Stamp-a-faire 2017 - Day one

Over at Papertrey Ink, the inspiration is flowing from all the amazing artists!

I started out using the colours and inspiration pictures to create some cards for the Take 10 challenge.

 Here is my first choice:

inspiration source: Sunda Studio via Fivestar Branding Agency

I use a lot of turquoise and teal but rarely the yellowy orange shade so thought I would go out of my comfort zone.  That is why I like these kinds of challenges - they really push me!

 I did not love the layout I created for the butterflies but will still post .. I did some ombre stamping of the middle butterfly for a varied look of inking.

But then, after I finished the images I couldn't figure out where to put the sentiment!! Awkward placement perhaps, but ah well ...

Next I took a Soft Stone card base and used the same ink colours for a different look with Bold Bouquet.

 A bit of foam sheet and sentiment and that's it! :)

inspiration source: Sostrene Grene

For this black and white combo, I immediately thought of my PTI patterned paper. I love the linen texture and all the designs!  I popped a striped piece up on a foam sheet and added a Wink of Stella shimmered hello die cut. Super simple but great for a more masculine feel!

I fell in love with this inspiration pic!! I never love my watercolouring attempts but just went with it and let the ink and water move as it wanted to.

inspiration source: Wildfield Paper Co. & Callie Hobbs Photography via StyleMePretty

I took two Strathmore watercolour pieces of paper and used my Zig brush markers for colours and a paintbrush.I added a sentiment to each with some Fresh ink pigment (Provincial Grey).

It's hard to tell but I used Tsukineko Shimmer spritz and then blotted some off to add some water droplet effects.  Love the shimmer it adds!!

(mounted with foam sheet onto Enchanted Evening card base)

I got a perfect impression with the sentiments because I restamped multiple times with my trusty MISTI tool.  Otherwise it would not have been such a saturated sentiment on textured watercolour paper!

(mounted with foam sheet onto Soft Stone card base)

I'm looking forward to the rest of the challenges and will be adding some more cards to my stash as the weekend continues.  I have a packed weekend as it is so won't be able to participate in real time but I'll catch up!  

Happy stamping and hopping!

SAF 2016: Masterpiece Inspirations

Red Poppy, Georgia O'Keefe

I took my inspiration from this gorgeous poppy painting by the talented Georgia O'Keefe.  I white heat embossed Delightful Dahlia stamps on Strathmore cold press watercolour paper.  I mixed some deep reds with my aqua brush and filled in the flowers.

 I die cut the flowers and added green leaves stamped with Avery Elle celery.

 I popped these up on foam tape and added them to a woodgrain card base.

I watercoloured a piece of Strathmore paper die cut with a double ended banner and stamped the Don't Forget to Write sentiment in Versafine Onyx Black.  This was also popped up on foam tape for some dimension.

If you are looking for some gently used stamp sets, take a look here - new ones have been added.
http://cardsbycara.blogspot.ca/2016/05/stamp-set-sale.html

SAF 2016: Drips and splatters

Lizzie Jones showed some awesome techniques for drips and splatters and I had fun with this card, despite me not gravitating towards the 'haphazard' look:

I took a piece of Strathmore cold press watercolour paper which works perfectly for techniques like this - it's nice and thick.

I grabbed my basic set of watercolour paints from Michaels and started flicking in different colours - yellow, orange and red.

I added a black die cut from Don't Forget to Write and a sentiment stamped with Versafine Black Onyx.  As a finishing touch, I glittered the die cut with my Wink of Stella pen in clear.  The panel was foam mounted to an Enchanted Evening card base.  This messy technique was lots of fun!  Thanks, Lizzie, for all the tips!

If you are looking for some stamp sets, take a look here - new ones have been added.
http://cardsbycara.blogspot.ca/2016/05/stamp-set-sale.html

SAF 2016: Colour Blocking

For the next challenge I tackled, Lexi Daly showed us how to do colour blocking.

I used the Take Three die to cut a mask and did some sponging with Avery Elle mimosa, Fresh Ink Cherry and Fresh Ink Pool.

I then added a negative die cut over top with thin cuts of foam tape popped up.  I thought this added a little more drama to the colours.

For the sentiment, I stamped with Wet Paint Alphabet and City Block sentiments in Versafine Black Onyx.

What a fun and easy technique!!

If you are looking for some gently used stamp sets, take a look here - new ones have been added.
http://cardsbycara.blogspot.ca/2016/05/stamp-set-sale.html

SAF 2016: Pointillism at Play

The fabulous Heather Nichols taught us how to stamp with dots for a play on pointillism.  I tried with some flowers but I think my clear embossing powder was challenged and had a devil of a time having the embossing show up.  I salvaged the flowers and leaves but will only show a peek at that card at the end ... not my best work!!

 I decided to do some pointillism and masking instead and used a Sweet Speech die to create a post-it mask.  I added dots from Harvest Berries and Polka Dot Basics in a variety of Fresh Ink and Avery Elle colours - mint to be, steel blue, sea glass, aquamarine ...

I stamped these all on a piece of soft stone card stock that I then mounted to a white card base (Recollections 110lb white).  I added a Mini Blooms sentiment in Versafine Onyx Black.

Here's my other one .. the first try at this technique!!  Don't look toooo closely! ;)

Check out my sale of stamps and dies here:
http://cardsbycara.blogspot.ca/2016/05/stamp-set-sale.html

SAF 2016: Watercolour like a Master

The uber talented Kay Miller did a fabulous video on how to stamp and watercolour.  She made it look so easy ... I had quite a time with this one but just went with it and decided to post my rather un-masterful creation!!

I cut a panel of Strathmore 300 series cold press paper for my watercolouring.  I grabbed one of my favourite sets - Natural Beauties and stamped it using yellows and oranges from Studio Calico dye inks.  I added some smaller flowers in pinks and then leaves in a mint colour.

I used my aqua brush to move the colour around and heat set it several times between layers.  I then added the detail stamp using Versafine Smokey Gray ink.  I splattered some Heidi Swapp Gold Shine Spritz all over and misted the panel as well.

I added a Fillable Frames sentiment using Versafine Onyx Black and foam mounted the panel onto a piece of woodgrain card stock in white.  Lots and lots of foam tape to flatten the watercolour paper down!!

Even though I am not loving this card, I decided to post it anyways ... maybe I will try my hand at this technique again tomorrow ... we'll see if I have time.


Have you ever used woodgrain card stock?  It is beautiful and the texture is sooo nice!!  I bought and split two packs (the dark chocolate and white) with a friend.  I bought it here at LCI Paper.  I am thinking of getting the grey next ...

Check out my sale of stamps and dies here:
http://cardsbycara.blogspot.ca/2016/05/stamp-set-sale.html

Stamp-a-Faire 2016 farewell

I will be making more cards tomorrow but just wanted to say goodnight and farewell to all who participated!  Thank you for the amazing inspiration, videos and creations from the design team and to Nichole for organizing everything!  We are so lucky!

Here is a picture of the sunset from the seawall by my place:

Check out my stamp-a-faire creations here.

Updated stamp sale here.

SAF 2016 - Master Colour Recipes: Georgia O'Keefe

For this challenge, I took the above colour combo and made a simple (almost) one layer card.  I grabbed my Ombre Builders stamp set and some Fresh pigment inks in Sicilian Blue, Sky Blue, Blue Sage, Tuscan Olive and Silver Lilac.

I combined them by overstamping and layering the colours with my trusty MISTI stamping tool.

I then added a sentiment from the Don't Forget to Write kit using Versafine Onyx Black.  I added a few white sparkly sequins and that's it!

If you are looking for some crafty items, check out my sale here:

http://cardsbycara.blogspot.ca/2016/05/stamp-set-sale.html

SAF 2016: Gilded in Gold

Danielle Flanders knocked it out of the park on this one - loved this challenge!  I took out my gold paint since my gold leaf hasn't arrived yet and went to town.

 I cut four stitched tags out of kraft card stock and masked off an edge.  I then used a makeup sponge and the gold craft paint and painted a stripe on each.  I let them dry and then added Versafine Onyx Black stamped sentiments from Mini Blooms and Wet Paint.  I added another die cut for stability and glued the two together before punching a hole in each.

This gold paint gives some great sheen and I can't wait to use these tags!

For my next project, I took a die cut frame from the Don't Forget to Write kit and used a piece of thick perfume packaging.  I added gold to the edges and let it dry.

I cut a circle from dotted vellum and a Swoosh thanks that I also painted in gold.  I also used a Leave it Be leaf die cut in Staples grey that I stamped with Graceful Garden's thank you using Fresh ink in Tuscan Olive,  I layered these when everything was dry and adhered them using Tombo Mono Aqua.

I put lots of foam tape behind the frame and adhered it to a scalloped card base in Enchanted Evening cut from one of the Don't Forget to Write dies.

You can see in one of the pictures above I also painted an A2 kraft envelope to use for another project.  I loved using the gold paint and will definitely be coming back to this!

Check out my sale of stamps and dies here:

http://cardsbycara.blogspot.ca/2016/05/stamp-set-sale.html

SAF 2016: Starry Night

Stamp-A-Faire is off to a great start with the Starry Night challenge with Amy Sheffer's tutorial.  Wow, what an amazing card she created! I had a lot of issues creating the trees but just went with it ...

I sponged Fresh Ink in the following colours all over a piece of Strathmore 300 series cold press watercolour paper: Tuscan Olive, Sugar Plum, Navy, Turquoise, and Blue Sage.  I spritzed with a mini mister and moved the colours about, adding some more of the deeper hues.

I used some cheap watercolours from Michaels and my trusty aqua brush to paint the horizon .  I had a lot of difficulty with the trees and a sponge so had to make the area bigger to cover my mistakes! I am still not in love with the trees I created but I did my best.

I flicked some Studio Calico opaque white and Distress Ink dauber in pewter.

I added a die cut from Scripted cut in Staples grey and shimmered with my Wink of Stella clear pen.  I tried to make a thread nest but to no avail so I just added some star and silver sequins gifted to me by a kind forum friend.  I added a foam panel behind the watercolour piece and mounted it to a 110lb Recollections card base.

Check out my sale of stamps and dies here:
http://cardsbycara.blogspot.ca/2016/05/stamp-set-sale.html

Stamp-A-Faire 2016: Share your masterpiece!

Nichole and the Papertrey Ink team are kicking of Stamp-A-Faire 2016 with a 'share your masterpiece' blog hop.  Even though I don't think this is a masterpiece per se, I do quite like it.

I cut a piece of Staples light grey cardstock with one of the frames and circles from the awesome Don't Forget to Write kit from the uber-talented Betsy Veldman.

I then stamped the bird from a limited edition set (Iconic Images) repeatedly using Fresh ink Blue Sage.  I popped up the frame with foam tape and added a Hello die cut using some anaglypta wallpaper.  I love the texture this adds!  The card is very monochromatic but I quite like the colour scheme.  My card base is some 110lb white Recollections card stock - love the weight it is!

If you are looking for some crafty items, check out my sale here:

http://cardsbycara.blogspot.ca/2016/05/stamp-set-sale.html

Here's a shot from today in Vancouver, Canada.  Looking forward to Stamp-a-Faire tomorrow!  Can't wait to see all the techniques and everyone's creations!!