Thinking of You

 I have a ton of stencils that I loved, purchased and filed away never to be used - so I found some craft room time today and thought I should get one of them out and play!

I made this background with a 3 part Modern Mosaic Layering Stencil from Taylored Expressions.  The sentiments are from In My Thoughts by Altenew (retired).

I'm linking my card to:

Stencil Fun Challenge

Layered Stencils

NBUS

First time using this stencil and stamp set

Less is More

Addicted to CAS

Path of Positivity #113

Inspired by a Pattern

Stamps: In My Thoughts - Altenew (retired)
Paper: White - Papertrey Ink.
Ink: Peach Parfait, Sea Glass - Altenew, Light Carnation - Gina K Designs, Nocturne Versafine Clair.
Accessories: Modern Mosaic Layering Stencil - Taylored Expressions, Blender Brushes.

May Card Chain Challenge Reveal Post

 Today's the day of the May Card Chain Challenge reveal.   I sent my card to Tina in Slovenia and I received a card from Brenda in the UK!

For my card, I used the suggested Sketch, Colors (Navy, Turquoise, Gold) and Theme of Friendship.

I just love using flip flops on a summer card!  These are cute 3D stickers from Jolee.  I die cut the heart out of DP as well as white card and glued the pieces together and layered them over the DP with foam dots.

If you'd like to join in for the June card exchange - you have until June 6th to sign up - all the details are on the Card Chain Challenge blog!

I'm also linking my card to:

Path of Positivity

Inspired by Nature

Inspired by:

I was inspired by the ocean colors on the drawers

Crafting Happiness

Anything Goes

NBUS

First time using the die cut heart.

Stamps:  Flipping Out - PTI (retired)

Paper:  White - PTI, DP Beach Vibes - Honey Bee Stamps.

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair

Accessories:  Heart Rays Die - MFT, foam dots, gold and navy sequins, Flip Flop Stickers - Jolee

Group of Seven Cardmakers - May Technique - Ink Blending on Colored Card

 The May Group of Seven Cardmakers post is up!  This month Loll has chosen the technique for us to play with -  Ink Blending on Colored Card.  You'll find full instructions as well as a link to a YouTube Video over on the blog.

I found that I had to try a lot of different outline images to find ones that worked the best.  I also tried light and dark colors of card stock - and found the lighter colors worked best as we then blend darker ink over the panel and blend around the outside edges with black ink.  If your base card is too dark - the blended ink won't show up.

My first two samples (these are actually my 3rd and 4th try with the technique!) are the same image, embossed in gold on Hawaiian Shores cardstock (a light tealy/blue).  I sponged over the panel with a darker blue, starting from the outside edges up to, but not over, the embossing.  Then I sponged just over the edges of the panel with black ink.  I splattered white with a POSCA pen, embossed the sentiment in white on a black strip and adhered it over the card with foam dots.  You also can splatter with water but I didn't do that on any of my cards today.

Here's the exact same embossed stamping on the exact same Hawaiian Shores card panel and sponged with the same inks as above.  This time I sponged more over the embossed flowers (not on purpose!) so there's just a small bit of light in the center.  I sponged around the edge with black, splattered white with a POSCA pen, and this time, gold embossed the sentiment on a black strip.

This card below was the first card I tried with the technique - the base is a a light yellow, but as you can see, I sponged entirely too much Russet Orange over the gold embossed image so there is hardly any noticeable lightness in the center!  I sponged black around the edges, splattered with a white POSCA pen, layered it over a metallic gold panel and layered that over a Hammered white panel with foam dots.

This was my second attempt at the technique.  I started with a light pink panel, embossed the image in gold, and then sponged with a darker pink inside the rose by mistake (!) and also around the edges, totally forgetting the black!  I splattered this one with Metallic Gold water color paint. 

So - you don't have to follow the instructions exactly if you don't want to! 

The point is to experiment with the technique!

You'll find full instructions, inspiration from the rest of the team and a link to the video over at The Group Of Seven Cardmakers blog here.  

We invite you to try this fun technique for yourselves and you can link your card over at the blog just so everyone can come and see them!

I'm linking my sympathy card to:

Path of Positivity Challenge

Inspired by Nature

Linking my Birthday card to:

Try it on Tuesday

Keep it Simple

easy to make - emboss image, sponge, layer to panels

We Love Stamping

Anything stamped - In the Garden option

Gold embossed stamped flower

Sympathy Cards

Stamps:  Layered Poppy Stamp - Rubbernecker, sentiment from Beyond Basic Borders - PTI (retired).

Paper:  Hawaiian Shores, True Black - PTI

Ink:  Blue Lagoon Elements - Lavinia, Nocturne Versafine Clair, Versamark

Accessories:  White POSCA Pen, foam dots, Gold Embossing Powder, heat tool, sponges.

Sunflower Birthday

Stamps: Botanical Blocks, Birthday Basics - PTI 

Paper:  Harvest Gold - PTI, Kraft Stock Gold - Tim Holtz/Idea-ology, Hammered White card - Amazon.

Ink:  Russet Orange - Elements Lavinia, Versafine Clair Nocturne, Versamark.

Accessories:  Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, foam strips, white POSCA Pen, sponges.

Rose Birthday

Stamps:  Botanical Blocks, Birthday Basics - PTI

Paper:  Pale Peony - PTI, Kraft Stock Gold - Tim Holtz/Idea-ology, Hammered white card - Amazon.

Ink:  Picked Raspberry - Ranger Distress, Versamark, Versafine Clair Nocturne.

Accessories:  Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, foam strips, Metallic Gold Watercolor paint for splatter, sponges.

Inkspirational #290 - Mood Board

 There's a new challenge up at Inkspirational today -  #290 and it's a lovely Moodboard!

I was inspired by the colors and the green tulip buds!

The tulip dies, bow dies, arch die, Elegant Arches stamp and Fond of Foliage stamp,  are all from The Greetery. (yes, I kind of love all their products!) The sentiment is from Stampotique.

I sponged the edges of the tulip and bow pieces with green ink.  The arch panel and tulips are popped up on foam dots.

Please check out all of the inspiration from the rest of the DT over at Inkspirational!

Link up your inspired card by June 2nd!

Also linking my card to:

Double D. Challenges: Flowers

The Card Concept:

Spring Flowers - Clean and Layered

Path of Positivity

Inspired by Nature

Cut It Up Challenge

Send Me Flowers

Stamps:  Elegant Arches, Fond of Foliage - The Greetery, Plant Kindness - Stampotique.

Paper:  Carmel Apple, Light Green - Bazzill, Melon Berry - Papertrey Ink.

Ink:  Lime Punch - Elements/Lavinia, Ranger Distress Mowed Lawn, Nocturne Versafine Clair.

Accessories:  Botanicuts: Tulips, Fit to be Tied, A2 Arches - The Greetery, foam dots.

Card Chain Challenge - April Reveal Post

 The April Reveal post of all cards exchanged is up over at The Card Chain Challenge.

This month I sent a card to Michaela in Austria and I received a card from Carol in the UK!

 I used the suggested colors (sort of) charcoal, lime and yellow (I got a little orange in there too!) and  the theme options Spring.

I stamped the background using two background stamps, Fond of Foliage and Windowpane Plaid.    The watering can is stamps and die called Sprinkled with Kindness, Sentiment stamps and dies are Buzzworthy Sentiments, and Honey Bee Dies - all from The Greetery!  One stop shopping!

I inked the stamps then spritzed with water before stamping on a watercolor paper panel.  The bees are colored with Copics with their wings sponged with Distress Tea Dye Ink.  The watering can, bees and sentiment are up on foam dots.

Come join us over at The Card Chain Challenge and sign up to send and receive a card.  You have until May 6th to sign up for the May Exchange.  Find all the details over at The Card Chain Challenge Blog!

You'll also find all the beautiful cards sent and received by everyone for the month of April!

I'm linking my card to:

NBUS

first time using the Windowpane background stamp and Buzzworthy stamps and dies.

Linking this just under the wire to:

Cut it Up

What's in Your Garden?

Path of Positivity

Stamps:  Fond of Foliage and Windowpane Plaid background stamps, Buzzworthy Sentiments, Sprinkled With Kindness - The Greetery

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Ranger Distress Oxide Peeled Paint, Ranger Distress Rusty Hinge and Tea Dye.

Paper:  Water color paper - Canson Cold Press, white - Papertrey Ink.

Accessories:  Honey Bee Dies, Buzzworthy Dies, Sprinkled With Kindness Die - The Greetery, black and yellow Copics, foam dots.

March Group of Seven Cardmakers - Technique: Embossed Gilding Flakes

 It's time for the March Group of Seven Cardmakers Post!  This month we are playing with the Embossed Gilding Flakes technique.

Here are the two cards I created.  

This card uses the debossed panel.

I bought these Museum Bust Fancy dies from Hero Arts after Kent and I went to the King Tut Show in Boston last year.  I used the classic busts on these cards but the set includes two Egyptian busts as well.  I think they worked perfectly with the panels I created using the gilding flakes!

This card uses the embossed panel.

The black panels are embossed with Lumen Embossing Folder from Simon Says Stamp.

I die cut the statues out of Distress Woodgrain Card and then rubbed Lost Shadow Distress ink lightly over them to try to simulate marble.

Here are a few process photos creating the embossed gilding flakes panels.

I covered 2 panels of white card stock with Stick It, a double sided adhesive sheet.

I removed the top of the Stick it Sheet from the card panels and laid the panels, sticky side up, inside a pizza box to help contain the flying of the gilding flakes!  I spread the Autumn Gilding Flakes over the panels and pressed it onto the panel with my fingers.  Then I brushed the gilding flakes off with a stiff brush.  

Note:  She uses 3 colors of gilding flakes on the video but my Autumn Flakes are already a mix of colors so I just used that.

I took the gilded panels and put them together with the gilding flaked sides facing out and placed them inside the 3D Texture Fades Botanical folder from Sizzix.  Then I ran the embossing folder through my Big Shot twice to give a good impression.  That gave me an embossed panel and a debossed panel.

(The white line and spots on the panels below are places the double sided adhesive paper didn't stick- I colored over those spots with a gold metallic pen.)

I die cut arches out of the panels using A2 Arches from the Greetery.  

The final step is to rub a black ink over the panels.  On the embossed panel it hits the raised image and on the debossed panel it hits the background.  

Note:  The tutorial says to use a permanent ink like StazOn or Archival -  but I found those inks made the panels very sticky and it never seemed to dry, maybe due to whatever the flakes are made of?? maybe my inks were old?  Anyway, I decided to make two new panels.

So after trying ALL my various kinds of black inks unsuccessfully (ie they all felt sticky), I tried Memento Tuxedo Black ink and that seemed to dry. I also noticed that all the black inks seem to fade a little as they sit on the flakes.

You will find a link to a YouTube video with this technique over at The Group of Seven blog.

So please check out the rest of the Seven's creations, and if you decide to give this technique a try please link your card up over at The Group of Seven Blog! 

I'm interested to hear what black ink you were successful with on the embossed gilded panels!

I'm also linking my card to:

Time Out Challenges

my sentiment Make each day your masterpiece.

Die Cut Divas - Anything Goes 

die cuts

Path of Positivity

anything goes

Stamps:  Motivational Center Mona Lisa Moments - Cornish Heritage Farms (retired)

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Lost Shadow Distress (rubbed over statures), Versamark.

Paper:  White Distress Woodgrain Card - Tim Holtz/Ranger, white and True Black - Papertrey Ink,  Metallic Gold - Parklane/JoAnn.

Accessories:  Stick It Double Sided Adhesive Sheets, Autumn Leaves Gilding Flakes - Cosmic Shimmer, Fancy Dies Museum Busts - Hero Arts, A2 Arches die - The Greetery, 3D Texture Fade Botanical Embossing Folder - Tim Holtz/Sizzix, Lumen Embossing Folder - Simon Says Stamp, Gold Embossing Powder (for sentiment), heat tool

Inkspirational Challenge #286 Egg-stra Special

 It's time for a new challenge over at Inspirational #286 and it's a fun mood board for spring (spring IS coming right?!)

I was inspired by the pretty blue eggs!  

I cut my eggs using Tim Holtz/Sizzix Bird and Egg Colorize die set.   The little daisies are from the Bunny Games die set also from Tim Holtz/Sizzix.  I made my ship lap background using Shiplap Builder Dies from The Greetery.   The sentiment is from Stamping Bella stamped on a frame die cut with a Simple Stacker Frame die from Penny Black.

I adhered the shiplap strips to my card base using a sheet of Peel N Stick double sided adhesive.  I inked the eggs by rubbing Ranger Distress Oxide Speckled Egg Ink onto my craft mat, spritzing with water and then rubbing a panel of water color paper onto the mat (smooshing!).  Then I die cut the egg layers out of the paper.  The front egg is up on foam dots. 

So check out how the rest of the DT was inspired by the board over at Inkspirational!

You have until April 7th to link up your Mood Board inspired card.  Hope to see you there!

I'm linking my card to:

Double D Challenges: Easter

inspired by eggs and blooms on wreath

Die Cut Diva's

March Theme Anything Goes

Path of Positivity

Anything goes

Stamps:  Easter Sentiment Set - Stamping Bella

Paper:  Water color paper - Canson Cold Press, White Papertrey Ink, Green leaf - Color Core Distress paper pad - Tim Holtz/Ranger, Peel N Stick Double Sided Adhesive Paper.

Ink:  Versafine Claire Nocturne, Ranger Distress Oxide Ink Speckled Egg.

Accessories:  Bird and Egg Colorize Dies, Bunny Games Dies - Tim Holtz/Sizzix, Shiplap Builder Die - The Greetery, Simple Stacker Frames - Penny Black, foam dots, YR65 Copic.