Direct to Paper Inking - Group of Cardmakers

Hi everyone.  This month at Group of Cardmakers, we are using the direct to paper inking technique.

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

Group of Cardmakers - Direct to Paper Inking

This technique is easy to do.  You just press your ink pad onto your paper and drag to cover as much area as possible.  It will take several swipes to get full coverage, but your colours on ink will be very strong and saturated.  This technique can be used in a variety of ways.

For my first card above I masked off the sides with removable tape (3M), then dragged my Mowed Lawn distress ink pad over approx. 1/3 of the bottom section of the exposed card.  I repeated a few times until the colours were fairly solid.  I flipped my card around and added Salvage Patina ink to the middle section, swiped a few times with the ink pad to get solid coverage.  One more time, with Salty Ocean ink pad distress ink pad to cover the remainder of the open card.

Once dry, I removed the tape and stamped two images from Meadow (Inkadinkado), and the sentiment A Little Sentimental (Clearly Besotted - retired).  I mounted my card front onto the base and the card was done!  Easy, peasy. :)

Close-up ...

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While the stamp sets out for the first card, I used them again for the second card.  I created a small focal panel, swiping three colours of distress ink pads to create a sunset.  Next time I will try it with Distress Oxide inks ... I think it would give a smoother finish.

 A flower garden silhouette (Inkadinkado - Meadow), and simple sentiment (Clearly Besotted - retired) are stamped in black ink.  The panel is popped up over top of the card base for dimension.

Sending this card to the following challenges:

SCS Ways to Use It Challenge - WT1106 - Thank a caregiver

Thanks for stopping by!

Card #1:

Stamps:  Meadow (Inkadinkado); A Little Sentimental (Clearly Besotted - retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Salvaged Patina, Salty Ocean (Tim Holtz); Black (Obsidian Pigment - Altenew)
Accessories:   Removable tape (3M)

Card #2:

Stamps:  Meadow (Inkadinkado); A Little Sentimental (Clearly Besotted - retired)

Paper:   Black card stock (SU!); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Obsidian Pigment - Altenew); Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Ripe Persimmon, Picked Raspberry (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  n/a

Challenges:

SCS Ways to Use It Challenge - WT1106 - Thank a caregiver

Split Card Design - Group of Cardmakers

Hi everyone.  This month at Group of Cardmakers, we are playing with Split Card Design techniques.  There are two techniques which show how to make two quick cards in just over the time it would normally take to make one.

Please check out the details for April's Technique (Split Card Designs) and link to videos on the blog, along with more card samples from Christine & Susan.

Group of Cardmakers

The technique used for this set of cards is to use a oversized  / large image.  I stamped Fragrant Florals (Altenew) in black ink and heat embossed with clear.  The matching stencils were used to sponge the image with distress inks.  Once the colouring was done, the matching die was used to cut out the image.  I used a white Posca pen to add a bit of detailing and then cut the image into two pieces.  

I mounted each piece onto an A2 white card base and finished off by stamping sentiments in more black ink.  These made lovely cards with only having to colour one image.  It is common sense, but I hadn't thought about doing this with my larger stamps before. :)  I'm really happy how these cards turned out!

If you don't have oversized stamps, a large stamp will make two cards with smaller focal panels ... see pink floral cards below. :)

Sending left card to:

Die Cut Divas March Challenge - Anniversary or Birthday Card (2nd Entry).  Used Altenew products.

Sending right card to:

Just Us Girls #820 - Stencing - Anything Goes (2nd entry).  Flowers are stenciled.

NBUS #85 - first time using this die.

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This set of cards is stamped with Statement Flowers (Altenew).  I LOVE the size of these large, bold blooms.  I stamped onto mixed media paper, heat embossing in Liquid Platinum embossing powder.  The image was then watercoloured using distress inks before fussy-cutting.  The large image was split into two smaller ones and mounted on top of a panel / inside a frame.  It made two lovely CAS cards. :)

Here's the first card ...

Sending the above card to these challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS Calendar - Week 4 - Anything Goes - I used Watercolouring for my above image

Seize the Birthday #325 - Primarily Pink

SCS CAS896 - die-cuts - used a die-cut to create the dotty frame

Here's the second card ...

Sending the above (second) card to these challenges:

We Love Stamping April Challenge - Spring (2nd entry)

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The other technique I'm sharing from this month's Group of Cardmakers is from Jennifer McGuire.  It's another great way to stamp two of the same image, colouring one and leaving the other with just the heat embossed outline, splitting the two in the same place and swapping out.  You get two unique and beautiful cards with just a little extra heat embossing and only having to colour one of them.  This helps build your stash of cards quicker ... especially if you use a CAS design for your cards.

Here is the first card that used half of the images from each stamping ...

Sending the above card to these challenges:

Rudolph Days April Challenge

And, here is the second card that uses the other pieces ...

Thanks for stopping by!

Card 1&2:

Stamps:  Fragrant Florals (Altenew); Super Day (sentiments - Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.) 
Ink:   Black (Versafine); Distress Inks:  Ripe Persimmon, Wilted Violet, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Villaneous Potion (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Clear Embossing Powder (Ranger); sponges, Fragrant Florals matching die (Altenew), white Posca acrylic paint pen

Card 3&4:

Stamps:  Statement Flowers (Altenew); Brushed Script Words (Stampendous); Happy Messages (Stampendous)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Versamark; Distress Inks:  Kitsch Flamingo, Picked Raspberry, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Liquid Platinum embossing powder (Ranger); Hemstitch Rectangles (Spellbinders); Small stitched rectangle frame (AliExpress)

Card 5&6:

Stamps:  Holiday Bouquet (Avery Elle)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Dark Red cardstock (Unknown)
Ink:   Versamark; Zig markers (Kuretake)
Accessories:   Liquid Platinum Embossing Powder (Ranger), heat tool, watercolour paint brushes

Challenges:

Die Cut Divas March Challenge - Anniversary or Birthday Card

Just Us Girls #820 - Stencing - Anything Goes

NBUS #85

Darnell's IDEAS Calendar - Week 4 - Anything Goes

Seize the Birthday #325 - Primarily Pink

We Love Stamping April Challenge - Spring

Rudolph Days April Challenge

SCS - CAS896 - Die-cuts

Bleaching (with Bleach or Water) - Group of Cardmakers

Hi everyone.  This month at Group of Cardmakers, we are experimenting with Bleaching (with both Bleach or Water).  There are lots of variations, and some techniques are known by a variety of names such as Water Stamping, Ghosting, etc.

Please check out the details for this month's Bleaching (with Bleach or Water) Technique and link to videos on the blog, along with more card samples from Christine, Pat, & Susan.

Group of Cardmakers

My results were a mix.  I had success with using Bleach, but not much success with using Water for stamping.  I'll share what worked for me ...

The first three cards are done with the same technique ... smooshed background with Distress Inks, dry; stamp image and heat emboss; then bleaching the image with paint brush dipped in bleach and blotted with paper towel.

The card above is the Blooming Branch stamp (Pinkfresh Studio), stamped in Brushed Cordoroy and heat embossed with clear over smooshed background.  I used bleach to remove the image colour, left it for a day, and then watercoloured with Distress Inks.  I used a hot pink marker to add more colour to the center of the blooms.  I die-cut the center of the card front using the Semi-Circle Stacker Frame die (Penny Black) and then popped it up over top.  A simple sentiment from Happy Snippets (Penny Black) finishes the card.

Sending the card at the top of the post to:

Darnell's IDEAS Calendar - Week 4 - Anything Goes --- I used bleaching! :)

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I used the same method for the fuschsia card.  Smooshed distress inks for the background.  Image is Captivating (Penny Black), heat embossed with Liquid Platinum embossing powder.  I used distress inks to watercolour where I had removed the background colour with bleach.  A sentiment, Cosmos - retired (Technique Tuesday) was also added in Liquid Platinum Embossing.  Used a white paint pen on the stamens.

Sending above card to:

We Love Stamping March Challenge - Anything Goes.

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For my final card using the smooshing and bleaching technique, I used Christmas Birds - retired  (Northwoods).  Again used Liquid Platinum embossing.  The sentiment is from retired Snowglobe Sayings (MFT).

Sending this card to:

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #67 - Anything Christmas Goes

Rudolph Days March Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

 

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Below I am sharing a card I made from 2016 using bleaching with water when stenciling (ghosting technique).  Ghosting is another name for Bleaching.  It is the same ... using a ink coloured background, and stenciling with water over top.  Below is a sample from a few years ago.  I have many more samples on my Pinterest Board - Ghosting (link HERE).

I hope you'll give one of the bleaching techniques a try.  There are a lot of options using bleach ... and a few using water.  It's worth trying them out to see what works best for you.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Card #1:

Stamps:  Blooming Branch (Pinkfresh Studio); Happy Snippets (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Brushed Corduroy, Saltwater Taffy, Abandoned Coral, Shabby Shutters (Tim Holtz)
Accessories: Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, water brush, bleach, watercolour paint brushes, Semi-Circle Stackers (Penny Black)

 

Card #2:

Stamps:  Captivating (Penny Black); Cosmos - retired (Technique Tuesday)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Hot Press Watercolour Paper (Arches 140 lb.)

Ink:   Versamark; Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Lumberjack Plaid, Wilted Violet, Villanous Potion, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Liquid Platinum embossing Powder (Ranger), heat tool, water brush, bleach, watercolour paint brushes, white acrylic paint pen (Posca)

Card #3:

Stamps:  Christmas Birds (Northwoods); Snowglobe Sayings - retired (MFT)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)

Ink:   Versamark; Distress Inks:  Salvaged Patina, Wilted Violet, Salty Ocean (Tim Holtz); Arteza Watercolour Markers
Accessories:  Liquid Platinum embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, water brush, bleach, watercolour paint brushes

 

Challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS Calendar - Week 4 - Anything Goes

We Love Stamping March Challenge - Anything Goes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #67 - Anything Christmas Goes

Rudolph Days March Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Faux Cyanotypes - Group of Cardmakers

Hi everyone.  This month at Group of Cardmakers, we are trying out a new-to-us technique called Faux Cyanotypes.  It is a photography artform that has been adapted for card making.  We are sharing two different ways to do this technique and we have a video of each.  This is done with just one colour of blue ink (Cyan is an Ancient Greek word for Blue).

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

Group of Cardmakers

The cards in this post are all CAS, meaning there is lots of white space, with litte to no embellishments.  If you have a question, please use the form on the sidebar to contact me.  I will list the stamps and products used for the cards at the bottom of this post. 

There are two ways to do this technique.  The closest look of the photography artform uses a saturated blue (Blueprint Sketch ink) background (DOX or DI both work, but I personally prefer the DI background that gives a brighter shade of blue) with white ink stamping (following first video on Group of Cardmakers).  The other video, using the same colour of blue (Blueprint Sketch used for all the blue cards in this post), you lightly sponge the background and then add a solid image stamped with the same ink (several stamping may be required to get a solid image).

For the cards above, I have used the same stamp and framing, done with the two techniques.  They look similar, but different. The left one is with a direct to paper inked background of blue, stamped image in white pigment ink on top.  The right one is made with just the blue ink, sponged lightly for the background, with the image stamped several times to get a deep colour.

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I wanted to see what this technique looked like in different colours ... so the third card is done with Rustic Wilderness distress ink, sponged softly for the background, with stamping done in the same colour, with several layers.  

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These two cards are done with the same image ... again using the two different techniques, both cards made with DOX inks this time.

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Lastly, I HAD to try this technique using pink ink (Picked Raspberry DI).  I LOVE it! :)  I had a LOT of fun playing with this technique.  I hope you'll give it a try.

Sending Card #1 to:

Darnell's IDEAS Calendar - Week 4 - Anything Goes

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Cards 1, 2, & 3:

Stamps:  Nature's Gift (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Blueprint Sketch Distress Oxide Ink / Blueprint Sketch DI / Rustic Wilderness DI (Tim Holtz)

Accessories:   Rectangle Stitched Frames (AliExpress)

Card #4 & 5:

Stamps:  Sail Away (very old SU!)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Blueprint Sketch Distress Ink; Blue Sketch Distress Marker (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Thin Frames Rectangle dies (Simon Says stamp), sponge brush, diluted Acrylic White Paint, Splatter Brush

Card #6:

Stamps:  Wild Flora (Inkylicious)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Picked Raspberry Distress Ink (Tim Holtz)

Accessories:   Arched window die (Lil' Inkers - closed)

Challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS Calendar - Week 4 - Anything Goes

Layered Scene Cards - Design Element - Group of Cardmakers

Hi everyone.  This month at Group of Cardmakers, we are playing with Layered Scene cards.  There are several ways to create these cards.  Today, we are showcasing three; 1)  Layered Scene on regular card bases; 2) Layered Step Cards; 3) Faux Tunnel Cards (with Nesting Dies).

Please check out the details for Layered Scene Cards and link to videos on the blog, along with more card samples from Christine & Pat.

Group of Cardmakers - Layered Scene Cards 

These cards take a while to design and make, but they are so worth it as you end up with a unique and beautiful card.

I have been totally in awe of Kittie Carcciolo's creations for many years.  She is a master at making layered scenes and I'm sure you will be inspired when you check out the Group of Cardmaker's blog for links to her blog posts.

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I'm going to write a fairly brief description of each of my cards.  If you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email using the form located on the sidebar of my blog. :)

The first card (above) is a basic step card.  For measurements, please check out the link to the page on the Group of Cardmakers post this month.

I used heave white card stock for my base (110 lb.), adding a larger panel (5 1/2" x 4") at the back of light blue "sky" with lattice.  The lattice is filled with leaves and hollyhocks.  On the next step of the card I added a piece of green card stock and then placed bright and cheerful Daisies in front.  The flowers and leaves are all sponged with distress inks (colours listed below).  The lower step has the sentiment "Happy Birthday in blue to tie it to the background of the card. :)

Here are some close-ups of the card ...

You can see the "steps" of the card in this photo

This is a close-up of the card when it is closed to go into the envelope.

Sending the above card to the Beautiful Blossoms Challenge - Mood Board #37.

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Next card is a Layered Card using a regular card base.  I made the card slightly smaller (5 1/4" x 4") than an A2 card.  Even if there is more "bulk", it fits inside a regular A2 envelope. :)

Layered Christmas cards are so fun to make.  I added layers of snow, popped up with foam.  And then added my sweet little houses, lamp posts, and trees from the Lawn Fawn Winter Village stamp set.  The green, red, and white colours just add to the Christmassy-look. :)  For the final touch, I added some Clear Wink of Stella to the trees, roofs, and lamps.

Sending this card to Rudolph Days January Challenge.

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Lastly I'm sharing a  FauxTunnel Card.  This is inspired by the talented Caroline Paton.  I saw her card and couldn't wait to try making one.  So much fun!!!  You can add foam or pop-dots inbetween the layers of apertures, or you can adhere them flush.  I'm pleased with my happy birds and tree die that are loosely watercoloured.  I popped up the layers on foam, so the card is quite thick.  Reduced the size to 5 1/4" x 4" and it fits nicely inside an A2 envelope.

Thanks for stopping by!

Card #1:

Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Bashful Blue card stock (SU! - probably retired); Granny Apple card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Saltwater Taffy, Abandoned Coral, Candied Apple, Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed, Tumbled Glass (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Garden Trellis Cover Die (Altenew), Hollyhocks die (AliExpress), Daisies die (AliExpress), grass die (C.C. Designs - long closed)

Card #2:

Stamps:  Winter Village (Lawn Fawn)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black ink (Versafine); Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Mustard Seed (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Curves Border dies (AliExpress); Winter Village Lawn Cuts (Lawn Fawn), paint brushes, Clear Wink of Stella

Card #3:

Stamps:  Free as a Bird (Jane's Doodles - sentiment only)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Gumball Green and Soft Sky card stocks (SU!), Two other shades of green cards stock (unknown)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Gathered Twigs, Mustard Seed, Ripe Persimmon, Spiced Marmalade, Candied Apple, Salvaged Patina, Salty Ocean (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders); Birds on a Wire die set (Temu), Stencil Tree die (AliExpress), paint brushes, Black marker

Challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge - Mood Board #37

Rudolph Days January Challenge