Autumn Colours

Today's card began with the sketch from CASe this Sketch

I took some hessian card from Paper Mill Direct and die cut six rectangles and stacked them into two piles, glueing the layers together. Then I embossed the leaf sprays with some Simon Says Stamp dies. I used the same dies to cut leaves from a piece of glossy photographic paper which I had sploshed with a few shades of Alcohol Ink and a little blending solution. In fact I ended up using only the smaller of the two sprays. There is a beautiful sheen to the leaves, because of using the gloss paper.

The sentiment stamp is from Clearly Besotted.

Sweet Stampin  - Autumn

Crafty Friends - Autumn Colours

Inkspirational - Day

 

Die Embossing

Here is yet another contribution to the challenge at CAS Mix UP

For this one I began with an embossing folder from Sizzix and a die by Alexandra Renke. I placed the die, cutting side uppermost, on to the open Sizzix Embossing folder, followed by  the card and then a rubber mat and finally the top plate of the sandwich.

I water-coloured the embossed leaf, stamped a few random dots and and a little script stamp , although that just looks like general distressing! A few spritzes of shimmer and then gold inked, scraped edges finished the panel. I die-cut another leaf and coloured that with Distress inks and a little smidge of gold ink. I just stamped a simple sentiment to complete the card.

I have to say it is fun learning new techniques!

Seize the birthday 

Die- Cuts with optional stamped sentiment

 

Thanks so much

HAving seen the challenge from CAS Mix Up, I have spent quite some time messing around with various techniques which were completely new to me!

This card is the result of one of those endeavours.

I have embossed with dies many, many times, but never quite like some of the ways which I have been trying today.

I used a 'Hessian' Embossing Folder from Crafter's Companion, together with a matching stamp and die from Clearly Besotted. 

The die needs to have a flat back (and be pretty symmetrical). The flat side of the die is placed onto the raised side of the Embossing folder. The card to be embossed is laid on top and leaving the embossing folder open, the sandwich is topped with a rubber mat and the top plate of the die-cutting machine.

Once embossed, the flat area left by the die can be stamped with its matching stamp. The need for symmetry is because normally the stamp would line up with the cutting side of the die, not the reverse!

I used my stamping platform  to try to get the stamp as closely aligned as possible and inked with a BIG and Juicy variegated ink pad, applying the ink with a brayer as the ink pad is too large to apply directly with ease.

The sentiment is from  Avery Elle.

Once more thanks to the girls from CAS Mix Up for more great inspiration!

CASology

This was fun!

  

Friends

A card caught my eye this morning, doing exactly the job it was intended to do! It was a DT card for the challenge at The Card Concept

Here is the challenge     

 and this was the card which inspired me! 

I didn't have any heart dies with 'stitching' so I used a stitched strip die to emboss the marks on both the card and the hearts.

I believe that the friend die can be obtained from Aliexpress.

Well speaking of friends... there's a friend of many out there called Di, of the famous Pixie's Playground where snippets are the focus of everything!

She has been running her challenge now for many a year and encourages us all to use up all those bits and bobs which would otherwise be tossed! I always have heaps as I never like to throw anything away.. hence the clutter in my craft room. All the little die cuts are from my snippets drawer!

I was lucky enough to meet Di IRL some time ago when Darnell was over this side of the pond for her famous English Tour! It was such fun actually meeting people face to face whom we have only known via the internet. 

Darnell is doing a tribute Blog Hop for Di here, so do take a peek and join in the fun!

Long may your challenge continue Di!
Addicted to CAS - Friends

At last!

It seems ages since I have managed to sit in my craft room and make a card. The summer has been spent with our own holidays plus several weeks of looking after grandchildren. We have also had a new staircase fitted, followed by new carpets...so the house has been in turmoil for quite a while.

This card is for a couple of challenges

Apples from Addicted to CAS

Using the sketch from 

Colours and Sketches

I found an old stamp from Unity, which I really love, but don't think have used previously, coloured with Copic Markers. The background de-bossing was done with a Sizzix die, but sadly I don't remember the make of the sentiment dies.. they were from a large number of useful words, I have a couple of sets, Crafter's Companion comes to mind but I couldn't verify this fact on the internet.

I'm struggling with a new pair of specs at the moment and my eyes are aching somewhat, but I have an appointment with the optician this afternoon so we'll have to see what he has to say!