Rainbow Flower Silhouette

I had a mighty play in the craft room yesterday - the arrival of Distress Oxides truly got my dormant mojo up and running again. And it reminded me of the fact that it's long overdue for a clean out in the craft room - there are so many crafty products I no longer use and want to find new homes for. Time for some serious eBaying... hoping that my long forgotten Stampin' Up punches and stamp sets will find new homes where they will be used more than they have in my stamp room. 

Anyhow, yesterday I played a bit with watercolouring and Distress Oxides, you can see the result here. Another thing about the Oxides is that they blend much easier than the regular distress inks, so if you have found it hard to produce blends you might have more success with the Oxides. I used almost every colour I have of the oxides to create a rainbow background, inspired again by the colourful tulips over at Inspired By All The Little Things (hey, if there is a rainbow colour scheme anywhere to be found I will find it and play with it over and over and over again...). I'm also linking up (yet again) with this month's CAS Mixup (hope it's ok, as the rules say you can enter as many times as you like...) - I'm just a huge fan of splattering so can't resist playing along yet again! The "my choice" is die cutting, ink blending, heat embossing, stencilling... I'm also linking up with the AAA Cards Embossing challenge.

Card: 250 gsm white card, 300 gsm Daler&Rowney watercolour paper

Ink: Tsukineko Versamark, Distress Ink Black Soot, Distress Oxides Fossilized Amber, Worn Lipstick Wilted Violet, Cracked Pistachio, Broken China, Faded Jeans

Stamps: STAMPlorations Fond Expressions 2

Stencil: ARTplorations Bloom Silhouettes

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Other: Papermania Seafoam White embossing powder

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes. If you have any questions or problems, just let me know!

Oxide Watercolour Flowers

I've continued my play with the Distress Oxides - still not sure I know what exactly to do with them but I hope practice makes... well if not perfect, at least better. Today I had a bit of a play using the Oxides for watercolouring, inspired by the CAS Watercolour Flower theme.  I can't believe I haven't managed to play along with this month's challenge yet as I love both watercolour and flowers. I was also inspired by the beautiful rainbow coloured flowers in this week's Inspired By All The Little Things and the embossing theme over at AAA Cards. 

Card: Daler&Rowney 300 gsm watercolour paper

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Distress Oxides Broken China, Cracked Pistachio, Faded Jeans, Fossilized Amber, Fired Brick, Wilted Violet and Worn Lipstick

Stamps: STAMPlorations Bloom Sketches

Dies: CUTplorations Celebrate Word Die

Other: Papermania Seafoam White Embossing Powder, sequins from my stash

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes. If you have any questions or problems, just let me know!

Gleeful Garden in a Box

I realised I haven't posted this year's Mother's Day Card. I was excited to get to play with the new Lawn Fawn box card die, and I thought I'll make a garden party to celebrate spring. I had so much fun stamping and colouring the flowers and all the cute little critters. And I love how all the pieces from the box card die fit together. I've made box cards before but this die takes away all the fuss having to cut and measure the elements of the box.

I'm linking up with the current Lawn Fawnatics challenge where the challenge is to play with the inspiration image and/or colours. I'm also linking up with Make My Monday where the theme is Sugar and Spice (can you see the little cupcake over there in the grass?) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where the theme is A Bit of Sparkle.

Card: Lawn Fawn Watercolor Wishes, Perfectly Plaid, Let's Polka, Glitter Paper

Stamps: Gleeful Garden, Critters in the Forest, Baked With Love and Big Scripty Words with matching dies, Happy Everything

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics

Dies: Scalloped Box Card Pop-Up, Simple Puffy Clouds, Simple Puffy Cloud Frames, Rainbow, Grassy Border

May STAMPlorations CAS Challenge - Mid-Month Inspiration

How the time flies when it's spring. Already half way through my most favourite month of the year. But the good news is there is still almost half of the month left to enjoy. We have had a few days of long overdue rain here, I'm hoping it will encourage the fruit trees to do well. There are so many apricots and cherries on the trees this year. Last year was a bit of a dud for both so it would be great to see all that lovely fruit ripen.

Anyhow, I'm not here to ramble on about fruit but to remind you that there is still plenty of time to link up your CAS cards in feminine colours to join the beautiful and inspirational creations which are already linked up to this month's challenge. You can find a whole post full of inspiration from the DT! You don't have to use STAMPlorations products, but if you have them we would love to see you use them. And don't forget, if you want to go for a bit of a shopping spree in the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA for 20% off!

For my card, I used the wonderful combination of flowers, coffee and doughnuts. I stamped the image from Bloomin' Spring Coffee Basket, coloured it with Copics and fussy cut it. I created a background for the card using the Fall Floral Trio stencil and orange, pink and purple Distress Inks. Last, I added one of the sentiments from the stamp set. I thought this would make a great card to cheer someone up if they were having a bit of a bad day.

Card: 250 gsm white card

Stamps: STAMPlorations Bloomin' Spring Coffee Basket

Ink and colouring: Distress Inks in Spiced Marmalade, Worn Lipstick and Wilted Violet, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics

Stencil: ARTplorations Fall Floral Trio 

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes. If you have any questions or problems, just let me know!

Distress Oxides in da House

I can't believe it's been 10 days since my last post! I'm suffering from a bit of mojo gone AWOL... But I've been busy reading which has been wonderful as it's been a long time since I've found the peace of mind to just sit down and focus on a book. So that feels good. Not sure if it's just a coincidence that my reading streak started on the same day as I removed the Facebook app from my phone. 

Anyhow, I had a parcel arrive today, full of the Distress Oxides I've been waiting for ever since I saw the videos and beautiful cards start to appear a few months ago. I have to admit I was playing around for a while, and not really being able to re-create those gorgeous water splattered grunge-y backgrounds I've seen in the video where the King of Distress himself, Tim Holtz was demoing them, or this video where Jennifer McGuire creates gorgeous cards with the inks. But I guess it's all a learning process. I was going to discard all my attempts but then I thought I should make something out of at least one of the panels - it should be all about the fun of creating and not trying to achieve perfection. And I was inspired by the new colours over at Color Throwdown and the sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch so I ended up creating a new home card using STAMPlorations dies, inspired by the Home Sweet Home theme over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. I also added some stickles to the sentiment inspired by Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where the theme is A Bit of Sparkle.

Card: 250 gsm white card, Hobbycraft 160 gsm white card, Daler&Rowney 300 gsm watercolour paper
Ink: Distress Oxides Broken China, Cracked Pistachio, Fossilized Amber
Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, Stitched Snow Hills, Stitched Winter Landscape, Happy Word die
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Claire's ABCs
Other: Ranger Mint Ice Stickles, sequins from my stash

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes. If you have any questions or problems, just let me know!

Candy Pastel Flowers

I attended a course a few weeks ago. I really need to finish the coursework, but as the true procrastinator I am, I turned to browse challenge blogs instead. And I couldn't resist a bit of die cutting inspired by the Flower theme over at the Paper Smooches challenge blog. I was also inspired by the colours over at Color Throwdown and the sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch. I'm also linking up over at CAS on Sunday where the theme is Glitter or Sequins and CAS Mix Up where the theme is Stamping+Splattering+your choice (die cutting and heat embossing). Last but not least I'm also linking up with Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge where the theme is Hint of Pink.

I started by sponging Spun Sugar, Victorian Velvet and Peacock Feathers onto white card. Then I splattered water on the inked background. Next, I started die cutting the flowers from white, turquoise, pink and purple paper and spent quite a while with my tweezers and glue putting together the flowers. Then I stamped the sentiment in Versamark and heat embossed the sentiment in white, before adding a few sequins for embellishment. As I was left with so many left over die cuts I couldn't resist the urge to add a few more flowers inside the card from the pile of leftover bits and pieces. There is something truly calming about assembling tiny little pieces of paper although at the same time it drives you crazy!

Card: white 200 gsm card
Paper: Lawn Fawn Watercolor Wishes
Ink: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Spun Sugar, Victorian Velvet, Peacock Feathers
Stamps: Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler
Dies: Paper Smooches Adorable Array
Other: Sequins from my stash

Happy Mother's Day for the MIL

It's been a while since UK Mother's day (which is in March, not May like the rest of the world), and I made this card for my MIL but haven't gotten around to sharing it on the blog yet. A while ago I ordered the Lawn Fawn Penelope's Blossoms stamp set and immediately put it to good use by colouring it with Distress markers. Apart of the stamp colouring which does take a while, it was a super quick card to put together. 

I started by colouring and stamping the big blossom stamp from Penelope's blossom using pink, purple and two different green Distress markers. I misted the stamp very lightly with water before stamping. Then I stamped the "mother's day" from Lawn Fawn Happy Everything in Versamark and heat embossed in gold. Last, I die cut the banner and "Happy" using Lawn Fawn dies and added a few sequins for effect.

I'm linking up with the following challenges:
House of Cards - add sequins
Make My Monday - May Flowers
Time Out - Flowers (I didn't use the optional twist of kissing)
Just Us Girls - Mother
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - Hint of Pink

Card: 250 gsm Daler&Rowney watercolour paper, scrap of pink card, scrap of gold mirri card
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Penelope's Blossoms, HAppy Everything
Dies: Lawn Fawn Everyday Banners, Big Scripty Words
Ink: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Markers Mowed Lawn, Twisted Citron, Spun Sugar, Seedless Preserves
Other: sequins from my stash, gold embossing powder

May STAMPlorations CAS Challenge - Anything Goes With Feminine Colours

It's May! My favourite month. Not only because it's my birthday month (although that's still a few weeks away) but also because it's when spring turns into summer. April tends to be a bit of a trickster, this year we had a wonderful hot weekend in April and I thought yes, this is it, now I will be able to wear nothing but T-shirts and skirts for the next four months. But instead the following week we went back to scraping ice off the windscreens in the morning. But May wouldn't do that to us, now would you May? 

Our May CAS card challenge over at STAMPlorations starts today and as usual anything CAS goes. This month we have the optional colour twist of Feminine colours. Interpret that as you wish! I thought I would go with a combo of pink/red/yellow. 

I totally adore the new Trendy Spring Blooms dies and thought this time I'll just go with die cutting and nothing else for my card. So even if you are new to crafting and haven't yet collected a room full of crafty stash, there is so much you can do with even a very limited amount of supplies. For this card I only used the Trendy Spring Blooms dies and a word die for the sentiment. If you want to add these dies, or any of the other gorgeous products from the STAMPlorations store, to your stash you can use the discount code STAMPGIRLKAROLA for 20% off your purchase at checkout.

Card: 250 gsm hammered white card, Craft Creations Mulberry Effect Colour Blends card, White Glitter card

Dies: CUTplorations Trendy Spring Blooms dies, Thanks Word Die

I'm linking up with the following challenges:

AAA Cards - Bright & Beautiful 

Inspired by All The Little Things - Inspiration image

Time Out - Flowers (I did not use the optional twist of kissing)

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes. If you have any questions or problems, just let me know!

Oh The Places You'll Flamin-go

It's been a while since I just had time to sit on the sofa, browse challenge blogs and get inspired by the challenges. And we have finally moved into spring proper, one of the great things about that is there is enough light in the evenings to have a crafting session and get photos as well! Better enjoy that while it lasts. And today everything just fell into place, and I found a bunch of super inspiring challenges. 

I have been meaning to play along with the new Lawn Fawnatics challenge, but life has been so hectic lately that I haven't managed to join in the fun for the first three challenges. However, as soon as I saw their new challenge, "Black/white And Bright", I knew this time I had to play along. I was also inspired by the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches and the "A Hint of Pink" challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge. Last but not least I was also inspired by the bright colours and sequins over at House of Cards and the Stamping+Splattering+Your Choice over at CAS Mixup. My choice to add was die cutting and heat embossing.

I started by stamping the flaming from Lawn Fawn Flaming together and the palm from Critters from the Past, colouring them with Copics and die cutting with the matching dies. I also die cut the sun from Spring Showers and banners using the Everyday Sentiment Banners and stamped the sentiment from the Flamingo Together set, heat embossing in black and white. Then I splatted three different yellow Distress inks onto the background before arranging the scene, adding a strip of black and white paper to the side of the card in line with the black and white theme over at the Lawn Fawnatics challenge. Last, I added some sequins as a finishing touch, inspired by the House of Cards challenge.

Card: 250 gsm white hammered card, scrap of black card

Paper: Lawn Fawn Let's Polka in the Dark, Let's Polka in the Meadow, Perfectly Plaid

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Flamingo Together, Critters from the Past and matching dies

Dies: Lawn Fawn Spring Showers, Everyday Sentiment Banners

Ink and Colouring: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine, Copics, Tim Holtz Distress Inks Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Fossilized Amber

Other: Heat embossing powders in white and black, sequins from my stash