Asian style card and Brayered card ...

I didn't get to spend too much time in my art studio today, but I did work on a card for an upcoming class (the same Japanese Elegance card I made Aug. 30, but in different colors).  I'll include a picture so you can see the difference ... I really like the black, red and gold combination.  I'm planning on trying a few different colors and then letting my "students" pick their favorite to make.

"Japanese Elegance - Part 2"

Please see Aug. 30 for full instructions on how I constructed this card.  The only changes from the original are:  Silhouette Sentiments flower stamp, Gold cardstock and Cherry Cobbler cardstock (SU!).

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Tonight I found some time to get back into the studio and make a brayered card.  I have surfed the internet and found numerous sites with beautiful photography that I use for my inspiration.

Hope you like.

"Meadow Grass"

Stamps:  Silhouette Grass (Hero Arts)

Paper:  Always Artichoke, Barely Banana, Glossy White (SU!)

Ink:  So Saffron, Old Olive, Always Artichoke; Stampin' Write marker: Always Artichoke (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  Speedball rubber brayer, temporary adhesive, Stamp-a-ma-jig, sponge, dark green suede strips and beads ($1 Store), adhesives, glue dot and dimensionals

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I used temporary adhesive to attach the Glossy White cardstock to some scratch paper.  I brayered So Saffron ink over the entire surface.

Starting at the bottom of the image, I brayered Old Olive ink about 1/3 way up from the bottom and then brayered Old Olive ink about 1/2 way down from the top, leaving a small space in-between with mostly just So Saffron ink showing.

Starting at the bottom of the image again, I brayered Always Artichoke ink over top of the Old Olive, making sure to NOT completely cover the Old Olive ink.  I brayered Always Artichoke ink from the top of the image, over the Old Olive ink, making sure to NOT completely cover the Old Olive.  This allows for a graduation of colors.

Using the Always Artichoke Stampin' Write marker, I inked only three pieces of the grass and stamped it on top of the brayering, using the Stamp-a-ma-jig to help with the positioning.  I mounted the image onto a frame of Barely Banana and then tied two strands of suede around and knotted them, adding two beads.  I secured the knot in place with a glue dot.

I sponged Always Artichoke ink around the outside edges of the Always Artichoke card base, giving it a bit of a distressed look.

I mounted the main image onto the card base, popping it up with dimensions to add depth.

Back to school

Today I'm posting two cards and they couldn't be more different in style, colors, subject, etc. etc.

The first one is in celebration of back to school.  This is the first year I don't have a student in the house ... but also the first year I have a teacher living with me!!  My son received his teaching certificate last month and has already been hired by two school districts for "teacher-on-call".  I'm so proud of Jeremy!!  His degree is in Fine Arts, majoring in Visual Arts and minoring in English.  He'll be teaching those subjects at high schools in both Delta and Richmond.  Of course, he may be asked to teach other subjects as well, but those are his chosen subjects.

Anyways, I got to thinking about back to school and I remembered a really cute tole painting pattern I had (I used to tole paint about 10 years ago).  This card is perfect for back to school ... or as a thank you card at the end of the school year.  No stamping involved with this.  Just layering papers and a little hand-printing (although you could generate the sentiment on your computer).  This is my first time making a tall & thin card (SCS Challenge CAS124).  Hope you like.

"Back to School"

Paper:  Daffodil Delight, Pretty in Pink, Silver, Whisper White (SU!)

Ink:  Crumb Cake; Stampin' Write markers:  Gray, Black (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  corner round punch, sponge, black Sharpie pen, adhesives

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I cut a piece of Whisper White cardstock 3 1/2" x 3" and sponged it with Crumb Cake ink.  I made a light pencil mark at the middle of one the 3 1/2" side and then cut the pieces at angles from the middle to each bottom side to create the sharpened part of the pencil.  I drew in the jagged line for the tip of the pencil with the black Sharpie pen and then colored in the tip with the Gray Stampin' Write marker.  I oultined the top and sides of the piece with a black Sharpie pen.  I drew in the lines and dots with the thin tip of the Black Stampin' Write marker.

I cut a piece of Daffodil Delight cardstock 3 1/2" x 7 1/4" (full size of the card).  I rounded the two bottom corners with the corner round punch.  I measured down 2 1/4" from the top and that's where I drew in the jagged line that divides the pencil tip from the main part of the pencil.  I drew in the line with a black Sharpie pen and then cut along, leaving the black line visible.  I also outlined the whole piece of yellow in black.  I mounted the sponged pencil tip in behind the yellow pencil.

I cut a piece of Pretty in Pink cardstock 1 3/4" x 3 1/2".  I cut a piece of Silver cardstock 3/4" x 3 1/2".  I outlined both pieces of cardstock with a black Sharpie pen and added some lines and dots with the SWM.  I mounted the Silver on top of the Pretty in Pink cardstock and used the corner rounder to punch out the two bottom corners of the pink.  I mounted it on top of the Daffodil Delight cardstock.

I drew in light pencil lines and added the sentiment in pencil to make sure it looked right before going over the letters with the thin end of the Black Stampin' Write marker.  I used the Sharpie pen to add dots on all the letters.  I made sure the ink was dry before erasing my pencil lines.

I cut a card base of Daffodil Delight 7" x 7 1/4" and folded it in half.  I dry-fit the pencil on top and marked where the angled cuts needed to be on the card base to mimic the shape of the tip of the pencil and then cut them out.  I mounted the pencil onto the card base.

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Last week I borrowed a stamp set from my friend Frances.  I was at her place helping her show a few friends how to stamp, and saw it sitting there and I just couldn't resist asking her.  When I opened it, I noticed how pristine the stamps were ... I'm pretty sure she hasn't used it yet, but she is so generous that she lent it to me anyways :)

I was inspired by this beautiful card by Sallie (hobbydujour) at SCS.  I love the soft colors and feel of Sallie's card - gorgeous.  I thought the stamp set I borrowed would really work well ...

Hope you like.

"Kind & Caring Thoughts"

Stamps:  Kind & Caring Thoughts (SU!)

Paper: Garden Green, Whisper White (SU!)

Ink:  Certainly Celery, Baja Breeze, Old Olive, Pacific Point, VersaMark (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  white embossing powder, heat tool, Stamp-a-ma-jig, two-tone sheer ribbon (Michael's), sponges, adhesives

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Using the Whisper White cardstock, I randomly sponged the background in this order:  Certainly Celery, Baja Breeze, Old Olive and (just a little) Pacific Point.  I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the stamp and stamped a few times with Certainly Celery ink for the background.  I inked the stamp in VersaMark and stamped three times (again using the Stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the images), embossing with white after each stamping.

I tied the two-tone ribbon in a bow around the main panel and mounted it onto a card base of Garden Green cardstock.

In the Studio with Lili and Natasha

Lili and Natasha came over the played in the art studio with me today.  We made three beautiful cards using a variety of techniques (brayering, masking, watercoloring, special card construction).  I always have so much fun with these two crazy girls!! :)

Here's a picture of our finished cards:

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Today's Free for All Challenge is "Crossing Strips".  Here's my take on the challenge.  Hope you like.

"Merry & Bright"

Stamps:  Merriment (SU!)

Paper:  Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White, Bella Rose DP (retired) (SU!)

Ink:  Cherry Cobbler

Accessories & Tools:  ornament punch, Cuttlebug "D'vine Swirl" embossing folder, silver elastic cord, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Big Shot, Tombow glue, adhesives and dimensionals

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Using scraps of Bella Rose DP, I cut out strips using scissors and making sure the lines of the strips where a bit wavy (wanted them to look a little whimsical).  I didn't weave the strips, they are just placed on top of each other and glued down.

I punched out the ornament from Cherry Cobbler cardstock and ran the die-cut through my Big Shot with the embossing folder.  I tied a piece of silver cord around the top and knotted it.  I attached the ornament to the crossed strip backdrop using dimensionals and glued the ends of the cord to the back.

I dry-fitted the main image onto the Whisper White background paper and then used the Stamp-a-ma-jig for placement of the sentiment, which was stamped in Cherry Cobbler ink.  I used dimensionals to add the main image to the Whisper White background paper.

I mounted the main image onto the Cherry Cobbler card base.

Watercoloured Tiger Lilies

Today's challenge for SCS - Ways To Use It - is "Paint".  I have a beautiful lilies stamp from Rubber-Art Stamps and I immediately thought of watercoloring the lilies.  I placed a few drops of re-inker onto my palette and added a little water.  Then I used the Aqua Painter to add the diluted inks to dry watercolor paper.  I love the way it turned out!!  My son Jeremy has a Fine Arts degree and I always appreciate his feedback and suggestions.  He told me ... "Mom, when watercoloring, always leave some white space, it will look more realistic".  I tried to leave a little white space in the lilies for today ... it's harder than you think.  My first instinct is to fill in all the areas completely so I had to hold back.  I only left a little white space and I think more would be better ... maybe next time :)  Hope you like.

"Tiger Lilies"

Stamps:  Lilies (Rubber-art Stamps)

Paper:  Always Artichoke, Autumn Traditions DP (retired), watercolor paper

Ink:  Basic Black; Reinkers:  Tangerine Tango, Always Artichoke

Accessories & Tools:  Aqua Painter, heat tool, 1/4" Always Artichoke grosgrain ribbon, sticky strips and dimensionals

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I stamped the image in Basic Black ink onto watercolor paper.  I used my heat tool to set the ink.

I placed a couple of drops of Tangerine Tango ink onto my palette and added a little water.  Using the Aqua Painter, I added the diluted ink to my image.  Once I had painted all the lilies, I went over them again, adding diluted ink to the middle of the petals to add shading.

I repeated the same process to add the Always Artichoke ink to the leaves.

I framed the watercolored image with Always Artichoke cardstock and added a ribbon near the bottom, tied in a knot to one side.  I mounted a large piece of Autumn Traditions DP onto the card base of Always Artichoke and then mounted the framed image on top, popping it up with dimensionals to add interest.