Thursday, August 31, 2017

A Little Birdie Told Me

Couldn't resist . . . had to make just one more Bird Crazy card before starting to work on some handmade Christmas presents . . .


One of the things I love most about stamping is that there's usually a means to wiggle your way out of almost every fluff up.  Take the ground that the bird is standing on.  I'd tried using darker ink to create a shadow around her feet, but it didn't look right.  I'd already glued her down so there was no way I could safely pry up such skinny, delicate legs and feet.  So I took a free form scrap of cardstock and placed it under the feet and legs of the die and ran it through my machine. I poked out the feet and kept the mortise.

Voila!  Ground!  I embossed the scrap with Distress Walnut Stain powder as it has a perfect matte finish, applied glue to the back and pressed it down around the bird's feet. Clever workaround if I do say so myself . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Cheddar, Strathmore Bristol         
Stamps:        Tim Holtz Bird Crazy, Crazy Things, Crazy Talk, Amuse
                           Script Background
Inks:               VersaFine Vintage Sepia, Distress Pine Needles, Broken
                           China, Tumbled Glass, Walnut Stain
Emb Powder:   Distress Walnut Stain
Dies:              Tim Holtz Bird Crazy, Crazy Things, Spellbinders 
                          A2 Distressed Edges

Monday, August 28, 2017

Happy Birthday

And the tie die beat goes on!  I'm having such fun experimenting with various color combinations.  If you're just tuning in, scroll back a few posts and see a variety of tie die backgrounds . . .


This card goes to a young woman I used to babysit!  She looks wonderful in pink, so this card definitely has her name on it.  The perky white butterflies have their wings propped up with dried Glossy Accents drops.  A few crystals and some Wink of Stella shimmer, and I'm done . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Romance, Coffee Filter White     
Stamps:        Printworks “Happy Birthday”
Inks:               Ancient Page Cardinal, Bordeaux, Pink Pizzazz,
                           Flamingo   
Emb Powder:   Vippies Transcendence
Dies:              Studio Calico Nested Rectangles, Tim Holtz Wildflowers,
                           Marianne Butterflies
Doo Dads:    Generic 3/8” grosgrain ribbon Pink, American Craft Jute
                           Magenta, Crystals, Wink of Stella Clear                       

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Happy Birthday

Still having fun with tie die backgrounds . . .


  . . . this time enhanced by a golden branch and a gold-speckled lacy white butterfly.  I hope you're not getting too terribly tired of tie die, because I've got a few more samples to go . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Crimson, Coffee Filter White       
Stamps:        KaiserCraft Marble, Raindrops on Roses Watercolor
                           Splashes, Stampin’ Up “Happy Birthday”       
Inks:               Ancient Page Reinkers Bordeaux, Saffron, VersaMark,
                           Distress Aged Mahogany
Emb Powder:   Stampendous Aged Gold  
Dies:              Impression Obsession Bare Branch, Spellbinders 
                           Wonderful Wings, Papertrey Ink Sketched Shapes                      

Monday, August 21, 2017

A Message for You

Guy cards can often be a pickle because many of my usual images don't always work.  But lately, I've been having fun with an adorable typewriter die . . .


This image will work for either sex and any age.  Although six choices of text stamps come with the set, the generously sized "typewriter paper" will accommodate many choices from anyone's stash . . .

Cardstock:   Generic Rust, Coffee Filter White, Bazzill Raven
Stamps:        Marianne Eline’s Typewriter: “A message for you”        
Inks:               Ancient Page Reinkers Coal Black, Light Brown, Stone
                        Grey, Adirondak Terra Cotta
Emb Powder:   Vippies Transcendence
Dies:              Gina K Rectangle, Small Set, Marianne Eline’s                                                          Typewriter                             

Thursday, August 17, 2017

YAY!

This card is for a seven-hear old . . .


The background was done by smooshing the three colors on an acrylic block, misting lightly with water, and then stamping.  Voila - instant color and a slightly distressed coverage.  As I am limited on images for kids, birthday cakes and balloons come in really handy.  So do sparkles and a heartfelt YAY!  

Cardstock:   Bazzill Steel Blue, Strathmore Watercolor paper          
Stamps:        Hero Stamp & Cut: Birthday (cake & stand), Lil Inkers
                           Balloon Builders(balloons & text), Meer Image Point Tool
Inks:               Distress Mustard Seed, Faded Jeans, Mowed Lawn,
                           Hero Black
Emb Powder:   Vippies Transcendence  
Dies:              Gina K Rectangle Small Set, Papertrey Ink Angled Labels,
                           Lil Inkers Balloon Builders, Balloon String Die, DieVersions
                           Font Noodles “Yay!”
Doo Dads:    WOW glitter Silver Sparkle            


Monday, August 14, 2017

A Note to Say

Having ruled out feathers, flowers, buttons, and bows for this Guy card, I remembered a favorite die I'd not used in awhile . . .


The old fashioned typewriter image can work for anyone.  And I love the fact that I can call the shots with the colors - I can make a custom typewriter to suit any layout!  1/16" foam dots were used to prop up the typewriter, but I used 1/8" foam dots on the upper edges of the typewriter paper to make it look even more dimensional . . .

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, Coffee Filter Tan     
Stamps:        Marianne Eline’s Typewriter: “A note to say . . .”
Inks:               Ancient Page Reinkers Sandalwood, Lime, Amethyst,
                           Gina K Charcoal Brown, Distress Aged Mahogany,
                           Brushed Corduroy
Emb Powder:  Vippies Transcendence
Dies:              Paper Smooches Criss Cross, Marianne Eline’s Typewriter 
Doo Dads:    Lowe’s Home Improvement Granite Crystals Gold (this is a
                           micro fine glitter that is intended to be stirred into granite
                           being poured for countertops in order to make them sparkle).    


Thursday, August 10, 2017

Just For You

Here's the same color palette as used in the last tie die post, but this time done on Kraft.


I love adding dimensional aspects to card fronts, but when the shapes are narrow and delicate, such as these cattails are, it's often hard to cut foam pop dots small enough to do the job without sticking out the sides and showing.  Enter Glossy Accents, a dimensional clear glue.  I added a small drop to the backs of the cattails and left them to dry - takes about 20-30 minutes for drops that size.  Then I applied regular glue to the base of the cattails and attached them.

Result?  A light and airy dimensional arrangement with an easily applied invisible support system.  Yay!

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, Coffee Filters Tan   
Stamps:        Anna Griffen “Just for You”
Inks:               Ancient Page Reinkers Pine, Lime, Aegean                   
Emb Powder:   Vippies Transcendence
Dies:              Arich Rounded Corners Stitched Rectangles, Gina Marie
                           Stitched Rounded Squares, Spellbinders Cattails,
                           We-Buys Cute Chrysanthemum Set (bugs)                        

Monday, August 7, 2017

Forever Grateful

As promised the tie die journey continues . . .


Wish you could touch this background with your fingers - it feels just like fabric, wrinkles and all.  It's such an easy and quick technique, and there's really no way to fail with it.  I hope y'all give it a try!  Scroll back to my posting of July 31 for the easy technique . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Limeade, The Paper Cut White Matte Coate
Stamps:        KaiserCraft  Marble, “Forever Grateful”       
Inks:               VersaMark                            
Colorants:    Ancient Page Reinkers Cobalt, Lime, Pine
Emb Powder:   Pipe Dream Ink Dove Lake, Vippie’s Transcendence  
Dies:              KaiserCraft Cobblestone, Elizabeth Small Butterfly,
                           Spellbinders Victorian Tags
Doo Dads:    USArt Quest glitter Opal Essence , Wink of Stella Clear



Thursday, August 3, 2017

Only Good Times

It's my middle brother Don's birthday and as he's a pilot of small aircraft, I figured a card made with my favorite little airplane die would be fun for him to get . . .


He lives near the beach, so a row of inviting beach chairs and a tie die background made with oceanic colors is just the right layout for him.  The message inside reads, "Seas the day!"  And I'm sure he will:  his traditional method of celebrating is to spend the day body surfing!  Pretty remarkable for a guy in his mid-seventies, don't you think?

Cardstock:   Bazzill Pauly Poo, Coffee Filters White, The Paper Cut
                           White Matte Coate
Inks:               Ancient Page Reinkers Indigo, Aegean, Jade Generic scrap
                           Matte Silver   
Stamps:        Local King Oops, Autumn Leaves Borders Celebration
                           “Only Good Times”, Lil Inker Balloon Builders
Colorants:    Copic YG13 Chartreuse, B26 Cobalt Blue         
Emb Powder:   Vippies Transcendence
Dies:              Local King Oops (chairs), Lil Inker Balloon Builders