heat embossing

Faux Stained Glass Flower

Hello there. I have been trying out a new technique – new to me, anyway. I decided to try the faux stained glass technique, and I thought I knew what I was doing, that it would be easy, no hassle, get it done, seen some videos months ago…….. quick……well…….erm…..not quite!

Firstly, here is the finished card:

Now a close-up:

I used the Altenew ‘Antique Engravings Cover die’, cut out several times in white card. I actually removed the outer thin frame, because when I started to stack them up together, it just kept getting in the way. I stacked at least four of them together, and then went in with Nuvo Crystal Drops in the green and pick as you see.

Sticking such a lacy die on top of another several times? Challenging. The Nuvo drops were the second challenge hurdle. Then letting it all dry – I had to wait until the next day – I’m not that good at waiting…………….but I managed.

Then realised I wanted to add Glossy Accents too…………..more waiting……….!

At this point I decided I ought to look at some videos about this technique after all……uh huh! Just at the end of my ‘playing’. That’s me all over…. 🙂

I used one of the tips from Jennifer McGuire – I had a final white outline which I embossed using Altenew Rose Gold embossing powder, stuck that down, and made the card as you see……(First time using that embossing powder – certainly won’t be the last! Lovely stuff!)

Now – in the future I can see me doing this technique again – but I will be using Copics to colour the lower level. Though, now this card is done, I really like how shiny the colours are. I must remember next time to allow a couple of days – and even to do several at a time……

I shall be entering this card into the following challenges:

CAS Mix Up Challenge – CAS faux stained glass + stamping + your choice – (stamping the sentiment, my choice of heat embossing and die cut layer)

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – feminine/girly

Altenew March Challenge – Photo Inspiration

Just add a ‘T’….

Hello again. I have been using one of my products bought at the Doncaster show last weekend. I say one product……..there will be more coming up!

This is from a stamp and die set from Stamps By Me:

20180717_145827

A completely different card to my most recent colourful cards – I think I channeled my monochrome inner-self.

The big letter ‘T’ is die cut, then heat embossed using Creative Expressions detail gold embossing powder. I then separately die cut and stamped the leaves, then yet another layer for the flower.

These sets are made so the flowers and leaves can be stamped and added to the letter separately, probably in floral colours……..but I stuck with black and gold.

I then took a piece of black card and embossed with a folder I haven’t seen for years – until I found it when sorting my craft stash out. It looks like a distressed stripey thingy background, and actually brings to mind the Altenew die and stamps.

Another black piece of card, and I stamped around the edge using a Tonic Nuvo clear embossing pad. I needed some more Ranger Perfect Medium, but thought I would buy this Tonic Nuvo pad. I am liking it – very juicy!

Once I had stamped around the edge of the card, I used the same gold embossing powder – to keep all the gold the same colour – so that I could use it as a layer.

20180717_145844

I also found some black foam dimensionals too – no idea where I got those – so from the side it doesn’t look too white and glaring with the layers.

I shall be entering the current challenge at Just Add Ink with the theme ‘add a ‘T”……do you think this ‘T’ is big and obvious enough?!

Altenew Cherished Memories

20180704_182352

Hello again everyone. I have a card to share inspired by the current sketch challenge at Freshly Made Sketches, and using the colours from Color Throwdown.

I stamped and gold heat embossed the leaves from the new Altenew Cherished Memories stamp set onto a piece of navy card, and adhered that to a white card base.

I stamped the flowers onto a blush Creative Expressions card base – even though it looks white here, it is a blush colour card – then die cut, and arranged as per the sketch.

I didn’t want the flowers completely in a straight line, slightly out of line, but still giving the over-all impression following the sketch. The sentiment is from the same stamp set, stamped in navy onto the same blush card, and using a little corner rounder punch.

I then took a gold gel roll pen – still using the freebies from the Altenew day the other week – and dotted the middle of the flowers, so they matched in a little more with the background.

20180704_182402

Bye for now

Blooms blue and silver

A very short and quick posting today. I couldn’t resist using the colours on the current Color Throwdown again, with the Blooms Fill-in stamp set. I am loving playing with this set, and there are many, many ways of using it. I still haven’t done any of the die-cutting with it – but I am sure it will come.

For this card, I stamped and heat embossed the background in silver, actually stamped and heat embossed twice so I had good coverage. I then stamped the flowers in the light blue and dark blue. Such a great combination of colours, and I think this card really shines with the background heat embossed.

So – a quick posting just to share this card. 🙂

Let’s Celebrate

Hello there. As I am going to work in a couple of hours, I had some time free to make this clean and simple card. The layout is from the current challenge from CAS Colours and Sketches, as well as current Inkspirational challenge for a one layer card, with the added benefit of using monochrome for the Cardz 4 Galz challenge.

To match the sketch, I did think about Christmas baubles initially, but then decided to go with balloons, as I have quite a few stamp sets with balloons included. The set I used is from Stampin Up – ‘Balloon Adventures’. I knew I wanted to emboss the balloons in gold, so I thought a black background would mean they would be highlighted the best.

I stamped each of the balloons with Ranger Perfect Medium, and heat embossed them with gold embossing powder, then added the string afterwards, again heat embossing.

The sentiment is also from that same stamp set, again heat embossed in gold. I cut the card down to 5.5 inches square – so I knew I would have an envelope to fit.

Does anyone else have a problem when using the anti-static bag on dark card stock? I always seem to have a powder residue when I have done, and have tried several ways to get rid of that – just my fingers, a special piece of cloth (I find that takes the embossing off, though) – what is the best way?

I shall be entering the above three challenges with this card.

Backgrounds and colours

Hi everyone. I have had a little break from posting on here, but not from crafting. I have been asked by my work colleagues to make some simple Christmas cards for them, so I have been doping that for the past couple of days.

Today I wanted to make anything other than Christmas cards, so took inspiration from several challenges – all listed below.

The first card is using the colours Tranquil Tide, Dapper Denim, and instead of Perfect Plum, I had to use Sweet Sugarplum. The background is stamped using Waffle Flower ‘Layering Marble’…which took me ages to decide where to stamp the layers….then decided it actually didn’t matter that much! I did have a look on their web site, and the instructions are there – but went my own way in the end.

I only stamped two layers of the marble, using Sweet Sugarplum and Tranquil Tide, with Dapper Denim being used for the sentiment, stamped in that colour, then stamped again with perfect medium and heat embossed with clear powder. I obviously used my Misti so I could stamp twice – once with the colour, and once with the perfect medium.

The sentiment is from Stamps By Me, a current favourite of mine, and I think it is a lovely sentiment which can be used for masculine and feminine cards.

As I loved those three colours so much, I stamped another background with the ‘Waves’ background stamp from Hero Arts, in Sweet Sugarplum, again with Ranger Perfect Medium to heat emboss, and added the sentiment in Dapper Denim, the base card being tranquil tide (I think!).

The colour combination came from CAS Colours and Sketches this week, and it was only after I had finished the card that I realised it may not be as clean and simple as they would like…..but…..as their colours gave me inspiration, I am entering the challenge anyway:

Oh – an update on the gorgeous oak tree: Boo Hoo! 😦