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!