Friday, April 06, 2018

A Small Hello

Hi everyone.  Today sharing another zig watercoloured card.  I heat embossed the image in white, watercoloured and then decided to fussy-cut to pop it up on top of a beautiful die-cut card front.  I borrowed this die from Nancy last May at our craft retreat.  'bout time I got around to using it! :)  I think they look great together.

The zigs are so vibrant.  This flower almost looks fluorescent, it's so bright.  Definitely need to wear sunglasses with this card! :)

Here's a close-up
Thanks for coming by for a visit!






Stamps:  Beautiful Blooms (SU!); Sentiment - Chit Chat (Paper Smooches)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  White Pigment Ink (Hero Arts); Zigs (Kuretake)
Accessories & Tools:  White embossing powder, heat tool, water brush, die-cut card front from friend (sorry, don't know name of die).

Tuesday, April 03, 2018

CAS Christmas April Challenge

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of the CAS Christmas April Challenge.  This month the challenge is hosted by my sweet friend, Bonnie (Stamping with Klass).

A few months ago, my friend Nancy mentioned about a new technique she had tried called Faux Enamel.  I wanted to give it a try, so I followed this video.   I was hooked and have been merrily making all sorts of faux enamel pieces.  It's a great way to use up old embossing powders as well.

Here's a close-up ...
The faux enamel ornament was made from a chipboard circle coated in different colours of embossing powders (silver, red, white, snowflake tinsel), placed on a warm grill.  Once they started to melt, I used a palette knife to mix the colours a bit.  I kept adding more embossing powders until I was happy with the look.

I attached a stencil to my front of my card base, sponging over top with gray just to add some interest to the background.  I pierced a whole at the top of my ornament and looped through a piece of silver cording.  I popped the ornament on top of the stenciled background and secured the cording.  The card front was die-cut with a peek-a-boo window and the sentiment was stamped in Delicata Silver ink.  The card front was popped up over top of the card base for added dimenson

Our challenge today is to create a CAS Christmas card featuring an ornament.  Any type of ornament --- plain paper, patterned paper, dry embossed, stamped, mixed media, etc.  Any style (as long as it's clean and simple) is welcome!

Please check out the challenge blog to see the gorgeous Ornament cards from our very talented designers, then come play along.  The challenge is open until April 24th!  See you in the gallery!

I'm entering the above card in this week's Merry Monday's challenge (#284 - Red & White) that is being run by my dear friend, Marcia.  Neutrals are allowed.



I'm joining in the AAA#112 Challenge - Favourite Technique.  I have so many favourite technniques :) ... this is one of my newest ... along with stenciling. :)








Stamps:  Snowglobe Sentiments (My Favorite Things)
Paper:  White card base (Neenah 110 lb. card stock), Thick cardboard
Ink:  Silver Delicata (Tsukineko); Smoky Slate (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Circle die from Sizzix, Embossing powders:  Silver, Red, Snowflake Tinsel, palette knife, silver cording, Festive stencil (Tim Holtz), sponge

Challenges:
CAS Christmas April Challenge
Merry Monday #284 - Red & White
AAA#112 - Favourite Technique

Monday, April 02, 2018

CAS Watercolour April Challenge

Hi everyone.  Welcome to the start of the CAS Watercolour April Challenge.  This month's challenge is being hosted by the talented Bonnie!


This was a quick and easy card.  I used three colours of Distress Inks (Salty Ocean, Peacock Feathers, and Mowed Lawn) to smoosh onto my card using a piece of acetate.  I love this technique because there is a bit more control over where the colour goes.

Once dry, I stamped a sentiment and glued on my pretty intricate die-cut bird.  As I said, easy, peasy and quick card. :)

Here's a close-up ...

Welcome to Stef (Perry Papercrafts), our Guest Designer this month at CAS Watercolour.  Be sure to check out the challenge post to see the gorgeous "bird" cards from Stef and our super creative Designers.

Then come play along.  Challenge is open until April 24th at midnight PST.

I'm entering this card in the Just Us Girls Challenge #434 - CAS (second entry).







Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Salty Ocean, Peacock Feathers, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories & Tools:  acetate sheet for smooshing, water mister, Bird of Roses die (Simon Says Stamp)

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour April Challenge - Bird
JUGS Challenge #434 - CAS

Sunday, April 01, 2018

Rubber Band Technique cards from Video


Hi everyone.  Earlier I posted a video on the Rubber Band Technique.  Click HERE to watch it on YouTube.

I made the video for the CAS Mix Up April Challenge - Rubber Band Technique.  

The challenge is open until April 24th.  Come join us!!


In the video, I showed several different cards that I made with this fun and easy technique.  In this post, I'm sharing the details of how I made the cards and the products I used.


* * * * *

Happy Birthday Flowers card:
Wrapped two elastic (rubber) bands around my acrylic block.  Pressed the block into my Versamark pad and lightly stamped onto my mixed media card front.  Trick is to press lightly enough to transfer the ink from the elastic bands, without transferring any residual ink that sits on the block.  Sprinkled with white embossing powder and heat set.  Sponged green and blue inks randomly over the heat embossed area.

Die-cut the blooms from watercolour paper and used distress inks to watercolour.  Die-cue the window from the card front and place on top to align the blooms.  Attached blooms to the back of the window card front and popped it up over the background.  This gives some space between the flowers and the background.  Stamped the sentiment in Peacock Feathers to match.

Stamps:  Sentiment - Bloom with Hope (Stampin' Up!)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series), Watercolour (Arches 140 lb. hot press), White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers, Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Rubber bands, medium size acrylic stamping block, white embossing powder, heat tool, Peek-a-boo window die (AliExpress), Shall we Dance die (Penny Black), sponge


Forever Grateful card:
Wrapped two elastic (rubber) bands around my acrylic block.  Pressed the block into my Versamark pad and lightly stamped onto my mixed media card front.  Trick is to press lightly enough to transfer the ink from the elastic bands, without transferring any residual ink that sits on the block.  Sprinkled with white embossing powder and heat set.  Sponged green and blue inks randomly over the heat embossed area.  Spritzed with a little water and used a water brush to move the colours around.  Made sure the card front was dry before adding the black die-cut leaves and white heat embossed black sentiment banner.

Stamps:  Sentiment - Wild Hibiscus (Altenew)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 series); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, sponges, rubber bands, medium size acrylic stamping block, white embossing powder, heat tool, Little Leaves die (Sizzix)


Happy Birthday Leaf card:
Wrapped two elastic bands around the barrel of a brayer and snapped it into the handle.  Rolled the brayer across a Versamark pad several times to make sure the ink was on the elastic bands all around the roller.  Rolled the brayer in one direction across a piece of mixed media.  Reloaded the brayer and continued to roll across the paper until the whole sheet was inked (one direction only).  Sprinkled with silver embossing powder and heat set.

Pressed some green and blue inks onto my craft mat, spritzed with water and "splashed" the embossed card, using the Splash Watercolour Technique, click on link to see video tutorial.  Let dry and die-cut the leaf.

Adhered the leaf to my black card base, popping up the top leaves and gluing the bottom of the stem and two bottom leaves flat onto the card.  Stamped the sentiment and heat embossed in silver.

Stamps:  Fun Birthday Sentiments (HLS)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Brayer, rubber bands, silver embossing powder, heat tool, lively die (penny black)

Hello Framed Fern card:
Wrapped two elastic bands around my brayer and loaded with Versamark ink.  Lightly rolled over my Mixed Media card stock in one direction, re-inking after each swipe.  Heat embossed in silver.

Used the Splash Watercolouring technique to add green and a little blue to the background of the rubber band embossed piece.  When dry, die-cut the framed fern.  Die-cut a second framed fern in white and then inlaid the design with the splashed background.

Stamped gorgeous grunge several times behind where I wanted my panel to go, as well as stamping the sentiment and then heat embossed everything in silver.  Popped the panel over top to finish.

Stamps:  Gorgeous Grunge (SU!), Sentiment - Bouquet of Thanks (SU!)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools: Brayer, rubber bands, silver embossing powder, heat tool, water mister, Framed Fern die (Penny Black)


Hello Palm Tree card:
Wrapped two elastic bands around brayer, loaded with Versamark ink and rolled diagonally over a piece of mixed media paper, re-inking the elastic bands after every swipe.  Repeated with rolling diagonally in the opposite direction.  Poured white embossing powder over top, tapped off excess and heat embossed.

Die-cut palm tree from black card stock.  Cut main panel to size that looked good with the tree die, sponged over top of the white embossed lines randomly with yellow, orange and pink.  Popped the panel over top of the card base and glued the trees on top.  Stamped sentiment in black.

Stamps:  Sentiment - Where Your Heart is (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); Black cards stock (SU!); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Ripe Persimmon, Picked Raspberry (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories & Tools:  White embossing powder, heat tool, sponges, Palm tree die (AliExpress)


But first, coffee card:
Started with the same background as the Hello Palm Tree card.  Brayered versamark on mixed media paper with rubber bands diagonally in both directions.  Heat embossed in white.

This time used the Splash Watercolour Technique to add the same colours to the background ... yellow, orange and pink.  Once dry, die-cut the coffee cup, sponging around the edges with Soft Suede ink.  Glued to a embossed soft suede card stock background that had been trimmed to size.  Popped the panel up on the card base.  Added a sentiment stamped in soft suede ink.

Stamps:  All You Need is Coffee (STAMPlorations)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); Soft Suede card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Ripe Persimmon, Picked Raspberry), Soft Suede (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Brayer, rubber bands, white embossing powder, heat tool, Coffee Cup die (CUTplorations), embossing folder (Sizzix for SU!), sponge


Wishing You card:
Started by heat embossing my flowers in gold and watercolouring with zigs.  Used only a portion of the image, cutting off the rest to use later.

Die-cut the partial circle from green cardstock.  Wrapped two elastic bands around my brayer, rolled it over a green ink pad (matches card stock) and then lightly rolled over the green card stock  Gives a lovely tone-on-tone design.  Stamped the sentiment in white pigment ink and heat embossed.

Popped the partial circle over top of the card base. Popped the flower up over top of the partial circle.

Stamps:  Kind Soul (WPlus9), Watching Bloom (Memory Box)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); Gumball Green (retired) card stock (SU!); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark; Gumball Green (SU!), Zigs (Kuretake); White Pigment Ink (Hero Arts)
Accessories & Tools:  Gold Embossing powder, heat tool, waterbrush, brayer, rubber bands, Kind Soul matching die (WPlus9), partial circle die (AliExpress), white embossing powder








Challenges:
CAS Mix Up April Challenge - Rubber Band Technique