Alternative Christmas colours...

Hello boys and girls!

The bonus of having some time off is that I'm not rushing around quite as much as usual - still plenty to do though!  But, it means I have had time to blog the cards that I have made.  Do you find that you manage to scrape together enough time to make a card, but the time to take the photographs, edit them, upload them and attempt to write something witty in a post is just a feat to far?!  That's where I'm at!

Enough yabbering - the card!

I made this card for the STAMPlorations bi-weekly sketch #21 - they're now on sketch #22...maybe I'll catch up at some point?!!  The card does, however, still qualify for the STAMPlorations monthly challenge - I had an inkling that I would miss the sketch deadline so I made sure it was OK for both challenges!!  ;)  The monthly challenge is Stamps & Embossing' - it was like it was made for me!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE embossing!  ;)

Here's the card...

I wish I had noticed before...but I seem to have taken this photograph at a funny angle which makes the grey panel look awfully askew - I promise you it isn't!  I wouldn't be able to sleep if it was even slightly out, trust me on that one - I am Queen OCD when it comes to stuff like that!

Anyway, glossing over that - here's my card.  I am loving the combination of pink, silver, sparkle and grey for a Christmas card...I never thought I'd say that.  I think this may be a theme for this year...?  Don't quote me on it though!  The snowflakes are stamped in a combination of WOW! Metallic Silver Super Fine and WOW! Sparkling Snow which is a white embossing powder with a really fine and beautiful glitter in - it's subtle and gorgeous!  I was proud that I was able to use my STAMPlorations 'Celebrate' stamp for something other than a birthday card...let's face it, Christmas is a time for celebration!

There is a smidgen of dry embossing too - I don't know how well you can see it in the photograph but I used my scoreboard to emboss some lines along the bottom of the grey panel.  I only very recently acquired my scoreboard, I will have to take some time to explore the line embossing possibilities!  Wow, I sound really exciting don't I!!?  Ha ha!  :)

Thanks for stopping by, I'm hoping to get a few more posts underway over the next week ;)

I have also just remembered that this card would also qualify for STAMPloration's 'Anything Goes' challenge - whoop whoop!  In it goes :)

Supplies

Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White Super Smooth, Dark Grey, Raspberry Pink

Stamps: STAMPlorations - Celebrate; DoCrafts - Bellissima Christmas

Ink:        Versamark

Other:    WOW! - Metallic Silver Super Fine, Sparkling Snow, Fluorescent Tickled Pink e/p

Blog Hop Fun!!...

Hello, hello!!

Over at WOW! Embossing Powder this week we have a special event going on - a collaboration with 3L Scrapbook Adhesives.  Today is Day 2 - if you missed yesterday then you need to get over there and check out the talent!  Don't forget to pop back in each day this week to see all of the DT's projects :)

Here are my cards using a combination of 3L's awesome adhesives and WOW!'s wonderful powders - what a match...made in heaven!

For this first card I embossed the background using the Vintage Wallpaper stamp and Metallic Gold Rich powder. I then die cut the trefoil pieces for the 3L 3D Foam Creative Sheets and used Metallic Gold Rich and Metallic Copper powders to create the central embellishment.  It gives a really lovely effect - it's so tactile and full of texture - I don't know why I hadn't tried it sooner!

Here's a wee close up...

I also made this second card...

I don't think I will ever need to buy embellishments again!!  I was really pleased with how well the 3L Dodz took the heat embossing.  I have experimented with opaque and the more translucent powders - they both give a fantastic finish.  The opaque powders create a more matt finish, akin to enamel dots, whereas the translucent powders give a higher shine and you can still see through the dots partly, like glass beads - awesome!

ETA - Completely forgot to add that this card was made based on the CAS(E) This Sketch sketch!  Doh!  Well, I've remembered now, better late than never!  (seems to be a recurring theme lately?!)

Thanks so much for stopping by!  ;)

Supplies - Card One

3L Adhesives - 3D Creative Foam Sheet

WOW! - Vintage Wallpaper Stamp

WOW! - Express Yourself Stamps

WOW! - Metallic Rich Gold Powder

WOW! - Metallic Copper Powder

Spellbinders - Fleur-De-Lis Motifs, Parisian Motifs

Card - Paper Mill direct - White Super Smooth, Teal, Pale Turquoise

Ink - Versamark

Supplies - Card Two

3L Adhesives - Dodz

WOW! - Primary Apple Red Powder

WOW! - Opaque Primary Mandarin Powder

WOW! - Opaque Primary Sunny Yellow Powder

WOW! - Fluorescent Green Powder

WOW! - Opaque Pastel Blue Powder

WOW! - Earthtone Grape Powder 

Spellbinders - Classic Edges Two, Classic Decorative Inserts Three

Ink - Windsor & Newton - Black

Better late than never!...

Hey!!

OK, confession - I posted this on the WOW! Embossing Powder blog on the 8th October, but life has been so crazy mental that I haven't managed to get it onto my own blog until now - I know, slap on the wrist for me!

I am currently trying to arrange my own birthday celebrations (I think DOH should probably be doing it, but he's super busy too!) and work and help DOH with his business as that has exploded just recently - which is a good thing, but a time consuming one!  These are, I know, rubbish excuses, but that's just the way it is - sorry guys!  I have some time off so I am planning on visiting all my dear neglected blogging friends over the next week ;)

OK, onto the bit we're all interested in - cards!

The challenge this month is 'One Stamp, Different Ways'.  I don't know about you, but I can get stuck in a rut with my stamps - I seem to use them for the same thing all the time - background stamps for backgrounds etc.  I think this is a good one to combine with Darnell's ongoing mission to use NBUS! (Never Before Used Schtuff!)

I've used one of my favourite WOW! stamps - De-Vine.  I LOVE this stamp :)

My first card uses the stamp as a background;

I embossed the De-Vine stamp using Vintage Peacock powder on a pale turquoise card and attached this to the card base. I then cut openings in the white top layer and adhered it to the card base with foam adhesive to add a little dimension and a shadow gap between the embossing and the card front.  The sentiment was then embossed in Purple Orchid on tracing paper and mounted on lilac card.

My second card uses the emboss resist technique - one of my favourites!

For this card I embossed the De-Vine stamp in Bright White Opaque Super Fine powder and then cut out the banners.  Once I had blended the inks onto the banners, I sewed them onto the card front.  Next, I embossed the sentiments from the Collage stamp set in Black Glint embossing glitter.

My third card is a touch more feminine...for me anyway!

I embossed the De-Vine stamp in Calypso embossing glitter and mounted it onto a pale turquoise mat.  The butterfly was embossed onto tracing paper in Vintage Romance embossing glitter, which is gorgeously subtle but sparkly!  The sentiment, from the Express Yourself stamp set is embossed in Fluorescent Tickled Pink powder.

Given the time, I could've kept going on and on with the De-Vine stamp, it's super versatile! 

I hope you guys find the time to join us with this challenge - it may be the perfect opportunity to make the most of your WOW! stamps or show some love to those stamps that haven't seen the light of day for a while?!  Maybe grab some of your older stamps and see if you can't breathe a new lease of life into them - we look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Thanks so much for dropping in :)

WOW! Supplies
Stamps:    De-Vine Background Stamp
                Collage Stamp Set
                Express Yourself Stamp Set

Powders:  Black Glint Embossing Glitter
                Bright White Opaque Super Fine
                Primary Purple Orchid
                Calypso Embossing Glitter
                Vintage Peacock Embossing Glitter
                Vintage Romance Embossing Glitter
                Fluorescent Tickled Pink