Flowers on Crackle Stenciled Background

You can barely see the stitches on the flowers and leaves, but they are there!!  I would never have tried the stenciled BG with modeling paste if I hadn't taken the Online Stencil Class.  Below is how I created the whole card:

IMAGES, STENCIL, AND DIE CUTS:

1. Stamped Stitched Flowers 3 times with Golden Glitz ink on white cardstock; painted two completely and one just the flowers with Twinkling H2O's; embossed the leaves and flowers from the back.
2. Used the Crackled stencil with gold modeling creme applied with a palette knife to white Laid cardstock.  It dries relatively quick.  I left it for 3 or 4 hours.
3. Die cut two 'hugs' on white cardstock; used leftover negatives from die cuts for exclamation mark; painted one 'hugs'  and exclamation mark with twinks.
4. Die cut Romantic Rectangles Two large, smallest, and next to smallest from white cardstock.
5. Cut two BGs (one for front and one for inside middle) from Crackle BG.
6. Die cut for inside top and bottom edges and envy using largest die with Crackle BG.

ASSEMBLY:

1. Mounted Crackle BG to largest die cut; mounted first flowers with glue dots and leaves with 3D pop-dots; mounted second layer of flowers with glue dots in centers and 3D pop dots on petals; added Viva Decor Ice Pearl Pen to flower centers.
2. CARD FOLD:  Used a pencil to mark edges of largest die cut near die center; measure twice the length; cut and folded and applied to the back of the Card front.  It still stands just fine by itself.
3. Added die cut edges to inside top and bottom; applied Crackle BG to next to smallest die cut; mounted to inside top center; added bow to bottom.
4. Watercolored edges of center embossed area on smallest die cut; double decked with painted 'hugs' on top and mounted to smallest die cut; mounted that to front lower right; applied sequins with GA here and there.
5. Divided pieces of die cut edges and mounted to lower left of envy.

That's all for now. Thanks for stopping by to look and share!!

  Shirley
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Online Stencil Class Days 3 And 4

Days 3, 4, and the Bonus were filled with tons of techniques and step by step instructions on pdf and videos for download.  I liked that you could use whichever one you liked most.  I chose to do a quick card I had in my mind so I could move on to the watercoloring class!!  I got the idea for the colors in the flower after seeing Jane's on her blog, Cards By Jane.  Thank you, Jane, for sharing your beautiful card.  Here is what I did:

IMAGES:

1.  Stamped the flower on white CS with black ink, painted with Twinkling H2O's, applied GA to the flourishes; used Black Inkssential for the tiny dots and berries; Gold glitter glue for the frame edge and the center of the flower (in the photo it looks silver and that's because it is lighter than their Golden Rod).
2. The hello die was used on black cardstock and mounted with GA to the pink background.

STENCILING:

1. Used the Dots stencil first with Memento Tuxedo Black applied with a dauber.  I found rubbing was better than dabbing.  LOLOL.  Then I used a spatula with Golden Gel Medium Regular - Gloss.  I don't think I will use it for stencils again.  It is great for copying and transfer of photos, but it stayed tacky and didn't dry until the next day.
2. Mounted to pink cardstock.  Image mounted with 3D pop dots and the sentiment too.  Used leftover black and white dotted ribbon for the bow.

BACK OF CARD AND ENVY:

1. So in my blog hopping I thought I saw someone doing the back of the cardfront like the inside w/o the other side.  Hope I didn't confuse.  The photo should clear it up.  So I thought I would try it with this one and kind of like it.  Figured my signature after my written message with a date could suffice for signing the card.
2. I stenciled again with the black ink but did not use the medium.  I used the gold glitter glue to offset the dots a little.

I found FREE polling software so you can tell me what you prefer to use for posting comments and the size of photos in posts.   I hope you will leave me your answer to the questions posted in the upper left-hand sidebar.  I used Blogger for the first attempt and all of a sudden the votes disappeared.  I want to thank all of your who chose before and be assured that Pollcode.com said I could have the poll open for a year with no problem.

I am not off to start the watercolor class over at Online Card Classes.  The stencil for 5 days was $12  and the watercolor for about 12 days of lessons I think.  You get pdfs and videos for each day that are downloadable if you like to do that.

Hope your weekend and holiday were great.  Thanks for stopping by to look and share.

 Shirley

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Stencil Class Day 1 Card

 

I was so thrilled with the class.  They had 3 different excellent instructors and 4 videos.  They give you a supply list, but I tried to use what I had. since I've been stamping 14 years.  I learned about inking and masking with stencils and using inks and sprays with them.  Above is my first card that I inked with a stencil on the card front.  I did not use their masking technique on the envy, but it is masked and I can explain how I did that below.  Here is what I did.  The background sample is one I saw on Pam Sparks' blog HERE, while looking at their great pre-course gallery.  She even had a tutorial for it HERE......and yes, I ended up ordering the flower die she used too.

IMAGES:

1. Stamped image on vellum with Golden Glitz; painted with Twinkling H20 watercolors, highlighted with a Spica At You glitter pen; mounted the waxed white string bow.  set aside.
2. Envy - Stamped smaller image on vellum twice.  Once for mask on envy and once for inside to mount on the left like I did the card front. When I did mask I used Tombow removable tape between the mask and image. To remove it you just rub it off.  Very easy.

CARD FRONT and INSIDE LEFT:

1. Card front - Used Bazzill Dotted Swiss for card base.
2. Daubed (sponged) Burlap stencil with Golden Glitz, Peeled Paint, and Worn Lipstick randomly.
3. Die cut BG using Lil' Inkers Stitched Rectangles Mat; mounted; mounted image.
4. Die cut 'hello' using Bazzill Dotted Swiss CS; mounted as shown; added hearts to corners.
5. Inside - Stenciled Burlap down the center of the left side to match the card front; laid a piece of Bazzill CS on the left margin; painted the vellum stamped smaller image like the one on the envy and mounted in the center.
6. I always use cheaper cardstock of the same weight and same brightness for my card folds.

ENVY:

1.  Stamped small image on envy as shown, place stamped mask over it.  Stenciled with same colors as card front; peeled mask off and painted image with twinks and SAY glitter pen.

I would never have tried this without the lesson and, BTW, you also get a pdf with the lessons that were taught in the video.  Very cool.  When I am done with this class I want to take the watercolor class.  Big thanks to all of you who went before me so I could see your gorgeous cards that inspired me!!!  If you don't see supplies in my list below or you click and it comes back to my blog, it means I couldn't find where to buy it or already had it and didn't know the brand, etc.

Off to look at Day Two!  Thanks for stopping by to look and share!

 Shirley

SUPPLIES:

My First Almost Christmas Card!

PARTRIDGE IN PEAR TREE

I have had this image forever and to prove it, it is from Rubber Stampede and I could not find it for sale anywhere but on EBay.

IMAGE:

1. Stamped on white cardstock with Brilliance Galaxy Gold and heat gun used to dry the ink.   The pears were stamped again and the leaves too.  They were all fussy cut.  They were painted with twinks, and all but leaves turned over and embossed from the back with stylus.  Added Glossy Accents to bird's eye.  After it was mounted I brushed on Wink of Stella Brown. It looks great next to the Galaxy Gold.

BACKGROUND:

1. (To the best of my recollection) - This BG was done eons ago, just like the image!!  Stamped a fern here and there on natural cardstock with VersaMark, covered with Clear EP, and embossed.
2. Spayed Radiant Rain Fern here and there, sprayed with Radian Rain Solar Gold, sprayed with a little water to mix a little and then laid aside to dry.  
3. Heated with heat gun to dissolve the Clear EP.  BE careful not to burn if you try this.  Laid aside for years. ;-)
4. Added the green trellis leave border stamp with Memento Bamboo Leaves and painted leaves with twinks.

CARD FRONT AND FOLD PREP:

1. Two die cuts from white cardstock and 2 die cuts from white text paper.  The text cuts are to line the backs of the cardstock die cuts so it looks more finished.  The nerd in me.... ;-).  They were put together like it describes in my tutorial HERE   Cut two smaller die cuts from white cardstock for inside top decor.
2. Used the largest die as stencil on the prepared BG and mounted to cardstock side; added ribbon across the front and taped in the middle on back.

ASSEMBLED:

1. Mounted bird in middle of front.  Mounted pears on back for inside top.
2. Used largest die inside to trace pieces of BG for inside top and bottom as shown.
3. Added a corner of BG to envy (Peeled top layer of cardstock so it is thin); peeled of top layer of 2 leaves and added to the corner of envy.
4. Embellishments added are:  Viva Ice White Pearl was added to dots on BG pieces and to make a heart on envy; baby half hearts were added to front and inside card as shown.

If nothing else it's a loving start toward Christmas!!!  Thanks for stopping by to look and share!

 Shirley

SUPPLIES:

A Belle Flower Hello!

BIG BOLD BACKGROUND BELLE FLOWERS

Okay, so the minute I see a background stamp with distinct image, I often think how I can also use them for the inside and envelope.  I am sure because when I was growing up the insides of cards always matched the outside and sometimes even the envelope too.  So when I saw Chocolate Baroque's Belle Flowers that's exactly what I pictured.

IMAGE:

1. Stamped Big Bold Background Belle Flowers with Golden Glitz on white cardstock twice.  Once for cardfront and once for inside and envy.  Painted with Twinkling H2O's.  Used AtYou Lipstick around the pink flower.  Embellished with Viva pens and Stickles glitter glues shown in supplies below.
2. Trimmed BG to 5 1/8" square and Mounted on piece 5.25" piece of Phoenix cardstock.

DIE CUTS:

1. Die Cut the 'hello' sentiment using white cardstock.
2. Die cut sentiment tag from Polka Dots long narrow die using the red Phoenix cardstock.
3. Mounted 'hello' on red die cut.  Ran gold cord through holes on red die cut and attached to back.  Tied bow.  I didn't want to cover any of that wonderful Belle Flower background!!
4. Added Maya Road white pearl pen and Viva Bronze glitter pen dots too.

INSIDE AND ENVY:

1. Fussy cut pieces of the second background for inside and envy as shown.
2. Used X-acto knife to separate cardstock so I could peel the images for the envelope and inside.
3. Attached trim form the largest Polka Dot die to top and bottom as shown.  Attached images to inside and envy with Glossy Accents from my needle-nosed bottle.
4. Hints about bottle.  (I keep the bottle on its side so the needle part hardly ever gets clogged.  When it does I use long fine bead needle to unclog it.)  *Hint - When I flattened flowers sometimes the GA gets on the cardstock.  It comes right off any paper or cardstock with the non-abrasive Pentel eraser shown in my supplies.

That's it for today.  I am off to get my box for the winner of the blog candy ready to mail and to address the card and color page images ready to mail to Lauryn!  I want to thank all of you for your contributions of cards and/or donations.  Big hugs!  Thanks for stopping by to look and share!!

 Shirley

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Blazzing Poppies Mixed Media Attempt

Blazing Poppies

I fell in love with this image the minute I saw it. Believe it or not, the hexagons are part of what attracted me, because so many if you are using them in your designs.

Main Image:

1. Stamped the image 3 times with Golden Glitz on white CS.  If I had to do it again I think two would have been with a dark brown ink.  Painted with all 3 with twinks for the areas I wanted.  Trimmed around the first one as shown, shabbied and sponged the edges.  The first one is the base.  Cut out the other images, mounted with 3D pop dots.  embossed from the back and mounted on image.
2. After mounting on the Card Front the flower centers were embellished with Viva Decor Pen Bronze, Yellow Quartz, and Peridot glitter liners.

Card Front:

1. Stamped French Script on natural CS with Memento Desert Sand.  Cut a 5.75"X4.0", ruffed and sponged the edges with Desert Sand, mounted on white CS, used Perfect layers for 1/8" around edge, paper pierced the edge, and mounted the image on it.
2. Used Hexagon stencil for the edges with pencil, painted with gold acrylic ink and used Lime glitter pen for dots.  
3. Used MFT Distressed Circles and Brilliance Pearlescent Beige ink as shown.  Used Flourishes So Distressed small splats with Creative Medium Shimmer on top of the Distressed Circles Areas. (Believe me when I say the splats look like mixed shimmer medium and to me the whole card looks a little distressed!!!  LOL

Inside and Envy:

1. Used the same products for the inside except I didn't use pop dots, the left side is smaller image than the front, the right side is natural text paper instead of CS.  I noticed when I did the paper piercing on the front (after mounting to the card fold) it showed on the inside too.  I kind of like it!
2. The corner on the envy uses natural text paper and the image is hand drawn.

Hope to have another card soon and love seeing all of your art work!!  Many of you have really inspired me to step out of my comfort zone!!......a little anyway.  :-)  If you have any questions, please email me.  It's in the sidebar upper left.  Thanks for stopping by to look and share!!

 Shirley

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