Funky Fossil Designs "Hedgehugs" Autumn wreath card

 

A CAS card from me this morning using the Funky Fossil Designs "Hedgehugs" stamp set

I stamped the wreath, pumpkin and toadstool in Versafine Clair "Shady Lane" greeen ink, colouring them using Derwent Inktense pencils applied with a paint brush.  I used a white gel pen for the dots on the toadstools and a red Posca Pen for the berries.  I've added a few brush strokes of "A Wink of Stella" to areas of the leaves and pumpkin.

The sentiment is also part of a Funky Fossil Designs stamp set, called "Small Print #2", which I stamped in Versafine Clair "Morning Mist" grey ink.

Sweet Poppy Stencils "Floral Friend" Card

 

Another card using a selection of stencils from Sweet Poppy Stencils.

I've used four stencils by Sweet Poppy, starting with the "Leaf Aperture Stencil" paired with the "Harmony Backplate Stencil". I used four shades of Ranger Archival Inks:  Vivid Chartreuse, Prickly Pear, Forget-Me-Not and Paradise Teal).

I then used the Sweet Poppy "Chain Mail Stencil" with "Shadow Grey" Archival Ink, just around the edge of the leaf, fading it away towards the edge.

Next I used the Sweet Poppy "Floral Friend Stencil" with Versafine Clair "Blue Belle" ink.  I used the same ink to edge the white card with too.

Over the green "Harmony Backplate" swirls, I brushed on "A Wink of Stella" to give a lovely subtle golden shimmer.

I decided I wasn't happy with the empty space past the chain mail design, so used a Clarity Stamps stencil, which is part of the "Birds Decorative Panel stencil" using the stripes section with Ranger "Shadow Grey" Archival Ink.

Finally, I mounted the card on to dark blue card and then on to a white card blank, before using Ranger white "Enamel Accents" to add dots across the surface to break up the colour a little.

Sweet Poppy Stencils "Honeysuckle Flourish" card

Sweet Poppy Stencils have released some fabulous new stamps and stencils in the past few days.  It would have been rude of me not to show interest in them and buy a couple - wouldn't it?

My stencil order arrived today, so I wasted no time in making a card using one of the new stencils.

Starting with a piece of white card, I lay the new Sweet Poppy "Honeysuckle Flourish" stencil over the top and secured with low tack tape. Through the stencil, I used Antique Linen, Saltwater Taffy and Picked Raspberry Distress Oxide Inks for the flowers and "Iced Spruce" Distress Oxide for the stems and foliage.

Removing the stencil, I replaced it with the Sweet Poppy "Floral Trellis Stencil", applying "Shadow Grey" Archival Ink through the stencil with a blending brush.

Once the stencil was lifted, I added touches of Van Goch Pastel Pencils to the flowers to add a little depth of colour, then went over the flowers with "A Wink of Stella" which provides a lovely subtle gold shimmer.

Using Versafine Clair "Morning Mist" grey ink, I stamped the two sentiments, both are part of the Sweet Poppy "Hugs & Kisses" stamp set. Finally, mounting the card on to dark grey card and then on to a card blank (the finished card is slightly smaller than A5, so quite large).

Clarity Stamps "Art Nouveau Snowdrops" stencilled card

Yesterday, I received my order from Clarity Stamps, so of course I had to have a play making this card.

In my stash, I found a background I had made some months back using a selection of Distress Inks, mainly in pinks, blues and purples.  I decided today was the day I would use it!

I lay the Clarity Stamps "A5 Art Nouveau Snowdrops Stencil" over the background and used  four shades of Distress Oxide Inks through the stencil, using Spun Sugar, Peacock Feathers and Wilted Violet.

I then inked the edges of the card using Versafine Clair "Monarch" purple ink.  While the ink was out, I stamped the "Just to say" sentiment , which is part of the Clarity "A4 Bijou Art Nouveau Stamp Collection" on to a piece of white card, cut it to size and inked the edges of that too, before sticking it into position.

Finally, I used some pastel pencils, mainly in a pink and a yellow to add extra colour to the snowdrops and the area around them.

Funky Fossil Designs "MDF Fish Trio" Mandala decorated hanging fish.

For the past three weeks, it feels like I have been fighting off a cold.  Last night it came out in full force, I even did a Covid test - just in case, it was negative, so this is just a cold. I am sniffing, coughing and spluttering and actually feeling quite miserable, even though it is a beautiful sunny day.  Hopefully it will pass quickly .

Anyway, I fancied doing something that I wouldn't have to think about too much and decided to try mandala painting again.  You may recall earlier in the year I had a go at it and it was reasonably successful, but as you can see from my effort today, I need to perfect my art of mandala dotting!

For the base, I used one of the three "MDF Fish Trio" from Funky Fossil Designs. Here's the link if you want to buy them. I coated both sides in metallic silver paint.  I then went over that with three shades of Cosmic Shimmer "Iridescent Shimmer Water Colour Paints" using pink, green and blue.  I set aside to dry, which didn't take long at all.

I then used three sizes of mandala dotting tools with a selection of PaperArtsy "Fresco Finish - Chalk Acrylic" paints to create the dotty design.

Sweet Poppy Stencils "Plaid Backplate" Christmas Gift Tags

I've had a quick play making a couple of Christmas gift tags. The Sweet Poppy "Plaid Backplate Stencil" is actually on offer at the moment, till 8th September, so an ideal time to purchase it, if you don't already have it.  Here's the link to it!

For the red plaid tag, I used "Festive Berries" Distress Oxide ink through the Sweet Poppy "Plaid Backplate Stencil" on a cream card background. I then used a "Metallic Rose Gold" paint by That's Crafty through the (now retired) Sweet Poppy Christmas Bauble Stencil also by Sweet Poppy.

For the purple tag, I used a mid coloured piece of purple card, using "Violet Chalk" Elements Ink through the Sweet Poppy "Plaid Backplate Stencil".  I then used Sweet Poppy "Red Glossy Dimension Paste" through the Sweet Poppy Christmas Baubles stencil.

52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge - Taster Tag for September 2023

This is the second monthly "Taster Tag" of 2023.  From January 2024 the challenge will become weekly.  The challenge is very relaxed and is aimed to get you to craft for no specific reason other than a minless bit of crafting, so there are no restrictions on the products mediums or in fact id doesn't even need to be a tag, it could be a card, ATC a frame, really anything you want.  All you need to do is fit it to the monthly prompt/theme.  There is a Facebook Group for this challenge which you can find by clicking on this link.

The prompt/theme for September 2023 is "In the meadow/fields"

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This is my tag for September 2023 "In the meadow" prompt/theme.

To make this tag, I used a base of Dylusion spray inks, I made four backgrounds while I was getting inky, so I have some for future use.  The shades of inks I used are Lemon Zest, Fresh Lime and Bubblegum Pink.

I used three shades of Versafine Clair Inks to stamp with, using Twilight, Nocturne and Summertime, stamping in first and second generation stamping.

The stamp set that I used to stamp with was by Hobby Art Ltd and is part of the "Janie Collection" called "Lino Cut Hares - CS208D".

I added touches of a white gel pen for highlights and metallic gold pen for little dots in the background.