Best Wishes - Pinkfresh Challenge

My entry for the Pinkfresh Studio December Challenge.  

Products used:

Berry Branch stamp set

Stained Glass Cover Plate Die

Copic markers

Metallic Cord

Pinkfresh Sentiment die cuts

Happy Birthday - A Year in Review

Products used:

Magnolia Ballerina Embossing Folder

Iridescent Shimmer Spray

Crisp Dye Inks

Blending Brush

One-Go Birthday Greetings (stamp set and dye)

Another entry for the Altenew December Inspiration Challenge - A Year in the Review.  I used picture #5 as my inspiration.

 

You Are a True Friend

I had plenty of time in my crafty studio today and created another card for the Altenew December Inspiration Challenge found here.  For this card I chose image number one (1).    I used my new inks - Altenew's New Fresh Dye ink - Dried Petals for the freesia image and the background is from the Tranquility Crisp Dye collection.  I chose the Build A Garden Blooming Freesia stamp and stencil set.  What a beautiful set this is.  

I started by stamping the image in Pastel Sunrise another new Fresh Dye ink before stenciling with the Dried Petals colors.  I ink blended the background with Nimbus ink and used Cloudy Sky for the stenciled dots.  Added the sentiment and once again finished with a few spritzes from the Iridescent Shimmer Spray.  I think this is going to turn out to be one of my favorite stamp and stencil sets.

 

Whimsy Motif Hugs

I created another entry for the December Inspiration Challenge.  This time I used the August Inspiration colors.  I used Altenew inks and the Whimsy Motif Embossing Folder and stencils for this card.  I finished the card with a few spritzes of Iridescent Shimmer Spray and splatters of Gold Spray.  I mounted the embossed and stenciled panel onto white glitter cardstock and the hugs sentiment was also cut out of the white glitter cardstock.

 

Altenew December Inspiration Challenge

Just before Christmas I received this cute little stamp as a thank you from Altenew for being a customer in 2023.  I thought it was perfect to use for the December Inspiration Challenge. I chose picture number 7 (July) for my inspiration.  I used the new stamp set and the Flourishing Garden embossing folder from the latest Craft Your Life set.

I watercolored the image after stamping onto watercolor paper and heat embossing in black.  I used the embossing folder on purple cardstock from my stash and then ink blended a bit of purple ink over the cardstock then swiped the ink pad across the embossed image to add a little more depth.  After adding the sentiment I spritzed with Iridescent Shimmer spray.

 

 

Altenew Ultimate Inspiration Challlenge - December 2023

Getting a little crafty time in today and decided to try to create something for the Altenew Ultimate Inspiration Challenge.  I was using the 2nd picture and what I think is February's inspiration picture.  

The first thing I did was to take some alcohol inks in the colors I thought matched the colors in the picture.  I then took the alcohol inks and added droplets onto a piece of vellum.  I sprayed on some Isopropyl Alcohol and used little puffs of air to move the colors around the vellum.  Adding more alcohol and air as needed until I achieved the look that I wanted. Once that was dry I then took my Altenew Square Weave stencil and placed it over the top of the vellum and spritzed with alcohol.  I removed the stencil and lightly blotted with a paper towel.  This removed some of the ink and left a lightly stenciled area.  I let the vellum panel dry and then cut down the piece of vellum to 5.25" x 4" and added a piece of double sided adhesive to the back side of the vellum.  By covering the entire backside of the vellum with double sided adhesive you don't see any of the adhesive through the vellum.  Then I placed the vellum onto a panel of white cardstock.

Once I had the adhered the vellum onto the white cardstock, I placed the vellum panel into my "splatter box" and added splatters of Altenew Jet Black and Iridescent sprays to the panel.  After this dried I was at a loss for how I wanted to proceed.  I really like the look of the alcohol ink on the vellum and didn't want to cover it up too much.  So I just started looking through my sentiments to see where I might want to start.

I went to my "magic bowl" - which is the bowl that I have full of my Altenew sentiments that I have already stamped, heat embossed and/or die cut to have at the ready.  I found the Love You die cuts from the Timeless Sentiments die set.  I had them die cut out of black and white glitter cardstock.  I also had a few die cuts of the Linear Die leftover from a previous project.  

I started playing with placement and ended up layering the black die cuts onto the white glitter die cuts slightly offset.  Then popped those up with foam tape over the white linear die.  Another quick instance of rifling through my magic bowl of sentiments and I came up with the XOXO from Altenew's Sentiment Strips.  I layered all this on a black panel then onto a white A2 card base.

Final step was to add some iridescent confetti scattered about the panel.  I really like how this turned out.  It was a new technique for me and quite interesting to try.

This is my first entry into the Inspiration Challenge.  I am hoping to try again before the end of the year.

Let me know your thoughts. 

 

AECP - Polychromatic

Let's play with colors! That was the theme of my next class in the Altenew Academy courses that I have been taking towards certification.  In this class, we learned how to use multiple colors comfortably!  

So, for my first card I chose to watercolor a rainbow. To add a bit of drama to the card I decided I would use black as my card base as well as for the sentiment.  I started out by stamping the floral image using Embossing ink onto watercolor paper and then heat embossing with clear ink.  Then I took my Altenew Watercolor markers - the Spring Garden set and dropped a few drops of a rainbow of colors onto my glass mat.  I used  a watercolor paint brush to add water to the panel and then started picking up a little of each color - ROYGBIV and created a rainbow of color.  After laying down each color I went back with a little water and blended each color into the next trying to create a smooth transition into each color.  After I let the watercolored panel dry I die cut the image and decided how to place it on the black base.  I finished by using black gemstones from my stash.  Not my usual style but I think it turned out nicely.

For my second card I started the same way by stamping the image onto watercolor paper with embossing ink and this time I heat embossing with white embossing powder.  

The lesson I followed this time was about using similar colors.  So again using the Spring Garden Watercolor Markers by Altenew I dropped color from 2 blues and 2 greens onto my glass mat and began using water and the markers to lay down some color.  Going back and forth with a little color and then adding water to allow the color to move around.  I allowed the panel to dry a little and then came back in again and added more water and color.  After, I had the look that I desired I die cut the image.

Next up was the base panel I wanted to use behind my floral image.  First, I used the same colors and randomly watercolored and blended the colors together onto another piece of watercolor cardstock.  Once this panel dried, I splattered it with the 4 colors I had used to watercolor both the flowers and the background panel. Lastly, I used a set of A2 rectangle dies and diecut the various layers.  I added sentiments from my bowl of sentiments and finished with the black gems from my stash.  I have to say this is one of my favorite cards that I have created.  Blues and greens are my favorite and I really just LOVE how this turned out.

Let me know what you think.

Inky Paws Challenge 212

My entry for Inky Paws Challenge #212 - a color challenge

Colors are red, green black and kraft

I used Newton's Nook stamp set Heartfelt Coffee and sentiment from Newton Loves Coffee. The little to-go cup is from the Coffee Silhouettes Die Set.

Patterened paper is from my stash.

 

AECP - Masking Unleased and Magical Marker Techniques

This week I started working on completing another class or two in my Level 2 AECP Coursework.  I treated myself to a few Black Friday deals that Altenew was offering.  I finally got my hands on an Alcohol Marker set (actually 6 but 5 are under the tree for a Christmas present to me).  So, the first class I started on was the Magical Marker class.

I also purchased this Coffee with a Splash set and set out to combine this set with the markers.  The first technique this card used was to color on my glass mat with several of the markers.  Once I had finished laying down the colors I wanted to use I spritzed it with some alcohol.  I took some rustic cream cardstock that I had precut and pressed it into 

the glass mat.  The alcohol activates the marker and allows the color to move.  

I then stamped the coffee mug in Altenew Redwood ink and used the same markers to color in the mug.  I used a light flicking motion as I put the color down enabling the colors to blend.  I stamped the sentiment in a watermark/embossing ink and then heat embossed it in a nice brown color.  The next step was to use the coffee rings/splatter stamp from the set and the watermark ink and stamp it all over the purple layer.  The final step prior to adhering all the layers together was also a technique discussed in the course and that was to use a marker - the brush end and run it along the edge of the cardstock to give it color.  This also helps to set the panel apart. Just like layering the panel on a darker piece of cardstock would. Can't wait to try out the rest of my markers after Christmas.

The next card combines masking with the use of alcohol markers.  I used the Mini Delight Delicate Butterfly set for this course.  I used the dies contained in this set along with Altenew Masking paper to make the masks.  I planned where I wanted my images to be and then did a bit of ink blending around and over the masks.  Then I used an alcohol marker 

and scribbled it over a stamping block, spritzed it with alcohol and then using a stipple brush I splattered the color marker ink onto the panel.  I repeated this process two more times with a yellow marker and a purplish marker - the alcohol markers are from the Space Garden set I.  After removing the masks, I stamped the images in place.  However, I accidentally moved the cardstock and the image was stamped slightly off.  So, I started over, this time I stamped the first floral image, the bottom one, then applied the mask, and decided where I wanted the butterfly - applied the mask (because I wanted it to be in the foreground) and finally stamped the second floral image.  Last step, was to mask the second floral image and remove the butterfly mask - then stamp the butterfly.  I applied the mask again to the butterfly image and then repeated the first steps.  Ink blended over masks and then splattered the alcohol ink.  After that I removed the masks and used the alcohol markers to color in the images.

The last steps to complete this card were to use a rectangle die to diecut the image and the mat layer, add the sentiments, spritz it with Altenew Iridescent Spray and add the bling.  I think it turned out rather pretty.  As a side note, I would like to point out that I used the same colors for both cards and yet they look so different.  What do you think?