Warmest Wishes

Backgrounds with text stamped over sponged colors always float my boat . . .

 This turned out to be a multi-level, textural exercise in fun.  It's been awhile since I've done some distressed edges, so I had a good time roughing up a few of them here.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Parakeet, The Paper Cut Watercolor Paper      

Stamps:        Recollections Script Background, Stampin’ Up “Warmest

                           Wishes”

Inks:               Distress Oxide Wilted Violet, Peeled Paint, Vintage Photo,

                          ColorBox Frost White             

Emb Powder:   Sweet Stamps Fine Detail White   

Dies:              Spellbinders A2 Distressed Edges, Marianne Flower &

                           Leaves, We Buys Cute Chrysanthemum set (Bugs),

                           Punch Bunch Flower Center 

Doo Dads:    Wink of Stella Clear, Past Time Stamps Ultra Fine Glitter       

Happy Housewarming!

My Uncle Mac is in his upper-nineties and was a Professor of Education at Indiana University.  While serving in the Army during WWII, he was an official US Army Corps photographer in Germany during the waning days of the war.  He has written a fascinating book* about his experiences, complete with truly evocative photographs of a time that few of us have ever seen.  Recently, he pulled up stakes and moved to sunny Southern California to be nearer to his son and daughter.  So a Happy Housewarming card was certainly in order . . .

Since sails are traditionally made from canvas, I went to my packet of Claudine Helmuth's Sticky Back Canvas and stamped the sails portion of the image on that.  I then cut out the group of sails, which was pretty easy as mostly straight lines are involved.  Then I stuck the sails over the same image which I'd previously stamped onto cardstock.  The tops of the sails were propped up with foam dots for added dimension.  I added a few smears of yellow glitter to suggest sunlight in the air and on the water.

As my Uncle has an ocean view from his apartment, I'm hoping he'll enjoy the kind of view he would never have seen in land-locked Bloomington, Indiana!

 

*From War to Peace in 1945 Germany, by Malcolm Fleming

Cardstock:   Bazzill Kachina, The Paper Cut White Matte Coate,

                           The Paper Cut Watercolor paper      

Stamps:        Rubber Tree Sails, Art Impressions Wispy Background,

                           The Stamp’s In the Mail “Happy Housewarming”

Inks:               Posh Rainbow Teal, Kiwi, Distress Peacock Feathers,

                           ColorBox Frost White

Emb Powder:  WOW Clear Matte Dull, ColorBox Frost White

Dies:              Spellbinders A2 Distressed Edges

Doo Dads:    Ranger Sticky Back Canvas, Stickles Yellow

Thinking of You

My baby brother Gordy lives in the gloriously green state of Washington and on all of my visits, I have been enchanted with how green the state is throughout the year.  I live in New Jersey where - after a glorious Autumn - things get pretty brown and dreary for about the next five months.  So for this card to be sent to him on his birthday, I decided to stick with a green palette . . .

To give some life to the die cut stem (which I've turned into a tree by using it vertically), I made four cuts and stacked them for added dimension.  I also wanted to prop up the branch ends with foam tape.  But the leafy tips are almost too small to do this without the tape showing.  So, my favorite method for getting around that is to use a clear dimensional glue like Glossy Accents.  On the back side of the sprig, I squeezed a drop of the glue at each leafy tip and let it dry.  Then I applied regular glue to the main stem and the base of the branches and held it in place until it dried.  

Voila!  Lots of dimension and virtually invisible . . . sometimes we really do have better living through chemistry!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Rain Forest, Oxford Path

Stamps:       Impression Obsession Winter Leaves, Creative Catalyst

                       Twill, Stampin’ Up “Thinking of You”

Inks:            VersaFine Olympia Green

Emb Powder:   Vippies Transcendence

Dies:            Memory Box Eva Stem, Spellbinders Mega Classic

                       Scalloped Ovals Large, Impression Obsession

                       Banners & Tails

Doo Dads:    Beige eyelets, May Arts Jute

Life

As so often happens, I get a design idea in my head, give it a try, and the results aren't at all what I'd pictured . . .

Initially, the background dandelions were intended to be much more noticeable.  But when all was stamped and done, I can see that this would have been a big mistake.  While I love big and bold, I'm thinking that a lot more practice in the realm of subtle will lead me to some interesting results.  As for this sample, I'm really happy with it!

Cardstock:   Generic textured Teal, handmade Ochre paper, Strathmore

                           #100 Bristol, The Paper Cut Watercolor paper     

Stamps:        Above the Mark Dandelion, A Stamp In the Hand Words

                           Background Script

Inks:               Ancient Page reinkers Lemon Peel, Deep Harbor, Saffron,

                           Bic Marker For-Ever Green, Stampin Up Marker Dark

                           Daffodil Delight, Wink of Stella Clear                     

Emb Powder:   WOW Clear Matte Dull  

Dies:              Spellbinders A2 Distressed Edges, Memory Box Stitched

                           Rectangle Trimmings, Tim Holtz Wildflowers, McGill punch

                           Dragonfly, Arich Rounded Corners Stitched Rectangles,

                           Tim Holtz Alphanumeric                       

Fly, Soar, Live

Although I used this card as a Mother's Day greeting for an extremely dear friend who loves dragonflies, it would also work for a variety of occasions . . .

This is yet another background that was created with reinkers and plastic wrap.  Such  an easy technique, with results that are always interesting and, so far, successful!  Scroll back a few posts to see other samples and get the easy directions.  There are a few more samples to come, so I hope you're enjoying the journey . . .

Cardstock:   Constellation Snow Day, The Paper Cut Watercolor paper 

Stamps:        Tin Can Mail Italian Background Script, Prickly Pear

                        Dragonfly, Starving Artistamps Positive Words: “Fly”,

                           “Soar”, “Live”             

Inks:               Ancient Page reinkers Cobalt, Deep Harbor, ColorBox

                           Frost White

Emb Powder:   WOW Clear Matte Dull, Sweet Stamps Fine Detail White

Dies:              Mama Elephant Peek a Frame, Memory Box Tall Umbels 

                            Left Corner, Prickly Pear Dragonfly       

May Your Day Be Wonderful

   Here's another look at the plastic wrap technique . . .

After falling in love with a new method, I love to try several variations to see how many different effects I can get.  I would have liked more contrast between the die cut images and the background and debated about going with the Chocolate instead of the Redwood.  But I wanted the Redwood to work, so that's what I went with.  Maybe next time, I'll actually listen to my Muse, who was whispering frantically in my ear throughout.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Lemon Tart, The Paper Cut Watercolor paper  

Stamps:        Judikins Esponge Background, Great Impressions

                           “May your day . . .”

Inks:               Ancient Page reinkers Redwood, Sunburst, Sandalwood,                                          Chocolate                       

Emb Powder:   WOW Clear Matte Dull  

Dies:              Spellbinders A2 Distressed Edges, Simon Says Sketch

                           Frame, Cottage Kutz Wildflowers 3                       

Doo Dads:    Wink of Stella Clear, Viva Pearl Pen Sunny Yellow             

You're the Best!

I never know how a card is going to get started.  Sometimes it's an image that sparks my Muse.  Other times, it's a new die I want to play with.  Frequently it's a color that winds me up, and that was the case for this card.  I reached for the lime cardstock and galloped on from there . . .

The background on this is another example of the plastic wrap technique.  This involves  adding a few drops of reinkers to some plastic wrap, misting heavily to distribute, and then laying a piece of misted cardstock down on it.  The wrap and cardstock are turned over and then the plastic gets mooshed around and wrinkled in order to concentrate the colors.  After it's completely dry, the wrap is removed and the result is an artsy, mottled, marbled background that looks like a lot more skill is involved than was actually the case.   Love that . . .

Cardstock:   The Paper Cut Tivoli Green, Watercolor paper  

Stamps:        Purple Onion Citrus Set (all text and images)

Inks:               Ancient Page reinkers Pine, Lime, Lemon Peel

Emb Powder:   Sweet Stamps Fine Detail White  

Dies:              Spellbinders A2 Distressed Edges, Tim Holtz Scribbles

                           & Splat                   

           

Happy Birthday

This card is the last of the current series on the Impressions of Tarnished Foil I've been playing with.  I've had so much fun with this technique and will be pulling it out of my Box of Tricks very often in the future.  It's one of the most versatile methods I've tried in a long time and I think it can be used to showcase almost any layout or theme you have in mind . . .

I went for white-and-bright on this one, plus lots of glitter, with some green and black to set it off.  I hope the camera decides to pick up some of this flash . . . it really is fun to look at!

Cardstock:   Champion Snow Day, The Paper Cut White Matte Coate,

                           Bazzill Jade, Generic Metallic Silver

Stamps:        Posh Impressions Dee’s Dots, Inkadinkado Happy Birthday

                           Background

Inks:               StazOn Jet Black, VersaMark

Emb Powder:   Cloisonné Emerald Onyx, Judikins White Diamond,

                                Delafield Silver, PSX Topiary Tapestry

Emb Folder: Sizzix set Peacocks and Leaves

Dies:              Spellbinders A2 Distressed Edges, DieNamics Layered

                           Leaves

Doo Dads:    Stamp Oasis Heat and Stick Powder, Metallix Glitter Moondust          

Swahili Tales

Here's another example of the 'Impressions of Tarnished Foil' technique.  Scroll back to my April 17 post for a link to a tutorial and video.  This card is for my friend Sandy's birthday:  she's a fan of African themes, which is a good thing as I've collected lots of them . . . mainly for her!

It's been awhile since I've added beads to a card, but they're always a favorite method of mine for adding dimension and interest to a layout.  As Africa is an ancient producer of some of the most beautiful beads on the planet, it works to use these on anything with an African theme.  If the photography were better, you'd see them more clearly.  So you'll have to trust me:  in real life, they're beautiful . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Generic Metallic Copper, Blue

Stamps:        Raindrops on Roses Smudge, Art Impressions Background

                           #2, African Woman with Stick, Hanko #9 Africa

Inks:               StazOn Jet Black, VersaMark, ColorBox Black, Encore

                           Copper

Emb Powder:   Pipe Dream Ink Fern Glade, Dove Lake, Bear Rubber

                               Thick Copper, BMuse True Copper

Emb Folder: Sheena Water Ripple

Dies:              Simon Says Sketch Frame, DieNamics Tag Builder

Doo Dads:    Stamp Oasis Heat & Stick Powder, Amy’s Magic glitter

                           Marigold, Karen Foster Loopy Brad: Antique Copper, 

                           colored beads