Most wonderful time of the year

Hello friends!

I'm sharing a card that I made using the die from Impression Obsession- Birds Songbird branch. I had won this beautiful die in one of the card making challenges long ago, but I only got a chance to use it now.

I started by sponging the corner of a card panel using distress inks (tumbled glass and salty ocean) and splattering a few drops of water over the sponged area for some texture. Next, I die cut the branch with the birds multiple times--once using the black card stock and the remaining using a white card stock. I then carefully cut out the birds from the white die cut and adhered these birds over the black die cut after ensuring that the birds are suitably positioned. The birds were sponged using the Fired Brick distress ink. I decided to complete this little scene by adding a "Sun" and a "cloud" to it, both of which are the die cuts created with Sizzix dies. Sentiment is from Your Next Stamp stamp set- Snow Wonderful.

Linking this up to
CASology week 358| Branch

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great weekend!

No-line watercolouring with distress inks

I tried some no-line watercolouring this weekend. I follow the work of a few crafters who are excellent with this technique (Pooja from Reusing, cards and quilling; Debby Hughes from Limedoodle designs, Kristina Werner from K Werner design, just to name a few) and have been wanting to try this technique myself.
Here's the card I made:

I admit, it look me quite a long time to colour this small image; definitely not easy and requires practice.

To start with, I stamped the image from MFT-Santa's elves, on a cold-pressed watercolour paper using Antique linen distress ink and coloured the image using distress inks. I heat embossed the 'stars' from the same stamp set using clear embossing powder, limiting the stamping to the upper one-third portion of the card panel. Next, I sponged some distress inks (tumbled glass, salty ocean, faded jeans, black soot) over the upper one-third part of the card panel to create a 'starry sky' effect.
The sentiment is also from the same stamp set, which was heat embossed using clear embossing powder after stamping with Versafine onyx black ink. I mounted this card panel along with the pastel yellow textured card panel, used for the matting, over a 5 by 7 inches card base. Those enamel drops were added in the end to add some interest.

Would love to know what you think about this one! Thanks for stopping by.

Linking the card to
Timeout challenges#150- Merry and cheerful

MFT Color Challenge#131

CrafTangles Monthly Challenge#12- Christmas

Inked background with an uncoloured image

I got my distress inks out after ages, or so it seems. I have always enjoyed making inked backgrounds by sponging distress inks; however, I had overused my sponge-daubers and ink blending foams owing to which they were badly worn out! I got my new ink blending tools from Amazon (Thanks, Ishani, for the recommendation). These work beautifully with Iris cardstock.

Now onto my card.

I sponged the distress inks (fossilized amber, squeezed lemon, spiced marmalade) over the top edge of a 5 by 7 card base. Next, I sprinkled some water droplets randomly over the sponged area using a paint brush and I dabbed over these drops lightly using a tissue paper; this step lifts some water off the sponged area, giving a beautiful texture. Because I wanted to add some shimmer, I sprinkled some silver paint from the Gansai Tambi watercolour paint set. The effect looks beautiful in real.

Next, I added a strip of black coloured card stock with a heat embossed sentiment, on the card base using double-sided foam tape. I stamped the Elf image on a piece of Iris card stock, fussy cut, and adhered it over the sentiment strip, using double-sided foam tape. I decided to leave it uncoloured, mainly for two reasons: 1) I liked the effect of black-and-white image against a vibrant background and 2) I was running out of time and had to finish making this card quickly ;)

What do you think? Yay or nay?

Have a great Sunday, folks!

Linking this card to the following challenges:
AAA cards- CAS game#155- Along the edge (I chose to skip the optional twist)

Happiest of holidays

Hey there!

Sharing a clean and simple (CAS) Christmas card today. Although I enjoy trying out new techniques and interesting card designs, it feels satisfying to keep things CAS.

That cute little tree die cut is from the newly released Chapter 4 dies from Sizzix. The sentiment is from My Favorite Stamps-Santa's elves. I love how simple and tiny that font is; perfect for a CAS card! The tiny heart die cut is again from Sizzix.

Th started by smudging the centre of the card with Gansai Tambi Gold paint. The little tree got its sparkle from the Papericious frosting powder (by Rajni Chawla ma'am. Thank you for this gift, ma'am). 

That's all for now, friends! 

Have a nice weekend, ya'll!

Linking this card to

CrafTangles December challenge- Christmas

The Card Concept #125 {Home for the Holidays}-- I was inspired by the colours and overall Christmas vibe of the inspiration picture.

Simon Says: Traditional Christmas

HLS December Christmas Challenge

Time Out Challenge #150 - Merry & Cheerful

Perfectly CAS challenge#3- Christmas--I came to know about this new challenge in the blog land and I love their criteria for explaining the CAS style. If you are a CAS lover, you should check it out too. Love the inspiring work by their DT.

Bridge Card

  A few days ago, I watched a video by Jennifer McGuire where she shared a very interesting card design technique- Bridge cards. I LOVED how beautifully and simply she explained the technique. I tried making a similar card using my new dies and stamps from Sizzix.

The background was sponged using distress inks to mimic the soft winter sky. The stamped and die cut images were colored with Zig marker pens.

The most interesting thing about this kind of card is that although it looks dimensional, it easily slides inside an envelope, which makes it easily mail-able! As soon as the recipient removes the card from its envelope, it pops open to its dimensional form. It also makes a cute keepsake adorning a side table, as it can stand on its own.

Here's the ink to Jennifer McGuire's amazing tutorial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsKsjW_M1M4

Products used:

Sizzix Big Shot Plus Machine (White and gray)(660020)

Sizzix Framelits W/stamps- Folk Christmas (663671)

Sizzix Framelits w/Stamps- Christmas Classics (663670)

Distress inks

Heat embossing powder- Lindy's Stamp Gang- Mistletoe

Zig brush pens

Ranger's heat embossing tool

Iris Sg card stock

Ink blending tools (locally bought)

Fevicol MR glue

How do you like it? Have you ever tried making a bridge card?

One for the Holiday Season

Hello, hello my dear blogger friends!

How have y'all been?

I've been MIA from the blogland since several months; I'm still learning how to find that (elusive) balance between managing my new job (that I joined in March this year), home and children. Experienced ladies, I could use some time-management tips from you ;)

I managed to make a couple of cards last weekend! Yayy for that! ;)

I'm sharing one of those cards in my post today.

The cutie image is from Your Next stamp-Sprinkles-Coffee and Tea and the sentiment is from My Favorite Stamps-Hug in a mug.
I started by slightly sponging the center of a 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 inches card front with distress ink (ground espresso). Next, I stamped a few snowflakes from the aforementioned MFT stamp set, using Memento ink (summer sky) for stamping. The main image was colored using Zig brush pens and it was adhered to the sponged area using double-sided foam tape. Finally, I stamped the sentiment and finished off my card with some color-coordinated sequins.

Linking this card to

Inkspirational challenge #201- Naughty| My card features a naughty bunny in the cup :)
Addicted to stamps and more challenge #369| CAS
Would love to know if you liked this one.
Thank you so much for stopping by.


Hugs!