Happy Birthday to the Best Bestie A Girl Can Have!

Today is the birthday of my best friend, blog sharer and frequent crafty companion Brandy.  Crafting brought us together (see this story which is where this crafty journey started).  I couldn't be more thrilled that all these years later (it's been two decades!) we still have a strong friendship, with a healthy dose of craftiness on the side. 

I made this card to celebrate my friend.  She does more than she should for others, constantly giving of herself.  She is gracious and thankful when you do something kind for her.  She is hardworking and smart - one of the most clever individuals I have had the pleasure to know. 

Most of all, she's my best friend, supporter, confidant and partner in crafty endeavors.  I already gave her this card and her present is a present to me too - we're attending the Embellish It! Play All Day in June 2020, which is a full weekend of craft time.  I can't wait, but know that it will be some of the most special times for the two of us.

Happy Birthday, Brandy.  Sending my love again.

Andie

Simple Fall Themed ATCs Featuring Tim Holtz Products

I am a huge fan of Tim Holtz, especially anything Distress. I had a creative block a few years ago and then I saw a Tim Holtz video on Christmas tags and I have been creating ever since. Thanks, Tim.

When I saw the Glorious Bouquet stamp, I instantly and foolishly thought it would be easy to watercolor.    For the record, it is not.

I stamped the image several times using different inks on different paper (including my Arches hotpress) and I just couldn't get a crisp enough image to watercolor or to even try to to use with my colored pencils. I am not sure what adjectives best describes how I spent most of my day (frustrated,  irritated, or disappointed), but all I know is that I was far from happy with any attempt and was about to throw in the towel, when I decided I was not going to let the stamp beat me.

I decided to do some Distress Oxide blending on Bristol smooth cardstock and once it dried just stamp the image over it.  I figured the fall colors would show through the open parts of the image and they did.  From there I cut it down into ATC sized card fronts that can be used on a small note card in flowers or some other gift to a friend at a difficult time.

Today was a good reminder that not everything is going to turn out exactly as we want it to, but if keep trying it will usually turn out how it is supposed to.  While I don't need reminded of it, today was a great example of Andie's constant friendship. Thanks for being you, my friend.

I'm linking this up to the Simon Says Stamp Tim Holtz linky party.

Distress Oxide Inks on Black Watercolor Paper

Brandy had a great idea to give Distress Oxide inks on black cardstock.  Here's her cards made with the new Gina K. Your Wings stamp set.  This blue and green butterfly is Brandy's favorite card. 

I like them all, but I love the Nuovo drops she added to this version - they make for a bigger pop off the card. 

The Distress Oxides ended up being very fussy to work with.  The stark contrast makes even the smallest boo-boos show through so Brandy fussy cut this one butterfly out and popped it up with foam squares. 

I'm entering the blue butterfly card into Simon Says Stamp's Midsummer Blues Monday and Wednesday challenges.  I think they are delightful. 

Andie for 

Black Watercolor Paper Experiments

Brandy and I both picked up some Legion Stonehenge Aqua black watercolor paper.  Brandy beat me to the punch and did some experiments to see how the paper works.  This first card was made using Distress Oxide inks to watercolor the flowers after having stamped and using holographic heat embossed image.  Brandy reported that the paper is somewhat fine for a watercolor paper so she felt that the paper reacted differently than most white watercolor papers.  She also wasn't fully pleased with the colors that she was able to get so she tried her Finetec shimmery watercolors for this second card.

The background on this version didn't create the depth that she was looking for so she fussy cut out the flowers and mounted on a second page, splattering Finetec watercolors in the background.  Brandy is uncertain with both cards, but I think they are very different than normal techniques and so have a charm all their own.  Don't you think they are beautiful too?

Andie for 

Many Thanks - A Set of Cards

I am sharing a card set that Brandy made using her Distress Oxide inks to blend.  Each card features a colored cardstock embossed card base with a coordinating color to the ink blended panel.  The horse jumping stamp is from the stash and she's used to great effect here.  The previous background was a watercolor wash and these are ink blending.  Both are great, but the Distress Oxides are beautiful in the blending that is created. 

This set of cards is going to be a gift for her son who has his own horse breeding and training business.  I think they are just perfect for his purposes and her talent.  We all love to make nice things for our kids, but these seem extra nice.

Andie for 

A Last Set of Encouraging Notecards

For this last set of cards, I decided to try out a technique recently shared by Jennifer McGuire on her You Tube channel.  I used a similar technique - laying down oxide ink onto the background and then using the same ink and a background stamp to intensify the color.  I ended up stamping the background ink multiple times to ensure a solid stamp and difference in color.  Then I used a foam blending pad and my Ink Blending Tool to apply a very thin layer of Micro Glaze to the top of the paper.  This is the same product as the Distress Micro Glaze, just made by Judykins.  I stamped the sentiment using my Mama Elephant's Hello Friend Wishes stamp set to create a striking contrast before adding the Micro Glaze.

On the inside, simple, encouraging sentiments.

After my coworkers wrote their notes of encouragement, I selected an assortment of magazines, movies, books of games, a mug with Zen tea, an aroma therapy candle, a branded water bottle from our company, a soft pillow for head/back and the cards all tucked behind to be read at his leisure.

We delivered the basket of well wishes to him and expressed our wish for his speedy recovery.  I'm sure it warmed his heart and encouraged his soul, which was the point.

So Blessed Card Sets

I'm sharing this card set which I made replicas to use as presents this Christmas season.  I was inspired by the techniques used by Nicole Spohr in this video.  A couple of differences - I used my Simon Says Stamp Spring Flowers stamps and fussy cut the flowers and leaves out.  I used my Honey Bee Bless Your Heart die set for the sentiment and I used some Ranger texture paste which was translucent rather than white.  All these things created differences with the inspiration, but I loved my results, so I can't complaint or criticize. 

I wondered what I would think of these green flowers.  Given green is my favorite color, I'm enamored.  They may not be realistic, but if you saw this rainbow set of cards in person I'm sure your heart would sing like mine did! 

That's 14 cards in all folks.  So very much fun and I'll have to say that the Christmas season has brought me much fun in the way of card making bliss and I hope to gift all of these away for the pleasure of my friends and family.

I hope all your Christmas plans are going just as swimmingly!

A Cheerfully Sherbet Kind of Card

So, I'd picked up the first 12 of the Distress oxide inks and thought to create something stunning with them.  I'm not sure that this qualifies, but I really enjoyed the creating.

The Distress Oxides are so creamy and smooth.  They go onto Bristol paper (all elements in this card...) so well and they stamp neatly too.  I die cut the balloon using my Studio Katia Dotted Balloons dies to cut one big balloon out of the center of my card.  I then layered the Distress oxides, creating a smooth transition by going back over the areas.  A little splattered water makes a nice finish.

I just love how the ink coordinates to stamp the sentiment.  Crisp, clear and easier to read in person than my photography shows.  I've wanted to make a window card like this for quite a while and was pleasantly pleased with how this turned out.

Wow, a second card this week with no flowers.  I'm going to link up to the City Crafter Challenge Blog: You Don't Bring Me Flowers challenge, Simon Say Stamp's Wednesday Challenge: Add A Sentiment and Word Art Wednesday's Challenge296/297: Anything Goes.