Elegant Writer - Group of Seven

Hi everyone.  Today for Group of Seven, we are working with the Elegant Writer pen.  Christine first introduced me to this marker several years ago, but I didn't buy one for myself until last year.  I'm sorry I waited so long! :)

The pen is filled with water soluable ink.  When you add it to your card, the ink looks black, but add some water and you will have inks in gray, green, blue and pink show up.  It's really magical.  A little goes a long way. 

Please check out the details for the technique and link to video on the blog ...

Group of Seven Cardmakers

For both my cards today, I kept things CAS.  I was busy making cards ahead for upcoming commitments and packing up our house at the same time, so I kept things simple.  :)

For the card above, I used a wonderful image called Tree Poem (Stampendous), stamped in black and clear heat embossed.  I added a few lines of elegant writer here and there and then took a wet brush to spread the colours, dabbing with a paper towel which shows off the pink and blue colours.  I love the classic black and white colours with just a touch of added colour in the background.

Close-up ...

Here's what I learned when I experimented with this technique ...

• If you decide you want to buy one of the Elegant Writer pens, make sure it has a silver/gray casing.  This is the pen with the water soluable ink.  I mistakenly bought Elegant Writer pens that were in a black case ... permanent markers in black.  :)
• I found the video by Karlyn invaluable (you will find it on the Group of Seven blog).  She is an artist and also teaches art ... and she has lots of tips on how to use these amazing pens.
• I outlined images or partially outlined images and then added water to spread the ink.  If I wanted to add just a touch of colour, I would use a damp watercolour brush to pick up just a bit of colour directly from the tip of the Elegant Writer pen. 
• Once you add water and move the colour around, you must blot with a paper towel and that's when you will see more of the pink and blue colours.  
• As per Karlyn's video, I misted lightly from above to set the ink once I was finished.  Then I could leave my image as is, or add more watercolouring using inks or paints of different colours easily without any bleeding. 

* * * * *

Here's another CAS card using a black heat embossed image with the Elegant Writer pen.  Simple, but so pretty!

This time I used an image from the Create Chaos (Visible Image) stamp set.  Again, I kept it black and white with just a touch of colour from the elegant writer.

Sending this card to Simply Clean & Simple April Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by!

Card #1:

Stamps:  Tree Poem (Stampendous); Many Everyday Message (Hero Arts)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Elegant Writer
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, watercolour brushes

Card #2:

Stamps:  Create Chaos (Visible Image); Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Elegant Writer
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, watercolour brushes)

Challenges:

Group of Seven - Elegant Writer

Simply Clean & Simple April Challenge

Butterfly Birthday

Hi everyone.  Today's card is for the  Double D Challenge - Things That Fly challenge.  I used the Live Life Now stamp (Visible Image).  Love this image!

Here's the mood board for the challenge:

To make my card, I squirted a few drops of three colours of alcohol inks (Wild Plum, Sunbright Yellow, Tangerine) onto a piece of Photo Paper.  I added blending solution to get the inks to flow.  I then used an Air Blower (or Puffer as I call it) to move the inks around.  Once dry, I stamped the main image and sentiment (Gratitude - Penny Black) with black ink and heat embossed in clear. 

Close-up ...

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Stamps:  Live Life Now (Visible Image); Gratitude (Penny Black)

Paper:   Photo card stock
Ink:   Alcohol Inks:  Wild Plum (Ranger); Sunset Bright (Yellow) and Tangerine (Pinata); Black ink: (Versafine)

Accessories:   Blending Solution, Air Blower tool

Challenges:

Double D Challenge - Things That Fly

Snow is Falling

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a Blue and Silver Christmas card.  I always try to play along in some Christmas challenges each month if I have time.  Today's card works for three! :)

I used Magical Sprays - Blue Hydrangea (Lindy's) for the background.  I hope you can see a little of the bright blue shimmer.  It's so pretty in real life.  I then silver heat embossed the snowflake (Snow is Falling - Visible Images) and sentiment that are both from the same set.  I added some fine silver embossing to the outline of the main panel as well.

Close-up ...

Playing along with Christmas Craft Creations February Challenge - Blue and Silver.

Also playing along with Merry Little Christmas Challenge #31 - Anythng Christmas Goes! 

and

Rudolph Days February Challenge - Anything Goes Christmas (delay start this month).

I hope you'll come play along!

Product Links

Blue Hydrangea Magical Spray (Lindy's)

Snow is Falling (Visible Image)

Stamps:  Snow is Falling (Visible Image)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Blue Hydrangea Magical Spray (Lindy's); Versamark
Accessories:   water mister, silver embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
Christmas Craft Creations February Challenge - Blue & Silver

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #31 - Anything Christmas Goes

Rudolph Days February Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Eileen Godwin Background Technique

Hi everyone.  I have seen a few of my blogger friends trying out this technique from Eileen Godwin, so I wanted to give it a try myself.  So cool and fun to do.  Click HERE for a link to Eileen's video.  This is my first try and it turned out pretty good.  I do need to have a lighter touch when blending the inks.

I used the same combination of distress inks as Eileen (Festive Berries, Faded Jeans, Mustard Seed) and the soft blending tools with the handles that I received as a gift from a sweet friend.  I used a spare piece of card stock as my straight edge.  I love the geometric, artsy look of the background.

I stamped Live Life Now (Visible Image) in black ink, along with the sentiment (AliExpress stamp).

Close-up ...

I'm sending this card over to the Just Us Girls #561 Challenge - Triangle.  The background has several sponged triangles.

Stamps:  Live Life Now (Visible Image); Dream (AliExpress)
Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Festive Berries, Faded Jeans, Mustard Seed (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories:   blending brushes, 

Challenges:

Just Us Girls #561 - Triangle

Playing with Gouache

Hi everyone.  A few months back I had a play day with Christine, Susan, and Trina.  Christine had purchased some gouache (pronounced gwash) paints and we had a play with them.  They are highly pigmented watercolour paints that can be used on any colour of card stock.  They can be used full strength (opaque) or be watered down (translucent).  Very versatile colouring medium.

Above is the first card I made with these paints.  The colours are opaque and look really nice with this wonderful image from Magenta.

Close-up ...

Below, I used the paints (with lots of water) to smoosh the background before stamping and painting the flower over top.  White gouache is especially good to have.  It's wonderful to have a white that will cover everything ... and also create wonderful splatters for Christmas cards. :)

I got a set of 24 colours and 12 metallics as an early Christmas present.  Hope to be sharing more cards with you soon.

Thanks for visiting!

Card #1 - Floral Collage
Stamps:  Floral Collage (Magenta); Sentiment (unknown)
Paper:  Mixed media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Black (Versafine); Gouache paints
Accessories & Tools:  paint brushes

Card #2 - Creative Chaos
Stamps:  Creative Chaos (Visible Image); Noteworthy (STAMPlorations)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb).
Ink:  Black (Versafine); Gouache paints
Accessories & Tools:  Water mister, paint brushes

October Rudolph Days

Hi everyone.  Happy to be playing along with Rudolph Day's October challenge.  I've been playing along each month and it's helped me build my stash of Christmas cards.

Today's card is very different.  I just received this amazing image in the mail.  I love Visible Images that have things breaking away and have a few of them.  This snowflake makes for a very artsy image, and paired with Fractured Ice Embossing Powder, it really is cool! (pun intended). :)

This was simply stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with the Fractured Ice embossing powder.  Sentiment was stamped onto a black banner with Versamark and heat embossed in white.  Stamped over the sentiment again (Misti is awesome!) and then heat embossed with the Fractured Ice.  The white was a great base so that the colours of the fractured ice would show up on black.

Close-up ... lots of shine that reflects in my light box.

A very simple and quick card.

I hope you'll check out Rudolph Day's challenge and come play along.  It runs from 25th - end of month and is always "Anything Goes Christmas".

Stamps:Snow is Falling (Visible Image);
Paper:  White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); black card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Fractured Ice embossing powder (Allure), white embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
October Rudolph Days - Anything Goes Christmas