A Traditional Christmas Card

Of all the stamps I own, I love my Penny Black brushstroke stamps the best because they never fail to give wonderful results and make me feel a little bit like an artist!

Today I pulled out the 'la fleur rouge'...

Using the MISTI tool and Zig CCRB Markers I applied the colour to the stamp and then blended with water before stamping. Once I stamped it, I blended a bit more on the card with water. I repeated this step a few times. It gives a very loose and fluid effect. Then I stamped the music text with Versamark and wiped gold Pearl-Ex over this. You can see the shimmer in the second photo. I was tempted to add more to the card, but decided to leave it very CAS.

I am entering the following challenges ...
CAS Watercolour Challenge (Text)
Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge (Watercolour)
City Crafter Challenge (Gold)
Simon Monday Challenge (Trio - tastic 3 blooms)

Mixed Media Thankful

A quick post to remind you about the Mixed Media Card Challenge. The Theme this months is
*THANKSGIVING* and the optional element is *TABLE*.

We may not celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia, but it's always a good reminder to give thanks! I used a stamp from Stampendous - a trio of cups, which would look very pretty on a Thanksgiving table!

 I've used Zig CCRB Markers, Wink of Stellar, Gold Gel Pen, Wet and Dry embossing.

You still have a couple of days to play along, so why don't you head on over to the Mixed Media Card Challenge to see more inspiration and link up your card.

I am entering the following challenges ...

Simon Monday - Trio-Tastic 

The Card Concept (Clean and Layered)

Stitched Snowman

I thought it was about time I played with the Papertrey Ink Stitched Snowman die I 'had to have' last year, but never used!!!  I'm not very fast at sewing, but I'm sure after practice it would be easy to make some tree decorations or pencil toppers. In the meantime I made a tag.

I'm dreaming of snow today, because the temperature in Melbourne is predicted to be 38C degrees  - I REALLY hate this sort of heat! However, the good news is that it's supposed to change later tonight, so I shouldn't complain too much.

So for the snowman I used glitter paper, felt , plain card and markers and glossy accents for the eyes. The snow  border is made with a stamp  from Penny Black 'Prancer' set,  the snowflakes from Papertrey Ink and the sentiment from Kaisercraft.
I sponged broken china and Tumbled glass distress ink over the embossed tag and then spritzed with water. When dry, I mounted the snowman and added the bow and button.
I'm entering ...
Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas Event
Tracey's 25 Days of Christmas Tags  (inspired by Svitlana Shayevich day 20)

ETA: Also entering the Inkspirational Challenge **CHILL**

Non Traditional Christmas

I've just been to a Christmas shop with my daughter, so I'm definitely in a christmas frame of mind!


This tag is very unconventional. I had the watercolour background in my stash and though it was pretty so i decided to stamp with black ink for contrast.

I am entering Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas and Tracey's 25 Tags of Christmas (inspired by Tracey's Day 5 watercolour background).

A Beachy Christmas

I was doing a bit of a browse around challenges and noticed an unusual theme over at the City Crafter Challenge. It is to make a Christmas project using Beach Colours. Well since I live near the beach and we're coming in to Summer, I thought that was a great idea.

I love the idea of black snowflakes! I used a new set from Kaisercraft for the sentiment and snowflakes. I die cut the tag and ornament shape and then brushed water over the bottom part of the tag and the ornament and then added the watered down Brushos (turquoise and ultramarine). When it was dry I stamped and embossed the sentiment and snowflakes. To finish I added the twine and pearls.

 I am entering my tage in the following challenges:-

City Crafter - Beach Colour Christmas
Loll's Twelve Tags of Christmas Event
Tracey's 25 Tags of Christmas (inspired by Tracey's Tag Day8 - blue ornament)
Craft Stamper Take it, Make it

Watercolour Tag

I'm still trying to use unfinished bits and pieces from my stash, so when I found this watercolour background, I thought it would make a great base for the cute deer cut.

                                             I love putting my tags on a backing card

I think the background was made with a WPlus9 stamp and distress inks and the sentiment is from Kaisercraft.

I'm entering the following challenges...

Twelve Tags of Christmas with Loll & Friends

25 Days of Christmas Tags with Tracey McNeely (inspired in the colours of Danielle's tag day 14)

Craft Stamper Take it. Make it Challenge 

Comforting Pinecones!

There's something special about pinecones.  In winter we collect the pinecones to burn on our open fire, giving off a lovely scent and at other times of the year, they sit in the fireplace as a decoration.

The pinecone stamp is from Penny Black and the sentiment from Kaisercraft. I added the berries for a touch of red.
I used Distress Inks,  Distress Markers, Zig CCRB Markers, Wink of Stellar and Versafine Black.
I also stamped some snowflakes in the corners of the tag, but it's not very obvious, because I spritzed it to blend the colours!

I'm entering this in Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas event and the Craft Stamper Take it. Make it challenge.

ETA:I am also entering the 25 Days of Christmas Tags event (inspired by Rahmat day - colour)

Warmest Wishes

I seem to be on a roll , so I'm taking advantage of it whilst the mood lasts. Now that my daughter has finished exams I have my craft space back and she's pulled out all the Christmas decorations,  I'm definitely in the mood for making holiday cards!

I've been enjoying making watercolour cards and I've also noticed I have a bit of a purple theme going on!

I bought this gorgeous stamp set from Papertrey Ink last year, but hadn't yet used it, so I'm thinking of making a set,  because it really is adorable and has so many possibilities!
I stamped the mountains on one piece of card and the lined it up and die cut the mountain shap from the top card and then dry embossed the dotty pattern. Next up I stamped and coloured the bear and coloured the mountain, using Zig CCRB markers.  I punched out the snowflakes, colouring a few to match the bear's sweater (jumper, jersey!!!)
I asdded some wink of stellar to the snow and snowflakes, stamped the sentiment and then mounted it on the base card, which was coloured to match. 

I'm entering t the following challenges:_
A Blog Named Hero Holiday Theme
Craft Stamper Take it, Make it Challenge 

12 Tags of Christmas - tag one

If you saw yesterday's last post, you'll see I was planning to make something for Loll's Christmas event, but forgot it was all about tags. So today I rummaged through my unfinished stash from years gone by and found a tag on  which I'd stamped and embossed the sentiment and birds and thought it would be perfect.

I smooshed some distress inks on my craft mat and spritzed it and sprinkled some brushos over this and mixed it around a bit. Then I swiped the card through the inks until I got the desired effect. When it was dry, I added some background stamping. To finish, I backed it with a dry embossed tag and added the ribbon and twine. I think it's pretty and grungy! What do you think?

The stamps are from Avery Elle.

This is my first entry in the Twelve Tags of Christmas with Loll and friends - but I'll be back!

ETA:I am also entering the 25 Days of Christmas Tags event (inspired by Tracey's tag Day 5)

1st Christmas Card of 2016

I thought I should get my act together and make some Christmas cards, so I decided to make another watercolour card for the CAS Watercolour challenge. The theme is TEXT, so I added some text in the background, which I like doing anyway.

I had meant to enter this in Loll's Christmas event, but then I remembered it's a tag challenge!!! Oh well the next one will be a tag!

I began by stamping and embossing the snowflakes and tree and then  creating a watercolour wash over the card, masking the snowy slope. When dry, I stamped the background text and sponged the edges of the card. Then I added a bit of a wash over the snowy area, added the deer and mounted it on the base card.

Another Watercolour

I'm popping in with another small watercolour for a couple of challenges.

This is an old stamp from Penny Black and I thought text made it perfect for this month's CAS Watercolour challenge.

This is a small notecard using a dies from the Papertrey Ink 'Dont Forget to Write' kit and Dienamics. I used Zig CCRB markers again. I wanted the wispy look in the background to make it look 'painterly'!

Botanical Notes

A quick post, before making dinner. I have made this card specifically for the CAS Watercolour Challenge.
The theme for the 2nd challenge is TEXT, so I pulled out one of my fave Penny Black stamps.


I had several attempts. My first go was with watercolour paper, but I prefer the more detailed image you get on the smooth card stock, so I had to be careful not use too much water. I used Zig CCRB markers, scribbling on a glass mat and then using a slightly wet brush, applied the colour to the image.

I had a very CAS card, but decided I had to add a bit (or a lot) of splatter.  I just realised I've used the same old colours as I've used for this image before, so it may look similar to an earlier card. Nevermind. I hope you like it.