Tweet. Chirp.

Day 2 of Online Card Classes' "Stretch Your Dies" class focused on flower dies. Yana Smakula created a couple of cards using a technique she called "Negative Die Cut Background." Basically, you die cut several images out of a piece of cardstock or paper and use the negative--what's left over--for your background. I took the inspiration for this card from her lesson.

I knew I wanted to use one of the "Scribbly Birds" stamps by Dina Wakley on my card. I've had this set for some months now, & I think I've only used any of the images one time! So today I picked out this little fellow and the "Tweet. Chirp." greeting, and built my card design around them.

After cutting a piece of 110 lb. white cardstock to 4.25x5.5", I positioned my stamps, to gauge placement of the dies. I then placed several of the "Floral Flourishes" dies by Spellbinders around the stamps. After taping the dies in place, I ran the piece through my die cutting machine. I die cut the little flower a couple more times, just to fill out the design. Then I stamped the bird & greeting using Hero Arts' Charcoal mid-tone shadow ink.

For the background, I cut a piece of 140 lb. watercolor paper to slightly larger than my cardstock panel. I taped it to my cutting board that I use for watercoloring, and painted it using my watercolors, going in rainbow order. When I had the color intensity I wanted, I dried it with my heat tool. Finally, I removed the tape, and used the A2 die from Avery Elle's "Custom Panels" die set to cut the background piece.

At this point came the fun part--attaching teensy weensy pieces of foam tape to the back of the panel! I did attach large pieces to the part that wasn't really die cut, but I cut up little slivers to go behind the more detailed parts of the die cut portions. I didn't want anything sagging on this card! I think cutting & applying the foam tape, and then taking off ALL the little release papers took longer than the rest of the process to create this card.

Once I'd removed all the release papers, I adhered the cardstock panel to my watercolored background. I wasn't sure about whether to color the bird or leave him plain, so I asked my mom for a second opinion. She recommended I color him, because the colors peeking through the die cut openings took attention away from the bird. So I got my colored pencils and colored him like a bluebird. I decided not to use Gamsol to blend the pencil strokes this time. I felt the sketchy lines went along with the sketchy look of the stamped image.

Finally, I adhered my completed card front to a white A2-size card base. I will be sending this on to Send a Smile 4 Kids, so it will hopefully brighten the day of a hospitalized child!

I'm entering this card in Simon Says Stamp's Monday "Lions & Lambs, oh my!" challenge.

Sending Blessings

Online Card Classes' "Stretch Your Dies" class has been going on this week. There's still another week to participate in the "live" class, and even after that, it will be available as a self-paced (not interactive) class. I highly recommend it for learning tips, tricks, & techniques to get more out of your dies!

I created this card for a nun who helped take care of my mom when she was in the hospital a couple of years ago. We recently found out the nun's mother died. So my mom asked me to make a sympathy card for her. My inspiration for the design came from Debby Hughes' lesson in Day 1 of class, on inlaid die cutting. She put a spin on the technique, by having the inlaid die cut cross between 2 patterned papers.

I decided to use the "blessings" from Simon Says Stamp "Christmas Blessings" dies. After choosing my patterned papers (floral from Fancy Pants' "Burlap & Bouquets" and the tan one from my scrap stash), I cut them to size, and adhered them to a piece of dark green cardstock cut to 4.25x5.5". This was different than Debby's technique, but I found it produced better results for me. (I used the same color cardstock for the die cut as for the backing, so I wouldn't have another color showing through any little gaps in the die cut inlay. As it turned out, this was unnecessary, but I didn't realize that at the time.)

After positioning my die where I wanted it on the panel, I ran it through my die cutting machine. I also die cut it from another piece of the dark green cardstock. I cut yet another piece of green, and ran it through my Xyron Sticker Maker to apply adhesive to one side. I stuck that to the back side of the panel, adhesive side up. Then I adhered my die cut word in the negative space, and placed all the little background pieces I'd cut when I die cut into the panel.

The hard part out of the way, I stamped the first part of the greeting, using the "Sending" from Simon Says Stamp's "Sending Happy Thoughts" stamp set. I had test-stamped it on another scrap of the tan paper using various inks, and finally decided to heat emboss it with Ranger's Liquid Platinum embossing powder. It doesn't show up well in the photo, but it gives it a nice, warm shine.

In looking at the card at this point, I felt it was a little bit bare. I didn't want to dress it up too much, especially with 2 patterned papers in it, but it just looked like it needed something. So I took the little butterfly stamp from Hero Arts' "Floral" stamp set and stamped it nestled near the words with Hero Arts' Cup o' Joe mid-tone shadow ink. That seemed to be just the pop it needed, without going over the top.

Finally, I adhered the completed front to an A2 card base, and rounded the top right corner with my 1/2" Corner Chomper. I must admit, this is probably one of the most understated cards I've ever made, but I hope Sister likes it.

I Love You

Hero Arts has been having their "Nature Challenge" on their blog. Today is the last day to enter, and so I decided to make one more card for it. My inspiration came from this card by Sandy Allnock. She used a butterfly stamp to create a stained glass look. I didn't use the same bright colors, but I liked the stained glass idea.

I began by cutting a piece of 140 lb. watercolor paper to 4.25x5.5". I masked off 3/4" on all sides, and stamped 2 of the butterflies from Hero Arts' "Butterflies #3" set several times in the center area, using Versafine Onyx Black ink. Once I'd finished stamping, I sprinkled on Recollections Clear Detail embossing powder and melted it with my heat tool. Then I painted over the area with clean water. I took watercolors in the yellow/blue/green range and daubed them around the panel, letting them blend together. When I got the look I wanted, I dried it with my heat tool. Then I removed the masking tape.

I thought the center portion needed something to set it off more, so I cut a narrow frame from black paper and glued that in place. Using Versafine, I stamped one of the greetings from Hero Arts' "Year Round Sentiments" in the lower right corner, and clear heat embossed that. Finally, I adhered the paper to an A2-size card base. This card will be going to Operation Write Home.

I'm also entering my card in Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge: "Lions & Lambs, Oh My."

Thinking of You

I am participating in Online Card Classes' "Stretch Your Dies" class this week. Kristina Werner had a tutorial on Day 2, on using "Die Cuts Within a Larger Die." She used leaf & flower die cuts, but I decided to do butterflies.

I began by stamping Hero Arts' "Highline Ironwork Background" stamp onto a piece of 140 lb. watercolor paper, using Versamark ink. I then heat embossed that with Ranger Super Fine Detail White embossing powder. After taping my paper down to a board to keep it from warping too much, I used watercolors in shades of pink, purple, & blue to paint over the embossing. I sprayed that with my homemade Perfect Pearls spray, to help the colors move more & give it a touch of shimmer. Finally, I dried it with my heat gun.

I used My Favorite Things' "Butterflies" and DoCrafts' "Butterflies 1" dies to die cut the butterflies from my embossed & painted panel. When I had cut several, I arranged them close together on my work surface. I cut a piece of masking paper large enough to cover them, and stuck it to my pants several times to remove much of the stickiness, as Kristina had suggested. Then I stuck the masking paper to the butterfly arrangement, picking up all my die cuts at once. I taped the smallest of Spellbinders' "Grand Ovals" dies to the masking paper, and die cut the paper & butterflies. With the butterflies still stuck to the masking paper, I then applied pieces of foam tape to the backs of all the pieces. I flipped the whole thing over onto a kraft cardstock panel, and pressed the butterfly pieces in place. Finally, I carefully removed the masking paper, revealing my arrangement on the panel.

I stamped the greeting from Hero Arts' "Floral" stamp set onto a scrap of blue paper that had a slight pattern to it, again using Versamark. I white heat embossed that, & cut it into a banner shape. After I determined its placement on the card, I applied foam tape pieces to the card front where the banner would go, and liquid glue to the butterfly pieces that the greeting would overlap. Then I stuck my greeting banner down. After mounting my completed card front to an A2-size card base, I round all 4 corners with my 3/8" Corner Chomper. I will be sending this card to a friend of mine, who needs a little pick-me-up.

I'm entering my card in the following challenges:

Virginia's View Challenge #13: "All Things Embossed"
Hero Arts' Nature Challenge
Simon Says Stamp's Monday "Lions & Lambs, Oh My"
Simon Says Stamp's Work It Wednesday: "Spring"

Find Vodka

I recently found out that a friend of ours is quite ill, and so decided to make her a get well card. I got this stamp & die set by Avery Elle for my birthday last month. When I was leafing through my stamp sets, looking for one for this card, this particular greeting in the set "spoke" to me. Our friend has a good sense of humor, and I felt this would give her spirits a lift.

I began by stamping the lemon twice on a piece of 140 lb. watercolor paper, using Versafine Onyx Black ink. I stamped the greeting inside one of the lemons, also in Versafine. Then I used Recollections Clear Detail embossing powder to heat emboss both images. I colored the lemons & leaves with watercolors, and when they had dried, cut them out with the coordinating die.

For the background, I decided to keep with a "lemon tree" theme. Using Hero Arts' "Designer Woodgrain" background stamp, I stamped the image with Versamark onto a piece of kraft cardstock cut to 3.75x5". Then I clear heat embossed that, & inked around the edges with Walnut Stain Distress ink to help define them more. After die cutting a piece of yellow cardstock with the largest of Lawn Fawn's "Large Stitched Rectangles" dies, I machine-stitched the kraft panel to that. Finally, I glued on the lemons and mounted the completed card front to an A2-size card base.

I'm entering this card in Virginia's View Challenge #13: "All Things Embossed."

Hugs + Kisses

Sandy Allnock, founder & executive director of Operation Write Home, created 20 embossed tags to send to 20 different crafters. The idea is that each crafter will use her tag to create a card to send back to OWH, then she will make a video featuring all the cards sent in. The deadline for the cards to arrive at OWH headquarters is March 31. The main stumbling block--for me at least--was that you get ONE shot. No do-overs. So, while I was one of the lucky 20 to get a tag, I was majorly stressing out over making a card with it!

I did this card and this one as practice runs, just to experiment with techniques. (Basically, I created my own tags by embossing on cardstock, and then ended up using them on the cards.) Since the tag was just cardstock, watercoloring was out, because it wouldn't take the color too well. Plus the usual problems with the cardstock warping and pilling from the water. After my second "practice" card, I finally settled on using Distress inks and spritzing with water.

I based my design on OWH's Sketch #28:

It's an oldie, yes--but a goodie! I did make some minor adjustments, mostly to accommodate the different size for the tag and add a greeting.

I first die cut a piece of Strathmore Mixed Media Paper with the largest of Lawn Fawn's "Large Stitched Rectangle" dies. After masking off the edges outside the stitching lines, and an oval for the greeting, I stamped the background with Hero Arts' "Looped Flower" stamp in Versamark. I heat embossed that with Ranger Super Fine Detail White embossing powder. Then I took Distress inks in Worn Lipstick & Festive Berries and watered them down. I applied them like watercolors to the background, creating an ombre effect. When that was dry, I removed the masking, and stamped my greeting from this Hero Arts set in Ranger Watering Can Archival ink.

For the tag, I used sponge daubers to apply the Distress inks. I colored the flowers with Tattered Rose, the butterfly with Mustard Seed, and blended Peacock Feathers & Cracked Pistachio to create the background. I spritzed the tag with plain water to help the colors blend just a bit more. After drying the tag, I also sprayed water into my hand and flicked it onto the inked tag, trying to create a bit of texture with water droplets. But that didn't work quite as intended (not at all, actually), so I ended up with just a smooth blend of color. After the tag dried, I glued & stitched on buttons in the flower centers, then punched a hole in the top and tied on some white satin ribbon.

I cut a piece of patterned paper from my scrap stash for the vertical background strip, and 3 pieces of cardstock for the 1/2"-wide horizontal strips. I ended up cutting the vertical strip slightly shorter than what the sketch called for, so it stopped at the stitching lines on the background, rather than extending into the white "mat" area. After gluing down the strips, I adhered the tag above the greeting area. I felt the card needed a bit more, so I adhered some small pearls from The Paper Studio below the greeting, one each on the 3 horizontal strips, and one to anchor down the ribbon ends from the tag. Finally, I adhered the completed card front to an A2 size card base. And this card--that I was so scared of making (or rather, of ruining)--is all set to go to OWH!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Virginia's View Challenge #13: "All Things Embossed"
a2z Scrapbooking's March challenge: "Color It In" (colored butterfly & flowers on tag)
Simon Says Stamp's Work It Wednesday "Spring"

You Rock!

Catch the Bug Challenge Blog is having an "Anything Goes" challenge this week. Since I have been kind of remiss in making cards for Send a Smile 4 Kids lately, I decided to make one for them using a Bugaboo Stamps image. I liked the "You Rock" Circle Sentiment image, & figure it would be perfect for a kid, especially a teenager. Great for a general pick-me-up card! I paired it with a bonus sketch from Operation Write Home:

I sized the sentiment image in Photoshop to fit on a 4" circle, then printed it onto a piece of Strathmore Mixed Media Paper. Since the circle extends above the top of the card base, I wanted something sturdy. I also chose Mixed Media Paper because I wanted to use my Inktense pencils to color the guitar & stars, which would require using a damp paintbrush. This paper just holds up to such things better than regular cardstock.

After I colored the guitar & stars, I used the smallest of Spellbinders' "Grand Circles" dies to trace a circle around the image. Then I cut it out with scissors. (None of the circle dies I have is exactly 4" in diameter, so I had to cut it by hand.) Finally, I inked around the edge with Vintage Photo Distress ink, just to provide a little definition.

For the card base, I chose a patterned paper from Kaisercraft's "Technologic" 6.5x6.5" paper pad. I thought the pattern looked something like a music equalizer readout, and the colors went well with the guitar as well. After adhering that to a 4.25" square card base, I glued the circle in place, making sure it would still fit in a standard A2 envelope. I cut a strip of a yellow striped paper from my scrap stash, and glued it to the card front. All that was left was to add a little shimmer to the stars with my clear Wink of Stella glitter brush pen, and add Glossy Accents to the stars and parts of the guitar.