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

CAS Watercolour January Challenge

Hi everyone.  Happy New Year!  Today is the start of the CAS Watercolour January challenge ...

This is my first card using Gansai Tambi watercolors. :)  My friend Trina has them, and last time she was over for a crafting day, she left them for me to play with.  Thanks Trina!

They are totally different than working with inks, distress inks, or zigs.  It will take me a while to figure them out totally, but I'm happy with the card above.

I stamped the image (Penny Black) in Versamark on Hot Press watercolour paper, and heat embossed in gold.  I then mixed orange and pink watercolours to create a coral tone for my flowers.  I finished by heat embossing the sentiment in gold and adding splatters of coral to the background.

Here's a close-up.

We are thrilled to have Birgit (Rapport fran ett skrivbord) as our Guest Designer this month.  Please check out the challenge blog to see Birgit's watercolour birthday card, and the amazing cards from the design team.  I hope you'll join us!

Stamps:  Full of Glee (Penny Black), Birthday Sentiment (Cosmos - Technique Tuesday)
Paper:  Hot Press Watercolour paper (Arches 140 lb.)
Ink:  Gansai Tambi Watercolour Paints; Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Gold embossing powder, heat tool, paintbrushes

Challenges:
CAS Watercolour January Challenge - Birthday

CAS Mix Up January Challenge

Hi everyone!  Happy New Year!  Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.  I'm excited to see what 2018 will bring!

Time for a new challenge at CAS Mix Up.  This month's challenge is hosted by Nancy and she has a fun technique for you to try.  There are several video tutorials on the challenge blog --- make sure to check them out! :)

Today I'm sharing a card using a new AliExpress tree die.  I just love it!

I used a watercoloured background that was in my stash.  It is done with spray starch, re-inkers and cling wrap.  It's has a very subtle crackle design from the cling wrap.  I love the mix of colours ... pink and orange are so pretty together.

The tree die was cut from white card stock and adhered on top of my watercoloured panel which has been cut down to size.

The sentiment was stamped in coordinating ink and the image panel was popped up to create a bit of dimension.

We are thrilled to have Christine (It's a Card Day's Night) as our Guest Designer this month.  Please drop by the challenge blog to see Christine's cling wrap card and the cards from our amazing Design Team.  Then come play along!

Stamps:  Sentiment - Bouquet of Thanks (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  White card base (Neenah 110 lb.); Coated card stock for main panel (gift from my friend Christine)
Ink:  Re-inkers:  Pumpkin Pie, Regal Rose - retired (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Spray Starch, cling wrap, Square Framed Tree die (AliExpress)

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up January Challenge - Cling Wrap