Group of Seven - April Technique - AI's on Round Gel Plate

 It's time for the April Group of Seven Cardmakers Technique Post.   Christine suggested we try Alcohol Inks on a Gel Plate.  A supply list and instructions are all listed over at the blog.

Here are some cards I created using this technique for the backgrounds!

Below are a few photos of how I made a gel print.

Drop some 91% rubbing alcohol onto the 4" Round Gel Press Plate.  Then drop your chosen ink colors onto the Gel Plate.  I used Pink Sherbet, Citrus and Lemonade AI's on this one.

Blow the inks around the Gel Plate.

Place a panel of white card over the plate and press over the panel.  Here you can see some ink seeping through the card - which is normal.

Pull the panel off the Gel Plate and you have your print!  

Every time you do it, it will look different!

Two prints using Citrus, Glacier and Raisin AI's.

Two prints - Top one using Sunshine Yellow and Pink Sherbert , bottom adding Citrus, to Sunshine Yellow and Pink Sherbert.AI's.

Two prints using Citrus, Aqua and Dijon AI's

Once you start making prints - it's hard to stop!

I'm linking this card to:

We Love Stamping 

Option: real birds

Linking this card to:

Double D Challenges

Things that Fly

And

NBUS

First time using the numbers and dragonfly stamps

Linking this card to:

Seize the Birthday

Anything Goes

You'll find more lovely samples from the rest of the Seven over at the blog as well as a Mr. Linky for you to link up your cards using this technique.  We look forward to see what you create as well!

It's the Little Things

Stamps:  Rory and Dory, Small Trees, Ducks in Flight, Mini Flowers, Mini Slender Mushrooms, Gate and Fence - Lavinia.

Paper - White - Papertrey Ink

Ink:  Alcohol Inks - Aqua, Citrus, Lemonade and a little bit of Fiesta (that was on the plate from a prior pull), Nocturne Versafine Clair.

Accessories:  4" round Gel Press Plate, air bulb - Ranger, 91% Rubbing Alcohol, Clear Glitter Wink of Stella, Small Talk Stickers - Tim Holtz/Idea-ology

Make a Wish Upon Your Birthday Star

Stamps:  Star Gazer Additions - Papertrey Ink (retired).

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink

Ink:  Alcohol Inks - Citrus, Glacier, Raisin, Nocturne Versafine Clair, Ranger Distress Broken China.

Accessories:   4" round Gel Press Plate, air bulb - Ranger, 91% Rubbing Alcohol, Clear Glitter Wink of Stella, Milky Way Stencil - Colorful Life Design, Silver Star Confetti - Honey Bee, blender brush.

It's Time to Celebrate

Stamps:  Dragonfly and Hare - Carabelle Studio,  Sentiment Suite: Birthday - The Greetery.

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink.

Ink:Alcohol Inks - Citrus, Sunshine Yellow, Pink Sherbet, Wendy Vecchi/Ranger Die Ink Fern Green, Nocturne Versarine Clair.

Accessories: 4" round Gel Press Plate, air bulb - Ranger, 91% Rubbing Alcohol, Clear Glitter Wink of Stella, Tuxedo Hearts - Honey Bee. 

Inkspirational #288 Designers Choice - Dots AND Stripes

 It's time for the next Inkspirational Challenge - #288 is Designers Choice.  Nonni is our designer this time and she would like us to use Dots AND Stripes!

I used striped DP on the bottom half of my card and dotted DP on the top half.  I also splattered with a black POSCA pen which created more dots!  I colored the stems and centers of the daisies with Copics.  The little strip between the patterns was made with a die from Stitching Lines by Ellen Hutson.

Inside is stamped a Happy Birthday sentiment.

Please join us and link up your striped and dotted creation!  

Check out all the inspiration from the DT at Inkspirational.   

You have until May 5th to link up your card!

I'm linking my card to:

AAA Birthday

Layered sentiment over die cut flowers, over center die cut strip, over DP!

Paper: White, Simply Chartreuse, Simply Chartreuse Pattern Pack - Papertrey Ink.
Accessories: Daisy Stems dies - Memory Box, Wildflower Stems #1 - Tim Holtz/Sizzix, Stitching Lines die - Essentials by Ellen/Ellen Hutson, Black Posca Pen, foam dots, Copics, printed sentiment strip from stash.

A Carrot or 7 Cookies?

 I just received some Happy Mail and wanted to use some of it right away and made this card.

I used a blender brush to ink lightly though the Leaves in the Wind stencil from Carabelle.  I die cut the carrot - Lovely Layers Carrots from Honey Bee - adhered the pieces together and layered it over the stenciling.  I stamped the sentiment, Eat 7 Cookies from Rubbernecker, next to the carrot.

It's a hot summer's day here in MA today 85 degrees!  

But it's fleeting - we're predicted to be back in the 50's over the weekend - CRAZY!!

I'm linking my card to:

Addicted to CAS

Stencil Fun Challenge

Optional Theme: Patterns

Inkspirational

NBUS

New stencil, new carrot die, 1st time using sentiment stamp! - a trifecta!

Stamps: Eat 7 Cookies - Rubbernecker
Paper: White, Orange Zest - PTI, Easter Grass - Bazzill
Ink: Ranger Distress Peeled Paint, Nocturne Versafine Claire
Accessories: Lovely Layers Carrots - Honey Bee, Leaves in the Wind Stencil - Carabelle

Inkspirational #287 Clean and Simple

 Time for a new challenge over at Inkspirational #287

Optional Twist - Sunshine or Rain

I went with Clean and Simple with the optional twist of  Rain and made a get well/feel better card.

Mine was SO Clean and Simple that I made 3 while I was at it - just changing the colors a bit!  It's always nice to have get well cards on hand!

I stamped this fun image Windy Day from Katzelkraft on a panel of watercolor paper with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink.  Then I colored in the image using Copics, added the sentiment and was done!

Please join us!  Check out the wonderful inspiration from the rest of the DT and link up your Clean and Simple card over at Inkspirational!  You have until April 21!

I'm also linking my card to:

We Love Stamping

Anything Stamped

NBUS

I've had this Katzelkraft image for a couple of years and this is the first time inking it up! Yay!

Stamps: Windy Day - Katzelkraft, A Year of Sweet Sentiments - Taylored Expressions.
Paper: Water color paper - Canson Cold Press, white card base - Papertrey Ink.
Ink: Versafine Clair Nocturne
Accessories: Copics

The Shape of Bunnies

 One more for Easter this year!  I sent these to my great nieces and nephews with a one dollar bill tucked inside. (cheap rabbit!)

I'm linking my bunny to:

AAA Cards

Tic Tac Toe

3rd Vertical Row

Die cuts, Pastel Colors, Easter

Stamps: Tear Strip Tags: Spring Stamp Set - The Greetery
Paper: Papertrey Ink
Accessories: Carrot Bunny Die - Sizzix, Tear Strip Tag Die - The Greetery, Twine.

The Card Chain Challenge - March Reveal

 Today the cards exchanged for the March Card Chain Challenge are revealed!  

This month I sent my card to Joanne in CT and received a card from Lucille in NJ.  

I was matched up to Joanne in March of 2022 as well - so it was fun that I had her name again exactly a year later!

This month I used the sketch (with circles instead of squares) and the Product: Stamps.

I sponged the colors through an acrylic circle mask/stencil from Lavinia using Ranger Distress Kitsch Flamingo, Mustard Seed and Speckled Egg.  Then I stamped the Drooping Dandelion and Mini Seed Head images, both from Lavinia, over the circles using Versafine Clair Nocturne ink.  I placed the sentiment in the middle up on foam dots.  I added white Nuvo drops for a little texture and interest.

I'm linking my card to:

Addicted to CAS

Beautiful Blossoms:

anything goes floral/flowers

Mood Board

inspired by the colors and blooms

NBUS

First time using these Lavinia stamps.

Please check out all of the cards exchanged around the world this month over at The Card Chain Challenge!   We hope you will join in the fun next month.  You have until April 6 to sign up!

Stamps:  Drooping Dandelion, Mini Seed Head - Lavinia, Mini Strip Easter - Taylored Expressions.

Paper:  Multifarious Smooth - Lavinia, Robins Egg - Bazzill, Hibiscus Burst, White - Papertrey Ink.

Ink:  Kitsch Flamingo, Mustard Seed, Speckled Egg - Ranger Distress, Versarine Clair Nocturne.

Accessories:  Acetate Circle Masks - Lavinia, Mini Strips Die - Taylored Expressions, foam dots, blender brushes, Novo Crystal Drops Glossy Simply White.

Time to Put on the Ritz

 I have a card to share today using two retired stamp sets from Waltzingmouse.  I was on Claire's WMS design team and so have almost every stamp set she created and I still use them a lot!

The background stamp is Art Deco and the sentiment frame and stamps are from the set Putting on the Ritz.

I colored just a few bits of the background with Copics.  The framed sentiment is popped up on foam dots and I added gems to the circles above and below the sentiment.

Inside I stamped:  Here's to a swell Birthday  from the same stamp set.

I'm linking my card to:

Cardz for Guys #318

Any Coloring  I used Copics on my background and frame.

Seize the Birthday

Anything Goes

Just Us Girls

Stamps: Art Deco Background, Putting on the Ritz - Waltzingmouse (retired)
Paper: White - PTI
Ink: Nocturne - Versafine Clair
Accessories: Gems - JoAnn, Copics G09, YR24