ink blending

Get Well Wishes

Hello everyone. I created this card and finally managed to use the matching stencils for this background I had in my stash from a previous foiling session:

I have this foil plate and matching stencils for a while, and had foiled the panel quite a few months ago, but hadn’t got around to using it. I used the opportunity with the current colours for The Color Throwdown.

Onto the silver foiled panel, I used all the layering stencils, and the three Distress Ink pads you see in the photo. I set this aside and die cut the arch from another white panel, then used a Stampin’ Up embossing folder to create the texture on it.

I wanted it to be almost like a stained glass window.

I then adhered the ink blended panel behind the arch aperture, using 3D foam to stick them to a card base.

The sentiment is also from a previous foiling session.

The ink blending took most of the time creating this card, but the choosing of the colours to use was easier as I have just finished swatching all my Distress Inks and Distress Oxides, so I can easily flip through the swatches to choose the colours.

I also realised there are 3 colours of Distress Inks I don’t currently have – that will be amended in the next couple of days….!

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – blush, dusty blue, pink

Inkspirational – more than one stencil

Crafts Galore – anything goes

Avenue 613 Create – anything goes – option of new beginnings – not taken

Stencil Fun – stencils – option of birds/birdhouses/bird feeders – not taken

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Windows of Blue

Hello again. I have created a card I would like to share with you:

I was inspired by the blue and the window/shutters of the Inspired By challenge, and used the arch window die from The Greetery. I wanted the window pane section to be separate from the arch itself, so I first die cut the arch using a Simon Says Stamp arch die set, then die cut the window panes inside that. I then die cut the panes again in a lighter blue and pieced them back in. All the card stock is from Concord & 9th.

The background was created using a Spellbinders stencil and ink blending the two Distress Inks you see in the photo, keeping the darker blue towards the bottom.

Once this was adhered to the card base, I added the window with 3D foam, die cut the flowers, and added them for a pop of colour.

The flowers and sentiment strip are both from Spellbinders.

I also added some glittery gems from Pinkfresh Studio to the centre of the smaller cluster of flowers.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Inspired By – photo Inspiration

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

Daisy Chain Challenge – no designer paper

The Crafty Addicts – anything goes

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Warm Winter Wishes

Hello once again. I had some messy and inky play yesterday to create this card:

I first created the panel for the mug. I used a Simon Says Stamp snowflake stencil, and through that I put some Altenew paste onto water colour card. Whist that was drying, I took some Distress Heavy Kraft card stock, stamped and heat embossed the sentiment in white, then sprayed with Distress Oxides in two purple colours. Again – this was set aside to dry.

Once the white snowflake panel was dry, I took purple Distress Inks, and ink blended over the top. I wanted the snowflakes to catch the ink, but also to have some purple on the background for an almost grungy look, and to be able to see the pattern from the water colour card itself. I then die cut the mug shape using a Heffy Doodle die set.

The sentiment cup holder was wiped with a dry cloth to try and get the white sentiment back, then die cut. The top of the mug was also using some of the left-over pieces from the die cutting of the mug and the holder piece.

I wanted a snowflake background, so took a Simon Says Stamp embossing folder, and as I didn’t want it stark white, I ink blended the lighter purple Ditress Ink around the edges.

The background panel was glued directly onto the card base, and the mug attached with 3D foam.

I found some purple sequins and dotted them around as you see.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Allsorts – anything goes, option to make your own background taken

The Four Seasons Challenge – anything goes winter

Give A Crafter A Cookie – photo Inspiration

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Mix It Up – anything goes – option to use more than one medium taken

Elephant Safari

Happy New Year to you all.
Cardz 4 Galz has started the new year with a challenge theme chosen by Dawn W. – ‘On safari. Here is my card:

The die set of the elephants are from Altenew, and when I saw them just before Christmas – I just had to have them. Aren’t they cute?

I used a lighter grey and a darker grey for the layers, but added a little shading with Distress Inks to the larger elephant on the layers at the back – the legs and the body, just for a little more dimension.

Once the layers were glued together, and some black gel pen added for the eyes, I searched through my designer paper stash for a suitable background paper, and found this from Spellbinders with some faint little hearts.

I matted that layer with black and a gold layer, which I also die cut the sentiment and it’s shadow layer from. The sentiment is from the Spellbinders Advent Calendar.

The hardest part about this was the arrangement of the elephants, and after playing around a little I thought the three of them arranged like this – as though they were waling towards you to say hello – would work best.

I hope you can come and join us with your ‘safari’ themed projects. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Ellibelle’s Corner – I Spy – something old and/or something new (new elephant die set, new sentiment die, old paper)

Crafty Animals – anything goes with an animal

2 Crafty Critter Crazies – anything goes with a critter

Die Cut Divas – dies cuts and never before used stuff (Altenew die set, sentiment die)

Moving Along With The Times – use a new craft item (Altenew die set, sentiment die)

Christmas Bingo – the ‘O’ column – layers, rectangle free

Sage Green Snowflake

Hello everyone. The ABC Christmas Challenge has reached the last challenge for this year. Helen is hosting this month, and having arrived at the letters ‘Y’ and ‘Z’, and we want to see your Christmas makes following the themes of:

Y is for Your Choice, Z is for Zebra – black and white or stripes

I chose ‘Y is for Your Choice’. Here is my card:

The background is using Spellbinders sage green card stock, and a Simon Says Stamp embossing folder. The circle is from Pinkfresh Studio, die cut using the same sage green card stock, and layered as you see.

The snowflake is from Pinkfresh Studio, stamped with one of the darker inks I used to ink blend with, then ink blended, using green/blue tones, and using a lighter or heavier hand to create even more contrast between the layers of the stencil.

I then used the matching die to cut it out, and attached it to the layers on the card base, then added some silver gems to the centre and four of the points.

The sentiment is from Lawn Fawn, silver foiled, then die cut using the matching die set.

I hope you can come and join us with your festive/Christmas creations – following our themes.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Mix It Up – anything goes – option of stamping

Christmas Bingo – column B – free, stamped image, ink blending

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

Aud Sentiments – embossing folder and/or winter/New Year and sentiment

Most Magical Time Of The Year – anything goes Christmas or Halloween

Merry & Bright

Hello all. I had some time to play to create using a stencil and die set I have had for a few weeks – if not months – to create this card:

The stencil and die set are from Waffle Flower, and I used the colours from the current Color Throwdown Challenge. This took a little creative thinking, but I am pleased with the result.

There are four layering stencils, and I chose an aqua blue and darker blue from Pinkfresh Studio, a light brown Distress Ink, and decided to gold heat emboss some of the elements.

This did involve using some of the stencils a couple of times for the different layers, and masking some of the smaller parts off.

I remembered to ensure the ink was dry before trying to heat emboss, and to apply the embossing ink through the stencil I used a dedicated blending brush. This is a technique learned during a previous virtual event – and it works a treat, especially for those little dots – just use the brush, the embossing ink, and pounce through the stencil……

Once gold heat embossed, I used the matching postage die, matted it with a black layer, then added it to a top folding A2 card base.

The sentiment is a hot foiled and die cut one from a previous hot foiling session.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – blue, aqua, gold

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – use dies

Peace On Earth – anything goes Christmas

Mix It Up – anything goes – option of stamping not taken

Make My Monday – Christmas tree or forest tree

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

We Love to Create – anything goes mixed media (heat embossing, ink for blending, hot foiling)

Creative Artiste Mixed Media – anything goes mixed media (heat embossing, ink blending, hot foiling)

Christmas Cityscape

Hello everyone. Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge. Debbie is the host, and she has chosen the theme of ‘cityscape‘. Here is my card:

I started with the background by ink blending Distress Oxides onto a white panel. I kept the lighter blue on the centre portion, then the darker blue, then finally the black.

I then used the houses part of the stencil, beginning with the Shaded Lilac for the houses at the rear, more heavy handed for the centre row of houses, then black for the front houses. I also note that the background blue altered the lilac to some degree – but I am liking the effect.

I also used the stencil on top of the front row of houses and Simon Hurley Lunar Paste for the lights in the windows of the houses. I then set this aside to dry, before I went over the background with a glitter paste to create the snow flurry.

Once all was dry, I cut this panel down, glued onto a white card base, then added the foiled sentiment.

I hope you can come and join us with your ‘cityscape’ creations. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Girlz Creative Christmas – Christmas and based on a Christmas Song – ‘Silent Night’

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

My Time To Craft Christmas – Christmas and Snowflakes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Ellibelle’s Corner Eye Spy – Sparkle and Shine

Stenciled Merry Christmas

The new challenge has started at The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge. The theme is always ‘anything goes Christmas/Festive’. Here is my card:

I started by using the layering stencil from Simon Says Stamp to create the background and let the inks dry.

I then add some gold heat embossing to the centre of the flowers, and used a gold marker pen to add some extra small and larger dots around the background.

Using Gina K Master Layouts dies, I cut the black layer, then the stencilled layer, and added to a white card base.

The foiled sentiment was added, and then some iridescent gems here and there.

I hope you can come and join us with your Christmas/festive creations. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Avenue 613 Create – anything goes – option embossing wet or dry

Peace On Earth – anything goes Christmas

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Stencil Fun – stencils – option of leaves taken

Crafty Gals Corner – dots and/or stripes (gold dots around the background)

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Holly Background

Hello once again. The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge has started a new ‘anything goes Christmas‘ challenge. Here is my card:

The background holly is a hot foil plate from Spellbinders, and hot foiled using gold. I then used the layering stencils to colour the images. As you can see, it is a whimsical kind of colouring – some bare areas not covered by the stencils – and I really like that look.

I used several shades of green for the leaves, and a deep red for the berries.

Once that was dry, I also added some gold with paint markers to the centre of the berries.

The sentiment was also hot foiled then die cut, and all layered onto a green card base with a thin gold matting layer.

I hope you can come and join us for this challenge. I am looking forward to seeing you in our gallery. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Peace On earth Christmas Challenge – Christmas anything goes

Creative Fingers – anything goes

Daring Cardmakers – a bit of bling

Girlz Creative Christmas Challenge – Christmas anything goes

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Thinking of You

Hello. I wanted to share a card I made using some dies from The Greetery and Pinkfresh Studio:

The white panel is dry embossed using a Spellbinders embossing folder. The blue circles are from Pinkfresh Studio, and die cut using some Creative Expressions card stock.

I then took The Greetery die set, and cut the gourds and bushel out of white card stock. I used Distress Inks to colour them, Antique Linen was one colour, and I think the orange was either Carved Pumpkin or Spiced Marmalade……I can’t check as – for once – I tidied away after myself before I took the photo…..!

The elements were added as you see with either wet glue or 3D foam pieces, and a foiled sentiment strip attached, and then some iridescent gems for a little more interest.