Batik - Group of Seven

Hi everyone.  This month's technique is Batik.  This is a type of artform that uses wax to create a resist before dyeing fabric.  The best way to replicate the art is to start with Emboss Resist and then add folds and sponging.  

Please check out the details for the Batik technique and link to video on the blog ...

Group of Seven Cardmakers

For the above card I used a retired stencil from The Crafter's Workshop, sponging the leaves in two shades of green distress inks (Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness).  I pressed my Versamark pad over top of the stencil and then sprinkled with Clear Embossing Powder, heat setting to melt the powder.

I then added a few random creases, both horizontally and vertically.  I used my bone folder to help make the creases sharper, although you will always end up with jagged edges when folding card stock.  I flattened out my card panel as best as I could and then randomly sponged two colours of Distress inks (Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean) over top of my entire panel.  I took a piece of paper towel to wipe the excess ink that was sitting on top of the embossed stenciling.  

The card was finished with stamping a simple sentiment in more Rustic Wildness ink. 

Inspired to play along with the above card in the IDEAS Challenge - Week 4 - Anything Goes.  I chose stenciling for my AG.  Thanks Dolly!

Here's what I learned when I experimented with this technique ...

• Silhouette images are best for this technique
• The creases add to the artistic look of this technique
• Thinner paper worked better for me with folding, but the creases are more subtle.  My friend Susan used very light paper (a heavy printer paper) and instead of folding, she crunched the paper up, flattened it and then sponged over top.  It looks great!!

Another Batik Technique card ...

This time with more of a masculine look.  I stamped the image (Wild Flora - Inkylicious) in Versamark and stamped onto kraft card stock (thinner than my regular card stock used above).  I heat embossed with clear and then repeated the steps above.  A simple sentiment was stamped in black ink and the card was popped up over a black card base.

Close-up ...

Sending this card to Seize the Birthday #306 - Use a Frame or Anything Goes Birthday.  I opted for AG Birthday. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Card #1:

Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts - retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Salty Ocean (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Slimline Gentle Leaves stencil (TCW - retired); sponges, bone folder

Card #2:

Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts - retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Salty Ocean (Tim Holtz)
Accessories: 

Challenges:

Group of Seven - Batik

IDEAS Challenge - Week 4 - Anything Goes - I chose stenciling

Seize the Birthday #306 - Use a Frame or Anything Goes Birthday

Orange Roses

Hi everyone.  Today's card is the second image from the stamp set, Enchantingly (Penny Black).  Here's a link to the first image I used.  

I stamped the flowers in Toffee Crunch ink and then watercoloured with Distress Inks.  I used a circle stencil to add dots to the background using a light green.  The sentiment (Super Day - Penny Black) is stamped in more Toffee Crunch to finish the card.  

Close-up ...

Imspired to make this card by the following challenges:

1) The Flower Challenge #102 - Add Spots or Stripes

2) Penny Black Saturday Challenge - May - Anythng PB Goes

3) Just Us Girls #776 - Stencil week - Edited to add, thanks to Lisa! :)

 

* * * * *

My friends Fran & Deb were over for a visit recently.

Fran snapped this photo of Jessie chill-axing. :)

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Enchantingly; Super Day (both Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Toffee Crunch (Memento); Distress Inks:  Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Ripe Persimmon (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Watercolour paint brushes, Circle Stencil (Silhouette America cut file); sponges

Challenges:

The Flower Challenge #102

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - May

Just Us Girls #776 - Stencil week

Christmas Greetings

Hi everyone.  Today I'm working on building my Christmas stash.  I haven't been making many cards so far this year, especially Christmas ones so you will be seeing more soon. :)

This uses a new-to-me embossing folder (3D Berries Abound - Penny Black), with matching stencils (3D Berries Abound Layers - Penny Black).  I dry embossed my card stock and then placed the stencils overtop, one at a time, and sponged with Distress inks (Mowed Lawn, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Gathered Twigs).  To add a bit of detail, I used a fine paint brush with Rustic Wilderness ink to go over the lines of embossing on the leaves.

I cut the panel to size, and added Crystal Effects over the berries, leaving it to dry overnight.  I added the panel to my card base and stamped the sentiment (Believe - Penny Black) to finish.

Close-up ... 

Sending this card to the  IDEAS - Week 3 - Embossing Folders challenge.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Believe (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Gathered Twigs, Rustic Wilderness (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  3D Berries Abound EF (Penny Black), 3D Berries Abound Layers (Penny Black), Sponges, paint brush, Crystal Effects 

Challenges:

IDEAS - Week 3 - Embossing Folders

May Flowers

Hi everyone.  I have another CAS card for you today. :)  I started with a small mixed media piece in my stash.  I've had this for AGES, so decided to start my design with it.

The background is made by heat embossing a stamped grid image (Grid Background SSS - retired) in white.  I then smooshed a few colours of Distress inks to creat the design above.  It was so long ago, I don't remember the colours but I would guess it's Picked Raspberry & Mustard Seed inks.

I die-cut a simple flower (Sketch Daisy - Memory Box - retired) from gold mirror paper.  I love the shine, but it's hard to photograph.  I finished by stamping a sentiment and heat embossing in gold to match the flower.

Close-up ...

Sending this card to the following challenges:

1) IDEAS - Week 2 - Dies

2) Seize the Birthday #305 - Flowers

3) Inkspirational #341 - HOT - I used hot colours for the background

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Cosmos (Technique Tuesday - retired); Grid Background (SSS - retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Gold Mirror Paper (Tonic)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Picked Raspberry ??, Mustard Seed ?? (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories:   Sketch Daisy Die (Memory Box - retired); White embossing powder & Gold embossing powder (Ranger); heat tool

Challenges:

IDEAS Challenge - Week 2 - Dies

Seize the Birthday #305 - Flowers

Inkspirational #341 - HOT

Happy Mother's Day

Hi everyone.  Today's card is for my Mom.  She loves flowers and was an avid gardener for many years.  I always make her a card that features them. :)

For the card I used an older stamp called Perfect Peonies, watercoloured with Distress inks.  I used the colours from the challenge below (green, pink, raspberry).  The matching die was used to cut out the image before popping it up over top of a beautiful frame called Candlewick Ovals (Spellbinders) that I saw a while ago used by Michele (I Card Everyone) - fourth card in this post.  I am finally getting to use this new-to-me die-cut.  Thanks Michele ... you always find the most beautiful stamps and dies for card making! :)

Close-up ...

Sending this card to the following challenges:

1) NBUS #74 - first time using the oval frame

2) IDEAS - Week 2 - Dies - 2nd entry

3) The Paper Players - PP736 - Something old, something new

4) AAA Cards #289 - Color Challenge - used green, pink, raspberry

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Perfect Peonies (Clearly Besotted); Everyday Script Sentiments (AliExpress)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Picked Raspberries, Festive Berries (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Perfect Peonies die (Clearly Besotted); Candlewick Ovals frames (Spellbinders)

Challenges:

NBUS #74 - first time using the oval frame

IDEAS - Week 2 - Dies - 2nd entry

The Paper Players - PP736 - Something old, something new

AAA Cards #289 - Color Challenge

Cornflowers Just for You!

Hi everyone,  I had some fun in my studio today. :)  I looked at the current challenges I follow and came up with four to make the card above.

I die-cut the cornflowers from mixed media paper and watercoloured with Distress Inks:  Blueprint Sketch, Mustard Seed.  I used the Blueprint by itself for the blooms, and combined the two inks for the stems.  I sponged more Mustard Seed ink in the bottom right corner of my panel before adhering the blooms, which I shaped with my stylus and mat for added dimension.  I popped the panel over top of my card front and stamped the sentiment in more of the Blueprint ink. :)

This was an easy and fun CAS card to make. :)

Close-up ...

Sending this card to the following challenges:

1) IDEAS - Week 1 - Inks

2) Just Us Girls #773 - Die-cut week - Use a flower

3) Color Hues #109 - Blue and Yellow

4) Die-cut Divas - Watercolour

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Everyday Script Sentiments (AliExpress)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Blueprint Sketch, Mustard Seed (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Cornflower dies (Alexandra Renke), watercolour brushes, sponge

Challenges:

IDEAS - Week 1 - Inks

Just Us Girls #773 - Die-cut week - Use a flower

Color Hues #109 - Blue and Yellow

Die-cut Divas - Watercolour

Festive Blossoms

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a CAS Christmas card using a new-to-me stamp, Festive Blossoms (Penny Black).  I used only a small portion of the image, first stamping in Brushed Corduroy distress ink and then watercolouring overtop with SU! markers.  I am definitely out of practise watercolouring. :)

Close-up ...

To finish the card, I cut my panel to size, added a few highlight strokes with my white acrylic pen and stamped the sentiment (Christmas Sentiments - Penny Black) in Forest Moss distress ink.

Sending this card to a few challenges:

1) NBUS #74 - first time using the Festive Blossom image

2) IDEAS Challenge week 4 - Anything Goes

3) Merry Little Christmas Challenge # 62 - Anything Christmas goes

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Festive Blossoms & Christmas Sentiments (both Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Old Olive card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Brushed Corduroy distress ink (Tim Holtz); Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Real Red, Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie Markers (SU!)
Accessories:   Paint brushes, White Acrylic Pen (Posca)

Challenges:

NBUS #74

IDEAS Challenge week 4

Merry Little Christmas Challenge # 62