International Art and Soul Challenge 116

 This fortnight's challenge is hosted by my team mate Chriss, who's chosen the theme Birthday.

I started with a Nellie Snellen stamp. I liked it when I saw it on a website, and loved it when I stamped it. I coloured it with Promakkers and cut it using a Tonic die and matted it on gold mirror card cut with a Spellbinders die. The sentiment was stamped using a pre-inked stamp I've had for many years and cut with a Sizzix die. The background was created with a gell press background of distress ink. To that, I added some feathers from a Pretty Quick stamp set and added some further texture using a text stamp from Printable Heaven. For that, I used a mixture of Distress ink and Versafine Clair.

I hope you can join us this time.

International Art and Soul Challenge 115

 This fortnight, the challenge is being hosted by my team mate Maggie, and she wants something Clean and Simple.

Of course, whether something is CAS is a very subjective judgement. If you normally create something with multiple embellishments, your CAS might be someone else's complicated! I went for something without embellishment, but with matting and layering.

This is one of a series of cards I made while playing with some media plates (John Next Door). All the backgrounds shading uses either Distress Ink or a similar product from Izink. First I created the circular background using the media plate, and stamped the image using Versafine Clair. The stamp is from Studio Light. I added some texture to the background using a crackle stamp (rubber, I think Crafty Individuals). The lower background was created with the same inks and crackle stamp, but I added  splotch stamp which came with an issue of Creative Stamping magazine. I matted and layered and added the result to a gold coloured card from Tattered Lace.

Another card from the same series is:

Different colours and a square format, but only Distress Ink for the image background here, although I did use a stencil on the plate after inking but before printing. The effect is very subtle, but does add a little texture. In this instance, I used a background paper from a Papermania pad I've had for a LONG time!

I do hope you can join us this time.

International Art and Soul Challenge 114

 The challenge for this fortnight is a mode of transport, and it was chosen, and will be hosted, by my team mate Hazel.

For this, I delved into my box of Hunkydory toppers again!

The background was created using some Crafter's Companion layering stencils and distress ink. I added an embossed panel, and matted the image, so this ws a fairly simple card.

I do hope you can join us this time.