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Saturday 24 July 2021

CAS Mix Up and Christmas Challenges

Hi everybody,  I'm just in time to get my cards in for the CAS Mix Up Challenge which this time is a mixed media one with the theme of Alcohol Inks on Vellum, and also the CAS Christmas Challenge for which the theme is Poinsettia.  

Here is my card for the mixed media challenge using a Waves Embossing Folder and a stamp with a pair of dolphins which came free with the latest Creative Stamping Magazine. 

I found a piece of thickish vellum and covered with a mixture of green and blue alcohol inks using some blending solution and an air blower which I bought fairly recently and was much easier than blowing through a straw.  I then embossed it using the freebie folder and sanded the surface with some very fine sandpaper to empasise the wave pattern and glued it onto a piece of copy paper before die cutting it with a square stitched die.  I stamped the dolphins onto a piece of white card and coloured them using my Staedtler Watercolour Brush Markers using a grey with a little blue mixed in applying it with a waterbrush, and then fussy cut them out.  When I had added the background and stamped the sentiment, for which I used Versafine Majestic Blue Ink heat embossed with WOW Clear Gloss Embossing Powder, I adhered them to it using some silicone glue for more dimension.I have to say that the AI's work well on vellum and it is certainly a technique which I will do again.

I am also entering the above card into the folowing challenges:

Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Create Your Own Background.
Stamping Sensations Challenge - July - For a Lady (this has been sent to a female friend and I hope she likes it).
Allsorts Challenge - Week 633/4 Feminine/for a Lady.
NBUS Challenge - Where we use our Never Before Used Schtuff.
AAA Birthday Challenge - No. 27 Use An Embossing Folder.


 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my card for the CAS Christmas Challenge using Crafter's Companion Pretty Poinsettia 3D Embossing Folder which is several years' old and doesn't seem to be readily available now.


I did emboss the whole thing onto some white card but decided to cut away the main group of poinsettias at the bottom righthand side.  This is a tip which I have heard others mention when embossing, which is to lightly spray the card which helps to stretch the fibres and this maximises the depth of the embossing, so I did this and I think that it did make a difference.  I coloured the flowers using a set of Lyra Water Brush Markers using a couple of nice bright reds and a couple of greens, and then coloured the centres with yellow, but decided to heat emboss them by adding some dots of gold gel pen and whilst still wet I added WOW Metallic Brass Embossing Powder and heat set it.  I then cut a stitched square mat and added the bold good sized sentiment from a Creative Stamping Magazine freebie set using Versafine Satin Red Ink and heat embossed it with WOW Clear Gloss EP before adding this to my 6" square white card, and finally added the corner poinsettia piece just inside the edge of the mat. 

I am also entering the above card into the following challenges: 

Merry Little Christmas Challenge - No. 36 July Anything Christmas Goes.
Happy Little Stampers July Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes + Optional: Jingle Bells.
Cardz 4 Galz Challenge - No. 151 Christmas in July.
The Male Room Challenge - No. 152 Christmas in July.



 

 

 

 

 
Thank you for your visit and I'll see you again soon.






29 comments:

Liz said...

Two fabulous cards, Pat. I love the wave effect background you’ve created for your beautiful dolphins. Your second card is so striking, what stunning poinsettias. xx

Aquarius said...

Two very different but beautiful cards. Clever work with the embossing folder and dolphins. Must give that alcohol ink idea a try. Striking results with the Christmas card and a handy tip along the way.

Jane said...

Such a fabulous embossed seascape background panel! Love your card. Thanks for playing at AAA Birthday, hope to see you join in with future challenges too. Stay safe and keep crafting!

Sarn said...

Love both cards Pat . . . but the dolphin one is my fave as you created such a wonderful background. Good tip for deeper embossing too.

Hugs, Sarn xxx

Ros Crawford said...

Two beautiful cards Pat but that dolphin card is a WOWZERS!!! I love what you did here and what a terrific effect, couldn't be more perfect!

Cathy said...

Your dolphin card is amazing Pat, love the AI colours and what a great embossing folder, not to mention the free stamps! The dolphins look so realistic. Your fussy cut embossed poinsettias have so much depth and texture, gorgeous in the bright reds and green, wonderful cards, and thankyou too for playing along at CAS Christmas, Cathy x

cuilliesocks said...

Hello Pat, I'm loving your dolphin card, it's a stunner and I love your colours and design. The background is gorgeous. I bought this edition too and guess what....no embossing folder, I was disappointed but these things happen.
A beautiful Christmas card, beautifully designed, Kate x

Linby said...

Well you've certainly put your embossing folders to good use with these cards. The effect on the first card is just amazing, it's such a tranquil card too. Your poinsettia card is so pretty. Thanks for sharing with us at Allsorts and Stamping sensations challenges.

Bonnie said...

Oh, Pat, those dolphins are so pretty and so is the background! I love the patterns of blue and green waves too! Thanks so much for this this beauty with us at CAS Mix Up! Loving those gorgeous red poinsettias too!

Christine Alexander said...

Both cards are stunning, love your AI embossed waves and amazing colouring of the embossed poinsettia. thanks for joining us at CAS Christmas :)

Marlene said...

You have a winner in the dolphin line. This card is stunning. Wonderful how people come up with amazing ideas for others to enjoy.

brenda said...

Two lovely cards Pat.

The waves on the first are so effective with the wave stencil and interesting to read you used an air blower. I was dabbling with the idea of one the other day after I indulged in the full set of Lavinia Alcohol Inks as they look to have some nice alternative colours to the Ranger ones I have.

Poinsettias are always so lovely for seasonal cards and you have achieved such dimension on this one, it's beautiful.

It's lovely to see you at Stamping Sensations and Allsorts challenges, thank you so much for joining in.

B x

Linda said...

Your poinsettias are so beautifully colored. Lovely design on this pretty card. Thanks for joining us at CAS Christmas.

Mac Mable said...

I love how you did the background on your first fabulous birthday card. The ink colours look wonderful and then the embossing on top give it so much texture. Adorable dolphins too x. Fabulous design and dimension on your beautiful Christmas card and so very pretty Pat x.

conil said...

Oh WOW!, what a treat. Came for the CAS Mix Up and also found a beautifully done Christmas card. Love what embossing folders can do to vellum, especially with a bit of judicious sanding. It serves beautifully as an ocean for those lovely dolphins. Makes for a wonderful card.
Your poinsettia care is so textural and vibrant. A festive card for your Christmas card stash. Thank you for adding your dolphin card to CAS Mix Up.

Loll said...

Oh my gosh ... your dolphin on waves card is AMAZING, Pat! LOVE the embossed waves with the ai vellum paper. What a fantastic idea to sand the tops of the waves ... they really do stand out. And your dolphins are beautiful coloured. Thanks for sharing with us at CAS Mix Up!

Gorgeous poinsettia card. The colours are so bright and happy. Another creative idea to use just part of the embossing folder. LOVE the shine from the gold! Thanks for sharing with us at CAS Christmas! xx

Pat K said...

Wow this is gorgeous Pat. Such a beautiful background with lovely rich colours of the sea. Thank you for playing along with us at Sweet Stampin. xx

nancy littrell said...

Gorgeous alcohol ink on vellum background that you then dry embossed with a wave folder...Stunning! The perfect background for your stamped dolphins, Pat. TFS your beautiful birthday card and playing along with us at CAS Mix Up. Love and Hugs, Nancy

Tracy said...

Thank you for joining Stamping Sensations with your entry, good luck.
Happy crafting
Tracy x

My Paper Epiphany said...

Wow Pat! Two amazing card! Your dolphin card is so pretty and I love the added texture! I'll have to look out for that magazine freebie! The Poinsettias have been beautifully coloured! Thanks so much for joining us at CAS Mix UP:)

MortiCraft said...

Beautiful cards! Love the waves on your dolphin card. And the beautiful colouring of the poinsettia on the Christmas card. Thanks for playing along with The Male Room. X

Leslie Miller said...

OMGosh, stop the presses! I just now saw your card at CAS Mix Up and promptly fell out of my chair. Now that I'm recovered I just have to tell you how absolutely amazing and beautiful it is. Wow! Dreamy, soothing, beautifully crafted. Thank you so much for making it for CAS Mix Up! Really loving your poinsettia card, too. The red and green pops on the white. I'm slacking on the Christmas cards and need to get busy!

Cazro said...

A beautiful, elegant Christmas card, perfect for our challenge. Thanks for sharing with us at Cardz 4 Galz. Caz. DT

Cardsbymaaike said...

Fabulous set of cards, love them both, but ofcourse the Christmas one is key in July ;-) Thank you for playing at the Male Room Challenges

Cazro said...

Me again, a really pretty card. Thanks for joining in the fun at Happy Little Stampers - Christmas challenge. Caz. DT.

Mac Mable said...

Many congratulations Pat over at CAS Mix Up with your glorious underwater scene x

Sari / Granne said...

Both of your cards are fabulous, love the bright red beautiful flowers. Thank you for joining The Male Room Christmas challenge, I hope you'll also join our Birthday party challenge.

Barbara Godden said...

Beautiful poinsettia card, beautifully coloured and the gold centers are awesome. thanks for playing along with us at Happy Little Stampers for the Christmas challenge.

Sally H said...

Two gorgeous cards, Pat! The alcohol on vellum is a fabulous background for those lovely dolphin