BPM/IBFS Wild Berry Thanks

Hey there, crafty friends!

I hope the month of May is going well for you!  I had alluded in my prior post that the project for this post would be using a scrap from that card as the focal point.  I hate to see beautiful pieces of paper go to waste, especially if they are in good condition, and knew that I'd either: use the circular scrap from the berries background or end up keeping it in a bin of scraps.  So . . . let's put it to use!

The design that I had in mind was to use the circular scrap in the middle of a stamped version of the same image and align it so that it naturally fits in.  I'd frame it to add further dimension and end up with a really nice card.

Here's what I used to make it:

• Wild Berries Background Coloring Art Rubber Stamp
• Vellum
• Acetate
• Black card stock
• White A2 card base

 Here's how I made it:

• Stamped the Wild Berries background stamp onto a piece of vellum with black ink and colored in the berries with a blue alcohol marker.
• Adhered the stamped & colored vellum to a piece of white card stock.
  
• Added double sided foam tape to the Wild Berries circular scrap, aligned it with the stamped & colored image, and adhered it to the panel.
• Adhered the panel to the A2 card base.
  
• Cut an A2 sized frame from black card stock, colored over it with a metallic silver glitter marker, put double sided foam tape on the back of it, and adhered it to the card.
  
• Colored a scrap piece of white paper with the metallic silver glitter marker, glued a sentiment onto it, and glued it down to my card.

 I loved that I was able to create a really pretty card and use so many scraps at the same time!  It was very easy to align the scrap with the stamped image, and the frame & use of foam tape really helps it stand out.

Thanks for spending some time with me here on the blog today.  I have some really fun projects planned for June and I look forward to sharing them with you!

Until next time . . . be well!

AECP Level 3 - Creative Coloring with Erum: Advanced Techniques

Hi there, my crafty friends!

Welcome back to Paper Play.  Today’s post is focused on coloring and the AECP Level 3 course that I just finished, Creative Coloring with Erum: Advanced Techniques.  It focused on ways to expand how we color elements for cards and went over several different techniques focusing on everything from flower petals to backgrounds.  I made three cards for the class - one that utilized a splatter watercolor technique to color my floral elements, one that used watercoloring to create a wood-like background to add texture to the card, and one that focused on using alcohol markers to add additional details to the petals and leaves of a layered stamped floral.  Let’s take a look at each of them!

Card 1 - Love Deeply; Live Fully

This card is my favorite of the three made for the class.  Notice the watercolor splatters on the flower petals and leaves that add detail and a much lighter look to the images.  I decided to continue the splattered effect and add both silver and white splatters of ink to the background.  I love the whimsical feel of the splatters; it makes the card feel more light and artsy.  Plus, it’s really not that hard to achieve such a beautiful effect.

Here’s what I used to make it:

• Altenew Garden Delights Stamp Set
  
• Altenew One Go: Loving Sentiments Stamp Set
  
• Altenew Fresh Dye Inks: Indigo Skies, Crystal Violet, Alpine Aster
• Altenew Crisp Dye Inks: Fresh Leaf, Shadow Creek
• Altenew Inks Sprays: Antique Silver and White
• Silver Metallic Pigment Ink
• Taylored Expressions Drip Drops
• A2 Navy Card Base
• 4”x5.25” Gray Linen Card Panel
• White card stock for stamping
• Scrap of Navy card stock for sentiment
• White embossing powder

Here’s how I made it:

• Stamped three flowers onto one piece of white card stock and several leaves onto another using clear embossing ink; added white embossing powder and set with a heat tool.
• Lightly misted my card stock with water, pressed ink cubes onto glass craft mat, sprayed each color with some water, and used a watercolor brush to add splatters of each color to the flowers.
• Used the brush to gently move some of the color and distribute it onto each petal; dried with my heat tool.
• Used the brush to add additional drops of splatter and darken the centers of the flowers; dried with my heat tool.
• Repeated this process until I was happy with how they looked.
• Repeated the above process for the piece of card stock stamped with the leaves.
• Fussy cut all of the flowers and leaves.
• Used the Antique Silver and White Ink Sprays (unscrewed the caps and used the spray pump) to add background splatter to gray card panel.
• Stamped sentiment onto scrap of Navy card stock using Silver metallic pigment ink.
• Once card panel was dry, decided on placement of leaves and flowers; adhered them down using craft glue, double sided foam tape, or a combination of the two to adhere down card elements; adhered card panel to base with double sided tape.

I am really proud of how this card turned out and think it may be one of the nicest ones that I have made to date.  Looking at it just makes me smile!

Card 2 - This is Your Time to Sparkle

There’s something about a faux wood background on a card that really draws my eye to it.  I enjoy working with real wood to make decorations and collages, which likely has a lot to do with it.  However, with cards I usually use an embossing folder to create the detail and then just need to ink blend it.  That’s what intrigued me about trying the technique to make such a background with watercolors.  I was a little intimidated to try it - but am super happy with the result.  I found that adding layers of color and drying in between each layer really helped bring the background to life.  Also, think if your wood is going to have knots in it or be super smooth; if adding knots, don’t pre-plan where they will be.  Rather, let the brush and watercolor let you know where to place the knot.  I know that may sound a little crazy - but it’s not!  The brush and ink and will natrually start to show the darkened areas where a knot might live, and your intuition will confirm it.

Here’s what I used to make it:

• Altenew Stencil Art: Charming Delight
  
• Altenew Inline Leaves Die Set
  
• Altenew Sparkle Bright Stamp Set (for the sentiment)
  
• Altenew Delectable Delights Crisp Dye Inks
• Altenew Enchanted Garden Crisp Dye Inks
• Altenew Golden Sunset Crisp Dye Inks
• Altenew Shadow Creek and Breen Opal Crisp Dye Inks
• A2 white card base
• Scrap of white card stock for stenciling flowers
• 4”x5.25” watercolor card panel
• Vellum
• Brutus Monroe Gilded Embossing Powder
• Taylored Expressions Drip Drops
• Nuvo Shimmer Glitter Pen

Here’s how I made it:

• Watercolored the wood background on the watercolor panel using the Delectable Delights (light to dark shades of brown) ink smooshed onto glass craft surface and sprayed with water; spritzed card panel with water to use the wet-on-wet method od watercoloring; started with the lightest and gradually worked my way up to the darker; used long up and down strokes with the watercolor brush, adding light and dark where I felt it was needed; dried with heat tool between layers of color.

• Set the panel aside to let it finish drying.
• Followed directions on stencils and created each flower using the Enchanted Garden and Golden Sunset ink sets; fussy cut each flower and set aside.
• Ink blended Shadow Creek and Green Opal inks onto piece of vellum; dried with heat tool; rn through die cut machine with Inline Leaf die; used vellum to give it a lighter effect against the wood background.
• Decided on placement of sentiment by playing around with leaves and flower layout; once decided, stamped first part of sentiment onto wood card panel with black ink and then the word sparkle with clear embossing ink; added Gilded embossing powder and heat set it.
• Adhered leaves with craft glue and flowers with double sided foam tape; glued down drip drops; adhered panel to card base with double sided tape.
• Used Nuvo Shimmer Glitter Pen to add glitter to the flowers for some extra sparkle.

What do you think of the wood panel?  I think it looks really good and provides a beautiful backdrop for the vine and flowers draping down it.  I can see this being a part of a fence and the vine of flowers growing up the back side and draping down the front side.

Card 3 - I Miss You

I think of this card as being my Gatsby Hibiscus.  Can’t you see it sitting on a table in the Hamptons at a party hosted by Jay as Nick and Daisy look on?  Of course, I think of it as such because of the very art deco feel of the design with the black and gold colors and partial frame around the card panel.  That was my inspiration for this card - showcase the grand hibiscus in an oppulent way - and what better time of opulence was there than the art deco period?  That is why I also decided to adorn the panel with shiny rhinestone gems of varying sizes.  The hibiscus was a perfect layering stamp to use to add additional details with alcohol markers given the large petals

Here’s what I used to make it:

• Altenew Hibiscus Motif Layering Stamp Bundle
  
• Altenew Crisp Dye Inks: Cotton Candy, Coral Berry, Fresh Leaf, Shadow Creek, Citrus Burst
• Altenew Artisty Alcohol Markers: Coral Berry, Ruby Red, Pink Cloud, Frayed Leaf, Forrest Glades, Icy Lemonade
• Altenew Gem Sparkles Crystal Clear
• Delicata Golden Glitz Pigment Ink
• Black A2 card base
• 4”x5.25” vellum panel
• 3.75”x5” black card panel
• White card stock to stamp flower
• Black card stock to stamp frame
• Nuvo Shimmer Glitter Pen

Here’s how I made it:

• Stamped hibiscus outline first following the layering guide; let the flower dry.
• Stamped the frame pieces onto black card stock with gold pigment ink and set aside to dry.
• Adhered vellum panel to black card base with double sided tape, and then adhered the black card panel to the vellum; used a gold metallic marker to run around the visible vellum, thereby coloring it gold while also getting a gold outline on the black card panel.
• Added detail to the hibiscus petals with the Coral Berry and Ruby Red markers by making upward flicking motions on the petals; glazed over the petals with the Pink cCoud marker, which helps to further blend the color together and soften the darker areas a bit; added some additional shading to the leaves and stem with Frayed Leaf and Forrest Glade inks and then glazed them with the Icy Lemonade marker.
• Die cut the flower and set aside.
• Die cut the frame pieces and set aside.
• Decided on placement of card elements; once decided, chose where to stamp the sentiment and stamped it with Golden Glitz ink.
• Adhered flower to card with craft glue; adhered frame pieces with double sided foam tape to add dimension; glued down rhinestones.
• Added some glitter to the flower with a Nuvo Shimmer Glitter pen.

I’m really happy with how pretty this card turned out!  It’s very grand, lavish, and beautiful . . . and very Hampton-ish.  Perhaps Ina Garten needs a dinner party invitation?!

That wraps up my post on my third AECP Level 3 class.  I hope that you enjoyed reading more about my creative process and inspirations.  Until next time . . . be well!

AECP Level 3 - Cards in Motion

Hey there, friends!

I just finished my second AECP Level 3 class, Cards in Motion, which focused on cards with movement.  The class was a lot of fun!  The most popular type of such a card seems to be the shaker card,  where there is a window with some form of filling inside that moves and makes noise when you shake the card.  I like shaker cards but usually associate them more with cards for kids, which is why the shaker card that I made for the class was to welcome a new baby.  Other popular types include spinners and pop-ups.  I made one of each of them as well.  My favorite type is definitely the pop-up card, and I think that the Altenew set that I used for mine worked perfectly.

Card 1 - Welcome Baby Shaker Card

As I previously mentioned, I usually associate shaker cards with cards for kids.  I know that there are plenty of adults who enjoy them and would likely disagree with me!  That said, I knew that the shaker that I made would have a children’s theme, and what better theme than one of welcoming a new bundle of joy?  Altenew’s Baby Shower stamp set was the perfect choice for this.  My design included two circular shaker windows - one large and one small - in which the characters are stamped.  It’s a pretty clean and simple design overall and, in this case, I think less is more.

Here’s what I used to make it:

• Altenew Baby Shower Stamp
  
• Alcohol Markers
• Glitter Gel Pens
• A mix of colored sequins that I had on hand (not sure of the brand)
• Concord & 9th Yellow Enamel Dots

Here’s how I made it:

• Cut a 4”x5.25” yellow card panel and adhered it to an A2 white card base.
• Cut two  3.75”x5” white card panels; on one panel, used two nested circle dies, one smaller than the other, and cut circles in the upper left hand and lower right hand corners of the panel,; stanped balloons and strings in the other two corners; colored the balloons with alcohol markers; stamped the sentiment with embossing ink, and heat embossed it with black embossing powder.
• Using the panel with the two circles cut from it, aligned the other white panel behind it, decided on best placement of stamped images inside of each circle (I wanted two characters in each); stamped the characters, colored them with alcohol markers and glitter gels pens.
• Cut a 3.75”x5” piece of acetate and glued it to the back of the panel with the circles cut out.
• Mounted double sided foam tape on the backside of the panel with the circles cut out: put tape around the circles and pieces of tape around the sides of the panel.
• Put some of the sequins on top of the stamped images and then adhered the panel with the double sided foam tape on top of that panel.
• Adhered the combined card panel to the card base with double sided tape and added three yellow enamel dots with glue.

This is such a cute and fun card, and it’s certain to make the mom who receives it smile!

Card 2 - Thinking of You Spinner Card

I really wanted to attempt a spinner card with a rotating wreath on it after watching the class video.  I thought it would be a really pretty and fun way to add motion to a card for an adult.  I looked through my stash of Altenew products and new that the Blooms of Friendship Stamp and Die set would be the perfect choice for it.

Here’s what I used to make it:

• Altenew Blooms of Friendship Outline Stamp and Die Set (received in a kit for another class)
• Altenew Trellis Stencil
  
• Altenew Vanilla Cream and Hazelnut Crisp Dye Inks
• Altenew Crystal Clear Gem Sparkles
• Alcohol markers
• Nuvo Shimmer Glitter Gloss Pen

Here’s how I made it:

• Cut a 4”x5.25” white card panel and stenciled it with the Trellis stencil in an ombre pattern using Hazelnut and Vanilla Cream inks; adhered the panel to an A2 white card base with double sided tape.
• Stamped selected florals on a heavy white card stockand colored them with alcohol markers; cut them out with the coordinating dies.  Note that you want to use a heavier card stock for this since you will be grasping itmor tugging at it to make it spin.  You don’t want to use a lightweight card stock that could easily rip.
• Determined the best size of nesting circle dies to use for the spinner mechanism (based on size of card panel and how many floral images I plan to use).  I chose one that I thought would work the best and then the next size down from it.  I then cut four rings with the dies from a heavyweight card stock.
• Adhered one ring onto the stenciled card panel with craft glue.  Lined the inside of the ring with double sided foam tape strips.  I suggest using a thick foam tape to ensure that the wreath easily glides around it.  You may also double up the strips if they are thinner.
• Arranged floral die cuts around a ring with craft glue; adhered the other two rings to the back of it using craft glue.
• Placed the floral wreath around the double sided foam tape on the card base and ensured that it’s a good fit; once happy with the fit, placed pieces of double sided foam tape (three or four cut squares that will fit) inside of the center of the circle.
• Determined the appopriate size of circle to put in the center of the wreath and cut one out of a piece of scrap paper.  I chose to use cream based on my color palette.  Stamped the sentiment onto the circle.
• Placed the circle onto the double sided foam tape in the center of the wreath.  Turned the wreath to make sure that it spins correctly.
• Painted flowers with the Nuvo shimmer pennand adhered gems.

The result is a beautiful floral wreath card that has the added benefit of spinning around.  The florals are so pretty and the spinning adds a touch of whimsy to it.  Who wouldn’t enjoy that?!?

Card Three - Love You Pop Up

I love a good pop up card!  They’re so fun and add an element of surprise when you open it.  I have to admit that I actually planned this card around a certain stamp and die set.  I purchased the set well after choosing this course for Level 3 and knew that I would use it as one of my cards.  This set just screams pop up card to me!

Here’s what I used:

• Craft Your Life Project Kit: Loving You
  
• Alcohol markers
• Nuvo Shimmer Glitter Gloss Pen
• Rabbit Hole Designs White Enamel Dots

Here’s how I made it:

• Cut a 4”x5.25” light blue card panel and embossed it with the Loving You Embossing Folder; adhered it to an A2 white card base; colored the flowers with the Nuvo Shimmer Pen.
• Stamped the Love and You stamps onto white card stock with black ink; colored the images with alcohol markers; cut them out with coordinating dies.
• Took a second A2 card base and cut the pop up mechanism along the spine.  I measured a quarter inch on each side of the midpoint of the spine and then made cuts with my scissors.
• Pushed the cut pop up mechanism forward so that it was sticking out from the card base; adhered double sided tape to the base and inserted it into the first card base.
• Placed double sided foam tape on the back of the Love die cut and adhered it to the front of the card.  I decided to place it at an angle for a touch of whimsy.
• Glued the You die cut to the pop up mechanism on the inside of the card.
• Cut a piece of pink card stock to fit on the inside of the card below the You pop up and adhered it down with double sided tape.  This step is completely optional - only did it add a little more color to the inside.
• Glued three white enamel dots to the front of the card.

I absolutely adore this card!  I think it’s really beautiful and a truly fun way to let someone know how you feel.

That’s it for Cards in Motion!  Three fun cards that all have some form of movement to them. I haven’t done a lot of cards like this previously . . . .but see more in my future!

Thanks for spending some time with me here on Paper Play.  Stay tuned for a post on another course soon!

Until next time . . . be well!

Gecko Galz May 2024 Gothic Challenge

Hello, friends!

Thanks for coming back to Paper Play.  This post is my submission to the May 2024 Gecko Galz Gothic Challenge.  I had to create something featuring this stunning image of a young woman sitting amongst a bunch of skulls.  My vision for this is that this young woman was in Paris and visited the Catacombs to spend time with her deceased loved ones.  She missed them dearly and her visits were the only thing that provided her comfort.  As the sentiment reads, “ There is no beauty without some strangeness.”

I made the brick archways and wall with a mould and foam clay.  After drying, I colored them with inks.  I mounted the picture behind an arch using double sided foam tape, adhered foam tape to the remainder of the back of the wall, and stuck it down to a 5”x7” black card base.  I adorned it with some black lace ribbon at the top and bottom, added paper flowers and gems into the other arch, added a foam skull (previously made with foam clay and a mould), the gold plaque (made of paper), and the sentiment.

I hope that you enjoy it!  Please be sure to let me know what you think of it in the comments.

Until next time . . . be well!

BPM/IBFS - Stained Glass Flowers

Hi there, friends!

Welcome back to Paper Play.  You know the old adage "April showers bring May flowers"?  Well, it's certainly true in regards to this card design.  It's May and flowers are blooming, trees are growing new green leaves, and my allergies are at a peak!  I do, despite my allergies, like the Spring and all of the beauty that it brings.  I wanted to capture that in my first project for the month and my thoughts immediately turned to the gorgeous Stained Glass rubber stamps from I Brake for Stamps.  I decided on using stamp #4 as the focal point and the Wild Berries rubber stamp from Blank Page Muse as the background.  I really like the way that they look together!

Here's what I used to create it:

• Stained Glass Flowers #4
• Wild Berries Background Coloring Art Rubber Stamp
• Special Day CLEAR Sentiments Flowers Stamp Set (sentiment)
• Vellum
• Acetate
• Black card stock
• Gray A2 card base
  

 Here's how I made it:

• Embossed Stained Glass Flowers onto vellum with black embossing powder; colored the image with alcohol markers; adhered a piece of acetate over it.
  
• Embossed the Wild Berries background stamp onto black card stock with silver embossing powder; colored in the berries with Brutus Monroe Creamy Blue Aqua Pigment.
• Used a circle nesting die to cut a whole in the center of the embossed berry panel; adhered the stained glass panel behind the berry panel with double sided foam tape.
• Adhered the panel to the card base with double sided foam tape.
• Stamped sentiment onto piece of scrap gray card stock, glued it down to a slightly larger scrap of black card stock, and adhered it to the card base with double sided foam tape.

 

The black embossed lines, combined with the effect of the alcohol ink on the vellum and the shine of the acetate, truly mimics the look of a stained glass window.  I love it!  And it's a lot of fun to create.

I hope that you enjoyed learning more about my creative process today.  For my next project, I'll be using the circle that I cut out of the embossed berry card panel used in this one.  Stay tuned!

Until next time . . . be well!