Starlit

The sentiment on this one is one of my favorites for condolence cards - the hopeful reassurance it offers is such a comfort . . .

Originally, the text was one paragraph.  I got nervy and cut it into two strips which gives me more layout options.  I hope the camera will capture at least a little of the limited sparkle I added to the stars.  A nice, soft twinkle was what I was after and happily, that's what I got . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill White, Nicole #100 Bristol Smooth         

Stamps:       Wordsworth Christ Has Made

Inks:             Distress Chipped Sapphire, Dusty Concord, Faded

                     Jeans, ColorBox Silver, VersaFine Majestic Blue

Emb Pwdr:   Judikins White Diamond

Dies:            Avery Elle Wonky Stitches, Impression Obsession

                     Cardinals            

Doo Dads:    Gelly Roll Clear       

Blossom

Thanks to a wonderful video from Barb of the Joggles site, I have revisited a really fun technique I played with years ago.  It uses a little paint, some heat, and Tyvek - that wonderfully tough, paper-like material that is used in building construction as well as by the USPS for mailing materials . . .

This link will show you the easy steps involved in getting the Tyvek to artistically contort itself into lovely backgrounds and accent pieces.

There are a variety of acrylic paints that can be used and the ones that are either pearlized or metallic will give the most beautiful results.  As long as your color choices are opaque, you can use any postal Tyvek you get in the mail, regardless of how much commercial printing is already on it.  Once painted over, it will never show.

After it's colored and heated, I always back it with a piece of scrap cardstock cut to size in order to add body to the thin Tyvek.

My treatment of the word "Blossom" at the bottom was a little different from my normal method:  this time, I inked the letters with VersaMark, dusted on some gold embossing powder, and then flicked some of it off with a dry brush.  I was after texture rather than color in this case and I am happy enough with the results to do this again!

Cardstock:   Nicole #100 Bristol Smooth, USPS Tyvek mailing

                     envelope

Inks:             VersaMark

Colorants:    Lumiere Grape, Pearl Blue, Pearl Emerald Green,

                     True Gold

Emb Pwdr:   Ranger Gold

Dies:            DieNamics Pierced Square Frames, Impression

                     Obsession Hollyhocks, DieVersion Noodles: “Blossom”

Emb Fldr:     Darice Multi Circles

Doo Dads:    Mark Richards stickers Gold         

For You

Last summer, I saw a picture of a variegated green and white Canna plant I very much wanted to grow, so I ordered several tubers and shared one of them with my little brother Gordy who lives on the opposite end of the country near Seattle.  We're having a contest to see whose Canna grows the fastest!  For his birthday card, I wanted to continue the tropical theme.  I had no Canna stamps but I did have some tropical images I could use instead . . .

A coordinating vase with some marble embellishment, some texture to back the variegated greenery, a bit of gold enhancement, and we have a tropical card that I hope will please . . . even though the greenery features Monstera leaves instead of Cannas!

It's the thought that counts . . .

Cardstock:   Neenah Desert Storm, Nicole #100 Bristol Smooth     

Stamps:       Papertrey Ink Tropics (including text), Kaiser Craft Marble

Inks:             VersaFine Olympia Green, ColorBox Gold

Emb Pwdr:   Ranger Gold

Dies:            CH Move Slow Irregular Rectangles, Papertrey Ink

                     Tropics, Impression Obsession Vase Set           

Emb Fldr:     Taylored Expressions Weathered, Cuttlebug Musical

                     Flourish

Doo Dads:    Viva Paper Pen Gold         

Smooches

When this wonderful smooching bunny image first came out, I snapped it up because I think it is one of the most endearing images ever made - perfect for anniversaries and Valentine's Day . . .

When The Artful Stamper followed up with a matching die, I grabbed that one right away as well.  Matching dies make layouts so very much easier!  No masking, fussy cutting, or need for complex methods of making backgrounds fit around a stamped image. 

On this card, I colored the background first by my favorite smooshing technique: press ink pads onto your craft sheet, mist with water, and press the cardstock onto the inks.  Heat dry and repeat for more texture.

When dry, I stenciled the heart shape with embossing paste and dusted on some glitter.  Because the bunny image is a die cut that can now float over the card front, I was free to do whatever I wanted with the background.  Very liberating!

Cardstock:   Generic Textured Gray, Nicole #100 Bristol Smooth,

                     Generic Green

Stamps:       The Artful Stamper Smoochin’

Inks:             Distress Faded Jeans, Weathered Wood, Bundled

                     Sage, Spun Sugar, Hero Black

Waterclrs:    Zig Real Brush Pale Pink, Cool Gray

Dies:            The Artful Stamper Smoochin’, DieNamics Pierced

                     Rectangle Frame, Sweet ‘n Sassy Heart Set

Stencil:        Dina Wakely Pebble Heart

Doo Dads:    Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste White, Creative

                     Beginnings Glitter Pink Fine, Stampendous Fun Flock:

                     Cotton Ball White      

Wishes

The color combination of two shades of green plus white has always appealed to me . . .

Can't wait for the sight of real  golden poppies!  Happy Spring, everyone . . .

Cardstock:   Generic scraps Green, Yellow      

Stamps:       Simon Says Sketchy Banner Greetings: “Wishes for

                     your special day”

Inks:             VersaFine Olympia Green

Emb Pwdr:   Stampendous Shabby White

Dies:            Elizabeth Craft Katie Label Accordion, Rambling Poppies,

                     Goodculler Stitched Rectangles, Simon Says Sketchy

                     Banner Greetings              

Doo Dads:    Viva Paper Pen Gold         

Thank You

In these Coronavirus-affected times, my favorite local restaurant is struggling to make ends meet by doing curbside service and takeout.  My favorite order includes an absolutely decadent flourless chocolate cake and last week, they gifted me with an extra piece!

It is the small but meaningful gestures that people make when they give of their substance that really help us get through difficult situations.  Their kind gesture was worth the best Thank You card I could come up with , so I tried out a new accordion fold die . . .

Here's the card collapsed for mailing:

 . . . and opened out:

Elizabeth Craft has come up with a series of Karen Burniston accordion folded card designs and this was my first attempt at making one.  You Tube has several short videos that give excellent instructions on putting these together.  There are endless ways to embellish the panels and you'll come up with lots of neat ideas as you go along.  The process was easy and much faster than I expected.

For anyone who may be a little hesitant to do paper crafting, may I assure you that this design came together perfectly!  I am not skilled at this sort of construction but it is so well designed that even I emerged victorious!  Give it a try - it was a lot of fun to make . . .

           

Cardstock:   Nicole #100 Bristol Smooth. Generic Red, Green, Yellow,

                     pre-printed  Designer paper        

Dies:            Elizabeth Craft Katie Label Accordion, Spellbinders

                     Celebration set: “Thank you”, Punch Bunch Flowers,

                     Rambling Poppies                       

Emb Fldr:    Taylored Expressions Weathered

Doo Dads:   Wink of Stella Clear           

Rejoice

Thanks to the Corona virus, Easter is going to be a very different celebration this year.  Because of sites like Zoom and Facebook, we will be attending services online.  I am grateful we have the electronic opportunity to do this.  Meanwhile, in spite of this dreaded virus, we have vast reasons to Rejoice . . .

Christ is Risen - Glorify Him!  I wish for each of you a very blessed Easter . . .

Cardstock:   Papers by Catherine Ivory, Generic Metallic Gold,

                     American Crafts: Assorted Colors, Generic Gold           

Stamps:       Our Daily Bread Christ the “Lord is Risen Today”,

                     The Artful Stamper “Rejoice”

Inks:             Hero Black, Encore Gold, Distress Black Soot

Dies:            DieNamics Pierced Rectangle Frame; GOTD Flourish,

                     Elizabeth Crafts Katie Label Accordion (oval frame)                   

Doo Dads:    Sparkle & Sprinkle glitter Fantasy Gold  

Asparagus

Replay:  In these unusual times of Corona-induced House Arrest, I am getting caught up in a lot of areas.  But I've got a ways to go - hence this replay of a favorite card I first blogged about four years ago . . .

I rarely send out a card with no sentiment on the front.  But this image is such a beautiful one that I decided it made enough of a statement on its own . . .

Cardstock:   Generic Textured Sage, Burgundy, Beckett Candlelight                              

Stamps:       PSX Asparagus                              

Inks:             ColorBox Black, acrylic paint spatter Black

Emb Pwdr:   Judikins Detail Black

Colored Pencils:   Prisma Dark Green, Olive Green, Tuscan Red

Doo Dads:    Burgundy ribbon, crimper, Gamsol to blend the Prismas

Shine

This time, I tried using alcohol inks on Bristol Smooth cardstock . . .

 . . . not at all the results I was after.  But still usable nonetheless, I think.  It seems that glossy cardstock, Yupo, or Grafix Opaque White Craft Classic Film are the best for getting the color movement we usually want when working with alcohol inks.  Lesson learned!

But I made a happy discovery in another area.  I've long wanted to find a reliable way to get a light, random scattering of heat embossed texture and I may have found it  with a very coarse and lacy piece of plastic netting.  A clump of it has been glued to a dowel which works as a handle.  Known as a "scrunchie" back in the day, it is perfect for laying down wispy random ink speckles from a VersaMark or pigment ink pad.  When embossing powder is scattered over it and heated, you get just the merest bit of texture and shine. I hope the camera picks some of it up . . .

Cardstock:   Nicole #100 Bristol Smooth          

Stamps:       Stampin’ Up “It’s Your Day!”

Inks:             Adirondack Alcohol Ink Butterscotch, Caramel, Terra

                     Cotta, Brilliance Galaxy Gold

Emb Pwdr:   Ranger Gold

Dies:            Frantic Stamper Corner Sun Rays Quilted, Striped

                     Frame & Insert, Recollections Word Fetti: “Shine”                      

Doo Dads:    Nuvo Crystal Drops Caramel Cream, Sparkle & Sprinkle

                     glitter Fantasy Gold