MMCC #31

Well hello 2017! First the crazy rush to get ready for Christmas. Then a couple quiet days with family around the tree (and dining room table - seems all we do is eat!) Then the nice and laid back days between Christmas and New Year's. And suddenly here it is, January 1st, 2017!

I wish all of you lovelies who still stop by the blog nothing but the best for the next 365 day trip around the sun!!!

It's no surprise we're starting off the new year at the Mixed Media Card Challenge with this theme.

I went CASsy with a housewarming card using watercolors!

Stamped some STAMPlorations Shirley's Houses in gray and one with black on watercolor paper. Messy watercolored it with Gansai Tambi red, orange and yellow and fussy cut it. Gave the windows a welcoming glow with sparkling H2Os. See the sparkle below?

Before adhering the house I masked the two houses and stamped the foreground with Stampendous Floral Tapestry. I applied embossing paste (colored with yellow acrylic paint) through ARTplorations  Clouds and stamped my sentiment from Stampendous Baby Girl  to look like a plume of smoke from the chimney.

There you have it. CAS yet a little messy! Again Happy New Year and thanks for coming by here! I hope you'll have time to join us at the MMCC this month.

I'm joining these fun challenges too:
Basteltraum #48 - Watercolor
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Time Out #73 - "With Each Sunrise we are given a Chance for a New Beginning"

MMCC #30

Here we are - December already! And time for a new theme at the Mixed Media Card Challenge. This month it's about another favorite - GOLD - with the optional element of "star".

I've got some funky gold goodness for you today.

This was basically an experiment. What do you get when you mix white glue with embossing powder? My card!

Dribbled the glue all over a panel of black CS. Sprinkled gold embossing powder over it. Poured the excess off. Let it set up for ten minutes and then heat embossed, being careful not to overheat it.

So what to do with it? I adhered a strip of washi down the edge of a cardbase. Did the same down a strip of vellum and then heat embossed a sentiment from Papertrey Shapes by Design onto it. Wrapped it around the back of the black panel, trimmed a curvy edge on the panel and then adhered it to the cardbase.

How's that for mixed media? Stamping and ink, plus texture, dimension and technique! I think it might make a nice anniversary card for a young-at-heart couple on their 50th! Why not create a mixed media card with GOLD and join us at the Mixed Media Card Challenge this month? Be sure to check out what the DT has created here.

MMCC #29

There's a new challenge up at the Mixed Media Card Challenge for November and it's certainly season appropriate for those of you in the US.

At the challenge we define mixed media as a mix of stamps and ink and mediums which add TEXTURE, DIMENSION and allow use of TECHNIQUES.

So here's what I've created.

I began with a TECHNIQUE - applying distress inks through a stencil (coming soon to STAMPlorations) and then spritzing them with water for added interest. Then I added TEXTURE by applying clear embossing paste to some of the leaves, moving the stencil first to get an offset image.

Out came a pumpkin (cuz nothing says Thanksgiving to me like pumpkin pie) which is also coming soon to STAMPlorations. I stamped it three times, Copic colored and fussy cut - the stem from one, the pumpkin from another and the leaves from the third image. For DIMENSION I layered them all up with lots of foam adhesive.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you will join us this month with your mixed media card. Check out the other beautiful creations by the DT for inspiration. See you in the gallery!

I'm heading over to the gallery at Steckenpferdchen #78, where it's about Natural Materials. Hope kraft counts!

To Penny Black and More October challenge.

And to the Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday.

MMCC #28

New month, new challenge over at the Mixed Media Card Challenge. This month's theme:

I must admit this card's been in my stash. Kinda forever. But there's something fun about it I thought you might enjoy. It's a way to use up some of your scraps.

I dry embossed a black panel with a Sizzix embossing plate. I stamped a CHF sentiment (before Kim Hughes started Paper Smooches she designed for CHF). And I die die cut and offset-layered the you from a Sizzix Bigz die.

I spent oodles of time punching those little confetti pieces, but saved some time by using some spray adhesive along the bottom of the card (masked the top) and dumping on the confetti. I only used glue to place the individual pieces at the top.

Technique - dry embossing, die cutting
Texture and dimension - dry embossing, textured CS

Black and purple? Why not make a mixed media Halloween card and join us over at the MMCC this month?

MMCC #26

This month at the Mixed Media Card Challenge the theme is sure to please - Rainbow!

Now my card may not be real mixed media-y, but I used stamps (ok, one) and ink and have texture and dimension and technique for ya! Want to see how I used dies to achieve it?

First off I raided my leftovers to find ROYGBIV color scraps. Die cut them with MFT Rainbow die. Die cut small cloud from white CS with WPlus9 Hearts and Cloud die. Then I used the cloud dies to deboss - once onto a black cardbase and once onto a white CS panel that I'd stamped my PTI Hello Sunshine sentiment on. Simple but with a little oomph!

Please take a look at the rainbow-y beauties the DT created and then join us in the gallery with your over the rainbow creation!

MMCC #25

Ready for a fun challenge over at the Mixed Media Card Challenge? This month's theme is "Sparkle" with the option of gems. This is sure to please a lot of you ;)

Now that I think of it, I guess I went more "shimmer" than "sparkle". But I've got some flashy sequins that are doing their parts to be gems ;)

I started with a black cardbase. I stamped PTI Scribble Circles in white on the cardbase. Then I stamped them onto scrap black CS and heat embossed them white. I painted them with Perfect Pearls in purple and gold tones and fussy cut them.

Adhered them with dimensional adhesive a bit offset over the white stamped ones and added some sequins. A heat embossed and fussy cut sentiment from STAMPlorations Bold Sentiments Hello finished off my card. Technique, texture, dimension - it's all there!

Show us your mixed media card using sparkle, with or without gems, and link up to the gallery before the 25th of July. Can't wait to see what you make.

I'm sharing this card over at Simon Says Wednesday Challenge where it's Anything Goes this week.
And at the Simon Monday Challenge where it's Tic Tac Toe. I've done the first row across ;)

Mixed Media Card Challenge #24

Welcome to June and welcome to the challenge to incorporate a "sunset" onto your mixed media card and then join us over at the Mixed Media Card Challenge.

Well. You'll search far and wide for the sunset on my card. I just created one for last month's reflection challenge. So for this card let's imagine that's the sunset sky shimmering through a field of sunflowers, shall we?

In addition to the stamps (BG from CHF, sentiment from Hero Arts) and inks, I've got the following on my mixed media card:

TEXTURE - the heat embossing and even the yellow strip of textured CS on the vellum strip
DIMENSION - the vellum (wrapped around the card front) kinda floats in the air
TECHNIQUE - brayering distress inks onto glossy CS and heat embossing

I'm sharing this at:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday May - Sunshine

Hope you've enjoyed my card. Check out the beautiful projects the DT created and join us this month, won't you? We've had way too much rain around here lately. Here's to a beautiful sunset tonight ;)

MMCC #23 - reminder

Have you given this month's MMCC a try yet?

This time I went all out with both "reflections" and "water", but only cuz I saw this fantastic video of Kelly L.'s and basically watercolored right along with her!

Here's my CASE of Kelly's card. Just switched out the images (ARTplorations Some Birds) and sentiment ( STAMPlorations Trendy Feathers 2).

TIP: I opted to use a stencil rather than a stamp for my silhouettes cuz I could flip it over to get a perfect mirror image for the reflection.

However, did you catch my boo boo??? How many birds in the sky? How many reflections?

Since watercoloring isn't too mixed media, I thought I would stencil the birds with acrylic paint. For a nice dark image with some texture and shine.  Then I thought I'd stencil the reflections with watered down black paint to subdue them. Those extra birds are actually blobs of (too) watered down acrylic paint that seeped under my stencil. Argh.

I did cover the water with Wink of Stella, per Kelly. Catch some of that sparkle in this photo?

So besides my sentiment stamp and ink I've got:
TEXTURE - the roughness of the watercolor, white gel pen and my heat embossed sentiment
DIMENSION - um, nope
TECHNIQUE - watercoloring, stenciling, heat embossing

I'm calling it diet mixed media. And I need lots more practice. But it really is a great technique you should try! Check out more DT inspiration and the gallery here.

MMCC #22 reminder

Get your sunglasses ready! April may bring showers, but over at The Mixed Media Card Challenge it's all about SUNSHINE this month!

So how do you like my mixed media?

Stamps and ink. Check. STAMPlorations New Beginning and Versamark. And some navy sponged underneath the embossing pasted suns.

Technique. Check. Dry embossing PP on the upper panel. Watercoloring the embossed image. Embossing paste colored with acrylic paint through ARTplorations Clouds stencil.

Texture. Check. Dry and heat embossing as well as paste. Puffy stickers.

Dimension. Check. Dry embossing. Paste. Popped up focal image.

I grabbed American Crafts Shoreline PP pad to work with cuz it's so summery. Can you see the radiant rays on the upper portion, beneath the dry embossing?

Please join us at the MMCC with a SUNSHINE project before April 25th. And check out the rest of the DT projects for inspiration.

I chose my color scheme and sketch from the Share Joy #29 challenge. And I'm playing at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Anything Goes challenge too.

Have a wonderful day!

MMCC #21 reminder

There is still plenty of time to join us at the Mixed Media Card Challenge where this month it's about

 A Gelli plate print came to my service. Surprised, right?

A few birds  and birdhouses from Artemio Birds and Cages a few white embossed trees from Winnie and Walter Kindness and a sentiment from Hero Arts Happy Hello. TIP: Archival Ink works well on acrylic paint surfaces like Gelli prints.

Join us for some mixed media trees and birds fun, won't you? The challenge is open until March 25. Thanks for visiting today.

I'm playing at:
Craft Stamper - TIMI March Anything Goes with stamping
Penny Black and More - Feature a Creature
Anything but Cute - Crazy for Colour (hope my card isn't too "cute")

Mixed Media Card Challenge #21

Well will March bring Spring or more Winter? We shall see. My daffodils and hyacinths appear to be betting on the former. Whatever, we have a Springy challenge at the Mixed Media Card Challenge this month.

Ready for some CASSY?

Definitely CAS. And messy cuz I had made a panel using the Make it Monday technique of watercolor resist over rubber cement, so I took a strip of it for this card - thus my "technique".

I traced through ARTplorations Leaf  Prints with a Sharpie, creating abstract trees and added a felt birdie and some sequins for "dimension".

I stamped a PTI Keep it Simple Birthday sentiment and voila! Join us at the MMCC won't you?

ETA: Have to join opening day over at Loll and Bonnie's new challenge CAS Mix Up cuz I've used stamping, watercoloring and stencils on this CAS card.

Mixed Media Card Challenge #20

Welcome to the month of LOVE! In blogland, for certain. In your neck of the woods, I hope.

It's time for a new challenge at the Mixed Media Card Challenge #20...

Red and hearts. Surprised aren't ya ;)

Here's my response to that.

I've got red and yellow inks smooshed onto a piece of CS. Then a heat embossed frame surrounding a stamped sentiment (PTI Heart Squared).  Added the panel onto some Amy Tangerine PP and topped it with washi tape. A few sequins add a bit of sparkle to the flow of the smooshed ink and voila!

Stamps, ink, technique, texture... got it all. CAS and messy, callin' it cassy again, I am!

Won't you join us at the MMCC this month? Remember mixed media is about stamps and ink and adding texture, dimension and technique! Even if you keep it CAS.

Joining the fun, I am:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More - #178 Holiday (considering this a non-traditional Valentine)

Uniko - Anything Goes with Love option

Mixed Media Card Challenge #19

If you are looking for my CASEplorations post, click here.

Hope you had yourself a merry, little Christmas and a happy, New Year! It's a time for new beginnings - both on the calendar and over at the Mixed Media Card Challenge! Did you get nice and mixed media messy last year with us? If not, why not join us this year?

January's challenge is all about "Beginnings". And the optional element is "sequins". Sounds like a great time for a New Year's card. Or a shaker. Or a baby card. Or how about a wedding card?

So meet my wedding card. I'm actually sharing a card published in Paper Crafts magazine back in November 2014. I think it fits the bill perfectly.

Just to give you another look at the yumminess of that Perfect Pearls shimmer... depending on the way the light hits it it looks different every time!

Mixed media card? Well, I'm sayin' yes. In addition to stamps and ink, I've got

TEXTURE - heat embossing on frame and sentiment (Papertrey)
DIMENSION - die cuts
TECHNIQUE - heat embossing, Perfect Pearls on Versamark BG (Impression Obsession)

See that sparkle and shine from the Perfect Pearls? I just love this technique. I did a tutorial on it for this card if you're interested.  Join us with a mixed media card for MMCC #19 won't you?

I'm joining the parties at:

SSS Wednesday Challenge. It's "Party" theme there this week!
Inkspirational #98 where it's non-Christmas

Mod Squad where the theme is Anything Goes with at least one die cut and

new to me Stamp, Ink, Paper #28 where it's also non-Christmas!

happy new year shaker wine bottle tag

This is the last MMCC for 2015, with a theme of "Celebration" and an optional element of "Vellum". And since it may likely be my last post for 2015, I'm taking the opportunity to wish all of you a wonderful holiday. And only the best for 2016!

I thought a wine bottle tag shaker would fit the holiday celebration quite nicely!

In addition to stamped stars and smooshed ink, I've got

TEXTURE - textured CS for my frame from Lil Inker Stitched Rectangles, vellum
DIMENSION - multiple layers, shaker, dangling numbers
TECHNIQUE - ink smooshing, shaker

See that sparkle and shine from the sequins? Definitely celebratory IMO.  It's a party on a card, tag. Join us with a mixed media card for MMCC #18 won't you?

I was inspired by:

Freshly Made Sketches #217

SSS Wednesday Challenge - Die Crazy and

Happy Little Stampers December - Star

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mixed Media Card Challenge #18

If you are looking for my CASEplorations post, click here.

If you are looking for my RIC#97 Guest Designer post, please click here.

I remember when I first started designing for the Mixed Media Card Challenge I said I was going to embrace the "cassy" (CAS and messy). "Messy" as in, you might get dirty fingers while doing it.

This is the last MMCC for 2015, with a theme of "Celebration" (as in, can you believe in a month we'll be wishing each other "Happy New Year"?!?)  and an optional element of "Vellum".

So meet my cassy card. I apologize for the photo quality - you cardmakers will totally get this - our skies today are offering nothing but "charcoal" and "concrete" as gray hues. Geesh!

How does this qualify as cassy? Lotsa white space, but I got dirty fingers stenciling the embossing paste and masking the presents (from STAMPlorations Party Mates)! How does this qualify as a mixed media card? Well in addition to stamps and ink, I've got

TEXTURE - glitter CS stars from SSS Hearts and Stars, vellum, embossing paste
DIMENSION - foam adhesive, paste, vellum shaker balloon from SSS Balloon die
TECHNIQUE - embossing paste through stencil made from Papertrey Birthday Style die

See that sparkle and shine from the glitter CS, metallic embossing paste and gold and silver sequins? It's a party on a card. Join us with a mixed media card for MMCC #18 won't you?

I'm joining the big parties at:

SSS Wednesday Challenge. It's anything goes.
Sweet Stampin. They're celebrating 6 years and looking for sparkle and shine!
Addicted to CAS #77. They're celebrating 3 years and looking for dimension!