Sunday, July 31, 2016

Dreamweaver and Fireworks Greeting Card


Use Fireworks sprays by Imagine Crafts and a Dreamweaver stencil to create this beautiful shimmery background. The flowers were also sprayed with Fireworks. Unfortunately the shimmer does't show up in the photo but the card looks gorgeous in person.

Making the Card

1. Cut indicated cardstock to sizes below:

Lavender 7x10 inches
Periwinkle 4 3/4 x 6 3/4 inches
Stardream Quartz 5x7 (2 pieces if you want to press leftover ink from the stencil on one)

2. Fold lavender piece in half to form a 5x7 inch card base.

3. Die cut Scripty Hello once each from periwinkle and lavender cardstock, and three times from Stardream quartz cardstock.


4. Watch the video below to create the background papers, color the flowers, and stack the Scripty Hello die cuts. Note: I cut my background down to be even around the stencil outline so I added an extra strip of sprayed cardstock on the right side to make up the difference.


5. Optional: adhere small purple rhinestone to Scripty Hello as shown.


Supplies
  • Fireworks: Rhubarb Stalk, Lulu Lavender, Paris Dusk, Danube Blue
  • Dreamweaver Stencil: Mosaic Swirls
  • Cardstock: Periwinkle, Lavender
  • Neenah Stardream Quartz Pearlescent Cardstock
  • Petaloo Flowers: Wild Rose (Color Me Crazy)
  • Lawn Fawn Die: Scripty Hello
  • Optional: Small Purple Rhinestone

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Thursday, July 21, 2016

Get Organized: Labels with Imagine Crafts (Featuring Tsukineko)


This was my first video as part of Imagine Crafts' Artist in Residence Team. I've been on the team now since December 2015 but this didn't get posted so here it is now! The theme was Get Organized. I thought I would make labels for the jars I use to store my craft products. For the binder clips and @ paper clips, I made the labels to match the colors of the items inside.

Making the Labels

Here is the video tutorial of how I made these fun, colorful labels:


I didn't show it in the video but I used StazOn to stamp on the label with irRESISTible texture spray. You may also use StazOn to stamp directly on the recycled plastic before adding irRESISTible pico embellisher.


Supplies

Imagine Crafts Supplies
Other Supplies
  • Spellbinders Nestabilities: Labels Four, Labels Four Small
  • Stamps: Paper Smooches (We Totally Click - Pen, Smarty Pants - Paper Clip, I Heart Art - Pencil and Paint Brush), Lawn Fawn (Smitty's ABCs), TPC Studio (Alphabet 72558)
  • Office Depot Mini Binder Clips, Smartz @ Paper Clips, Coins
  • Alcohol Markers (e.g. Copic)
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Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Pop It Ups Rainbow and Balloon Card


Since the inside of this card is so colorful and has the pop up surprise, I wanted the front to be fairly simple. I chose a a small dot pattern in two colors for decoration. The inside is bursting with a full rainbow of color (literally!). The sentiment works perfectly, especially with the added color to each of the letters.

Making the Card

1. Cut blue polka dot/green plaid cardstock from Birthday stack to 4 1/4 x 11 inches; fold in half to form a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card base. Die cut using the Pop Stand (Pop It Ups - Barn Pop Stand) as directed. Cut two strips from same paper 3 3/4 x 1/2 inches.


2. Cut red polka dot/gray cardstock from Birthday stack into two 4 x 4 inch pieces. Adhere strips (step 1) to top back (gray side) of these with green side showing. Adhere one on back so it covers the holes (from the inside you see the green through the holes, hiding them). Do not get glue on the pieces that will form the pop up! Die cut the other red polka dot piece at the bottom using the 2nd largest Dotted Scalloop Circles by only using the cutting plate over the bottom of the die (you do not want to cut the top). See photo of front of card. Adhere piece to front as shown.

3. Die cut 8 stars from blue polka dot paper and 1 heart from red polka dot paper (Hot Air Balloons). Coat each with Glossy Accents. Set aside to dry.

4. Using rainbow die (Rainbow Sky), die cut Soft Finish Cardstock: True Blue, Dark Fuchsia, Ladybug Red, Bright Orange, Sunflower, Spring Green, True Green.

5. Adhere Double Sided Adhesive to one side of a piece of scrap cardstock. Die cut using 4th largest Dotted Scallop Circles. Fold in half. Cut along line. Peel off release sheets. Adhere rainbow die cuts in rainbow order to each half (one will be the front side and one will be the back) - but leave off the smallest piece. Before adhering the smallest piece, cut off some of the excess paper leaving just enough to add the last piece. Add the smallest piece and trim any excess so rainbow is flush on both sides.

6/ Die cut 2 copies of large balloon and sandbags (Hot Air Balloons) from Sunflower Soft Finish Cardstock. Cut desired decorator pieces. I used Ladybug Red and Bright Orange for one, and Spring Green and True Green for the other. Use ink blending tool with Brushed Corduroy and Walnut Stain for the baskets and ropes (lighter in the middle and on ropes). Add Ground Espresso to sandbags. Ink front and back edges of balloons with Wild Honey. I inked my decorator pieces with Fired Brick & Spiced Marmalade, and Twisted Citron & Peeled Paint.


7. Adhere one balloon using dimensional tape to rainbow as shown. (Note: you can skip the dimensional tape if you want the card to close without the bulk.) Line up rainbows back to back, then adhere the other balloon on the back rainbow so it is in line with the first balloon. See photo. You may want to cut extra rainbow colors for the backsides where the white will show or color them with markers matching the opposite side top bow.

8. Stamp sentiments "Hello" and "Wishing You a Colorful Day" on White Soft Finish Cardstock in black ink. Die cut each with stitched rectangle (Gift Card Accordion set). Adhere "Hello" to front of card using dimensional tape where shown. Tie red ribbon into bow and adhere to front of card.

9. Cut 1/4 x 3 5/8 inch strips from Ladybug Red, Bright Orange, and Sunflower Soft Finish Cardstock. Color "Wishing You a Colorful Day" with colored pencils (I used 11 colors). Cut White Soft Finish Cardstock 3 3/4 x 4 1/8 inches. Cut green cardstock 3 5/8 x 4 inches (if you cannot find green cardstock to match plaid paper, you may skip it or use another color). Adhere green cardstock to White cardstock then adhere to card as shown (this area is for writing a message). Adhere Ladybug Red, Bright Orange, and Sunflower Soft Finish Cardstock strips where shown. Adhere  "Wishing You a Colorful Day" with dimensional tape. Adhere stars and heart where shown (3 top right front, one on "Hello" rectangle, 3 inside top left, one center in front of rainbow).

10. Die cut Card Stand/Easel from Soft Finish Cardstock (Original 100 lb) cardstock (shown in front of card photo).


Supplies

ECD Supplies
Other Supplies
  • Cardstock: DIY Project Stack Birthday (DCWV PS-009-00014), Green
  • Distress Inks: Brushed Corduroy, Walnut Stain, Ground Espresso, Wild Honey, Fired Brick, Spiced Marmalade, Twisted Citron, Peeled Paint
  • Ink Blending Tool
  • Foam Applicators
  • Black Ink (e.g. StazOn Jet Black)
  • Red Ribbon
  • Colored Pencils
  • Glossy Accents
  • Dimensional Tape
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Friday, July 15, 2016

Boat on a Glittering Sea Greeting Card


This little boat is so adorable, I just had to make it with dimensional sails on a fun ocean scene. I used Transparent Glitter Stickers to give the water and portholes some sparkle. Since they are transparent, they take on whatever color is behind them.

Making the Card

1. Die cut White cardstock 6 3/4 x 9 inches; fold in half to form a 4 1/2 x 6 1/8 inch (A6) card base. Cut Soft Sky cardstock to 4 1/4 x 5 7/8 inches. This will be the sky.

2. Use the round bead strings from Bead Strings 1 and Bead Strings 2 to die cut water from Dusky Sky as follows: cut a piece 3 x 6 1/2 inches, use small even bead die to cut near the long edge, so about 1 1/4 inches will be below the "waves" and just a slight bit of the die will be off one side. Note: there is not much wiggle room - the bead strings will just fit across the bottom of the sky piece already cut. The bottom piece will be the ocean. You will glue the strand to the top of the waves - you may want to trim off the edge slightly to make it even so it won't show from underneath. Die cut larger beaded strand from a piece of Dusky Sky (NOT the one you just glued!). Adhere it below the first strand as shown. Adhere to bottom of sky piece, lining up the corner and bottom. Trim off excess from behind.

3. Adhere Transparent Glitter Stickers (Silver) to bead strings where desired - matching largest with the largest bead, smallest with the smallest bead, etc.

4. Die cut Boat pieces and clouds (Rainbow Sky) from White cardstock; sun (Rainbow Sky) from Buttercream cardstock.


5. Ink edges of sun, one flag, and center of main boat with Fossilized Amber Distress Ink. Apply ink to boat, going from edges to center, with Brushed Corduroy, overlapping the Fossilized Amber. Ink boat edges and port circles with Walnut Stain. Ink a rectangular piece that fits behind the windows with Ground Espresso. Adhere behind windows. Add large Transparent Glitter Stickers (Gold) in windows. Ink other flag with Weathered Wood. Apply a small amount of Weathered Wood to underside of clouds and sails as shown. Add Clear Wink of Stella to sun (optional).

6. Rub ball stylus behind sails and sun to give them dimension. Arrange scene on background and note where you would like sentiment. Adhere large cloud, main boat, and flags where shown, laying other pieces aside for now.

7. Adhere scene to center of card base front. Adhere other pieces as shown, using dimensional silicone behind sun and sails and dimensional tape behind small cloud.

8 Stamp sentiment (Ahoy Sentiments) on White cardstock. Die cut with stitched rectangle (Gift Card Accordion set). Adhere on card with dimensional tape.


Supplies

ECD Supplies
Other Supplies
  • Distress Ink: Fossilized Amber (Sun, Flag, Boat), Brushed Corduroy (Boat), Walnut Stain (Boat), Ground Espresso (Boat Inside Windows), Weathered Wood (Flag, Clouds, Sails)
  • Ink Blending Tool
  • Foam Applicators
  • Black Ink (e.g. StazOn Jet Black)
  • Wink of Stella Clear (Optional)
  • Decorator's Solution Dimensional Silicone Clear
  • Dimensional Tape
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Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Brush Lettering with Memento Markers


Memento Markers have dual tips; one is a flexible brush tip and the other is a fine tip. The brush tip is great for learning brush lettering techniques. I've tried many brush tip pens and this was the easiest one to begin with. It's just stiff enough to get a fine line without too much effort but flexible enough to get a nice thick one on the downstrokes.

Video Tutorial

Watch the video below to see how I used Memento Markers for brush lettering.


Hints:
  • Push down on the pen for down strokes (creating a thick line); pull up on the pen for all other strokes (creating a fine line).
  • Every pen is different - draw a few strokes before writing each time you switch pens to get the pen's feel. Draw a series of lines, thin to thick, then draw some curves, up down up...
  • Create your own alphabet - look around for alphabets that please you and alter letters as you see fit. For example, leave out the loop on the decender for the letter "p" or add a loop on the ascender on the letter "k".
  • Practice, practice, practice!

Brush Lettering Sites

Beginning Brush Lettering Tutorials
Supplies
  • Memento Markers
  • Pencil
  • Eraser
  • T-Square (or Ruler)
  • Marker Friendly Cardstock (e.g. Copic X-Press It)
  • Optional: Graph Paper
  • Optional: Dies (in video: Spellbinders Labels Four S4-190 and Labels Four Small S4-309)
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