Summery Birthday Celebration

This card was made using my new DesignBlock from Hero Arts - Poinsettas and Birds. I bought it because I knew it would look pretty as both a Christmas design and any other time of the year! I have used it on 3 cards already. Yeah! If you didn't know those were supposed to be Poinsetta's would you think this was a Christmas Stamp?



Recipe:

1. Stamp the DesignBlock on white cardstock using Versamark Watermark Ink.
2. Using Pearlescent chalk and Oil Pastels apply colors to flowers, leaves, birds. (Use a q-tip, eyeshadow applicator, or the little fluff balls to rub the colors onto the versamark)
3. After you are done chalking the picture. Ink the whole picture with Versamark and heat emboss with clear powder. I did this 4 times to give it a beautiful soft glossy coat.

Products:

• Versmark Watermark Ink
• Ranger Clear Embossing Powder
• Pebbles Inc. Pearlescent Chalk
• Artists Oil Pastel Essentials
• Hero Arts DesignBlock Poinsettas & Birds
• Ribbon FX - Michaels
• Crystal Stickers - Pearls
• Hero Arts Clear Design - Birthday Messages
  
  

Book Challenge

The Hero Arts Blog this week was hosted by Lisa Spangler. She shared some great ideas and techniques! The challenge this week was to create a book. http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2008/08/25/motivation-monday-how-to-make-books//

I put together this little scalloped circle tag book.

This is the front of the card/book..

Page 2 & 3 Page 4 & 5

Back Cover of the Book...

I am going to skip listing all the products on this page. :) I used so many different things. If you have an interest in finding out any product that I used for this project. Drop me a line.. I just added my email link on the side.

Christmas Cards in August....

Those backgrounds I made using the Peeled Paint Distress ink has led me down a path of Christmas and Fall cards... :) That and I picked up some Christmas stamps yesterday.

I am working on something else which is not Christmas, Fall or Cold weather related. I don't know if it will make it to a finished project or I may jump onto something else.

Products:

• Fiskars - Threading Water Punch
• Vellum, White, Yellow/Green Cardstock
• Tattered Angels - Glimmer Mist, Lemon Zest
• Ranger Distress Ink - Peeled Paint
• Signo - UniBall White Gel Pen (Love this!)
• Hero Arts - DesignBlock - S5068 Poinsetta and Birds
• Penny Black - 3028F Joy, Hope...
• Ribbon (Hobby Lobby)
• Hero Arts - Gems
• Crystal Stickers - Pearls
• Versafine Pigment Ink - Crimson Red
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Ranger Clear Embossing Powder

Come on over to my house...

I think these birds are having a gathering and have invited other birds over to hang out.

There isn't much of a recipe to this card but I will highlight a few things...

The background was made by inking up the acetate and spritzing it and I did add a little bit of yellow glimmer mist. This was the tail end of the paper that is why you have the edge along the top.

The trees were stamped with StazOn Timber brown. I colored the leaves with my Copic markers. I finished everything off with a fine layer of clear embossing powder. And the buttons... buttons galore.. I thought it would be cute to make a border on the top and bottom of buttons... (Now I am out of little buttons for yellow and green)

But I think I am getting a package today in the mail! (Yeah!) New Hero Arts stamps and mini buttons.

Products:

• Buttons - Basic Grey, Autumn Leaves
• White, Brown Cardstock
• Clear Embossing Powder
• StazOn Timber Brown
• Ranger Distress Ink - Peeled Paint
• Tattered Angels - Lemon Zest
• Copic Markers
• Hero Arts - Sparkle Clear Cute Letters
• Hero Arts - Sparkle Clear Home II
• Hero Arts - Sparkle Clear - Love That
  

Autumn Leaves....

I think if I had leaf punches or die cuts... You wouldn't be seeing this card. This background definitely made me want to make leaves from it... Unfortunately or fortunately I don't have any Leaf die cuts. So I decided to emboss the background and the card ended up looking like this.

My DD suggested the colors after she helped me videotape making the blue green background so this is for Kaeli...

Recipe:

1. Start with glossy cardstock.
2. Drip 3 drops of butterscotch alcohol ink on your felt on your applicator add 3 drops of alcohol blending solution.
3. Smear this all over the glossy cardstock. If you don't have enough color add more drips of color and blending solution.
4. Drip directly onto the cardstock red pepper alcohol ink randomly.
5. Drip directly onto the cardstock rust alcohol ink randomly.
6. Drip directly onto the cardstock butterscotch alcohol ink randomly.
7. I let these set a little bit and then drip directly onto the cardstock the blending solution. The wetter the paper is the more mix of colors you get. If you drip the blending solution inside a drip of color it gives you the lighter color in the middle and darker around the edges.
8. After everything dries, cut the paper to 4 3/4" x 6 3/4".
9. Using the CB embossing folder emboss the background.
10. Using a large emery board on the rough side, I filed the embossing using the flat side of the emery board and keeping it flat so it only sanded off the color on the embossing in some places.
11. After sanding/filing the embossing wipe the surface with a baby wipe to take any dust off the background.
12. Cut the corners using the small circle punch. (3/4")
13. Emboss buttons using versamark watermark ink and Copper embossing powder.

Products:

• JudiKins Copper Embossing Powder
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Birds & Swirls
• Ranger Alcohol Inks - Rust, Butterscotch, Red Pepper
• Versamark Watermark Ink Pad
• Hero Arts - Birthday Messages
• EK Success Tonal Adornments - Gold String
• Blue Moon - Bird Charm
• Brads & Tag holder (Joann crafts)

Cupcake Challenge

This is a cupcake flower designed as an entry to Taylor's cupcake challenge.
Here is the link for her blog: http://www.tayloredexpressions.blogspot.com/




















Products:

• Hero Arts - Cupcake, Yum
• Crystal Stickers - Pearls, Gems
• General Kimberly Watercolor Pencils - Pink, Purple, Yellow
• Versacolor Pigment Ink - Opera Pink
• Ribbon Unkown
• Penny Black - Wish Big

Enjoy the cupcakes!

An inspiration for me....

Jacqueline has a great blog: http://myscrapbasket.blogspot.com/ and she created a card that was beautiful. After I saw her card https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4T8ZrpunzI44k2-xsKg_SJTfAUydxfZmUW5IF0nPoFEdPFT64iDuxq5H19wnzepBOT2mHk1CndATE5BsixOA2dYhGRgvlMz0Ze0vLG3OY8El9XwPq6HiLuQwORxIw623KBZfRkeR6N8GJ/s1600-h/friends5+-+copie.JPG and how beautiful it was... I decided to create something that I hoped emulated her work.

Recipe:

1. Take a piece of watercolor paper.
2. Paint the background with my watercolor markers. Mix blue, purple, light blue on a CD using a watercolor brush to mix the colors and paint the background.
3. Stamp the flowers on the right and the butterfly on the left.
4. I attempted to stamp the saying directly onto the background and oops... It didn't take. I was having one of those days where everything I touched, I smeared, dropped. etc... To fix this I stamped the saying on a piece of sheer polyester fabric and cut the edges unevenely.
5. Attach the fabric to the center. Mount the background to kraft paper card.
6. Stamp flourish with versamark around the edges. Heat Emboss light purple on the flourishes. (FYI.. Apparently you can iron this material on low setting but the heat gun will melt it if you get too close. I actually liked that it melted the edges but it was difficult to manage. :)
7. Attach flowers and butterfly. (I did alcohol ink the butterfly as it was a basic metal color)
8. Attach lace at the bottom of the picture.

Recipe:

• Hero Arts Lupine
• Inkadinkado - Butterfly
• Blue Moon Charms
• Hero Arts Design Block - Flourish
• Versafine - Opera Pink
• Memento - Rose Bud
• Crystal Stickers - Pearls
• Ranger Alcohol Inks - Wild Plum, Blending Solution

TFL!

Holographic Card...

Here's my attempt at a Holographic card. It is really difficult to photograph, so I apologize for the picture.



I have this beautiful stamp from Impression Obsession that I have been wanting to use to emulate some gorgeous cherry blossoms I saw this spring. The cherry blossoms were beautiful because they had a little bit of green that faded into deep pink and finished off with a gorgeous pink/white.




I wondered if I could somehow shadow stamp the three colors and get a similar effect. Along the way in creating this I decided to stamp it on 3 seperate pieces of acetate which allowed me the flexibility to slightly shift the image.

Recipe:

1. Cut 3 pieces of Acetate to the same size. Mine were 3 1/2" x 4 1/2".
2. Stamp image using green StazOn on first acetate.
3. Stamp image using Fuschia StazOn onto second acetate. Lay this on top of the first acetate and shift the stamp to the right a little before placing on the acetate.
4. Stamp image using Opaque White StazOn on 3rd acetate sheet. Shift slightly to the right again when stamping.
5. I wanted to pop my acetate between each layer to get a holographic effect. To do this and not have the pop dots show.. I decided on the butterflies which reminded me of the butterfly gardens you can visit where they all float around you.
6. I stamped my butterflies by using two different watercolor markers on the stamp. Color the light purple first and touch up with the darker purple.
7. Cut out the butterflies.... (I started with the intent of 12 and ended up with 20. (I think a few flew off the card. :)
8. Pop dot the butterflies on the bottom and glue dot them on top. They hold your layers together.
9. To assemble: Start from the top layer and attach the middle layer to the top with 4 butterflies. Continue adding layers until you attach the white cardstock to the bottom acetate still using butterflies with pop dots. You will need around 4 butterflies per layer to keep the acetate propped up.
10. I cut out a frame matching the same color as my card. The card measured 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" and I cut the frame in to fit my picture.
11. Attach the white cardstock to the card and attach the frame to the card. (I had to double pop-dot my frame to make it fit over my layers.
12. Attach sentiment and another layer of butterflies across the card.

Products:

• Impression Obsession - Cherry Blossoms
• Hero Arts - A4955 Sunny Birthday
• StazOn - Olive Green, Fuschia Pink, White Opaque
• Hero Arts - K4880 CardArt Thinking of You (My butterflies)
• Hobby Lobby - RibbonFX
• Crystal Stickers - Gemstones
• Ranger - Stickles - Purple
  
  

Hat Trick...

This card features a hat pin. I wish I could say that I made this. I know some talented people do create them... Alas I bought mine as part of a scrapbooking set.


The true glaze and colors are hard to capture. It is really a gorgeous color!

I mounted the picture from my previous post and added the flower, ribbon and hat pin.

Products:

• Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist - lemon zest, patina


• Stampington - Button Mums


• Zig Watercolor Markers


• Ribbon - Unknown


• Hero Arts Gemstones


• Memory Boutique - Ornamental Frames & Corners Kit


• Hero Arts - Clear Design Birthday Messages

A piece of a future card...

When I printed up the vintage paper from Rein (see my previous post). Thanks Rein! I printed two copies one was on glossy cardstock the other was on regular cardstock.

Here is what I created with the regular cardstock:





Recipe:

1. Print out your vintage paper on regular cardstock.


2. Spritz on yellow glimmer mists randomly over the paper.


3. Spritz on aqua glimmer mists randomly over the paper in other areas than the yellow. It is okay if the overlap.


4. Quickly grab a paper towel and rub the colors together. I used a circular motion. When it starts to get dry you can cause streaking if you keep rubbing the glimmer mist.


5. After that was dry I used my watercolor markers to color directly onto the stamp.


6. The flowers were colored with a light blue, medium blue and the edges were dark blue.


7. The stems were a dark green with touches of brown.


8. I misted the stamp with the watercolor several times and then stamped onto the paper.


9. Immediately after I misted the paper to get the bleeding effect.


10. Let this dry completely. Stamp the whole image with Versamark Watermark Ink and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. (This brings out the colors from the glimmer mist and the stamped images.)

Products:

• Tattered Angels - Glimmer Mist - Yellow, Aqua


• Stampington - Button Mums


• Zig Watercolor Markers


• Vintage Paper


• Clear Embossing Powder
  

A different challenge

I was over at Rein's blog http://stampingrika.blogspot.com/2008/08/rendevous-with.html and she had posted a challenge. The colors and collages she puts together are great. So I thought I would attempt her challenge! http://stampingrika.blogspot.com/2008/08/monday-morning-share-blog-candy.html




Here is my attempt:


You had to use one of her freebie pictures... I chose this one... http://stampingrika.blogspot.com/2008/04/monday-morning-share.html

It may be a little hard to see as I was inking on top of it. I apologize for the colors as you can't see how gold and teal they are.

Recipe:
Print the picture on glossy cardstock.

1. Pulled out my alchohol inks. Smeared the butterscotch on the background.
2. Dripped Stream ink on the smeared butterscotch.
3. Dripped Alcohol blending solution directly on the stream and butterscotch.
4. Stamped the wildflowers in StazOn inks.
5. I also bought some washers and used my Krylon Ink Pen and colored the washers gold.

Products:

• Ranger Alcohol Inks - Stream, Butterscotch
• Ranger Alcohol Blending Solution
• Hero Arts - F2665 A Real Field Wildflower
• Hero Arts - H3782 Lupine
• Hero Arts - F3854 Watercolor Coneflower
• Savvystamps - 914G Silhouette Flower Garden
• Penny Black - 3390D Young,Old
• Washers
• Gold Krylon Paint Pen
• Hero Arts - Dandelion

You might have noticed...

You might have noticed a few things missing...

I was very excited to find out a few of my cards are out for publication. Since nothing is final I won't say anything other than I had to pull them from my blog. Now my blog looks a little a 7 year old's smile. Big gaps missing in the front. Don't worry... I will post some other items. :)

I did create something today for the Friday Sketch on Hero Arts Blog Challenge.






The interesting part of this card for me was how well the watercolor markers took on the Dye Ink. I had never tried this and wasn't sure how well the colors would reflect on a sponged background. I think they turned out great. Here is the mini recipe for the oval.

Recipe:

1. Cut oval from glossy cardstock.
2. Sponge lime green on the bottom 1/3 of the Oval using a circular motion. Sponge Yellow in the middle and Orange on the top 1/3 of the Oval.
3. Color on the rubber stamp. I start with the lightest colors and add shadows with darker colors around the areas I think should be shaded.
4. Huff on the stamp. (I wanted a clean image so I didn't spritz)
5. Stamp on the oval.

Products:

• Hero Arts Thinking of You Stamp
• Adirondack Dye Ink Pad - Brights - Citrus, Sunshine Yellow, Orange
• Sponge Daubers
• Prima Flowers
• Gemstones - Hero Arts, Crystal Stickers (Which means I can't tell which one. :)
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folders - Floral

Thanks for stopping by!

Are we there yet?

This card started with me trying to use some patterned paper... Don't ask me how I ended up here... :) This is similar to when you are driving with your significant other and you say... I think we should have turned back there... But because you aren't positive you continue to go another 5 miles before you turn around. tee hee....

Welll.... This card is that missed turn. I was trying to use patterned paper which used these same colors and I got distracted by a new Inkadinkado set that I had to have.. The clear set was all circles and swirls with circles. Once I started stamping those I then thought... I can just put some scalloped circles on here. The butterfly is covering up the blank spot that ended up when I randomly stamped my flowers.

I hope you enjoy the view while we were lost.

I will list the products and be off to see if I can find my original destination.

Products:

• Marvy Uchida Scallop Punches, Yellow, Pink, Blue
• VersaMagic Chalk Inks - Key LIme, Sea Breeze
• Spellbinders - Butterflies 2 (rev 1)
• Inkadinkado 97631 Circle and Dots
• Memories Dye Ink - Brown
• Ribbon - Unknown
• Crystal Stickers - Pearls & Gems
• Hero Arts A2153 - Little Happy Birthday

Thanks for going along for the ride!

My First Sketch

On 2 Peas in a Bucket they have a stamping forum. They have a nice group of stampers who do weekly sketches. I signed up to create one for this week. I have never done this before, so I decided to make a card and draw the sketch from the card. Here are the results!






And here is what the tag looks like on the inside:



I think drawing a sketch is easier than producing a card that resembles the original sketch. :) I have drawn many sketches... but my project usually wanders away from the sketch and becomes their own person.

If you want to play along here is the thread at 2 Peas in a bucket. http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/mb.asp?cmd=display&thread_id=2627689

TFL!

Alcohol Inks Background

I am sharing a card that I received questions on how it was created. I had my DD help me create a video. It covers the basic concept. (I apologize if it has movement and is a little dark.) I think it is helpful in showing how the background was created.

Here is the card:


Here is the link to the video:



Recipe:

1. Cut a piece of glossy cardstock to the size you want the background.
2. Execute the inking following the steps in the video.
3. Using StazOn Jet Black Ink stamp your images on top of the background.
4. Use a white gel pen and highlight areas of the stamped image on the cardstock.
5. Mount the background on blue cardstock.
6. Stamp the sentiment on white cardstock.
7. Mount sentiment on light blue cardstock accent with gemstones.
8. wrap ribbon around middle of card.

TFL!

Products:

• StazOn Black Ink
• Ranger Alcohol Inks (Stream, Meadow)
• Ranger Alcohol Blending Solution
• Hero Arts - G4917 Dandelion
• Fiskars - Heidi Grace - Beyond the Sea
• StazOn Azure Ink Pad
• Blue Gemstones

New HA Challenge...

My DH took my older daughter to gymnastics tonight... So I snuck off to my little craft area and worked on 2 cards for the challenge going on at Hero Arts this week... http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2008/08/11/motivating-monday-with-a-sketch-and-switch-a-roo/ .

This week the challenge is they provide different sketches and you design to the sketch. I have a confession to make... I am not very good at this... I think if I was a writer I wouldn't know the end of my story until I got there. That's how my card designs work. :)

The second challenge I incorporated into one of my cards comes from the following site http://www.embellish-online.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=66 and Daniela http://danieladobson.blogspot.com/ . I love what she creates.

Here are my 2 attempts at the challenge/s:

Jungle Jungle is for the Daniela's challenge and Tuesday's Sketch on Hero Arts...



Recipe:

Nothing special here. I used a package of paper I received from Archiver's for free. Meaning I spent enough money to give me a free pack of paper. :)

I used the coordinating papers and stamped the fun animals from Hero Arts and cut them out. I then punched varying sized circles in the same coordinating papers.

Pulled a couple of stamps for the sayings. The inside says Hang in there. I know this card probably should have been a baby card. But we are in that in between age where no-one we know is having babies anymore or getting married.

Products:

• Hero Arts Clear Design - Playful Animals


• Stampendous! - K099 Hang in There, C197 It's a Jungle


• Buttons - Autumn Leaves, Basic Greay


• Ribbon - Unknown


• Marvy Uchida - Punches (Circles)

Always and Forever is for Monday's Sketch on the Hero Arts Challenge:

Recipe:

1. Background created by stamping rose using Memento Dye Ink.


2. Cuttlebug Embossed Vellum


3. Using Chalk Ink lightly brushed the embossed part of the vellum with the purple chalk ink.


4. Assemble as pictured.

Products:

• Hero Arts - H3806 Watercolor Rose


• Memento Dye Ink - New Sprout


• Ribbon - Unknown


• Prima Flowers


• Buttons - Autumn Leaves, Basic Grey


• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Textured Textile


• Hero Arts - Always & Forever Stamp


• Versamagic - Chalk Ink - Purple Hydrangea

Monday Monday....

Mondays.. mean back to work... Blah Blah... I held back a card that I finished yesterday just to have something to share today because it is Gymnastic's night for one of my girls... which means no cards for me today. :(

The butterflies are so beautiful and I couldn't capture their beauty on the camera. :( The background is very plain because I wanted to let the butterflies be the focal point and show off their beautiful wings.

I will share how I made the background and my butterflies.

Recipe:

Background:

1. Stamp the flowers using a light dye ink.
2. Stamp Versamark watermark ink on entire background. (The background ended up being slightly yellow as I used the same ink pad I used in my summer flowers. :)
3. Cover in Clear Embossing Powder and heat.

Butterflies...

1. I started with a very heavy gold cardstock. I purchased it at Xpedx http://www.xpedxstores.com/
2. I used a Zig Memory Makers glue pen and attached Fantasy Film to a 3" x 4" piece of the gold cardstock.
3. Stamp flower on the fantasy film using StaZon Ink.
4. Using the heat gun heat up the fantasy film. Hint: You need to keep watch if you get too hot the fantasy film will melt and leave holes.
5. Cut out butterflies from the stamped fantasy film/gold cardstock using my Cuttlebug with Nestabilities Butterflies.
6. I accessorized my ladies with some pink pearls.

I assembled the card and stamped the saying on the bottom corner.

Materials:

• StaZon Royal Purple Ink
• Spellbinders - Butterflies 2
• Adirondack Lights - Pink Sherbert
• Scrappy Cat - Inspirations
• All Night Media - Anna Griffen 48363A
• A Stamp in the Hand Co. - Q-1802 Tall Poppies
• Art Institute Glitter, Inc. - Strawberry Fantasy Film
• Crystal Stickers Pearls

2 Different Ways to look at something...

I was playing around yesterday with a few things and ended up with two very similar stamped backgrounds but very different look when the cards were complete. I am going to share both.

# 1 - Summer Flowers


# 2- Dragonflies amongst the flowers.


Recipe:

1. Ink the rubber stamp with yellow dye ink.
2. Ink the rubber stamp with Versamark Watermark Ink. (This did put yellow on my Ink pad but I used an old ink pad that already had lots of different ink remnants. I also want to try using purell to clean my ink pad I heard it will take off other colors.)
3. Colored using my watercolor markers on the rubber stamp.
4. Stamped the image on regular cardstock.
5. Covered with clear embossing powder and heat embmossed the picture.
6. Here is where I differed. I decided to use my shimmery watercolor and paint a light blue / purple background over my flowers. After this was complete I decided I liked the flowers without the background so I created a second image following the exact same steps.

I put together 2 different cards based on my two backgrounds.

Which do you like? I have my favorite. :)

TFL!

Products:

• Stampington - Button Mums
• Kodomo Inc. - Dragonflies (Part of a set that I don't see on-line.. So I am going to guess they don't sell them anymore:( Love their stamps and papers and ribbons worth the investment)
• Inkadinkado 8392
• Hero Arts - Sparkle Design Sunshine
• Yasutomo - Pearlescent Watercolor Sets - (This is great for the price you can't afford not to purchase one of these... They work great and have a beautiful sheen)
• Prima Flowers
• Hero Arts Gems
• Ribbons - Uknown

Night Time Flowers

This is for the current weekly challenge on the Hero Arts Blog: http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2008/08/04/motivation-mondays-lets-talk-color/





The challenge was to use Orange, Royal Blue, Yellow in a card with Hero Arts Stamps. First of all I realized I have now embellishments in any of these colors. :(

So I decided to create a scene using all my Hero Arts Wildflowers and embossing them with a metallic embossing powder.

I think the background colors are nice with the blue in the front. I also added stickles which dont' show up here but add a really nice sheen to the card.

TFL!

Watercolor Flowers

I took a class where we used watercolor crayons and misted them. The technique is to use watercolor crayons. I don't have any watercolor crayons, but I liked the soft look on the card so I replicated the idea with my watercolor markers and misting the stamp. Here is the result:



Steps to create the background and the 2 flowers.

1. Color the markers on the rubber stamp and mist with water. Stamp on watercolor paper. Repeat the step until the entire background is covered.


2. Cuttlebug Emboss the watercolor paper with the stamped images.


3. Brush the top of the embossing with ink pad.


4. For the two flowers


5. Ink the stamp with Versamark Watermark Ink. Color on top of the versamark on the stamp and stamp on the watercolor paper. Heat emboss with Clear Embossing powder.


6. I also added a little bit of stickles on the top edge of the two flowers.

Products:

• Hero Arts - F2665 A Real Field Wildflower


• Hero Arts Clear Design - Birthday Messages


• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Flowers


• Crystal Stickers Gems


• Adirondack Dye Ink - Citrus


• Versafine - Opera Pink

Transparent Cards...

I think making a transparent card is more difficult than alot of challenges. I love using my StazOn inks so that should encourage me... Jennifer McGuire is hosting a challenge on Two Peas in a Bucket using transparencies... Here is one more attempt at a clear card...





The recipe is so simple on this one... I will just mention the products I used.

Products:

• Hero Arts DesignBlock Tree
• Hero Arts - Birthday Messages
• Hero Arts - Sparkle Design Set
• StazOn Ink - Azure
• Versafine - Blue
• Crystal Stickers - Gems
• Marvy Uchida - Scalloped Circle Punches
• Fiskars Heritage Punch

Silver Embossing

I love the new Christmas stamps from Penny Black! Kathy at Penny Black's created some beautiful designs for their Christmas Stamps! I was inspired and created this:








Recipe:

1. Attach aluminum foil to cardstock and cut to size to fit through the Cuttlebug.



2. Using the Cuttlebug emboss the aluminum foil attached to the cardstock. (I used my tape runner to attach the aluminum foil. It held pretty well. the edges lifted a little but since I used Gold paper underneath it actually added to the distressing.



3. Using alcohol inks drip 4 drops of copper and 3 drops of blending solution on the felt on the applicator. Smear the color on the aluminum foil using the applicator.



4. Drip 4 drops of Stream on a new piece of felt on the applicator. Add 3 drops of Blending Solution. Smear the new color on top of the aluminum foil.



5. Stamp the bird on the tree on light blue paper with Versamark watermark. \



6. Cut the bird stamped card stock in a square.



7. Heat emboss the stamped bird with silver embossing powder.



8. Pick random sized buttons any color.



9. Versamark the buttons and cover with the silver embossing powder.



10. I used my stylus with the sharp end to pull my buttons out of the embossing powder to safety on another sheet of paper.



11. Heat up the buttons and hold them in place using the stylus or even a paper clip.



12. Cut a piece of brown cardstock 1/4" longer than the blue cardstock and 3/4 of the width of the blue cardstock.



13. Cut a ribbon to go half way up the aluminum foil. Tie 2 knots on the ribbon.



14. Attach everything to Bazzil Bling Blue Cardstock.

Products:

• Penny Black 3879J - Nature's Dance Stamp


• Stampendous Stamp-n Stuff Sterling Silver Opaque Embossing Powder


• Bag of Buttons - Autumn Leaves


• Adirondack Alcohol Inks - Stream, Copper, Blending Solution


• Stickles - Blue


• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Textile Texture

Under the Sea

This all started with me wanting to combine 3 things..

1. A piece of the cardstock created using the markers on the acetate. (See previous post... http://suzzstampingspot.blogspot.com/2008/07/misty-background.html)

2. Art Institute Glitter's Fantasy Film

3. And a challenge from 2 Pea's in a Bucket to stamp on transperencies... http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/mb.asp?cmd=display&thread_id=2616244

So when you pull all those together... You might get something like this... :)



Here's the recipe and it's a doozy... :)

1. Start by creating the background following the previous post with blues and greens. Cut it to 4 3/4" x 6 3/4".



2. Stamp the sea creatures using different StazOn colors on a transparancy.



3. Turn over the transparancy and use Copic markers to color the sea animals.



4. Cut out the sea animals.



5. Take the Fantasy film and cut off a piece. Turn on the heat gun and using something to hold the Fantasy film in place heat it up until it wrinkles and changes colors.



6. Tear pieces of the Fantasy Film and adhere them to the bottom of the background.



7. Ink the school of fish with yellow and orange and stamp randomly in the background. Stamp the individual fish randomly on the background.



8. Attach the sea creatures using little pop dots.



9. Tear little pieces of the fantasy film and attach randomly around the picture.



10. Take clear letter stickers and attach to transparency. Using alcohol inks color back side of the letters. Cut letters out and affix using small pop dots.



11. Using stickles glitterize your sea creatures...



12. Attach your masterpiece to the card!

Products:

• Heidi Grace/Fiskars Beyond the Sea Clear Stamps


• Art Institute Glitter - Fantasy Film - Waterfall


• Stickles - Purple, Blue, Orange


• StazOn - Pumpkin, Jet Black, Sunflower Yellow, Olive Green
  

Part II - Resist Technique

When I tried out the pattern behind the flowers I did several different variations to see what would happen. This was the other background I created.


The recipe for the oval piece is the following:

1. Stamp the first pattern in yellow dye ink on glossy card stock.
2. Stamp the solid larger pattern with Versamark Watermark Ink.
3. Brayer the Rose Bud Dye Ink over the entire paper.
4. Use a dry papertowel to remove the color on the versamark.

Products:

• Adirondack Brights Sunshine Yellow Dye Ink Pad
• Memento - Rose Bud Dye Ink Pad
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder Birds & Swirls
• Hero Arts Black Gems
• A Stamp in the Hand - Tall Poppies
• Other background stamp - I bought it in a little Stamp Store and it was not marked. :(
• Hero Arts - Birthday Messages
• Versamark Watermark Ink Pad
• Brayer

I thought the effect was different and the colors were more muted in a softer prettier way.

TFL!

Fluttering By...

This technique uses dye inks, glossy cardstock, my favorite Versamark watermark ink pad, and of course heat embossing with the clear embossing powder.

Recipe:

1. Start with stamping with dye ink a pattern (this stamp should be something smaller and more detailed) across a 5 x 7 area on glossy card stock.


2. With the Versamark Watermark Ink applied to a larger solid stamp randomly stamp across the pattern created with the dye ink.


3. Clear emboss the images stamped in Versamark.


4. Now you need to apply the same dye ink you put on the small pattern across the complete 5 x 7 glossy card stock. I started with a brayer to cover the whole area. I like my colors dark so I brayered in multiple directions to prevent any streaks of white.


5. After I brayered it I actually used the ink pad directly all over especially in the details that were embossed.


6. Now take a dry paper towel and wipe of the ink from the areas that are versamarked. This should remove fairly easily. I buffed it quite a bit to get off as much color as possible.


7. I cut my pattern into 3 rectangles and mounted them on to purple cardstock and then put them on the lime green cardstock.


8. I tied bows around each panel.


9. To finish this off I wanted something that added dimension so I stamped 2 butterflies using StazOn on acetate. I wanted to give them the airy feeling by making them see through.


10. Add 3 little gems on the outside panels at the top. Just because of the pattern I selected this works well. You can embellish with what works with your project!
    

Products:

• StazOn - Royal Purple
• Acetate, Glossy Cardstock
• Crystal Stickers - Gemstones (Purple)
• Hero Arts - H3308 Sandra's Letter Background
• Rubber Stampede - 3351B Morpho Butterfly
• A Stamp in the Hand - Q-1802 Tall Poppies
• Adirondack Brights - Sunshine Yello
• Memento - Rose Bud
• Ribbon - Unkown
• Versamark Watermak Ink Pad
• Clear Embossing Powder

Ink drops on roses.. (Or Agapanthus?)

Can you guess what this is? A much loved applicator for my alcohol inks. My good friend Lisa made this for me as my starting toy to work with alcohol inks. She purchased the handle at the hardware store. Cut a circle from velcro that had a sticky back. Stuck the velcro on. I have since gone and bought felt from the craft store and die cut circles. Than I realized why worry about circles? So I just started cutting funny looking squares because it really doesn't matter as long as it covers the top of the velcro. I shared this so if you need a second one or don't have one this is a cheap alternative. :)




Now onto the card that I wanted to share. I made this card awhile ago and decided to post it up today. I love playing with the alcohol inks and this uses 2 of my favorite colors.








Recipe:

1. Put a felt piece on the applicator.
2. Put 3-4 drips of Wild Plum on my applicator.
3. Put 3 drips of Alcohol Blending Solution.
4. Smear in circular motion the applicator with the plum ink on glossy cardstock. (If the ink dries out or loses the color you want add more Wild Plum and Blending Solution. )
5. Drip Eggplant alcohol ink directly on the glossy card stock.
6. Drip Alcohol Blending Solution directly on the glossy card stock.
7. Drip Wild Plum Alcohol Ink directly on the glossy card stock.
8. Continue dripping until you get the effect you want!
9. Let this dry.
10. Stamp the Agapanthus Cluster Stamp using StazOn Jet Black on the alchol ink background.
11. Pull a piece of acetate and cut it to the size of the first piece of art.
12. Lay the acetate on the background. (This will help you stagger your flowers by determining where you want to stamp the white flowers.)
13. Ink up the Agapanthus Cluster Stamp with StazOn Opaque White Ink and stamp on the acetate.
14. Pop up the corners of the acetate with pop dots and put a gem over the top of these to hide the pop dots.
15. Mount the background and acetate on a piece of black cardstock.
16. Attach the black cardstock to a card made of purple cardstock.

Products:

• Adirondack - Alcohol Inks - Wild Plum, Eggplant, Alcohol Blending Solution
• Stampendous - P107 Agapanthus Cluster
• StazOn Ink - Jet Black, White Opaque
• Gems - Purple