Twofer Card Challenge #1

Welcome to the start of the Twofer Challenge. The goal is to make two different cards with two different designs for two different occasions with the same stamps and/or dies.  This fun challenge is aimed at stretching our stamps and dies by using them in different ways, and at the same time building our stash of cards.  Come join us!!

As you can see by the badge above, the challenge is open for two weeks.  This gives you lots of time to come up with your designs, make your cards and then photograph (one photo showing both cards) and enter the challenge via the linky provided on the challenge blog.

There's lots of samples by the Design Team to show you what the challenge is all about.

Here's my cards using the Feather prompt with Penny Black stamp "the sweetest song".

I had a lot of fun designing these two cards using the bird (feathers) image.  For my first card, I masked a second Penny Black stamp (bells & berries), leaving just the one branch of leaves and berries (no bell).  I stamped in Sahara Sand ink (very light) and then watercoloured over top of the image with distress inks and a water brush (no line watercolouring).

I used distress markers to add some finishing details to the leaves and berries.  I then masked "the sweetest sound" stamp, leaving just one bird, inked with Pumice stone distress ink, and stamped the bird over top of the branch, in the middle.  I used more pumice stone ink to add a darker head and wing (very subtle).  I used more of the same ink to watercolour around my finished image.  I then splattered with diluted white ink.  The image was framed and a sentiment was stamped in the corner.

Here's a close-up ...

For the second card, I sponged distress oxide inks (fossilzed amber, spiced marmalade, abandoned coral) to create a sunset background.  I stamped "the sweetest sound" image over top with versamark and heat embossed in black.  I cut the panel down and added the "sending love" sentiment in black.

Here's a close-up ...

As I mentioned above, the challenge runs for two weeks.  Come check out the amazing cards by the Design Team and then join us!

Card 1:
Stamps:  the sweetest sound, bells & berries, season's gifts (Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb); White (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Sahara Sand, Early Espresso (SU!); Distress Inks:  Walnut, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, Candy Apple, Fired Brick, Pumice Stone (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water brush, white acrylic paint, Rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Card 2:
Stamps:  the sweetest sound (Penny Black); Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Oxides:  Fossilzed Amber, Spiced Marmalade, Abandoned Coral (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories & Tools: sponges, black embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
Twofer Challenge #1 - Feathers

Masculine Birthday x 2

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing two masculine cards that are made with the same colour medium.  I used Brushos ... but only one colour - Olive.  It's my new favourite!!  I love the different colour pigments in the powders.

I'm adding my two cards from today to the CAS Watercolour January Challenge - Birthday.

I find that if I use a stencil, Brushos colours pool more and I get a lot of saturated colours.  I used a die tree image to cut a stencil from acetate.  I placed the stencil over a piece of hot press w/c paper, sprinkled with olive Brushos, spritzed with lots of water and quickly removed the stencil.  It's the same technique from THIS VIDEO.  The only difference is that I didn't use a paper towel to blot the excess colour.  I let it air dry and ended up with these very deep colours.  LOVE it! :)  I cut the same image from white card stock and glued it over top, lining up the image.  I trimmed the panel and added a stamped sentiment at the bottom.

Here's a close-up.

Of course, I had lots of left over ink on my stencil, so I turned it over and pressed it onto another piece of hot press w/c ( stencil monoprint).  I'll use that for another day.

I mopped up all the excess ink with a paper towel.  I decided to use that paper towel right away to create a fun and easy background and that's how my second card was started.

I find this technique works best with Brushos on watercolour paper.  I placed the inky paper towel over another piece of Hot Press w/c paper, sprayed with water, and pressed with my fingers.  Picked up the towel, moved it around ... more sprayed water and pressing down with my fingers.  I ended up with this great background that shows the quilted design of the paper towel ... it looks textured!  Simply added a stamped silhouette tree and sentiment, framing the image panel in black and popping it up on top of my card front.

I was so happy with this card that I gave it to my oldest son for his birthday. :)

Stamps:  Thank You (Lil' Inkers); Bare Tree (Darkroom Door)
Paper:  Hot Press Watercolour Paper (Arches 140 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Brushos - Olive; Black (Memento)
Accessories & Tools:  Tree die (AliExpress), acetate, Big Shot, water mister, paper towel

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour January Challenge - Birthday

Faux Mother-of-Pearl

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing two cards made from one panel with faux mother-of-pearl technique.  I have a video on this fun and easy technique --- click HERE to watch it on YouTube.

I haven't used this technique for a while, but since CAS Mix Up January Challenge is Cling Wrap, I just had to make some as cling wrap is used to add the glossy resist part of the technique.

Basically I poured a couple drops of frost acrylic paint on my craft mat and then picked up the paint with a scrunched up piece of cling wrap.  I pounced the wrap onto my mat to make sure the paint was distributed and I wouldn't end up with globs of paint in my background.  Then I randomly, and lightly pounced my card panel, just leaving a little bit of the gloss, but with still lots of white space.  Once dry, I sponged over top with distress inks, then took a dry paper towel to remove any ink that was sitting on top of the frost paint.

For the first card (above), I heat embossed Altenew peony and leaf images in white and then watercoloured with the same distress inks used for my background.  I layered the ink several times to create depth of colour, then fussy-cut.  I cut out the middle of my panel to create a frame, stamped a sentiment inside the frame with Delicata silver ink, and then popped up the frame, adding a peony and leaf sprig on top.

Here's a close-up.  You can see the shimmer from the bits of frost paint.

I'm adding the card above to the Just Us Girls Challenge #422 - Anything Goes and also at Altenew's January Inspiration Challenge.

  

For my second card, I used the cut-out from the center of the card above, added a simple white die-cut which has the leaves shaped with a stylus and mat, and stamped the sentiment in Delicata silver.  The faux mother-of-pearl panel is popped up for added dimension.

Here's a close-up.

I'm adding this second card to the current Time Out Challenge #100 - We challenge you to be ... Thankful!  Congrats to the Design Team at Time Out for hitting this wonderful milestone!!

This card will be heading to a stamping friend.  I am so thankful for all the wonderful crafters I have met since starting my blog ... and thankful to call many of them my friend!

Stamps:  Peony Scrolls (Altenew); eloquence (Penny Black); Thank you sentiment - A Little Sentimental (Clearly Besotted)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); White (Neenah 110 lb. card stock)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Squeezed Lemonade, Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz); Delicata silver (Tsukineko)
Accessories & Tools:  Frost White paint (Tsukineko), cling wrap, sponges, Stitched rectangle die (Lil' Inkers), Lavish Branch die (Memory Box), white embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up January Challenge - Cling Wrap
Just Us Girls #422 - Anything Goes
Altenew's January 2018 Inspiration Challenge
Time Out #100 Challenge - Thankful

Holly for Merry Monday

Hi everyone.  Today I'm playing along with the first challenge of the year at Merry Monday (#271 - Embossing).  The challenge is being run by my dear friend Linda.

Dry embossing is something that I rarely use.  Not sure why ... I just completely forget about this wonderful technique that adds so much texture and dimension to cards.  I'm using some gifted dry embossed backgrounds that I've had for AGES!!  Thanks to my sweet friends Susan and Bonnie for providing the perfect backdrops for my watercoloured holly. :)

This holly is die-cut from hot press watercolour paper and watercoloured with distress inks.  A few details have been added with distress markers (veins in the leaves, outlining the berries).  I tried to leave a white spot on each berry, but somehow I managed to watercolour completely over top of a couple, so used a white gel pen to add the spots of white afterwards.  Happy with how it turned out.  I also diluted white acrylic paint to splatter over top to create the look of snow.  For the final touch, I stamped my black sentiment banner with white pigment ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder.

For the second card, it is mostly the same except I switched out the dry embossed background for falling snow, and used watercolour pencils to add details to my holly and berries.  The watercolour pencils give a subtle look and blend better than the distress markers.  Learned something new, which is always good.

* * * * *

Just a quick reminder about the

Twofer Card Challenge

Starts on Jan. 10th!

See you there!

Stamps:  Christmas Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  White (Neenah 110 lb. card stock); Watercolour paper (Arches 140 lb. hot press); Black
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Walnut Stain, Candy Apple, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany (Tim Holtz); Derwent watercolour pencils
Accessories & Tools:  holly & berry branch die (Penny Black), water brush, white gel pen, white acrylic paint, paint brush for splattering, white embossing powder, heat tool, dry embossed background gifted from friends

Challenges:
Merry Monday #271 - Embossing