Love

 Another foray into alcohol inks . . .                

While you can use a small bulb-handled blower tool to move the inks around, I found it easier to use a hair dryer on the cool setting.  I’ve experimented with various blower speeds and find that medium seems to work the best and leaves me in control.  Good blow dryers are quite affordable now, so I’ve got one hanging next to my worktable.  If my regular hair dryer ever gives up the ghost, it’s nice to know that I’ve got a spare waiting in the wings!

 

Cardstock:   Bazzill Red Devil, Unknown Glossy, Hanko Echizen Gold

Inks:               Various alcohol inks

Emb Pwdr:   Ranger Gold

Dies:              Mama Elephant Femme Frames, Memory Box Gerber

Stems, Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Squares,  Recollections

Word Fetti: Love            

Sparkle

After using the same embossing folder that was used on my previous post, I added some color to bring out the design . . .

I like the contrast of two different backgrounds on a card front.  Joining the two with contrasting strip of cardstock ties them together and gives a finished look.

 

Cardstock:   Strathmore Ultimate White, Tim Holtz Silver Sparkle   

Inks:               Distress Faded Jeans, Weathered Wood

Emb Pwdr:   WOW Clear Matte Dull

Dies:              Memory Box Single Rose Stem, Uppercase Alphabet

Soup, Impression Obsession Tag Set               

Emb Fldr       Taylored Expressions Rosy Posey

Doo Dads:    Silver fiber    

Thinking of You

My first attempt at running vellum through an embossing folder did not end well and I wound up with the design cracked in numerous places.  I used a double-sided glue sheet to fasten the cracked vellum to white cardstock and now no one will ever know that it was in trouble . . .

  . . . solving the cracked vellum problem came about because of a hint I picked up on a blog.  Wish I knew whose it was so I could thank her.  The solution is simple:  take a piece of Tim’s Grunge Paper – not Grunge Board – top with the vellum and insert into the folder.  Oddly enough, the design emerges with even more definition than it would have if embossed on its own.  And nary a crack to be seen.  Lovely!

 

Cardstock:   Beckett Candlelight, Bazzill Leapfrog, Hanko Echizen

Gold, Vellum,         

Stamps:        Marianne Banners & Labels: “Thinking of you”

Inks:               ColorBox Gold

Emb Pwdr:   Ranger Gold

Dies:              Memory Box Stitched Rectangle Trimmings, Love

Nicole Rose, Marianne Banners & Labels                   

Emb Fldr:      Taylored Expressions Rosy Posey

Doo Dads:    VIVA Paper Pen Gold       

Blessings

 Lots of texture, and mostly neutrals with a few punches of color . . .

Tim’s Tiny Flowers are so much fun to make.  I deal with the glue that oozes up from the center by sprinkling on some glitter.  Easy Peasy . . .

 

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, Strathmore Ultimate White, Scraps Red,

Blue, Yellow, Green

Stamps:        Just for Fun Fractured Background, Red Rubber

“Blessings”

Inks:               Distress Brushed Corduroy

Emb Pwdr:   Vippies Transcendence

Dies:              Crafter’s Companion Mon Amour Tag, Tim Holtz Tiny

Tattered Florals

Emb Fldr:      Cuttlebug Tiny Mosaic

Doo Dads:    Jute, Viva Pearl Pen Cream, Glitter Silver        

Dream

I admit to being very pleased with how this one turned out . . .

  . . . it doesn’t happen all that often so please indulge me.  I love the delicate image and how well it is suited for water coloring.  The beading makes mailing a little more difficult, but I think the look is well worth it . . . hope you like it too!

 

 Cardstock:   Bazzill Bling Puppy Love, Admiral , Strathmore

 Ultimate White

Stamps:        Paper Parachute Two Iris w/Butterfly, Appaloosa Dream

Inks:              ColorBox Frost White

Waterclrs:     various

Emb Pwdr:   Hero White

Doo Dads:    Brads Navy, White, assorted beads

Soar

This is the first time I've used the mosaic background stamp.  I thought its craggy look made a great rocky mountain background for the soaring birds . . .

After stamping the mosaic twice, I colored the second image, fussy-cutting out the individual shapes and pop-dotting them over the original for added texture.  Then, a little sparkle on the leading edges of the birds' wings as they climb toward the heavens, and we're done.

 

Cardstock:   The Paper Cut White Matte Coat, Neenah Solar White,

                        Bazzill Raven

Stamps:        Just For Fun Broken Mosaic, Creative Catalyst Tweed

                        Border, MaxStamp Pegs “Soar”, Gelly Roll Clear Star pen

Inks:               Hero Black

Emb Pwdr:   WOW Clear Matte Dull

Markers:        Copic YG25 Celadon Green, YG67 Moss

Dies:              Spellbinders Shoot!, Impression Obsession Sea Birds

Doo Dads:    Deckled scissors

Happiness

One from the archives:   as I am under the weather at the moment, I'm choosing to re-display a card from 2016 . . . 

This cheery card owes a lot of its good humor to Washi paper . . .

 I love working with the many beautiful patterns found on Washi papers but I find them too thin to use as is.  A good work-around for me has been to iron them onto the shiny side of freezer paper.  This is quick and easy, and there's no bleed-thru or messy glues to deal with.  The result is a sturdy piece that holds up to die cutting and also makes a great background layer.

The floaty aspects of acetate layering were put to use in this layout.  I used pop dots for altitude and covered them up with judiciously placed die cuts.  Acetate layering may seem tricky at first, but there are a lot of easy work-arounds you can play with . . .

 

Cardstock:   Bazzill Lima, Gilbert Oxford White, Beckett Iceberg,

                           Generic Washi paper, Generic acetate           

Stamps:        Hero Zig Zag, Stampin' Up Chicken Wire, Stamp in the

                           Mail "Happiness"            

Inks:               Brilliance Rocket Red, Ancient Page Pine, ColorBox Frost White

Emb Powder:   Judikins Detail White

Dies:              Savvy Blossom, Cheery Lynn Build-a-Flower #1, Wplus9

                           Banner Trio, Punch Bunch Tiny Flower

Doo Dads:    Gelly Roll Clear Star pen, 1/8" corner rounder  

Moments

One of my early attempts with liquid watercolors . . .

 

I’m finding it helpful to heat emboss images to be watercolored as that helps to keep the color where I want it.  As my skills increase, I may not need to use that trick, but for now, it’s a useful choice.

Still and all, I tried for a little artsy shmear around the leaves.  Some more lessons are needed on that technique . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Intense Yellow, Strathmore #100 Bristol,

Scrap Brown

Stamps:        Inkadinkado Acorns & Leaves

Inks:               ColorBox Black, Distress Brushed Corduroy

Waterclrs:     Concord & 9th Liquid Watercolors Honeysuckle,

Buttercup, Wheat

Emb Pwdr:   Judikins Detail Black

Dies:              Sizzix Floral Arch & Words set: Moments, Unknown

Birch Frame           

Ice Cream!

After my computer difficulties  of last week, matters have finally been sorted and I am back in the posting business.  So scroll down to view two entries that just got posted.

Here is today’s post:

A number of years ago, Inkadinkado came out with several collections of hand lettered and very charming sentiments culled from interviews with young children.  Here is one of them . . .

With time at a premium, I chose some Asian designer paper to use for the background.  The text deserved to be the total focal point, so I added a few dimensional white drops and left it at that . . .

 

Cardstock:   Strathmore Bright White, Asian Designer paper

Stamps:        Inkadinkado Today is for ice cream

Inks:              ColorBox Frost White

Emb Pwdr:   Hero White

Dies:             Studio Calico Nested Rectangles           

Doo Dads:    Inkssentials Enamel Accents White