ink blending

Just A Note

Having used all my Pinkfresh washi the past few days, I went with a different route to follow the current colour challenge at Color Hues – purple & artichoke. Here is my card:

This actually came with a few ‘oopsies’ during it’s creation and a couple of goes at it.

The products used is from Taylored Expressions – Boho Botanicals – and I believe may have been part of a virtual event – but I’m not sure. The ‘foil-it’ panel is toner printed, so you run it through with foil and a laminator, then use the stencils to colour the images on top of the foil………I used the Gina K Designs ‘Fuse’ machine.

So – I first used the wrong foil. I used glimmer foil (!!!) which covered the whole panel, which also foiled the whole of the foil onto my carrier sheet……

Off I went to YouTube to figure out what I was doing wrong……. I needed to use Decofoil, not glimmer foil! Doh!

Start again – found some Decofoil, grabbed another of the ‘foil-it’ panels, ran it though the Fuse machine – lovely outcome. Yay!

The images were then ink blended using Pinkfresh Studio inks. I did play with shading on each of the florals as the stencils only do one layer for them. Three tones of purple, graduating them towards the outside of the petals. The leaves and stems were coloured using Concord & 9th ‘Artichoke‘ ink – that comes in strong so I had to be careful with that one.

Once coloured, I wiped with a dry cloth – hey presto – foil details shining through the ink blending.

The coloured panel was adhered to a purple panel from my stash, then added to a white card base. The heat embossed sentiment layered and added.

The panels from Taylored Expressions come in a pack of three different foiling designs – I may have a little play with the other panels to see what the difference is.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Stencil Fun – use stencils, option of mainly yellow not taken

Color Hues – purple & artichoke

Just Us Girls – stencil week

Ellibelle’s Corner Garden Party – anything in or from the garden

Pink Peony Thanks

There is a brand new challenge starting from Heart’s Quest, and to show my support for the new challenge and the Design Team, I have created a card for it. The name of the challenge is ‘Heart’s Quest Pretty In Pink’ and the theme is to use mainly pink, with an optional pink washi/decorative tape for this month.

Here is my card:

When I saw that the theme was pink – not my usual choice of the main colour – I thought of peonies. I searched through my CML app with that tag, and decided to use the Honey Bee Stamps ‘Lovely Layers: Peony‘ die set.

I started by die cutting all the floral layers in Concord & 9th card stock, then ink blending a darker pink in strategic areas. To make sure this ink blending was in the areas which would be seen, I placed the next upper layer on top, saw what would be seen, then ink blended. I did this trough all the layers.

The leaves and stems were die cut from a green card also form C9, and then ink blended also with a slightly darker green.

The layers were glued together, then I added some white acrylic splatter and set aside to dry.

I used a 5×7 inch card base – large enough to place all the elements rather than an A2 – and created the background white panel by using a Spellbinders embossing folder onto which I had pressed some green ink, creating this distressed looking basket weave pattern.

The central pink panel was cut to 5×7, but I used Pinkfresh Studio ‘Slim Edgers‘ die to create the stitch and pattern. This piece was then run through with the same Spellbinders embossing folder, and a white pigment ink pad over the top to catch the basket weave detail.

Once the inks and splatters were dry I attached each of the layers, adding the flowers with 3D foam, then gluing down and tucking in the leaves, foliage, and buds.

The final touches was a gold foiled sentiment then some Pinkfresh Studio ombre gems.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Heart’s Quest Pretty In Pink – mainly pink

CYHTP – embossing folder – option of cloud day not taken

Craft Rocket – use dies

Triple B – Birds and/or butterflies and/or blooms

Ellibelle’s Corner Garden Party – anything in or from the garden

Beautiful Blossoms – anything goes with florals

Snowmen & Transport

Hello again. We have a new challenge starting at ABC Christmas Challenge. Or Christmas themes this time are:

S is for Snowmen

T is for Transport

Here are my cards:

For my snowmen card, I used a die and embossing folder set from Simon Says Stamp. The images were die cut, coloured with Copics, ink blended round the edge of each snowman, then ran each through the embossing folder.

The background panel is white glitter card – the oval die cut from the centre before adding the patterned paper – covered up the oval missing piece nicely – oval added, then the snowmen added with 3D foam.

The sentiment was stamped then die cut.

For my second card – very die cut heavy – I used a Spellbinders die set from their ‘All Aboard’ kit from several years ago.

All the elements were die cut and assembled – took quite a while – all those itty bitty pieces – then put to one side whilst I thought about the background

I chose a couple of pieces of patterned paper – cream and a lilac shade -ran through with a Spellbinders embossing folder, cut down to 5×7 inch landscape, adding a strip of gold glitter card.

The train was added with 3D foam – this too was a little fiddly to get everything as lined up as I could, then the glitter words and stars added. These were die cut sticky glitter.

I hope you can come and join us with your Christmas creations following one of both of our themes. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Snowman card:

Peace On Earth – Anything goes Christmas

Christmas Crafts All Year Round – Christmas with R & S – snowman

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Train card:

Addicted To Stamps & More – dies cuts and/or stencils

Daisy Chain Challenge – transportation

Craft Rocket – use dies

Mix It Up – anything goes, option of embossing taken

Sunflower Birthday

Hello everyone. I have a card to share inspired by my visit to the maize maze last week – where there was also lots and lots of gorgeous sunflowers. I knew I had a few items in my stash, and I chose the ‘Lovely Layers: Sunflowers‘ from Honey Bee Stamps to create my project:

I die cut the pieces for the flowers in a yellow, green, and brown card stock from Concord & 9th. Once die cut, I then ink blended the layers to create a little more dimension. I then curled the leaves of the sunflowers a little, then attached the layers using 3D foam pieces – for even more depth. I had to wait a little a the ink from the ink blending was still a little wet.

Once the flowers were assembled, I hunted through my stash for a background paper which had a distressed and splattered look, a very muted pink/lilac shade.

As the flowers are big, I used a 5×7 inch card base, cut down the paper and attached with glue.

The flowers were attached, then the leaves placed, leaving room for the silver foiled sentiment at the top. This sentiment is actually cut down, it did say ‘happy birthday to you’ but I cut the end down and glued to the edge.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

AAA Birthday – birthday and flowers

Cupcake Inspirations – in the garden

Inspiration Station – photo inspiration

Beautiful Blossoms – flowers

Ellibelle’s Corner I Spy – something yellow or sunflowers

Kudos To You

Hello there. I’m here with a card where the colours are inspired by the current challenge at Color Hues:

With the colours being yellow and orange, I decided to go with florals and ink blending, merging the two colours on the petals of the flowers. This stamp, die, stencil and embossing folder set is from Altenew.

I first stamped the all the images in the set, then used Pinkfresh Studio inks – yellow first, then the orange for the inner parts of the petals.

The leaves were done in grey, as you see, and then the die was used to cut them out. I did run them through with the latching embossing folder, but I wasn’t hugely impressed with that, as you can’t really tell there is much dimension, even in real life.

The background is a piece of card from Concord & 9th, run through with a Spellbinders embossing folder, then cut down slightly to leave a white border on the card base.

Arranging one flower and the two buds with the leaves, I stamped the sentiment – from the same Altenew set – and attached with glue, before adding the florals and leaves with 3D foam.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Hues – orange and yellow

Allsorts – embossing – heat or dry

Stencil Fun – stencils, option of CAS not taken

Triple B – birds and/or butterflies and/or blooms

Take Joy In The Little Things

Hello. A late posting today as hubby and I have been out and about in the cooler weather. We visited a maize Maze near Ashbourne in Derbyshire. There’s quite a bit to do for the little ones – of which we certainly are not – but walking amongst the sunflowers and wildflowers as well as working our way through the maize maze took almost a couple of hours – with an ice cream at the end…..

This card was created yesterday, and fitted our little sojourn today:

For the foliage and the butterflies I used a stamp, die and stencil set from Pinkfresh Studio ‘Fluttering Butterflies‘. I also have the washi which goes with the die set but used the other products this time round.

I stamped, ink blended then die cut the images. I did the foliage twice as I wanted plenty on this card.

The background panel was created using a grey card stock, then a Spellbinders embossing folder. I chose a darker colour to enable the colours of the foliage and butterflies to stand out more.

I ran a white circle die cut through with the grey panel and the embossing folder, to keep the pattern aligned – though I ended up covering most of the outside of the circle.

The circle was attached with 3D foam, then the foliage arranged by tucking underneath. I did have to cut some down, but managed to get them as full as I wanted.

Before adding the butterflies, I added the sentiment. This is a pre-printed sentiment, received as part of a virtual event I think, then the butterflies arranged around that. I did have to double-up small pieces of foam tape as my butterflies were half on, and half off the white circle, but this wasn’t hard to do.

The final step was to add some ombre glitter gems.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

CYHTP – embossing folder with option of ‘tie it up’ not taken

Ellibelle’s Corner I Spy – something with wings

Tic Tac Toe – upper right to bottom left diagonal – insects/gems/free

Triple B – birds and/or butterflies and/or blooms

Coastal Memories

Hello all. As you know, I have recently returned from visiting my sister in Canada. During that trip, we travelled to see one of her friends in the stunningly gorgeous area of Grand-Metis. This card was created as an homage to that visit, and to send as a thank you note to her friend.

I started by creating the images using a Waffle Flower layering stencil – Postage Collage Coastal. This panel was then die cut with the postage collage die, then cut down to be individual images.

I then created the frames using another Waffle Flower die set (Postage Collage Frames), stacking the frames a couple of times for more dimension, then the images glued behind.

I chose these particular images as the chalet was right on the coast facing the sunset, there is a lighthouse nearby, and I saw a few ships passing by in the distance.

The crabs are also from Waffle Flower, die cut and layered.

To make enough room for everything, I chose a 5×7 inch card base, and added a piece of light blue card stock. This blue piece was run through a Spellbinders embossing folder, after first inking up one side to give the background a little more colour.

All the images were arranged and added with 3D foam.

I chose not to add a sentiment on the front, but will instead write a note myself for the inside, but first I need to translate it into French before writing it……

I shall be entering the following challenges:

The Four Seasons Challenge – summer

Critter Crazy Challenge – anything goes with a critter

Daisy Chain Challenge – animals

Give A Crafter A Cookie – at the beach

The Card Concept – summer by the sea

Thanks For Helping Me Grow

Hello once again. It is time for the new challenge at The Alphabet Challenge. We have reach the letter ‘H’, and Deborah has chosen the theme of:

H is for Horticulture – the science of creating gardens

Here is my card:

For this card I chose to use Spellbinders die sets which were part of a virtual event

I started by die cutting the layers for the glass vial and the foliage out of Spellbinders and Concord & 9th card stock.

The blue water level in the glass was created by taking a blue ink cube and smooshing it down onto water-colour card stock, and adding some splatters.

The background panel was ink blended, run through with a Spellbinders embossing folder, then some white and gold shimmery splatters added.

The shelf created by die cutting with a Lawn Fawn woodgrain card stock. The sentiment stamped and die cut, layered a couple of times.

All the elements were assem,bled then added with either glue or 3D foam pieces.

I hope you can join us with your horticultural creations. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Love To Craft – anything goes

Mix It Up – anything goes – option of shaped card not taken

A Cuit Above – anything goes with die cuts

Birthday Mushroom Mansion

Hello everyone. I am back from my sojourn to see my sister in Canada – fabulous to catch-up face-to-face and help sort her craft room in the new house.

It is time for the new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz, and Caz has chosen the theme of:

Blue Skies

Here is my card:

I started by creating the blue skies in the background by using an MFT stencil and Pinkfresh Studio inks. I then added a couple of layers of grass, also by using a stencil and ink blending.

The main image of the mushroom is from a Spellbinders die set ‘Mushroom Mansion‘ and die cut from Spellbinders and Concord & 9th card stock. The foliage and flowers are also from the same die set.

All the layers were glued and assembled, the layout arranged to my liking, and then the sentiment die cut and added.

A few small gems inserted to the centre of the flowers, and for the door knob on the mushroom.

I hope you can come and join us with your creation following our theme – add blue skies. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge – birthday

Mix It Up – anything goes – option of shaped card not taken

A Cut Above – anything goes with die cuts

Stencil Fun – use stencils – option of CAS not taken

AAA Birthday – birthday and flowers

Shortbread Christmas Foliage

Hello again. I am jetting off to Quebec tomorrow for a 2 week visit with my sister, but I have time for one more post before I go. I do have some posts scheduled for whilst I am away, for my Design team duties, but this card was created using The Greetery products and just playing with products I had out from yesterday:

I created the foliage again using Bitty Holiday Botanicals, but this time using a different green to give a more vintage look. These were die cut and set aside.

I then found the Shortbread Shapes embossing folder and die set and played around a little. This was the most time consuming, whilst I figured out what I wanted to do, how many layers, did I want to emboss etc.

I used ‘Alabaster’ card stock from Spellbinders, and created the base shortbread shape using the die set, and then using the top and bottom detail dies.

I then ran another piece through with the die, then the embossing folder. I snipped apart the rectangles, and ran some gold wax around the edges to pick up the details.

I die cut nine more rectangles with detail edges, glued them onto the gold waxed pieces – even though covering up the embossing on these squares, I wanted to use the already created foliage.

The foliage were attached with small pieces of 3D foam.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Make My Monday – Christmas in July

Crafts Galore – anything goes

Die Cut Divas – die cuts & Christmas in July

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Christmas (or not) Bingo – column B – Christmas/Red/Free