One card for 2 Challenges

Here is a very autumnal card for 2 challenges - see the end of this blog for details

The completed card is A5 in size. The background was created from a piece of wood effect paper which was coloured with Adirondack Inks - Espresso, Rust and Butterscotch.

The main image and the sentiment are from the new stamps from Sheena Douglass. These were both stamped with Espresso ink and water coloured with the same three inks already mentioned. The autumnal leaf images were from some wood mounted stamps that I have had for years but I cannot tell you the manufacturer as they are unmarked. These were also water coloured with the inks and cut out when dry.

The three buttons, I made myself from clay (Fimo). They are imprinted with designs from various rubber stamps and coloured with Perfect Pearls mica powder before baking. Each was threaded with a piece of copper coloured organza ribbon for added texture.

The sentiment was cut out using a Nestabilities Label design as was the bronzy coloured mirror card for the backing.

Everything was assembled using double sided tape or glue with the sentiment being mounted with foam pads for depth.

Challenges: The Critter Sketch Challenge #37 - Sketch and Buttons (http://critterchallengeblog.blogspot.com) and the Crafty Creations Challenge #91 - Autumn (http://craftycreationschallenges.blogspot.com).

Feather in the Wing of Time - A Man's Card

I know this uses the same stamps as my last post but I wanted to make a card that was suitable for a man. I love the way that this one turned out.

The base card is a in dark brown and is an A4 sheet scored and folded to make an A5 size card. Approximately an inch was cut off the front portion so that the inside back face can be seen.

The coloured backing was a piece of cream card that was painted with walnut stain which contained some mica powder for a bit of shine. While this was still damp quite a bit of another colour was added along the top edge of the card and allowed to run down the paper causing the long run lines. This was then allowed to dry naturally as a heat gun would have blown the liquid colour around.

A panel was cut and attached to the front of the card and another panel attached to the inside back surface of the card. The vertical edges of both panels and the right hand edge of the front of the card were lined with fine gold peeloff strips.

The main panel is actually made of a very thin veneer of pale coloured wood. This was spayed with various tones of glimmer mist to give the same sort of colouring as the background paper and again it gives a bit a a sheen to the surface. This was allowed to dry overnight as heating would have caused the wood to bend.

For the stamping the feather and sentiment were stamped first and then parts of the feather were used to create the border.

This card has been added to the Cards for Men Challenge No. 22 - Anything goes (as long as it's male). http://cardsformen.blogspot.com

A Quick Note

Hi, I just wanted to say that I am away for all of next week on a business trip to Belarus. For those of you who haven't a clue where that is (I had to look it up on a map) it is just the other side of Poland. I don't know what the Internet access will be like so if you do not hear from me for a while you know why! I am taking some images with me so if I do have access I will carry on blogging. See you soon, Shirl xx

Feather. in the Wing of Time.

I love this stamp and sentiment. They are by Clarity stamps.

The A5 background was made with a resist technique on white glossy cardstock. The images of the feather were stamped using versamark ink and when it was dry, the colour was brayered on from a Big'n'Juicy ink pad. This was trimmed down to the size I required for adding to an A5 size card. The right hand edge was the trimmed using a Borderability to give a pretty edge.

The Main image was done on A6 glossy card. The white card was masked off to give a panel that was the correct size for the feather stamp. This was then brayered using the same ink pad. When dry the feather was stamped in black Stazon ink and the masking removed. The sentiment was added using Stazon too. Fine peel offs were added to the edge for extra embellishment.

The ribbon was wrapped around the background card and tied with a bow before being layered onto a dark brown card blank. The main image was then added with double sided tape to complete the card which I think would be suitable for a male or female.

1 Card for 3 Challenges

Here is one card for 3 challenges. The first time I have entered more than one challenge in one go. The Challenges are:Critter Challenges - #36 Hip to be Square, Crafty Creations Challenge - #89 Show a Number and Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #32 - Using a freebie. See the end of this entry for the links to the challenges.

The Hip to be square was a sketch challenge so the card follows that idea. To show a number - it is in the sentiment. Use a freebie - this was the central stamp that was free with Craft Stamper magazine a few months ago.

The card is based on a 6 inch square. The dusky pink coloured layering card was hand made by me from a piece of cream card, sprayed with Glimmer Mist and covered with crinkled cling film until it was dry. This concentrates the mica powder to give silvery highlights. Hmmm, maybe not too evident in the picture, but they are there, I can assure you!

Various Shapabilities were used to cut out the background square shapes and also the sentiment which was created in DSA.

The image was stamped on to glossy card with Black Stazon ink.

The card was then assembled having cut a slit in the spine so that the ribbon could be threaded through.

Challenges:
http://critterchallengeblog.blogspot.com
http://craftycreationschallenges.blogspot.com
http://craftycardmakers.blogspot.com

Bunch of Roses Card

Here we are with another flowery card. Again, I hope it is something a bit different that you will like.

A green A4 sheet was folded in 2 to make an A5 base card. A piece of glossy A5 white card was trimmed back a bit to show the green border of the base card. This was then masked off and green distress ink was added round the border using a piece of Cut'n'Dry foam. When this was dry it was over stamped with a small bunch of roses from U-Mount stamps using black Stazon ink.

The main image, the larger bunch of roses from the same stamp set, was stamped with black Stazon and embossed with clear powder. This was coloured in with Cosmic Shimmer mica powders mixed with water and green ink from a Big'n'Juicy pad. When dry, a frame Shapability was used to cut out the centre section and the frame. Note, some of the image is included on the frame so this was an aid to lining it all back up again later when the card was assembled.

For the centre section, the edges were coloured with two tones of green Distress ink so that there was no white card left showing. The frame was also coloured with the ink so as to achieve a good contrast between the frame and the white of the backing card.

The centre was placed back into the hole in the frame to ensure good positioning on the page. The centre was bonded in place with double sided tape. The frame was then lifted away and mounted onto the card with foam pads to give some depth to the card.

Blue Flowers

Here is another of my digital scrapbook pages which combines my encaustic artwork with digital techniques. The artwork was scanned into the computer to give the digital image along with another piece which was very swirly and abstract.

The abstract was used for the background and this was blended with an image of a piece of creased denim. The Blue flowers artwork was then layered on top and made slightly transparent so that the swirls and the denim can be seen.

The "bling" flourishes and the glass drops were added for embellishment to give the final design.

Oriental Fancy Fold Card

This one took a lot of work. A combination of stamping and oriental papers from a Create and Craft kit of many years ago.

The Poppy image is the front of the card and the second photo shows the two inside surfaces and the back.

For the front the beautiful poppy and script stamp was stamped onto white card and embossed in black. It was then painted using Twinkling H2Os. When dry this was matted and layered onto black and red card before being mounted onto the base card red card which had already had gold and red layers added to it.

The 2 inside surfaces were layered with the oriental design papers and were embellished with tags, a cut down card front and some oriental symbols.

The back was a stamped image, again stamped and embossed in black, painted with H2Os and mounted in the same way as the front.

I do hope you like it. This card has been entered into the Spotlight on Fancy Folds challenge with Crafty Cardmakers.

Dragonflies Over Water.

This is an encaustic technique that I have not featured before (I don't think so anyway. This is called and indirect technique. Instead of applying the wax directly to the base glossy card, it is applied to a piece of tissue (as in the type you blow you nose on).

Three colours are added to the tissue - in this case brown, green and blue. This is then laid onto the card and heat is applied to the tissue with the tip of the iron which transfers a bit of wax to the white card. The design is built up from scratch just by adding little dabs of the different coloured waxes to make the picture. The fence posts and grasses were created by running the edge of the iron along the tissue.

The water line was shown by adding some of the dark blue wax to the bottom of the rock and then rubbing it vigorously with the tip of a finger. This generates enough heat to partially melt the wax again and smudge it around.

The dragonflies were added at the end using a stylus tool which is needed to crate the fine lines.

Oriental Card 3

Sorry, there seems to be a bit of an oriental theme developing here. But this is quite different card.

The base white card was ripped down one edge. Versamark ink was applied down the ripped edge and gold embossing powder applied and heated to give that beautiful edge.

A piece of hand made burgundy coloured paper with gold hand painted swirls (not by me, I hasten to add, was used as a wrap which was bonded in place with double sided tape.

The topper was made from a piece of white glossy card which was brayered with "Big 'n' Juicy" ink. The delightful image was stamped and embossed in gold. Again the edge was ripped and embossed with gold powder. The topper was then mounted on the front of the card with tape.

The embellishment was made from mizuhiki cord (I bet I spelt that wrong)knotted and bonded in place with silicon glue.

Oriental card 2

A simpler oriental card this time. I apologise that it is not a brilliant photo but it was all packed up in cellophane.

The Bamboo (Judikins stamp, I think) was stamped onto the red card, embossed and trimmed with deckle edged scissors. The lady (The Stamp Man, I believe) was also stamped onto red card, embossed and cut out. She was then stuck to white card and trimmed round to leave a small white border. Her kimono was painted with Twinkling H2Os.

The red backing card was adhered to a gold shimmer A6 card and the lady layered onto that. Gold threads were knotted around the spine and three jewels added for a bit of bling.

Train Card

This is the birthday card that I made for my other half this year. He is a steam train lover so I thought this one fitted the bill.
There are loads of elements for this one all stamped from a set of stamps from U mount. The Base A4 size card was white which was layered up with some brown which had been sprayed with copper glimmer mist and a dark green/gold card. An A5 white sheet was stamped with the station clock which was then embossed with clear powder as a resist technique so when the distress inks were applied the white card could still be seen.
The train scene, which was one stamp, was coloured using distress inks applied by paint brush, and then the edges aged with more inks. Two sets of luggage, the station master the clock and the lamp post were coloured in the same way. These were then all cut out to give individual embellishments.
A white oval was cut out with a Nestability die and the edges coloured whilst still in the die so that a white edge was kept. An oval scalloped shape was cut from the brown misted paper and the two were layered together. The lamp post and the station master were added to this.
All the elements were then added to the base card to give the final look. The large clock was added on foam tape to give some depth to the picture.

This csrd has been entered into the CES chsllenge at http://ceschallenges.blogspot.com/

Ivor the Engine Card.

A more unusual card from me. No stamping or encaustic art in sight. This decoupage card is not something I usually do but this was a special card for Keith and he loves Ivor the engine!

It is an A4 size gate fold card made in dark brown. The is a mat of copper mirror card on each side. The top layer was a sheet of cream card which was stained with walnut ink containing mica powder. Whilst the ink was wet a piece of clingfilm was applied and drawn up into creases thus concentrating the micra powder up to make fine coppery lines.

The decoupage was cut out and layered up with 2mm foam. The completed decoupage was mounted on brown card before being applied to either side of the gate fold.

Oriental Card

This was a card made for my niece who loves anything oriental. It was also a good excuse to try out my new Hot Foiling Machine.
The 3 pictures were printed from some clip art on a laser printer and then each image was run though the hot foiler using purple foil - Kim's favourite colour. These were then cut to shape using a Nestabilities die cutter on a Cuttle Bug. The edges were then coloured with Milled Lavender and Dusky Concord Distress inks applied with Cut 'n' Dry foam. A larger version of each shape was cut from a piece of card that I had previously coloured with Glimmer mists. These were stuck to the back of the pictures to stiffen them up a bit.
An A4 piece of white card was scored and folded to give a concertina shape. These were faced with strips of the card used to back the pictures which had been mounted on black card to make them stand out. The front strip had a purple foiled border applied in the same way as previously mentioned.
The three pictures were then stuck in position, staggered across the width of the card. A small foiled plaque was created to be stuck on the back for the greeting and signatures.

This has been entered into the Crafty Cardmakers Challenge - Step Away from the Square.

Butterflies

A piece of of work using the resist technique. The background card started off as a piece of A5 white card. The corner stamps (Elusive Images) were stamped using Versamark and embossed with clear powder.

Black ink was then applied all over the card and it does not stick to the embossing so these areas still show up as white. Once the ink was dry, the whole thing was rubbed over with a tissue to take any remaining black off the embossing.

The same technique was applied for the Butterflies again a stamp from EI (this was entered in one of their challenges last year). Once the ink was dry and they had been buffed up, their wings were curled slightly to make the whole thing a bit 3D and then bonded in place with silicon glue. Mats, in white and black, were added to complete the front of the card.

'LOVE' Word Book

This was the card that I made for Keith, my other half, for Valentine's Day this year. It was the first wordbook that I had attempted.

The base cards, with the letters on, were compiled within My Craft Studio software. These were then printed and cut out. I outlined each of the letters with fine border peel-offs to give them more definition. The edges of the papers were inked using distress and Adirondack inks and Cut 'n' Dry foam - a marvellous invention.

Through out the book are embellishments made from cutting various hearts from white card using Nestabilities. These where then stamped using stamps from Elusive Images and inked with distress ink.

The larger embellishment on the front was a Nestabilities scalloped heart with the cut out made using a Nestabilities plain heart. A piece of heat resistant acetate was stamped with some swirls (again from EI), using Versamark, and then embossed in gold. This was trimmed and stuck on the reverse of the heart frame. It was then mounted on foam pads to the front page.

Once all the pages were completed the whole thing was bound together with a Bind-It-All machine.

Friendly Plastic Embellishment

Friendly Plastic lives up to its name. It is a terrific material to work with. One great advantage is that it can be re-used so not a scrap is wasted. This card embellishment was made from scraps that had been cut from other things, They were reheated and dragged through with a comb to give this lovely effect. This is very similar to feathering icing on a cake but I only dragged through in one direction.

Tree Card

What a hectic week it has been. Still, here we are on the 1st of October and autumn is well under way. Therefore I thought I would go for an autumnal coloured design.

I loved making the background paper on this one. It was made by washing a piece of white card with walnut ink with mica powder in it, Whilst it was still wet I sprinkled salt on the page which absorbs the water thus concentrating the mic powder around it. It gives a wonderful effect, When it is dry you just brush the salt off.

The main image is on glossy whits card which has been brayered. The moon was created but using a mask made from a Post It note which was stuck in place before the brayer was applied. When dry, this was then over stamped with a tree on a hill image from Elusive Images.

The smaller sentiment panel was a tree image from EI which was stamped onto glossy card using clear Versamark ink. When this was dry it was brayered over so that the Versamark ink acted as a resist to the bryered ink. This was then over stamped with the sentiment.

The background was ripped to give rough edges and then lots of layers were built up to give the finished A4 size card.

I hope you like it.