Playing With Acrylic Paints

 Hello! Hope your Monday is off to a good start.  Mine started with computer problems but I finally got Windows 10 to open.  I was playing with acrylic paints this week - the challenge at CAS Mix Up Card Challenge is to use Acrylic Paints.  I bought some acrylic paints years ago really cheap but never used them.  So I pulled them out after watching the video tutorials links on the challenge blog.
I made a background using white cardstock and 3 colors-green umber, orange, and marigold.  I die cut a circle with Lawn Fawn Stitched Circle die and heat embossed a sentiment stamp on the circle with Versamark ink and Wow Chestnut EP. I attached this to a dark brown card base embossed with Spellbinders EF.  I thought the background looked like an artsy looking sunrise.
Challenges:
Die Cut Divas: Challenge Anything Goes
Love to Craft Challenge Blog: LICCB #44 March Anything Goes
CAS Mix Up Card Challenge: March Acrylic Paints + Stamping + Your Choice. I used die cutting, heat embossing, and dry embossing. Happy 4th Birthday to the team at CAS Mix Up Card Challenge!

For my second attempt at creating a background with acrylic paints, I used blue midnight, marigold and orange.  My results looked like a scene on the Serengeti so I heat embossed some Gina K Design stamps from Wild About You set to create a birthday card.  I tore the edges of the image and distressed the edges with a distress tool.  This would not be considered a CAS card but I like how it turned out. 

Challenges:

Seize the Birthday: Challenge #184 Anything goes for a Birthday

Modsquad Challenge: Bring on Neon or Bright colors.  Used GKD stamps. 

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

It's Cold Outside

Welcome to my warm and cozy studio! But it is cold outside! 3 degrees but feels like -6! But that is warmer than yesterday! If you go out, don't forget your mittens to stay warm.  My CAS card sends that message today.  I stamped the mittens with a Flourishes stamp from Warm Winter Wishes set by Marcella Hawley with DOI  Salty Ocean and colored with a pencil and added some sparkle with Crystal Stickles.  Sentiment stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with WOW Silver EP. The straight line was stamped with a GKD stamp using Versamark and also heat embossed with Wow Silver EP. I edged the white CS panel with Pilot Silver Marker before attaching to GKD Powder Blue CS.

Challenges:

AAA Cards: CAS Game #132 use only up to one third of your card for images and greetings. 

Creative with Stamps: #34 Mittens

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Playing with Bokeh

 Hello!  I tried something new today in the studio.  I used the Bokeh technique in making this card.  That is giving a visual look of out of focus areas as in a photograph. I have seen many cards and tutorials with this technique and thought I should give it a try.  I was inspired to so by the January challenge at CAS Mix It Up Card challenge which is the Bokeh Technique + Stamping + our choice.  I started with a blank panel of white cardstock and sponged it with 3 DOI Peacock Feathers, Broken China, and Faded Jeans. Using a template that I made with circle dies and a piece of thin acrylic, I sponged on various circles with Hero Arts White ink. This is one of those techniques when you are not sure when to stop or add more.  I stopped when my instinct told I had enough ink and circles.  With my background completed, I trimmed it to the size needed and layered on card base and cardstock layer of Turquoise and Lavender. But first I double stamped a GKD sentiment from You Have My Heart set with Versamark and heat embossed with WOW Silver EP.  I edged the Bokeh layer with a Metallic Silver Pilot Marker before attaching to the card.  Finished with some silver sequins.
I am very pleased with my first try with Bokeh and hope to do another card using water coloring and Bokeh. Checkout more information about Bokeh at CAS Mix It Up Card Challenge.
Challenges to enter:
Simon Wednesday Challenge: Simon says Something New.  I used the Bokeh Technique which is new to me.
Monthly Mix Challenge GK Designs:    January Challenge is “My Sentiments Exactly!” Use only a sentiment stamp - no images or patterned papers. This link goes to Gina K. Designs which you may not be able to go to unless you are a member?
 CAS Mix It Up Challenge: January  Bokeh + Stamping + Your Choice. I used Bokeh, stamping, heat embossing, sponging, stenciling, sequins.

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Splash of Sunshine.

Hello!  I was inspired by a recent post by Jennifer McGuire to do Block Watercolor Stamping.  I used Distress Inks Fossilized Amber, Dried Marigold, and Abandoned Coral to blend colors on a stamp block and pressed that on a panel of Watercolor Paper.  After drying, I heat embossed a GKD stamp with White EP from A Year Of Flowers 2.  Rather than trimming them out, I decided to incorporate some accidently dripped spots into my design  when I stamped a sentiment beneath the image. The stamp from Power Poppy Sunny Harvest set was heat embossed with WOW California Sunshine EP ...I sponged the area with DI Coral to pop out the words.  Finished with a Card Base of Yellow CS.

Challenges:

Just Us Girls Challenge: #401 Trend Week Ink Blending

Simon Wednesday Challenge: Simon Summer Sunshine

Artistic Inspirations Challenge:  Anything Goes with Optional Twist of Summer Colors

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa

Beginning a New Day

Hello!  In my studio, I came across a forgotten never used stamp set from Inkadinkado ....even forgot where it came from.  Probably part of a candy win.  Thought it would great to use on a card for some challenges.  Stamped Rise and Shine with Yellow ink and then used  Wow Yellow embossing powder to make pop.  The other stamp was inked with Gina K Design Black ink.  Added some of the Yellow EP to the stars. Simply edged the white panel with Black Copic and attached to a GKD Yellow CS.
Challenges:
Just Us Girls Challenge: Word Week #375 New. The theme of my card is Beginning a New Day
CAS on Sunday: Challenge #99, Black and white, with one color of your choice.
Stamp, Ink, Paper Challenge: #81 Black, White and a pop of Color

Have a great day! I love reading your comments. Theresa