Mo's Christmas Challenge + Brushos Watercolour Techniques + WOYWW

(Apologies for long post! Sharing techniques, some queries last week + tips. 😊)
Hi there everyone, can’t believe it’s nearly Feb, not ready!
The first Rudolph Day of 2020, at Scrappy Mo’s from 25th to 31st Jan. 'Cos it’s Wednesday, time too for WOYWW or What is on Your Workdesk Wednesday at Julia’s Stamping Ground. 

Now to desks, Christmas cards below.

This isn’t much to look at yet. Blending mat showing how little brusho sprinkled for background - Cobalt, Sandstone, Yellow.

Spritzed water generously.

Then swish watercolour paper through.. till happy. 
“If you’re not happy, it’s not finished!!”
Good WOYWW motto that.

Gloss is not as brilliant, luscious as the photo paper is (see  Here - Edit: BTW it won top 3 at Word ArtWednesday last week which means I'm not the only one who liked it!). 
Wasn't keen this on plain gloss card once started colouring. So decided to layer on more brusho. Dab off with tissue anything you dont like.

My theory is most folks quit too soon, have seen it in brayering, also colour work like Brushos, AIcohol Inks etc.
I know Shaz Silverwolf is our Chief Enabler!

Anyhoo! yours truly came across this video here, re Sookwang tape, same as ScorTape (they sell it to ScorPal) direct from from Korean company, cheaper for non US folks.

Etsy link is here, with FREE post! Bought this sample pack. Sizes were cheaper than CraftOnline.au. Has quick post too, apparently.  
Birthday coming up, have ordered glass mat! 
Everyone gave thumbs up when I asked 3 weeks ago. Was blessed, suddenly $7 cheaper when checked CraftOnline, grabbed it before they changed their mind again. 😊  
Tonic 12” x12” (really 13 x13), best for budget + use, 1/3 price of Tonic TH mat, couldn’t justify it.
Size good, I use inches mostly which it is.
Bought last night a set of Gansai Tambi watercolour! Hooray! They’re apparently more opaque than regular artist watercolour. Gouache is opaque watercolour, I do hope they will be similar. Probably why they’re described as creamier. I use gouache in ornamental calligraphy, bugs me how tubes dry out. Blown budget now, on buying ban for while, can’t even use “I need tape” excuse!
*****
Now to my Christmas cards, reminded myself of design years ago, so made 4 more.

Kaisercraft Star multi cut, the bauble 5 x 7” EF is from CB Winter wonderland set. Used digi Christmas greetings already ready printed, and made four. Now have 16 Christmas cards done, wanted 24 by now, but birthday card time now, will do in Feb.
Now to Aussie shots, from visit to Kiama, south coast in late Oct.

Herbe, common name here, Veronica, I love it.

Pink grey parrots are Galahs eating grass seeds.

Clivia nestled in the trunk of Moreton Bay Fig.

Kiama is a seaside town. Sadly bad fires on south coast, Blue & Snowy Mountains, so still need rain and prayer.
Well, I’m a really really bad blogger ☹️ cos it is summer here, busy last week full of appointments and visiting or visitors last few days, I’ve missed putting out many comments again. A struggle at night, not been 100%, just one of my chronic conditions making noises. 
So am VERY, very sorry!
 Answer TO DIANA: I’ve not a problem at all with messiness with Brushos. I’ve tiny holes in top of them, sealed with a pin in them. So sprinkle is controlled.
Use junk mail in large size sheets and make the mess on the paper, which absorbs excess colour and water, pick it up junk mail holus-bolus and bin it in greenwaste bin as can put rolled up veggie scraps in there.

May our wonderful loving Father God bless your day wherever you maybe, and keep you and those you love safe, thank YOU especially if you take time to comment.
Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x
Thought of the Day:
27th Jan 2020. 
75th Anniversary of Liberation of Auschwitz.

"When Soviet soldiers poured into Auschwitz in January 1945, they encountered warehouses filled with massive quantities of other people’s belongings. Most people who owned them were already dead, murdered by the Nazis in the Holocaust’s largest extermination & concentration camp.
.. the camps that made up Auschwitz seemed silent and abandoned at first, soldiers soon realized they were filled with people—thousands of them, left to die by SS guards who evacuated the camps after trying to cover up their crimes.
The emaciated prisoners hugged, kissed and cried. “They rushed toward us shouting, fell on their knees, kissed the flaps of our overcoats, and threw their arms around our legs,” remembered Georgii Elisavetskii, one of the first Red Army soldiers to step into Auschwitz. After five years of hell, Auschwitz was liberated at last."
God gave you and I a free will
 He did not make robots,  but He made a perfect world which we have in sin corrupted. So very sad things happen.
The shortest verse in the Bible shows how our sin just doesn't hurt us, others but God too. Let us never forget these things. 

Linking up to the following:

1. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes. All cards  http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au

2. Snippets playground,  all card snippets except base. http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com/2020/01/pixies-snippets-playground-challenge-370.html?m=1
3. https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/
4. Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas card challenge. Anything goes. http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.com/?m=0

Brushos on Gloss Male Cards + WOYWW

Well, everyone, it’s desky share time over at Julia’s Stamping Ground. Yes, I’m busy doing some birthday cards. They're ahead in great abundance - family and friends, so need to be organised.

My desk yest. with a really lovely new idea Brushos on photo paper, WOW!

As you see they’re very vibrant. About to work out how I will make them up into cards.
Saw idea of brushos on photo paper on Heather Telford’s blog.. an Aussie in Canada who is clever in colour use (here). Colours used on another post HERE of hers. Lemon, Sandstone and Cobalt were closest combo to what she used. 
[TIP: I work on junk mail, laid over large desk area as below, our local real estate magasine. It absorbs excess brusho powder and water, easy-peasy clean up! No mess, except on hands, always forget gloves!]

Sharing stages in case some want to try! I just used very cheap photo paper, 5” x 7” size from garage sale. Uncertain brand. 

Firstly chose colours, limit to three .. limited colours work best, they mix & multiply! 

Sprinkle on craft mat, and spritz water liberally and smooch card through it, once generally,  but can repeat if not happy. 

I think regular gloss card would be same.
EDIT: Tried regular gloss card, much more muted than photo paper. Going to buy more photo paper as not much here. Muted gloss will work well with another idea share maybe next week.
 Spritz a bit more water, do second swipe with another sheet can add touch more colour if needed.

Allow to dry well before stamping.

I used Darkroom door Collage stamp.. it definitely needed repeat stamping. I tried Stazon like Heather did - mine dried so fast it barely made imprint (we are in quite warm summer) the tried Archival same poor result (although inky) so finally Onyx black Versafine, my very favourite black in worked a treat. As you can see the colour is astoundingly brilliant on the photos paper, and varied no two are the same. Made two cards. {EDIT: First card won top 3 at Word Art Wednesday Here!}

Trimmed around image, mounted it on scallop photo frame set by Snapdragon, a local company three hours north. Then varied layouts. First card was a digi greeting already printed out waiting to be used.
Added border die (Lawn Fawn, extended), with crossed string and a brad.

Second card is mounted on some hessian, (love it with male cards) then made a happy birthday double banner greeting, and brads (actually made two banner sets, spent ages looking for first one! Then made second one, anyone else do that??? 
Still can’t find the other!).

Now to Aussie shots, the first some flowers some frangipanis and some Gumblossoms, I love these, it’s a W.A. tree but now grows here.

Next are seas views. Yes, it is summer and last week had visitors, so swam everyday. 😊

The first one is yesterday out north of here at family’s beach, others are where we swam last week just south.
Lastly some good news, but ongoing prayer request.

A post from FB, shows how very good rain has been in some places! but oh so much more needed. Top photo shows an empty dam, filled by decent falls over 200mm or 8".

Fires are still going too, some extinguished by fall of rain, especially up here on North coast of NSW, and very thankful! but new ones start all time, so still lots more rain and prayers needed.

JUST a Reminder: 25th Jan is next Rudolph Christmas Challenge over at Scrappy Mo’s. I’ve already cards made for it to share. 😊

Thanks everyone for popping over for a peek and chat. You and your comments make me smile. I pray every blessing upon you and those you love too.
Hugs Shaz in Oz. X

Thought for the day:

Something we all need, PERFECT PEACE, especially these days where the press seems to be more excessively alarmist than ever before! 
Whatever happened to KEEP CALM & CARRY ON? Press here seems to be crying like Henny Penny "that the sky is falling in"! 
Every second news story is a major crisis. How often history repeats itself. We have been here before, and we will again. 
"Perfect peace" is the blessing that those who trust in God.
"God is still on the throne, 
He will still remember His own,
His promise is true,
He will not forget you,
God is still on the throne."

Linking up to the following:

1. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes. All cards  http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au/

2. Snippets challenge.. yay! Off to the Playground!

3. http://cardz4guyz.blogspot.com/2020/01/challenge-236-clean-and-simple.html?m=1 both male cards are CAS.

Watercolour Poinsettia + WOYWW

Hullo everyone, into our second week of year! Guess 2020 isn’t slowing either! As Wednesday time for WOYWW or What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday, pop over here to Julia’s do.. we’re a friendly bunch! 😊

So my desk.. it’s actually a bit clean for me as cleanup continues! Wow, the things I’ve found. 

Plus need clean area doing the watercolour cards I stamped and embossed last week! 

A QUESTION, please: To anyone out there who has glass mat, are they a good purchase? I’m looking at one (coming birthday), Tonic to be prezact, as they’re in my price range here, and A3 and 12 x 12.

They both have advantages and disadvantages. 

Question: 1. is glass mat good investment?

2. Do you heat emboss on them just fine? 

Angela has an Xcut and she said she does.

Desk is Distress Ink watercolour, I added Tombows to mix to make colours pop more on finished cards.

I’ve managed now to make a dozen Christmas cards of my January two dozen aim, which is good as next week is wipe out with visitors and will be prob MIA.

Finished cards, as you can see they’re quite different from last weeks with same stamp, the stamp Poinsetta CCS set.

Verse is really great one by Stampendous so sharing close up. As you can see did three, slightly different.
Last card is a Snippets card well and truly. All those green pieces were digis. I found when doing search a year or so ago for a person who loves green and found them again in cleanup. 
They looked so good together the card was born, butterfly was digi too.

I added a verse by Stampabilities, a favourite verse of mine which I often claim “WITH God ALL things are possible.” 

I want to especially thank all those who’ve popped over recently to say they’re thinking and praying for us. You are appreciated deeply.
Also loads of unspoken jobs are being done for months. By Aussies, army etc and other nations from overseas, too. Sadly press dramatises it all as if nothing is being done. This is wrong & untrue. This group in grey were called by locals "grey angels" and from army found a lady's jewel box with grandmas jewels intact! 
They've been amazing as are sooo many!
Criticism of our PM is also unjust. Also I want to praise God here, because many are praying as I have for keeping safe of all folks, praying for wind changes, etc.
Many answers given.Time and time again have heard seen tales of amazing protection, especially through wind change.
Much better  illustration & more on drought fires over at latest post on my other blog here. LOTS of past examples to give local context to the current events.

“Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous“ quote of a friend.

The most recent miracle was on Kangaroo Island in the southern ocean of Sth Aust., the Wildlife Park there was suddenly saved by a wind change! I heard it on radio today, plus was on FB in comments on post. 
Also after a recent visit there by a family member, they said today although the fires are really horrible, some wildlife had had to be sterilised due to overpopulation on such a small island. Culling has its natural advantages, although horrible, & some flora depend of fires for regeneration of seeds. 
Also a koala is not a bear! Bears are mammals, koalas are marsupials not mammals.
Quite unique but not cuddly like they appear, they've good claws! And can be cranky, as like to sleep 18 - 22 hours a day!

Now a few images from here, this is the Mother in law tongue flowering, it has such a pretty flower hasn’t it?

Next is beautiful red Brommeliad and behind it pale peach Anthirium growing in our courtyard garden, when I take photos.

The last one is late afternoon taken down at our creek. Lovely reflections.

Well, that’s it for today thanks so very much for coming over for peek and chat. I did most commenting last week but still have few more to do .. struggle sometimes but love to make it around as learn lots.

Happy WOYWW and May God bless your day and keep you an yours safe wherever you maybe, special prayers for next two days as they’re bad fire days, and huge praise for rain fallen in various drought or firey places in last 48 hours, God is gracious.

Hugs Shaz in Oz.x

Thought for the Day:

Wouldn't this make a lovely card? Saw this digi on FB so saved it as it's long been favourite of mine. 
"The joy of the LORD is thy Strength". 
I've illuminated it, and I've always considered Strength is God hence capitals. When life is hard, and there is little joy, then it's  knowing God's comfort, help and grace that joy is found. Truly that then is the joy of the Lord which is Thy Strength!
*****

Linking up to the following:

1. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes. All cards  http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au/

2. Poinsettia cards were great fun florals!   https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-fun-with-florals/

3. Simon Says Monday Challenge -   Something new.  "With God all things are possible" stamp on birthday card was on it's very first outing!

4. Hazelnut's Christmas card Challenge. Poinsettia. Anything gies.
5. Merry Little Christmas card Challenge.  Anything Goes. 
6. Hazelnuts patterned Paper challenge. Birthday card  . 

Pressing on in 2020! + WOYWW

Hi there. Yess! It’s 2020, a whole new year to serve the LORD in! 
Did you have an autograph book when young? I did, I remember a number of those four liners put in it with a signature. Especially this:

Your life lies before you, 

Like a path of untrodden snow,

So be careful how you tread it,

For every step will show!
(Edit: Yes, re snow, I lived in town where it snowed, and don't have my autograph book anymore.)

That’s how I usually approach a new year, with a sense of awe and wonder. Not only New Year’s Day but WOYWW or What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday, pop over here to Julia’s do.. we’re a friendly bunch! 😊

At my desks - three in all.

Hope you’re not going to groan as it’s Christmas cards. Warning you, aiming to get two dozen made by end of this month. Have half dozen made, + 3 more half done. However the cleaning bug has momentarily grabbed me, note momentarily! First desk is card almost done, with stamped embossed card and colouring with Tombows and assorted water colour pens, see below. This stamp set is CCS picked up months ago not used. Love poinsettia.

Next are brusho background then stamped in Versamark and silver EP.

This desk shows three all stamped, working out how to colour.. prob Distress watercolour!

Made up all very simply.

First two are a single layer card, and other simply mounted.

Two stamps are by Stampendous, Glory to God in the highest (bought with Marilyn in a Hobby Lobby, Sept 2018).

Other is 

Luke 1:12, “For unto us is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” 
The paints have loads of sheen and are a Finetec set.

Well, it’s SUCH a sad new year for many in Oz. It’s so sad, so many fires and so many lost homes and even lives.

Praying much. 
Lord bless dear ones and keep you and those you love safe in 2020.
Prayer hugs Shaz in Oz.x 
🙏🤗
Fire rain update: Praise God! Two days rain over Christmas,  a great gift, put out two fires near us, one 183,000 hectares (300,000+ acres). However two small ones started, and so many, many MANY more fires, lives homes, farms, animals, have sadly been lost.
Oh, dear ones, we need rain in so many places another fireman gone (link here), 3 now, and sadly yesterday more folk lost defending their homes. The fires have been so intense they're creating tornado like funnel of fire that carry the fire in unstoppable path. The ten tonne fire truck was picked up and flipped. It was a miracle the whole fire team wasn't killed. 😥😭😕🙏
Oh Lord, PLEASE may there be a great outpouring of Thy amazing grace and mercy on poor, poor, sinfilled Oz.
Truly as Ezra prayed, our sin has reached up to the heavens (Ez.9:6)!
Forgive us Father, heal us please, send rain soon please! 
Such wonderfully gracious drought-breaking rain all across Oz. Please Lord keep all firies, folk, animals etc safe and let Thy angels of mercy encamp them about in safety. 
For we have no might, neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon Thee.
In Jesus' Name, 
Amen. 

To read more on pressing on! please kindly visit my other blog -https://wonderfulwordsoflifebyshazinoz.blogspot.com/2019/12/2020.html?m=1

Linking up to the following:

1. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes. All cards  http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au

2. Christmas card challenge.