So Many Masks.....

 

Well, I guess it's time I let you all in on a little secret.....I've been chosen by the lovely Eva Bussom over at Can You Case It to be this week's Guest Designer. To say I'm a little bit excited is just a little bit of an understatement!! Thank you Eva for the opportunity to share my love of stamping with your followers.

 

This is the challenge for this week.....a colour challenge.

 

 

 

I've taken these colours, along with the neutral shades of black to create 3 cards, all of which use a variation on the masking technique. 

 

Here they are.....

 

 

This first card uses a masking technique I taught at my last technique class, which was called Masked Die Cuts, but I've adapted it to be Masked Fussy Cuts!!!  I stamped the lily image from Remarkable You onto the cardstock, then again onto a sticky note.  I fussy cut around the image, then stuck it over the stamped image.  I used my sponges to add colour around the edges of the stamped image.  Then I used my Stamp'n'Write marker to add a bit of colour to the stamen and stem of the image.  I also added some bling with my Wink of Stella Clear Pen.

 

 

Here's a close up of the masking, and I think you can just see a little of the Stella.

 

 

 

 

The next card uses the mask to create a negative space which allows the sentiment to shine.  I've used the 3 step stamp "What I Love" from the Sale-a-Bration Catalogue for this card. 

  

 

 

And lastly, I have used my acrylic block as a stamp to create the background printed blocks.  Then I've used my sticky notes along the edges of these background stamps to create a boarder.  Next I stamped the leaf image from Kinda Eclectic in differing places inside the background blocks. This allowed my card to be balanced and also striking and elegant in it's simplicity.

   

 

And don't you just love those little butterflies?  Papillion Potpourri is still one of my most favourite sets, even though it's a few years old now.

 

Don't forget to hop on over to Can You Case It and play along.

 

Stamps: Kinda Eclectic, Remarkable You, Papillion Potpourri, Petite Pairs, Flowering Fields, Circle of Spring,

Colours: Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise, Pool Party, Daffodil Delight, So Saffron, Hello Honey, Memento Tuxedo Black, Pear Pizzazz

Other: Basic Pearls, Basic Rhinestones, Butterfly punch, sticky notes, Wink of Stella Clear.

 

Happy Stamping....Manda xx

Hello 2016.....

 

Wow....a new year..... 2016 ...... and what's more fitting but some calendars. 

 

I've used some blank coasters to make these little gifts, but you could just as easily repurpose one that is already printed (just make sure that you cover the printed side!!).

 

I've enjoyed playing with the new Wink of Stella brush from the Occasions Catalogue.....it's just like our aquapainters, but loaded with gorgeous clear glitter.  I just loved how you can put the shimmer exactly where you want it!!  Here are some close ups of the focal images....

 

Lillies (I think?) from Remarkable You (with some paper piecing)....

 

Butterflies from Nature's Perfection (retired)....

 

And the flower is also from Nature's Perfection. ....

 

And here is my favourite calendar, just so you can see clearly what I've done.  The floral image is again from Nature's Perfection, and these butterflies are from Papillion Potpourri.

 

Stamps: Papillion Potpourri, Remarkable You, Petite Petals, Flower Shop, Nature's Perfection

Colours: Old Olive, Tangello Twist, Whisper White

Other: English Garden DSP, Tangello Twist striped satin ribbon, rhinestones, pearls.

 

Happy Stamping.....Manda xx

Remarkable Dreams.....

 

I've been asked to make a few 'special' cards lately, large A5 cards for my workplace to sign for those who are leaving at the end of the year.  I've made this one for a lovely young lady who has chosen not to return next year, as she wants to pursue her wish to teach kindy.

 

Now despite her being my son's teacher, I really don't know her all that well, so it took me a little while to 'find' the card.  Sometimes I know exactly what I am going to do....not this time!!  But once I settled on a  colour scheme and my embellishments, it all came together fairly easily. 

 

Of course, I did take inspiration from Addicted to CAS and Can You Case It?

 

 

I've created dimension with lots of layers.  Leaves stamped, leaves die cut and glued straight down, then glue dots, and then dimensionals.  Add in the Blossom Accent embellishments, and there's the top layer!   I deviated from the sketch just a little, by moving the sentiment to lower on the card front.

 

 

Colours: Watermelon Wonder, Cucumber Crush, Tip Top Taupe, Hello Honey, Delightful Dijon, Whisper White.

Stamps: World of Dreams, Remarkable You

Other: Rhinestones, Blossom Accents.

 

Happy Stamping.....Manda xx

Blue Watercolouring....and Whoops!!

I recently ran a technique class all about watercolouring....we made 4 different cards using 4 different watercolouring techniques.....this technique is called Embossed Watercolouring.

I really love the blend of blues in this flower.....Night of Navy, Marina Mist and Pool Party.

The whole card....with Pear Pizzazz Leaves......

 

Now....you might look at this and think

#1.... Those leaves don't look like Pear Pizzazz .....

 

or

 

#2..... That card looks warped.... or have I had too much Champagne???

 

Hehe....

 

Well, we invented a new technique which really fit into the watercolour class well.....it's called spilling your tea onto the card and look what happens!!  Watercoloured leaves.  I actually really like the blend of brown and green

 

And based on this I'd like to enter this card, crunkles and all, into the Can You Case It? challenge for this week.  My inspiration comes from Theresa for the blue palette, and Pam for the wash effect, even if mine wasn't intentional!! 

 

 

Stamps: Work of Art, Remarkable You

Colours: Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Pool Party, Pear Pizzazz, Very Vanilla

Other: Metallic Gold Thread, White Embossing Powder, Watercolour Paper, Aquapainter. Deco Label Framelits

 

Happy Stamping....Manda xx

 

More Remarkable Friends....

 

Another of my crafty friends is having a birthday.  This lovely lady likes all things CAS ..... Clean and Simple.  So of course, that's what I tried to do with this card.  Also her favourite colour is yellow, so out came the Daffodil Delight stamp pad!!!

 

Oh....and of course a girls got to have some bling!

 

Here's what I came up with.

 

 

Hope your day was fabulous :-)

 

Colours: Memento Tuxedo Black, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White

Stamps: Remarkable You, Petite Pairs

Other: Basic Rhinestones, Clear Block D

 

Happy Stamping....Manda

Remarkable Friends.....

I just love this stamp set.....It's one of my favourites from the Annual Catalogue....and I don't seem to use it enough.  But for a friends 50th, I had to use it!!  She loves colouring, but she usually chooses a different medium.  I thought I do some watercolouring for the flowers, and I used my Stamp'n'Write makers for the leaves....

 

 

And here's the full card...... Hope your birthday was fabulous!!!

 

Stamps: Remarkable You, Happy Birthday Everyone

Colours: Whisper White, Watermelon Wonder, Cucumber Crush, Wild Wasabi, Smokey Slate

Other: Watercolour Paper

Remarkable Gifts.....

It was my BFF from work's birthday, and I wanted to give her something special to celebrate her special day. 

 

Surprise, surprise......I used Remarkable You!!  I've heat embossed the water lily images, and then watercoloured it with an aquapainter and stamp pads.

 

 

Then I've framed the image, in this fantastic embossed photo frame....I love the classic and clean white of the frame.

 

 

Stamps: Remarkable You

Colours: Cucumber Crush, Pink Pirouette, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Smokey Slate

 

Happy Stamping.....Manda xx

More Remarkable....

 

On the weekend, I was asked to make a 60th birthday card for  lovely lady who works with my mother at her office.

 

I decided to use my new favourite set, Remarkable You. I fussy cut the flowers out, and mounted them on dimensionals above the leave background stamping.

 

Hope you like it!! 

Stamps: Remarkable You, Memorable Moments (retired)

Colours: Cucumber Crush, Watermelon Wonder, Whisper White

 

 

Happy Stamping.....Manda

Remarkable You.....

 

This is an amazing set.....I just love the bold outlines of the images, which are just great to colour.  May favourite way to colour them is to emboss the outlines and then watercolour the image.  I've used this technique in the cards for this weeks CAS(E) this Sketch challenge.

 

Here is a close up of the colouring for the Elegant Eggplant water lily......

 

And the Watermelon Wonder flower......(not sure of the bloom, but please let me know if you do......I'm florally challenged!!)

 

And here are the full cards......

 

 

Stamps: Remarkable You, Happy Birthday Everyone

Colours: Watermelon Wonder, Cucumber Crush, Perfect Plum, Elegant Eggplant, Very Vanilla

Other: Black Embossing powder, Watercolour Paper, Aquapainter

 

Happy Stamping....Manda xx