Gold leaves and sharpies
Posted: August 21, 2014 Filed under: CAS, Foliage Fancy, Wondrous | Tags: CAS, Penny Black stamps, Sharpies 7 Comments
I tried something new on today’s card, colouring with Sharpies. If you visit here often you know I do most of my colouring with inks, watercolours and pencils but there was a 24 pack of Sharpies at Costco recently on sale for $9.99 and it called out to me. I have done very little colouring with markers so this was quite experimental and I thought I was less likely to make a mess with a simple design of leaves. To help me “keep inside the lines” I embossed the leafy stamp, “Wondrous” in gold powder first. I used the three greens below plus a touch of yellow. I began with the lightest green on one side of each leaf then added the middle green, then went back over both with the lighter green. I was pleased to see the darker colours did not stain the tips of the lighter colours. When I was finished I added a thin strip of the darkest green to a few leaves. The gold marker was used to make a border around the whole panel which I popped up on a white card base with dimensional tape. The sharpies don’t seem to have colour names or numbers so I added a photo of the ones I used below.
While the “Wondrous” stamp was out on my table I made another card in a very different style which I will share tomorrow. Thanks for your kind words about our “lights” cards yesterday; I shared your comments with my son.
Supplies:
Creative Dies: Wondrous, Foliage Fancy (PB)
Inks: Versamark (Imagine Craft/Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Neenah Solar White 110lb, Black cardstock
Also: Gold Sharpie, Green & Yellow Sharpies, Gold cord, Gold embossing powder
Happy Birthday Balloons
Posted: August 9, 2014 Filed under: CAS, Uplifting | Tags: CAS, Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Radiant Neon inks 6 Comments
I am enjoying the Stretching Your Stamps 2 class and found a little time to try another technique this morning. I was inspired by another class participant who used sentiments inside speech bubbles to make a very cool card. I put mine inside balloons instead.
I cut balloons out of masking paper and kept both the positive and the negative. I was then able to stamp the words and sponge the balloon shape through the negative and mask the balloons after completing them with the positive. I used Radiant Neon inks which are so easy to sponge onto to a card. They blend and cover the area quickly and smoothly. The littlest balloon is stamped in gold but it looks more like a sad brown I’m afraid. I performed more stamp surgery to make this card by cutting the happy birthday stamp from “Edge to Edge” into three sections. I can always stamp them together another time if I want to.
Enjoy your weekend.
Supplies:
Stamps: Edge to Edge (PB)
Creative Dies: Uplifting (PB)
Inks: Versafine Onyx Black, Radiant Neon Electric Coral, Electric Green, Electric Blue & Encore Gold (Imagine Craft/Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Neenah Solar White 110lb
Also: Black Pitt Artist Pen (Faber Castell)
The Cool One
Posted: August 8, 2014 Filed under: CAS, Uplifting | Tags: CAS, Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains 16 Comments
You wouldn’t believe how long this “simple” card took me! It all started because I had a piece of watercoloured paper all sparkly and blue which wasn’t working in the way I needed it to for a project I no longer remember. I couldn’t let that pretty sparkly blue panel go to waste so I stamped something on it in black, again can’t remember what. That didn’t work either but I wasn’t prepared to throw the sparkly blue away so I die cut as many balloons as I could without getting black stamping on them. Most that I cut ended up with a little stamping so I tried 3021 different arrangements where one balloon would overlap another to cover little bits of black ink. Finally I realized I was going round in circles so instead I cut balloons out of plain but co-ordinating colours and decided on the design above. It took me three attempts to get the above card made without inky fingerprints and failed inlaid diecuts. Even this one is a little unbalanced; the balloons should be higher.
I like the sentiment and of course the sparkly blue that started it all.
Supplies:
Stamps: Amazing (PB)
Creative Dies: Uplifting (PB)
Inks: Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko) Chipped Sapphire, Tumbled Glass, Broken China Distress Stains (Ranger)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Periwinkle & Clear Skies Mix & Match Papers (PB)
Also: Pearl Ex
One Layer Simplicity: Shades of Summer
Posted: August 1, 2014 Filed under: CAS, Coloured pencil, One-Layer Simplicity challenge, Poppy Time | Tags: CAS, Faber-Castell Polychromos Colour Pencil, Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Memento inks 14 Comments
Susan is hosting the new One Layer Simplicity Challenge and she has chosen six gorgeous summer colour palettes to inspire us. I chose the one below which was a challenge as I don’t often combine pinks and yellows.
I just did a big clean up and reorganization of my craft area and in doing so found the card base above with the square already masked and the green sponging started. I sponged more of the square in memento peanut brittle. I then removed the mask and stamped the poppy in versafine onyx black. I decided to use my coloured pencils for the poppy because I had the colours in the photo. I blended one colour pencil over another rather than using a blending fluid or blender pencil.
Also entered in Inkspirational Challenge to use markers or pencils
Supplies:
Stamps: Poppy Time, Amazing (Penny Black)
Inks: Versafine Onyx Black, Memento New Sprout, Peanut Brittle (Tsukineko)
Also: Faber-Castell Artist Polychromos Colour Pencils
Stenciled with text
Posted: July 28, 2014 Filed under: CAS, Footnotes, Verdant | Tags: CAS, Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Watercolour pencils, Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Penny Black stencils 14 Comments
I have been experimenting with my stencils trying different techniques and one thing I wanted to do was stamp a pattern through the stencil onto the card underneath. I ended up using some modeling paste first to give me a slightly raised image. I taped the stencil to some watercolour paper first then spread modelling paste over it with a palette knife. I removed the stencil to let the paste dry thoroughly then replaced it before stamping. I used the text stamp from “Footnotes” and did not stick it to an acrylic block first, instead I kept it flexible and pressed it onto each leaf and flower space in the stencil. As I had stamped it with Versafine Majestic Blue I lightly sponged the same ink over the stencil to captures the stems and define the design a little more. The panel was taped to my work surface so I used the edge of the tape as a border adding blue with a watercolour pencil and blending the colour into the panel. I finished it off with just a few little splatters and a small sentiment. The panel is popped up over a grosgrain ribbon.
You can’t see the modeling paste in my photo but the effect on the card is a subtle raised image. I have more experimenting with stencils to share in the days to come. Thanks for dropping by.
Supplies:
Stamps: Footnotes, Treemendous (PB)
Stencil: Verdant (PB)
Inks: Versafine Majestic Blue (Tsukineko)
Pencils: Albrecht Durer Indianthrene Watercolour pencil 247 (Faber Castell)
Paper: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Neenah Classic Crest Natural White 110lb smooth
Texture: Modelling paste
Three Trees
Posted: July 8, 2014 Filed under: CAS, Splendor | Tags: CAS, Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 14 Comments
When I was strolling past a homewares store in a trendy part of town the other night I saw lampshades featuring tree silhouettes with branches connecting around the cylindrical shade. I don’t have a picture but I did translate the idea into two different cards. The one above features a brayered background which I did in Memento Dandelion and Tangelo first and black trees stamped in Versafine Onyx Black over the top. I drew the borders with a black marker then trimmed the panel.
In the version below I inked the stamp with peeled paint, mustard seed and vintage photo distress stains, spritzed it with water then stamped on watercolour paper. I ran the distress stain along the top and bottom of the panel to create the border and pulled some colour from the trees and border with a waterbrush into the blank spaces to make them less stark.
It was fun to use the same basic layout and concept but change a few things for a different mood and message. The top one seems formal and the one below a little more relaxed.
Supplies:
Stamps: Splendor, Amazing!, Friendship (PB)
Inks: Versafine Onyx Black & Vintage Sepia, Memento Dandelion, Tangelo & Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko) Peeled Paint, Mustard Seed & Vintage Photo Distress Stains (Ranger)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Neenah Natural White 110lb cardstock
Four Tulips
Posted: May 14, 2014 Filed under: Blooming Garden, CAS, Watercolour | Tags: CAS, Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Watercolour pencils, Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Memento inks 4 Comments
The tulip festival continues in Ottawa and here on my blog. I pulled out all my PB tulip stamps and have them on my desk waiting for inspiration. I can’t promise I will use them all during the festival but I will have a few more for you.
To create this little scene I stamped the tulips from the transparent set Blooming Garden twice in Memento Angel Pink. I then painted the petals with colour from a couple of watercolour pencils (listed below). I inked some of the detail lines on the stamp with a Memento Rose Bud marker and stamped over the painted petals to finish off the flower heads before painting the stems in green. I used the same green to fill in the lower background and a blue watercolour pencil for the sky. I then dabbed some pink watercolour ‘paint’ into both the green and the blue to suggest more tulips in the background.
The taped edge of the panel framed the picture which I popped up on dimensional tape over a strip of ribbon.
Supplies:
Stamps: Blooming Garden, Special Wishes (PB)
Inks: Memento Angel Pink, Northern Pine , Rose Bud marker (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Neenah Classic Crest Natural White 110lb smooth
Also: Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils True Blue 148, Pink Madder Lake, 129, Pine Green 267 (Faber-Castell)
Six Tulips
Posted: May 12, 2014 Filed under: CAS, Efflorescence, Watercolour | Tags: CAS, Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains 9 Comments
I am continuing with my Tulip Festival theme, an idea inspired by a regular visitor to Bits & Pieces. (Thanks, Karen) On this card I have a watery array of tulips stamped with distress stains on watercolour paper. Distress inks are designed to react with water and each other which makes them great for blending on flowers, patterns, backgrounds etc. I inked the tulips on the stamp with Victorian Velvet first then added a touch of Barn Door at the base of each bloom. I inked the buds and stems with Crushed Olive and stamped on watercolour paper. I then used a waterbrush to blend the two colours together. To frame the panel I diluted some Tumbled Glass distress stain and painted around the edges pulling the colour into the centre and diluting it further to fade it out. Finally I flicked red and green inks over the panel, attached it to the card base and added a sentiment.
I haven’t visited any of the tulip beds yet but I did drive by the canal yesterday and saw there were plenty in bloom. Are they blooming where you are?
Supplies:
Stamps: Efflorescence, Amazing (PB)
Inks: Versafine Spanish Moss (Tsukineko) Barn Door, Crushed Olive, Victorian Velvet, Tumbled Glass Distress stains (Ranger)
Cardstock: Neenah Classic Crest Avon Brilliant White 110lb smooth, Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper
Two Tulips
Posted: May 11, 2014 Filed under: CAS, Dainty | Tags: CAS, Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Watercolour pencils, Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Memento inks 8 Comments
When I set out to make this card I had two things in mind. I wanted tulips to mark the beginning of the Tulip Festival here in Ottawa and I wanted to use the current sketch at CAS(E) this sketch. I did not plan to make it one layer at all; the sketch really looks like at least a two layer to me. I made a stencil in masking paper (removable grocery sticker paper) with the new tulip die from Penny Black. It’s called ‘Dainty’ and I can see myself reaching for it often. I stuck the mask down and painted with a waterbrush picking up colour from watercolour pencils. I did not lay down too much ‘paint’ or water; the card base is not watercolour paper so I didn’t want it to warp or soak through to the back.
My daughter came along at this point and commented on my ‘floating tulip’. It did need grounding; I just hadn’t worked out a method at that point. Anyway, I left it as I had promised to take my daughter shopping for a dress to wear to her Academic Dinner on Thursday. We arrived at the mall at 4:30 clueless that it was going to close at 5:00! First store, second dress, happy girl, thankful mother.
I came back to my card, masked and sponged a frame around it then looked for a suitable sentiment. My plan was to stamp the sentiment in green so it would double as some grass but none of my green inks matched the leaves. I was about to settle for less than the best green when the it occurred to me that a dark blue might work. It did.
And the card just happens to also work for the One Layer Simplicity challenge, Fabulous Flowers.
Supplies:
Stamps: Sweet Wishes PB)
Dies: Dainty (PB)
Inks: Memento Summer Sky, Danube Blue (Tsukineko)
Pencils: Albrecht Durer Watercolour Pencils Vermillion 117, Sap Green 167 (Faber-Castell)
Cardstock: Neenah Classic Crest Natural White 110lb smooth
One Layer Poppy
Posted: May 3, 2014 Filed under: One-Layer Simplicity challenge, Poppy Time, Sun Catcher | Tags: CAS, Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Penny Black stencils, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 20 Comments
The new One Layer Simplicity Challenge is to make a card with flowers on it. There is already a gorgeous array of floral inspiration on the blog and you have until May 24th to add yours. The current Mod Squad challenge is to make a one-layer card so my poppy card meets the criteria there also.
To create this watery poppy I positioned the ‘Sun Catcher Stencil’ then painted the flower head in water. While it was very wet I added both Mustard Seed and Victorian Velvet Distress stains to the water and blended them with a paintbrush. I used the co-ordinating ‘Poppy Time’ stamp to stamp the stems, bud and seed head then used a paintbrush to immediately fill them with distress stains. By this stage the poppy head had dried a bit so I inked some of the stamp with ink to add a few veins to define the petals. I added the verses from 1 Corinthians in a mix of Memento ink and distress stain allowing some to blur and some to bleed. The piece of watercolour paper already had two ink drops on it so I carefully added a few more rather than going overboard with the flicking technique I have been using lately.
Thanks for dropping by. I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Edited to add: If you are interested in an “Introduction to Stamping” class there are a few spaces left in the class I am teaching at “Crop-A-While” in Orleans on Thursday May 8th. Please click on the store link for more details and contact the store to register.
Supplies:
Stamps: Poppy Time, Love Chapter (PB)
Stencil: Sun Catcher
Inks: Memento Rich Cocoa (Tsukineko) Vintage Photo, Mustard Seed, Victorian Velvet, Peeled Paint Distress Stains & Wild Honey, Peeled Paint Distress inks (Ranger)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper
Heather Telford 