Santa in September

Hi everyone.  Today I'm playing along with Christmas Kickstart Challenge #102 - Santa in September.  I don't have many Santa stamps or dies, but I have kept this older stamp from Wild Rose ... loved their sweet images, but sadly, they are no longer in business.

I stamped the Santa / reindeer image onto mixed media paper in black ink and heat embossed with clear before watercolouring with distress inks (I'll list them below --- so many colours!!). :)  I fussy-cut the image and set aside.  Sponged the sky in two shades of blue, tore snowhills for the bottom, and paper pieced my watercoloured image on top.  Finished the card off by adding a simple sentiment and a splattering of white diluted acrylic paint for falling snow.

Close-up ...

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Santa with Rudolph (Wild Rose Studios); Christmas Sentiments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Ground Espresso, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Salty Ocean, Black Soot (Tim Holtz)  
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder, heat tool, watercolour paint brushes, sponges, white acrylic paint for splattering

Challenges:

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #102 - Santa in September

Christmas Star

Hi everyone.  I'm back with another Christmas card using the Posted stamp and die set (Penny Black).

I stamped the postage outline in soft gray and then masked off the outside border.  The sweet image (The Star - Penny Black) was stamped on the inside of the masked area with black ink and clear heat embossed before watercolouring with distress inks.  Diluted white paint was splattered for falling snow before popping up the panel onto my card front, which is covered in dark green paper.  A simple white embossed sentiment finishes the card.

Close-up ...

Sending this card to:

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #64 - Anything Christmas Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Posted (Penny Black); The Star (Penny Black); Jolly Snippets (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Green paper (unknown)
Ink:   Shadow Grey Archival Ink (Ranger); Black (Memento); Distress inks:  Salvaged Patina, Candied Apple, Lumberjack Plaid, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Posted die (Penny Black), masking tape, Clear embossing powder (Ranger), watercolour paint brushes, White embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, diluted white acrylic paint

Challenges:

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #64

Embossing with Dies - Group of Cardmakers

Hi everyone.  Today at Group of Cardmakers, we are sharing our experimenting of Embossing with Dies.  This is a super simple technique that uses your dies and makes them into an embossed image. :)

Check out the post at Group of Cardmakers for links to wonderful videos and more sample cards from Christine, Pat, & Susan.

First up, my fav card of this post ... a pretty Peace Rose.  I watercoloured the rose in colours of a Peace Rose that I had in my garden at my last house.  The bloom was a delicate pink.  The edges turn to soft yellow when it opens.  I stamped my flower in black ink, heat embossed in clear; then watercoloured using Distress inks.  I used the matching die to cut it out before mounting it on my debossed background of a pretty leaf die.

Close-up ...

Sending the above card to:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 4 - Anything Goes - Embossing with Dies (2nd entry)

* * * * *

A Christmas card featuring a holly die.  I created a deboss of the holly image for the background, then die-cut the same die from Mixed Media paper and watercoloured, placing it over top.  A simple sentiment is added to finish the card.

* * * * *

I've made two cards using a postage frame die.  And I used it two ways, embossed with the cut side of the die showing a thin outline; and debossed with the backside of the die recessed (thicker outline).  That is a bonus to this technique.  With most dies, you can use either side of the embossed image depending on the look you want.  See below two cards using the same die but different sides of the embossed impression. 

Thin outline of die (embossed)

Thick outline with die (debossed)

One more card with a different way of doing this technique.  Sorry for the long post, but as you can tell, I had a lot of fun playing! :) 

This time I used a stamp and matching die to stamp the flower onto mixed media paper, heat embossing in silver.  Then I watercoloured the image using Distress re-inkers.  I finished by placing the matching die over top of the image, but instead of cutting it out, I embossed the image so that my stamped image has it's own outline.  This also adds texture and a bit of dimension to my otherwise flat card. :)  It's subtle in the photo above, but so pretty IRL. :)

* * * * *

Bonus ... you can take a lot of your dies and turn them into embossed images, then use the same die to cut matching stencils to use over top of your images.  Lots and lots of options!

Thanks for stopping by!

Card #1:

Stamps:  Enchantingly (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black ink (Memento); Disttress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Delicate Leafy Branch die (Simon Says Stamp); Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, Enchantingly die (Penny Black), watercolour paint brushes

Card #2:

Stamps:  Happy Snippets (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon, Crackling Campfire, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Ground Espresso (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Posted die (Penny Black), Autumn Decor dies (Penny Black), sponges 

Card #3:

Stamps:  Love & Magic; Jolly Snippets (both Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Salty Ocean (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Posted die (Penny Black), watercolour brushes, red chalk

Card #4:

Stamps:  Handy Christmas Sentiments (Amy R - long retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Gathered Twigs (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Holly and Berry Branch die (Penny Black), watercolour brushes, Clear Wink of Stella, Crystal Glaze (Nuvo)

Card #5:

Stamps:  Amazing Things (Pinkfresh Studios)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Versamark;  Distress Re-Inks:  Saltwater Taffy, Abandoned Coral, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Silver embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, watercolour paint brushes, Amazing Things die (Pinkfresh Studios)

Challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 4 - Anything Goes - Embossing with Dies (2nd entry)

Guest Designing at Rudolph Days August Challenge

Hi everyone.  Today I'm Guest Designing at Rudolph Days August Challenge.  Thanks so much to Helen for inviting me!

For today's card I have made another using the Immense Joy die (Penny Black).  Last year I made a series of cards using this amazing die, and I just had to pull it out again this year. :)

I brayered a piece of Bristol card with distress inks and cut out the "O" from the Joy die.  I also die-cut the Deers & Tree scene; then die-cut again for the "O".  These were layered together and then inlaid into the "O" opening.  I splattered diluted white acrylic paint for falling snow.  The completed JOY was placed over top of a snowflake embossed card front (Snowflakes - Cuttlebug).  Merry Christmas is stamped on the inside using the closest ink I had to kraft.

Close-up ...

Sending this card to a few other challenges besides Rudolph Days ...

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 4 - Anything Goes - Brayering

Sparkles Christmas Challenge #175 - Include a Tree - the tree is part of the winter scene inside the "O".  Hope that qualifies

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  N/A

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Bristol card; Kraft card stock
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Candied Apple, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz); Sahara Sand (SU!)
Accessories:   Immense Joy die (Penny Black), Brayer, Deer & Trees die (AliExpress), Acrylic white paint, Snowflake embossing folder (Cuttlebug)

Challenges:

Rudolph Day August Challenge

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Weekly 4 - AG 

Sparkles Christmas Challenge #175 - Include a Tree 

Christmas Wreath

Hi everyone.  Today's card is again inspired by several challenges.  I just received a new twig wreath die in the mail ... so perfect timing to use it right away for the Christmas Kickstart challenge.  I die-cut the wreath four times (2 from both light and medium gray card stock), and also did a little sponging around the outside edges with Basic Gray ink (SU!).  A simple hole punch was used to create the berries from Cherry Cobbler card stock.  The wreath is placed on top of an embossed card front (Snowflake Oval Frame - Simon Says Stamp embossing folder).  To finish, I added a die-cut sentiment in matching Basic Gray ink.

Close-up ...

Sending this card to the following challenges:

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #101 - Let's Wreath it Up!

NBUS Challenge #77 - first time using wreath die and snowflake embossing folder

Cut it Up Challenge #336.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  N/A

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Basic Gray, Smoky Slate, and Cherry Cobbler card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Basic Gray (SU!)
Accessories:   Wreath die, Snowflake Oval Frame Embossing folder (Simon Says Stamp), sponges, Handy Christmas Sentiments (Amy R - retired)

Challenges:

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #101 - Let's Wreath it Up!

NBUS Challenge #77

Cut it Up #336 - Add a Sentiment

Sleding Sweetness

Hi everyone.  I pulled out a fairly new Penny Black set to play with (Sleding Sweetness) - my first time using this set.  Their critters are so adorable, especially the winter bears.  I had fun colouring these adorable images. :)

I started by sponging the card front with Distress inks (Mustard Seed, Salvaged Patina).  I stamped the branches in the background (Refined - Penny Black) in Hickory Smoke ink and added a torn snowhill at the bottom.  The bear and mouse are stamped in black and clear heat embossed on mixed media paper, before cutting them out with the matching dies (Sleding Sweetness Cut Out).  More Distress inks were used to watercolour.  I splattered the background and the images with diluted white acrylic paint before putting them all together.  A simple "JOY" sentiment (Full of Christmas - Penny Black) finishes the card.

Close-up ...

Sending this to Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 1 - Inks.  And I'm also sending it to Darnell's other challenge - NBUS Challenge #77.  Both these challenges help to keep me making cards and using a variety of my supplies, along with NBUS items that might normally languish in the cupboards for years!  Thank you, dear friend!!  :)

Also sending this to PBSC August Challenge - Optional:  Embossing.  I used heat embossing for my images and sentiment. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Sleding Sweetness (Penny Black); Refinded (Penny Black; Full of Christmas (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Salvaged Patina, Mustard Seed, Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Lumberjack Plaid, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Hickory Smoke, Salty Ocean (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder, heat tool, sponges, watercolour paint brushes, Sleding Sweetness Cut Outs (Penny Black), diluted white acrylic paint

Challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Weekly - 1) Inks

NBUS Challenge #77

PBSC August Challenge - Optional:  Embossing

Northern Lights

Hi everyone.  I tried out a new-to-me technique ... Northern Lights.  I have never seen Northern Lights in person, but have seem them on TV and in photos.  They are spectacular!

I've made three cards following the same video, Ink Blended Northern Lights by Lydia Fiedler (7:17).  For my card above, I randomly sponged areas of Mowed Lawn and areas of Wilted Violet Distress inks, trying not to have them overlap, which would give me brown ink. :)  I used Villaneous Potion distress ink for the dark part of the sky, sponging over top of my colours, but leaving areas where the colours in the background showed through.  

I masked off the sky and then used SU! inks for the silhouette of the mountains.  First used Basic Gray ink, and then finished along the top of the mountains with Basic Black.  I found SU! inks covered the Distress Ink colours better to give the mountains a consistent darkness.  I removed the mask and stamped Pine Row (Stampscapes) along the top of the mountain (first and second generation stamping).  To finish, I stamped a retired sentiment stamp in Versamark and heat embossed with white embossing powder.

Sending this card to Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 4 - Anything Goes

* * * * *

Second card follows the same video ...

I followed Understand Blue's video using the same colours she did (Distress Inks: Mustard Seed, Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Chipped Sapphire).  I added a die-cut scene (Winter Village - Penny Black) and a torn hill, stamped with sentiment (Bright & Light - Penny Black) to finish.  I'm happy how it turned out. :)

Sending this card to the Rudolph Days July Challenge and Merry Little Christmas Challenge #63.

.. and one more ...

This time I sponged Mustard Seed and Picked Raspberry distress inks before sponging Chipped Sapphire ink over top, leaving areas where the colour underneath showed.  I used the Pine Row Stamp (Stampscapes) to create a forest ... I'm obsessed with this stamp lately! :)  Again, I used first, second, and third generation stamping to create depth to my forest. :)  To finish, I used a stamp gifted from a friend to white heat embossed the sentiment and then splattered with diluted white acrylic paint to depict stars.

* * * * *

My friend Susan (Cardmaker's Garret) is also posting Northern Lights cards today ... click HERE.  Aren't they AMAZING??!!  

Link to other recommended videos:

2) Beautiful Northern Lights by Ciara T. Designs (16:19)

3) Northern Lights Demo by Marilyn G. (31:19)

4) Quick Northern Lights by Kevin Nakagawa (19:32)

Thanks for stopping by!

Card #1:

Stamps:  Pine Row (Stampscapes); Birthday Blowout (Poppy Stamps - retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock base (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Wilted Violet, Villaneous Potion (Tim Holtz); Basic Black & Basic Gray (SU!); Versamark
Accessories:  Sponges, White embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, diluted white acrylic paint for splattering

Card #2:

Stamps:  Bright and Light (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Chipped Sapphire (Tim Holtz); Basic Black & Basic Gray (SU!); Versamark
Accessories:  Sponges, Winter Village die (Penny Black), diluted white acrylic paint for splattering

Card #3:

Stamps:  Pine Row (Stampscapes); Signature Greetings (Memory Box)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Pink Raspberry, Chipped Sapphire (Tim Holtz); Basic Black & Basic Gray (SU!); Versamark
Accessories:  Sponges, White embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, diluted white acrylic paint for splattering

Challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 4 - Anything Goes

Rudolph Days July Challenge

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #63

Postage Christmas Cards

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing my most recent Christmas card using the Postage stamp image (Posted - Penny Black) as my background.  I have made a few of these types of cards in the past, but have decided I want to make several using this Postage Stamp with various Christmas images as the design. :)  You'll be seeing more of these, similar to last year's JOY postings.

My first one uses a wonderful stencil from Tim Holtz (Layered Poinsettia).  I didn't bother to mask in-between the poinsettias and holly, opting to use a smaller stencil brush and being fairly careful, although the colours did get mixed a bit. :)

I used Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness.  This is a great set of Christmas colours together.

The sentiment (Bright & Light - Penny Black) is stamped with more Candied Apple ink to finish the card.

Close-up ...

I'm sending this card to the following challenges:

1)  Darnell's IDEAS June Challenge - Week 5 - Stenciling

2)  Merry Little Christmas Challenge #63 - Anything Christmas Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Bright & Light (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Shadow Grey (Archival); Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Layered Poinsettias Stencil (Tim Holtz), brushes for sponging, silver metallic pen (Pilot)

Challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS June Challenge - Week 5 - Stenciling

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #63

Generation Stamping - Group of Seven

Hi everyone.   Quick note ... my current computer is done. :(  I have bought a new one, but can't figure out the new system ... everything has changed so much.  It will be a while before I'm up and running again.  Won't be able to visit your blogs, answer emails, etc. for a while.  I'll be back! :)

Today's technique is a basic stamping technique that creates the illusion of depth by simply offsetting the image and stamping a second time without re-inking.  This creates a lighter version of the image and makes it appear as if it is in the background.

This can also be used to create movement.  For instance, if stamping an animal, you can offset sideways and stamp (without reinking) as many times as possible before the ink is used up.  It appears as if the animal is running.

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

Group of Seven Cardmakers

This is the card I recently gave my son, Jeremy, for his birthday.  I started by sponging the main panel with Distress Inks (Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Peacock Feathers).  I then stamped the Pine Tree (Stampscapes) in Black ink.  Without re-inking, I moved the stamp down and to the right, and then stamped a second time my panel.  It took me a little while to decide I wanted a third tree.  By then the leftover ink on my stamp was dry.  So I inked the image again, stamped off on a piece of scrap paper, and then stamped the third tree.  This gave me a lighter image.  The two side trees look as though they are in the background behind my main (center) tree. :)  Easy peasy technique.

I cut the panel to size, added a strip of black card stock with white heat embossed sentiment at the bottom.  Then I popped the panel up with foam onto my black card base.

Sending this card to the AAA Cards Challenge #293 - Anything CAS Goes.  

* * * * *

I have created a Christmas card using the generation technique ...

I've used another tree image.  This time Pine Row from Stampscapes.  The background is sponged with Distress Inks: Salvaged Patina, Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet.  The stamp was ink'd with black Memento ink and stamp in the middle, then stamped again to the left and higher up ... and then again, offsetting it from the other stampings.  I repeated this two more times to make a forest of trees in the background. :) 

I tore a piece of white card stock for my "snowhill", and stamped a retired sentiment from Paper Smooches.  I splattered with diluted white acrylic paint for falling snow to finish the card.

Sending this card to the Rudolph Days June Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by!

Card #1:

Stamps:  Pine Tree (Stampscapes); Birthday Blowout (PoppyStamps - retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Salvaged Patina (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories:  sponges, White embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool 

Card #2:

Stamps:  Pine Row (Stampscapes); Christmas Sampler (Paper Smooches - retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Salvaged Patina, Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories:   sponges, diluted white acrylic paint

Challenges:

Group of Seven - Generation Stamping

AAA Cards Challenge #293 - Anything CAS Goes

Rudolph Days June Challenge

Christmas Love and Magic

Hi everyone.  Today I'm working on building my stash of Christmas cards for sending out to family and friends in December.

I'm starting with this new-to-me image of a sweet bear with a bouquet of holly (Love & Magic - Penny Black).  I stamped him in black ink and heat embossed with clear on mixed media paper before watercolouring using distress inks.  I fussy-cut him, added gloss to the holly; once dry, I splattered diluted white acrylic paint for falling snow.  He is then popped up overtop of the background panel, which is dry embossed with Allover Stitches EF (Penny Black) ... first time using this embossing folder. :)  I stamped the sentiment banner (Shine Upon You - Penny Black), adhering at the bottom of the panel before adding it to my card front.

I hope you like this quick and easy CAS design.

Close-up ...

I'm sending this card to the following challenges:

1)  Darnell's IDEAS - Week 3 - EFs

2)  NBUS Challenge #75 - first time using this sweet image :)

3)  Christmas Kickstart Challenge #99 - Christmas Critters

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Love & Magic; Shine Upon You (both from Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Lumberjack Plaid, Aged Mahogany, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Squeezed Lemonade, Lost Shadow (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Allover Stitches Embossing Folder (Penny Black), Watercolour brushes, crystal glaze (Nuvo), diluted white acrylic paint

Challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS - Week 3 - EFs

NBUS Challenge #75

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #99 - Christmas Critters

Christmas Greetings

Hi everyone.  Today I'm working on building my Christmas stash.  I haven't been making many cards so far this year, especially Christmas ones so you will be seeing more soon. :)

This uses a new-to-me embossing folder (3D Berries Abound - Penny Black), with matching stencils (3D Berries Abound Layers - Penny Black).  I dry embossed my card stock and then placed the stencils overtop, one at a time, and sponged with Distress inks (Mowed Lawn, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Gathered Twigs).  To add a bit of detail, I used a fine paint brush with Rustic Wilderness ink to go over the lines of embossing on the leaves.

I cut the panel to size, and added Crystal Effects over the berries, leaving it to dry overnight.  I added the panel to my card base and stamped the sentiment (Believe - Penny Black) to finish.

Close-up ... 

Sending this card to the  IDEAS - Week 3 - Embossing Folders challenge.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Believe (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Gathered Twigs, Rustic Wilderness (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  3D Berries Abound EF (Penny Black), 3D Berries Abound Layers (Penny Black), Sponges, paint brush, Crystal Effects 

Challenges:

IDEAS - Week 3 - Embossing Folders