Gossamer Wings

The beautiful butterfly on the G1352 Inspire Butterfly Collage stamp is beautiful to color and beautiful to piece together!  Lovely thought of gossamer wings of a butterfly and the paper works beautifully with the background.

The butterfly stamp was stamped twice once on the Flitter Paper and the second time on ivory cardstock using Versafine Vintage Sepia ink.

The butterfly on the pattern paper was trimmed and pieced onto the ivory cardstock. Mount the ivory cardstock on the truffle cardstock. Layer onto another piece of Flitter cardstock and mount onto the brown cardstock and then place onto an ivory card.

Happy Memorial Day if you are in the U.S.!

Suzz

Masculine card

I needed to make samples for a technique demo at Baas Junction recently and a card similar to this was the favorite of the samples made.  So, I tried to duplicate the card to post here.  Well, I don't know if it ever happens with you, but, especially with background techniques, it's pretty much impossible to duplicate some techniques exactly.  I'll give you a list of ingredients, but this is one of those cases where you'll just have to go with the artistic process and see what develops. 

To make the backgrounds, I used a combination of Adirondack reinkers:  Pesto, Lettuce, Butterscotch, and Meadow applied to a felt applicator pad and the pad was then spritzed with 91% alcohol.  The base paper was an oyster pearl on one side and the back side of the paper was matte white.  I pounced the reinker/alcohol mix and then spritzed with a little spray starch and pounced some more until I was happy with the result.  When I was making the samples, I noticed that the ink would not dry, with the heat gun or by air drying.  I thought I would try dipping the piece in clear embossing powder.  The result was an uneven pebbly finish.  The bottom layer is that pebbly finish.  On the focal piece, I dabbed the piece with a paper towel to blot some of the wet ink, then I stamped the C1357 Fern Print with Burnt Sienna Color Box Fluid chalk ink, and then overstamped with Versafine Olympia green.  Then I dipped the focal piece in clear embossing powder and embossed three times (adding Versamark if needed) to make a glasslike tile finish.  I matted the focal with Truffle cardstock and attached it to the pebbly background layer.  The base card is Soiree metallic copper.  Sometimes it's nice to just see where the inks take you!

I had a request for a masculine cards class, so that's what I'll be featuring for my June 30th (full) and July 15th classes at Baas Junction.  We won't be doing this card, but I hope you'll try the technique.

Time to Sparkle!

I soooo love this new stamp.  The Inspire Butterfly is, well, inspiring :)  There are so many different directions that you can go with this stamp.  I thought it would be fun to glam it up with lots of glitter and gems.  To re-create this card on your own you will need the following supplies:

• G152 Inspire Butterfly
• Meadow notecard
• Enchanted Flowerbud 12x12 paper
• 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock in Soiree Cornflower
• Pistachio green gems
• diamond glaze
• a transparent shade of ultrafine glitter
• staz-on black ink
• Tuxedo Black Memento ink
• .01 black journaling pen
• Foam tape
• your adhesive of choice

Once you have your supplies together follow these easy steps and you will have a beautiful card to send out to a very special someone that inspires you!

1. Cut  your Enchanted Flowerbud paper to 3 1/8 by 4 5/8 and layer that onto your Meadow notecard
2. Cut your Soiree Cornflower paper to 3 x 4 1/2
3. Stamp the Inspire Butterfly on to the Cornflower paper using Staz On.
4. Cover entire image with Diamond glaze.  You can use a brush or even smooth it out with your finger.
5. Before your diamond glaze dries coat the image with your ultrafine glitter.  Let dry.
6. Stamp Inspire Butterfly onto a scrap of your Enchanted Flowerbud paper in Tuxedo Black Memento and cut out using micro tip scissors.
7. Layer your glittered cornflower paper onto your card.
8. Using foam tape adhere the cut out butterfly onto the glittered image.
9. Embellish the wing with Pistachio green gems
10. For added interest draw a double line border around the entire image with your journaling pen.  *Hint - I like to do draw double lines for borders so that even when my hand is not so steady the lines look like they were meant to be that way. 

This card and four more are featured in my upcoming Sparkle Cards class at Colorful Creations on Saturday June, 12th from 10a-12p.  Hope to see you there! 

Here is a picture of me at my last class wearing my brand new fabulous Memory Box Design Team apron! 

 

Have a wonderful weekend and of course, Happy Crafting!

Evening Poppies

 

I have to admit this card was the result of a misstep with a technique I was attempting using a couple of Copic markers.  When the original idea bombed I decided "what the heck" and dribbled a little blending solution onto the paper and set it aside to dry.  A few seconds later I realized this paper was a keeper and immediately knew the Poppy Row stamp was the one that would be great with it. It's always been my crafty belief that there is no such thing as a mistake - it's an opportunity to go in a different creative direction.

The poppy image was stamped onto the orange paper, trimmed and mounted on white paper, which was then adhered to the black card base.  The sentiment was stamped in Colorbox White pigment ink.

This is one of my favorite cards - I love the colors and I love the stamp! Makes me think of poppies waving in a brilliant autumn sunset.

Supplies include: Memory Box Poppy Row and Very Best stamps; Neenah white paper; Copic markers Y38 and YR09; Black card stock; Copic Blending Solution and Staz-on black ink.

New Beginnings

Something about the Soaring Bird stamp makes me think of new beginnings - "leaving the nest", I guess.  And this is the perfect time of year for a new beginnings card:  graduations, weddings, new jobs.  I stamped the Spring Branch stamp in the bottom right corner, then flipped it over and stamped it again in the upper left.  I used VersaMagic Tea Leaves.  I stamped Soaring Bird using VersaMagic Sahara Sand, then overstamped the words with VersaFine Onyx Black.  I layered the white piece of cardstock on top of a piece of paper from the Gossamer collection, then layered that onto a Meadow card.  I added green mini rickrack, which looks almost lace-like next to the patterned paper.  Finally, I added just a hint of Sweet Pea Flower Soft.  This card has lots of details, but was very quick and easy to make.  If you have several special events to attend this summer, you could whip this card up in no time!

Pages from my Journal as Inspiration for a Workshop

I keep a daily art journal, and I try to post my pages fairly regularly on my personal art blog (notesfromthewoodshed.blogspot.com).  I usually complete a journal each month.  Right now I am working in a spiral-bound 7X10 book with black pages.  When the newest Garden Journal stamps arrived, I couldn't wait to experiment with them and paste my ideas into my journal.  

 

I gathered up scraps of the Memory Box 6X6 papers from a couple of different collections, as well as Jet Black and Olive Archival inks, and Ancient Page Sage and Pine inks, cleared some space on my table, and dove in.

I started by stamping some images multiple times--the Dill Print (F1356); Tendril Print (B1362); Spring Branch (D1363).  

Then I started using two stamps to create an image--Spring Branch plus multiple stampings of the small soaring bird from the Very Best stamp (B1359);  Spring Branch plus Birds in the Trees (D1365); Fern Print (C1357) plus Tendril Print; Spring Branch plus Very Best; Leafy Branch (C1361) plus Budding Branch (D1360); Leafy Branch plus Tendril Print.

Next came one of my favorite exercises.  Using Olive ink, I made three different impressions on three smaller pieces of paper of the Budding Branch.  Then I reinked the Budding Branch with Pine ink and overstamped the first images--close, closer, and closest.  

For my final piece, and my favorite of the images I made, I used the three shades of green inks and three stamps--Fern Print, Tendril Print, and Poppy Collage (G1364).  I added the sentiment from the Very Best stamp and two green Memory Box Jewels on the poppies to "finish" the image.

Rather than make sample cards for my workshop at Your Maine Stamper last Monday afternoon, I decided to show the seven participants what I had done in my journal.  I asked them to try these same ideas using the same ink colors and the Garden Journal stamps--using one stamp multiple times, using two or more stamps to create one image, and stamping on a variety of printed Memory Box papers.  What they created was amazing!  

Think about trying this yourself.  Gather up some papers you love, a collection of stamps with a related theme, and inks that will coordinate.  Then PLAY!  I think you will be pleasantly surprised with what you create.

Happy Stamping!

Purple Poppies

The new Garden Journal collection is so nice to work with, especially at this time of year. The grass is deep green and the colorful flowers are in bloom all around. New England is very pretty in the spring.

I think of this technique as a bit of a "cheat" or a corner cutter.  I wanted the flowers on this new Poppy Collage image (G1364) to be colored, but didn't want to use individual markers on the stamp. Instead I inked the entire stamp with Peeled Paint Distress Ink and stamped it on white cardstock. I then took a White Prismacolor Pencil and colored over the flowers (which were green) and then added a layer of Prismacolor Violet over that. It covers the green and with the two layers of pencil it looks almost textured - alittle like a faux suede.  I adhered this piece to a matte made from a Concord Grape notecard.  I used a torn piece of pattern paper from the Enchanted 6x6 paper pack at the top corner of a Soiree Shimmer Grass notecard and added faux stitching.  I tied a simple ribbon (May Arts) around the matted piece and used foam tape to add this layer to the card front. Voila! Sweet and simple, and can be used for any occasion. 

This card is one of five I am teaching at Ink About It on May 26th in a class that features images from Enchanted Butterflies and Garden Journal.

Enjoy the weekend.

Wishing you the very BEST

Isn't that a perfectly perfect sentiment- "Wishing you the very BEST" ?  It can be for a birthday, anniversary, graduation, get well, good-bye, happy retirement or just an every day greeting.  You'll see that I use it frequently and have 2 cards to show you today.

First up...

 Stamps used:

Damask Butterfly D1350

Budding Branch D1360

Very Best B1359

Use the Shimmer Lagoon card stock for a base and add the white panel which was stamped with Aegean Blue, Pretty Petunias and Spring Pansy Versamagic inks.

Stamp Damask Butterfly with Onyx VersaFine ink on Garden Magic from the Enchanted paper Collection, cut out and apply 3-D foam tape to the butterfly body, folding the wings forward.

Add Frost Blue pearls and white silk ribbon-it's as easy as that!

Come make this card and others in class at The Stamp Addict on Saturday, May 22nd.

Next up...

A completely different color combo and a fun little technique with shrink plastic.

 

Stamps used:

Leaf Print Butterfly D1349

Budding Branch D1360 (again)

Very Best B1359 (again)

Use the metallic Jupiter Red card stock as a base and add a panel of Fennel paper from the Jubilee collection. I love how the bits of red in the Fennel paper coordinates with the Jupiter red note card.

 

Stamp the butterfly with black Staz-on ink onto white shrink plastic and heat (via heat gun or toaster oven) until it shrinks.  Press a block onto the still warm shape to help flatten it.  Adhere to card with glue dots.

Finish with frost pearls and layered sentiment.  Fast, fun and easy!

We'll be making this card and others in class at Stamp Delights on Tuesday, May 25th. Call for your reservation 619 465-6873

Happy Friday!

 

 

My Wish for You

It's so nice to have most of your work done for you - Memory Box 6x6 and 12x12 prints offer that option

All I had to do here was stamp our new Dill Print (F1356) and Happiest Greeting (B1354) and punch some flowers from Soiree Blossom Cardstock. The background print from our Flowerbud 12x12 print is colored in the greens, pinks and aquas I love - and the Soiree Lagoon card and Daffodil Pearl Stickers add a shimmery luster to celebrate a special day.  

If you're not sure how a stamped image and/or ink color would look on one of our printed papers - just use a stamp positioner to try different inks and stamp placements. It saves time, makes life so much easier and eliminates the guesswork.  

Here's a peek at one of the cards in my Guy Cards class at the Bellevue Impress on Saturday May 22nd (and at Tukwila on Memorial Day, Monday May 31st). We'll make four cards using Memory Box products, including one with a little origami shirt and cargo pants - for Dads, grads or  birthday boys everywhere. If your guy is not quite a cargo pants man, we can easily fold him a pair of longer pants.  

 

Read more...

A little ink and a little water

A little ink and a little water mixed together and you can make a couple of different cards from one inky  mess.

Recipe:

1. Smear Ranger Distress Ink Chipped Sapphire and Dusty Concord on a craft mat.  
2. Spritz the ink with a light mist of water. 
3. Ink up the G1364 Poppy Collage using the watered down ink onto the stamp.
4. Stamp on white cardstock. 
5. Cut stamped poppy collage into an oval shape.
6. Die Cut background shape using Spellbinders Label Ten on Truffle cardstock.
7. Cut some of the beautiful paper from the Enchanted background 2 1/2" x 5 1/4".
8. Punch border  along edge using Martha Stewart Edger and round corners on opposite side.
9. Using a lovely Lavender card punch edge with matching border punch. 
10. Cut strip of Truffle cardstock 1/2" x 5 1/2" and add to inside of card.
11. Punch butterflies from Truffle cardstock using Marvy Uchida Punch.
12. Tie sheer lavender ribbon on top and bottom of die cut labels shape. Accent with Memory Box Sparkling Diamond gems.
13. Sponge edges of oval with Ranger Distress Ink using Dusty Concord.
14. Stamp D1363 Spring Branch using Versafine Brown Pigment Ink on bottom of oval twice.
15. Assemble pieces.  

 

I used the remainder of the ink on the craft mat to create several scraps of white cardstock with a beautiful background.  Which was used to create this card.

Recipe:

1. Use distress ink remaining on craft mat. Add additional spritzes of water until the ink beads up.
2. Lay white cardstock on ink. Lift up and see if areas need more ink. If they need ink lay them back down again.
3. Repeat with various scraps of cardstock until ink is used up! :)
4. Cut oval shape on one of the inked backgrounds after dry. 
5. Stamp D1360 Budding Branch multiple times using versamark.
6. Heat emboss using Stampendous Pearlustre Peridot Embossing powder.
7. Stamp C1366 Soaring Bird using Brown Pigment Ink. Heat emboss using American Craft Zing Embossing powder Chestnut Brown.
8. Accent embossed images using Signo Uni-Ball White Gel Pen.
9. Stamp B1354 birthday sentiment using Versafine Vintage Sepia pigment ink in corner of white card.
10. Emboss 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" white cardstock card using Cuttlebug embossing folder.
11. Attach main image to card base.

Love playing with the distress inks! Have a lovely day!

Suzz