Monday, December 26, 2016

Repurposed Box for a Masculine Gift


I tend to keep containers, notepads, and other objects in hopes that I might make something with sometime in the future. In this case, I had a box that came from a grab bag at a craft store. It was a red lacquer-type box with "hello" written in white on the top - not very exciting. The techniques here can be adopted for use in other ways, such as on a cover for a notepad or in multi-media artwork. Creative Medium, by Imagine Crafts, can be used on all types of surfaces - it adheres well and provides enough tooth for easy integration with other mediums. In this case I'm using black gesso as a base. The iridescent and metallic layers look best over black.


Making the Box

1. If the wood finish is shiny or smooth, it's a good idea to sand first. These techniques may be used over paper mâché or even plastic.


2. Watch the video below:


Notes: there are several choices for Creative Medium, different metallics as well as iridescent colors. There are also other choices for Delicata and Brilliance - making for seemingly endless combinations.


Supplies
  • Creative Medium: Clear, Iridescent Green, Metallic Bronze
  • Delicata Ink: Golden Glitz
  • Brilliance Ink: Gamma Green
  • irRESISTible Pico Embellisher: Bronze
  • Sheer Shimmer Spritz: Gold
  • Ink Blushers
  • Multi-Purpose Squeegee and/or Palette Knives
  • Box
  • Acrylic Paint Brush
  • Gears Stencil (e.g. Dreamweaver)
  • Black Gesso (e.g. Liquitex)
  • Felt: Black, Red
  • Optional: Soap Pen
  • Recommended: Craft Mat

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Tuesday, December 20, 2016

CAS Reindeer Card for Christmas


When I first saw this cute little reindeer head, I wanted to make a card featuring it as all of Santa's reindeer. This clean and simple card shows those 8 reindeer and Rudolph in the center. Of course his nose had to be special so I added Silk Microfine Glitter to make it glow.

Making the Card

1. Cut 100 lb. Soft Finish Cardstock 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches; fold in half to make a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card base.

2. Die cut 9 reindeer heads (Winter Sweater) as well as antlers and noses from 100 lb. Soft Finish Cardstock. Glue to front of card as shown (don't glue middle reindeer nose just yet). Hint: place all deer faces on card first, including at least one antler per row to get an idea of height; lightly sketch where each head will be located. Erase marks once finished gluing.


3. On red cardstock, place a piece of clear double sided adhesive. Die cut nose. Dip in True Red Silk Microfine glitter and polish with finger. Glue to center reindeer's face.

4. Optional: add a greeting from Winter Sentiments inside the card using red ink.


Supplies

ECD Supplies
Optional: Red Ink

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Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Coloring with Fireworks and Memento: Holiday Card


I love the shimmer of Fireworks sprays; it's perfect for holiday cards. I used the sprays to color most of the card. It lends a bit more texture to the background and tree. I masked to color a few areas, and used a paint brush to apply it to the smallest areas. The irRESISTible Texture Spray gave the card a slight dimension in the background as snow. Finally a few touches of Neon Amplify added fur to the hat and fox's tail.

Making the Card

1. Cut red cardstock 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches; fold in half to form a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card base. Cut plaid patterned paper (Lawn Fawn Perfectly Paid Christmas) 4 x 5 1/4 inches.

2. Using 2nd largest oval (Large Stitched Oval Stackables), die cut white cardstock. using largest oval (Small Stitched Oval Stackables), die cut green cardstock.


3. Die cut bow from red cardstock and assemble.

4. Watch the video below:


5. I had originally planned to do more shading in the background with Summer Sky Memento Ink, either starting at the bottom and fading to the top or vice versa but I actually liked the background just sprayed so I left it. You can also optionally use Cottage Ivy Memento Ink and masking for tree shading under the branches.


Supplies
  • irRESISTible Texture Spray: Wedding Dress
  • Fireworks Sprays: Lady Bug, Cottage Ivy, Desert Sand, Summer Sky
  • Memento Dew Drop Inks: Lady Bug, Toffee Crunch, Optional: Cottage Ivy, Summer Sky
  • Ink Blushers
  • VersaFine Ink: Onyx Black
  • StazOn Ink: Jet Black
  • Memento Markers: Tuxedo Black, Optional - London Fog
  • Neon Amplify: White
  • Patterned Paper: Lawn Fawn Perfectly Paid Christmas 6x6 Petite Paper Pack
  • Cardstock: White, Red, Green
  • Dies: Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Oval Stackables & Small Stitched Oval Stackables, Paper Smooches Baby Bow
  • Stamps: Taylored Expressions Woodland Winter
  • Masking Paper or Post-it Tape
  • Dimensional Tape
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Friday, December 2, 2016

Holiday Ring Accordion with Hanging Charms


This is a fun card that looks complicated but is fairly simple to make. I especially love the hanging charms, the silver glitter, and entwined frames.

Making the Card

1. With the main Ring Accordion die, cut two from snowflake paper (Wish List), one from candy cane paper (Magical), and two from red cardstock. Use the circle die to cut the center from both snowflake rings, one candy cane ring, and one red ring. Trim tabs, etc., off of one snowflake ring and one red ring so you just have 2 circle frames. Use the decorator edge die to cut 4 from red cardstock and 4 from white cardstock. Adhere the red edges to the back of the snowflake ring and the white to the front of the red ring.


2. Add Clear Double Sided Adhesive to both sides of a thin piece of white cardstock. Die cut one snowflake charm and four snowflakes. Remove backing from one side of charm and sprinkle with Silver Silk Microfine Glitter. Polish with finger. Do same to other side. Repeat for all snowflakes.

3. Die cut candy cane charm base from white cardstock. Cut two copies of candy cane stripes from red cardstock. Adhere one copy to each side of candy cane base (one will be adhered backwards).

4. Die cut smallest entwined circles from white cardstock and largest from red cardstock. Adhere small white to center front of red ring (tab to right) as shown. Adhere large red to front of candy cane ring (tab to right).

5. Die cut scalloped lace circle (Ring Accordion) from white cardstock. Stamp "stay warm" sentiment with embossing ink, emboss with sticky powder, then sprinkle with Silver Silk Microfine Glitter and polish with finger. Adhere to center of red ring as shown.

6. Cut two lengths of silver thread. Thread through charm holes. Sandwich ends between rings and frames as shown such that they dangle in centers. Hint: put a little adhesive at top of ring, stick threads in it, hold up to see if it dangles correctly - if not, adjust; once satisfied, apply liquid glue and stick frame on top. Trim excess thread if necessary.

7. Embellish centers of snowflakes (both sides on charm) as well as entwined circles with transparent Glitter Dots. Adhere small snowflakes as shown (be sure to line up the ones on the front/back of first ring).

8. Slightly trim tabs that adhere to rings behind frames so they won't show. Adhere all tabs as in instructions with Ring Accordion.


Supplies

ECD Supplies
Other Supplies
  • Cardstock: White, Red
  • Patterned Cardstock: American Crafts Wish List 368825, Studio Calico Magical 331570
  • Embossing Ink
  • Sticky Embossing Powder (e.g. Ranger)
  • Silver Thread
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Monday, November 28, 2016

Winter Bouquet Flourishes and Imagine Crafts Blog Hop


This card has a lot of sparkle - perfect for the holidays. The stamps are by Flourishes, l.c. The sparkle comes from Imagine Crafts, as part of a blog hop! The card is simple to make but looks very elegant.

Be sure to leave a comment in order to win prizes!

Imagine Blog
Barbara Thompson
Toni Storie
Alison Heikkila
Beverly Cole
Kren Kurts
Neva Cole
Roni Johnson
Linda Lucas
Davi Long
Jennifer Vanderbeek
Naomi Gong
Vickie Yeakley
Nadine Carlier
Rebecca Ednie
Gloria Hayoung Lee
Mark Melnick
Shirley Qu
Martha Lucia Gomez
Terre Fry
Mary Prasad <- You are here!
Trisha Traxler
Monica Edwards
Flourishes L.C

Making the Card

1. Cut red cardstock to 5 1/2 x 8 1/2; inches. Fold in half to form a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card base.

2. Stamp large bouquet and tag with "Winter Cheer" greeting on white cardstock with StazOn Jet Black ink. Color bouquet with Memento Markers, going from dark to light, overlapping colors to shade and blend. Cut around bouquet and tag with detail scissors. Go around outside edges from the back side with Tuxedo Black Memento Marker (this hides the white edges and gives it a finished look). Spray bouquet with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Spritz. Spray tag with Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz.

3. Cut about a 6 inch long piece of seam binding. Spray with Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz.

4. Cut black cardstock 3 3/4 x 5 inches. Spray with Gold irRESISTible Texture Spray. Once dry, spray Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz over the entire piece. Wrap gold sprayed seam binding around middle where shown, adhering on backside. Adhere to card base.

5. Die cut 3rd smallest Dotted Scallop Oval from white cardstock. Spray with Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz. Add dots of Gold irRESISTible Pico Embellisher to outside scallops. Let dry. Adhere to center of card.

6. Adhere bouquet with dimensional tape as shown. Adhere tag where shown.


Supplies
  • Memento Markers: Lady Bug, Love Letter, Rhubarb Stalk, Dandelion, New Sprout, Pear Tart, Bamboo Leaves, Cottage Ivy, Tuxedo Black
  • StazOn Ink: Jet Black
  • irRESISTible Texture Spray: Gold, Sparkle
  • irRESISTible Pico Embellisher: Gold
  • Sheer Shimmer Spritz: Gold
  • Flourishes Stamps: Winter Bouquet SSBCA024
  • Elizabeth Craft Designs 1173 Dotted Scallop Ovals
  • Cardstock: White, Black, Red
  • Seam Binding: White
  • Dimensional Tape
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Saturday, November 26, 2016

Embossing and Coloring Sheet Metal with StazOn



Making the Charm

1. Cut dark blue cardstock to 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches; fold in half for a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card base.

2. Cut alcohol marker friendly cardstock 3 3/4 x 5 inches.

3. Follow the instructions for your die cutting machine to make the proper sandwich for Sizzlit sized dies. Emboss the 1 inch SHEET Metal. The good side will face up (not toward the die) since you want to color the raised side.


4. Watch the following video to color the embossed metal and card panel:


5. Adhere panel to card base. Tie ribbon in bow. Open small jump ring, put charm on it then close it. Open medium jump ring and add half the beads, the charm jump ring, then the other half of the beads. Thread through bow center; close jump ring.


Supplies
  • SHEET Metal: Assorted Pack (1 Inch Circle)
  • StazOn Inks: Mustard, Ultramarine, Jet Black
  • GlazOn: Clear
  • Ink Blushers
  • Fantastix
  • 657803 Sizzix DecoEtch Die - Fairy Twilight by Vintaj
  • Stamp Set: Sending Holiday Cheer - Hero Arts CL464
  • Wink of Stella
  • Alcohol Markers (e.g. Copics)
  • Cardstock: Alcohol Marker Friendly (X-Press It Blending Card), Dark Blue
  • Ribbon: Red
  • Silver Jump Rings: Medium, Small
  • Optional: Colored Glass Beads (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple)
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Friday, November 25, 2016

Holiday Pop-up Sled Card


Here's a fun holiday card for those who remember flying down hills on one of these vintage sleds. I added mountains in the background of the card; as a kid, a big hill seemed like a mountain, especially when trudging back up dragging the sled behind. Using Through the Lens papers makes creating cards easier since no extra coloring is required!


Making the Card

1. Cut Bluebell Soft Finish Cardstock to 6 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches; fold in half. Stencil clouds at top using Titanium White and Neutral Gray Pan Pastel (or other white and gray chalk or ink).

2. Using the mountain tops (Skis), find two pieces of the Stone paper shown: die cut one from the front and one from the back of the paper (you want one opposite the other so the sides will line up in the card) - put the die as closely as possible to the top of the paper; trim excess. Add white acrylic paint to tops of "mountains." Note: I tried using Distress Paint but it didn't work well, kind of disappeared as it dried, so I used straight acrylic paint that I applied with a craft stick. Let dry. The paper may curl slightly; don't worry about it, it will just add a little more dimension.

3. Cut red dotted patterned cardstock 7 x 10 inches. Fold in half. This will be the card base.


4. From Wood paper (red), die cut sled pieces. Assemble. Cut off about 8 inches of twine. String one side of twin upwards through hole in sled piece as shown. Tie a small knot at the end. Repeat on other side.

5. Die cut pop-up piece (Twist Circle Pop-up) - the long "arm" - from Bluebell Soft Finish Cardstock. Optional: trim along one side so it is a bit smaller.

6. Adhere mountains on folded Bluebell Soft Finish Cardstock card as shown. Die cut and assemble pop-up as shown in video below - don't add circle though (due to thickness, I recommend running through machine several times). Remember to adhere to (red dot side of) card base as shown in video.


7. Once the arm is in place, add sled at an angle across it: be sure to check that it will not show outside card before glueing down. Also check that it will close properly (it may need some encouragement at first). Die cut white cardstock using smallest stamp rectangle. Stamp sentiment in black ink. Adhere to sled as shown.

8. Cut chalk sentiments patterned cardstock 4 7/8 x 6 7/8 inches (you could optionally leave extra white space if you like by cutting 4 3/4 x 6 3/4 inches). Adhere to front of card. Die cut white and red cardstock using Postage Stamp Rectangles, smallest and next smallest respectively. Die cut letters in various shades of green and red as shown (Alphabet 1 Caps, Alphabet 2 Lower Case) to form the word "Snow"; adhere to white cardstock stamp rectangle. Adhere to red stamp rectangle using dimensional tape. Adhere to front of card where shown.

9. Die cut pine boughs from green cardstock as shown. Rub over them with stylus on pad to give them some dimension. Adhere under top left corner of white stamp rectangle. Die cut holly leaves and berries in colors shown. Shape leaves by rubbing on back with stylus then, on front sides, drawing lines down middle and adding veins with pointed tool. Use small stylus to rub around back of berries to give them a cup like shape. Adhere all to card as shown. Note: I used Kids Choice Glue - it works really with with these small items.


Supplies

ECD Supplies
Other Supplies
  • Patterned Cardstock: Recollections - Naughty or Nice (Red Dots), Pebbles - Home for Christmas (Chalkboard Sentiments)
  • Cardstock: White, Green, Dark Green, Light Green, Red
  • Twine: Cream (or other light color)
  • Black Ink (e.g. VersaFine Onyx Black)
  • Dimensional Tape
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Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Layered Stamping with Memento Inks, Fall Card


Layering stamps is really popular. To create these cards, I used Memento Dew Drop inks for layering the samping since they come in a huge variety of colors. Their small size makes them easy to store. If you don't have as many ink colors, an alternative is to use embossing for the top layer instead.



Making the Cards

1. Cut light yellow cardstock 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches (the final size will be 4 x 5 1/4 inches - I like to have a little extra space then trim later).

2. Watch the video below for stamping and embossing:


3. Cut red and brown cardstock 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches; fold each in half to form two card bases 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches. Adhere card fronts as shown.


Supplies
  • Memento Dew Drop Inks: Rich Cocoa, Toffee Crunch, Peanut Brittle, Cantaloupe, Dandelion, Tangelo, Morocco, Potter's Clay, Pear Tart, Bamboo Leaves, Olive Grove, Lady Bug, Rhubarb Stalk
  • Embossing Powder: Gold
  • VersaMark Ink
  • VersaMarker
  • VersaFine Ink: Onyx Black
  • Cardstock: Light Yellow, Red, Brown
  • Stamps: Hero Arts Color Layering Grateful Leaves CL987
  • Dies: Hero Arts Color Layering Leaves Frame Cuts DI315
  • Optional: Stamp Press (e.g. We R Precision Press)

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Friday, November 11, 2016

Holiday Card with Ice Skates


When I was a kid, I used to love to ice skate all winter long. This card reminds me of the glide, glide, and sway - of spins and jumps, and skating through the quiet snow. It was a magical and wonderful time of year (but I'm glad to now live in North Carolina!).

Making the Card

1. Cut 85 lb Soft Finish Cardstock to 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches; fold in half for a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card base. Cut Soft Sky Soft Finish Cardstock 3 3/4 x 5 inches. Cut vellum 1 1/4 x 6 inches.

2. Silver emboss sentiment on vellum starting about 1/2 inch from left edge. Wrap around Soft Sky piece from step 1, starting about 1 inch from top, adhering on back using clear double sided adhesive. Adhere to front of card.

3. From 85 lb Soft Finish Cardstock, die cut two of all pieces of skates except blades. Die cut blades from Siver Metallic Shimmer Sheetz.


4. "Lace" skates with twine. Hint: put a small piece of clear double sided adhesive behind the top and bottom lace and stick the ends in them. Tie two small bows. To make a bow, I used tweezers that only open when squeezed, like the ones that come in Susan's Garden Tool Set, to help hold the single loop while I tied around it.

5. Apply Walnut Stain Distress Ink to sole/heel pieces of skates with ink blending tool. Adhere to bottom of skates with glue (e.g. Kids Choice Glue). Adhere blades to skates using clear double sided adhesive on back of skates.

6. Die cut snowflake boarder from 85 lb Soft Finish Cardstock. Add Transparent/Silver Glitter Dots as shown (you don't have to add them to where the skates cover or the parts that will get cut off). Adhere to top of card as shown. Trim off excess.

7. Glue bottom skate to card where shown. Glue on bow. Adhere top skate using dimensional tape as shown. Glue on bow.


Supplies

ECD Supplies
Other Supplies
  • Distress Ink: Walnut Stain
  • Ink Blending Tool
  • Twine: Black/Gray/White
  • Vellum
  • Silver Embossing Powder (e.g. Ranger Silver
  • Embossing Ink (e.g. VersaMark)
  • Dimensional Tape
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Friday, October 28, 2016

Halloween Pumpkin Card with a Glittered Background


Recently Els Van de Burgt (Elizabeth Craft Designs) featured a technique for a glittered background in her Friday YouTube video. I wanted to try it with Halloween colors and feature a pumpkin on the front. I thought about glittering the pumpkin but then decided to give the card some contrast by coloring it with my Copic markers. Since the pumpkin also comes with an outline, you could easily make this a glittered pumpkin with the technique from the Halloween tag card I made a couple years ago.

Making the Card

1. Cut black cardstock 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches; fold in half to form a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card base.

2. Follow the instructions in the video to create the background. See the supply list for the Silk Microfine Glitter colors I used.


3. Die cut pumpkin base, leaf, stem, and vine from alcohol marker friendly white cardstock. Color each piece. I used the Copic markers listed in supplies. Shape using ball stylus on back of pumpkin, stem, and leaf. Flip leaf and use stylus from middle to stem.

4. Cut a strip of vellum 1 5/8 by about 7 inches. Temporarily place across glittered background such that there is extra hanging off both sides. Note approximately where you want the greeting and pumpkin (I suggest putting a small pencil mark under where the middle of the pumpkin will be and also just outside both sides).


5. Emboss the greeting with gold embossing powder. (Note: I carefully cut my greeting into three lines. If you don't want to do this, you will need to mask the first word.) You can leave it like this or add a layer of glitter, as I did. You will have to line up the stamp perfectly (I used a stamp placement tool) and emoboss with a sticky powder; once melted, it acts like glue. Add Light Gold Silk Microfine Glitter and polish with finger.

6. Adhere strip across card by wrapping around back: put a little adhesive under where pumpkin will go, attach one side then the other on the back. Adhere to card base.

7. Adhere pumpkin, leaf, and stem with dimensional tape. Glue on vine.


Supplies

ECD Supplies
Other Supplies
  • Cardstock: Black, Alcohol Marker Friendly White
  • Alcohol Markers: Copic Y17, YR16, YR18, YG03, YG17, YG67, G29
  • Vellum
  • Embossing Powder: Gold, Sticky (Optional) e.g. Ranger
  • VersaMark or Embossing Ink
  • Dimensional Tape
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Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Paper Smooches Color of the Season Card


I just love the colors of Fall. The trees look so beautiful at this time of year. I wanted the focus of the card to be on the colorful leaves so I made the background and tree the same color, just giving the tree a little dimension by stacking die cuts.

Making the Card

1. Cut kraft cardstock 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches; fold in half to form a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card base.

2. Die cut 3 trees from kraft cardstock. Adhere these together to form a thick stack. Adhere to card base as shown.

3. Die cut a set of leaves from the following colors of cardstock: green, yellow, yellow/orange, orange, red. Ink edges with various colors of Distress Ink using an ink blending tool.

4. Shape each leaf over foam pad using ball stylus. Use pointy end of leaf tool or die pick to draw a line down the middle of each leaf.

5. Stamp sentiment in black (e.g. VersaFine Onyx Black). Adhere leaves to tree, a few at the base of the tree, and in a swirly pattern as shown.


Supplies
  • Paper Smooches Die: Fall Tree
  • Paper Smooches Stamps: Fall Sampler
  • Distress Inks: Walnut Stain, Aged Mahogany, Candied Apple, Spiced Marmalade, Rusty Hinge, Fossilized Amber, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint
  • VersaFine Onyx Black Ink
  • Ink Blending Tool
  • Foam Pad (or Rubber Mouse Pad)
  • Ball Stylus, Die Pick or Leaf Tool
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Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Colorfull Fall Leaf Grateful Card


These Paper Smooches stamp leaf outlines work beautifully with Imagine Crafts' Memento Luxe Inks. Create this colorful Fall background, perfect for Thanksgiving or as just a note to a loved one.

Making the Card

1. Cut red cardstock 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches; fold in half to form a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch cardbase. Cut brown cardstock 4 x 5 1/4 inches. Cut white cardstock 3 7/8 x 5 1/8 inches.

2, Die cut "Grateful" from red cardstock, one leaf (Leaves 2 dies) each from yellow, green and orange cardstock, and all three leaves from brown cardstock. Set aside for now.


3. Watch the following video for stamping:


4. Adhere "Grateful" and leaves as shown.



Supplies

  • Memento Luxe Inks: Pear Tart, Olive Grove, Pistachio, Peanut Brittle, Dandelion, Morocco, Love Letter, Rhubarb Stalk, Rich Cocoa
  • Paper Smooches Dies: Grateful, Leaves 2
  • Paper Smooches Stamps: Fall Sampler
  • Cardstock: White, Brown, Red, Yellow, Green, Orange

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Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Paper Smooches Fall Blessings Watercolor Card


I used the colors of Fall leaves for my watercolor background. The added veins (or branches) in gold are reminiscent of trees. I used the Paper Smooches new Leaf Frame die to inlay the pieces, while stacking copies from the Blessings die to pop up the word.

Making the Card

1. Cut white cardstock 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches; fold in half for a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card base. Cut brown cardstock 4 1/8 x 5 3/8 inches. Adhere to card base.

2. Cut watercolor paper 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 (this is 1/4 inch larger than the final version, leaving 1/8 inch around for tape - if you need more room for tape, adjust paper size accordingly). Tape to craft mat or other surface.

3. Place Leaf Frame face down in the area it will be cut (mine is offset towards the bottom right corner). Pencil a line outside where you would like the watercolor to go - leaving about 1/8 inch or so room; you will need to erase the line but it will be difficult, if not impossible, to do so if you watercolor over it. Put the die aside.


4. Add water to the area you would like to watercolor. Work in layers - starting light, letting the paper dry some, add more color, dry more, brighter color. Finally add some FineTec mica in Inka-Gold with a medium brush; this may not show much. Dry completely then use a fine tipped brush to add FineTec mica Arabic-Gold: make the lines look like leaf veins or branches. Optional: Splatter with brown watercolor and Arabic-Gold, bang brush against your finger with some paint on the brush - but not too wet. I recommend trying on scrap paper first.

5. Once watercolor has fully dried, die cut using Leaf Frame being careful not to lose any pieces. Adhere outside frame to card base as shown, careful to center in brown layer. Die cut brown paper with Leaf Frame. Adhere brown Leaf Frame inside watercolored outside frame. Adhere leaf pieces.

6. Die cut "Blessings" in center of watercolored inside frame piece (you may want to use a little temporary tape to hold the die in place as you die cut). Be sure to keep all the pieces. Adhere big piece with Blessings cut out of it to the card as shown. Temporarily piece in the word Blessings (do not adhere). Adhere small inside pieces (l, e, and g).


7. Die cut 4 or 5 copies of "Blessings" from brown cardstock. Layer these on top of one another to form a thick stack. Hint: to glue the dot on the i stack, first stick it to some temporary tape. Adhere the watercolored version to the top of the stack. Adhere in Blessings place on card.

8. Take the small piece where the "to you and yours" will go and use water and paper towel to blot off some of the color. Dry. Stamp "to you and yours" in small piece as shown with Timber Brown StazOn ink. Adhere as shown.


I made the following quick card with the leftover frame from the above card and a test run scrap, from which I cut another "Blessings" sentiment. I also added a few enamel dots.


Supplies
  • Paper Smooches Dies: Blessings, Leaf Frame
  • Paper Smooches Stamps: Fall Sampler
  • Watercolor Paper: Arches Rough
  • Painter's Tape
  • Watercolor Paint: Winsor & Newton, FineTec Mica
  • Cardstock: Brown
  • StazOn Ink: Timber Brown
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Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Very Batty Halloween Card


When I saw the new Circle Background die from ECD, I thought of making a moon background with lots of bats flying in front, easy to do thanks to Karen's Bats Stencil. Midnight the Bat is featured wishing you "Spooky Halloween Greetings." (Didn't know bats could talk, did ya?)

Making the Card

1. Cut black cardstock 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches; fold in half to form a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 card base.

2. Cut a piece of black cardstock (or paper) about 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 (it will be trimmed later). Adhere clear double sided adhesive. This is the base for the background. Using Circle Background die, cut purple spiderweb patterned cardstock. Adhere frame to adhesive (purple side up - not in adhesive). Using Circle Background die, cut yellow spiderweb patterned cardstock. Leave in die - carefully remove frame. Line up purple frame inside die, flip and stick yellow pieces in place. You may have to manually piece some in. Note: if you can't find this exact cardstock, just use purple and yellow plain cardstock. You could keep the yellow frame and purple circle/other pieces for another card.

3. Using the Bats stencil, stencil bats with Black Soot Distress Ink over the background (you will need to do one side then a few more on the other since the stencil isn't quite large enough to cover the whole background in landscape). Once dry, trim excess backing if necessary. Adhere background to card base.


4. Die cut Midnight the Bat: body - Silver Gray Soft Finish Cardstock, shadow - black cardstock, eyes - White Soft Finish Cardstock. Ink edges of bat's body with Black Soot Distress Ink. Add small amount of double sided adhesive to purple side of cardstock (same cardstock as step 2). Die cut bow tie. Peel off liner and dip into Cool Diamond Silk Microfine Glitter; polish with finger. Optional: use Copic V06 to color over glitter. Assemble bat as shown on packaging.

5. Cut White Soft Finish Cardstock 5 1/16 x 2 inches. Cut with stitched edge Speech Bubble (pointing to left). Stencil bats as shown - I used a light layer of both Dusty Concord and Seedless Preserves Distress Inks to get it to match the purple. Either mask Halloween greeting stamp or cut apart the words (carefully!); stamp as shown with VersaFine Onyx Black Ink. Adhere to card as shown with dimensional tape.

6. Adhere bat to card using dimensional tape. Adhere enamel dots as shown.


Supplies

ECD Supplies
Other Supplies
  • Patterned Cardstock: Recollections Halloween 118665
  • Cardstock: Black
  • Enamel Dots: Black, Purple, Plum
  • Optional: Copic Marker V06
  • Distress Ink: Dusty Concord, Seedless Preserves, Black Soot
  • VersaFine: Onyx Black
  • Dimensional Tape
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