Monochromatic Card Set

I picked up a new stamp a while ago.  This  sentiment was just so pretty I knew I had to create some cards with in.  I picked some monochromatic cream and white patterned paper out of the stash to see what I could create.  The result is a set of four cards (half of which are pictured here).  I was able to find four matching pieces- two from each pattern.

The pictures do not actually do the cards justice imho.  I've highlighted some of the shading in the card with a glitter pen.  The edges glisten in person.  The sentiment is stamped in coffee Archival Ink.  I used water to create the crinkle effect in the vintage seam binding finally tying a bow and adhering with a glue dot.  The stick pins were just hanging around the house, so I thought originally that they might look like the stamen of the flowers.  Not sure that worked like I expected, but I'm pleased with the result.

Not bad and I can say I actually used my new stamp and some of the paper stash.  Yeah me!

Andie

Basic Grey's Sweet Threads Cards

I had cause during June to need to make an anniversary card and a birthday card.  I just love my Basic Grey Sweet Threads collection.  I haven't (obviously) used it enough because I still have whole 12 x 12 sheets of this beautiful patterned paper.  I actually scraplifted a good portion of the design and like a git I didn't mark down the reference so I can't share with you the wonderful original inspiration.  Either way, I am soooo pleased with how these cards turned out.  All cuts except the swirl and flowers are cut from Cricut's Accent Essentials.  The swirly flower stamp set is a Inkadinkado set stamped using my coffee Archival Ink.  The anniversary sentiment comes from a wood stamp I've had for ages and the flower on this card comes from those made for my May Day baskets. 

I realized that the Birthday card was photographed before I stamped the sentiment from my Glitzy stamp set (a French phrase I'm not sure exactly what it means).  The flower in this card was embossed and die cut from Heartfelt Creations Posy stamp and dies.  In this second photo, you should be able to see the pearls added using my Viva Decor Pearl Pen.  You might be able to detect them at the end of the flower swirls.  Very nice finish to a card I am very pleased with the result.  I'd make this one again and again using different paper combinations from the Sweet Threads collection.  Great paper makes designing easy!

Andie

Creative Chemistry 101- Archival Resist Technique

Day 3 of class centered around archival inks.  The second technique involved using Archival Ink to create background images that are then layered with Distress Inks to create unusual backgrounds.  Since I have such a wonderful friend who is willing to share supplies, I created today's stamped images using her Hero Arts It's a Parade stamp. 

Both tags used the same background stamp from my CTMH stash.  The background stamp is a solid block with polka dots.  The stamp is an acrylic stamp and I didn't use a block, but instead free-handed the stamped image using brown and red Archival Ink and didn't use the entire stamped image in any one spot.  A quick pass with the heat tool to dry the Archival Ink and I applied Distress Inks (in this case I used pink, blue, green and yellow) by swiping the pad across the tag.  The Archival Ink resists the Distress Ink and creates the lovely background look. 

The Hero Art silouette stamp seemed to capture just the right look to finish off in black Archival Ink.  The second tag was an attempt to change the background colors and see what the results look like.  The tag definately needed to bright yellow and green to make that background pop right out.  I'm off to do more experimenting in the chemistry lab!

Andie