Embossing and more masking with Mudra

Hello Everyone, 

I might be on holidays (lucky me, right? :o)), but my posts scheduled for Mudra are going ahead according to the plan! So do pop over to the Mudra blog and check out what I came up with this time. 

Here's a little sneak peek: 

Also, there's a giveaway on my Instagram account, as promised - if you want to be eligible to win the prizes, make sure to pop over & follow a few steps before May 1st! 

See you soon,

Mirella

CASOMETRY CHALLENGE 3 - Stage 2 with Honey Bee Stamps

Hello Everyone,

Today I'm back with stage 2 of the CASometry Challenge by Anna Kossakovskaya. So quickly? - you may ask... Well, I know she only posted the challenge yesterday, but it just so happens that I am going away for a week on Sunday morning, and so... I didn't have much time, I had to act fast! (LOL) That also means that I will probably be a bit of a last minute entrant for stage 3, but I am really determined to make all stages this time, early or late! :o)

Before I share some more info about my card, I just want to say HUGE THANK YOU to Anna, for featuring my card in her blog post. The 6 participants might have been chosen randomly, but I am still happy (I don't need a lot to be happy, see?)!

Stage 2 - One random stamp set + using one stamp minimum 3 times

I wish you could have seen my face expression when I saw the requirements for the second stage. It's easy peasy, right? Well, not so much when your random stamp set is... a sentiment set! Although, I have so say, I brainstormed, and there are LOADS of possibilities. I just wish I had the time to explore them all! :o)

I need an anniversary card for next week (10 years together with my hubby, wow! That's quite impressive when you're only in your early 30s, right?), so in the end this is what I came up with - and do bear with me, please, as this is a card that was REALLY hard to take photos of:

I know it's hard to see, so let me explain a bit: the panel is matted with gold foil paper. The background is patterned paper. On top, we have a vellum heart (I wish I had thicker vellum... but in person it is much more visible than in the pictures...), and the sentiment on the heart is heat embossed with gold embossing powder. And I used HAPPY three times, see? :o) Actually, I used it 4 times - see the last photo, showing the sentiment inside the card...

I am super happy that I got to use the stamp set by Honey Bee Stamps - that font is absolutely amazing! That's another set from my NBUS (Never Before Used Stamps) pile, woohoo! 

I am entering the card into:

CASometry Challenge 3 - Stage 2  (used "happy" stamp 4 times)

I hope hubby enjoys his card. I know it's a bit girly, but in the end - it's kind of for both of us, right? :o)

Take care and I'll be back after my holidays,

Mirella

SUPPLY LIST (please see affiliate disclaimer & essential supplies info here):

Patterned paper: Teresa Collins You are my happy 6x6 pad

Crafter's Companion: Printable vellum

Embossing Powder: Stampendous, Detail Gold Opaque
Heart Die: by XCUT
Gold foil paper: from my stash

Big Hugs with Neat and Tangled

Hi Everyone,

It's me again! I have been making quite a few cards recently, and whilst I definitely post more creations on my Instagram account than here on my blog, I am trying to post here more often also, if only time allows me to. 

Today's card has been inspired by a challenge over at Seven Hills Crafts, and the Little Tangles one - I have to say, participating in challenges is really fun! Truth be told, the prizes are kind of secondary for me (although I won't lie, I love winning every now and again LOL) - what is truly great about the challenges, is that they often push you to go outside of your comfort zone and try something new - be that a colour combination you would have never thought about, a new design/layout, or a new product/technique. Not to mention that the deadlines push me to create more, which is always a fantastic bonus! :o)

We have had some wonderful sunny days here in Helsinki recently, but it is still cold. I am going on vacation next week, to a warmer part of the world, and I honestly can't wait! In the meantime, I am trying to cheat my mind a bit, and convince it that it's already proper spring - by using loads of colours in my creations. 

Here's the newest one:

The colour combination was inspired by the sequin mix by Neat and Tangled that I used on this card. The background was created - of course - with my beloved Distress Inks (honestly, what would I do without them!?). The "Big hugs" die is one of my recent purchases, and I have loads of ideas for it - I'm so happy that I got it! 

I used the Wink of Stella glitter pen in gold to create little splatters all over the panel, but they're not easily visible in the photos:

I am entering the card into the following challenges:

Seven Hills Crafts - April Sketch challenge

Little Tangles - Watercolour

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Splash it on (there are golden splashes on the front panel, not very well visible in the pictures)

Sugar Pea Designs - Mix it up challenge #30 SPDMIU30

Sending big hugs,

Mirella

SUPPLY LIST (please see affiliate disclaimer & essential supplies info here):

Crafter's Companion: Printable vellum

Spellbinders Oval Dies

CASOMETRY CHALLENGE 3 - Stage 1 with Jane's Doodles Cactus

Hi Everyone,

Have you heard of the CASometry Challenge by Anna Kossakovskaya? It's the third one she's hosting, but sadly only the first one I'm going to participate in. Here's to hoping that I'll be able to participate in all stages! :o) I did kind of participate in the first one, but I started it too late, so I only did it by myself, without truly taking part officially. 

You can find all of the details & information about the challenge here. 

I randomly chose the first stamp set from my NBUS (Never Before Used Stamps) basket, and I have to say - I got a bit worried when I saw what I picked. Not that I don't like the set - I really do (which is why I bought it!), but the reason I got it was to try going out of my comfort zone, and it looked like the time for "going out of my comfort zone" has come! Eek!

Now that the card is finished, however, I have to admit - I'm delighted that I finally got to play with these images! I am already looking forward to making more cards with these cacti! Huge thanks, Anna, your challenge is already proving successful! :o)

The original idea behind Anna's challenges used to be CAS (Clean and Simple) cards - again, not something that I normally apply to my card designs. This time round, you're not required to make CAS designs only, but I might give it a go, to further push myself. Let's see if I manage to keep it up...

STAGE 1: One random stamp set + any geometry shape

I am entering the card into the following challenges:

CASometry Challenge 3 - Stage 1 

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Splash it on
I Love ProMarkers - Anything goes (images coloured with ProMarkers)

I hope you like it!

Mirella

SUPPLY LIST (please see affiliate disclaimer & essential supplies info here):

Clairefontaine Paint On Mixed media kraft paper
Watered down White Gesso (for the splatters)
Double sided foam tape - alternatives posted below

Introduction to UNIKO stamps

Hi Everyone,

Happy Easter Monday! 

As you know, I am Polish, and in Poland we have quite a funny tradition on Easter Monday, which - loosely translated - can be called "Wet Monday". Depending on the regions, it's celebrated differently, but in my corner of Poland we basically drench each other with buckets of water - and very often it doesn't matter if the recipient is happy to get soaked or not, I'm afraid. In theory, it's meant to be a bit more sophisticated, and boys/men are meant to SPRINKLE girls/women with water (or sometimes perfume - imagine the smell!), but that rarely happens :o) You can read some more on it here. I do hope, however, that it's not applied too heavily this year, as from my understanding from my Polish relatives - it's rather cold at the moment! 

But enough of the chatter...

Have you heard of UNIKO stamps? If you haven't - you have to check them out --> click! I was lucky enough to win two of their stamp sets recently, and I have to say that it was a really hard choice to make - to choose only 2 sets! The owner is super friendly, too, and very responsive, which is always a bonus. They are a UK based company, but they ship worldwide, and let me tell you - their prices are really REALLY affordable. I have played with one of the stamps already (which, seeing that I only got it a short while ago, is a big thing for me!), and so far am very happy with the quality of it. Hopefully it stays that way :o)

Here's the card I made. It's very very simple, but bright and cheerful. I think I need spring. BADLY. The layout was inspired by the current challenge over at Seven Hills Crafts. 

I am entering it into the following challenges:

Seven Hills Crafts - April sketch challenge

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Spring colour inspiration 

Isn't that dotted background stamp by UNIKO really cool? I really like it, and if I was to change anything about it - I'd love to also have it in a full 4.25 x 5.5 inches size... hint hint Bev! ;o)

Wishing you a fab day, who knows - maybe you'll get wet?! 

Mirella

P.S. Oh, and if you want to try Uniko stamps yourself - you might want to be my Instagram follower, as I just *might* have a little giveaway soon! 

SUPPLY LIST (please see affiliate disclaimer & essential supplies info here):

Background stamp - Background blocks halftone by Uniko