Congratulations

My favorite artsy background:  mottled coloring over-stamped with scrawly text . . .

 

After distressing the perimeter, I did some random gold embossing around the edges.  I’ve always tried for perfect edgings of all kinds, but the random and distressed look is far more interesting.  So, it’s out with the chalk line, plumb bob, and level – and in with random, intermittent, and distressed!  Well, much of the time, anyway . . .

 

Cardstock:   Strathmore #100 Bristol Smooth  

Stamps:       A Stamp in the Hand Words Background Script, Stacey

Stamps Tulips

Inks:             Distress Brushed Corduroy, Old Paper, Peeled Paint

Emb Pwdr:   WOW Metallic Gold Rich

Dies:            TEMU Fantasy Theme ”Congratulations”          

Doo Dads:    Michael’s ribbon, Wink of Stella Gold

God Bless You

My friend Mark was recently ordained as a sub-deacon in our Orthodox church, so this is the card I made for him . . .

 

The oak leaf encases a gold-embossed image of the Orthodox three-bar cross.  Wish I had a die for that.  Mark has given years of dedicated service and his new position is a wonderful one for both him and the church.  We wish you many blessings, Mark . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill White, Rain Forest 

Stamps:       H M Connections Orthodox Cross, Stampin Up 

“May God Bless You”

Inks:            ColorBox Gold

Emb Pwdr:   Ranger Gold

Dies:            Hero Flower Garden, Spellbinders Nature’s Window, Kat 

                    Scrappiness Stitched Fishtail Banner                   

Doo Dads:    Crafter’s Square Pearls Green     

Congratulations

It's our granddaughter's 8th grade graduation and I decided to do another (mostly) white-on-white treatment . . .

Following an idea I got from a blog, I used an embossing folder on the background layer, and then colored the raised flowers and leaves with Copics.  It's easier than you might think because embossing breaks down the paper fibers a bit.  So when ink is applied, it wicks into almost the entire raised areas. Basically, you just color along the tops of the raised areas and the wicking does the rest.  If your marker-wielding skills are not the greatest, you'll still do just fine with this technique. 

The process is quicker than you might think, especially if you decide to color a partial area as I did.

Cardstock:   Papers by Catherine White           

Stamps:       Too Much Fun "Congratulations", Fiskars School Days:

                     "You're a Winner!"

Inks:             Copic YG67 Moss, Y17 Golden Yellow, Ancient Page

                     Saffron, Distress Mowed Lawn

Emb Pwdr    Vippies Transcendence

Dies:            Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics A, DieNamics Pierced

                     Rectangle Frames, Stitched Rectangle Word Windows           

Emb Fldr:     Crafts-Too Sweet Flowers

Doo Dads:    Gelly Roll Clear, American Crafts Grosgrain Ribbon Green   

Congrats!

Being in need of some Guy Cards, my next few posts will feature some fun with masculine layouts.  This one is a birthday card . . .

A jazzed-up , super cool owl perched on a twiggy frame over a wood grain panel, some branches and a textured background.  Toss in a perky speech bubble and I think we're all set!

The message inside reads, "Another year older, another year wiser".  Made to order for the owl image, I'm thinking . . .

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute  

Stamps:        Hero Designer Woodgrain, Good Stamps Carved Owl,

                           Vap Scrap “Congrats!”       

Inks:               Gina K Charcoal Brown                 

Watercolors:   Intense pencils Poppy Red, Iris Blue, Sicilian Yellow,

                              Zig Clean Color Bright Yellow, Light Blue

Emb Powder:   Distress Black Soot

Dies:              Spellbinders A2 Distressed Edges, Simon Says Sketch

                           Frame, Simon Says Talk Bubble           

Emb Folder:   Spellbinders Blistered

Congratulations

This is my first attempt at working with a very unique product – Viva’s Inka Gold.  It’s exciting stuff and I hope the camera does at least some justice to this card’s gleaming background . . .

Inka Gold is non-toxic, has a beeswax base, and gives a lustrous metallic finish using just a sponge.  You can buff it after it dries (a mere minute, if that) and the finish is permanent.  At this point, you can stamp on it, or stamp and heat emboss for a wonderful effect.  The ad says that one jar will cover up to 80 square feet, so there are lots of lovely cards lurking in each container.  There are a number of how-to videos online, so Google them and get going!

 

Cardstock:                     Generic textured Purple, Bazzill White, Beckett Iceberg

Stamps:                          Judikins Deco Flowers, Too Much Fun “Congratulations”

                                             100 Proof Press Sunburst

Inks:                                Inka Gold Emerald, Purple, Platinum, Cobalt Blue,

                                         Distress Dusty Concord, Gelly Roll Clear Star pen  

Emb Powder:                Judikins Opaque White, Vippies Transcendence

Dies/Punches:              Memory Box Fresh Daisies, Michael Strong Cloisonné Flower,

                                           MFT Accent It Labels & Tags, 1/8” corner rounder punch

Doo Dads:                      Marquise-shaped crystals      

Congratulations!

 Thanks to my incredibly artistic friend Carol Chiaramonte, I’ve gotten hooked on watercolor crayons and am having a wonderful time playing with them!  Her St Patrick’s Day card featured some feathers done with these wonderful tools and I just had to try them out for myself . . .

 

I like them because you have all the time in the world to draw with these – no fears about their drying out before you’re ready to stamp.  Drawing on rubber with crayons is surprisingly easy and involves a looser style than we anal types usually use.  This is a good thing.  So far, although I need a little more practice in knowing just how much water to mist the stamp with, the coloring part is just fine.  Yes, there’s always room for improvement but my point is that you’re gonna love what you get, regardless of how by-the-book your application is.  Pick up your watercolor crayons,  go back to kindergarten, and just scribble!

 Cardstock:         Bazzill Rain Forest, Beckett Moonlight, Marcos Jute

Stamps:              Fiskars brayer Mesh, Anita’s Congratulations, unknown feather images

Inks:                    Distress Peeled Paint, various Aquarell watercolor crayons
Emb Powder:    Vippies Transcendence
Emb Folder:       Cuttlebug Mesh
Dies/Punches:   Spellbinders Petite Ovals
Doo Dads:          White-stitched 5/8” Kraft ribbon, ¼“ Green grosgrain ribbon