It's Your Day

This is another one from my stash . . . yep, at posting time it's still early in the Christmas Season but I'm behind already!

While I don't often use patterned paper, I am always grateful to have it on hand when I need something a little different.  After die cutting the zig zag strip, the solid cream background is propped up with foam to create some nice dimension over the plaid paper.  I thought the copper brads and wire helped to make this a good choice for a guy card.  A seam ripper was used to slit the plastic coating on some scrap heavy duty electrical wire so I could extract the copper wire and tie it into a knot.  Easy peasy!

Cardstock:           Bazzill Light Chocolate, Vanilla, Generic Dark Brown, Plaid 

Stamps:                Claire's A, B, C's "It's Your Day"

Inks:                      Distress Antique Linen

Dies:                     Die-Namics Hexagons, EK Success punch Corners

Doo Dads:            Copper Wire, brads

Blessings

Here is another example of Dave Brethauer's marvelous die cut Paper Napkin Technique.  Scroll back to the previous post for a link to his video on the easy how-to . . .

There are a wide number of die designs that work with this - as always, experiment to find the best ones.  As the layers of paper napkins are held together by the pressure of the dies, you may find that an edge or two will lift.  Use your needle-tipped glue applicator to stick them together.  For the most part, you won't need to bother . . .

Cardstock:   Strathmore Pastelle Cover Bright White, Cheap

                     paper napkins!       

Stamps:       Red Rubber “Blessings”, Purple Daisy Sand

Inks:             ColorBox Black, Hero Black

Watercolors:   Gansai Tambi Carmine Red, Dark Pink, Ocean Green

Emb Powder:   Judikins White Diamond, Detail Black

Dies:            Topgee “Flower Corner Frame”, Marianne Poinsettia

                      Flower, La La Land Pretty Poinsettia: Leaves, Goodculler

                     Stitched Rectangles            

Doo Dads:    Past Time Stamps Multi Ultra Fine Glitter           

Best Wishes

If you haven't tried Dave Brethauer's Paper Napkins technique, you really should give it a go!  Here is the link to his video . . . 

Watercoloring on paper napkins is a great exercise for the anally-retentive among us.  Perfect control is not  the name of the game here.  The napkins are extremely absorbent and will wick a lot of the color out from your brush.  Tell yourself to just relax and go with it.  Experiment with wetting the paper first and then coloring, or try vice versa.  I found it better to use a really wet paintbrush rather than my waterbrush - slightly more control over the intensity of the color that way.

My next post will show the same technique with different dies . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Bling Puppy Love, Cheap paper napkins!        

Inks:             VersaMark

Watercolors:   Gansai Tambi Deep Violet, Cornflower Blue, Bluish

                        Gold

Emb Powder:   Ranger Gold

Dies:            Memory Box Catalina Wreath, Cheery Lynn Lace Corner

                     Deco B, Spellbinders Sentiments One: “Best Wishes”             

Doo Dads:    Mark Richards Metals Gold           

Best Wishes

If you haven't tried Dave Brethauer's Paper Napkins technique, you really should give it a go!  Here is the link to his video . . . 

Watercoloring on paper napkins is a great exercise for the anally-retentive among us.  Perfect control is not  the name of the game here.  The napkins are extremely absorbent and will wick a lot of the color out from your brush.  Tell yourself to just relax and go with it.  Experiment with wetting the paper first and then coloring, or try vice versa.  I found it better to use a really wet paintbrush rather than my waterbrush - slightly more control over the intensity of the color that way.

My next post will show the same technique with different dies . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Bling Puppy Love, Cheap paper napkins!        

Inks:             VersaMark

Watercolors:   Gansai Tambi Deep Violet, Cornflower Blue, Bluish

                        Gold

Emb Powder:   Ranger Gold

Dies:            Memory Box Catalina Wreath, Cheery Lynn Lace Corner

                     Deco B, Spellbinders Sentiments One: “Best Wishes”             

Doo Dads:    Mark Richards Metals Gold           

Autumn

Once again, I had me some fun with Jennifer McGuire's Embedded Embossing  technique . . .

The idea was to have some really saturated and rich Fall colors, but after spraying them with gold mist, they quieted down a bit.  Will remember that for next time . . .

Cardstock:   The Paper Cut Eames White, Brown Umber, Nicole

                     Premier #140 Watercolor paper       

Stamps:       Hero Autumn

Inks:             Distress Wild Honey, Barn Door, Rusty Hinge,

                     Vintage Photo

Emb Powder:   Ranger Gold

Dies:            Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Foliage, Spellbinders

                     Classic Scalloped Rectangles Short                 

Doo Dads:    Perfect Pearls spray Pearl, Nuvo Glitter Gloss  

The Music of Life

With the holiday time crunch upon us, it was time to pull an earlier favorite out of my stash and send it along . . .

The recipient is a friend who is a passionate gardener, so the sentiment on this one really fit.  The musical background is one of my favorite ways to add some non-intrusive texture that ties all of the elements together so well.  Text can do the same thing, especially if it's foreign language . . .

Cardstock:             Generic Textured Kraft, Beckett Moonlight, Bazzill

                               Rainforest             

Stamps:                Impression Obsession Music Background, Verve

                               Floral Symphony: flower and text, Stampin' Up Itty

                               Bitty Background    

Inks:                       Distress Antique Linen, Archival Black, Stampin' Up

                               Garden Green

Emb Powder:         Ranger Gold

Colored Pencils:    Prisma Poppy Red, Orange, Violet, Burnt Ochre

Doo Dads:              Gelly Roll Clear Star pen, Punch Bunch Flowers

Gathered In

What to do with a twiggy wreath that is too thin to prop up invisibly with foam dots?

    

My solution was to glue down only the inner part of the wreath and leave the outer edges free.  They stood up just enough to add a little dimension.

Some dried die powders gave a rather realistic mottled look to the pumpkin . . .

A very blessed and Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

Cardstock:            Cougar Opaque Ivory, Nicole #100 Watercolor

                               paper, Generic Dark Brown, Celery Green

Stamps:                Amuse Script Background, Impression Obsession

                               "All is safely gathered in"

Inks:                       Gina K Charcoal Brown, Ancient Page Chocolate,

                               Distress Fired Brick

Colorants:              Ken Oliver Color Burst Orange               

Emb Powder:         Zing Chestnut

Dies:                      Impression Obsession Twig Wreath, Pretty Pink

                               Posh Stitched Foliage: Pumpkin, Goodculler

                               Stitched Rectangles

Doo Dads:             Brown pearls