Hi friends! Today I have a sweet little card that would be perfect for this summer wedding season. 

I used the beautiful Birds and Blossoms die and cut it in white paper. I then inked a light teal circle with my blending brush and glued the die cut over the top of it.

I added some pearls and the stamped sentiment from the Big and Little Words stamp set. This card would be easy to customize to match the colors of the wedding you are attending just by changing the card color and the ink color.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today!

 

Supplies

 

94243 Birds and Blossoms craft die

CL5242 Big and Little Words lear stamp set

Hello there!  I’m back today with another hibiscus birthday card made with a stencil watercoloring technique.  Can you tell blue is my favorite color? 😉

The challenge with watercoloring through a stencil is the watercolors getting underneath the stencil.  To resolve that, all you need is this really affordable product we used when we were kids...

Yes, it’s Elmer’s Rubber Cement glue!  Not only will it help resist the seepage under the stencil, it will secure the stencil in place.  No tape required.

I started by die cutting a DIY stencil with the Hibiscus Collage dies from a piece of acetate.  Applied the glue to the entire back of the stencil.  Let it dry a few seconds then adhered it onto a mix media panel.

Used Zig markers and a waterbrush to watercolor.  It helps not to use too much water, but have a paper towel on hand if you do.  

Once watercoloring is complete, allow it to dry before removing the stencil.  Use an adhesive eraser or just your fingers to remove the glue residue from the stencil and your project.   

Added blue splatters and white heat embossed the sentiment from Birthday Blowout on black cardstock to finish.  And that’s it for today.  Thank you for stopping by.  Have a great day. 

Supplies

94262 Hibiscus Collage craft die

CL470 Birthday Blowout clear stamp set

I have wanted to try the technique I used for today's card for the longest time, but I've been waiting for a really big floral stamp from Memory Box.  And Rose Bouquet is it!  It's about 5"x7"!

I started by stamping the Rose Bouquet on two pieces of 5"x7" off-white cardstock using VersaClair Nocturne (black) ink.  Here's a photo of the stamp from the ROSE BOUQUET CLEAR STAMP SET CL5241.

(It's in the center of an old Fiskars Stamp Press, one that's missing it's orange spongey feet.  That's the biggest acrylic "block" I have.)

I cut a 3.25" square from the center of one of the stamped images, then got out a bunch of Distress Inks and a waterbrush and started painting it.  I just picked up color from the inkpad directly onto the brush and then applied it to the paper being careful to not use too much water.  (I cleaned the brush between colors by painting the rest of the ink on the bristles onto scrap paper.)

I then attached this square to a piece of black cardstock and trimmed that to a narrow border around the image. 

I placed this on top of the other uncolored image and lined it up as best I could.

I trimmed this larger piece to 5"X3.75" and added it to black cardstock that was 5.25"X4".  I then adhered that to a turquoise notecard.  This card could be oriented as a top-fold card as in the first photo or as a side-fold card as in this photo below.

 And because I couldn't do just one, I made another!  This time I left the first stamped image whole and painted most of it.

I then trimmed it down to a smaller square, touched up any areas that needed more paint, mounted it on black cardstock, and added that to another uncolored image.  I then trimmed the larger assembled piece down, mounted it on black cardstock, and added that to a green notecard.

side-fold orientation

top-fold orientation

And just one more...

I'm sure there are other techniques to achieve the same look.  It was really fun looking through blank notecards with the painted pieces in hand to find coordinating notecards.  I've also raided my scrap boxes and 6"x6" paper pads for pretty papers in coordinating colors for the inside panels.  

One could also stamp and paint other images from this stamp set on the inside of the notecard and the envelope and/or add one of the sweet sentiments!

I'm going to get a lot of use from this stamp set!  And it has coordinating dies, too!!!

Happy Crafting!

 

Greetings friends.  I want to talk about coloring with Prismacolor pencils today.  I hope that by breaking it down into step by step pictures will help you with the process.  For each of the flowers ad leaves, I used a light, medium and dark pencil.  You don't have to use three, but I find that it is often a good number to get a gradient of color.  For the tutorial today, I am going to focus on the bottom red/pink rose.

These are the three shades I used.  Pardon the photo.  I took a picture that included the labels I use as a reference, but I didn't position the pencils so that you could read the color names!  I used were Magenta (dark), Process Red (medium) and Blush Pink (light):

Before I began coloring, I stamped my white cardstock with black Versafine ink (my favorite) and allowed it a long time to dry.  Then I placed my cardstock with the flowers on top of a couple scraps of cardstock.  Having a little extra "give" underneath your image will help the coloring go on a little smoother.

Step 1:

Start by laying down your darkest color.  I hope you can see from the picture that I added the color heavily at the base of each petal that was in shadow and then gradually colored with a lighter hand as I moved away from the shadow.  Use small circles when you color so that you don't develop lines.  Take your time to build up the color.

Step 2:

Next, take your medium color pencil and start coloring over the darker color.  Leave a little bit of the darkest color untouched, but cover up some of gradient you created with the darkest color using the medium.  Your coloring will be similar in step 2 as it was in step 1.  Start with a heavy hand of adding color and then soften the pressure as you move towards the outside edges of the petals.  Leave a bit of each of the petals white around the outside edges.

Step 3:

As a final step, add your lightest color.  This time you are going to color from the outside edges of the petals towards the base of each petal.  Continue using small circles to avoid lines.  Don't be afraid of using a heavy hand to really crush the pencil pigments together.  Just a heads up...if you use enough pencil and pressure to your piece, you will saturate the image with wax and you will notice that there will come a point where you can't add any more color on top of the wax build up.

One of the reasons why I like using the pencils themselves for coloring rather than using a blending pencil or gamsol is that you get a very vibrant finished product.  A blender pencil dulls the color and gamsol makes the image look more watercolored.  Both are fine, but I really like the vibrancy you can get from Prismacolors.

Here is a close up of the flowers and leaves:

To finish the card, I sponged a little Turquoise PanPastel chalk around the flowers and added my die cut sentiment.

I hope my instructions were clear.  Let me know in the comments if you have any questions.

 

 

Supplies

 

CL5241 Rose Bouquet clear stamp set

94069 Hello Jotted Script craft die

Hello there.  I have a CAS tropical birthday card to share today featuring an easy ombré watercolor background technique that I learned from this video. 

This technique requires two gradient colors of dye inks that are reactive with water.  For my card I used Chipped Sapphire and Salty Ocean distress inks.  Took a scrap piece of Mix Media paper from my stash, then blended Salty Ocean about halfway down followed with Chipped Sapphire about a quarter way down.

Next, a flat brush was wet with water then dragged down the length of the panel.  The brush should be wet, but not soaking or dripping.

I overworked my panel a little more than what was recommended in the video, but for what I was planning to do, it didn’t matter.

Before negative diecutting the panel with the Hibiscus Collage dies, Stick It adhesive was added to the back.  When diecutting was complete, it was adhered to regular white cardstock cut to the same size as the panel.  For some shimmer, spritz it with Sparkle spray (wasn’t able to capture it in the photo).  

To finish, heat embossed the sentiment from Birthday Blowout with white embossing powder on a strip of navy cardstock.  Thank you for stopping by.  Enjoy your weekend!

 

Supplies

 

94262 Hibiscus Collage craft die

CL470 Birthday Blowout clear stamp set

Hello everyone!

Today I have a fun background technique for you to try, which includes blowing bubbles! 

To create this background you need to mix about a tablespoon of acrylic paint and dish soap in a shallow bowl. Add some water to thin out the paint mixture.  Take a straw and blow into the mixture to create bubbles.  The bubbles will come to a dome shape over the bowl, then you can tap your paper onto the bubbles. You can repeat this process to cover your paper.  

Once the background was dry, I used foam tape to adhere it to a white cardbase.

Next I die cut the Happy Octopus 3 times from white cardstock.  The waves and the octopus were sponged with Distress Ink.  

I glued one of the white circle frames to my card front and then adhered the waves and octopus.  Next I glued another white frame on top of the first one.  I adhered an acetate die cut circle to the back of the third frame and glued that on top of the others. 

I stamped and white heat embossed my sentiments on strips of black cardstock and adhered those to the front of my card.

To finish the card, I added some dew drops to add a little dimension.

Thanks for stopping by today and have a great weekend!

 

 

Send a note of appreciation with a brightly-embossed Brilliant Sunflower - and a thank you from the Bold Friendly Greetings Clear Stamp Set.  Hello - Jean Okimoto here with a sunny design in just three  colors on a fresh Lemon Grass Notecard.  It's probably the first time I've made a card with just three colors - that's all you'll need with these great dies and stamps! 

Cut watercolor paper with the 3-¼"  Circle Basics die.  Pressure-emboss it with the Brilliant Sunflower using the plates and embossing mat required for your machine.  A portion of the outer edge will be cut off - but it'll be completely covered by the black diecut.

Cut a stencil from a Post-It with the solid flower from the die set.  Sponge VersaMark onto the embossed flower through the stencil.  Don't remove the stencil.  It'll  keep stray specks of powder away from the adjacent areas.  Heat-emboss it with the new Imagine Yellow Mboss, remove the stencil when it's cooled to room temperature.  

That little semi-circle on the top edge of the Mboss packet is a little section I snipped from the back edge above the zip-seal to make it easier to re-open the packet.  It's visible through the front layer of the translucent packet.  Not a major breakthrough in packaging, but it makes life easier!

Cut Brilliant Sunflower from black cardstock.  Daub VersaMark over the center of the flower with a cotton swab.  Sprinkle it with Mboss, firmly tap off the excess powder, then heat-emboss it.  

Diecut two black leaves.

Attach the black diecuts to the embossed sunflower and the background.

Prep black cardstock with the embossing powder tool.  Stamp the dotted strip and greeting from the Bold Friendly Greetings Clear Stamp Set with VersaMark and emboss them with more Yellow Mboss. Tear the  strip ends to resemble washi tape.  Yellow is just one of 38 powders in the new Mboss Collection.  They come in sturdy store-and-pour resealable pouches.

Attach the diecuts to a Lemon Grass Notecard.  Add the greeting (with foam dots) and yellow gem stickers.

Celebrate summer's arrival with flowers - our Garden Bouquet Collection is literally a bouquet of beautiful designs for any occasion!

If you're in the Seattle area this weekend - join us for two classes at Impress on June 22nd.  It's another SEATTLE STYLE class at 10:30 - featuring favorite locally-designed stamps and dies.  Then it's OUTSIDE THE BOX at 1:30 - make variations of cards I've shared here on Outside the Box.   A ton of diecuts, some stamps, great papers and a lot of techniques in both classes!

Thanks for visiting - enjoy your weekend - 

Supplies

 

94257 Brilliant Sunflower craft die

CL5234 Typewriter Holiday Elements clear stamp set

Lemongrass A2 notecards

30087 Circle Basics Set

Hello Everyone! It’s Isha today sharing a Clean and Simple card using a mix of new products. The new release has so many pretty dies and a GORGEOUS stamp. I decided to combine a couple of dies.

I started by  sponging little blue distress ink in the center of the white cardbase. I then die-cut the leaf label in white and adhere it to the card. Next I die-cut the scribble posies outline and emboss them using WOW! Rose Gold embossing glitter.

On a scrap piece of watercolor paper, I added some color burst powders by Ken Oliver. Let it dry.  Adhere the flowers  to this colored panel and cut all around.

Assemble everything together and stamp the sentiment.

 

 

Supplies

 

94268 Scribble Posies Outline craft die

94258 Antique Leaf Label craft die

CL5242 Big and Little Words lear stamp set

Hello Everyone! It’s Isha today sharing a Clean and Simple card using a mix of new products. The new release has so many pretty dies and a GORGEOUS stamp. I decided to combine a couple of dies.

I started by  sponging little blue distress ink in the center of the white cardbase. I then die-cut the leaf label in white and adhere it to the card. Next I die-cut the scribble posies outline and emboss them using WOW! Rose Gold embossing glitter.

On a scrap piece of watercolor paper, I added some color burst powders by Ken Oliver. Let it dry.  Adhere the flowers  to this colored panel and cut all around.

Assemble everything together and stamp the sentiment.

 

 

Supplies

 

94268 Scribble Posies Outline craft die

94258 Antique Leaf Label craft die

CL5242 Big and Little Words lear stamp set

Do you ever go to make a card with one idea in mind and the card becomes something else?  That's what happened to me on this  simple summer card.  This isn't at all where I thought I was headed, but I like where I ended up.

I started with the piece of decorative paper.  This has been in my 12x12 stack for years--a Memory Box paper from many years ago.  The next step was to search through blank notecards for ones in coordinating colors.  I found some Juniper ones in my December box that I thought went well with the trees.  I cut the printed paper into three pieces each 4 x 5.25, one for the front of the notecard and two for the inside panels, and attached the pieces using a tape runner. 

The next step was to audition die cut images for the front of the card.  I tried several different birds and butterflies.  I felt like whatever I chose needed to be anchored with something more.  The dies I finally chose were SOARING SWALLOW 99995, GRASS STITCHED CIRCLE FRAME 99924, and one of the smaller circles from WRAPPED CIRCLES 30114.  

I sacrificed another Juniper notecard and die cut the Grass Stitched Circle Frame and the Soaring Swallow from it.  I used a scrap off off-white for the Wrapped Circle which I glued under the grass.

For more dimension I added a foam dot behind the bird.  When I set the finished image on the card I thought that ought to be raised as well so I added more foam dots behind the circle.

When I am ready to send out this card to celebrate the summer solstice later this month I plan to stamp a sentiment directly on the printed paper or glue on some die cut words from more of the Juniper cardstock. 

A suggestion:  Choose a pretty paper and a coordinating card and see where you end up!

Happy summer!

Happy Crafting!

Happy Sunday friends! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. Today I have a card to share using the Layered Poppy die, let's get started!

I cut out the Layered Poppy in white paper three times and glued them all together. To make my square background I made my own stencil with the Square Basics set and used my ink blending brush to fill them in with a teal ink.

So fun and something I know I will try again! I kept to a teal and white color scheme on this card and glued my stenciled piece of paper to a teal card and then added some darker teal strips of paper to clean up the edges of the white paper.

I finished the card off with three little clear gems in the bottom corner. So fun and easy too.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today!

 

Supplies

 

94251 Layered Poppy craft die

30088 Square Basics Set