CRYSTAL Clear at CASology

Crystals, gems, blingy things...this 2-week CASology cue card is sure to shine!

Do you ever sit down to make a card with a clear picture in your head of how you want it to look and get to the finished product and go, "WHOA! How did I get here?? But I love it!"

So that happens to me all the time...and this card was one of those :)

I found some Shimmer Sheets (Elizabeth Craft Designs) and picked a purplish-pink one. I stamped the heart (from Neat and Tangled's "Heart of Gold" stamp set) in black Archival Ink and fussy cut it out.  TIP: I used archival because it works great on non-porous surfaces. 

The sentiment is from Ellen Hutson's "Spread the Sparkle" stamp set. I did an ombre effect going from black and dark purple to light purple.

If you head to my IG page, you can see a quick video of the shimmer effect!

The DT has some great interpretations of the cue card that might help get your creative juices flowing to play along with us and maybe win a prize from STAMPlorations!

Deepti Stephens
Jacquie Southas
Jen Wills
Joyce Mehrberg
Karen Haman
Melissa Chipperfield
Milka Gubo
Nancy Elrick
Sandie Munroe
Sue Symens

Guest Designer: Jan C. 

Sponsor: STAMPlorations

I'm also joining at CAS(E) this Sketch! 355


Thanks so much for stopping by!
xoxo Deidre

Jolly HOLLY at CASology

We're giving you 2 weeks to show us your awesome HOLLY inspired cards

over at CASology!

Merry Christmas and let's jingle all the way :)

This plaid holiday paper was calling my name...and of course I couldn't go without using a 

little pop of gold glitter tape (again lol). The stamp is sentiment stamp is from Precious Remembrance Shop and the holly berry and leaves are from Ellen Hutson.

In case you didn't know, I LOVE embossing powder. And yes, it takes some time masking off

intricate stamps, and avoiding getting the wrong color EP where you don't want it (trust me I know), but it's so worth the result!

I hope you check out the other DT member cards this bi-week and join us in the gallery!

Anna Uhras 

Bharati Nayuda
Jacquie Southas
Janet Ribet 
Jen Wills
Joyce Mehrberg
Karen Haman
Marcie Sharp
Melissa Chipperfield
Rachel Bergfeld
Sue Symens

Guest Designer: Toni

Sponsor:

I'm also playing along at CAS(E) this Sketch! #301

Happy Holidays!

xoxo Deidre

SCARY Fun at CASology

It's almost time for ghosts, goblins, and lots of chocolate candy! This week at CASology, we're crafting up some spooky goodness in our CAS cards. Our cue card is:

This card was a mashup of 3s...the classic CAS number :)

I used 3 stamp sets (Ellen Hutson's Wonky Backdrops, Hampton Arts' SC0581 for the bats, and Paper Smooches' Spookalicious for the sentiment). 

My 3 embossing powders were: Orange and Lime Green by Ranger and Urban Amethyst by Lindy's Gang.

Be sure to see the DT's awesome designs this week and play along for a chance to win a prize from Uniko!

Anna Uhras
Bharati Nayuda
Jacquie Southas
Janet Ribet 
Jen Wills (sitting out this week, but send her hugs!)
Joyce Mehrberg
Karen Haman
Marcie Sharp
Melissa Chipperfield
Rachel Bergfeld
Sue Symens

Guest Designer: Karen W.

Sponsor: Uniko

Thanks for flapping by....get it...bats...lol never mind :)

xoxo Deidre

No Rainy SEASON at CASology

CASology is back (and so am I from a great vacay) with a new cue card this week!

The old saying goes, "April showers bring May flowers." So I thought we could use a little sunshine for the rainy season :) This is a true CAS card with a little sparkle.

This Tim Holtz stencil was the perfect backdrop for the Essentials by Ellen stamp set. Some ink blending and Diamond Stickles and viola!

As usual, the DT has some great inspiration for you this week! And we have the fabulous Donna Mikasa as guest designer and a wonderful sponsor, Uniko Studios. Swing by and say hi.

Deidre Payne (that’s me)

Hannelie Bester

Hazel Hodgkins

Jacquie Southas

Janet Ribet

Jen Wills

Joyce Mehrberg

Judy Marino

Kymona Tracey

Rachel Bergfeld

Sherrie Mannion

Guest Designer: Donna

Sponsor: Uniko Sudios

I'm also sharing at AAA Cards #88 Stencil

Thanks for popping by to say hi! Have a fab artsy day!

xoxo Deidre

Life's Landmarks with CASology

It's CASology Tuesday and our new cue card is: LANDMARK.

Blame it on the phase I'm in right now in my life, but I immediately 

thought about accomplishments as landmarks and a card to celebrate them.

I watercolored some white cardstock and die cut it using the Ellen Hutson Bold Blossoms dies. I arranged them on some vellum, heat embossed my sentiment, and coated the flowers in some Wink of Stella. Lots of white space with pops of color...and very little stamping lol!

The rest of the DT has some great inspiration for you this week too! And please say hi to our guest designer!

Deidre Payne (that’s me)

Hannelie Bester

Hazel Hodgkins

Jacquie Southas

Janet Ribet

Jen Wills

Joyce Mehrberg

Judy Marino

Kymona Tracey

Melissa Chipperfield

Rachel Bergfeld

Sherrie Mannion

Guest Designer: Wendy

I'm also playing along at AAA Cards #85 Oscar Red Carpet.

Thanks for stopping by and saying hi!

Deidre

Washi what we did at CASology!

One of my most fabulous friends: "Wiki tape?? Wacky tape?? Widget tape??"

Me: "No; washi tape (LOL)!"

Regardless of what you call it, CASology is gonna challenge you to use it...and give you some inspiration to crash your stash and finally use it to do more than hold dies in place or tape down your watercolor paper---guilty as charged :)

I'm an addict for anything floral and this Mondo Magnolia die from Essentials by Ellen Hutson is totally gorgeous!

This card was super easy to make too.

• Pick out 3 different washi tape patterns and use to cover 3 pieces of cardstock that you're going to die cut (1 for each layer of the flower).
• Run each layer through  your die cutting machine.
• Adhere the largest layer directly to the card base.
• Add 2 layers of foam tape to the middle layer.
• Add 4 layers of foam tape to the center. 

Dimension, dimension, dimension, but still CAS!! The sentiment is from the matching stamp set. I loved this mix of patterns!

Crafty tip:
Intentionally offset each row of tape as you add it to the paper so the design on each layer doesn't appear so matchy-matchy (best demonstrated here with the yellow and white chevron washi).

The DT has really "rolled out" some awesome inspirations that will surely "stick" with you! 

Head on over to their blogs and show them some love.

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Deidre Payne (you're here)

Hannelie Bester

Hazel Hodgkins

Jacquie Southas

Jen Wills

Joyce Mehrberg

Judy Marino

Kimono Tracey

Melissa Chipperfield

Sherrie Mannion
Tracey McNeely

Let's see your funkiest, prettiest, underused washi designs! Have a great day :)

I'm also playing along at Addicted to CAS 

xoxo Deidre

Watercolor for Freshly Made Sketches #226

Freshly Made Sketches has a new sketch up and I was so inspired by the floral element and decorative strip across the card that I had to jump in and play along. I was asked to make a birthday card for a friend's grandmother. Here's my take on the sketch and my final card:

I am so in love with these Essentials by Ellen dies and I thought they made the perfect birthday card! If you haven't used Peerless Watercolors...get you some! OMG! They blend beautifully and are so portable and easy to work with. 

To make this card:

1. Place the blossoms die cuts on the watercolor paper (no adhesive) and use plain water to trace the outside of them so you have an idea of where to drop in the color. Set those flowers aside.
2. Add multiple layers of watercolor paint, patiently letting them dry between layers....sike, using a heat tool to dry them :) This is really loose painting, dabbing the color from a larger round #10 brush into the wet areas.
3. Adhere the blossoms to their respective areas. Note: I didn't die cut any leaves, but by dropping in green between the blossoms, I was able to achieve the look of foliage...such a magician one can be with paint :)
4. Stamp and emboss the birthday sentiment on a strip of vellum and you're all set to mat it onto a card base. Oh yeah, it's me, so don't forget the splatters!

Look at the dimension you can create with just 2 layers of die cut watercolor paper!

 

As always, thank you so much for stopping by!

xoxo Deidre

Twice is Nice at CASology!

Wowsers! Who would have guessed that my cards would win in back-to-back weeks over at that the Casology challenge blog?? There are lots of fabulous cards and talent playing along each week. Can anyone say "cloud nine" :) 

With that said, I get to guest design again this week (woo hoo!). This week's cue card: TOY. My take on it:

Design defined:
Plenty of white space and some masking help to frame your focal image.

*DISCLAIMER: Long post ahead, but lot of details lol :)

CAS(E) this Sketch!- Playing with Layers in White

This week's challenge over at CAS(E) this Sketch! left my mind racing in a hundred different directions...

My first thoughts because of the holidays were snowflakes, Christmas trees, stockings, and ornaments, but I knew there was something else stirring deep in the recesses of my brain LOL....my totally unused Wildflower Garden dies from Ellen Hutson! A little watercoloring and lots of layers and here's my card: 

Finding the layout for all the flowers was a ton of fun for a spatially challenged person such as myself LOL, just ask my brothers :) I used some Peerless watercolors and a Pitt marker to outline the flower in black for an accent. I curved the sentiment on the stamping block and stamped it in the white space created from the layout. I can't wait to put this card in the mail to a friend!

Thanks for stopping in today :) Have a great hump day!

Deidre