Monday, April 29, 2024

Pressed and Stenciled Cosmos

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

I think I'm on the right week now!
After being cornfused last week about which week we were on with 
Darnell's I.D.E.A.S, I pulled out another NBUS stencil to
color a pressed design.


The Betterpress Cosmos Backdrop plate is NBUS too and I pressed it a couple of 
different ways.  This first card was a second pull and evidently there was no ink
left on the plate.  It left a nice debossed image though and I was able to line the
stencils up easily.  There are 5 stencils with this set.  I used the same ink for both
layers of the petals and leaves.

After stenciling, I tore a piece of vellum to place the die cut beautiful and 
heat embossed you.


I had also pressed it trying Versafine Clair Morning Mist ink.

I started out with yellow flowers and wasn't happy with the colors.
So I went over them with Distress Marmalade.  Didn't like that either.
Out came the Stampin' Up Tangerine Tango and Old Olive.

Good enough though not great.

This new die set was handy for covering up most of it.

Thanks again, Darnell for inspiring me to get out those stencils.


Challenges:
Just Us Girls #724 - ATG Stencil
Stencil Fun - Use stencils with option of Spring Flowers






Card Recipe (card 1)
Stamps:  Betterpress Cosmos Backdrop (Spl)
Ink:   Spun Sugar, Saltwater Taffy, Mustard Seed, Bundled Sage (DI), Encore Gold
Paper:   Betterpress Porcelain, Gold Foil, Vellum, Black, Neenah Solar White
Other:  Yana's Wonderful Scripted Sentiments Die (Spl), Gold EP

Card Recipe (card 2)
Stamps:  Betterpress Cosmos Backdrop ((Spl), Brushed Calligraphy (Inky Antics)
Ink:  Versafine Clair Morning Mist, Memento Tuxedo Black, Tangerine Tango, Old Olive
Paper:   Betterpress Porcelain, Tangerine Tango, Neenah Solar White
Other:  Mirrored Arch Labels Dies (Spl)


Enjoy!


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Sunday, April 28, 2024

Elegant Writer for Group of Seven Cardmakers

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

Another month and another fun technique shared with the Group of Seven Cardmakers.

This is a technique that I've been wanting to try and it was as much fun as 
I thought it would be.

I did a few projects.


First up was a feather stamp that I think will make a great anniversary card for my OH.

I inked onto nuxed nedua paper with permanent ink and let it dry before adding a little 
bit of Elegant Writer along some of the lines in the middle of the feathers.

After going over it with a wet waterbrush, the ink blended into mainly gray.  
I couldn't seem to get the blues and pinks.

Next...


I die cut some more feathers from mixed media paper, scribbled the Elegant Writer on
my palette, spritzed with water and smooshed the die cuts into the ink.

and...


This titmouse stamp has been in my NBUS box for years. 

I put the stamp in my MISTI and inked it with the elegant writer.  I inked small
sections at a time because I wasn't sure how long it would stay wet.

When he was all stamped, I touched the waterbrush to the ink.
This time I got some browns with the grays and I began to wonder if I needed
new Elegant Writers.  The ones I was working with were pretty old.

So I ordered a new set from Amazon.

New markers make a BIG difference.


Again I inked the stamp with permanent ink and added some Elegant Writer
to some of the lines before adding water.

I finally got some pink and more blue-gray shades.

For splatters, I scribbled Elegant Writer on my palette and picked up ink with
a really wet brush to splatter.  I added some chunky gold embossing powder too.

Finally...


I got a little more pink on the wings of this stamping and matched it with
Fresh Freesia cardstock.  Then to make it even more feminine, I covered the wings
with Quickie Glue pen and sprinkled some fine glitter over top.

I was able to get some aqua and brighter pink on my paper towel.
Maybe someday I can get those colors on an image.

I hope you'll check out the Group of Seven Cardmakers site to find links to videos
using the Elegant writer and written instructions.  There's also a linky in case you try this 
and want to share with us.

The rest of the GO girls got fantastic results and have some tips and tricks
to share with you too.  I hope you'll check them out.


Card Recipe (card 1)
Stamps:  Forward and Through (Unity), Botanical Silhouettes (PTI)
Ink:   Versafine Onyx Black
Paper:   Mixed Media, Neenah Solar White, Black
Other:  Elegant Writer, Waterbrush, Red Ultrafine Sharpie, Feather Die, Mini Slimline Double Stitched Die (KS), Timeworn Type EF (SU) 

Card Recipe (card 2)
Stamps:  Easy Expressions Original (Ton)
Ink:   Versafine Onyx Black
Paper:   Mixed Media, Neenah Solar White, Black
Other:  Feathers on Side EF (Darice, Feather Dies (various), Easy Expressions Die (Ton), Elegant Writer, Waterbrush, Black Nuvo Drops

Card Recipe (card 3)
Stamps:  Do Your Thing (Unity), Tendrils (PB)
Ink:   Versafine Onyx Black (for sentiment), Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Kitsch Flamingo, Picked Raspberry, Aged Mahogany (DI and DM) (for branches)
Paper:   Mixed Media, Neenah Solar White, Basic Gray
Other:  Elegant Writer, Waterbrush, Spring Leaves Cover plate (Honey Bee), Fluted Classic Ovals Die (Spl)

Card Recipe (card 4)
Stamps:  Happy (Unity), Uplifting Phrases (Rubbernecker)
Ink:   Versafine Onyx Black
Paper:   Mixed Media, Black
Other:  Elegant Writer, Waterbrush, Chunky Gold EP

Card Recipe (card 5)
Stamps:  Happy (Unity), 
Ink:   Versafine Clair Morning Mist
Paper:   Mixed Media, Fresh Freesia
Other:  Elegant Writer, Waterbrush, Quickie Glue Pen, Fine Glitter (Sweet Poppy)
Enjoy!


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Saturday, April 27, 2024

Hummingbird Just for Fun

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

I am really enjoying my Betterpress.

I wanted to see how it would look with a second pull from the inked plate
and tried it on a piece of Pebble Betterpress paper that came with my starter set.

I didn't think I'd care for the pebble paper, but I've decided that I need to
use it more often.


I am still experimenting with different coloring mediums and this time I went with
Caran d'ache Supracolor Pencils.

After coloring the different areas, I blended with a damp waterbrush.

The layout wasn't originally intended.  I was experimenting with an 
Elegant Writer and trying to fill in between the leaves and flowers at the bottom
of the design.  It didn't work like I wanted and I cut off the offending portion.
I'm glad I didn't experiment in the middle!

It turned out to be a happy accident and a challenge to figure out how to use the 
image and not have to throw it all away.




Card Recipe
Stamps:  Hummingbird Nectar Betterpress plate (Alt), Magnolia Ballerina (Alt)
Ink:   Betterpress Black (2nd pull)
Paper:   Betterpress Pebble, Black, Neenah Solar White
Other:  Caran d'ache Supracolor Pencils (White, Lt. Lemon, Yellow, Yellow Orange, Khaki Green, Dark Green, Empire Green, Raspberry Red, Dark Carmine), Subtle EF (ret SU)


Enjoy!


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Friday, April 26, 2024

Santa and Friends

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

I'll try harder not to post two Christmas cards in a row.
The end of the month is almost here and challenges will be closing.

I searched through my UFOs for an image of Santa and friends but
couldn't find any...


so I made more.  One made it on a card, and my UFO stash is growing again.

It was easy enough to stamp all the images in this set at once and it was fun
coloring them with Copics.  These images always make me smile!

Challenges:
Christmas Kickstart #85 - Santa and His Sidekicks
Rudolph Days - ATG Christmas


 




Card Recipe
Stamps:  Christmas sELFies (MFT), Snow Globe Greetings (MFT)
Ink:   Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper:   Neenah Solar White, Clover (ret SU)
Other:  Copics (R24, R29, R37, C00, C0, E000, E21, G14, G46, B000), Square Die (AE), Snowflake EF (MS), Holly Punch (MS), Chunky White EP (Stampendous)


Enjoy!


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Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Christmas Holly

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

I have two Christmas cards today from my December 2023 calendar.


I'm always happy to recycle those calendars and they are making my Christmas stash grow.

The holly is die cut from watercolor paper and colored.


Challenges:
Peace on Earth Christmas #62 - Inspired by jars with holly
Jingle Belles - Recycle

 



Card Recipe (card 1)
Stamps:  Splatter
Ink:   Baked Brown Sugar, Shaded Spruce, Pine Needles (DM), Real Red (SUM)
Paper:   Watercolor, Neenah Solar White, Real Red, DP
Other:  Holly Berry Die (PB)

Card Recipe (card 2)
Stamps:  Christmas Joy (Verve OOB)
Ink:   Shaded Spruce
Paper:   Watercolor, Neenah Solar White, Shaded Spruce
Other:  Circle Die, Circle Thin Frame (SSS), Subtle EF (ret SU), Nuvo Crystal Drops (Simply White)


Enjoy!


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Monday, April 22, 2024

Fragrant Floral in Peach

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

I'm joining Darnell with a stenciled card today.  It's the S in I.D.E.A.S. *

Thanks for the push to use a NBUS stencil, Darnell.


I haven't used a lot of layered stencils.  (Confession: they cornfuse me and I usually
am off on the alignment. ) But I had this kit sitting in my NBUS box since last summer
and this was just the excuse to use it and make one of my daughter's a birthday card.

I couldn't decide on what colors to use until I saw the mood board at
Just Us Girls.  The peach colored sunflower inspired me to use shades of peach.

I embossed a piece of mixed media paper and used blending brushes and ink with the
stencil to color.  I was light handed with the colors and used a damp waterbrush to blend.

When I was finished coloring and it was all dry, I used the die in the set to cut out
the design.  I lined it up in the embossing folder again and ran it through to freshen
up the embossing that got lost with the die cutting.

A few splatters with left over ink and water and a gold die cut sentiment 
with tiny punched gold dots sprinkled around, finished it off.

Challenges:
I.D.E.A.S. - Stencil Week  (Oops! This week is ANYTHING GOES. I'm cornfused after all.)
Just Us Girls - Mood Board (inspired by peach flower)
NBUS #61 - Never Before Used Schtuff (embossing folder and die)
Stencil Fun - Use a Stencil


 


Card Recipe
Stamps:  
Ink:   Melon, Cantelope, Peachy, Sherbet, Field (SSS)
Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore), Neenah Solar White, Gold Foil
Other:  Fragrant Florals EF, Stencil and Die (Alt), Let's Have a Word Love (Grtry), Copic Multiliners (.03, .05), Caran d'ache Supracolor Pencils (Brown, Dark Green, Moss Green)


Enjoy!


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Friday, April 19, 2024

Pink and Yellow

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

I recently found a box of flowers stickers deep in the cupboard.
In it were several different styles and sizes of daisies.

Pairing one (or two) up with a salted background in my stash, came
together for a card for the Color Hues challenge.


This is an A6 size and a bit larger than I usually make.  
I'm trying to use up some envelopes.

The salted background was made by wetting a piece of cold press 
watercolor paper and sprinkling Color Burst Powders over it.

When it was completely blended and still wet, I sprinkled some coarse salt
over top and let it dry.  When dry, I brushed the salt off and it left this fun design.

I stacked a smaller daisy over the top of a larger one for a little more depth.
I'm not sure if I'm crazy about it, but it's not coming apart.


Challenges:
Color Hues #85 (Yellow and Pink)





Card Recipe
Stamps:  Handwritten Notes (ret PTI)
Ink:   Versafine Smokey Gray
Paper:   Neenah Solar White, Watercolor (Arches cold press)
Other:  Colorburst Powders (Razzle Berry, Lemon Drop), Coarse salt, Hemstitch Rectangle Die (Spl), Daisy Stickers (?)


Enjoy!


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Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Happy Anniversary Leaves

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

This week Darnell's I.D.E.A.S is Embossing.
She's come up with this fun way to start off the week with a starting point
for a card.


I've embossed a piece of Black Mixed Media paper and added a bit of
watercolor with Metallic Watercolor Paint to the raised parts.

I thought it made a very dramatic background and added some die cut leaves
over top. I love how the die embosses the leaves as it cuts.


Challenges:




Card Recipe
Stamps:  BP Fancy Sentiment Strips Plate (Spl)
Ink:   
Paper:   Black, Mixed Media, Betterpress Porcelain
Other: Vine Canopy EF (SSS), Metallic Watercolor Paint (Alt), BP Fancy Sentiment Strips Die (Spl), Privet Branch Die (SSS)


Enjoy!


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Monday, April 15, 2024

Red Poinsettia

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

Today's card came from my UFO box.  It was from this calendar page.
I'm not sure if it was from the actual calendar or if it was a test piece.
It's been in there for a long time.


I didn't like the colors and with nothing to lose, I decided to color over it with my
Ohuhu markers to see if I could improve it.  I was glad I did.

I added some gold foil mini dots to the center and some gold splatter and
a sentiment from the stash.

The background piece had been set aside because I got overzealous with splatters.
I decided it wasn't so bad if I covered most of it up.  

Another Christmas card added to my stash.

Challenges:
ABC Christmas - I is for Inky
Jingle Belles - Use something recycled (calendar page)
Krafty Chicks - Christmas week
Peace on Earth #61 - STG  optional mood board below

 
  



Card Recipe
Stamps:  Red Delight (PB), Easy Holiday Expressions (Ton)
Ink:   Versafine, Scattered Straw, Festive Berries, Peeled Paint)
Paper:   Neenah Solar White, Gold Foil, Real Red
Other:  Ohuhu Markers (R4, R7, R8, G1, G2, GY3), Gold Color Shine (Heidi Swapp)


Enjoy!


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Saturday, April 13, 2024

Kitty

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!


Challenges:
Color Throwdown #788 - Pink, Green, Yellow
Double D - Cute Little Animals

 







Card Recipe
Stamps:  Bubbly (PB)
Ink:   Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper:   Neenah Solar White, Regal Rose
Other:  Copics (W0, W1, W2, W5, RV02, RV13, Y18, YG07, G14), Wonky Stitched Rectangle Die (MFT), Stitched Swirls Cover Plate (LI-OOB), Mini Everyday Sentiments Foil Plate (Spl) Black Foil (Spl)


Enjoy!


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