Focus on Background

Hello Everyone!
Всем привет!

Today I'll share two cards. Both are pretty simple, but their backgrounds are not so simple. The first one is made using a new technique - so called Bokeh. Here is my card:

Сегодня я покажу 2 открытки. Обе довольно простые, хотя фоны сделаны в хитрых техниках. Первая  - сделана с использованием новой для меня техники, т.н. боке.

I'm linking this card to The Friday Mashup! Challenge #174. We were invited to use the Bokeh Technique or to use Die Cuts, or mash it up - create a Bokeh Project using Die Cuts. I decided to mash it up!

Я подаю эту открытку на конкурс The Friday Mashup! Challenge #174. Задание конкурса использовать технику боке, или вырубные ножи или все смешать и сделать проект в технике боке с вырубками. Я решила смешать!

You can check this technique on WPlus9 Youtube Channel here.
Подробное видео с демонстрацией техники можно посмотреть на Youtube канале WPlus9 здесь.

The second card is made for my favourite Merry Monday Christmas Challenge. This is the 123rd challenge already, and Bonnie is hosting it. She challenges us to create the Christmas card with a wreath.

Вторую открытку я сделала для моего любимого конкурса Merry Monday Christmas Challenge. Это уже 123й конкурс, и в этот раз задание от Bonnie - использовать венок в открытке.

This is the first time this year when I pulled out my favourite Wreath For All Seasons from Papertrey Ink and had a chance to play with Tim Holtz stencil Harlequin. Here is my take on the challenge:

Первый раз в этом году я достала мной обожаемый венок Wreath For All Seasons от Papertrey Ink и опробовала трафарет Harlequin от Tim Holtz:

Here is a closer look at the wreath. Do you see the reason I love this stamp for?
Вот фото покрупнее. Теперь заметно, почему я люблю этот штампик?

I'll link up both cards to Wednesday Challenge at Simon Says Stamp, because it's... Anything Goes this week!
Также я выставляю обе открытки в конкурсе Wednesday Challenge от Simon Says Stamp, потому что на этой неделе Свободная тема.

I am happy to welcome Katie Melhus from Sweet n Spiffy to my blog.
Я рада приветствовать Katie Melhus со Sweet n Spiffy в качестве нового постоянного читателя моего блога.

If you visited my blog for the first time and are interested in following it, take a chance to win a card from Sweet Kobylkin. The rules of giveaway are here.
Если Вы впервые зашли в мой блог и готовы стать постоянным читателем, у Вас есть шанс выиграть открытку от Sweet Kobylkin. Условия лотереи здесь.

Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment!
Спасибо, что заглянули и оставили сообщение!


Card I
Cardstock: PTI White, Water-colour paper
Stamps: PTI Mini Blooms, SSS Card-Exchanging Friends
Inks: Stazon Jet Black, Dovecraft Pigment Ink Jet Black
Dies: Poppystamps Nestled Bird
Other: HA EP Sparkle, Dudlebug Sprinkles Limeade Assortment

Card II
Cardstock: PTI White, Rustic Cream
Stamps: PTI Wreath For All Seasons, Signature Christmas
Inks: DI Barn Door, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, Frayed Burlap, PTI Dark Chocolate, Stazon Jet Black
Dies: PTI Layerz Mat Stack
Other: TH Stencil Harlequin, PTI Ribbon Pure Poppy, Ranger Distress Embossing Ink, Tsukineko EP Candy Red

TYIC #4 and Giveaway!

Hello Everyone!
Привет всем, кто заглянул!

Today I decided to start writing in both languages, English and Russian, to reach also the Russian speaking cardmakers. I believe there are a lot of people addicted to stamping, but not everyone has fluent English. Okay, it will take more time to blog, but I hope it will be more fun!

Сегодня я решила начать писать сразу на двух языках - английском и русском. Мне кажется, что увлеченных штампингом уже достаточно много, но, возможно, читать по-русски для некоторых проще. На каждое сообщение будет уходить больше времени, но, наверно, будет веселее!

Now I'd like to share a tag I made for one of my favourite challenges Tag You're It! #4. There is a beautiful inspiration from Marion Vagg.

Ну а теперь покажу ярлычок, который я сделала в рамках задания конкурса Tag You're It! #4, вдохновившись вот этим прекрасным примером от Марион Вагг:

Marion's water-coloured flower inspired me to create my tag. Основным вдохновением для меня послужили цветы и акварель:

And again I used my favourite combination of heat-embossing and water-colouring. This time I applied water-colouring technique presented by Dawn Woleslagle from WPlus9. I found it interesting to splash randomly colours that have been used as a final touch.

Уже не в первый раз использую мое любимое сочетание - горячее тиснение и акварель. В этот раз применила технику, показанную Доной из WPlus9 в этом ролике. Так же как и она, я сначала отпечатала горячим тиснением цветок на акварельной бумаге, затем смочив весь ярлык чистой водой, начала слоями наносить акварель. Основной смысл техники заключается в раскрашивании за границами тиснения с постепенным размыванием оттенка чистой водой. Мне показался симпатичным заключительный аккорд - разбрызгивание оттенков, которым пользовались, поверх законченного рисунка. Дон подмешивала золотую пудру в акварель для придания блеска, но я не стала в силу разных гамм наших работ.

Now I'd like to thank Bonnie from Stamping with Klass and Ardyth from MASKerade for joining my blog. So far there are just a few followers, but I hope more people interested in cardmaking will join my blog. And that's why I decided to make a giveaway. I created ten cards specially for this reason:

А теперь я хочу поблагодарить Бонни со Stamping with Klass и Ардит с MASKerade за то, что они присоединились к моему блогу. Пока регулярных читателей моего блога еще не очень много, но я надеюсь, что любители кардмейкинга будут присоединяться к моему блогу. А потому я решила провести лотерею. Вот таких 10 открыток я сделала специально для лотереи.

I do continue playing with wonderful Altenew geometrical stamps, I just love them! I will mail these Christmas cards to ten lucky persons from any country in the world. If you are interested in taking a chance to get one of these cards, please join my blog, leave a comment to this post and put a hashtag #SKGIVEAWAY. I'll run giveaway until Tuesday, September 30, 10:00 CEST (08:00 UTC)
I will announce ten randomly chosen persons the same day at 20:00 CEST (18:00 UTC). Welcome to my blog!

Я продолжаю экспериментировать с волшебными геометрическими штампиками от Altenew, они просто супер! Итак, я вышлю по почте эти открытки 10 счастливчикам в любой город или страну. Если Вы готовы попытать удачу, присоединяйтесь к моему блогу, комментируйте это сообщение и ставьте пометку #SKGIVEAWAY. Участвовать в розыгрыше можно до 30 сентября 12:00 по Москве (10:00 CEST, 08:00 UTC). В этот же день вечером в 22:00 по Москве (20:00 CEST, 18:00 UTC) я объявлю 10 случайно выбранных победителей! Добро пожаловать в мой блог!



Tag
Stamps: WPlus9 Very Vintage Greetings 
Dies: PTI Tag Sale #5
Other: HA Ultra Fine Embossing Powder, Ranger Distress Embossing Ink, Stazon Jet Black

Merry Week

Hello Everyone!
It's been a really a great week for me. I am happy to welcome the first three followers of my blog: Sid from Harpies Crafty Corner, Viv from Daizy-Mae's Crafty Blog, and Heidi Weaver from Stampin Along With Heidi. Thank you for joining my blog!
On Wednesday I was selected as one of the winners for The Card Concept Challenge #16 - Create a Wedding Card. I've never created a wedding card so far. However, this time inspiration was so beautiful from the members of DT that I succeeded to make one that I dared to submit. I'm grateful to Sue for choosing my card.
As most of the cardmakers I am also a shopoholic for stamps and other supplies. And this week received the first order from Altenew by Tasnim Ahmed. I waited for several of her wonderful sets to be back in stock to SSS, but then decided to order directly. Despite the International shipping my order arrived incredibly fast. Thank you, Tasnim, for your beautiful stamps and a hand-written note, this is very pleasant.
I didn't wait for too long to start playing with Altenew stamps. Here is the first card I made using Sohcahtoa set:

This card was inspired by Festive Friday Challenge #38. This challenge invited to use black, white and kraft for a Christmas card.

I used only triangles to create my card and I will enter it also to Addicted to CAS #45 Challenge:

The second card I'd like to share tonight is for Merry Monday #122. Sue is hosting this challenge and asks to use black, gold and silver:

Here is my take on the challenge:

Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your weekend!


Card I
Cardstock: PTI Kraft
Stamps: Altenew Sohcahtoa, PTI Tree Trimming Trio
Other: Ranger Distress Embossing Ink, Ranger Super Fine Detail EP White
Inks: Stazon Jet Black, HA Shadow Ink Red Royal

Card II
Cardstock: PTI White, True Black, DCWV Glitter Cardstock
Stamps: Stampendous Winter Trees
Dies: MB Large Classic Number Set, IO , WPlus9 Clear Cut Stackers Stars
Other: SSS Stencil Falling Snow, Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste Metalic Gold, Ranger Distress Embossing Ink, Martha Stewart EP Silver

CASE Study 4th Anniversary II

Hello Everyone!
Today I'd like to share my CASEing of Gayatri Murali's card, which was inspired by Laura Bassen's card, made for CASE Study 4th Anniversary blog hop.

Both wonderful cards inspired me to try a stencil with vibrant colours. Here is my take on the challenge:

I kept the major elements of both cards: the rainbow sponged background, the black intricate shape and the layered banner for the sentiment.
Thanks for visiting! Have a nice evening!

Cardstock: PTI White, True Black, DCWV Glitter Cardstock
Stamps: PTI Strawberry Patch Sentiment
Inks: DI Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean and Faded Jeans, Stazon Jet Black
Dies: MB Vivienne Butterfly, MFT Die-namics Sentiment Strips
Other: HA Stencil Zig Zag Pattern

CASE Study 4th Anniversary

This is the second post for today, this time dedicated to CASE Study 4th Anniversary and blog hop featuring the former Muses and the present DT members. I found very inspirational Maureen Merritt's card CASEing a card by Debby Hughes.

I loved the colour combo: pink, gold, black and white, the sketch and a mix of textures: transparent vellum, solid black and sparkling gold. I couldn't help myself CASEing Maureen's card:

The focal point is a solid heart sponged with Distress Inks through Zig Zag stencil and covered with a vellum Serafina Heart die-cut sprayed with gold colour shine.

Thank you for stopping by and leaving me a comment. Have a nice evening!



Cardstock: PTI White, True Black, Stamper's Select Vellum
Stamps: Kelly Purkey Dude
Inks: DI Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry and Spiced Marmalade
Dies: MB Cupid Heart and Serafina Heart, SSS Small Love You, MFT Die-namics Sentiment Strips
Other: HA Stencil Zig Zag Pattern, Ranger Super Fine Detail Embossing Powder White, Ranger Distress Embossing Ink, Heidi Swapp Color Shine Gold, MME Enamel Dots Market Street, and Cartwright's Sequins Gold

Merry Monday #121

Hello Everyone!
Time for a new card for Merry Monday Challenge. Wendy is the Hostess and she invites to use pinecones, greens with plaid ribbon:

Here is my take on this challenge. This time I made a monochromatic card:

I stamped the focal point, a pinecone branch, and the sentiment in black, and heat embossed the background in silver. I juxtaposed a delicate focal image and simple modern scribbles.

It came out not so traditional Christmas card, and I like it.

Check all the wonderful creations by the DT members and have fun!


Cardstock: PTI White
Stamps: PTI Circle Scribbles, Inkadinkado Pinecone Branch, Penny Black ...In a Pear Tree
Other: Martha Stewart Embossing Powder Silver, Ranger Distress Embossing Ink,  Stazon Jet Black, PTI Fine Ribbon Party Plaid True Black

Foliage

Happy Tuesday Everyone!
This time I want to share with you two cards inspired by the challenge Less is More #184. This week is One Layer Week and we are invited to use foliage. To comply with the challenge requirements I'll link up only this card:

For this card I stamped the sentiment in pigment ink and heat embossed it with a clear embossing powder. Then heat embossed the fern in white. To finish off I masked the stamped images and sprayed white and red mists and scattered three enamel dots. Here is a closer look to embossed images:

I love the glossy look of enamel dots and embossing.

And here is another foliage card, but I missed the one layer requirement, thus I share it without linking up to the challenge.

I heat embossed a leaf in bronze and simply water-coloured it. This stamp is fantastically suitable for water-colouring because of delicate veins pattern. The paint does not leak, the process is more under control.

Bronze embossing delivers sufficient degree of dignity, so I omitted any embellishments.
Thanks for visiting!


Card One:
Cardstock: PTI Kraft
Stamps: PTI Peaceful Garden
Other: Ranger Distress Embossing Ink, Dovecraft Pigment Ink Red, HA Embossing Powder Ultra Fine, Ranger Embossing Powder White, Heidi Swapp Color Shine Sweet Cherry, Mister Huey's Color Mists Opaque White, enamel dots MME Necessities Reds and Basic Grey Candy Buttons

Card Two:
Cardstock: PTI White, Water-colour paper
Stamps: PTI Damask Designs, Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Short Leaf
Other: Martha Stewart Embossing Powder Bronze, Ranger Distress Embossing Ink,  Stazon Jet Black

So Happy

Hello Everyone!
Today I share a new card inspired by The Card Concept Challenge blog. It invites to create a wedding card and suggests to use this photo as a colour scheme:

I loved the colour combo: off-white, light blue, green and cold silver. Here is my take influenced by Laurie also in CAS style:

I also used PTI stamp set, but Mini Blooms. The sentiment is heat embossed in silver, and thus I skipped any embellishments.

Strangely, my pictures inserted in the blog differ in tones from the pictures on my computer, they look much warmer. I hope, you'll see them on your monitors closer to the original.

Thanks for stopping by and leaving me a comment! Have a wonderful week!


Cardstock: PTI White
Stamps: PTI Mini Blooms
Other: Martha Stewart Embossing Powder Silver, Ranger Distress Embossing Ink,  PTI Inks Harvest Gold, Spring Rain, Limeade Ice and Spring Moss

Stripes and stripes

Hello Everyone!
This just a quick post to share with you three wine bottle tags for Christmas. I played a bit with embossing pastes and stencils. All three of them are inspired by Tag You're...It! challenge #3, however the first one is the closest to the suggested sketch:

Here they are, and I will link only the fist tag with golden stripes to the TYIT challenge:

Obviously stripes is a new trend, and CASology #107 wants to see projects with stripes as well. I'll link up my golden stripes tag there. I'll also join Addicted to CAS with a code word gold and Simon Wednesday Challenge that likes it sparkling this week.
Thanks for visiting! Enjoy your weekend!


Cardstock: PTI Royal Velvet and Pure Poppy
Stamps: PTI 2008 Holiday Tag Collection
Other: IO Dies Deer Trio, Ranger Gold Tinsel Embossing Powder, Gold Filigree Detail Embossing Powder, and Tsukineko Embossing Powder Candy Red, Ranger Distress Embossing Ink, Wendy Vecchi Embossing Pastes Transparent and Gold, SSS Stencil Falling Stars and Diagonal Stripe

Merry Monday #120

Hello Everyone!

Last week we went to a countryside and I saw the river Volga for the first time in my life. I still do not know Russia well and travel occasionally and not far from Moscow. The evening by the Volga was fantastic reminding of the Russian classical literature of the 19th century. How was life those days? Steamboats travelled the Volga, life was quite, and 150 km was a big distance...

Today finally I got time to play with my favourite challenge Merry Monday. This week Nina is the hostess and she invites to use skis, skates or sledge on a card.

Frankly speaking, that was a bit complicated. I went through my stamps and found only one set meeting this requirement - The Wonder. Here is my take on the challenge:

I stamped the image and coloured it with pencils. The sentiment is stamped in pigment ink and heat embossed with Ultra Fine powder. And to finish I used my favourite Falling Snow stencil and white embossing paste. I applied Sparkle embossing powder over the wet paste and heated it when the paste dried.

Thanks for visiting! Have a nice day!

Cardstock: PTI Kraft and Pure Poppy
Stamps: Penny Black The Wonder
Other: HA Embossing Powders Ultra Fine and Sparkle, Ranger Distress Embossing Ink, Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste White, SSS Stencil Falling Snow, Stazon Ink Jet Black, Dovecraft Pigment Ink Red