Wednesday, May 28, 2025

May Group of Seven Cardmakers - Batik

 This month, the Group of Seven Cardmakers are playing with the technique of Faux Batik.  

There are lots of YouTube videos on the technique all using slightly different methods! Several are linked over at the Group of Seven blog.


Here are some photos of the steps.

                       
 
                              

                                                   
I have to say, I found it difficult to choose colors and stamps that ended up with something I liked - it all ends up a bit dark for me.  
The rest of the Group of 7 Cardmakers had greater success than me with this technique!

Please give Faux Batik a try and link up your creations over at The Group of Seven Cardmakers blog.  I'd love to see what colors and stamps you used!  


Also sending my card to:

By the Numbers - use at least one number ends 6/2

Week 4  Anything Goes
clear embossing






Stamps:  Sparkler Background Stamp - The Greetery, 4th of July stamp/Let Freedom Ring - PTI (retired),  Freedom and Liberty stamp/Army - The Greeting Farm (retired)
Ink:  Warm Breeze, Strawberry, Verdant, Portobello, Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Versamark.
Paper:  White - PTI
Other Supplies: Heat Tool, blender brushes, clear embossing powder, embossing pillow, 1 38" circle punch - SU.

Saturday, May 24, 2025

Inkspirational Challenge#342 - Word Prompt

 Inkspirational Challenge #342 is just up over at the blog!  It's a Word Prompt.


My celebration is a Wedding Anniversary!

I took a Tim Holtz/Idea-ology Paper Doll, which is black and white, and colored the bouquet, the hands and faces and the mans' lapel corsage using Distress Water Color Pencils and a Water Brush Pen.  The designer papers are from Worn Wallpaper Scraps also from Tim/Idea-ology.  The couple are popped up on foam dots.  I stamped the Happy Anniversary from Sentiment Suite:Love from The Greetery and added a green enamel heart from Altenew.

How does Celebrate speak to you??  Please join us and link up your celebratory card over at Inkspirational where you'll also find some wonderful inspiration from the rest of the team!  

This challenge ends on 6/6!


Also sending my card to:

ends 6/1
Inspired by the green heart and florals

ends 5/31


ends 6/1




Stamps:  Sentiment Suite: Love - The Greetery
Paper:  White card base - PTI, DP Worn Wall Paper Scraps - Tim Holtz/Idea-ology.
Ink:  Nocturne Versafine Clair
Other Supplies:  Distress Watercolor Pencils - Tumbled Glass, Crushed Olive, Tattered Rose - Tim Holtz/Ranger, water brush pen, Paperdolls - Tim Holtz/Idea-ology, enamel heart - Altenew.

Saturday, May 10, 2025

Inkspirational #341 - Hot Day at the Beach

 It's time for Inkspirational Challenge #341 - Designers Choice!  

Marlena is the designer to choose the challenge - and here it is!

I created a scene of a hot summers night at the beach as the sun is finally setting, with a hot fire crackling in the fire pit.

I made the background by first stamping the half sun, then masking it and simply rubbing the ink pads over the panel - Mustard Seed for the yellow sky, Arctic for the ocean and Sand Dune for the beach. I stamped and off-stamped the beach grass in Portabello.
The stamps and dies are all from Better at the Beach from Papertrey Ink. (they have the stamps but not the dies right now)

I added Clear Glitter Wink of Stella along the sky line and on the flames of the fire for a little sparkle - hopefully you can see it on the close up below.

So what does HOT make you think of?  food?  Summer? fire?  We hope you'll join us at Inkspirational and link up your cards!   You'll find lovely inspiration from the rest of the DT over at Inkspirational!

This challenge ends on May 23rd.


Also sending my card to:

Body of Water  ends 5/13

The Great Outdoors - ends May 31

Make it look like water coloring 
(my rubbed inkpad background)
ends 5/31








Stamps:  Better at the Beach - Papertrey Ink.
Ink:  Mustard Seed Ranger Distress, Russet Orange - Elements, Arctic, Portabello, Sand Dune, Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Cocoa Bean - Papertrey Ink.
Paper:  white, Fine Linen, Soft Stone - Papertrey Ink.
Other Supplies:  Better at the Beach Dies - Papertrey Ink, Clear Glitter Wink of Stella, mask tape, foam dots.

Thursday, May 1, 2025

Better Press Poppies

 So, I had right shoulder torn rotator cuff surgery at the end of March, and I have been in a bulky sling 24/7 so unable to stamp (or do much of anything!)  My sling comes off next Wednesday. I've already been going to PT and that will continue 8 more weeks.    

But none of the above stopped me from purchasing new stamping supplies!  

So one of my new purchases (after seeing so many of you creating with them and denying that I needed it for a year) was the Spellbinders Better Press.   

After looking at it in the box for two weeks - today I got it out to see if I could play with it with my limited arm use!


I used the Poppy Background Press Plate and Stencil set and the You Are Everything Sentiments Press Plate and Die set - all from BetterPress/Spellbinders.

I found inspiration from the following challenges:

Blue and Yellow  ends 5/14
  

Spring Flowers  ends 5/4


colors blue and yellow and spring
Clean and Layered  ends 5/12

First time using the
Better press Poppy Background and stencils
 




Paper:  Better Press Cotton Panel, watercolor paper - Canson Cold Press
Ink:  BetterPress Black - Spellbinders, Ranger Distress Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed and Broken China.
Other supplies:  Better Press - Spellbinders, Poppy Background and Stencils set - Better Press/Spellbindes, You Are Everything Sentiments Press Plate and Die Set - Spellbinders, blender brushes, foam dots, Enamel Dots - Altenew.