Peeking Snowmen

Hi everyone.  I recently bought this really fun die.  This just makes me happy! :)  There are lots of bits and pieces (a lot of the die sets these days are like this).  So it takes a while to figure it all out the first time you use it.  I was really happy with how mine turned out. That was until the last step of splattering white paint.  You know how it goes sometimes. :)

The dies were cut out twice, once from white card stock (for the faces and hands), and once from mixed media paper (all the other pieces).  Watercoloured the snowmen accessories with Distress inks, and outlined all the pieces in black (used the side of a black brush tip SU! marker for the edges of the dies, a fine (.05 tip) black pen for the details ... faces, trim on toque & hat, birds.  Adding the outline of black makes it seem as if I used a stamp ... I didn't. :)  Added red chalk for the cheeks.

Also cut out a wooden frame from The Greetery (Curio Cover die), swiped one of the longer pieces with Memento Toffee Crunch (direct from stamp).  The sentiment was stamped in Blueprint Sketch DOX ink to finish. 

Close-up ...

Sending the above card to the following challenges:

NBUS Challenge #80 - first time using both the snowman die and the curio cover die

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #65

  

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Christmas Sentiments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Toffee Crunch (Memento); Distress Inks:  Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Salty Ocean, Blueprint Sketch, Spiced Marmalade, Candied Apple, Black Soot (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Peeking Snowmen die (Temu), Curio Cover die (The Greetery), red chalk, black marker (SU!), fine black pen, white acrylic pen (Posca), diluted white acrylic paint, splatter brush

Challenges:

NBUS Challenge #80

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #65

Group of Cardmakers - Textured Tissue Paper with Dry Embossing

Hi everyone.  This month at Group of Cardmakers, we are making mixed media cards that include four techniques.  By combining these simple elements, you end up with a beautiful, mixed media card. :)

Please check out the details for this month's technique and link to video on the blog, along with more card samples from Christine, Pat, & Susan.

Group of Cardmakers

It all starts with tissue paper.  It needs to be a thick tissue paper (not the one for gift bags - although that might work ... I haven't tried it).  There is a Wet Tissue Paper that can be used to paint, glue, etc., which is a bit thicker, but I have not tried that either.  I will definitely get both of those and give them a try and then update my blog.  I used tissue paper that came from a package of acetate sheets I bought from Amazon.  This is a 12" x 12" package of acetate sheets with a piece of tissue paper between each layer.  This tissue paper is a bit thick and worked great for this technique.  Tissue paper is a wonderful way to add texture to you cards.  

I watercoloured the background first following this video - only the first 3 1/2 minutes, which tells you the how-tos, the rest is other options).

Once the tissue paper is watercoloured with base of colour and dry, I followed the steps on the Group of Cardmakers blog HERE to add sponging, dry embossing, and brayering.  We have added lots of tips and tricks if you want to give this combination of techniques a try ...

For details on what I used to make the cards in this post, check out the Card Recipes at the bottom of this post.

Close-up ...

Sending this card to the following challenges:

NBUS Challenge #79 - first time using this embossing folder

Seize the Birthday #316 - Anything Birthday Goes

 

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A Christmas card with lots of texture.  I scrunched tissue before smoothing out and gluing to card front ...

Sending this card to the Rudolph Days October Challenge.

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Here's another Christmas card ... this time I used a regular embossing folder.  The design is not as deep as 3D folders, and you'll see the brayer roller touched the background several times.  I'm still happy with how this card turned out. :)

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... and finally, one more Christmas card.  This time I used only half of my card front to create this card with foil cardstock die-cut. :)  You'll see the remaining half made into cards in the next few weeks. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Card #1:

Stamps:  Birthday Blowout (Poppy Stamps - retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Ripe Persimmon, Wilted Violet, Vintage Photo (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories:   Tissue paper (watercolour with light yellow, purple and pink), Fall Leaves embossing folder (Honey Bee), Brayer, Gold metallic acrylic paint, Princess Gold embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, Leafy Branch die (AliExpress), sponges

Card #2:

Stamps:  n/a

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Gold Metallic paper (Tonic)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Lumberjack Plaid, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Tissue paper (watercolour with light red, dark red, green), sponges, Poinsettia embossing folder (Spellbinders), Brayer, Gold metallic acrylic paint (Lumiere), Line it up: Christmas dies (Papertrey Ink), Mistletoe die, gold half pearls

Card #3:

Stamps:  n/a

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Silver Metallic paper (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Broken China, Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Tissue paper (watercolour with light light blue, dark blue, purple), sponges, Filigree Snowflakes embossing folder (Simon Says Stamp), Brayer, Silver metallic acrylic paint (Liquitex), Line it up: Christmas dies (Papertrey Ink)

Cards 4:

Stamps:  Snowglobe Sayings (MTF out of business)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Blue Metallic paper (Tonic)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Broken China, Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Tissue paper, sponges, Vine Canopy embossing folder (Simon Says Stamp), Brayer, Citrine metallic acrylic paint (Lumiere), Holly and Berries die (Birch Press Designs)

Challenges:

NBUS Challenge #79

Seize the Birthday #316 - Anything Birthday Goes

Rudolph Days October Challenge

Snowman Choir

Hi everyone.  I had to buy these adorable singing snowmen after seeing them on Michele's blog, I Card Everyone.  Thanks for enabling me to shop, Michele! :)

This card makes me smile.  It did take me several hours to make this card because of all the teeny, tiny pieces (35 in all).  I'm hopeful my second card using the awesome dies will be made much faster. :)

Close-up:

Sending this card to Christmas Kickstart Challenge #103 - Snow Alert! ... just had to play along! :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  n/a

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Bashfull Blue (SU!) --- I've had this paper for about 20 years! :)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Warm Lipstick, Salty Ocean, Shabby Shutters, Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon, Lost Shadow (Tim Holtz) 
Accessories:   The Snow Notes dies (Spellbinders), Small Snowflakes dies (Impression Obsession - out of business)

Challenges:

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #103 - Snow Alert!

Purple and Orange Birthday

Hi everyone.  I'm so happy to create another Fall-themed card using three challenges as inspiration.  I started with Just Us Girls - Fall Mood board, using the leaves.  Then I used the colours from Color Hues (Purple and Orange) to first smoosh, and then sponge colours to create vibrant colours.  And I finished by making it a birthday card for Seize the Birthday!  Thanks ladies!!

I die-cut my leaves twice from mixed media paper, then smooshed them with orange (Ripe Persimmon) and purple (Seedless Preserves) inks.  Once dry I sponged more of the same colours over top.  The sponged purple and orange together changed the purple to more of a purple/brown.  For the background, I used the paper towel from mopping up my leftover inks. :)  Love the texture it adds to the card.

To finish, I stamped a simple sentiment in more Seedless Preserves ink.

Close-up ...

Today's card is inspired by three challenges:

Just Us Girls #797 - Mood Board for my leaves;

Color Hues #120 - Purple and Orange for the colours; and

Seize the Birthday #315 - Anything Birthday Goes option. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts - retired)

Paper:  White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Ripe Persimmon, Seedless Preserves (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Abundant Leaves dies (Simon Says Stamp), sponges  

Challenges:

Color Hues #120 - Purple and Orange

Just Us Girls #797 - Mood Board Week

Seize the Birthday #315 - Anything Birthday Goes option