Snowy Woodgrain

Hi everyone.  Today I made a card for the Merry Monday challenge #204 hosted by Deanne.

I used a technique by my good friend Karen (Snippets) to create this woodgrain background.  Click HERE to see Karen's tutorial --- so fun!

Then I tore a piece of white card stock to create my snowy hill, cut out the deer using my Silhouette Cameo (sponging kraft ink over top), and stamped a simple sentiment.

I hope you'll come play long.  There's still lots of time to play ... challenge closes Sunday, May 15 at noon (PDT).

Edited to Add:  Heading over to join in the fun at CAS-ology where the Cue Card is "Tear".  Thanks for the heads up Jules! :)

... and I just saw that this week's challenge at ATS&M is Holiday! :)

Stamps:  Sentiment - Christmas Bell Medley (dee's artsy impressions sold at STAMPlorations)
Paper:  White (Neenah)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain (Tim Holtz); Baked Brown Sugar (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Scoring tool, Silhouette cameo for cutting my deer, sponge

Challenges:
Merry Monday #204 - Woodgrain, Kraft and White
CAS-ology 197 - Tear
ATS&M #193 - Holiday

In the Studio with friends

Hi everyone.  Yesterday my friends Susan (Cardmaker's Garret) and Christine came over and we played with a few different techniques.

First of all, here's the card I made with a snippet of my woodgrain background. Entering into the Snippets Playground! :)

Such a wonderful technique, especially if you are wanting to make masculine or rustic cards.

I made a woodgrain background, cut out the section that I liked best, and then distressed the edges using a tool from Making Memories.  I knotted two strands of twine and wrapped them around the bottom.  I found a heated copper leaf sprig in my stash and simply glued down a couple of the leaves, leaving the rest loose so it created some dimension.  Also did that with my distress background, adhering the middle back only to my front.  This leaves the sides loose creating dimension without using pop dots. A simple stamped sentiment finishes the card. :)

Here's a pic of my background from yesterday (yes, we each made LOTS). :)  The only one I didn't include was my first attempt at alcohol inks on yuppo paper.  I added WAY too much ink and it turned out to be a dark mess.  Hopefully I'll do better next time. :)

Just a few tips of things we learned yesterday.

We tried all different kinds of inks with the embossing folder stamping technique, and they all worked, but the brushos were by far the best results (see the two brick and two woodgrain designs in the front row.

And instead of inking and spritzing the inside of the embossing folder and then turning it over to "stamp" onto our papers, we found it worked better if we inked and spritzed the inside of the embossing folder and then placed the card stock on top and pressed down.  It seemed to transfer more of the design and ink that way.  Always good to try it both ways, though, and see which works best for you.

There are more things we tried yesterday, but I will talk about them once I post the finished cards.

Stamps: Bitty Birthday (SU!)
Paper:  White (Neenah)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Antique Linen, Rusty Hinge, Weathered Wood, Vintage Photo, Tea Stain (Tim Holtz); Soft Suede (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Scor-pal, twine, copper metal sheet .005 thickness (K&S Precision Metals), butane torch, Little Leaves die (Sizzix)

Challenges:
Snippets Playground Week 213

Karen's Woodgrain Background Technique

Hi everyone.  Many times I have mentioned my wonderfully talented friend, Karen (Snippets).  She is amazing.  She was the first person I saw doing the embossing folder stamping ... and the only person I've ever seen do random embossing folder stamping (more about that at a later time).  Karen has perfected a tried and true way to make the most beautiful woodgrain backgrounds.  She started doing them a while ago, and many of her followers (especially me!), nagged her to write a tutorial. Well, she shared her tutorial today on her blog ... click HERE to see it.  AWESOME!  I had to give it a try right away.

It was quick and easy to do.  I used some cheap glue that I bought at the $1 store ages ago, my scor-pal and some distress inks to create this fabulous background. Thank you so much Karen!! :)

I hope you'll check out her tutorial and give it a try for yourself.




Stamps:  Sweet Sentiments (Amy R)
Paper:  White (Neenah); Early Espresso (SU!)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Antique Linen, Rusty Hinge, Weathered Wood, Vintage Photo (Tim Holtz); Early Espresso (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  glue, scor-pal, Meadow Leaf die (Poppy Stamps), sponge