Make A Wish

I can't believe how long it's been since I put up a blog post - I've really neglected my poor blog! I thought I'd try to get back into the swing of things with a very simple card today. I apologize for the less-than-stellar photograph. I've got to figure out what's wrong with my camera, but until then I'm using my phone's camera.

This is a very easy technique I learned from a blog post by Jennifer McGuire. I stamped the background with Simon Says Stamp Audrey Blue ink, using the Hero Arts Everything Flowers background stamp. Once that had a minute to dry, I used a Ranger blending tool and Hero Arts Unicorn pigment ink. I blended the ink over the center of the stamped image, to lighten it and make it recede a little. The edges are left the original blue color.

This allows the sentiment to stand out more - I used a stamp from Altenew Super Script 2, stamping in Versafine Onyx Black and embossing with clear embossing powder.

I trimmed the stamped panel slightly and mounted it onto a turquoise card base.

Fun, and easy!

Happy crafting - 

Immi

Alcohol Ink on Acetate

I love Pinterest for collecting ideas! Recently, I stumbled across an image that led me to this post. I couldn't wait to try the technique described there!

Here is the first card I made:

I simply followed the directions I'd read on the blog post, using a couple of colors of alcohol ink and blending with Ranger's blending solution and a blending tool with a felt applicator. Next I stamped the flower from Hero Arts (I hope you can see the faint flower images) with Ranger's Archival ink - I used  Potting Soil but it doesn't really matter what color you use. After letting it sit for a minute or two, I rubbed the surface with a paper towel. That removed the color of  the ink I'd stamped, but left a "ghost" image behind.

I kept everything else very plain - a die cut "stitched" rectangle (Simon Says Stamp) to frame  it, a die cut branch with leaves (Sizzix) and a simple sentiment (Hero Arts Friends) on a banner shape with black marker in a dashed line around the edges.

Here is the second card I made with this technique:

The technique is exactly the same. I used different colors of alcohol ink and a script stamp (Inkadinkado) this time. The butterflies are cut from vellum using a die (Sizzix) and stitched down with a couple of machine made stitches per butterfly. I used the same stitched rectangle die and the same sentiment as before. I think this card is my favorite of the two - the ghost image shows up better.

I'm linking these cards up to Hero Arts Nature Challenge.

Happy crafting!

Immi

Dot Flower Background

Here's the second card I made today (to see the first, click here).

This card uses the same background stamp - Hero Arts Dot Flower. This time, I stamped with Versamark on white cardstock and embossed with white powder. Then, I used Barn Door, Ripe Persimmon, and Wild Honey Distress inks, applied with blending tools. The embossing resists the ink and stays white - I really like this look! (Here is a link to the image that inspired me.) This was adhered to a white cardstock base.

Next I cut a couple of tags using Tag Collection dies from Alterations. I edged them with some Distress Ink in Peacock Feathers. I also used a couple of vellum die cuts from the Spring Greenery die from Alterations. The blue flourish behind the tags is cut from glitter paper from Die Cuts With a View, using a file that I downloaded to cut with my Silhouette Cameo.

The sentiment is from a small set (I don't remember the name), and is stamped with Versafine Black Onyx and embossed with clear powder. 

The glitter flourish and tag were glued down to the background with dots of Glossy Adhesive. (Before gluing the tag down, I tied a little bit of twine through the hole at the top.) I used a little Matte Medium from Ranger to attach the vellum leaves just at the base of the stem, and also used the same medium to glue down some colorful sequins. Everything was then weighted down under a book for a little while to be sure it dried in place.

I'm linking this card up with the Hero Arts Nature Challenge, the Simon Says Stamp Girly Challenge, and Virginia Lu's All Things Embossed.

Hope your week is going well!

Immi

Friendship Card

I had an unexpected day off due to bad road conditions, so I enjoyed some cardmaking time today. I have been experimenting with some dies I recently bought and thought I'd put the die cuts to use in a couple of cards. Here's one of them:

 I started with a piece of watercolor paper cut to 4.25 x 5.5. I inked up a Hero Arts background stamp called Dot Flower with several shades of pink and purple Distress inks. After misting the stamp with water, I set the stamp face up on my work surface and placed the paper on top. To ensure that the ink got into the paper, I carefully held in in place while rubbing over the entire surface and also giving it a few seconds to sink into the paper's texture. This made a pretty, multicolored background that is so easy to achieve. I used Extreme Adhesive to attach it to a green cardstock base.

I cut a scrap of lightweight pink paper I had and rounded the corners. Next I cut a piece of white cardstock a little smaller than the pink piece and also rounded  the corners. I rubbed Peeled Paint Distress Stain on my craft sheet and swiped the white paper through the stain to give it that green color. After setting it with my heat tool, I swiped it through the stain still left on the craft sheet. I really like the illusion of depth this creates. I also used the stain to color some white leaves I'd die cut from a Tim Holtz Alterations die called Spring Greenery. I tucked them behind both the green and pink papers and stitched around the edge of the green panel.

The sentiment and flowers are from Hero Arts Trees, Birds, & Messages. They are stamped with Black Onyx Versafine and embossed with clear powder. This layered panel and leaves were attached to the background using dots of Glossy Accents. I also put it under a book for a while to make sure everything stuck well.

I like the combination of colors, and this card fits with a couple of challenges currently going on. I'm linking up with Hero Arts Nature Challenge and Simon Says Stamp Just a Hiint of Clover.

Till next time,

Immi

Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge #5

I had some time this week to see what was going on with the Simon Says Stamp Flickr group. The current challenge is to use embossing - something that's lots of fun. I used two types of embossing on this card - dry embossing with a folder and heat embossing. The main rule with this group is that all projects must incorporate products designed by Simon Says Stamp. I have a few of their sets, so I got busy.

I started with a white cardstock panel that I'd used to practice blending Distress inks. Hopefully you can see that the color moves from dark to light. That was done by blending three colors of Distress inks (Faded Jeans, Broken China, and Tumbled Glass) using the Distress blending tool. It took some time and more than one application, but I finally got a nice smooth transition. I ran that through my Big Shot with the Distressed Frame embossing folder by Sizzix. Then I added some Pumice Stone and Peacock Feather Distress inks around the edges to bring out the raised, embossed area.

Peeking out from behind the heart is a white rub-on from Me & My Big Ideas. It was a bit of a bear to get rubbed on properly, but I finally managed.

The heart is from SSS Music 2 My Ears. I stamped with Versafine Black Onyx and embossed with clear embossing powder. I used some Dried Marigold Distress ink around the edges, and added foam tape to the back.

The flowered paper is from a 6 x 6 pad called Vintage Bliss Paper by Simple Stories. I cut a small strip and stitched it down to the blue panel. 

The gray banner at the bottom was originally a white strip of paper that I colored by pressing Simon Says Stamp Fog ink onto it. I stamped the sentiment, pulling stamps from a couple of SSS sets - Big You and Hello, You. I darkened the edge with Faded Jeans and added three crystal gems.

Finally I was ready to pull everything together. I wrapped some peach silk ribbon a couple of times around my hand to form loops, and taped that down to the blue panel. The heart was placed on top and the gray banner at the bottom. The completed blue panel was adhered to a white card base.

Sometimes when I look at a stamp set I have no idea what to do with it - I just draw a blank. That was the case with the Music 2 My Ears set. I wanted to use it, but nothing was coming to me. I did a Google image search and found a lovely card that got me going. Here it is:

Inspiration Image

If you'd like to see the original post, please click on the photo's caption. It should take you there.

Happy crafting!

Immi

Challenge: I ought to use this more!

The Monday challenge for this week from Simon Says Stamp is to do something or use something that has been "neglected" for a while.

I decided to post a card I made for Operation Write Home that uses a stamp I've had for a long time, but haven't used much lately. It's part of a Stampin' Up! set that I still like a lot. I have to be in the mood for coloring to use it - it lends itself really well to watercolor.

The background is made from a couple of pieces of paper, stitched together on my sewing machine. The bird image is stamped on a plain old shipping tag with black Archival ink. I added color with a small watercolor set. The blotchy color on the tag background was done by pressing the tag repeatedly onto some of the watercolor which I'd dabbed onto my Ranger craft sheet. I also used a marker with a weird little tool called (I think) an ink spritzer. I've had mine for years, and I notice that now they are back in vogue! The spritzer forces air past the tip of the marker, which adds tiny little bursts of ink dots. I added some color to the edge with Distress ink and a blending tool, and attached the kraft colored heart from a cheapo set of stickers I think I picked up at the Dollar Spot at Target.

Even though there is a lot going on here, it really was fairly quick and easy - just the way I like it!

Happy crafting!
Immi

Challenge: Anything Goes

This week's Monday challenge from Simon Says Stamp was "Anything Goes". That leaves the door wide open for me to have some fun!

I decided to submit a card I made a while back while playing around with alcohol inks and glossy paper. It's kind of messy, so I don't get those out very often, but the results are very cool. I always use latex gloves to prevent staining my fingers, and Ranger's craft sheet is indispensable for this technique.

Here's the card I made:

The portion of the card with alcohol inks is the multicolored background behind the filmstrip stamp (made by PaperArtsy). The card base is stamped with Architectural Elements from Stampin' Up! in a light color, with a splatter stamp used over that. The rest of the card is layers of miscellaneous scraps, including a tiny tag from a package of Grungeboard that had been in my stash for a long time. It was nice to finally find a use for it. The sentiment is from a Tim Holtz set - it seemed to fit the "feel" of the image with the man walking away.

This turned out to be a fairly quick and easy card. While I had the alcohol inks out, I made some other backgrounds for cards. I like to do things in batches - it seems to save time in the long run.

Till next time,

Immi

Challenge: M

I enjoy following several blogs to learn from what others are doing. It's a great way to find out about techniques or new products (although that can be dangerous to the pocketbook!).

Simon Says Stamp issues a new challenge every Monday. Today's challenge is to create something inspired by the letter "M". I thought it would be fun to participate, and decided to work with a favorite ink/paper color from my Stampin' Up! days called "More Mustard". I don't know if it's even currently being produced any more, but I still have my ink pad and some of the paper left. It's a great color that plays well with other colors or stands alone, too.

I decided to make a card, using More Mustard card stock as the base. I used a Tim Holtz stencil, aptly named "Honeycomb" with his Distress Ink in Scattered Straw to create an interesting design on the card front. I stamped a sunflower in black Archival ink by Ranger, then used Stampin' Up! reinkers in More Mustard, Summer Sun, Cameo Coral, Garden Green, Mellow Moss & Lovely Lilac with a water brush to create a watercolor look. I added some additional depth with colored pencils once that was dry. And, just for fun, I used my Wink of Stella glitter pen on the butterfly and flower center for a little sparkle. The watercolored panel was mounted on some pink card stock and then I added the sentiment from a Tim Holtz stamp set.

This was a fun card to do, and I enjoyed having a starting place with the challenge.

Happy crafting!

Immi

Playing with Watercolor

I had some fun today visiting several blogs on a blog hop featuring the new spring releases from Simon Says Stamp. I enjoyed seeing all the different ways the artists used the new items. Several of the blogs featured videos showing how the cards were made. One of those bloggers, Kristina Werner, used a technique I wanted to try right away (follow the link if you'd like to see her video). Although it's not a new technique, I hadn't worked with it before, but I found it to be easy and fun. 

Here's what you need for the technique:

• A Ranger Craft Sheet
• Distress Inks (your choice of colors)
• Water in a spray bottle
• Watercolor Paper

Press the ink pads down on the craft sheet to leave some of the color on the surface. Spray liberally with water; then begin pressing the watercolor paper down into the ink. Dry with a heat gun or allow to air dry, then continue pressing the paper down into the inks to get a beautiful, multicolored look.

I used some of my Sizzix dies to cut out shapes, then made several cards. Since the watercolor paper is heavy, I find that I need a heavier adhesive to get it to stick well to the card. I would recommend either Glossy Accents by Ranger or Diamond Glaze by JudiKins. They both are excellent as a strong adhesive or to add a shiny, glossy coat to an embellishment.

Here are the cards I made this afternoon:

All these cards are destined for Operation Write Home, to be sent to American troops for them to use as mail home to family and friends.

Happy crafting!
Immi