CASE Study #155

It's our final week already at CASE Study with the talented Jennifer McGuire as our muse. I've loved this month's inspiration, check out Jennifer's last card with us.

I love diagonal elements on a card, so I CASEd that along with the color scheme and pop of red focal point.

I used the geranium stamp from one of my new stamp sets Potted Garden from The Craft's Meow. I used Distress Markers to color it and did a little fussy cutting. The sentiment is from the same stamp set. The baker's twine is from SRM Stickers.

The patterned papers are from Bohemian Bazaar by Graphic45, I love the color combos in this collection.

Don't forget to visit my CASE Study team mates for lots more inspiration. Thanks for dropping by today!

Chupa
Amy Wanford
Andrea Ewen
Debby Hughes
Jean Martin
Maureen Plut
Teresa Kline
Teneale Williams
Jeanne Jachna 

Tasnim Ahmed

Maureen Merritt

Silke Ledlow

Kimberly Wiener (August Guest Designer)

Soft, romantic garden.

I've a card over on The Craft's Meow blog today using one of my new stamp sets - Cottage Garden. I used a fun stamping technique where I stamped the garden scene using a green ink (I used Memento Pistachio ink) so the outlines are really soft, then colored with coloring pencils. The stamped outlines blend nicely and the result is a soft, romantic look.

I built up the color gradually using the colored pencils, adding shading for depth. The sentiment is also from the Cottage Garden stamp set, I used StazOn Jet Black ink because the colored pencils can leave a slight sheen on the surface.

I colored the foreground with a mix of brown, purple and black and repeat stamped some of the little gravel stamps from the stamp set to add some texture. I love the artistic results you can get using this technique, I think I'll have to experiment a little more. It's a great technique to use with any floral stamps. Here's the stamp set I used today - Cottage Garden.

I'll be back tomorrow with my CASE Study card. Sorry about the lighting in the photos, ran out of daylight! (updated with new pics now!) Thanks for stopping by today! : )

Cardmaking & Papercraft Magazine (UK) Issue 121

Just popping in with some recent publications! In the current September issue (121) of Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine (UK) I've several autumnal cards. I was commissioned to do the 10 Minute Makes feature with the theme of Autumn Leaves! There are seven cards in it altogether, here are a few of my favorites.

I used lots of cardstock from the Tim Holtz and Ranger Distress Collection from Core'dinations ColorCore Cardstock, I love the texture it adds when you emboss and sand it, perfect for Autumnal cards. I used the Petite Dot embossing folder from Crafter's Companion. The button punch I used is from Marvy Uchida. Stamps are from WMS.

I finally got to use the Spellbinders Fall Foliage dies I bought a while ago, I used them to die cut some different colored felt, I love to add the warm texture of felt to fall cards.

I used some natural garden twine and some wooden buttons to add to the natural feel. I bought this twine in the hardware (DIY) store ages ago and I use it all the time!

Just one more to share, I used the Spellbinders Fall Foliage dies again and mixed it with the button punch from Marvy Uchida.

I die cut the leaves and punched the buttons then embossed them all together. I sanded the surface of them using the Sand-It Gadget from Core'dinations and then wiped them with my Dust Buddy to remove any dust. Lots of texture going on!

Oh, here they are in the magazine layout! Don't forget to pick up the latest issue of Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine (UK) for lots more inspiration.

Ok, that's all for now, working on another commission and some Christmas stamp designs for The Craft's Meow! Thanks for dropping by today! : )

Tuesday Trigger - Moxie Fab World

I found some time to play along with this week's Tuesday Trigger at Moxie Fab World! I was really inspired by the gorgeous floral pattern and delicate color combo. I thought Nina Brackett's new stamp set Folk Art Blooms from The Craft's Meow would be just perfect to create this card.

I used all Core'dinations cardstock to make this card, the white cardstock is from Core Essentials Neutrals. I love stamping onto the textured surface, it gives an almost fabric like look. I used VersaMagic Pixie Dust, Pink Petunia and Barn Door Distress Ink to stamp the flower pattern.

The sentiment is from Cottage Garden also from The Craft's Meow, stamped using Jet Black StazOn ink just because I find inks can take a little bit longer to dry on the Core'dinations cardstock surface.

I die cut the scalloped border from some Rose Embroidery Core'dinations cardstock using Spellbinders Edgeabilities Classic Scallop then embossed using the Juliet Damask embossing folder by Anna Griffin for Cuttlebug.

The pretty flower I made using some more Core'dinations cardstock and Spellbinders Rose Creations dies. Once I die cut the layers I sanded the tips of the petals to add some color variation. The centre of the flower I made using the Lace flower die from the Die'sire range at Crafter's Companion.

Oh and you still have time to WIN all 6 stamp sets from the August release at The Craft's Meow, just leave a comment on each of the blogs on the hop and on The Craft's Meow blog, you can find the full list there. Make sure you leave your comment by 8:00pm Pacific on August 23rd (Friday). Thanks for dropping by today!

CASE Study #154

It's week three already at CASE Study with the talented Jennifer McGuire as our muse. I'm loving the creativity, check out Jennifer's card this week!

I love the bands of color in Jennifer's card, along with the stamped grasses and simple white border, so I CASEd these elements.

I arranged all my strips of colored cardstock (I used the reverse side of some Core'dinations cardstock, it's slightly smoother and easier to stamp on) and trimmed to size. Then I stamped some of the flowers from Cottage Garden from The Craft's Meow in VersaMark and heat embossed in white. I love this look, I went over the inside of the stamps with a white coloring pencil.

I was thinking of stamping the sentiment in black but decided to go with all white in the end. I added just a few sequins for a touch of sparkle.

Don't forget to visit my CASE Study team mates for lots more inspiration. Thanks for dropping by today!

Chupa
Amy Wanford
Andrea Ewen
Debby Hughes
Jean Martin
Maureen Plut
Teresa Kline
Teneale Williams
Jeanne Jachna 

Tasnim Ahmed

Maureen Merritt

Silke Ledlow

Kimberly Wiener (August Guest Designer)

The Craft's Meow August Release DT Blog Hop

It's the August release DT blog hop at The Craft's Meow! All six sets are now available for purchase in The Craft's Meow store - Cottage Garden, Potted Garden, Choose Hope, Folk Art Blooms, Jar of Sunshine and Dream Catcher. You should have arrived here from Angelica's blog but if you got lost along the way visit The Craft's Meow Blog for the full list of participants. For my first card I used Cottage Garden and Potted Garden.

I had some fun masking with the tulips from Potted Garden, I created two masks of the tulips and positioned them so I could stamp the tulips twice, then remove the masks and stamp the tulips in the masked areas (that's four times altogether!). I wasn't sure how well it would work but I love the end result! I added some hollyhocks from Cottage Garden and stamped a little bit of the geraniums from Potted Garden on the right. Everything is colored using Distress Markers.

For my second card I did a little fussy cutting with the Potted Garden flowers but this would work well with the masking technique also. Again I colored them with Distress Markers. The little row of butterflies at the bottom I stamped using the butterfly from Choose Hope.

I said I'd make some more bookmarks and the dream catcher stamp from the Dream Catcher set is just the perfect size to fill a bookmark. The Dream Catcher set is the free gift with $60 purchase but you can also buy it separately. I love the Native American style, the beautiful textures and colors are stunning.

I used a Core Bookmark from Core'dinations as my base, it's fabulously smooth for stamping. A little tip when stamping the dream catcher with the mini hoop beneath, make sure you stamp the large hoop, center string, small hoop, then add the side stings and feathers to make sure there's enough space for the feathers so they don't touch the mini hoop.

I used the very cool i-rock heat setting tool from Imaginisce and some glam rocks, these were just the prefect size for the beads on the dream catcher. I also added a few feather charms. I used Distress Markers to color the dream catcher and all the edges are inked with Distress Inks - Antique Linen, Scattered Straw and Vintage Photo. I also stamped some background text using Scattered Straw and one of the sentiments from Dream Catcher.

I added lots of texture to the top of the bookmark, pom pom trim, some seam binding that I plaited, a feather and another feather charm. I didn't forget the back of the bookmark either I used some the same techniques I used on the front and stamped a mini dream catcher too!

Next up on the hop is the talented Gayatri There's a chance for one lucky person to WIN all 6 stamp sets from the August release, just leave a comment on each of the blogs on the hop and on The Craft's Meow blog. Make sure you leave your comment by 8:00pm Pacific on August 23rd! Enjoy the rest of the hop! Here are my three new stamp sets!!

Cottage Garden

Potted Garden

Dream Catcher

The Craft's Meow August Release Previews - Day 4

Hi! It's day four of previews of the August release at The Craft's Meow. Today the DT are previewing my third new stamp set Dream Catcher!! This 4x6 stamp set is also the free gift with $60 or more purchase, it will also be available to buy separately! I always had a fascination with dream catchers as a child and always had one hanging above my bed as a teenager! (I've always found the Native American culture interesting). SO this set is a build a dream catcher set, it comes with a large and a small hoop (I just love the geometric pattern), separate strings and beads, three single feathers, two double feathers, two teeny feathers and of course an array of sentiments (6 in total!). I love all the different combinations that are possible!

Here I simply colored everything with Distress Markers - Tumbled Glass, Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Scattered Straw and Antique Linen, I went over the strings in the hoop with Scattered Straw to add some more color.

I love the mix of fonts, I really tried to pick a font that complimented the subject matter, so I went for this whimsical script font. On my second card I used both the large and small hoop to make a slightly longer card.

The background cardstock is from the Vintage Collection from Core'dinations. I added a few iridescent sequins to add a touch of dreaminess!

Again I colored the dream catcher using Distress Markers - Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Scattered Straw, Antique Linen, Spiced Marmalade, Dried Marigold and Barn Door.

I hope you like my third new stamp set, it's so much fun to stamp with and would be great for cards for teenagers, it's always tricky to find images for their cards.

Don't forget to visit the rest of the DT's blogs and pop along to The Craft's Meow blog and leave a comment to be in with a chance of winning this new set. Make sure you leave your comment by 8:00pm Pacific tonight! I'll be back tomorrow for the release day blog hop!! Have a great day!