August Christmas card: Simple and traditional

I sat down to make some cards this morning, and I knew I needed to work on my August Christmas cards. But I wasn't in a very Christmas-y frame of mind, so I decided to keep this batch very clean and simple. Instead of doing a lot of stamping, I focused on the new Toile Tidings Designer Series Paper (DSP), which will be in the 2019 Holiday Catalog from Stampin' Up!

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Season's Greetings
Paper: Toile Tidings DSP; Very Vanilla, Real Red, Garden Green card stock
Ink: Real Red, Garden Green
Accessories: Toile Tidings glitter enamel dots, All-Year Cheer washi tape, Scripty Joy die (Lawn Fawn), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute)

I really try to limit my patterned paper purchases -- I don't use it enough and already have a good stash -- but I love this pack of DSP. There are six monochromatic prints in the pack (two sheets of each print). One side of each piece has the print in Real Red, and the other side has the same print in Garden Green. That meant it was easy to do make the same card design in two colors for a little variety.

For my cards I used two pieces of the DSP: one with scenic holiday images and the other a classic stripe. I cut the piece with the scenes into nine 4" x 4" pieces, and the stripes are 4" x 1-1/2". For each card (five green and four red), I adhered the larger piece of DSP to the striped piece, overlapping the piece by 1/4". I placed a strip of narrow silver washi tape along the seam and wrapped the ends around to the back of the DSP. Then I adhered the panel to a card base of the same color.

To keep the DSP as the focal image, I didn't add a lot of embellishment. I die cut word "joy" three times for each card, glued them together, and then glued the stack to the card front just above the washi tape. I used the Toile Tidings glitter enamel dots to add the dot above the J, and then I added a larger dot in the upper left corner of the card. Inside the card I added a layer of Very Vanilla card stock with a sentiment stamped in coordinating ink.

Thanks for stopping by!

One-layer card: Blue and green wreath

As I mentioned in my last post, this morning I had a chance to make two clean and simple (CAS) single-layer cards for Challenge #166 at the Addicted to CAS blog. The first card featured some happy yellow flowers and no-line coloring. For this card I used heat embossing and some light watercoloring:

Supplies:
Stamps: Weekend Doodles (Altenew)
Paper: Solar White 110-lb card stock (Neenah)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black (Tsukineko); ZIG Clean Color Real Brush pens - 036, 041, 033 (Kuretake)
Accessories: Clear embossing powder (Stampamania), clear droplets (Pretty Pink Posh), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute), water brush (Kuretake)

I used the same stamp set for this card as I used for the first card. I just love the images, and there are great sentiments, too. I chose one of the wreath images for this card, stamped it in the middle of a white card base with VersaFine Onyx Black ink and then embossed it with clear embossing powder.

I wanted to try a little watercoloring with this image, but since I didn't stamp on watercolor paper, I knew I had to be careful with the amount of water I used. The ZIG Clean Color Real Brush pens worked perfectly for this card. I chose a green, a light blue, and a teal pen and then started filling in the leaves.

For each leaf, I added a few strokes of color at the base of the leaf. Then I used a water brush to pull the color toward the tip of the leaf. I didn't blend it out too much because A) I didn't want to add too much water on the card stock, and B) I wanted to keep the look of the strokes. Once the blended color was mostly dry, I added a bit more color, again at the base of the leaf, so there a few shades of color. (A few of the leaves have a tiny white spot in the middle. That's from stray embossing powder - I forgot to check for any renegade granules before I heated the powder. It's just extra character, right?)

With the coloring done, I stamped and embossed a sentiment below the image and added three small clear droplets around the wreath. I'm really pleased with the way this single-layer card turned out!

Thanks for stopping by!

One-layer card: Yellow flowers

I had a little time this morning between chores and errands, and it was the prefect chance to make a couple of clean and simple (CAS) single-layer cards for Challenge #166 at the Addicted to CAS blog. I learned about the challenge through another blog I follow, Stampin' with Jaydee, and I think I'll have to try more of these challenges in the future, because CAS cards are some of my favorites. I'm going to share the cards in two separate posts, so here is the first one:

Supplies:
Stamps: Weekend Doodles (Altenew)
Paper: Solar White 110-lb card stock (Neenah)
Ink: Fadeout Ink (Ink on 3); colored pencils - PC916, PC1003, PC1002, PC911 (PrismaColor); Basic Gray (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Washi tape (Stampin' Up!), sparkling clear sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), Gamsol kit (Taylored Expressions), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute)

I make CAS cards often, and they don't usually have too many layers. But I do like to add a little dimension by popping up the sentiment or focal image on a card. So to make a card with only one layer was a fun little challenge.

I started by pulling out the Weekend Doodles stamp set from Altenew, which I've had for awhile but haven't used yet. It has perfect images for one-layer cards. I selected this pretty bunch of flowers and decided to have a go with a technique I think I've only tried once before: no-line coloring.

I stamped the image with Fadeout ink and then traced over the image and colored it in with colored pencils. I also blended the pencils with Gamsol to soften the lines a bit.

I like how the flowers turned out -- yellow flowers are so cheery! -- but the leaves aren't quite right. I think the outlines on the leaves seem a little too dark. But for a second try, it's not too bad. I just need to practice more. (Practice is not something I'm good at. Not because I don't want to do the work, but because the perfectionist in me wants to be able to do something perfectly the first time I try it. Silly, I know, and also a little frustrating.)

To finish this CAS card, I stamped a sentiment next to the flowers, added a few tiny clear sequins and adhered a strip of gray striped washi tape along the bottom of the card to coordinate with the color of the sentiment.

And that's it! You can check out my second card for the Addicted to CAS challenge in my next post: "One-layer card: blue and green wreath." Thanks for stopping by!

Check You Out

When I first looked through the 2019-20 Stampin' Up! catalog a few months ago, one of the sets that jumped out at me was Check You Out. It has adorable book-related images, including an owl and a book worm, and some great sentiments that make it great for school- or library-themed cards or even cute notes for everyday occasions.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Check You Out
Paper: Coastal Cabana, Whisper White card stock; Solar White 110-lb card stock (Neenah)
Ink: Coastal Cabana, Poppy Parade, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede
Accessories: Glitter enamel dots, linen thread, Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers), Dimensionals

Eeep! Aren't they cute? I have to say that I absolutely love these two cards. They're nothing fancy -- just stamping and fussy cutting -- but clean and simple cards have always been some of my favorites.

I don't think I need to explain everything step-by-step, but here are a few notes:
- The glasses on the owl are a separate stamp, so you could leave them off and/or add them to the book worm. (Speaking of which, I forgot to take a picture, but I stamped the bookworm on the inside of these cards.)
- I stamped the library pocket twice: once with Crumb Cake and once with Coastal Cabana. I trimmed out the card part from the Coastal Cabana image and adhered it to the Crumb Cake image to create the two-color effect.
- There aren't any dies for this stamp set (one of the few times I wished for coordinating dies!), but the images are easy enough to hand cut since they mostly have smooth edges.
- The font of the sentiments is sized to fit on the library card. Cute!

I have a good friend who is an elementary school media specialist, and these cards are perfect for her. I'm going to put one in the mail tomorrow to wish her luck during the new school year. Thanks for stopping by!

Sneak peek: Snow Front

If you are a fan of the scene-building stamp set Waterfront from Stampin' Up!, then you will definitely love its winter counterpart, Snow Front, which will be available in the upcoming 2019 Holiday Catalog.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Snow Front, Hardwood
Paper: Cajun Craze, Pool Party, Very Vanilla
Ink: Cajun Craze, Soft Suede, Old Olive, Crushed Curry, Pool Party
Accessories: Layering Squares dies, Stitched Shapes dies, braided linen trim, Neutrals Candy Dots, foam tape (3M)

There are so many different cozy winter scenes you could create with this stamp set, but when I sat down to try it out, I decided to make a couple of autumn-themed cards instead.

For the first card, I started my scene by stamping a stream, a small grassy hill, and a cluster of three trees. One of the stamps in the set is a cluster of small dots; I assumed it was meant to be snow, but it works perfectly as leaves for the bare trees. I stamped the image two or three times before re-inking to create depth of color and fill out the trees. Finally I added the two little deer by the stream. I cut out the scene with a stitched square die and matted it with a Pool Party scalloped square.

For the rest of the card, I stamped a Cajun Craze card base with the Hardwood background stamp. I cut three strips of linen braided trim, unraveled the ends, and adhered them slightly above the middle of the card front. I attached the focal image over the trim using foam tape and added two brown Candy Dots in the lower right corner.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: Snow Front, Check You Out
Paper: Very Vanilla, thick Very Vanilla, Soft Suede card stock
Ink: Pool Party, Soft Suede, Old Olive, Crushed Curry, Cajun Craze
Accessories: Pinewood Planks embossing folder, Stitched Nested Labels dies, burlap ribbon, clear Wink of Stella glitter brush pen

For the second scene I stamped a pond instead of a stream and placed the deer on the grassy hill under one large tree. I also painted the pond with my clear Wink of Stella pen to give it a little sparkle, but I couldn't quite capture it with the camera. I used Crushed Curry and Cajun Craze together -- again stamping multiple times before re-inking -- to create the leaves on the tree. I also added a small sentiment to my scene and die cut it with the largest Stitched Nested Labels die.

For the card base I used thick Very Vanilla card stock and added a layer of Soft Suede embossed with the Pinewood Planks embossing folder. I wrapped a piece of burlap ribbon around the top of the embossed panel before adhering it to the card. I trimmed off the top point of the die-cut focal panel and adhered it just under the burlap ribbon.

I love the versatility of these scene-building stamp sets, and I hope new ones keep coming! Thanks for stopping by!

Variations on a sunset theme

When I shared the cards I made for the card contest at the stamp show last month I mentioned that I made several versions of the first card. Here are the rest of those sunset silhouettes:

Supplies:
Stamps: 3201 Organic Set (Rubbernecker Stamps)
Paper: Watercolor paper (Somerset Velvet), Basic Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black (Tsukineko); Gansai Tambi watercolor paints - 31 Cadmium Scarlet, 33 Cadmium Orange, 63 Cerulean Blue, 67 Indigo (Kuretake)
Accessories: Sparkling clear sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), clear embossing powder (Stampamania), foam tape (3M), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter)

This card is almost identical to the one I submitted for the contest, so I wasn't sure if I should even post it. But I think it's neat to see the variations in the background colors, even though I used the same paint colors. The sequins also give a little different feel from the clear droplets in the first card. Since the sequins have a little sparkle, they make me think of stars twinkling in the sky.

Supplies:
Stamps: 3201 Organic set (Rubbernecker Stamps); Twinkle, Twinkle Background (Taylored Expressions); The Shape of Things (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: Blueberry Bushel card stock (Stampin' Up!), watercolor paper (Somerset Velvet)
Ink: Blueberry Bushel (Stampin' Up!); Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko); Colorburst powders - Cadmium Scarlet, Alizarin Crimson, Orange, Marigold, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Violet (Ken Oliver Crafts)
Accessories: Clear embossing powder (Stampamania), white/silver twine (Stampin' Up!), Ice White Pearl Pen (Viva Decor), foam tape (3M)

Speaking of twinkling stars, I decided to stamp a starry night sky background for this sunset card. I also added a few tiny white dots to the background with a pearl pen.

For this card and the last two I used a different technique to make the sunset panel. I placed several different colors of Colorburst powder in a pallet and added a few drops of water to each color. I painted the colors on a solid rectangle-shaped rubber stamp, spritzed the stamp with water, and then stamped it onto watercolor paper. It's a little harder to control how the paints mix with this method, but it's fun to pick up the stamp and see the results.

Once the "sunset" was dry I stamped and embossed the silhouette image and the sentiment. To finish the card I wrapped silver and white twine around the card front and tied it in a bow. I used foam tape to attach the watercolor panel over the twine.

Supplies:
Stamps: 3201 Organic set (Rubbernecker Stamps), The Shape of Things (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: Blueberry Bushel, Basic Black card stock (Stampin' Up!); watercolor paper (Somerset Velvet)
Ink: VersaMark (Tsukineko); Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko); Colorburst powders - Cadmium Scarlet, Alizarin Crimson, Orange, Marigold, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Violet (Ken Oliver Crafts)
Accessories: Clear embossing powder (Stampamania), sparkling clear sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), Ice White Pearl Pen (Viva Decor), foam tape (3M), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter)

These last two cards are very similar; I basically just changed out the images and sentiment.

For the background, I used VersaMark to stamp a few of the foliage images from the stamp set all around the edges of the Blueberry Bushel card base and then embossed them with clear embossing powder.

I matted the focal layer with Basic Black card stock to give it a narrow frame and added a few clear sequins for a simple embellishment.

Supplies:
Stamps: 3201 Organic set (Rubbernecker Stamps), The Shape of Things (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: Blueberry Bushel, Basic Black card stock (Stampin' Up!); watercolor paper (Somerset Velvet)
Ink: VersaMark (Tsukineko); Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko); Colorburst powders - Cadmium Scarlet, Alizarin Crimson, Orange, Marigold, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Violet (Ken Oliver Crafts)
Accessories: Clear embossing powder (Stampamania), sparkling clear sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), Ice White Pearl Pen (Viva Decor), foam tape (3M), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter)
And here is the last card. I think the focal image I used on this card (and several of the others) is my favorite of this stamp set; I love the long stems and the combination of flowers and leaves.

I also really like the vibrancy of the Colorburst powders on the watercolor paper. But I do wish the colors had blended together a little bit more instead of leaving the harsh lines. I think I just need a little more practice.

So, what's the verdict? Do you think I should have entered one of these other cards instead of the one I did? (Although honestly, I still don't think I would have won, because the cards that did win were a very different style from mine.)

Thanks for stopping by!

Alcohol inks, part 2

Welcome back to the second installment of cards created with alcohol ink. (If you missed the first installment, you can check it out in yesterday's post.) I used a group of three alcohol inks to make all of the cards today -- Espresso, Denim, and Lettuce -- and again focused on masculine designs.

Supplies:
Paper: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso card stock (Stampin' Up!); Tim Holtz YUPO paper (Ranger)
Ink: Tim Holtz alcohol inks - Espresso, Denim, Lettuce (Ranger)
Accessories: Layering Ovals dies (Stampin' Up!), Woodland Silhouettes 2 dies (Taylored Expressions), pearl mixarive and alcohol blending solution (Ranger), Dimensionals (Stampin' Up!)

I'm going to apologize in advance for the overly bright, not great pictures. I don't know much about photo editing, so my attempt to make them better wasn't very successful. I also don't like these cards  as much overall as the ones I shared yesterday. I suppose they can't all be masterpieces, right?

But this card is my favorite of today's group. These colors have a woodsy feel to me, and I think this clean and simple layout would be perfect for outdoorsy or nature-loving guys and gals. I used neutral Crumb Cake and Early Espresso colors for the card base and layers so the alcohol inks could really be the focus. I chose a die-cut bear for the main image, but you could easily swap out the bear for a different animal, trees or foliage, or even a sentiment.

Supplies:
Paper: Granny Apple Green, Early Espresso card stock (Stampin' Up!); Tim Holtz YUPO paper (Ranger); copper foil sheets (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Tim Holtz alcohol inks - Espresso, Denim, Lettuce (Ranger)
Accessories:"It's your day" die (Simon Says Stamp ), burlap ribbon trim and vintage brads (Stampin' Up!), copper Deco Foil (Therm-o-Web), alcohol blending solution (Ranger), 1/4" Scor-Tape (Scor-Pal), foam tape (3M)
This is a fun layout for using up scraps of paper (especially if you have coordinating patterned papers that you can mix and match). To break up the strips of alcohol ink paper, I added a strip of burlap trim ribbon (secured with copper mini brads) and some copper Deco Foil.

The fun thing about Deco Foil is that you can use it with double-sided adhesive; I usually use Scor-Tape. For this card I adhered a strip of 1/4" Scor-Tape to the card base, removed the backing and then placed the sheet of Deco Foil over the exposed adhesive. I rubbed along the tape with my finger, then pulled up the sheet, and -- ta da! -- a shiny strip of copper.

For the focal image, I die cut the "It's your day" die from Early Espresso card stock and added a piece of copper foil sheet behind it to add one more metallic touch.

Supplies:
Paper: True Thyme, Blueberry Bushel card stock (Stampin' Up!); Tim Holtz YUPO paper (Ranger)
Ink: Tim Holtz alcohol inks - Espresso, Denim, Lettuce (Ranger)
Accessories:"It's your day" die (Simon Says Stamp ), Ray of Sunshine cutting plate (Taylored Expressions), Mermaid Mix sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), alcohol blending solution (Ranger), clear Wink of Stella glitter brush pen (Kuretake), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter), foam tape (3M)
My goal with this card and the next one was to die cut the Rray of Sunshine cutting plate from a piece of alcohol ink paper and then use the outline for one card and the inside piece for another. This, obviously, is the card with the outline.

For the middle of the sunburst, I used the "It's your day" die again, this time cut from Blueberry Bushel card stock and backed with True Thyme (which is a long-retired Stampin' Up! color, a nice greenish-brown neutral). I popped that up with foam tape and added a few sequins for a little sparkle.

Supplies:
Stamps: Birthday Backgrounds (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: True Thyme, Blueberry Bushel card stock (Stampin' Up!); Tim Holtz YUPO paper (Ranger)
Ink: True Thyme; Tim Holtz alcohol inks - Espresso, Denim, Lettuce (Ranger)
Accessories:"Happy birthday" die (Simon Says Stamp ), Ray of Sunshine cutting plate (Taylored Expressions), True Thyme stitched ribbon (Stampin' Up!), Scor-Tape (Scor-Pal), alcohol blending solution (Ranger), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter)

That would make this the card that used the inside pieces from the Ray of Sunshine cutting plate. At least that was the idea. When I started gluing the pieces onto Blueberry Bushel card stock, I messed up the spacing somehow, so I ended up with half a panel instead of a whole one. I tried to salvage that and still make a card, but I'm really not crazy about how it turned out.

I used a True Thyme card base and stamped the top half with a fun background stamp (that kind of mimics the shape of the sunburst) and added the alcohol ink pieces on the bottom half. I used a piece of ribbon to cover the seam and add a little texture. Then I adhered a blue die-cut "Happy birthday" above the ribbon and two flags of alcohol ink paper along the fold of the card. I'm not exactly sure what it is I don't like about this card; I think it just seems like a mish-mash of stuff that doesn't really go together.

Well, that's it for my alcohol ink cards for this round. When I make the next batch, I think I'll try some bright pinks and purples. Thanks for stopping by!

Alcohol inks, part 1

Awhile back I had fun playing with alcohol inks and YUPO paper and then turning my experiments into cards. Now I'm finally getting around to sharing those cards. (I have a hard time keeping my blogging up-to-date with my cards. With the exception of time-sensitive things, like my monthly Christmas cards, I feel like I'm always posting something I made weeks ago. Sigh.)

I used two different groups of alcohol ink colors, so this post will focus on one color combo, and I'll share the cards from the second group in my next post. For both groups I tried to focus on masculine cards, so I hope these cards offer you some inspiration!

Supplies:
Paper: River Rock card stock (Stampin' Up!), Tim Holtz YUPO Paper (Ranger)
Ink: Tim Holtz alcohol inks - Oregano, Meadow, Stream, Terra Cotta (Ranger); Iced Americano glitter marker (Nuvo)
Accessories: Paper Layering Feather die (Hero Arts), twine (unknown), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter), adhesive dots (Glue Dots)
Other: Rubbing alcohol and/or alcohol ink blending solution (Ranger)

I used the four alcohol inks for all of the cards I'm sharing today: Oregano, Meadow, Stream, and Terra Cotta. (The seahorse card in my Underwater Adventures post was also made with these colors.) I honestly don't remember what specific techniques I used to create these designs. I usually just play around with dropping on inks, adding rubbing alcohol, tilting the paper to mix the colors, and adding more ink and/or alcohol. Sometimes I add alcohol to the paper before the inks, and you can also put alcohol in a mister and spray it on for a different effect. With YUPO paper, the ink doesn't sink into the fibers, so you can keep changing the look. Just experiment!

I ended up with several pieces of pretty paper, so I tried to come up with a few different ways to use them. For this card I die cut a bunch of feathers and adhered them all over a neutral card base. (Tip: When die cuts hang off the edge of a card, you can use the part you trim off. For example, the feather tip along the bottom of this card was what I trimmed off the feather in the bottom right corner.) For simple embellishment I added a twine bow to one of the feathers and used a glitter marker to create a dotted border around the edges of the card.

Supplies:
Stamps: Birthday Blessings (Gina K Designs), Versatile Verses (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: Cajun Craze, Bermuda Bay, Old Olive, Early Espresso, Soft Sea Foam card stock (Stampin' Up!), Tim Holtz YUPO Paper (Ranger)
Ink: Early Espresso (Stampin' Up!); Tim Holtz alcohol inks - Oregano, Meadow, Stream, Terra Cotta (Ranger)
Accessories: Paper Layering Feather die (Hero Arts), Subtle embossing folder (Stampin' Up!), Triple Banner punch (Stampin' Up!), linen thread (Stampin' Up!), pearl mixative (Ranger), foam tape (3M)
Other: Rubbing alcohol and/or alcohol ink blending solution (Ranger)

For this panel I also added pearl mixative to the alcohol inks, which gives it a subtle shimmer (although you can't really tell in the photo). I used the panel as a background on a Cajun Craze card base, which I embossed with the Subtle embossing folder. I used the feathers again, but this time I cut them out of coordinating solid card stock to break up the busy background. I stamped a greeting on a card stock banner, added some twine and used foam tape to add it to the card.

Inside the card I adhered a panel stamped with a sentiment and added a die-cut feather that was leftover from the first card. I like that little pop of color when you open the card.

Do you like to decorate the insides of your cards? I do sometimes, usually if there is something that seems "obvious," such as adding a leftover die cut or stamping the same image as on the card front (like balloons for a birthday card). But I don't typically spend a lot of time or energy on the insides because I'd rather be using that time to make more cards. :)

Supplies:
Paper: Coastal Cabana card stock (Stampin' Up!), Tim Holtz YUPO Paper (Ranger)
Ink: Tim Holtz alcohol inks - Oregano, Meadow, Stream, Terra Cotta (Ranger); Iced Americano glitter marker (Nuvo)
Accessories: Mandala cutting plate (Taylored Expressions), pearls (Stampin' Up!), pearl mixative (Ranger), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter)
Other: Rubbing alcohol and/or alcohol ink blending solution (Ranger)

This is a really clean and simple card. I used the Mandala cutting plate from Taylored Expressions to die cut one of the alcohol ink panels and then adhered the piece to a Coastal Cabana card base.

I've noticed that YUPO paper is sometimes a little trickier to die cut (sometimes I have to run it through my Big Shot a couple of times for intricate dies). So not all of the little tiny pieces came out of this die cut. I pushed some of them out with a paper piercer, but I left a few of them in.

The only embellishment I added was a few pearls. They do give the card a little more feminine feel, but its not overly frilly.

Supplies:
Stamps: Inside & Out: Birthday (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Cajun Craze, Bermuda Bay, Old Olive, Early Espresso, Soft Sea Foam card stock (Stampin' Up!), Tim Holtz YUPO Paper (Ranger)
Ink: Early Espresso (Stampin' Up!); Tim Holtz alcohol inks - Oregano, Meadow, Stream, Terra Cotta (Ranger)
Accessories: Tim Holtz Funky Foliage Thinlits dies (Sizzix), linen thread (Stampin' Up!), clear droplets (Pretty Pink Posh), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter)
Other: Rubbing alcohol and/or alcohol ink blending solution (Ranger)

Here's another card using an alcohol ink panel as a background. I used foliage die cuts for this card, and because they are smaller shapes, I adhered them to a strip of Soft Sea Foam card stock that goes across the whole card front. Without that lighter background, the die-cut shapes would have gotten lost on the background.

I stamped a birthday sentiment on the card stock strip and wrapped linen thread around the card at the bottom of the strip. A few clear droplets finish the card. (I did add an extra die cut to the inside of this card, too, but I won't add a picture here since this post is already long.)

Supplies:
Stamps: Tiny Words (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper: Textured Bermuda Bay, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake card stock (Stampin' Up!), Tim Holtz YUPO Paper (Ranger)
Ink: Early Espresso (Stampin' Up!); Tim Holtz alcohol inks - Oregano, Meadow, Stream, Terra Cotta (Ranger)
Accessories: Strands die (Essentials by Ellen), neutrals assorted brads (Stampin' Up!), pearl mixative (Ranger), foam tape (3M), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter)
Other: Rubbing alcohol and/or alcohol ink blending solution (Ranger)

For this card I used a smaller alcohol ink panel and cut it apart with the Strands die. Then I glued the pieces to a mat of Crumb Cake card stock. It's sort of a background and focal point in one. I used textured Bermuda Bay card stock for the card base and added a strip of Early Espresso card stock across the card front. I added a dark brown brad to the corner of the focal layer and used foam tape to attach it to the card base. You could stop there, but I decided to add a sentiment. I stamped a small "happy birthday" on a little piece of Crumb Cake card stock and added it just above the Early Espresso strip.

Whew! That was a long post - congrats for making it to the end! I'll share the next batch of alcohol ink cards in my next post (there aren't as many photos, so it should be shorter). Thanks for stopping by!

Animal visitors

Today I spent a few hours in our backyard just enjoying being outside. Several animal visitors stopped by, and I managed to get a few photos. They’re not great pictures because I had to use my iPad, which I happened to have outside -- if I’d gone inside for my camera, everyone would have scattered. But I wanted to share them anyway because my animal friends always make me smile.

You have to look closely to see everyone in this photo (sort of like a game of I Spy). Right in front of the tree is a bunny. I think he might live between our garage and our neighbor’s; he’s been hanging around since he was little, and he often bravely ventures out while I’m sitting outside. And he holds his own against the chipmunks in the never-ending battle for the bird food (which is mostly eaten by not birds).

Speaking of the chipmunk, there is one in the photo to the right of the tree, stuffing seeds into his little cheeks at the food dish. They are the most determined little critters. And they make more noise than you would ever think would come out of that little body.

Near the top of the photo, at the left side of the tree, there is a bird sitting on the blue hanging dish. It's nice to actually see a bird at that dish; it seems like more often than not there is a chipmunk parked in there, too.

This giant, fuzzy bumblebee was buzzing around the hostas. It's hard to tell how big he is in this photo, but he was blurry in all the others because, well, he was as busy as a bee!

After I took the first shot, a goldfinch decided to stop at the finch feeder. The goldfinches don't come around too often, so it's fun to see their bright yellow feathers.

I think the only usual critter I didn't get a picture of was a squirrel. They usually chase the chipmunks away from the food, but they were scarce tonight.

Edited to add:
I took the following picture in early July, but I never posted it. I decided to add it to this post so you can get a better look at the chipmunk. (Or more accurately, one of the chipmunks, as there are often three or four chasing each other around the yard.)

Enjoying the backyard was a relaxing way to spend some time after work. I hope you have some time to relax, too. Thanks for stopping by!

Better luck next time

Last weekend I attended a Rubber Stamp Events show. I've gone every year for the last several years, and it's so much fun to shop at all the different vendors, watch demos, and just get all kinds of crafty ideas. One of the things I always look forward to during the show is the card contest. I've won a couple of times, but this year wasn't meant to be. I really liked my cards, though, so I'm excited to share them with you.

Supplies:
Stamps: 3201 Organic Set (Rubbernecker Stamps)
Paper: Watercolor paper (Somerset Velvet), Basic Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black (Tsukineko); Gansai Tambi watercolor paints - 31 Cadmium Scarlet, 33 Cadmium Orange, 63 Cerulean Blue, 67 Indigo (Kuretake)
Accessories: Clear droplets (Pretty Pink Posh), clear embossing powder (Stampamania), foam tape (3M), Art Glitter Glue (Art Institute Glitter)

The theme for Saturday's card contest was Sunrise/Sunset. We could enter two cards for each day, and there weren't many rules other than the entries had to fit in a standard A2 envelope and had to include stamping somewhere on the front of the card.

I knew that for one of my cards I wanted to feature a twilight sky and flower silhouettes. I played around with different watercolor techniques and layouts, and this was my favorite of the bunch. (I'll share the other versions of this card sometime in another post.) I used watercolors to create a simple wash background then stamped and embossed the flowers and sentiment. I added a few clear droplets and mounted the panel on black card stock.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Waterfront, Gorgeous Grunge, Tiny Words (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper: Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White card stock
Ink: Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Crushed Curry, Marina Mist, Soft Sky, Pear Pizzazz, Mossy Meadow
Accessories: Wood Frame Infinity Dies (Hero Arts), burlap trim, Tiny Attached (Tim Holtz), clear Wink of Stella glitter brush pen, foam tape (3M)

My first card didn't have a lot of stamping, but this one is almost all stamping. I created a little mountain setting at sunrise using the Waterfront stamp set. I masked the mountains when I stamped the sun and the sky, but otherwise I just let the stamped images overlap one another. I also added a little Wink of Stella to give the water some sparkle.

When my scene was all stamped, I framed it with a die-cut frame. Here's a tip for the Wood Frame Infinity Dies: Since the dies cut the woodgrain lines into the card stock, the frames might feel a little flimsy. To make mine sturdier, I cut two frames and glued them together, turning one of them 180 degrees first. That helped keep the sides of the frame from bending when I attached it to the stamped panel.

For the rest of the card, I stamped a splatter image all over a Crumb Cake card base and used a mini stapler to attach a piece of burlap trim. With foam tape I added the framed scene to the middle of the card base.

Supplies:
Stamps: KB's Leaf Branch, KB's Birthday Bird (Endless Creations); Mod Floral Stack (Reverse Confetti)
Paper: Soft Suede, Pool Party, Basic Black, Whisper White, Blushing Bride card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko); Blends/Blendabilities markers - Pineapple Punch, Mango Melody, Pool Party, Bermuda B, Soft Suede, Old Olive (Stampin' Up!); W1 marker (Copic)
Accessories: Mini Treat Bag dies (Stampin' Up!), Crystal Effects (Stampin' Up!), Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers), foam tape (3M), clear droplets (Pretty Pink Posh)

The theme for Sunday's card contest was Birds of a Feather. I have a lot of bird stamps, so I had plenty of choices for these entries. For this card, I made a clean and simple card with two love birds standing on a tree branch. I colored the images with alcohol markers, and for some of the shading I applied the color by dotting the marker. I think I've only tried that technique once before, but it adds a fun texture.

I kept the embellishments simple by adding just a few clear droplets around the branch and a pink heart (coated with Crystal Effects) above the birds.

Supplies:
Stamps: February 2018 My Monthly Hero Kit (Hero Arts)
Paper: Thick Whisper White, Basic Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: VersaFine Clair Nocturne (Tsukineko); Twisted Citron, Peacock Feathers Distress Oxide inks (Ranger)
Accessories: Wonky Stitched Circles dies (My Favorite Things), clear embossing powder (Stampamania), Go Green sequins (Craft Medley), Dimensionals (Stampin' Up!)

I decided to go bold and graphic for my last card. I used several images from a bird-themed stamp set to create a background. I used my stamping platform to set up the stamps so I could get a good strong black image by stamping them several times. Then I embossed the background with clear embossing powder.

I didn't want to cover up the birds too much, so I added a strip of black card stock and a die-cut circle with a stamped sentiment. To create a punch of color, I stamped a few feathers using Distress Oxide ink and spritzed them with a little water. I die cut the feathers, attached them around the sentiment and added a few sequins.

I'm sorry I only finished one blog post this week. I've been trying to organize my craft supplies (I had so many various boxes of stamps sitting around that I felt like I was going crazy) and then I had some technical issues with my computer. But I think things are back on track now, so I'll try to get in an extra post next week. Thanks for stopping by!