CAS Mix Up and CAS Christmas August 2022

 I don't often combine challenges but today's time in my studio turned into the perfect opportunity to combine CAS Christmas, and CAS Mix Up for August 2022!   It also gave me some time to play with my new inks from SU - thanks to a very sweet friend!

I reached for my much loved, annually used Altenew set: Holiday Bow.  The Pine Bough is a two-step session which is great because I could use CP sandcastle ink for the 'branch' after stamping the needles with Evening Evergreen, then again with Versamark, and clear heat embossing it all - that's the magic of Emboss Resist!  All the watery ink that I've added is resisted by the heat embossed images.  Here's a closeup for reference. 

I used that gorgeous Soft Succulent to loosely watercolor the background.  Here's the end result:

That pretty little duo of bells and the sentiment are Wplus9's Silver Bells set

What could be easier than using the same supplies for another card?  This one is heading to CAS Christmas where PINE is the chosen theme by Trina!  Thanks, Trina!  This time I stamped them with the Soft Succulent ink!

Another sentiment from Silver Bells and I'm revisiting those sweet little stitching dies from MFT -

I remember when nearly every one of my cards had it!

Okay, I'd better get these delivered to their galleries - the boss just came home early!

=] Michele

CAS Mix Up and Pinkfresh Studio Challenges - keeping it loose!

It's fun to find a little inspiration to get over one's slump by playing in a few favorite Challenges.  Today two such challenges came together - CAS Mix Up and Pinkfresh Studio for a little 'loose' water coloring!

I added this pretty Cosmos Bunch stamp and coordinating dies were one of my purchases in December while sale shopping.  I did not however get the stencils - I thought I'd have remorse about that until I watched one of my friend Channin's videos and had a 'light bulb' moment!  Why not try it without the stencils, but use the blending brushes for a 'loose' water colored look?  Here's how I did it, using a clear heat embossed image...

I have a set of 'inexpensive' makeup brushes from Amazon that included this tiny little round brush - perfect to get into those tiny flowers and leaves.  Then a larger brush [from Big Lots] for the main flowers.

Then a good spritzing of clean water to get those inks flowing.

A quick dry, and press under a heavy book, and it was ready to 

die cut, and mount on my card!

I've taken this sentiment to heart - slowly, I'm coming back my friends!  

Thanks for your patience!

As for my CAS Mix Up card?  I kept it much cleaner, and simpler by white heat embossing, and loose water coloring - it's amazing how easy it is with a little ink, and a lot of water!

Thanks for stopping by - now off I go to get these into those galleries!  

=] Michele

March Flowers

A few cards - two CAS Challenges! and Take 2 for Altenew!

Hello my friends - happy weekend-eve!  I've delivered my Christmas card contribution to my friends at Bring Smiles to Seniors - though I fell far short of a very lofty goal, it was nice to know my little stack of 160 will join the 20,000 cards collected this year just in Michigan!!  That surely brings ME a smile!

Now I have a few spare moments to just PLAY!!  The CAS Challenges always spark my creative juices, so yesterday my thinking cap was donned, and I got busy!  First up, for CAS Christmas - a sweet little Penny Black hedgy joy ... host Barb really has chosen a sweet theme for their 2021 finale: Critters!  

Tom snuck in while I was adding the finishing touches - he thinks this one's for him!

Have I mentioned that he has taken on Astrophotography as a hobby?  Amazing!

Of course, the sentiment is tucked inside - which I didn't share with him, either!

Looks like Mr. Hedgy is about to make someone's Christmas wish come true!

Edited to add this wonderful news:

Thank you, to the entire CAS Christmas team!

Ms. Loll has us Monoprinting again for CAS Mix Up!  OH it's my favorite of all the wonderful techniques she's taught us over the life of her CAS challenges!  my little 'hitchhikers' [Meadow and Willow Dragonflies -Memory Box c. 2012] had so much fun taking part in this challenge...

A wee little Hi from Pinkfresh Studios

The stencil I used is Altenew's Feathery stencil - and if I've learned anything from these CAS ladies it's NEVER waste ink... so I did a bit of creative mopping up...

more words from Pinkfresh, a gorgeous new stamp from Wplus9 Vintage Ephemera

gold heat embossed.  a bit of subtle texture from SU subtle texture, of course!

Last but not least - here is that Take 2 I mentioned for Altenew's Inspiration Challenge November 2021... water color paint from Altenew - loved the colors so much I repeated them on my CAS monoprint.  

Bird of Paradise and my well-loved Swirling dots coverplate.

Happy weekend, everyone!  Thanks for stopping by!

=]  Michele

CAS Mix Up Challenge - May 2021 - a reminder!

My hopes to make a reminder card as their May guest designer for the CAS Mix Up May 2021 Rainbow challenge materialized!  Thanks, Jenny!  My reminder card evolved, as cards often do.  

What started with a girl, a gorgeous stencil, her blending brushes, some rainbow colored distress oxides inks, and a simple piece of Bristol card stock - quickly turned sour!  But guess what happened?  I took a wonderful technique Loll* introduced me to and spritzed my inky stencil, flipped it over, and placed it over top of a second piece of Bristol!  Leave it for a few seconds, lift, and this is the gorgeous CAS result...

 

[Sorry to tease you with those PFS jewels again - still out of stock!]

I do hope you've enjoyed stenciling a rainbow of your own - maybe you'll take a second look through your stencils, and play again?  You have time!

Thanks again, to the CAS Mix Up team for inviting me to be their guest this month!

=]  Michele

The Crafter's Workshop - Mini Joyful Sunflower [thanks again my friend!]

MFT Wonky rectangle die

SSS - Big You die

Pinkfresh Studios Essential Jewels 

* Stencil Monoprint - though I will always call it Loll's Stencil Magic!  thanks, Loll!

CAS Mix Up May 2021 - Guest Designer!

Imagine my joy when Jenny asked if I'd like to be a guest designer at CAS Mix Up in May!  YES!  I would, I would!  lol  When I was told it was a stencil challenge, I was a wee bit apprehensive - oh I have plenty of stencils!  I just don't use them very often.  But, here is the clincher... RAINBOW!!!  Susan  is our host with the most, and she has combined that rainbow with ink blending through a stencil!

How could I say no to that fun?!  So I did a little search through my stash, and yes, I found one from Flora & Fauna that hadn't been used:  Leaf Stencil.  Then pulled out these Distress Oxides:  

I mounted a piece of Bristol to my acetate, pulled out my brushes, and added a rainbow of color.  Then die-cut a cute Waffle Flower Magical Flower cut from Bristol, a fun square hemstitch detail, a sweet sentiment stamped, and VOILA!

This wonderful sentiment is from a Stamplorations set - you'll see more of it soon!

Thank you to the CAS Mix Up team for the invitation to play cards!  I had so much fun I hope they ask me for a reminder card!!

I'm betting right about now you have your thinking cap on, right?  Oh we do hope you'll play along, too - remember this is a month-long challenge!

=]  Michele

VIDEO LINKS:-

Rainbow Ink Blending by Laura Bassen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaSZg3B8ufk

Rainbow Ink Blending by Eileen Godwin  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvPPZORKwy4

A 5th birthday celebration with CAS Mix Up

 

There's a partay going on, and I'm heading over to celebrate with 

that fabulous CAS Mix Up team!!

Bonnie is the Host with the Most this month - yay, Bonnie!

Here is her assignment:

Bonnie, I think I managed that wonderful print-making this time!!!

Here is where my card started... with a darling little die from SSS.  The key to my success was using the right water color card - Canson cold-pressed XL to be specific.

... a few distress inks for watery stamping ...

... and a wet stamping with just the outline portion of the sunflower!  I even used a second die cut, water-colored all the little petals, and tucked them back in!  I'm so

very happy with how it turned out!!  

I know many prefer the bright white of TH, but I adore this gorgeous paper!  I've also found that MFT's Whip Cream heavyweight card stock is the perfect match!

I'd better get this card delivered to the CAS Mix Up March 2021 gallery!

Thank you to the entire team, and especially to Loll, and Bonnie who

got this whole party started 5 years ago!  Thanks, ladies!  and Happy 5th birthday!!

=]  Michele

SSS Sunflower Frame die

Sentiment from CCC Wishing Happiness [you'll be seeing much more of this soon! wink!]

Thank you for this win - I'm so grateful!

CAS Mix Up - Guest Designer

                                                

Hi, my friends!  Hope you are all safely tucked in, and staying safe!  I was so honored to be invited to be the guest designer CAS Mix Up Challenge in November 2020!  It's time for the Water Color Challenge, and our host with the most is Bonnie Klass, who always makes CMU interesting, and fun!  Are you ready for the theme?  

After pondering the idea of  'off the edge'  - okay, you know me by now - I took it to a different place than Bonnie might have been thinking.  But isn't that the fun part of card design?  Here is my idea of 'off the edge' for Christmas!

This Altenew  Festive Poinsettia is a favorite of mine - it was perfect for 

stamping off the edge, and really dynamic when die-cut so the

leaves are partially off the edge as well!

It was easy to do:

• Stamp the Poinsettia onto  a 4.25 x 5.5" piece water color cardstock - I clear embossed my image, and water colored it with Distress inks*, then gave it a purposeful splattering of gold Gansai Tambi blue gold water color paint, using a the very tip of a round paint brush
• When dry, I used the coordinating die to cut the portion of the bloom you'd like to be 'off the edge' - in my case it was just the main part of the 'bloom.'
• Then use another rectangular die to cut the panel - be sure to lift those petals over top of the cutting edges of that rectangle.  AND save the pieces that can easy be placed back to fill out the rectangle on my A2 Neenah card base.

Easy peasy!  I'm sure you'll have your very own idea of stamping - or cutting - off the edge.  Let's all go see Bonnie's card, and those CMU fabulous CAS Mix Up team designers - thanks for the opportunity to join you today, ladies! 

=]  Michele

* Distress Inks: Aged Mahogany, and Rusty Hinge