Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Paper Trey Ink March Blog Hop

Happy Tuesday!! Just a quick post to share a card I created for the Paper Trey Ink March Blog Hop.

The challenge was to use some sort of "high gloss" technique on your card.



I am going to admit that this card was inspired by a Debbie Hughes card that she created for a class I took that ended last week. I chose to emboss a butterfly stamp with black embossing ink, color it in, and go over it with a glitter pen. It is hard to see in the photo, I know.


I didn't use the springy colors but chose to use Copic markers to color in the monarch butterfly. I used a photo on the internet to match the marker colors I used for my coloring. I really love how it came out.



My next step was to stamp the greeting using Paper Trey Ink's "Think Big Favorites #24 Stamp" in gray ink. I then masked both the butterfly and the sentiment and literally flung orange and gold paint at the card.

My last step was to use gold ink around the outside edges. This card was extremely simple to make but took me a huge amount of time to create. I am very slow at coloring and tend to "over think" it.

I do not usually use non PTI stuff on these blog hops but I really wanted to use this butterfly. It shouted Spring to me and I needed that during this unusually cold March!

Thank you for looking!! Have a great night!!

Nora
Supplies:
Wonderful Wings Stamp Set-Stampin Up!



Sunday, March 16, 2014

Day 5 and 6 Clean and Simple 3 Card Class-Backgrounds Into Foreground Homework

Hello!! I am back with just one more card for my Clean and Simple Class 3 Card homework.


This was to use some of the techniques taught to make the background the foreground. I used Laura Bassen's masked plaid background to make my card. For me, this was partially an epic fail. Here is the card:


First, the plaid is not as straight as I wanted it to be. I also used Ranger Distress Inks and they were BRIGHT!! Oh, and this is the SECOND background I made. I dropped an ink pad on my original background just as I was about half way done. Whoops!

The second failure is the way the inlaid die cutting was on this card. I was not going to use this technique at all but when I originally stamped the Hooray word balloon, the black did not stamp evenly. In order to save the card, I had to die cut it out. I obviously did not die cut it straight because the word balloon is off and that BUGS ME.

The third and final failure was how the spritzing came out of my white Color Shine by Heidi Swapp. It looks less white and more like the card got splashed with water by mistake. Sigh. This dang thing took me a long time to make for all these errors!!


Things I learned with this technique:
I loved making the plaid but think I will use less saturated ink pads next time. I will also not make a flat card but use die cuts and pop them off the card. This will help me so that if I make a mistake, it won't be directly on a background that took me as long as this one did.

Well, that is all for tonight. Have a great night. I cannot wait for tomorrow's class!!

Nora

Day 3 and 4 of Clean and Simple Class 3-"Optical Illusion" Homework

Hello again!! I am back with one more card.



Day 3 and 4 of the Clean and Simple Class were all about using optical illusion techniques. I used Jennifer McGuire's technique of masking and shading to create the card below.


This technique was a lot of fun. I had to get out my embossing stuff, as I always seem to have to do with every class I take and this time it wasn't as painful. I love that chicken wire stamp, don't you? It is a REALLY OLD Stampin Up! background I pulled out. I then shaded it with some yellow and orange ink. Behind the orange duck, I used a mask and then stamped a sun burst using a Neat and Tangled stamp. I put yellow ink on the stamp, dotted it with orange and then took the ink blender and shaded on the stamp and THEN stamped the sun. It didn't come out exactly as I liked but this was an experiment that I would try again.



Things I learned from this technique:
I really needed to use masking paper on this rather then the printer paper I used for the mask. (I bought some last night.) I think it would have helped in my shading. I also think the sunburst would have stamped better as the right side didn't get as much color as the left and I made sure the ink was the same on both sides.

I also found a white embossing powder I liked. I used WOW! with Versamark Ink. It really did a great job on the detail of the fencing.

Thanks for stopping by!! I will be back with one more card!!
Nora


Homework Day 1 & 2 of Clean and Simple 3 Class


Hey everyone!! I have a few quick posts to make tonight. They will be quick because I am not supposed to be on the computer for any length of time and have been on longer then I should have been today. I suffer from a concussion from hitting my head in the bathroom last Sunday night (don't ask) and have had a little trouble this week with it all. Haven't had much screen time because I am not supposed to be using the computer, watch TV or even use my phone and exercise is out. Cannot say it has been the most fun week. However, before my MD's diagnosis on Thursday (yes, I did wait 4 days to finally go to the doctor), I did get to view some of this weeks Clean and Simple 3 Class that I had  signed up for before all this happened. The doctor gave me the OK to be able to craft-something I am grateful for because I am BORED!!

The first day of class was all about faux effects. For my first card, I used Debby Hughes technique of inlaid die cuts. Here is the card I created.


I inlaid the piece of patterned paper and the thanks. I then stamped all the little dots and added a few sequins and a bit of Stickles.



This is a fun technique and I even used it again but that is getting ahead of myself.

Things I learned from making this card:
Measure twice, cut once. I originally had a different piece of patterned paper I wanted to use for the middle. I did not cut it right so I had to go with plan B. Also, the die cut left kind of a "ghost" around it in some areas. I might have to replace one of my cutting plates?

The thing I had a difficult time with was actually sticking to a one layer card. I know I added the sequins but I thought it just needed them!!

That is all for this moment. Will be posting 3 other posts tonight so stay tuned. Oh, and I will NOT be posting supply links tonight. Again, trying to keep my screen time to as minimum as possible.

Nora

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Virginia's View Challenge and Throwback Thursday

Hello everyone!! It is finally Thursday. It seems that I have been living for the weekends as of late so I am always happy when Thursday comes around.

Today I am posting a card that I created for Virginia's View Challenge #1. It was to use water colors on a card.


I originally tried to watercolor something on my own and it was an epic fail. I decided to pull out a PSX stamp I have had for over 12 years. It is of a lily and I knew would be fun to water color.

Instead of using water colors, which I do have, I decided that I was going to use my re-inkers instead. I only have a few. (roll eyes)


Here is the card I created. I will say that I am not a huge fan of how it came out. The pink is too bright for me.


I also framed it with bright colored papers. I originally was going to put it on a black card base but it made the pink pop even more.


I used a Wink of Stella glitter pen to add a little sparkle into onto the petals of the flowers.

That is all for today. Thanks for looking!!

Nora
Supplies:

PSX Stamp
Various Re-inkers