Water Color for Card Makers - Day 2 Washes

On the second day of my Online Card Class, we were instructed to work with watercolors like Distress Inks or Peerless water colors to create a wash effect  the idea was to experiment with our paper and watercolor to see how it moves and works when blending.  I'm stopping by tonight to share my experiments.

This was created with three different colors  one at a time.  I used a fair amount of water on this one.  I used Distress Ink for each of the following.

This one I tried to create an ombre look.  This is tougher than I thought,  but I really like the finish.

This last was intended to keep each stripe separate,  but blend in a way so that there is ultimately a smooth transition.   I'm sure I'll make cards from these and will share the final result when I do.  Hope your first day of fall was spectacular.

Champions

I had mentioned before that my daughter Katie was finishing up her fall softball season.  Last night was the team party and what a good time had by all.  The typeset on this frame was created using Word and text boxes as I recently discussed in several blog posts.  After printing, I used the Cricut to cut a square frame out of the cream cardstock to make the picture frame.   I used Distress Ink to alter the frame and soften around the edges.  The girls obliged by signing the frame making it unique and special. Each of the four coaches received their own picture.  This has been a running gift for the 12 or more seasons that Katie has been in softball.  Dan's pictures are hung on Katie's bedroom walls along with her medals earned.  It makes for a nice decoration and good memories.

I once again created picture books for each of the girls.  The photo albums contain pictures taken during the games and are a smattering of individual shots along with group photos.  This year the team was fortunate to work hard and pull together to win the end of season tournament.  In a hard fought battle, the Angry Birds overtook the AZ Heat in a 5-4 nail biter.  The win took at least one good play from each of the girls and definitely spoke to the coaches and girls about the importance of team play. 

 There is a considerable amount of work involved if you consider that I have to take 10-12 pictures to get one good action shot.  Besides the sorting of the pictures, I also create the front and back covers that are inserted in each book.  However, the fun of looking through these memories and the joy at capturing that picture that *looks* just like each girl more than pays for any effort expended.  The album is also a tradition, so Katie has a whole box full of albums to go along with her wonderful memories.  My hope is that in the years to come these girls will cherish and enjoy the albums as much as I had fun and joy at making them.

Congratulations to the Tempe Ladyhawks 14U Fastpitch softball tournament champions!

Andie

Beautiful Copic Marker Colored Digi Stamp

Brandy has been at it again, this time playing with her Copic markers.  This beautiful image is a digistamp which has been printed onto a piece of white specialty stamping paper.  The image on the right was the first, learning attempt and the image on the left is the final product.  Each image is finished with multiple Distress Ink layers applied in different colors using the Ink Blending Tool.  This image became the face of a beautiful notecard, but I didn't grab a snapshot before Brandy sent this off in the mail.  Don't you just love Brandy's work?

Brandy (by Andie)

Glitz Stamp Set

I picked up a couple of sets of Glitz stamps and tried out my Distress markers with a couple of the stamps.  First, I stamped the images using black Archival Ink onto Strathmore watercolor paper.  I used the blending with Distress Markers technique to color the images.  The watercolor paper was distressed further using my Ink Blending Tool and Distress Ink pads (mostly Scattered Straw, Pine Needles and Vintage Photo) and then the rose, bird and butterfly were lifted off the card using foam squares.  I even used the Distress Markers and a water pen on the ribbon to bleed the colors.  I really like the soft result of the sentiment.  Everything is mounted on a piece of patterned paper that was distressed using Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress Inks and ultimately adhered to a cream cardstock card which was also distressed like the patterned paper.  I am looking forward to making more cards using these stamps.  The detail is amazing and very strongly transfers to the final stamped result.  The Eiffel tower stamp and my Cricut French Manor cart are destined for a collision.

Andie

Rusted Enamel Notecards

I snapped together these matching note cards using left over trial pieces from the wooden anniversary box.  The patterned paper is from the K & Co. paper pack that I've been working through over the past couple of months.  The glassine flowers were left over from my first trials with the glassine paper.  The larger shapes were cut from Cricut's Paper Lace cart.  The larger "flower" shape and the smaller teal embellishment was distressed using the Rusted Enamel technique.  I just love how this technique appropriately ages the embellishment and adds depth to the card.  I still have yet to decide what the sentiment should be on these cards, so I may wait until the need arises. 

This one last card was also made with some scraps.  I used the Wrinkle Free Distress technique to create the background and then stamped with the Fiskars stamp using coffee Archival Ink.  The frame is also a leftover from the wooden anniversary box trials and the bronze pearls from Queen and Co.  The flower comes from my ancient silk flower stash and seemed to add just the right splash of color for this card.

I've decided to link this card up to the Focal Point Challenge over at the Moxie Fab World.   I suggest you join me in the fun!




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

Tissue Tape Flowers

I picked up some Tim Holtz Tissue Tape during a couple of clearance sales recently. I've used tissue tape on only a few projects, so I went looking online for ideas. I first happened upon Tim's youtube video on making tissue tape flowers. I cut some circles out using the Cricut and followed Tim's instructions to create the flowers found on this card.

Tissue tape was adhered around the edge of the white cardstock card.  I simply tore off the tape along the edge.  The patterned paper was layered over this edging.  The frame was cut from Cricut's Plantin Schoolbook, distress with an Ink Blending Tool and some Distress Ink.  The stamping is done with Coffee Archival Ink.

I've decided to link this card up to the The Minty Fresh Challenge over at the Moxie Fab World.   I suggest you join me in the fun!

Andie

Creative Chemistry 101- Stamping with Embossing Folders

The last technique that I needed to practice involved stamping an image on an embossing folder and transferring that image onto the paper.  This image of a bird and music was done using a borrowed Grand Caliber with a Cuttlebug embossing folder.  Brandy actually put this frame and stamp together and then I inked the image produced with Distress Inks.  The result is lovely.  The twine was spritzed with a bit of Re-inker mist to match the color palette.  A quick and easy card front for any  project and a good use for embossing folders where you can create a different look each time.

Andie

Creative Chemistry 101-Distress Stickles Technique

The last technique, the last day of instruction!  How did it end so soon?  Well, all good things and all that...  The last technique shared was using Distress Stickles.  Honestly, I hadn't actually owned Distress Stickles because I tend to only buy Stickles when I have a specific purpose in mind.  I don't use them much as I have glittler in excess and  it's just easier to lay down some clue and glitter when I need it.

When Tim described Distress Stickles and how to use them, I was surprised.  They aren't really meant (though you can) to be used to create dots of glitter or swirls on the page much like I've seen for the remaining Stickles line.  Instead, they are used to create a fine layer of glitter by spreading over the top of the finished product.  I just used my finger to gently rub the stickles directly on the tag surface.  I knew I had to use green on my last tag.  So this one was made with Peeled Paint, Vintage Photo and Shattered Straw.  My intention is to use these techniques in cards and other projects.  Hopefully this inspiration infusion will create a desire to craft regularly.  Crafting is relaxing and stress reducing as it reminds me that I am not the sum total of what I do at work day in and day out. 

Andie

Creative Chemistry 101- Perfect Splatter Distress

Perfect Pearls just make everything perfect!  This technique enhances the wrinkle free distress technique that we learned back in day 2 of the class.  How wonderful?!  Just like before, distress ink is pressed out of the pad onto the craft mat.  The difference in this technique is that a small amount of Perfect Pearls is splashed down on the craft mat with the ink.  I would guess the amount is somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4 of a teaspoon.  Water is spritzed on the whole thing and then the tag is swipped through the mixture, using the heat tool to dry between layers. 

These two tags were my first try.  I love the coppery look to the first tag (on the right).  I like how it captured the "aged patina" of copper.  The tag on the right was created from the pooled ink left over after the first tag was finished.  Different pallette, but still a cool result. 

The second try worked out just as well, if not doing a better job capturing a patina look.  Again, the tag on the left is the first pass through the unmixed ink and the second tag is made from the left over ink.  Now I have to figure out how to use these tags in a project.  Because the class has to be more that making tags to lay around the room, right?

Andie

Creative Chemistry 101- Perfect Distress

The next technique was meant to demonstrate using Perfect Pearls over a stamped image to create an enhanced distress look.  First, we'll review a couple of epic FAILs.



The background was made using the Distress Stains .  The images were stamped with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink and dusted with a gold Perfect Pearls.  You can see how the pearls were much too heavy. 

This picture demonstrates that at the right angle, the images aren't bad.  However, the result is far from usable. 

The next tag wasn't such a big fail (other than the poor stamping of the sentiment).  However, it still didn't work quite right. 

This bird in flight was very close to the right technique, except for the heavy handed application of Perfect Pearls.  You can't see it in this image, but the bird is barely discernible if held at the right angle.

Ah, that's pretty much it.  Water was spritzed over the image after the Perfect Pearls was applied.  The water caused the slight bleeding of the red/brown Distress Inks.  This tag looks better in person, but I like the result very much.  Guess it just took a little practice (if you can call four times "a little").

Andie

Creative Chemistry 101- Rusted Enamel Technique

The technique demonstrated here is the rusted enamel technique.  This super simple technique provides a wealth of texture and depth of color that I previously had not achieved with the whole distressed look.  Maybe I just had to wait for the "simple" technique. :)

Distress ink is applied to the entire surface.  As quickly as it is applied, the surface is coated with clear embossing powder.  The back of the tag is flicked with your finger to dislodge random areas of embossing powder which creates that lovely texture.  The powder is melted using a heat gun and then the color is enhanced with the Ink Blending Tool and Distress Inks (mostly Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain).  I can see this on a paper mache boxes to hold gifts, on the face of cards, etc.  Love, love, love this technique.

Andie