spritzed with a lot of water, then smooshed some cardstock into it. I spritzed the cardstock with water too to blend the colours even more.

I  embossed the dried card with a Sizzix 3D folder, it looks better in real life.

Here's a closer look.

The diecut was inked with versamark and embossed with Lindy's midnight violet ep.

Look forward to seeing your cards in the gallery!

Supplies:

Sizzix 3D doilies embossing folder; Inka gold paste; MFT happy birthday script die; versamark ink & Lindy's midnight violet ep; sentiment sticker.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Stencilled orbs.

 

Hi everyone, I recently bought some stencils from Funky Fossil Designs and thought it was about time I used them!

This one uses 3 distress oxide inks. I dabbed them on using a circle distress tool.

The sentiment is a retired one from Happy Little Stampers inked in versafine clair and clear embossed.

I'm linking up to these challenges:

Darnell's NBUS Challenge for never before used schtuff!

The Card Concept, around the world.

I was inspired by the spherical shape and the blues on the globe and suitcase.

My card is in the Clean & Simple category.

Watercooler Wednesday

Inkspirational, I've angled the position of the orbs to add to the 3d sort of effect.

Cards 4 Guyz, clean and simple.

Supplies:

Funky Fossil Designs orb stencil; distress oxide inks chipped sapphire, peacock feathers and mermaid lagoon; Happy Little Stampers Birthday Friends sentiment; versafine clair ink & clear ep.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Using scraps.

 

Hi everyone, it's time for a new challenge at Seize the Birthday, and Lindsey has chosen the theme of using scraps this fortnight.

Of course, if you don't have any scraps, then you can play along with our anything goes option, as long as it's for a birthday.

The design team and our party guest have lots of wonderful ideas to inspire you, so I hope you can play along.

I'm afraid I have a lot of scraps! I keep all sorts of papers and bits of backgrounds.

You'd be amazed at what you can diecut out of a scrap!

This diecut is the leftover piece from this card.

I had used alcohol inks and pearl inks on a sheet of yupo and only needed a piece large enough to fit behind the circle in that card.

I trimmed this leftover to fit the stitched rectangle. It was a bit fiddly glueing it down as a couple of the tiny pieces came loose so I had to jigsaw them back in place.

There's no more of it left now!

The black and white rectangles are also from my scrap drawers.

I'm linking up to these challenges:

Watercooler Wednesday

Stamplorations CAS Challenge

Dies R Us, anything goes

Supplies:

Sizzix bouquet die; Ranger alcohol inks and pearl alcohol inks in greens and yellows; yupo paper; Crafts 4 U stitched rectangle die; sentiment sticker; hammered card base.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Christmas Crazy Bird!

 

Hi everyone, it's time for a new challenge at CAS Christmas Challenge

 and Christine has chosen Christmas birds as the theme.

Our guest designer Anita and the design team have some wonderful cards to inspire you, so I hope you can play along.

I recently purchased the mini crazy birds (they were a crazy sale price!) to add to my other crazy bird collection.

The bird was stamped, clear embossed, fussy cut and coloured with prismacolour pencils. I paper pieced the fussy cut one over a bird stamped on the base, then dressed him up for Christmas.

The sentiment was inked with versamark and embossed with blue tinsel embossing glitter and the stars with silver metallic embossing glitter. Love the sparkle!

Here's a closer look.

I'm linking up to these challenges:

Merry Little Christmas Challenge, anything goes Christmas,

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday, anything goes.

Watercooler Wednesday,

Allsorts, cute Christmas.

Supplies:

Tim Holtz mini crazy bird stamps; versafine clair nocturne ink & clear ep; Simon Says Stamp Christmas die; versamark ink; Ranger blue tinsel and Wow silver metallic embossing glitter;  prismacolour pencils; Memory Box snowy breeze border die ( for the stars); Crafts 4 U stitched rectangle die; sentiment sticker.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Thank you butterfly.

 

Hi everyone, I've been making more backgrounds with distress oxide inks and glossy photo paper.

I pressed some ink onto a craft mat spritzed with water and smooshed the paper through it.

When the ink is dry, go over it with a baby wipe and it removes the chalky residue to reveal bright colours.

 There was just enough left of this piece to diecut a butterfly.

I'm linking up to these challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday, anything goes.

Just Add Ink

Always Fun Challenge, diecutting.

Watercooler Wednesday,

Stamplorations CAS Challenge, anything goes without the colour twist.

Supplies:

Distress oxide inks; glossy photo paper; Memory Box flitter side butterfly die; Annabelle Stamps Fanciful Flowers sentiment stamp; versafine clair nocturne ink & clear ep; Crafts 4 U stitched rectangle die.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x

Autumn skeleton leaves.

 

Hi everyone, I wanted to do some autumn cards and thought it was time to use these leaf stamps that have been in my stash untouched for ages!

I had a background made with rusty car infusions powder that I stamped the leaves on, some of the colour peeks through. I embossed them with gold ep and fussy cut them.

Here's a closer look.

The background leaves are stamped with versafine sepia. Instead of being brown though my inkpad has turned a green colour! Still stamps ok, just not sepia.

I'm linking up to some challenges:

The Card Concept, fancifull fall. I was inspired by the textured and patterned leaves. My card is in the clean and layered category.

Allsorts, autumn colours.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday, anything goes.

Watercooler Wednesday, anything goes.

Stamplorations use stamps and autumn colours.

Supplies:

So Suzy & Crackerbox skeleton leaf stamp; versafine clair nocturne and versafine sepia ink; Rangel gold ep; Rusty car infusions powder; Crafts 4 U stitched rectangle die; sentiment sticker.

Thanks for visiting,

Cathy x