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Monday, August 28, 2023

Group of Seven Cardmakers - Ink Blending with Dox Inks

This month, the Group of Seven Cardmakers is sharing a second way to do Ink Blending.  This time we are working with DOX Inks, embossing and water lifting! 

You will find links to several videos over at the GO7 blog showing this technique.

Basically, you blend 3 DOX inks over a white card panel.  Dry the ink panel, rub over the panel with an embossing pillow, stamp the image with Versafine add the embossing powder and heat (I used black embossing powder but several people used white).  Then you  'paint' over the inside of the images with water on a brush (a small section at a time) and press a clean towel over the watery section to 'lift' the ink, leaving a lighter shade of the color inside the image.

So I started planning by looking for outline flower stamps that filled a whole A2 panel - and found out I don't have any? How can that be?? 
 
So then I looked for any nature stamps that are outlined with open centers and I made the following three cards.

This card is 4"x4".  I used white card and blended DOX inks Seedless Preserves, Picked Raspberry and Crackling Campfire (top to bottom)

For this  A2 size card I used DOX inks Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry and Wilted Violet.


This A2 card has DOX inks Scattered Straw, Worn Lipstick and Festive Berries.

Then I tried using a more detailed block stamp to see how it would work.   It's a pretty stamp and I like the fall colors I used  - but you almost can't tell I tried to lift the ink with water and a brush on all the spaces inside of the frame.  These two are 4"x 4"

I think they are pretty cards - but it isn't obvious I used the technique??

Dox Inks Rustic Wilderness, Rusty Hinge, Crushed Olive

Dox Inks: Fired Brick, Ripe Persimmon, Dried Marigold.

NOTES:  

1.  On a couple of first tries -  I had trouble when embossing my image - the embossing powder stuck all over the panel even if I dried the panel with my heat tool and had used the powder pillow.   So I started just letting the inked panel sit for a couple of hours, Then used the powder pillow and embossed the image.

2.  One time I think my heat tool was too hot (I wanted to dry it quickly!) - and a smoky mist started coming off the panel - and brushing inside the image with water did not remove any of the ink color.  I started using a lower heat option on my heat tool.

3.  For unknown reasons - even when I created the panels the same - the ink did not noticeably come off with the water and brush on some of them (see my last two Give Thanks cards). 

4.  It's also been very humid here this summer, outside and in my craft room - so this makes all inks more juicy and take longer to dry - so that could be part of my issues.


You'll find lots of variations by the rest of the Group of Seven over at the blog where there is also a Mr. Linky where you can link your project showing everyone how you created with this technique!  

Let's go see how the rest of the Group of 7 used this technique!  
Hope to see you there!

I'm linking my Best Wishes card to
Wednesday Challenge - Bright and Cheerful





Best Wishes
Stamps: Watercolor Poppies (the outline stamp of a two stamp set) - Rubbernecker
Ink: Ranger DOX inks: Seedless Preserves, Picked Raspberry and Crackling Campfire, Versamark, Nocturne - Versafine Clair.
Paper: White - Papertrey Ink
Accessories: Blender brushes, paint brush, water, paper towel, black embossing powder, heat tool, embossing pillow.

Live in the Sunshine
Stamps: One With Nature - Simon Says Stamp
Ink:  Ranger DOX inks: Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry and Wilted Violet, Versamark.
Paper: white - Papertrey Ink
Accessories:  White POSCA Pen, Blender brushes, paint brush, water, paper towel, Black embossing powder, heat tool, embossing pillow.

Explore Nature
Stamps: Natures Wonder (leaves) Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous, sentiment from One With Nature - Simon Says Stamp
Ink:  Ranger DOX inks: Scattered Straw, Worn Lipstick and Festive Berries, Versamark
Paper: white - Papertrey Ink
Accessories:  White POSCA Pen, Enamel Dots - Altenew,  Blender brushes, paint brush, water, paper towel, Black embossing powder, heat tool, embossing pillow.

Give Thanks Cards
Stamps: Give Thanks - Peddlers Pack (red rubber on wood stamp)
Ink:  1st card Dox Inks Rustic Wilderness, Rusty Hinge, Crushed Olive;  2nd card Dox Inks: Fired Brick, Ripe Persimmon, Dried Marigold, Versamark
Paper: Bristol Smooth Surface Strathmore
Accessories:  Tiny Gems - Gina Marie Designs, Blender brushes, paint brush, water, paper towel, Black embossing powder, heat tool, embossing pillow.

Saturday, August 26, 2023

Inkspirational #297 - Word Prompt: Clothing/Closet

 A fun challenge over at Inkspirational today -  #297 Word Prompt: Clothing/Closet.


I found this cute stamp set in my craft room -  unopened, unused (yet) - and perfect for today's challenge!  I just knew I might want it someday!   It's from Hampton Arts and I got it quite some time ago on sale at Michaels. 
 
The theme of the set is London (I also bought the Paris themed set while I was at it! Still unopened) - so this is a London fashion girl sporting high heels with bows at the ankle, a mini skit, wide brimmed hat, clutching a cup of coffee in one hand and her purse in another. 

Makes me start singing:  "There she was just a walkin' down the street, singin' do wah diddi, diddi dum diddi do" 
(I actually have a stamp with these words on it!! and you are singing it now too right??)

The set also includes the London phone booth, double-decker bus, Big Ben, the Metro symbol and a couple of other sentiments.

I stamped this lovely fashion icon onto hammered white cardstock (that comes from Britain via Amazon!) and colored some bits of her with Copics leaving it mostly black and white.

My card is a small slimline card - measuring 3 1/4" x 6"

So we hope you will join in - and show us your Clothing/Closet creations!  You'll find Mr. Linky and lots of wonderful inspiration from the rest of the talented DT over at Inkspirational!

You have until the end of Sept 8th to link up your card!

I'm also linking my card to the following challenge:

First time using this stamp set





Stamps: Hampton Arts
Paper: Hammered white card - Amazon, True Black - Papertrey Ink.
Ink: Nocturne - Versafine Clair
Accessories: Copics - E00,E33, R29

Thursday, August 24, 2023

A Bright Anniversary

 I needed to make an Anniversary card for a stamping friend and her husband for September and then I saw the Color Hue Colors and she loves RED!   So I got to work.

I would not usually pick up these two colors to create with - I tend to favor greens and blues - but I think Anne will love it - and it is very bright and cheery!   

I used an older die set called Lovely Layers (still available for $4.00 at PTI!) along with the card base cut using Noted: Scalloped Square die - both from Papertrey Ink.  Each layer of the bloom is on a foam dot and I added a red acrylic heart in the center.  The sentiment if from The Greetery.

I'm glad I made myself use colors I don't normally reach for!
  
My card measures 3 3/4" x 3 3/4".

ends 8/28



Stamps:  Sentiment Suite: Love - The Greetery
Ink:  Nocturne Versafine Claire
Paper:  White, Pure Poppy, Harvest Gold - PTI, DP Hello Sunshine - Taylored Expressions
Accessories: Lovely Layers, Dies Noted: Scalloped Square Die - Papertrey Ink (retired), foam dots, acrylic heart - Honey Bee

Saturday, August 19, 2023

Every Day

 I made this beachy card to play along with the newest Just Us Girls Challenge.

I cut the sunglasses out of a cold drink plastic cup from Starbucks from about 6 years ago when I worked near one and used to get an iced  Matcha Green Tea Latte just about every day!   There are 3 different styles of glasses and I'm so glad I cut them out! They probably just had them in the summer time and I don't know if they still do?! 

The flip flops stamps and dies are from Flipping Out from PTI (retired) and the sentiment is from Technique Junkies.

I was inspired by the sunglasses, the colors, the blue striped bit and the flipflops in the mood board.





Stamps:  Flipping Out - PTI, Sentiment from Technique Junkies.
Paper:  White, Kraft - PTI, DP Cottage Stripes and Dots - Memory Box
Ink:  Honey Nut - PTI
Accessories:  Flipping Out Dies - PTI, Scalloped Edge Die - Amazon, Border Bling Embossed Skinny Frames - Ink to Paper (PTI), foam dots and foam strips, acrylic red hearts - Honey Bee.

Friday, August 18, 2023

With Mirth and Laughter

 Here is a bright and colorful birthday card with LOTS of candles!  And this quote from Shakespeare is perfect for it don't you think?  

And I can send this to a friend since I'm also in the 'lots of candles' age group so they can't yell at me!

I inked the candles using a wonderful stencil set from The Greetery, recently purchased, called All Aglow.  The sentiment is from Impression Obsession which is popped up over the candles with foam dots.  Then I splattered the panel with white and black POSCA Pens  and added the orange center flame with a Copic.


I'm joining in with:


First time using the candle stencils





Stamps: Impression Obsession
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Ranger Distress Carved Pumpkin, Squeezed Lemonade, Picked Raspberry, Peacock Feathers
Accessories: All Aglow Stencil - The Greetery, White and Black POSCA Pens, finger sponges.

Saturday, August 12, 2023

Inkspirational #296 - Ice Filled Drinks on the Beach

 It's time for Inkspirational Challenge #296.  Marlena is the Designer choosing the theme this time and she wants to see Iridescent or Clear: embellishments or images of glass or ice items!


I chose to use ice filled cocktails in clear glasses on a table at the beach!  I can just imagine how the glasses are 'sweating' down their sides as the cold ice hits the warm air - and how refreshing these drinks would be!

I've had these cute cocktail stickers for a while and today was the day to get them out and finally use them!  I was happy to see that some of them had 'ice' in them!

I also brushed Clear Glitter Wink of Stella over the palm tree fronds and the edge of the ocean - which you can hopefully see in the photo below -  for more iridescence!!

So, please join us and show us your Iridescent/Clear embellishments or images of glass or ice!  We're almost at the end of the summer here in the Northern Hemisphere - so we need to be thinking of relaxing at the beach or lake and drinking cool drinks as long as we can!!

You'll find lots of inspiration from the rest of the Design Team as well as Mr. Linky over at the Inkspirational Blog - challenge is open through Aug 25th!

Also linking my card to:
First time using these cute cocktail stickers.



Stamps:  My Island - Waltzingmouse (retired)
Ink:  Nocturne Versafine Clair, Sun Kissed and Sweet Leaf - Altenew
Paper:  Kraft, Aqua Mist - Papertrey Ink, DP Beach Vibes - Honey Bee.
Accessories:  Cocktails - Sticko Stickers (Micharls), Picnic in the Park Die set - My Favortite Things, Clear Glitter Wink of Stella.

Thursday, August 3, 2023

Guest DT for Tic Tac Toe #220 - Stenciled Birthday

 Well, I am excited to say I was asked again to be the Guest DT for the  Tic Tac Toe #220 challenge.

For this grid,  I chose the middle horizontal row - Use a Stencil, Birthday Sentiment, Blues and Greens for my card design.

The stencil is called Leaves in the Wind by Carabelle Studio.  

I used blender brushes to ink Ranger Distress Twisted Cintron and Tumbled Glass through the stencil.   

I used a black POSCA  pen for the splatter.  

I die cut the sentiment from Papertrey Ink twice out of white card layering them together for more depth.  I thought it looked more summery to use white instead of black for the die cut.

I inked around the edges of the card with Gold Pigment Ink to define the edge.


So please join us for another fun Tic Tac Toe Challenge - which row will inspire you?
  
You'll find the challenge along with lots of inspiration from the Design Team here.
  
You have until Thursday8/10/23 at noon CST to link up your card!

I'm also linking my card to:
Anything Goes

Anything Goes

Stencil optional/Anything Goes



Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink.
Ink:  Ranger Distress Twisted Citron and Tumbled Glass, Gold Pigment Ink - Colorbox.
Accessories:  Birthday Cheer Die Collection - Papertrey Ink, Black POSCA Pen, blender brushes.

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

July Card Chain Challenge Reveal - Listen to Your Heart

 It's time for the reveal of cards exchanged over at The Card Chain Challenge in July!  This month I sent a card to Kati in Germany and I received a card from Joanne R in CT.

 I used the colors (sort of), the sketch, (sort of) and the theme of Circles!



Here's my card:


I used a 4" Gel Press circle with Alcohol Inks to create my irregular circle background. 
(if you'd like to see how I did this please see my tutorial on this post here.)

 I traced the circles using Lavinia's Acetate Circle Masks using an 01 Black Micron Pen.  I made the dots on the circles with the same pen.

I stamped the images (Rory and Darcy, Oona, Hearts Mini) from Lavinia inside the circles and the Mini Dots stamp beside the big circle.

I outlined the irregular edges of the Alcohol Ink Circle with the 01 Black Micron Pen.

I added white dots with a POSCA Pen and used a Small Talk Sticker cut in half for the sentiment.

I rubbed a Gold Pigment Ink pad along the edges of the panel to define the edge and layered the panel to a white card base.

My card is 5" x 5" square.

If you'd like to join in on this fun monthly world-wide card exchange you'll find all the details on signing up and participating at the Card Chain Challenge blog.



Stamps:  Oona, Rory and Darcy, Mini Dots, Hearts Mini - Lavinia.
Ink:  Alcohol Inks Sunshine Yellow and Pink Sherbert, Nocturne Versafine Clair, Gold Pigment Ink - Color Box.
Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink
Accessories:  4" round Gel Press, 91% Rubbing Alcohol, Acetate Circle Masks - Lavinia, Small Talk Stickers - Tim Holtz/Idea-ology, White POSCA Pen.