ALPHABET CHALLENGE - H is for HORTICULTURE

 

Hi friends, and welcome back to my new Alphabet Challenge DT card!

The theme this go-around is H is for HORTICULTURE. You have two whole weeks to play along, and you can enter up to three times any handcrafted items featuring the current theme!

I had so much fun finding a different way to use this old favorite stamp! I colored it basically the same as the indexing sticker (wood mounted stamps were a thing of beauty 20 years ago!) but wanted to extend the scene out as much as possible and as cleanly as possible for a light airy feel. 

THE PROCESS

To start: I stamped the scene centered in black ink on a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 white panel. I cut this down to the size shown to allow for a large border on the white card base. 

Next: I colored the scene with alcohol markers, and highlighted with a white gel pen. I used the cloud die to cut a stencil from heavy weight scrap card stock, and blended ink over it for three clouds that would run over the edges. I then laid the image panel with clouds centered on the card base and gave it a washi tape “hinge” on the bottom edge. This allowed me to stencil clouds on the base card to match up exactly with the top. To soften things, I swished the mostly-empty brush over all of it, and then trimmed the merest sliver off the top and sides of the image panel to make sure there was no line of demarcation. I did the same light application of ink with a blending brush to simulate the extension of the hill at the bottom edge. 

Finishing off: The image panel is mounted on a rectangle of fun foam. The sentiment is triple-stacked for dimension. 

*TIP OF THE DAY*

If you need a stencil image you don’t have, check your dies stash. You can use heavy weight scrap card stock to cut both positive and negative pieces!

SUPPLIES

scene stamp - Uptown Rubber Stamps Birthday Topiaries #H23036

cloud die - Stampin’ Up! Sunshine and Rainbows

Happy Birthday sentiment die - Memory Box Happy Birthday Chic Script #94872

white gel pen

SU & Distress ink pads

alcohol markers

fun foam

Thanks for stopping in today, and I can’t wait to see what you create!

FAUX WATERCOLOR PETALS

Hi friends!

Playing along with this BEAUTIFUL BLOSSOMS challenge 

Anything Floral Goes with Optional INSPO photo #43 (ends 8/1)

and this TRIPLE B: BIRDS, BUTTERFLIES & BLOOMS challenge 

with Optional INSPO photo (ends 7/31)

I came across this beautiful technique on the YouTube channel Positively Papercraft. The video is titled 5 Ways with Vellum (from about two months ago).

It’s incredibly hard to get a true-to-life picture of this card, but I did my best. 

THE PROCESS

Starting off: To create the colored vellum paper (above) used for the flower, I colored in short stripes of various alcohol markers. When the sheet was full of color, I spayed it with isopropyl alcohol - a bit too much, I think, and a couple marker colors weren’t dark enough. My header does mention arty experiments, and I like to bring projects to you as I go along, even when they aren’t perfect. 

As the alcohol was drying, I stenciled a white panel with orange and purple inks to pick up the colors in the petals. 

After the ink was dry, I applied the double sided adhesive to the brighter side of the vellum (shown above), leaving the backing sheet on. I stamped the flower in Versamark ink on the duller side of the vellum and then heat embossed it with detail black powder.  (I think I may have been a bit too heavy-handed with the anti-static powder because some parts of the lines rubbed off and I had to fill them in with a black sharpie fine point marker.)

The flower was die cut, and applied to the card front as shown, over the stenciling. 

Finishing up: The sentiment was die cut from gold glitter card stock, and adhered as shown. As soon as it was in place, I had instantaneous gluer’s remorse - I wished I had scooted it over further into the purple to have the front of the H over the stem. But Bearly Art glue has a remarkably fast drying time on paper. A few gold flat back gems were glued on near the petals.The decorative panel was mounted to a pale purple panel, and then onto the white card front

SUPPLIES

flower stamp & die - Altenew Wonderland set

hello die - Altenew Simply Hello

distressed dots stencil - Stampers Anonymous TH Collection Bubble #THS002

alcohol markers

isopropyl alcohol

vellum

double-sided thin adhesive 

gold flat back gems

gold glitter card stock

Thanks for stopping in today!

SILLY CATS POSTAGE

 

Hi friends!

Playing along with this fun sketch by Michelle over at the 

ATLANTIC HEARTS SKETCH CHALLENGE

(ends 7/26)

…and this SUYP Cats Only - Summer/or Anything Goes - challenge (ends 7/31)

..,and this CRAFT ROCKET challenge

 #138 Animals (ends 7/29)

…and this AS YOU LIKE IT Favorite Pet challenge (ends 7/29)

Love all house pets, but cats would have to be it - the more ridiculous the better. As long as they’re also loving and loyal. 

So I’ve had these sets of mini cat stamps from Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers a lonnnnng time. I don’t know if anyone remembers, but they had the most amazing catalogs and artwork, and super-creative images even for those times, which were a period of real individuality in the stamping world. 

 

THE PROCESS

First steps: I die cut the postage panels first, then used some black Versafine ink to stamp a different cat on each one. 

Next, I lined up the edges of the “stamps” and used assorted inks and shapes to stamp a colorful background.

I heat embossed the sentiment on a textured orange panel using Versamark and white detail embossing powder. 

To finish: I layered a piece of kraft card stock on a white card base, backed the postage panels with black card stock and layered those on as shown. The sentiment strip was mounted on a couple scraps of heavyweight white card stock and adhered in the center. 

SUPPLIES

cat stamps - Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers Art Parts Cats #1 & 2 sets

sentiment stamp - SonLight Impressions #WS 872-C

splotch stamp - JudiKins #3106 D

small dots circle - unmarked thick peg stamp

all other circles, etc - Hero Arts assorted

postage dies - Waffleflower Nesting Postages

black, white  & kraft card stock

Versafine Onyx Black ink pad

Versamark ink pad

Catherine Pooler Party Collection minis set

white detail embossing powder

Thanks for stopping in today!

SWEET BEE TRIO

Hi friends!

Playing along with this very cool sketch by Jen M for FRESHLY MADE SKETCHES challenge  

(ends 7/27)

I kept seeing one of these sweet little bees used on a sample card in my nearest papercraft supply store, and finally inquired.  A customer overheard my question and generously searched the web, figuring the source out in no time.  But my heart fell a bit at hearing it was a monthly kit item, and from years back 😭 

After buying a few of my newest treasures in-store, I got in the car, held my breath, and searched for the set online.  I was determined to buy the stamps with the dies, and the only set preowned and available, was listed for more than a few pretty pennies!  But I was grateful to find it at all, and I don’t have any buyer’s remorse. The seller sent it fast and it was just as I had imagined.  I can’t wait to make many more cards with it…

 

THE PROCESS

First steps: I cut the honeycomb from yellow glitter card stock, then used the same circle die to cut a solid yellow card stock circle to back it. After gluing these pieces together, I backed them with a white card stock circle for stability, and to give the back view of the card uniformity. The excess honeycomb scrap from the glitter card stock was glued along the bottom edge as shown. 

*TIP of the Day*

The easiest way to get even spacing when using up die cut scraps is to lay down a die cut piece and while gluing, just rest the desired scraps in the spaces they came from. Use the glue sparingly and remove the die cut pattern as soon as possible to avoid gluing it to your project accidentally - ask me how I know 😂

All the bees were stamped, colored with alcohol markers and die cut.  The wings were dabbed with glitter glue. 

To finish: I used some Distress Peacock Feathers ink to lightly shade the top of the card front. I used the black ink to stamp the sentiment. 

The stacked circles and bees were adhered as shown.  Some of the wings have small foam dots underneath. 

A few black enamel dots were applied to help ‘round out’ the scene 😁

THE SUPPLIES

bee stamps and dies - Hero Arts January 2021 monthly kit

sentiment stamp -  “    “

honeycomb die -  “     “

circle die - Spellbinders Nestibilities

black ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

blue ink - Distress Peacock Feathers

alcohol ink markers

black enamel dots - Altenew

glitter glue - Stickles Frosted Lace

yellow glitter cardstock - Hero Arts January 2021 monthly kit

Thanks for stopping in today!

ALPHABET CHALLENGE - G is for GAMES

 

Hi friends, and welcome back to my current Alphabet Challenge card!

The letter and theme this go-around is 

G is for GAMES

I’ve chosen this fun Bingo embossing folder as my “game” jumping off point, and combined it with the classic rhyme for double interest. I had to go look up the origins of the song just for fun, and did you know - in various versions it dates all the way back to 1780?! Because of this I really wanted to give the card a vintage feel, and give my white pup some contrast. 

THE PROCESS

 I started out by ink blending a cream color card stock panel with brown ink. This was run through with the Bingo embossing folder and trimmed to fit on a green card front. I used a circle stamp to loosely highlight some number squares in blue ink.

I made some kerchief patterned paper by blending a few shades of red ink as shown onto white card stock, stamping some Western-style stamps in black, and then highlighting the designs with a white gel pen. Here’s a sample partially highlighted:

 I ran a strip of the kerchief paper through with the top of the embossing folder, and fussy cut the Bingo letters out so I could glue them onto the brown panel. The word quote was computer generated, mounted on heavy weight card stock, and die cut. Music notes were stamped in black and fussy cut. The dog was colored in with alcohol markers and fussy cut.  A tongue was added in pink card stock, and I free-hand cut a kerchief for him to wear. The silver rhinestone star was mounted over the boring embossed one 😁

SUPPLIES

dog stamp - Rare Image Rubber Stamps

Western style stamps - assorted Stampin’ Up! sets: Baroque Motifs & Priceless

circle stamp - Hero Arts Quattros Box of Dots #LL890

music notes stamps - unknown

word bubble die - Cuttlebug Planner Embellishments

embossing folder - Sizzix

white gel pen

Distress inks

alcohol markers

flat back rhinestone star gem

Playing along with this CRAFTY ANIMALS challenge #107

Anything Goes Include an Animal

…and this CRAFT ROCKET challenge 

#138 Animals (ends 7/29)

Thanks for stopping in today!

Really can’t wait to see what you create to share with us at the Alphabet Challenge!!

HAPPY DANCE

Hi friends!

Playing along with this AAA CARDS challenge

 Well.  This one was supposed to be a sophisticated, classy sort of card, but as you can see - things veered off-track. I think it may have been the bright colors, which led to the googly eyes, which required a nose…

THE PROCESS

To start: I swiped a bright white card with three colors of acrylic paints, using a common rounded flat paintbrush. 

After the paint was dry, I heat embossed a starfish using gold powder. 

To finish: A couple googly eyes were glued down, and an enamel nose was applied.

I added a strip of sturdy card stock to the back of the pre-printed strip and glued the sentiment to the card front as shown. 

SUPPLIES

starfish stamp - Rubbernecker

acrylic paints

gold embossing powder

pre-printed sentiment strip

googly eyes

enamel dot

Thanks for stopping in today!