PPC&F - Your Next Stamp - Cute Blooms

 Happy Saturday, everyone! This weekend, Your Next Stamp is sponsoring us at Passionate paper Creation & Friends!  I was so excited to get to pick out some designs to work with!  They have an amazing selection to choose from.  The first set that I chose is the darling Cute Blooms Stamp Set.  I actually made a trio of coordinating cards with it. 

I had an idea in my head when I saw this stamp set and I couldn't wait to try it out!  I was not disappointed.  I ordered some new Ranger Alcohol Inks that I wanted to try out, so I created some alcohol ink backgrounds for my cards. 

I colored my images with Copic markers.  I tried to use color schemes that would coordinate well with the backgrounds.  After I colored my images, I cut them out and set them aside. 

I chose coordinating colors of card stock for each card.  I trimmed the card stock and the background panels for each card. I die-cut the sentiments and the rectangle panels (dies listed below) for each card, and then set to work assembling them. 

Dies Used: 

C.C. Designs Scalloped Rectangle Dies

The Greeting Farm Hi Hello Word Die Cuts

Pink & Main Big Hugs Dies

Please make sure to stop by Passionate Paper Creations & Friends and check out all of the Design Team Inspiration.  While you are there, check out the surprise that Your Next Stamp has provided for our members!  If you aren't a member, that's totally OK!  Click the "join" button, answer the questions and then check out the Featured Posts! 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  
Xoxo, Kim

Fun with alcohol inks

 Hi friends!  Just a super short post for today, as I  am off to the Stamp & Scrapbook Expo today with a friend. 

My friend Kim, @canterburycarddesigns, has been making some beautiful artwork using alcohol inks and she inspired me to dig mine out to create this decorative tile. 

I would love to hear what you like to create with alcohol inks! Thanks so much for stopping by!  

Xoxo, Kim

Magical Marker Techniques - AECP Level 2

 Good afternoon!  Today, I am sharing the project that I created for my second to the last class in Level Two of the Altenew Educator Certification Program - Magical Marker Techniques. 

This class was a lot of fun - full of different ways to use alcohol ink markers.  My favorite lesson, and the one that I focused on for this card was actually the first lesson - using alcohol inks on metal.  I had no idea that this was a possibility. 

In this lesson, Sara used aluminum sheets from the craft store.  I didn't have any on hand, and I wasn't able to find any online.  I thought I had, but it ended up being about 1/2" thick.  Needless to say, it is being returned.  I decided that I would try to think outside the box a little, and use some heavy duty aluminum foil.  It took me several attempts to get it to work, but it was a ton of fun! 

To start, I took a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil and selected my colors.  I scribbled lines of ink over the foil, not really being careful.  Once the sheet was covered, I spritzed alcohol, allowing the ink to react and the alcohol to dry before spritzing again.  Once I was satisfied with my surface, I set it aside to dry completely. 

Using the Shattered Triangle Dies, I cut several of each size from white cardstock backed with an adhesive sheet.  Using the solid triangle, I die-cut the same number of triangles from my colored foil.  I adhered the white piece to the foil shapes and set them aside to prepare my card panel. 

I started with a card base of 6 3/4' x 6 1/4", scored on the long side.  I cut a card panel of 3 1/4" x 6 1/4" and splattered shimmer spray on it.  I wish that the shinmer showed better in the photos.  It looks like a beautiful opal.  When the panel was dry, I adhered a strip of washi tape to one side and then attached the panel to my card base.  Using very sticky double-sided adhesive, I adhered my triangles and then added my sentiments.  

This card was a lot of fun to make once I worked the kinks out.  

Products Used:

• Recollections 110# Card Stock: White
• Reynold's Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil
• Altenew Halftone Smile Stamps and Dies
• Altenew Shattered Triangles Dies
• Altenew Artist Markers:  B635, B815, C003, R504, R826, C006
• Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Spray:   Tibetan Poppy Teal
• Altenew Washi Tape: Silver Glitter
• 99% Isopropyl Alcohol

I am also entering this card in the following challenge:

Make the Cards Challenge #21

As always, thanks for spending a little time with me!  Happy stamping!  ❤

Old You Are Slider Birthday Card

 Good afternoon, crafty friends!  I am so excited to share my first card made with some incredibly cute images from Kindred Stamps!  You probably don't know this, but I am a total Star Wars geek!  Best day ever was the day that I got to hug Chewie!  So, when I saw this stamp set, I HAD to have it! 

I stamped the adorable images, colored them with my alcohol markers and set them aside.  Next, I went to work on my galaxy background.  This is a technique that I learned in one of my AECP courses and thought it would be perfect for this card.  

Using Distress Oxide Inks, I started blending my background, using the lightest color first, and building it up gradually.   Once I was happy with my colors, I blended black ink over the top of the colors, leaving it lightest in the center, and heaviest on the outer edges.  I set the panel aside to dry.  Once dry, I added some splatters with metallic silver spray and again set it aside to dry. 

While waiting, I cut out my images and set them aside.  I die-cut a strip for my sentiment and then heat embossed it in silver.   When my galaxy panel was dry, I started arranging my images to determine how I wanted to place them on my card.  I felt like the top corner needed something to balance the card out, so I cut an SVG image of the Millennium Falcon out three times and glued them together to create a nice raised image.  

Once I was happy with my image placement, I die-cut the slider bar and then I used removable adhesive runner to adhere my background panel down to a silver panel.  I added glue to the die-cut piece and placed it back into its original spot so that the galaxy background remained intact and then pulled the galaxy panel back off.   I adhered my characters down to the card front and put a slider mechanism behind Yoda.  I then added foam tape to the back of my galaxy panel and adhered it to my card base.  I finished my card by popping my sentiment tag up on some foam tape and adhering it to the front of the card.  

I am over the moon with how this card turned out!  I hope you are too! 

Products Used:

• Recollections 110# Card Stock:  White
• Recollections Shimmer Card Stock:  Silver
• Neenah Crest 80# Card Stock:  Solar White
• Kindred Stamps Galactic Sidekicks Stamp Set
• Kindred Stamps Sentiment Strips Dies
• Recollections Slider Cutting Dies
• Distress Oxide Ink:  Squeezed Lemonade. Shaded Lilac, Kitsch Flamingo, Mermaid Lagoon
• Altenew Pigment Ink:  Obsidian 
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Altenew Metallic Spray:  Antique Silver
• Stampin' Up Embossing Powder:  Silver
• Foam Tape

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Happy stamping!  ❤

Alcohol Inks, Die-Cuts, and a Rainbow Beanie

Good morning, friends!  Many of you may know that one of my other passions is fiber arts.  I am usually an avid knitter, but since the pandemic hit, I haven't spent much time with needles in my hand.  

Last week, a friend was diagnosed with stage four cancer, out of the blue, and she starts an aggressive course of chemotherapy today.  When she told me she had a big ask of me, I asked her what she needed.  She asked me to knit her a beanie for when she loses her hair.  Of course, the waterworks happened, as this is such an easy thing for me to make happen, and I am so glad to be able to do it.  I asked her what color she wanted, knowing what her answer would be, and she didn't disappoint.  She wants a rainbow beanie.  

I went on the hunt for the perfect rainbow yarn (which, by the way, is NOT an easy thing to find), and was so happy to find some glorious Amitola Grande at my local yarn store.  This gorgeous yarn is a blend of Italian wool and silk.  It is so soft and has a gorgeous halo of fluff!    

I had to find the perfect pattern, so I went on a hunt through Ravelry and found a fantastic pattern with mock cables.  I can't believe how quickly the pattern worked up.  

I had made this card for her when I found out about the diagnosis, and decided to hold off on sending it to her, as I wanted to include it with her hat.  

This card was really very simple to make.  I die-cut the palm fronds using the Altenew Parlor Palms Dies from an alcohol ink background. 

I embossed a card panel using the new Altenew Monsters 3D Embossing Folder (and I have to say I am in LOVE with this EF!) and arranged my die-cut pieces and glued them down.  

I heat embossed my sentiment in gold onto a strip of vellum and adhered it to the back of my card panel.  I love this trick, as it leaves no adhesive marks under the vellum.  I adhered my panel to a card base and VOILA!  I debated whether to add any other embellishments and decided to leave it.  The simplicity allows each element to speak for itself.  

I am going to try to do a sneaky porch drop today and deliver her package.  I hope she loves it! 

Products Used: 

• Recollections 110# Card Stock:  White
• Vellum
• Yupo Paper
• Altenew Monstera 3D Embossing Folder 
• Altenew Parlor Palms Dies
• Altenew Fancy Greetings Stamp Set
• Stampin' Up Gold Embossing Powder
• Alcohol Inks (purchased on Amazon): Green, Lime Green, Lemon Yellow 
• Metallic Mixative:  Gold

Thanks so much for stopping by!