AECP Level 2 - Masking Unleashed

Welcome back to Paper Play!  I appreciate you stopping by and taking the time to read my post.  Today's post is a little bittersweet because it's on the project for my final AECP Level 2 Course, Masking Unleashed.  This course focused on the use of masks, or pieces of paper, tape, or the like, to cover stamped images while adding additional color or detail to the area around it.  For example, you may stamp an image and color it but then want to add color into the background.  One way to do that is to create a mask for the image so that it isn't impacted by the color you blend around it.

For my project, I decided to focus on masking my stamped images to protect them not only from the background color, but also the medium that I applied to the background through a stencil.

The vision for my design was a vintage feel using the deco stencil in the background and gold embossed roses.  I wanted a 1920's kind of look for it - something a little glitzy and ornate.  I think that I achieved it - what do you think?

Here's what I used to make this card:

• Altenew Vintage Roses Layering Stamp & Die Set
• Altenew Deco Wallpaper Stencil
• Altenew Bithdays Around the World Stamp Set
• Taylored Expressions A2 sized frame die
  
• Clear Embossing Ink
• Brutus Monroe Gilded Embossing Powder
• Black Embossing Powder
• Metallic Gold Pigment Ink
• Delicata Golden Glitz Pigment Ink
• Picket Fence Luxe Paper Glaze - Spanish Moss
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink and Spray Stain - Speckled Egg
• Masking Paper
• A2 white card base
• A2 white card panel (2)
• Vellum
  
• Black rhinestone jewels

 Here's how I made it:

• Placed A2 sized white panel on Altenew Stamp Wheel sticky pad and stamp chosen Vintage Rose first layer stamp using the metallic gold pigment ink.  Then take the second layer stamp and stamp image using golden glitz ink.  The metallic gold is lighter than the golden glitz ink, and so I wanted it to be my lighter base image.  I wanted the next layer of detail to be darker and so I used the golden glitz for it.
• The Stamp Wheel makes it so easy to not only align and stamp layered images; it also makes it easy to align images next to each other.  I placed the second Vintage Rose stamp where I wanted it to the left of the first one and repeated the steps above for it.  I then placed it on the right side of the first rose and repeated.
• Took the third layer stamp for each and stamped it using the clear embossing ink.  I applied the Gilded embossing powder to each, tapped off excess, and set it with my heat tool.  I chose this embossing powder to give each rose a darker top layer and to make the flowers shine.  I think the roses look beautiful!
• Chose where to stamp my leaves and stamped them with the clear embossing ink.  Gilded embossing powder was applied, excess tapped off, and set it with my heat tool.
• Cut masks for the flowers and leaves using the coordinating dies and applied them over each stamped image.
• Blended Speckled Egg ink over the card panel, and then sprayed the Speckled Egg stain over it; dried it with my heat tool.
• Affixed stencil to the card panel and applied the paper glaze with a scraper tool; dried the front panel with my heat tool.  The Spanish Moss color of the paper glaze and the Speckled Egg ink go so well together, and the paper glaze adds some sparkle as well.
• Removed the masking paper from images, and affixed card panel to card base with double sided tape.
• Cut the A2 frame from the second card panel.  I wanted the gold color of the frame to be the same as the gilded gold on the roses and leaves, so I ran embossing ink around the it and then applied Gilded embossing powder.  Tapped off excess and set it with the heat tool.
• Applied double sided foam tape to the frame for added dimension and placed onto card.
• Cut a piece of vellum to fit the Happy Birthday stamp; dusted it with baking powder to get rid of static.  Stamped it with clear embossing ink, applied black embossing powder, and set it with my heat tool.
• Placed craft glue on backside edges of vellum and placed the vellum onto card so that the edges were under the frame.  Added three black rhinestones using craft glue.
• Used a gold gel pen to add some detail lines to the leaves.

I love the look of the gold in the roses, leaves and frame against this light turqoise color.  It really does scream both vintage and Roaring 20's to me!

The crisp lines from the paper glze and stencil add so much dimension to the card.

I am really happy with how it turhed out.  I incorporated aspects of other AECP classes to make sure that little details were added and that my background popped.  I hope you agree!

That's it for today's post.  Thank you for stopping by to read it.  I'd really enjoy hearing your feedback - please share it with me.

Until next time . . . be well!
 

Blank Page Muse/I Brake for Stamps - Sunflower Wishes

Hey there, crafty friends!

Thanks for stopping by Paper Play.  I’ve always enjoyed sunflowers.  They stand so tall, basking in the sun, and gently flowing with the wind.  They also happened to be a favorite of my mom and they always make me think of her.  Today’s card is inspired by her.

Sunflower Wishes was made with the following items:

• Butterfly Breezes Clear Stamp Set from Blank Page Muse
  
• Delicata Golden Glitz Ink
• Sizzix Embossing Ink
• Brutus Monroe Gilded Embossing Powder
• Versa Fine Nocturne Ink
• Ohuhu Alcohol Markers: Lemon Chiffon, Sunflower, Carrib Cocoa, Orange, Cream, Black
• Sakura Gelly Roll White Pen

Here’s how I made it:

• Brushed baking powder over a 3.75”x5” purple card stock panel
• Stamped sentiment onto 3.75” x 5” purple card panel with embossing ink and sprinkled embossing powder over it
• Set embossing powder with heat tool
• Stamped a sunflower onto a piece of white card stock; then stamped one onto a silicone stamping tool and pressed white card stock against it for a reverse stamped sunflower
• Colored sunflowers, added highlights with white gel pen, and cut them out with detail scissors
• Stamped large butterfly onto white card stock, colored it, and cut it out with detail scissors
• Stamped small butterflies onto purple card panel with gold ink
• Adhered sunflowers to card panel with double sided foam tape
• Adhered butterfly to a sunflower with double sided foam tape
• Ran gold ink around edges of purple card panel
• Adhered card panel to A2 sized card base with double sided tape
• Ran gold ink around the edges of card base

The gold embossed sentiment really stands out and shines against the purple card stock, as does the gold butterflies.  

The butterfly sits so nicely on the sunflower and serves of a reminder that those we lose are always around us.

Want to save 15% off of your purchase at Blank Page Muse or I Brake for Stamps?  Use my code, BPMWalter, to save!

I hope that you enjoy the card and the inspiration behind it.  Until next time . . . be well!

Blank Page Muse Fall Teal Flowers & Leaves Digital Download Kit

Hey there, Paper Play friends!

Blank Page Muse has a new product offering that I had a chance to play with and I want to tell you all about it.  The Fall Teal Flowers and Leaves digital download kit is now available to purchase and download on their website.  The kit contains: several pages of beautiful paper full of flowers, leaves, and boho swirls in shades of teal, yellow, and tan; and three pages of various tag sizes in vintage papers and floral paper.  This set screams Fall!  The colors are vibrant, and you may use the pages for card making, creating a junk journal, scrapbooking, and other paper crafting projects.  All you have to do is download the files and orint them on your printer.  A note on printing: I printed out pages on both 65 lb white card stock and regular copy/printer paper.  My preference is to use the 65 lb white card stock (although a similar weight ivory or cream card stock would look great as well!)  The reason why is that the card stock is easier to cut, isn’t as likely to tear, and won’t show a different color base card stock through it.

The first project that I made with the kit is this card:

I used the following items to make it:

• Digital Download Fall Teal Flowers and Leaves
  
• BPM Special Day CLEAR Sentiments Birthday Stamp Set designed by Pam Bray PBSDBdy
  
• Tim Holtz Distress Inks: Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo
• Altenew Chamomile Crisp Dye Ink
• 5”X7” Kraft card base

Today’s Paper Play post contains my first video blog!  You may click here to watch the video on my YouTube channel.

I hope that you enjoyed watching my creative process and learning more about this new offering from Blank Page Muse!

Until next time . . . be well!

AECP Level 2 - Magical Marker Techniques

Welcome back to Paper Play, crafty friends!

I appreciate you stopping by today.  This post is all about various ways to use alcohol markers aside from traditional coloring, which was the focus of the AECP Level 2 course Magical Marker Techniques.  Most of us reach for our alcohol markers to color in a stamped image; however, there are many different ways that you can use them.  This course provided 6 lessons - each focusing on a different technique.  I chose two techniques to incorporate into my project for the class - using alcohol markers and spritzes of alcohol to color on metal and using alcohol markers on vellum.  This class was a lot of fun for me since I love to color, and I always enjoy trying out a new technique or two.

My project for the course features: a die cut dahlia that is made from layers of metal tape on top of white card stock and then colored with three shades of pink alcohol markers and spritzed with rubing alcohol; stem and leaves die cut from vellum and colored with green alcohol markers; a background made using a stencil and grit paste mixed with a little Lunar Paste; and a sentiment band with embossing.

Here’s what I used to make it:

• Altenew Build-A-Garden: Dear Dahlias Stamp & Die Set
  
• Altenew Inline Leaves Die Set
  
• Altenew Trellis Stencil
  
• Altenew One Friend Stamp Set
  
• Altenew Artist Alcohol Markers: Frosty Pink, Coral Berry, Ruby Red, Frayed Leaf, Forest Glades, Olive
• Ranger Tim Holtz Grit Paste - Opaque
• Ranger Simon Hurley Lunar Paste - Slippery When Wet
• Sizzix Clear Embossing Ink
• Ranger Black Embossing Powder
• 1 A2 white card base
• 1 4”x5.25” pink card panel
• 1 3.75”x5” white card panel
• Vellum
• Clear Drip Drops

Here’s how I made it:

• Created white card base, cut pink panel, ran Frosty Pink marker around the edges of both, and adhered panel to base with double sided tape.
• Created white card panel and taped it down to craft surface with post-it tape.
• Placed stencil over card panel and secured with post-it tape.
• Mixed a little grit paste with a small amount of lunar paste, which created a rose gold/light gold colored paste; spead paste evenly over the stencil, removed tape, and set panel aside to dry.
• Adhered metal tape (the type used in HVAC system assembly & repair, purchased on Amazon) onto small piece of white card stock, aligned dahlia dies, and ran through my die cut machine.
• Colored dahlia flower die cuts with the pink markers, starting with lightest and ending with darkest, and spritzed with rubbing alcohol.
• The rubbing alcohol interacts with the alcohol ink and creates a mottle effect.

• Once dry, assembled the petals into the flower using craft glue.
• Used leaf die and cut set from vellum; colored each side of cut vellum with the green markers, starting with lightest and ending with darkest.
• Cut a sentiment banner from vellum, dusted piece with baking powder, and stamped the sentiment with clear embossing ink; sprinkled black embossing powder over the ink, tapped off excess, and set with heat tool.
• Assembled pieces onto card panel and adhered that panel to the card with double sided foam tape.
• Adhered three clear drip drops with craft glue

This dahlia is gorgeous!  I love the varying shades of pink and way that the rubbing alcohol gave the petals a mottled look, especially versus the vellum colored leaves and stenciled background.  The card also has lots of texture and depth.  Overall, I am super happy with this card and look forward to giving it to a deserving friend.

That wraps up today’s post.  I hope that you learned something new about alcohol markers and ink and that it has inspired you to try creating something on your own.  Thanks for spending some time with me today.  Until next time . . . be well!

Blank Page Muse/I Brake for Stamps - Vintage Note

Hey there, friends!

Thanks for checking out this latest Paper Play post!  I've mentioned before that I have great affinity for vintage designs.  I have a lot of fun thinking about how to take stamps or dies and turn them into something that looks older and aged, and that's exactly what I did for my latest creative team design for Blank Page Muse/I Brake for Stamps.

Here's what I used to make this card:

• Just Messy Floral Sheet from I Brake for Stamps
• Handwriting stamp from Hero Arts Mix Textures Stamp Set
• Spellbinders Deckled Edge Dies
  
• Sizzix Embossing Ink
• Ranger Vintage Pearl Embossing Powder
• Tim Holtz Distress Inks: Antique Linen, Tea Dye, Vintage Photo
• Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stains: Antique Linen, Tattered Rose, Victorian Velvet, Bundled Sage

Here's how I made it:

• Brushed baking powder over a piece of ivory card static to prevent embossing powder from sticking to non-inked areas
  
• Stamped the floral sheet stamp onto ivory card stock with embossing ink
• Sprinkled embossing powder over stamped image, tapped away excess, and applied heat to it with heat tool
• Colored the flowers with Tattered Rose spray ink with a small paintbrush, added darker shading using Victorian Velvet spray ink and a paintbrush, and finally colored the leaves with Bundled Sage spray ink and a paintbrush
• Added light grunge over the stamped card panel with Antique Linen ink and an ink blending tool
• Lightly sprayed Antique Linen spray stain over card panel
• Cut the card panel using the deckled edge die
• Applied Tea Dye ink around the edges of the card panel
• Added grunge to an A2 sized kraft (tan) card base
• Adhered card panel to base with double sided tape
• Stamped separate rose with vintage photo ink and colored as described above for the card panel; fussy cut it out
• Stamped the sentiment with Vintage Photo ink, added grunge with Tea Dye ink and Antique Linen spray stain; let it dry and then cut out with deckled edge die
  
• Glued rose to card
• Stamped light background writing onto card panel using Tea Dye ink
  
• Adhered sentiment to card using double sided foam tape

I love the look of the embossed colored roses against the ivory card stock, grunge, and separate rose.

And the light writing adds just a little bit of additional interesting detail.

This card is so versatile and can be used as a thank you, to say hello, or even for a birthday.  You may stamp whatever sentiment on the inside to use it as you'd like.

Want to save 15% off your purchase at Blank Page Muse or I Brake for Stamps?  Use my discount code, BPMWalter, to save!

Thanks for spending some time with me on Paper Play.  Until next time . . . be well!

AECP Level 2 - Impressive Heat Embossing

Hey there, crafty friends!

Thanks for coming back to Paper Play.  I’m trying something a little different today and am doing a hybid blog & vlog post!  I’ve been experimenting with video and have been posting some on TikTok and some on YouTube.  I thought this course would be a good one to try it out.

Heat embossing is something that I’ve really only used in the past for sentiments or stamp outlines.  This course, Impressive Heat Embossing, opened my mind to trying out some new techniques.  I’m now more comfortable with it and will be building upon this foundation to continue down the road with heat embossing.

The card that I made for this class focused on embossing multiple components of the card - the image outline, the leaves, and a portion of the flowers.  The end result is a beautiful card full of turqoise, gold, and black.

Here’s what I used to make the card:

• Altenew Build A Garden: Dear Dahlias Outline Stamp and Die Set
  
• Altenew Turqoise Crisp Dye Ink
• Altenew Forrest Glades Artist Marker
• Altenew Antique Gold Metallic Ink Spray
• Sizzix Clear Embossing Ink
• Ranger Tim Holtz Embossing Ink Pen
• Ranger Black and Turqoise Antiquities Embossing Powders
• Brutus Monroe Gilded Embossing Powder
• Sakura Glaze Black Gel Pen
• Clear Drip Drops

You may find a tutorial on how I made the card on my YouTube channel.

Summary of steps completed to make the card:

• Stamped dahlia outline stamp onto cream card stock with embossing ink
• Applied black embossing powder and heat set it
• Used the embossing ink pen to color in the leaves with ink; applied gold/gilded embossing powder and heat set
• Used the embossing ink pen to color parts of the dahlias with ink; applied turqoise embossing powder and heat set
• Watercolored the rest of the dahlias with turqoise ink, water, and a fine detail paint brush
• Colored the flower stems with Forrest Glades marker
• Stamped sentiment in black ink at bottom of 4”x6” cream card panel; splattered gold metallic ink spray onto panel
• Cut out the flowers with coordinating die and adhered to the cream card panel using double sided foam tape
• Ran gold ink around edges of cream card panel and adhered to 5”x7” black card base using double sided tape
• Applied three clear drip drops using craft glue

The gold embossing powder gives the leaves an even more interesting look than just coloring them, and the turqouise embossing powder brings the flowers to life!  The sparkle on the dahlias is really pretty and adds such a nice detail to them.

I hope that you enjoyed this post, the video, and my creation.  Let me know what you think!  Would you like to see more video content to accompany the posts?

Thanks for spending some time with me today.  Until next time . . . be well!

AECP Level 2 - Color Your Day

Hey there, friends!

Thanks for stopping by for another Paper Play post.  I've been thinking a lot lately about what inspires me as a card maker and paper crafter.  Most of the time it's simply the stamp or image that inspires me.  I think of a story and put it onto paper to tell it in the form of a card.  However, there are times that my inspiration comes from something as simple as the paper I'm using or a photograph that I see online.  The cards that I am sharing today were inspired by just that - one by paper and one by an online advertisement.  They were the perfect cards to feature for the AECP course that I just finished, Color Your Day.  This was another amazing course with Therese Calvird, who is one of my favorite AECP instructors.  The class focused on adding color to your projects using various mediums and techniques.  I had a lot of fun and really enjoyed it.  Let's see what I created!

Card 1 - Hydrangeas with Love

Hydrangeas are probably my most favorite flower - with tulips coming in a close second.  Altenew has some really beautiful hydrangea stamps and I have been waiting for the right project to use one . . . and this one was it.  This card was inspired by the paper that I used for the card panel.  It's a piece of adhesive-backed birch wood paper.  It's an actual very, very thin slice of wood that I received in the Spring 2023 subscription box from Your Paper Insider (click this link to find out more about the company and subscription) and I knew exactly what I wanted to create when I saw it in the box: a card that looks like the sentiment and image had been created with wood burning.  I think that I achieved it - what do you think?

I used the following items to make it:

• Altenew Garden Hydrangea Layering Stamp Set
• Altenew Woodless Coloring Pencils: Tide Blue, Desert Night, Rubellite, Limade, Shadow Creek, Moss, White
• Birch wood paper from Your Paper Insider
• Tim Holtz Distress Inks: Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo, and Antique Linen
• Sakura Gelly Roll White Gel Pen
• Clear Drip Drops from Taylored Expressions

 Here's how I made it:

• Stamped the hydrangea outline onto the birch wood paper using the Walnut Stain ink.  This dark brown ink was the perfect color to replicate the look of wood burning.  I then aligned and stamped one of the hydrangea detail stamps.
• Decided where to place my three leaves and stamped the outline of each with the Walnut Stain ink.  I then aligned and stamped the leaf detail stamp for each of the leaves.
• With my image in place, I decided how I wanted to lay out my sentiment and then stamped it with the Walnut Stain ink.
• Chose to color the images with colored pencils because I wasn't sure how dark alcohol markers might look directly on the wood.  It's so much easier to control the color when using pencils, and you can easily lighten or blend with the white pencil if you need to do so.  I went around the edges of the flowers with the Limeade Green first, then added colored each flower with the Tide Blue, added pops of Rubellite to each petal, and then some darker shading with the Desert Night Blue.  I then went over each flower with the white pencil to help blend the colors together.

• Colored the leaves with a light coat of Limeade Green, then some Shadow Creek Green, and lastly some shading with Moss Green.  I went over each leaf with some white to blend the colors together.

• Added some distress & grunge to the wood with some Antique Linen and Vintage Photo distress inks and a blending brush.  TIP: remember to go with the grain of the wood when adding the grunge.  As you can se in the photo, the ink will pick up some grain marks and add this extra layer of detail to your project.

• Ran some Vintage Photo distress ink around the edges of the wood paper to add further distressing.
  
• Peeled off the adhesive backing cover and adhered the card panel to a 5" x 7" cream colored card base.
• Added some fine white lines to the flowers for some added depth and highlights.
  
• Added three drip drops to the card with some craft glue.
   

I absolutely the way it turned out!  It was fun to use colored pencils since I don't use them all that often.  The pops of green and rubellite blended into the flowers gives them so much vibrancy and really makes it one stand out.

Card 2 - Moroccan Sparkles

I recently clicked on an add on Facebook for an item at Wayfair.  Of course, that led me down the rabbit hole of spending an hour looking at items that I don't need for home!  But it was a fortuitous time suck because I came across a picture of a Moroccan rug and the colors of it inspired this card.  Here's the rug:

I loved the combination of the rusty orange with the purple, gold, and little bit of green.  This card is my interpretation of it.

I used the following to create it:

• Altenew Moroccan Lattice Cover Die 
• Altenew Sparkle Bright Layering Stamp & Die Set 
• Altenew Antique Gold Ink Spray
• Altenew Turquoise Crisp Dye Ink
• Altenew Tahitian Terrace Dual Tip Watercolor Pens: Volcano Lake, Hunter Green, Olive Green, Warm Sunshine, Chamomile, Hydrangea, Eastern Sky, Coral Berry
• Tim Holtz Rusty Hinge Distress Spray Stain
• Ohuhu Sand White Alcohol Marker
  
• Versafine Clair Black Pigment Ink
• Sizzik Clear Embossing Ink
  
• Ranger Clear Embossing Powder
• Ranger Gilded Embossing Powder
• Sakura Gelly Roll White Gel Pen
  

 Here's how I made it:

• Sprayed an A2 sized white card panel with the the Rusty Hinge spray stain.  Spritzed it with water and then dried it with my heat tool.  Adhered it to white A2 card base with double sided tape.
  
• Ran the cover die through my die cutting machine with an A2 sized piece of white card stock.  Applied Turquoise ink to the panel with a blending brush.  I then sprayed it with the Antique Gold ink.  This created a gold lattice cover with just a little bit of oxidation tarnish on it.  This came out exactly the way that I wanted it to!

• Put double sided foam tape onto the back of the lattice and adhered it to the card base.  The look of the gold and rust is so gorgeous!
• Dusted a piece of white card stock with baking powder.  Stamped the flower and leaves onto it with the Black pigment ink and then applied clear embossing powder.  Used a heat tool to set the embossing powder.  TIP: use black pigment ink, which is thicker than regular ink, and clear embossing powder instead of clear embossing ink and black embossing powder.  This way, little flecks of embossing powder won't show up on your image since it's clear!
• Colored the leaves starting with a base layer of Volcano Lake, followed by adding Hunter Green, and then some Olive Green shading.  Added some white highlights with the gel pen.
  
• Colored the flowers with a base of Hydrangea, went around the edges with some Eastern Sky, and then the inside with some Coral Berry.  Colored the inner circle with Warm Sunshine and added a little Chamomile to the center.  Added some white highlighted with the gel pen.
• Cute out the image with the coordinating die.
• Ran the sand white marker around the white areas of the due cut image.
• Adhered the image to the card using double sided foam tape.
• Stamped the sentiment words onto a scrap of cream card stock with black ink and clear embossing ink for the word sparkle.  Applied Gilded embossing powder to the word sparkle and then set it with a heat tool.
  
• Used stacking deckled edge rectangle dies to cut out the sentiments.  Adhered them to the card using double sided foam tape.

This is such a pretty card.  It just goes to show that you never know what you might be inspired by and how you may interpret it!

That wraps up today's post.  Thank you for spending some time with me today on Paper Play.  Until next time . . . be well!

Blank Page Muse/I Brake for Stamps - Flamingo Love

Hello, friends!

Welcome back to Paper Play.  It’s hard to believe that Summer is in its last weeks.  I’m acutally okay with that since it means that the Fall, my favorite season, is just around the corner.  But . . . we’re not quite there yet.  I thought it would be fun to celebrate the remaining Summer weeks with some fun loving flamingos and florals and, luckily, Blank Page Muse has the perfect red rubber stamp set to make this happen.

My card, Flamingo Love, was made using the following items:

• Flamingo Row Red Rubber Stamps
  
• Sizzix Stacking Heart dies
• Spellbinders Deckled Edge die
• Versa Fine Nocturne Black Ink
• Ohuhu Honolulu Alcohol Markers
• Pastel Gel Pens
• Altenew Pink Embellishments
• Drip Drop clear drops

Here’s how I made it:

• Stamped flowers randomly on 5”x7” pink card stock panel
• Cut out heart shape from pink card panel with heart die
• Figured out where I wanted my flamingos to show up in heart shape, aligned 5”x7” white card panel and stamp, and stamped my flamingos
• Colored flamingos with alcohol markers and added some white highlightes with a gel pen
• Colored my flowers with gel pens
• Used double sided tape to adhered white card panel behind the pink one
• Cut out a small sentiment tag with deckled edge die, ran a black marker around the edges of it, and then stamped the sentiment
• Adhered sentiment tag to card with double sided foam tape
• Added pink embellishments and drip drops
• Adhered ccompleted card panel to 5”x7” card base with double sided tape

A super simple card to make - yet also very pretty.  I love the look of the pastel flowers colored with gel pens against the colored card stock.  And these flamingos are just too cute and I really like the shape of the heart made between their beaks.

Want to save 15% off your purchase at Blank Page Muse or I Brake for Stamps?  Use my discount code,  BPMWalter, to save!

I hope that you enjoy my creation and yoir last days of Summer!

Until next time . . . be well!

AECP Level 2 - Beautiful Details

Welcome back to Paper Play, friends!

What is it that makes you happy as a crafter, card maker, or creator of any kind?  What drives you to create?  For me, it's seeing the smile and happiness from someone when they receive one of cards or crafts.  That reaction fuels me and makes me want to create more.  It also fuels me to push myself and try new techniques, new ways of coloring, etc.  The course that I just finished, Beautiful Details, did just that.  It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone by not coloring the images on my cards in my usual way.  The focus of the class was on tips and techniques to use different mediums in creating your cards and how to add details in a different way.  It took me a week of watching the lessons, then re-watching them, and then thinking about designs to finally come up with some cards that I liked.

Both of my cards were made using the same stamp set and have a lot in common, such as the color palette.  However, they also have some differences and those differences were informed by what I learned in the course.  Overall, I wanted to show how to use one stamp set and different techniques to create two different but beautiful designs.

Here's what I used to make the cards:

• Altenew Forever in Love Stamp and Die Set
• Altenew Silver Lake Crisp Dye Ink
  
• Sizzix Clear Embossing Ink Pad
• Simon Says Stamp Ultra Fine Silver Embossing Powder
• Artezza Inkonic Premium Colored Pens
• White glitter gel pen
• Sakura Gelly Roll White Gel Pen
• Clear drip drops
• Black sequins
• Gray card stock
• White card stock
• Pink card stock
• Vellum paper
  

Card 1 - Wish I Met You Sooner

There were three main details that I wanted to focus on with this card:

• a layered paper look of three different colors of card stock stacked on each other
• an image stamped in the same color (gray) as the card base color
• leaves that weren't colored but rather filled in with lines

I made the card by:

• Creating a 5"x7" gray card base.
• Cutting a 4.75" by 6.5" pink card panel, running pink around the panel edges, and adhering it to the card base with double sided tape.
• Cutting a 4.25" by 6" white card panel, running Silver Lake ink around the edges, and then stamping the image onto the card panel.
• Dusted the upper right corner of card panel with baking powder and inked the sentiment with embossing ink.  Applied silver embossing powder and set it with a heat tool.
• Used a green gray pen to draw lines within the leaves to define the color and detail of them.
• Used a white glitter pen to color the roses.  This added a sparkle detail to them.  There's no need for shading with this approach since the purpose is just o have them sparkle when the light hits them.
• Applied three clear drip drops with craft glue.

The resulting design is so pretty and much different than the card that I would have made prior to this course.  I likely would have just colored the leaves with green shading and the roses with pink shading.  However, the green gray lines on the leaves makes them stand out a little more, and the sparkling roses are so gorgeous.  The card is quite versatile as well and could be used for a wedding, anniversary, birthday, or even just to say "I love you."

Card 2 - Forever in Love

I knew that I wanted to use colored vellum for this card.  I thought it would add an interesting detail against a plain white background and an embossed silver sentiment.

 

I made this card by:

• Creating a 5"x7" gray card base.
• Cutting a 4.5"x6.5" white card panel and running Silver Lake ink around it's edges.  I dusted the top center portion with baking powder, stamped the sentiment with embossing ink, applied silver embossing powder, and set it with a heat tool.
• Dusted a piece of vellum paper with baking powder, stamped the image with embossing ink, applied silver embossing powder, and set it with a heat tool.
• Adhered the white panel to the card base with double sided tape.
  
• Colored the leaves with a light gray pen and then added lines to each leaf with a darker gray pen.  I then added some white highlight lines to the leaves with the white gel pen.
• Colored the berries with a dark gray pen and then added some highlights with a white gel pen.
• Colored the roses with a light pink pen, added shading with a darker shade, and then colored the centers with an even darker shade.  Added some white lights and lines with a gel pen.
• Applied some small pieces of double sided foam tape to the back of the image and adhered it to the white card panel.
• Applied three large black sequins and three small black sequins using craft glue.

 

I like the dimension that the vellum image gives to the card.  It's so much more interesting than just stamping the image onto the white panel.  Once again, this image was colored in a very different way than I would have previously done.  The lines in the leaves and rose petals add some interesting detail that also helps to soften up both.  Such a pretty card that, like the first one, can be used to so many different occasions.

 

 

This wraps up the time with me on Paper Play today.  I thank you for stopping by and spending a few moments of your day with me.  Until next time . . . be well!

Blank Page Muse/I Brake for Stamps - Hummingbird Happiness

Hey there, crafty friends!

Today I’m excited to be sharing my first Blank Page Muse/I Brake for Stamps Creative Team post here on Paper Play.  I really like the beautiful rubber and clear stamps in their catalog and am proud to be on the team!

I loved this hummingbird stamp as soon as I saw it.  It’s so unique - the pattern of it reminded me of stained glass, so that’s what I ran with in my design.

I used the following items to create it:

• Blank Page Muse You Make Me Happy Hummingbird Clear Stamp Set
  
• Blank Page Muse Butterfly Trails Mixed Media Stencil
  
• Altenew Crisp Dye Inks: Iceberg, Eastern Sky, Almond Butter, Fresh Leaf
• Altenew Puffy Heart Metallic Shimmer Ink Spray
• Lawn Fawn Yeti White Pigment Ink
• Versa Fine Nocturne Black Ink
• Sizzix Clear Embossing Ink
• brutus Monroe Midnight (blue) Embossing Powder
• Scrapbook.com Pops of Color - Copper
• Sakura Black Glaze Gel Pen
• Metallic Gel Pens - Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet
• Glitter Gel Pen - Green
• Drip Drops Clear Embellishments

Here’s how I made it:

• Used the Fresh Leaf ink and an ink blending tool to add green at the bottom of an A2 sized card panel.
• Used Iceberg ink and an ink blending tool to add blue the the remainder of card panel.
• Positioned the Butterfly Trails stencil, taped it down with Post-It tape, and used the Eastern Sky ink and an ink blending tool to add some circular patterns.
• Stamped the clouds onto the card panel using the Yeti white ink.
• Stamped the flower onto the card panel using the black ink.
• Stamped the leaves onto the catd panel using Almond Butter ink.
• Colored the base part of the flower with green glitter pen, and then used a detail paint brush to color the flower with the Puffy Heart ink spray; used a yellow gel pen to add detail to inside of the flower; outlined the flower with the Sakura Glaze pen.
• Used a detail paint brush to paint the leaves with the Copper Pops of Color.
• Lightly brushed a small piece of white card stock with corn starch.  Corn starch acts like anti-static powder and makes it easier for excess embossing powder to fall away from the card.  I then stamped the hummingbird onto it with some clear embossing ink, sprinkled Midnight embossing powder over it , and heated it with my heat tool.
• Used the metallic gel pens to color the hummingbird.  I decided to go with classic rainbow colors, but you can use whatever colors that you’d like.

• Once all colored, I fussy cut it out, applied double sided foam tape to the back, and adhered it to my card panel.  I like the added dimension fro the foam tape.
• Smooshed some Fresh Leaf ink onto my glass craft surface, spritzed it with water, and used a detail paint brush to add some grass
• Adhered thee clear drip drops to the card.

The colors on the hummingbird, shimmer on the flower, and glitter on the leaves really stand out - especially when the light hits the card.  I also really like the extra element of the circular patterns in the sky, which the card a little whimsical touch.  You can’t help but smile when looking at it, and it is sure to make the recipient happy!

 

That wraps up this Paper Play post.  Until next time . . . be well!

Please visit the links below for more inspiration, creativity, and stamping fun:

I Brake For Stamps -https://ibrakeforstamps.com/ 

The Blank Page Muse- https://blankpagemuse.com/

FB Fan Page-  https://www.facebook.com/groups/blankpagemuse/

Instagram Shop-  https://www.instagram.com/blankpagemuse/

Instagram Blog-  https://www.instagram.com/blankpagemuseblog/

Twitter-  https://twitter.com/BlankPageMuse

Pintrest- https://www.pinterest.com/blankpagemuse/boards/

Vintage Shadowbox Frame Wedding Card with The Gingerbread Prints

Hey there, crafty friends!

Welcome back to Paper Play!  One of my favorite items to use in crafting is vintage prints.  I’m an old soul and feel such a connection to all things from days gone by.  There’s a great short story by Jack Finney called The Third Level.  It’s about this man who finds a mysterious and secret third level in a NYC train station.  He boards a train on that level and it takes him back to about 100 years in the past.  I won’t go into more detail in case you’d like to read it (please do - such a treat!), but I think of that character and how I can understand his nostalgia for a simpler time.  I think that’s one of the reasons why I enjoy vintage prints so much - they’re can escape from all that’s happening today and allow me to think of a story to tell.  I’m lucky enough to be on the design teams for some vintage print designers, and The Gingerbread Prints is one of them.  I saw the image used in today’s share in the Vintage Fashion Journal Printable Kit and was immediately drawn to it.  It’s gorgeous.  The story just started to write itself the more that I stared at the image:

a very fashionable couple of considerable means on their wedding day; the kind of couple who weren’t afraid to break from the rather proper societal norms of the day; no white gown or tuxedo for them, they chose to express their own standard of fashion and beauty; a couple so in love with each other that the groom cannot turn his gaze away from her; a bride so sure of herself and her love that no white gown was needed.

 

I wanted to make something special to showcase them.  An elegant, aged shadowbox to frame their picture came to mind.  Here’s what I used to make it:

• Image from Vintage Fashion Journal Printable Kit from The Gingerbread Prints
• Shadow Frame Creator Die Set by Tonic Studios
  
• Celebration Shadow Die Insert Set by Tonic Studios
  
• Grunge Swirl Bckgeound Stamp by Deep Red Stamps
  
• 2 pieces of 6.25” x 8” Kraft/Tan card stock
• 4 pieces of 6.25” x 8” Cream card stock
• Matte Gold card stock
• Scap piece of black card stock
• Vintage Textiles Paper from Unity Stamps, three pieces
  
• Tim Holtz Distress Inks: Antique Linen, Tea Dye, and Old Photo
• Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain: Antique Linen and Lost Shadow
• Prima Marketing Fragrant Roses Silcone Mould
  
• Hot glue gun
• Antique Gold Acryllic Paint

Here’s how I made it:

• Use hot glue gun to fill a rose mould with hot glue and let harden; paint with antique gold acryllic paint and set aside to dry.
• Cut all paper to size and use dies to cut out the frame pieces permdie set instructions.
• Adjust the image of the couple to a smaller size and print it.

• Stamp the front frame piece of the card with the Grunge Swirls stamp and Tea Dye ink.

• Stamp the side of the back frame piece with Grunge Swirl stamp and Tea Dye ink.
• Use Antique Linen, Tea Dye, and Old Photo inks to age and distress image and frame pieces to your liking.

• Assemble frame using craft glue and double sided tape.
• Add gold rose to top of front frame with craft glue.
• Spritz the finished item with Antique Linen and Lost Shadow spray stains to add further distressing.
• The card is finished!

Here are other views of the card and a video:

As you can see, I left blank space on the back of the back of the card where you may write a message to the couple that you give it to. It can be folded down and fit into a 5” x 7” envelope.  I truly love this card and think it’s the best one that I have made to date.

Be inspired by the beautiful digital images, stamps, dies, etc. and don’t be afraid to tell their story!  I hope that you enjoy my story and creation.  Until next time . . . be well!