Playing with Muse Card Challenge #139

Just a quick post today. I have not made a ton of cards this week but have been coloring and die cutting images to create some Christmas cards and tags. I will be revealing these in the next couple weeks.

Today I am posting a card that I created for the Muse Card Challenge #139. The talented Tracey McNeely created a card as inspiration. Here is my take on her card:

I could have copied Tracey's card exactly as I have the beautiful stamp set she used but instead I chose to use Altenew's "Vintage Roses" stamp set to create my card. I always have such a difficult time with multiple step stamping. It is not only stamping on top of each image precisely (though I have a MISTI now, which makes it easier) but choosing what colors to use. 

I was inspired by Tracey's use of gold on her card. I copied her use of gold on the sentiment but chose to make mine into a strip and not stamp it directly onto the background. I also added some gold mist onto the card base, as well as three gold sequins. I thought it went well with the yellow that I used.

Here is the inspiration piece:

I thank you for taking the time to stop by today. Have a wonderful evening!!

Supplies:
Stamps-Altenew "Vintage Roses," Paper Trey Ink "Words of Comfort"
Inks-Versamark, Paper Trey Ink "Harvest Gold," My Favorite Things "Lemon Chiffon" and "Daffodil,"Altenew-"Frayed Leaf,""Forest Glades," and "Evergreen."
Paper-Paper Trey Ink
Other-Heat Gun, Prima "Gold Leaf" spray, Ranger "Liquid Platinum" embossing powder, gold sequins and foam adhesive

A Creative Sort of Mood

Hello, hello, hello!! I hope you are all having a wonderful day.

It was back to the old grind after having a FABULOUS week off last week. We didn't go anywhere but sometimes those are the best vacations. I spent time reading, doing laundry, cleaning, getting a pedicure and then shopping a bit with my daughter-it was just wonderful. I so needed it and am looking forward to being off for the summer. I just have to make it through nine more weeks.

Today I am sharing some of my "experiments" that I did using Altenew's "Vintage Roses" stamp set. 

If you browse through Pinterest, there are some STUNNING cards using this set. However, I had a really tough time with it. I even watched several videos on how to layer them and I still had a difficult time. I am not a novice at stamping by any means but sometimes stamps need to be played with a bit to get comfortable and I think this is one of them. 

The first technique I attempted was to use three colors of distress ink and a watercolor brush to create my flowers.

As you can see, this did not go very well. The flowers are very impressionistic. I do not usually stamp with distress inks and I think this is one of the problems with using them with these stamps. I do like the red, though.

I then tried using different colors of melon ink to the layered roses.

Again, I did not like the look. I did not get the stamping "perfect" and it bugged me.

My last try was to use the same ink but in first, second and third generation stamping.

First I stamped the lightest color. I inked up the stamp and then stamped off twice to get the lighter pink. Next I stamped the medium color, only stamping off once. The detail stamping was inking and stamping. I did not love this technique that well either. I also messed up on the top rose, not placing it where it went at all. This was my last attempt and I was VERY frustrated by then.

I just bought a MISTI last week and think that I need to play with this set using this tool. Then at least the layers will be straight. I also need to test inks together to see if they "go" with each other. All in all, I am so disappointed by my results because I wanted these stamp set so bad and I know it is user error.

If anyone has any great advice about using this particular stamp set, I would love to hear it. Thank you for stopping by.

Happy New Year, 2015 Goals and Retro Sketch #146

Happy New Year!! I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday. I took a bit of time off to enjoy my family and friends. I have so much to be thankful for in my life and have enjoyed this week more then I thought possible.

I made a list of a few "goals" I wanted to work toward in 2015. I really hate the word "resolution" because I really don't keep these. Goals are something I work toward on a daily basis. None of the goals I have for 2015 are earth shattering but I wanted to put them in writing here so that I had a record. So here is what I am striving for this year:

2015 Goals:

1. To make some how to videos to post on my blog (very scary because a) I do not like my voice and b) I have never edited a video before. Any advice as to what software you use etc... would be welcome!!)
2. To blog at least 3 times a week, with some "regular" features. I have many ideas just need to PLAN my time to implement the idea!!
3. When I sit down to make a card, to make more then one using the same design. This doesn't sound hard but I have a difficult time making the same card twice. I get bored!!
4. To continue my goal toward good health. I have the work out down now I need to get the eating healthy part started.
5. To schedule more social time in with my friends. Being connected and having a support system is so important. I need to nurture my friendships more and let my friends know how much they mean to me.
6. Last but NOT least-to actually send out my cards instead of having them sit in a box. I love to make cards but am the WORST at sending them to the people that I have made them for. 

Enough about the goals and now to the good stuff. I had a chance to play the other day and was inspired by the "Retro Sketch" blog to create not one but two cards using sketch #146.  It kind of gas 

The first card I created I used a purple color scheme. 

I used Altenew Stamps for the flowers and the sentiment. The frame is stamp by Paper Trey Ink.

Here is the sketch that was the inspiration:

Instead of making a square card, I chose to make a rectangle card, using the square as the centerpiece. 

Here is how I created the card:

1. For the bottom square, I die cut a piece of lavender Bazzill card stock and adhered it to a top closing card base. 

2. Next I adhered a die cut banner on an angle over the card stock. 

3. I die cut the frame out of white card stock and stamped it using Paper Trey Ink's "Slide Frame" stamp set with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in the "dusty concord" color. I then mounted the frame over the purple card stock at an angle.

4. I then stamped the flowers using Altenew's "Painted Flowers" in "dusty concord" and "shaded lilac" Distress Ink. The leaves were stamped in My Favorite Thing's "sour apple" ink. I then spritzed over the stamped square in Heidi Swapp "Amethyst" spray mist. After it dried, I mounted the square over the purple frame with foam adhesive. 

5. My next step was to stamp, cut and adhere the Altenew sentiment on the front of the flower square.

6. The last step was to adhere some purple gems and two sequins to the front. 

In spirit of my 2015 goals, I created a second card as well but used a different color scheme.

Instead of using card stock as the first square, I die cut a piece of pink patterned paper. I also double stamped the frame. First I stamped it in pink and then in red. Before I stamped the red, I misted water over the ink that was on the stamp.

Another difference between the two cards was that on this card I only used the banner on the left side of the card. 

I really am happy with the way both of these cards came out. This sketch was so fun to use as inspiration.

I thank you for taking the time to look today. Happy New Year!!

Supplies: 

Stamps-Altenew-"Label of Love" and "Painted Flowers," Paper Trey Ink-"Slide Frame"

Ink-My Favorite Things-"Sour Apple" and "Red Hot," Tim Holtz Distress Ink "Dusty Concord" and "Shaded Lilac," Memento "Tuxedo Black" and Simon Says Stamp "Doll Pink."

Paper-Paper Trey Ink-White, Bazzill Lilac and Ella and Viv "Tribal Tie Die #10," Fancy Pants "Sweetness"

Dies: My Favorite Things "Pierced Square Stax," Paper Trey Ink "Slide Frame" and "Banner" dies

Other: Sequins, rhinestones

Pajama Sunday and a Birthday Card

Happy Sunday!! I cannot believe that it is only four days before Christmas. It still does not seem like it to me. I have almost everything wrapped and just a few last minute things to buy. If they don't get done, they don't get done, no worries.

I spent the day in my pajamas today. I have been fighting a cold and the pace I have been going at just was not conducive to getting better. I slept late and spent the day putzing. I did a little cleaning and organizing today in my craft room. I am hoping that it will all be neat and tidy by the end of Christmas vacation. However, that means I have to make myself purge instead of just organize it move it to a different place. I also made a batch of salted caramel sauce for the first time. It came out really good, which was a big surprise. There are a few changes I would make for next time but I did not burn the house down so it was a big success.

Today I am sharing a few Birthday cards I created. The first one I used Altenew's "Persian Motifs" stamps and Silks Acrylic Glaze.

I had never worked with Silk's before but had seen them in the Simon Says Stamp store and wanted to try them out. I bought three different six piece sets off Amazon, hoping they would work like my old Radiant Pearl paints that I cannot find anymore. The jars in the set are smaller then you would get if you bought them separately but since I was not sure if I was going to like this paint, I did not want to invest in larger jars. I was very happy with the results.

To make this card:

1. Stamp with Versamark Ink and heat emboss with Ranger Fine White embossing powder. (I used watercolor paper but I think a different kind of paper might work better. It sucked up the acrylic ink a bit.)
2. Then using a small brush, paint different shades of reds/oranges in the flowers. Then take a baby wipe and blot the flowers. I blotted around the whole piece of paper to get the mottled background effect.
3. Do the same as step two but with two colors of green paint.
4. Paint a bit of gold onto the leaves. 
5. Set aside and create a mask for the stamped images. 
6. Mask the stamped images. Using Prima "Gold Foil" mist spray, mist the background.
7. You can either set the card aside here OR you can give it a quick pass with a heat embossing gun. Set aside to work on the card base.
8. Next, cut about a 1 1/2" by 5 1/2" piece of foil card stock and adhere it to a card base.
9. Mount the dried background with foam adhesive over the front of the card.

I love the way this paint sparkles. With the added gold mist on the background, this card is really beautiful.

I think this image you can see the shimmer from the paint a bit better. I will play around a little bet more with these before I buy more but I think these were a good purchase. 

Thank you for taking the time to stop by during this busy time. Have a great Holiday!!

Tag You're It Challenge #2

Happy Sunday!! Today is my 18th year marriage anniversary. We haven't really celebrated it yet because my daughter was sick last night but we did go to breakfast. I cannot believe we have been married as long as we have!!

In keeping with this day of "celebration," I created a tag for the "Tag You're It Challenge Blog."
The challenge was to use Laura Basson's tag below as the inspiration for the tag you created.

This woman is so talented and makes a TON of projects each week. I do not think she ever sleeps!! Her blog is amazing. I always look at Laura's projects and they seem so simple but I do not think outside of the box like she does. She is an amazing designer.

Anyway, here is the tag I created for the challenge:

I chose to keep the background colors similar to Laura's tag. I also chose to use die cut and stamped flowers from WPlus9 instead of using a vellum element in back of the sentiment. I think this tag is more my style then any project I have done lately. I love INKING!!!

To create the background, I used bubble wrap as my stamp. First I die cut a white tag using a PTI tag die. I then took three different colors of distress ink and rubbed them on a piece of bubble wrap, blending them at the same time.

Next I laid the bubble wrap over the tag and "stamped" the bubbles. The background wasn't quite there yet so I misted some water over the top of the tag to make the ink run. I tried to dry it off using a heat gun but it was blowing the color around a bit too much for me so I let it dry naturally.

While the tag was drying, I die cut and stamped a bunch of leaves and flowers. I then used Vintage Photo ink and an ink blender and inked all around each piece, including the dried tag.

Using flat and different widths of foam adhesive, I adhered all the elements to the card.

I liked the way Laura used glossy accents on her tag to look like water drops. Instead of doing this technique, I used translucent sequins in different sizes around the bouquet.

This was the first time in the last couple of weeks that I actually had some inspiration. The bubble wrap technique was a lot of fun to do. I have done it before but do not do it often because I enjoy popping the bubbles and then recycling the wrap. I never have any around!! Do you remember doing that as a kid? It is still fun!!

I will be using this tag on a card but haven't decided how yet. I will definitely post it when it is done.

I want to thank you for stopping by today. Have a great night!!

Nora

Supplies:

InLinkz.com

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Entry

Happy Tuesday!!

It has been exactly a week since I started vacation and I am LOVING every minute of it!! Today I got to play with my Altenew stamps that I have had for a month. I attempted a distress ink watercolor technique.

The inspiration for my card was a Simon Says Stamp "You Gotta Have Friends" challenge. It was to make a card with a friendship theme. They wanted you to showcase Art Impressions stamps if we had them but for the life of me, I could not find the two I used to own. It is maddening when this happens. I probably gave it away when I went through my stamps last year, which is a reason to never get rid of anything. You just might want it down the road!!

I am probably crazy but I stamped and then painted each flower separately. First I stamped the black outline for each flower. For half the card, I used the solid stamps in two different shades of purple distress ink for the color, and then I used a wet watercolor brush to blend them together. That got old pretty fast so I then just painted the colors in. Can you tell where I started and where I ended?

In between the stamping of each flower, I stamped and then painted the leaves in. I then used two different types of pink distress ink to paint around the flowers.

After the flowers were dry, I stamped the "friend" sentiment in black onto the card front. I then took a slightly wet paint brush and went over it. I mounted the card front on a card and added the "hello" sentiment with foam adhesive.

My last step was to use a clear Wink of Stella glitter pen to give the flowers a little sparkle. I need to practice getting a good photo of this. It looks so pretty!!

This was a really fun technique but it took a long time. I don't think I would do this for just any card.

I thank you for looking at my SSS Wednesday Challenge entry.

Nora

Supplies:

InLinkz.com