Dry Embossed Gilding Flakes - Group of Seven

Hi everyone.  

First, I want to thank everyone for the well wishes and lovely cards I received.  I am thankful to have so many people pulling for me through my heart surgery and recovery.  I'm doing OK ... hubby is taking great care of me. :)

This month our Group of Seven Cardmakers tried Dry Embossed Gilding Flakes following a video from Technique Junkies, Embossed Gilding Flakes and led by Susan.

Please check out the details for the technique and link to video on the blog ...

Group of Seven Cardmakers

I actually did this technique in late-February.  This is such a fun technique (as long as the gilding flakes don't get away from me!).  I love the shimmer and shine of gilding flakes ... they always make an elegant card.  

I used Warm Sunshine (Cosmic Shimmer) gilding flakes to make two small panels.  For the first panel, I die-cut the Moonlight Butterfly (Memory Box).  I then dry embossed my butterfly with Musical Flourish embossing folder (Cuttlebug).  I have mini archival inks in several colours, this time using Sepia to lightly swipe (direct from ink pad to gilding flakes panel) over top, catching the highlighted design.  This has to be done carefully so that you don't get a lot of ink on the background.  I did three coats before being happy with the contrast.  

To finish the card, I smooshed Ripe Persimmon and Gathered Twigs Distress Inks using a piece of acetate.  Adding the inks and spritz of water onto the acetate allows me to lightly dab onto my card front with a little bit of control.  I stamped the sentiment (Happy Messages - Stampendous) in the same Sepia archival ink as well as using that ink on the antennae.  

Close-up ...

The second panel is done with the same gilding flakes (Warm Sunshine) and embossed with Courrier (Carabella Studio) embossing folder.  This time, Vermillion (dark red) archival ink was lightly swiped to pick up the highlighted, embossed design.  I used the panel for the background, adding a die-cut branch (sponged with Gathered Twigs DI) and punched flowers (coloured with more of the Vermillion Archival ink).

In all, I found this to be a simple technique that gave beautiful results.  The video used black ink and that would have worked on both panels, but I wanted subtler colours and I'm happy with the results.

If you have gilding flakes in your stash, I hope you'll try out this technique and share your card in the linky on the Group of Seven blog.

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Card #1:

Stamps:  Happy Messages (Stampendous - retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink: Sepia Archival ink (Ranger)
Accessories:   Double-sided sticky sheets cut to size, Warm Sunshine Gilding Flakes (Cosmic Shimmer), Rub-it Scrub-it piece for burnishing flakes, Musical Flourish embossing folder (Cuttlebug),

Card #2:

Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Vermillion Archival Ink (Ranger)
Accessories:   Double-sided sticky sheets cut to size, Warm Sunshine Gilding Flakes (Cosmic Shimmer), Rub-it Scrub-it piece for burnishing flakes, Courrier embossing folder (Carabelle Studio); Hydrangea punch (Martha Stewart), Lavish Branch die (Memory Box)

Challenges:

Group of Seven - March - Dry Embossing Gilding Flakes

Kitten in Cup

Hi everyone.  This is a pre-scheduled post that I did at the end of February.  I wasn't sure if I'd be up for making cards after surgery, and I wanted to be able to play along in the Rudolph Days March challenge ... I like to play along each month and have done so for several years. :)

I started with an adorable kitten die that I received from the wonderful Maureen, keeper of the Rudolph Days challenge.  Thanks again Maureen!

I die cut the kitten in the cup in several colours of card stock (white, red, gray, patterned paper - ho ho ho christmas from Polkadoodles) and then pieced it together, adding sponged shading along the edges of the plain coloured pieces.

I smiled the whole time I was making this card! :)

Close-up ... 

As I mentioned above, I'm sending this over to the Rudolph Days March challenge. :)

As well, this is the first time using this sweet die, so I'm sending it over to NBUS Challenge #48 - thanks Dolly!

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Stamps:  n/a

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Slate Gray, Real Red card stock (SU!); ho ho ho Christmas (Polkadoodles)
Ink:   Basic Gray; Real Red (SU!); Distress Inks:  Tumbled Glass, Spun Sugar (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Kitten in Cup die (Cottage Cutz), sponges,  black fine tip marker, Circle die (Spellbinders)

Challenges:

Rudolph Days March Challenge - Anything Christmas goes

NBUS Challenge #48

Debossed Inky Resist - Group of Seven

Hi everyone.  Back this month with another technique done by our Group of Seven Cardmakers.  This time we have tried Debossed Inky Resist, following a video by Anna-Karin Evaldsson and led by Julia.

Please check out the details for the technique and link to video on the blog ...

Group of Seven Cardmakers

This is a heat embossing technique done with an embossing folder.  Another technique with endless possibilities by using different embossing folders, different colours of embossing powder, and different colours / types of inks. :)

Our group all agreed that success depends on the embossing folder.  It's something you need to experiment with to find the folders that work for you.  Most of us found it worked best with regular folders (not 3-D), but a few in the group used 3-D folders with success.  I think it depends more on the individual folder design.

For the card above, I used a SU! embossing folder called Lucky Stars.  I first stamped my image (Studio Light) on mixed media paper in black ink, then clear heat embossed.  This was one of two generous gifts I received from entering Rudolph Days Challenge, run by the lovely Maureen.  Thanks Maureen!!

I added Versamark to the inside of my embossing folder and placed my panel so that it would only deboss above the image.  Ran it though my Gemini Jr. and then sprinkled with more clear embossing powder and heat set ... this created a resist for the stars.  I smooshed two colours of Distress Inks (Chipped Sapphire / Wilted Violet) over top.  I'm happy how this turned out! :)

Close-up ...

I'm sending this card over to the Rudolph Days February Challenge - Anything Christmas goes. :)

Since this was the first time using both the beautiful Christmas Reindeer image and the star embossing folder, so I'm sending this card over to NBUS Challenge #47.

And I made a second card using a different embossing folder, Leafy Branch (Cuttlebug).  This time I heat embossed with white on the debossed side and then smooshed in two colours of Distress Inks (Mowed Lawn / Peacock Feathers).  Dried the panel and then smooshed again with the same Distress Ink colours to add more depth of colour.  To finish I splattered with diluted blue ink and added a sentiment banner.

I hope you'll try this out.  It stretches the use of your folders by using the debossed side for a different look to embossing. :)

We're adding a linky on the Group of Seven blog for those that try the technique and want to share.  Just so you know, this is not a challenge and the linky will not be moderated.

* * * * *

I will be taking a break from blogging as I'm headed to the hospital later today and will be having open heart surgery tomorrow.  I've been waiting for this surgery for quite a while, so I'll be relieved once it's done.

I'm hopeful everything will go smoothly and I will be back making cards and sharing them on my blog in the not-too-distant future.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Card #1:

Stamps:  Stamp#391 (Studio Light Essentials)

Paper:   White card base (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Black Ink:  Memento; Versamark; Distress Inks:  Chipped Sapphire, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz) 
Accessories:   Lucky Stars embossing folder (SU!), embossing buddy, Clear embossing powder (Ranger), White embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, water mister

Card #2:

Stamps:  Birthday Blowout (Poppy Stamps - retired)

Paper:   White card base (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers (Tim Holtz) 
Accessories:   Leafy Branch embossing folder (Cuttlebug), embossing buddy, White embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, water mister

Challenges:

Group of Seven - February - Debossed Inky Resist

Rudolph Days February Challenge

NBUS Challenge #47

Can You Handle the Pressure February Challenge

Seize the Birthday Challenge #255

Watercolour Foliage

Hi everyone.   I made this card a while ago, but just getting around to posting.  This is done with the stencil monoprint technique and watercolouring.

I started with the Leaves stencil (Simon Says Stamp), sprinkling orange and terracotta Brushos over top of the stencil, spritzing with a fine mist of water before turning it over and pressing it down over top of a piece of hot press watercolour paper.  I kept pressing with a paper towel to mop up any moisture that popped out from under the stencil.  I ended up with a lovely background with the leaf design fairly clear of colour (stencil monoprint).

Once dry, I used Mowed Lawn distress ink to watercolour my leaves and stems.  I went over them a few times on the w/c paper and it didn't pill - yay!  Once the leaves were dry, I used my white Posca pen to outline the image and add some veins to the leaves.  I cropped the image, added a thin white frame and popped it up over my card front with a sentiment (Happy Snippets - Penny Black) stamped underneath.  I used Carved Pumpkin distress ink and stamped the sentiment over and over (3 times) and then added a final stamping with Ripe Persimmon distress ink.  I thnk the colour ended up looking like it was done with the same colours as the background. :)

Close-up ...

Edited to add:  I've included a link to a wonderful video by Lee-Anne Cross on how to do stencil monoprints.  Thanks for the prompt from Diane to include a link! :)

I'm sending this card over to February Stencil Fun Challenge - didn't use the optional theme this month.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Thank you.

Stamps:  Happy Snippets (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Hot Press Watercolour Paper (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Brushos:  Orange, Terracotta; Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Carved Pumpkin, Ripe Persimmon (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Leaves Stencil (Simon Says Stamp); water mister, paint brushes, white Posca pen

Challenges:

February Stencil Fun Challenge