Have a Holly Jolly

Hello and Welcome

I have to say, with being back to work, I have had little time to create so I am really happy to say that I now have a good start on my holiday cards.  

So meet today's card.  

I just love this stencil from A Colorful Life Designs.  It was fun  to create a simple card that is flat and  easy to mail using a different technique to ink it up.

So here's what I did to create my card.

• I began with a piece of heavy white cardstock and positioned the Snowflake Net stencil over my card panel. I got out my baby wipes and some Distress re-inkers.
• This baby wipe technique is a bit messy so I would suggest wearing rubber gloves but it is worth it as it gives you are really lovely effect.
• I took a wet baby wipe, folded it a few times and added a few drops of some Peacock Feathers Distress re-inker onto it.  I pressed the wet baby wipe onto the stencil to transfer the ink.  
• I repeated the process using the wipe again with some Salty Ocean and then some Wilted Violet Distress re-inkers.  The re-inkers are highly pigmented so you don't need a lot.
• When the piece of dried, I placed it into my Misti and stamped the sentiment from Technique Tues. with some black Versafine, then clear heat embossed it.
• I thought it needed something to help pull the design together, so I doodled a border around the edges.
• I added a black gem for interest, then mounted the panel onto a heavy white card base.

Discount Code for A Colorful Life Designs

*Just use the code KarenFan10 to get a discount on stencils and masks.

Supplies

Stamps- Holly Jolly (Technique Tues.)

Inks- Distress reinkers; Versafine Clair

Paper- heavy white (Scribes Nook)

Accessories and Tools- Snowflake Net (A Colorful Life Designs); Misti (My Sweet Petunia);

black gem; baby wipes; gloves; Signo black pen; clear eb powder; heat tool

Blue Skies

Welcome
Here is a card I made putting together different stamps and a stencil but staying in the same colour palette.  I do love making collage cards and there is something about the interest and look they have.
I find by staying with the same or similar colours, the look is more cohesive.

So here's what I did to create my card.

• I began by inking up a piece of heavy white cardstock with some Peacock Feathers and Broken China Distress Oxide inks using an inking tool.
• Next, I laid down the Clockworks stencil from Tim Holtz and rubbed some Blueprint Sketch over that to one side.  
• I then inked up some of the words from the Faded Text stamp set and stamped randomly over the background.  I added additional stamping with his other set called Bitty Grunge filling in some of the open areas.
• I inked up the Cityscape stamp with some black Versafine Clair, stamped then clear heat embossed it.  I stamped the sentiment the same way.
• I added some white detail to the buildings using my Posca pen.
• I mounted the piece onto some coloured cardstock, then onto a heavy white card base.

Thanks so much for coming by and taking a look.


Supplies
Stamps- Faded Text; Cityscapes; Bitty Grunge (Tim Holtz); Everyday Sentiments (YNS)
Inks- Distress Oxides; Versafine Clair
Paper- heavy white (Scribes Nook); coloured cardstock (Michaels)
Accessories and Tools- Clockwork stencil (TH); inking tool (TH); white Posca pen

Caterpillar to Butterfly

Hello and Welcome

Meet today's card.

It was inspired by the times we are going through now, with all the changes and restrictions in our lives during this pandemic.  

So many of us have had to 'transform' our lives and I feel these times have changed the way we live forever.  I think I have a new appreciation for the little things in life, things that were often taken for granted.  I will hug even more then I did before when hugging is possible again.  

I hope that these times have brought some positive new outlooks for you as well.  I don't think it can be all bad and hope is what we will find at the end of the tunnel.  

For me, creating has been a great source of positivity and a way to stay connected with friends and online during Covid.  Thanks so much for always encouraging me on!

So onto my card details.

• I began with a piece of heavy white cardstock and covered it with a layer of Gesso.  I describe it as 'buttering your toast' using a pallet knife.  I like to use the Gesso as it creates a resist when adding the inks.
• After the Gesso dried which took no time at all with the thin layer, I rubbed on Distress inks using an inking tool.  (DOX inks- Blueprint Sketch, Salty Ocean, Faded Jeans, Wilted Violet)  I splattered heavily with water drops to lift the colour and add interest.
• Next, I laid the Butterfly stencil from Visible Image to one side of my card panel and rubbed over it using some Versafine Clair black ink.  *that ink takes a few minutes to dry so be careful not to smudge it
• Using a white Posca paint pen, I traced around the butterfly to help highlight it.
• Leaving the mask in place, I stamped the sentiment inside of the butterfly stencil with some Veramark and then white heat embossed it.
• After I heat set it, I placed the mask back again and splattered with more white Posca pen.
• I stamped the sentiment from Penny Black (a really old one) and clear heat embossed it.
• I mounted the panel onto some white card, then onto a piece of black, then onto a heavy white card base.

Thanks so much for coming by and taking a look.

Supplies

Stamps- ...the butterfly (PB); Wings of Change (Visible Image)

Inks- Versafine Clair, Versamark; Distress inks

Paper- heavy white (Scribes Nook)

Accessories and Tools- Butterfly mask (Visible Image); white Posca pen; white and clear eb powder;

Gesso; inking tool

Ways to Live

Welcome

Fall is in the air....cooler temperatures for sure where I live.  It was only 8C when I got up.

I feel sad to see summer go, I feel like with the lockdown we missed so much of it!!

Anyways, I do enjoy the Fall and all it's splendid colours.  My little people love looking for and collecting all kids of different leaves.  They find such joy in picking them up and having them at hand to hold.  

I decided to use some real leaves to create my card.

So onto my card details.

• I began with a piece of heavy white cardstock.  I went outside and picked up a few different leaves in different sizes.
• Using a brayer, I rolled some acrylic paint that I got from the Dollar Trees, onto the back side (the veins up) of the leaves and pressed onto my card panel.  *I placed a piece of scrap paper over my leaf to help me press firmly and get a good print.  I just love the look it gave.  I used some Fall paint colours....red, orange and yellow.  
• I set my card aside to dry.  While that dried, I decided what I would add to make my card a 'collage' style card, then I pulled out a variety of stamps from AALL and Create.  I picked them up during the lockdown and most were by the talented Tracy Evans.  
• Using some Candied Apple, Carved Pumpkin and Squeezed Lemonade Distress Oxide inks, I randomly stamped the background.  
• When I was happy with all the stamping, I placed the panel into my Misti to stamp this sentiment from IO and clear heat embossed it.  
• I splattered the card front with my black Posca Pen and added some lines along the edges using an old credit card.
• I mounted the panel onto some coloured cardstock, then onto a heavy white card base.

Thanks so much for coming by and taking a look.

Adding my card to these challenges:

The Sisterhood of Crafters- AUTUMN INSPIRATION

Crafty Girls- FALL COLORS

Paperminutes- COLOURS OF AUTUMN

Supplies
Stamps- Laugh (Impression Obsession); AAll and Create #350, #338, #307
Inks- Versafine Clair, Distress Oxides, Acrylic paint
Paper- heavy white (Scribes Nook)
Accessories and Tools- Misti (My Sweet Petunia); leaves; Speedball Brayer; Posca pen; clear eb powder; heat tool

Gather

Welcome
Slimline cards seem to be all the rage right now so I decided to make a Fall Themed one using this great leaf set from Tim Holtz.
Using a simple inking, I tried to add all the colours of Fall.

So here's what I did to create my card.

• I began by cutting a white cardstock panel that was 2 3/4 x 7 3/4" (finished size 3 1/2 x 8 1/2")
• I measured to find my middle point and placed a piece of ScorTape along that line.  Using some Candied Apple Distress Oxide inks and an inking tool, I rubbed along the edge of the tape.  
• I lifted the tape and moved it directly on the other side of the line that I had just inked, leaving just a hint of white space.  Using more DOX ink, I repeated that process.
• I continued moving the tape and inking using more DOX inks. (Candied Apple, Evergreen Bough, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Carved Pumpkin, Aged Mahogany)
• When the inking was all done, I placed the piece into my Misti and stamped the sentiment from Impression Obsession and clear heat embossed it.  By stamping the sentiment first, that gave me a better idea of how to place my leaves.
• I randomly stamped the leaves from the Tim Holtz set called Leaf Prints using my Versafine ink.
• I added some black splatters using my Posca pen.
• I mounted the panel onto a piece of red cardstock, then black and finally onto a heavy white card base. I added 3 black gems for interest.         

Thanks so much for coming by and taking a look.

Adding my card to these challenges:

Little Red Wagon- OVER THE RAINBOW

Challenge Up Your Life- AUTUMN MOOD

Stamping Sensations- THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Supplies

Stamps- Gather (IO); Leaf Prints (TH)

Inks- Versafine Clair; DOX (TH)

Paper- heavy white (Scribes Nook); red and black cs (Michaels)

Accessories and Tools- Misti (My Sweet Petunia); ScorTape; inking tool (TH); black gems

Noel

Good Morning

Thanks to so many of you that replied that you weren't getting sick of seeing all my Christmas cards.

If you don't already know, I have a very busy life with 5 little daycare kiddos.  I try and get ahead of the game and with this extra time off, I thought I should take advantage of it so I'm less rushed when holiday time arrives.

This card was inspired by a very talented lady on FB.  Eileen Godwin does some work for Lavinia Stamps and her cards are very clean and simple.  I do enjoy her inking techniques.

So here's what I did to create my card.

• I began with a 4 3/4 x 4 3/4" square piece of cardstock.  I was making a 5x5" card when finished.
• I used some ScorTape to mask the edges of my card so I would have a crisp, white border when finished.
• Using some Distress Oxide inks, (Worn Lipstick, Cracked Pistachio, Tumbled Glass, Spun Sugar, Dried Marigold) and my Stencil Pal (or you could use any flat edge), I rubbed the inks across my card panel with my TH inking Tool, being sure to criss-cross them as I went along.  I also did a circle outline just using a circle die cut, right where I knew I wanted the reindeer to be. 
• Next, I laid the Lavinia Pods stencil over the panel and did some light stenciling in the background just to add some interest.
• I placed the inky panel into my Misti and stamped the Reindeer also from Lavinia Stamps, the sentiment and trees. 
• I added a bit of shading under the reindeer to help ground him with a gray watercolour pencil.
• Using my white and black Posca pens, I added splatters to my bkg.
• I mounted the piece onto a coordinating piece of cardstock, then onto a heavy white card base.

Thanks so much for coming by and taking a look.

Adding my card to these challenges:
Simon Says Wed.- STAMP IT
Time Out- SEASON
International Art and Soul- INCLUDE AN ANIMAL

Supplies
Stamps- Sentiment (Studio Light); Small Reindeer (Lavinia); Three Pine Trees (Nellie's Choice)
Inks- DOX (TH); Versafine
Paper- heavy white (Scribes Nook)
Accessories and Tools- Misti (My Sweet Petunia); Pods stencil (Lavinia); 
Stencil Pal; ScorTape; Inking Tool (TH); Posca pens

Beautiful Together

Good Morning
Meet today's card.
A pretty simple one using a Splash Watercolour Technique background.

So here's what I did to create my card.

• I began with a piece of heavy white cardstock.  I rubbed some Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet, Peacock Feathers and Twisted Citron Distress Oxide ink onto my non-stick craft mat.  
• I sprayed the inks with water, then slapped my paper into the wet ink.  You get more of a mottled looking background then if you would press the paper directly into the wet ink.
• When dry, I cut the panel down to 3 1/2 x 4 3/4" and I placed the panel into my Misti.  I stamped the flowers from the Stamplorations set called Beautiful You.
• I had a little piece of inked cardstock left, so I stamped the sentiment from the same set onto it with some Versafine Clair and clear heat embossed it.  I mounted it onto a small piece of white cardstock.
• I glued the panel onto some purple cardstock, then onto a heavy white card base.
• I pop dotted the sentiment over the background, then added 3 black gem

Adding my card to these challenges:
Simon Says Wed.- STAMP IT
Sweet Stampin- ANYTHING BUT A BIRTHDAY CARD
Corrosive Challenge- ANYTHING GOES
STAMPlorations- NEVER ENDING ANYTHING GOES


Thanks so much for coming by and taking a look.


Supplies
Stamps- Beautiful You (STAMPlorations)
Inks- DOX, Versafine Clair
Paper- heavy white (Scribes Nook)
Accessories and Tools- Misti (My Sweet Petunia); black gems; pop dots; non-stick craft mat;
water mister (TH); clear eb powder

Starry Nights

Hello and Welcome
I've got two cards for you today.
Similar themes with the trees, but two different techniques.

I do love scene cards, especially ones with trees.

So here's what I did to create my card #1.

• I began with a piece of heavy white cardstock and positioned my Marvelous Rectangle Mask over it, centering it to give my a nice, clean white border when done.
• Using an acrylic block, I rubbed on some Peacock Feathers, Salty Ocean, Faded Jeans and a bit of Blueprint Sketch Distress Oxide ink, sprayed with water and pressed it onto my masked panel.  I love how the water has lifted some of the ink to make what looks like a starry sky!
• I placed the masked panel into my Misti and stamped the Winter Woodland trees with some Versafine black ink.
• I removed the mask and stamped the sentiment right down into the right corner.
• I mounted the panel onto a piece of dark blue cardstock then onto a heavy white card panel.

Supplies
Stamps- Winter Woodland (Penny Black); Everyday Sentiments (YNS)
Inks- Distress Oxides; Versafine
Paper- heavy white (Scribes Nook)
Accessories and Tools- Marvelous Rectangle Mask (A Colorful Life Designs) 
Use code KARENFAN10 to get a discount; Misti (My Sweet Petunia); acrylic block

Here is card #2.
Like I mentioned above, still a similar theme but I used all leftovers for this one.

Here's what I did to create this card.

• Every time I play with my Gel Plate, I keep some extra paper at hand to roll off the excess paint from my brayer. Too much paint on your Gel Plate results in a poor lifting. This background was the result of that and it is a good way to not let your excess paint go to waste.
• Using another inked leftover painted piece, I die cut the Tim Holtz Tree Line and then glued it over my brayered painted panel.
• I stamped the sentiment and then splattered the whole piece with my white Posca pen.
• I mounted it onto some blue cardstock, then onto a heavy white card base.

Supplies
Stamps- Season's Greetings (The Old Island)
Inks- Versafine, Acrylic Paint (Dollar Tree)
Paper- heavy white (Scribes Nook)
Accessories and Tools- Tree Line Die (TH); Posca Pen; Speedball brayer

Thanks so very much for all your most kind and generous comments.  All are so very appreciated.

Wildflowers

Good Morning

Meet today's simple card.

I pulled out some of the first flower stamps I ever bought.  

They have been sitting in the drawer for years with no attention.  When I did pull them out and use them, I remember how much I love the way they look as a silhouette.  It's those classic stamps that you never get rid of and I feel happy that they came to live on this card.

So here's what I did to create my card. 

• I began with a piece of heavy white cardstock and positioned my Rectangle Marvelous Mask over my panel.
• I rubbed some Distress Oxide ink onto my acrylic block, sprayed with water and pressed onto my paper.  I continued that process until the whole masked area was filled with ink.  (The inks I used were:  Peacock Feathers, Twisted Citron, Broken China, Seedless Preserves, Blueprint Sketch, Wilted Violet)
• I dried the background, then randomly stamped the flowers, entwining them together.  I did clear heat emboss them to help make them pop against the inky background.
• I die-cut a piece of vellum using a Spellbinder Circle die, then stamped the Friendship onto it with some Versafine ink and clear heat embossed that too.
• I free handed cut a heart, pressed it onto my Wilted Violet stamp pad, then lifted some of the ink by splattering it with water.
• I splattered the whole panel with white just to break it up a bit using my white Posca pen.
• I removed the mask and then glued the inky piece onto a purple piece of cardstock, then onto a heavy white card base.

Thanks so much for coming by and taking a look.

Discount Code for A Colorful Life Designs

*Just use the code KarenFan10 to get a discount on stencils and masks.

Adding my card to these challenges:

Simon Says Wed.- STAMP IT

Watercooler Wed.- ANYTHING GOES/ FEMININE

Cardz 4 Galz- JUST SAYING HELLO

Supplies

Stamps- Wildflowers (Hero Arts); Daisy (Stampabilities); Friendship (SU)

Inks- DOX; Versafine Clair

Paper- heavy white (Scribes Nook); Purple cardstock 

Accessories and Tools- Rectangle Marvelous Mask (A Colorful Life Designs); Posca pen; white eb powder; heat tool;

Spellbinder Circle die