23rd Anniversary Penny Black Card

Our 23rd anniversary was this past weekend. This is the card for my sweetie. I couldn't resist the Penny Black hedgehogs image from the Stuck on You set. I colored it with my Copic Markers. I used Spellbinders Dies to cut it out, along with the scalloped mat behind it. I used some old Sizzix dies to cut out the hearts and the manila folder. My original Sizzix Primitive Hearts die with 2 hearts is no longer available but it looks like they made a replacement die with 4 hearts. I cut the hearts from chipboard then painted them with Viva Decor Inka Gold in Lava Red and Rose. I LOVE the stuff. You can use it as a water color paint or straight out of the container. For these I just used my finger to color them, straight from the container. I let them dry then used a paper towel to polish them to a full shine.

The folder is also no longer available, and I didn't see a replacement, but you can find it on eBay. Look for product number 38-1105 File Folder - be sure it is the one that is opened with two sides; there is another file folder die with just an image of a closed folder. I decorated the file folder with: some Washi tape (it also keeps it from opening up since it's wrapped around the back); words that I printed on my laser printer (from a whole page of words), ran through my Xyron, cut out with scissors, then distress inked the edges (ditto for the file folder edges) with Walnut Stain; and finally a little "LU!" from my old manual label maker.

The ticket was cut from a Tim Holtz Sizzix die, Ticket Strip, then stamped with the matching Stampers Anonymous calendar stamp from the Odds and Ends set CMS100 and distressed with Walnut Stain.

The flowers are all from Petaloo. I usually get the Color Me Crazy flowers from the Mulberry collection but sometimes I get flowers from their other lines (e.g. Darjeeling Tea Stained paper flowers). I always add my own colors/sprays/paints to them. This time I also added Snow Cap Adirondack acrylic paint to the tips of the flowers, as well as to the edges of the hearts. Below is a close up of some the flowers.

My last photo better shows the layering of items on the card.

Just a Note Penny Black Cat Card

I love Penny Black stamps! They are so adorable. I ordered a bunch on sale from Joann.com. The cat is from the Stuck on You set. I colored the image with Copic markers; ditto for the little heart stamped on the tiny envelope - I wanted it to match the one the cat is holding. To cut the envelope, I used an old Sizzix Original die: Cards & Envelopes, Tiny. It has been retired so it may be hard to find, although I saw some on eBay - look for Sizzix product number 38-1143.

I couldn't find background paper in the colors I wanted so I made my own using Viva Decor Inka-Gold  in Violet & Cobalt Blue, Twinkling H2Os (not sure of the exact colors), and some Tim Holtz Distress Reinkers mixed with water and Perfect Pearls in a Mini Mister. Using my Craft Sheet, I added water as needed then dragged the paper through the puddles to get the marbled watercolor look you see below.

I made the daisy using the new Mini Daisy Sizzix Thinlits dies by Susan Tierney Cockney. For the center, I used a generous amount of Liquid Pearls in Buttercup then, while still wet, coated it with some bright yellow flocking powder. The rest of the flowers are from the Petaloo Color Me Crazy collection, (I like to layer the mulberry paper ones) colored with the same paints I used for the background paper, in differing amounts. Be sure to first mist them with some water. I also crinkle them while wet and use a heat tool to dry them, then carefully un-crinkle them a bit before gluing the layers together.

Below is a closeup of the message inside the envelope. I inked the edges to make them stand out a little from the envelope so when it was opened you would see the little card inside.

Here is a close up of the flowers. The daisy leaves came with the daisy die already mentioned. I added a few more leaves using the Flowering Quince set and green card stock. I colored them with a couple of green Twinkling H2Os to give them some shading and sparkle. Unfortunately the shimmer and sparkle did not show up well in the photographs.

Hint: As an alternative to stamping words/phrases, I like to make up pages of words and sayings in differing fonts, print them on card stock, run them through my Xyron (permanent adhesive), and cut them into banners, or die cut them, for use. You can use Word, Photoshop, or any other program you have that will accept text in different fonts.

Banner Thank You Card in Blue and Green

This is a thank you card I made for friends who did something nice for me. I used some triangle banner dies and a circle punch to create the banner. The letters were stamped with a inexpensive alphabet set I bought at either Michaels or A.C. Moore (they both sell these occasionally in the dollar bin - I bought a bunch of different ones; they're handy!). Hint: stamp the letters first then use the circle punch upside down to center the letter within the circle before punching. I inked the edges of each circle before mounting them inside the slightly larger circles, punched from colored card stock. These are popped up using foam tape.

I used a couple strips of Washi Tape behind the bow and flowers. I found the buttons in a dollar bin at Michaels - they had a bunch of bright colors.

I described how I colored the Petaloo flowers in a previous blog post - except I put rhinestones in the centers instead of pearls to match the rhinestones in the banner. For the leaves, I used a Sizzix Sizzlits die from the Flowers, Branches, & Leaves set. To color the leaves, I used Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint in Peeled Paint. I added water to the Peeled Paint to thin it before painting it on, leaving some of the green card stock to show through. Then I painted on Rock Candy Distress Crackle to give them more crackle and some shine. Finally, I painted on Distress Reinker in spots to give the leaves some shading (I can't remember if I used Crushed Olive or Forest Moss) - it also helped to define the cracks in the paint.

The A7 sized card and envelope were cut using Sizzix Pro Dies.

Coloring Petaloo Flowers with Distress

I absolutely love Petaloo Color Me Crazy Flowers! I usually buy the white mulberry paper layers. These give a nice starting base to my flowers when I don't feel like cutting my own from scratch.

The photos below show how I colored some of the flowers with Ranger products. I like to create my own sprays using Distress Reinkers (not shown), Perfect Pearls, and water in a Mini Mister. I make them up beforehand - and I get several uses out of them. The reinkers have a lot of pigment so only a drop or two will do, depending on how much color you like. Perfect Pearls gives it some sparkle and shine. Alternatively, I may mix in, or paint on later, Winsor & Newton's Iridescent Medium. Be sure to shake the mister bottle each time before spraying; I usually add a small metal bead for mixing.

Another way I color the flowers is by using Distress Stains. First I spray the flowers with some water, then I swipe a selected color of stain across the Craft Sheet and spray some more water in the stain puddle. Finally I just mop up the color with the flower. For a marbled effect, I will use two or three colors swiped near each other on the sheet - they will start to mix slightly when I spray in the extra water.

For added dimension, after drying the flowers - with my heat gun to speed up drying time - I tap some acrylic paint on the top or on the ends of the petals with a dauber, or I paint it in the middle with a brush. The daubers I use are Adirondack Acrylic Paint Daubers by Ranger but you could use any acrylic paint, just dab it on with a sponge applicator instead.

I also add Rock Candy Distress Stickles to some of the flowers - either painted on the petals or just near the center. I add regular Stickles near the center on other flowers for a different look. Once the layers have been glued together (I mostly use Glossy Accents - it dries fast and really sticks), I stick a half-pearl in the middle. I typically buy only the off-white self-adhesive pearls since I can make them almost any color I want using Adironack Alcohol Inks and a Q-Tip. The pearl in the large blue/purple flower was colored this way.

You should be able to find all (or at least most) of these products at your local craft store.

To shape the flowers I use a bone folder (burnishing bone - if you're a framer) to line the petals from the front (some come with lines already) and shape them from the back. Hint: do this on the back of a rubber mouse pad. I also use a die pick for finer lines both on petals and on leaves (not shown). I use the die pick or paint brush handle to roll the petals under slightly, or up as he case may be. You might have to experiment with these techniques to get your desired effect. Look for these flowers on cards in later posts!