VINTAGE ENTOMOLOGY

Hi friends!

I have another new Alphabet Challenge card, following our current theme, I is for Insects. You still have lots and lots of time to play along, and you can enter up to three times any handcrafted items featuring the theme. 

Playing along with this RETRO RUBBER CHALLENGE  

* I’ve had all of these stamps a really long time - decades on the RBBB stamps, I bet! *

and this Lots of Layers SIMON SAYS STAMP challenge

SOME DETAILS

The three tags were stamped in black, colored in with pencils and stamped in blue with random lab markings

Tags were edged with Distress Pumice Stone and a small blender brush

Vellum postage edge pieces were added as shown (got this fun idea from a sweet flower card on www.stampedblessings.com) and also for the shadow behind the hello

SUPPLIES

tag stamps - unknown, possibly Stampendous

vintage lab words (in blue) stamps - Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers

hello die - My Favorite Things #MFT-1538 Sweet Hello

postage die - Waffleflower Nesting Postages

Distress Pumice Stone ink 

textured metallic copper tone card stock

colored pencils

Stampin’ Up! edging tool

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

BEE WREATH

Hi friends!

I have another new Alphabet Challenge DT card, following our current theme, I is for Insects. You still have lots and lots of time to play along, and you can enter up to three times any handcrafted items featuring the theme. 

 

I introduced some die cut vintage sheet music to my card for a little unobtrusive visual texture

Playing along with this WORD ART WEDNESDAY challenge #766-767 (ends 8/31?)

and this INKSPIRATIONAL challenge (ends 8/28)

and this THE PICK 3 challenge, choosing Wreath, Stamping and Insects (ends 8/18)

SOME DETAILS

 Wreath was die cut from an old discarded hymnal page. 

The center area of the card base was blended with some Distress yellow ink before gluing the wreath in place. 

Bees were foam mounted. 

Flower stamens were highlighted with white gel pen.

SUPPLIES

flowers and bees stamps and dies - Hero Arts Kit January 2021 #MH0121C

sentiment stamp - Creative Worship #SNS-14-006 The Future

wreath die - Spellbinders Shapeabilities #S4-572 Wreath

sheet music

alcohol ink markers

white gel pen

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

ALPHABET CHALLENGE - I is for INSECTS

Hi friends, and welcome back to my newest ALPHABET CHALLENGE DT card!

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

I thought I could really bring these older images to life by coloring the flowers in with white ink on kraft brown card stock. And these ladybugs got a more lifelike feel by applying a shiny glaze medium to the bodies and iridescent glitter glue to the wings. 

PROCESS

 To start: The rough-edge rectangle was die cut from kraft card stock. I stamped the flowers in black Versafine ink and embossed them with clear fine detail powder. It was necessary to mask off the image wording with a Post-it for this look. 

The flower stems were colored in with a green alcohol marker, and the flower blooms (what felt like a million of them!) were filled in with a white gel pen. 

Ladybugs were stamped in black Memento ink and colored in with a red alcohol marker. I applied glossy accents over the red and filled the wings in with glitter glue. Then the dreaded fussy cutting had to be done LOL A few were raised a bit with foam tape. 

The word Happy was die cut four times from textured card stock, and stacked, before adhering to the card as shown. The word Day is from a pre-printed sentiment strip. 

To finish: For the stem accent I covered a piece of heavy card stock in strong double-stick adhesive, and wrapped fine twine around it. I made the bow separately and glued it on, and added the striped ribbon for extra color. 

Flat back rhinestones were applied all around the sentiment.

*TIP OF THE DAY*

This kind of detailed coloring works much better if you heat emboss your main image - it provides a raised edge and channels to help guide the pen tip. 

SUPPLIES

flower stamp - PSX #K-2048

ladybugs stamp - Inkadinkado #8800-M

rough edge rectangular die - Penny Black Antique Frame #51-397

happy die - Momenta #32265 R8

day word strip - preprinted

white gel pen

alcohol markers

Ranger Glossy Accents

Stickles Icicle glitter glue 

flat back crystal gems 

twine and striped ribbon 

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

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!

CLOSE-UP ROSE

Hi friends!

Playing along with this COLOR HUES challenge (ends 7/29)

and this FRESHLY MADE SKETCHES challenge (ends 7/20)

I really love the look of a square card but almost never make them. Something about putting a square card in a rectangular envelope hurts my brain (see Monk ‘Secret Santa’ episode. You’ll thank me later 😂)

 

THE PROCESS

To start: I spritzed a piece of 6 x 6 white Neenah card stock with a water mister and ran it through the embossing machine with the rose folder. I pressed it lightly between two acrylic panels to dry as flat as possible while still retaining the deep flower embossing.

I die cut two different size nesting squares at the same time on shiny black card stock to get a narrow frame. 

I also die cut the smaller square from a large heavy weight cardstock (in a color I hate and will never use up otherwise!) to use as the template to color in the center. This was done by using a blender brush and a red ink pad. 

I mounted the frame on heavy weight card stock strips and glued it centered on the red as shown.

*TIP of the Day*

When attaching anything paper-related directly to embossed panels, I’ve found it works best to use strips of heavy weight card stock vs. foam as the dimensional - it will be less likely to conform to the ridges of embossing. It’s a pesky nuisance when the layered elements all follow the contours accidentally.

I used a black Versafine ink and clear detail embossing powder for the sentiment to refer back to the shine of the frame. Very pleasantly visually textured in person. 

To finish: I used the rub-on sheet to transfer a butterfly to white card stock, which I fussy cut and mounted as shown. Solid shiny white sequins highlight the sentiment in a demure fashion 😁

SUPPLIES

sentiment stamp - Anna Griffin

butterfly rub-on - Brea Reese Press %& Design Butterflies

square dies - Spellbinders Nestibilities Classic Squares

embossing folder - Altenew Rose Bellevue3D

red ink pad - Stampin’ Up! Ruby Red

black ink pad - Versafine Onyx Black

solid sequins - Gina K Clear Quartz

clear detail embossing powder

gold metallic, red & glossy black card stock

Thanks for stopping in today!

FAITH SEES THE WAY FLOWER.

 Hi friends!

Playing along with this SUNDAY STAMPS SKETCH CHALLENGE

(ends 4/17).

and this INKSPIRATIONAL CHALLENGE 

#364 (ends 4/10).

Optional “E” for…ecosystem!

First of all, love the sketch! Honeycomb was stenciled with transparent glossy texture paste and dusted with powdered Pearl Ex while wet. *TIP* (when it is thoroughly dry, it works well to use a microfiber type cloth to remove Pearl Ex powder from the card front. Though you can see in the close up a slight gold sheen will remain over the blank area)Flower was heat embossed with clear and colored in with alcohol markers. 

The bee was stamped in grey inks and filled in loosely with alcohol ink markers; wings were covered in fine glitter glue (an ancient PSX bottle of Sparkle, now chunky and mostly empty 😭). Flower and bee were fussy cut and foam mounted. The sentiment and bee were stamped in a Stampin’Up! Grey and Adirondack Slate mix to avoid the harshness of black. Mounted on matching grey textured card stock. 

SUPPLIES

bee stamp - Stampendous #A136 Spring Bee

flower stamp - Altenew Himalayan Mayapple set

sentiment stamp - Creative Worship #SNS-14-006 The Future clear set

honeycomb stencil - Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Collection

clear detail embossing powder

gold Pearl Ex powder

Ranger Texture Paste Transparent Gloss

random flat back pale pink faceted gems

Thanks for stopping in today!

SPRING CIRCLES.

Hi friend!

Playing along with this Freshly Made Sketches #728 challenge (3/23).

and this Little Red Wagon Challenge #850 - Signs of Spring (3/24).

I love to have a crafty session using up scraps!  I keep all the off-cut strips in a cup near my desk, and every once in awhile I dump them all out and use this simple method. I start by placing Scrapbook.com 4” double-sided adhesive on a scrap piece of white cardstock about 8” long (this combo can be too thick for some dies to cut cleanly so you may want to try copy paper first), then I peel the protective layer back a few inches at a time as I work down the strip, laying my colored scrap strips as shown. It can be tricky at first but I have the best results if the top strip is lined up exactly with the top edge straight across. Once the strips are all laid down, the panel can be embossed, die cut or stamped on - so many options! I try to include some metallic strips in each panel for added interest. 

On this card the butterflies are two layers - a base of colored card stock and an over layer of white vellum. The sentiment is gold embossed. Two circles are foam mounted, and also the tips of some leaves. 

SUPPLIES

circle dies - Crafter’s Companion Gemini Elements 

leaf dies - Sizzix Thinlits set #664164

butterflies - Sizzix Embosslits Beautiful Wings

sentiment stamp - Creative Worship Stamps Be Encouraged 2

Thanks for stopping in today!

 

CAS BUMBLE BEE

Hello!

This clean and simple card is probably pushing the technical CAS limits a bit but it fell too flat visually before adding the black gems to the flower centers :o)  

TECHNIQUES

basic stamping  (bee, crosshatch yellow lines)

preprinted  (sentiment)

foam mounting  (bee, sentiment)

alcohol markers  (bee)

dry embossing  (side panel)

handrawn  (dotted line)

flat back black gems

SUPPLIES

bee stamp  -  Ching Bumble Bee #E1262

crosshatch stamp  -  Stampin' Up! Sanded

inks  -  Versafine black, Distress

alcohol markers  -  Copics

preprinted sentiment  -  Paper Rose

embossing folder  -  Sizzix 3-D Textured #664998

flat back gems  -  Park Lane

Thanks so much for stopping in today!!

 

CAS OPENWORK BUTTERFLIES x4

Hello!

Continuing on with the CAS series.... :o)

Two cards on the right utilize two halves of the same butterfly.  I ink blended onto a white panel using brushes, then die cut that panel and glued it to the card front.

The other two cards I cut the butterfly from white card stock, glued the two halves to the cardfronts, and then inlaid the scrap pieces from the other two cards.  Sentiments are stamped directly.

SUPPLIES

butterfly die  -  Sizzix Thinlits

brave wings sentiment stamp  -  Stampers Anonymous #THMM113

lovely sentiment stamp  -  Hero Arts / Altenew collab clear set 

Bloom & Grow # PR105

together sentiment stamp  -  Stampin' Up! Heal Your Heart set

inks  -  Catherine Pooler Life of the Party minis set

preprinted white on black sentiment strip  -  Paper Rose

Sharing these cards with the following Challenges:

Less is More

#470 Butterflies  (ends 8/12)

Dies R Us

#198 Summer  (ends 8/13)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!