Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Abstract Card Designs inspired by Kristina


Yesterday Kristina Werner shared an abstract design card complete with video instructions. Instead of using a clear stamp like she did on the square focal image, I used an old (from 2000) wood shadow stamp.  Kristina individually added her colors using her Misti. I directly rubbed the Concord & 9 ink cubes on parts of my stamp, applied more color with daubers, and spritzed it with water before stamping. I left it on the Bristol card stock a few seconds and then stamped a second card front resulting in a lighter imprint. Sentiments and images from The Greetery's Lemon Blossom and Sentiment Suite: Thinking of You complete the designs. The first stamped image was off kilter so I trimmed it, added fun foam, and mounted it on a textured (PTI Linen impression plate) card front.




Card #1


Card #2




Thanks for your visit. My growing pile of quarantine cards need a home. I may contact a nearby care center to share or else get to mailing more. Stay safe please. 

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Concord & 9th Trio



I've stamped several card panels using my new Cn9 ink cubes and some of the card stock. I love the juicy firm ink pads but am having a learning curve after many years with other ink types. I used a recent purchase, Wildflower Fields (Cn9), for this three card set. All three cards will be hooked up with the SSSWC "Anything Goes" challenge.


The Greetery Sentiment Suite die 
SSS Stitched Rectangle die,  July SS Card Kit sentiment
I tested the inks blending capabilities on the sentiment banner. 

PTI Note Niblets stamps/die for banner flags

This trio will be part of a gift package.


Wednesday, July 29, 2020

JUST A LITTLE NOTE


 Nothing like new Concord & 9th inks and card stock to prompt playtime in the craft room. I've been stamping away since they arrived last week and will share more cards later but wanted to get these two cards posted before the CAS(E) this Sketch #382 disappears tonight.


 As I poked through my stamp folders, I found a seldom used old PTI set called Note Niblets. I bought it because of its graphic style which includes many sentiments, florals, and other seasonal objects. My original idea was to stamp and die cut the small envelope, add the appropriate sentiments, and anchor them with one of the linear stamps. After ruining three card fronts with inky mistakes, it occurred to me that washi tape would serve the same purpose as the horizontal line that was failing me. Thus my card using Stardust (which I think of as curry), Mushroom and Eggplant - a complete meal trifecta!! The first card uses PTI Soft Stone paper and the second, Neenah white.



The second card evolved from noticing a roll of music washi tape and combining it with a musical note wood stamp. I have a few music stamps due to my hobby as a pianist, organist, and singer. The same color inks were used but in different spots.





I am also linking this to SSWC - anything goes!

Thanks for your visit. 
It's a good alternative with our present quarantine.
Stay safe and wear a mask!

Monday, July 20, 2020

Butterflies Three


 Today's post shares three cards using the same PTI Butterfly Hope set, two of similar one layer designs and the third card with multiple die cuts and texture. They were created for the July Twofer Card Challenge focusing on butterflies used in two different designs. I have four PTI butterfly stamp sets and chose Butterfly Hope with its carefree, modern look.

First the pair of similar cards:



The fill-in portion of the butterfly wings was stamped with DI. Several of the smaller images were stamped with light gray and saffron HA inks. The panel was finished with a SS Wonky Rectangles die and added to a yellow card front.




Copic and Altenew Artists markers colored the butterflies. I cut a curved edge on a piece of cardstock and used it as a guide for the DI Speckled Egg ink blended for the cloudy sky background. Panel cut with SS Stitched Rectangles.

Card #3

I taped a piece of SSS white woodgrain card stock to a top folding card front. A Shape Shifters: Oval 1 die was cut from gold shimmer paper and centered on the card. The gold embossed butterfly was stamped with Hero Arts inks, die cut, and popped up with foam tape. A small vellum circle was embossed with Rose Gold Wow EP and tucked under the butterfly to hide the adhesive. Both sentiments are from a PTI Simple Stems set.





Thursday, July 9, 2020

Hope Your Birthday is the Best!


Several birthdays this month so I've been busy! Now that one card has been received I'll share it. You can create a rainbow card with stamps, dies, paper, paint etc and I chose watercolors, specifically the Altenew 36 watercolors pan set. Using a panel of Ranger water color paper and a wide brush, I painted and blended each new color diagonally across the panel. Between the three color groups I painted a thin strip in silver. The panel was left to dry overnight. Next step: taping a PTI Woodblock Prints stencil over the panel and smearing a thin coat of Nuvo Glimmer paste over it. I carefully removed the stencil, quickly rinsed it, and again left the panel to dry. This was trimmed with a SSS Stitched Rectangle die and taped on a PTI Lavender Moon card front. A small pre-printed SSS sentiment was framed in black and foam mounted over the center area. Voila! I enjoy mixing products from several companies and a bit of glitter never hurts a project either!


I'm adding this card to July's Show & Share challenge.


Wednesday, June 24, 2020

My Imaginary Neighborhood

I've been waiting to share my neighborhood card made earlier this month for a friend in our former city. Having moved after 46 years in the same area, Concord & 9ths City Stacks set has sat on my desk lately. When I stopped by Joyce's blog today, I saw my chance. Not only had she used the same sentiment on her card but my color choices matched the Color Throwdown challenge she was inspired by. 



I'm glad to have moved within a mile of our grandsons but do miss our old friends. New friendships have been put mostly on hold as we've quarantined in our new home. The neighbors are friendly and as the warmer summer days settle in we'll be able to share our backyard with them as we have our son's family.



Also entering this card at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes

Monday, June 8, 2020

Colorful Cards



I saw the lineup of my favorite Clarks All Stars on the latest Inspired by Challenge Colorful Kicks (my pair are the Oregon Ducks' green) and wondered what to create. I don't recall any shoe stamps or dies in my storehouse but improvisation is part of a challenge. Using the PTI Brushed Off set I stamped two different rainbow cards. The rainbow lineup of the shoes inspired my design on both cards. Ranger Distress inks were used for the rainbow hues (the new Speckled Egg on the first card). BTW,  I also do not own rainbow stamps or dies.


Card #1
 Altenew Line Art; PTI Brushed Off

Card #2
Birch Press Celebrate; PTI Brushed Off & Circle Scribbles