The Key to the Door

This is a project I did to match the card I had made for my daughter's 21st birthday, ( post 'Coming of Age').  The key is made of  MDF  and the numbers are the negatives left from the numbers used on the card.  All pieces are first given a coat of white gesso medium.  When dry the pieces are painted with a cream acrylic paint.  Some colour is added by stippling Distress inks on to the key and number discs with brushes.  The inks used are the same as on the card, as are the crackle image stamped on to the pieces and the flourishes which are finished with guilding flakes as before.  The floral embellishments are made in the same way too and added with dimensional glue.  Tiny screw in 'eyes'are added on the top and bottom of the keys bar. Ribbon is threaded through, and the number discs added to the bottom 'eyes' and the ribbon at the top is used to hang the key up.  This project can easily be adapted for men.

Field of Poppies

  This design is a lovely 'worker card' that is suitable for many occasions and for male and female.  It can be created in other colours to suit the recipient.  The base card is smooth white cardstock that has been left plain.  Using large Nestability dies a couple of frames are cut in contrasting colours.  A piece of white card is coloured with two different Distress inks that are blended on to it.  A large solid floral image is stamped on to the panel using black ink, this technique is called silhouette stamping.  The completed panel is sandwiched between the two frames with dimensional glue.  A floral image, matching the stamped one, is die cut through a machine out of black card.  Glitter is added to the flower heads and a butterfly is created in the same way.  The panel is attached to the base card and the embellishments add the final touches.

Delightful Dandelions

This cheerful design is quite a quick one to make.  The base card is white textured card which has been tinted around the edges with Distress inks, Mustard Seed and Brushed Corduroy.  A greeting has been stamped and heat embossed in gold powder down the side edges.  The focal panel is a piece of Co'ordinations card that is embossed in a folder through a machine.  The card is textured and designed to be sanded back for a distressed look.  This done the embossed image is then coloured in places with the Distress inks.  A gold Krylon pen is run around the edges, and two pieces of ribbon in complimentary shades are attached and a knot added for interest.  Glitter has been added to the dandelion heads, then the panel is matted and layered on to the base card.

Fiery Crystal

 

Here are two more designs using the 'caught in crystal' technique, as described in the previous post 'Crystal Green'.  In the first photo the background and base cards have been coloured by blending several colours of Starburst Stains paints together on white card.  The background panel was shaped then stamped with a butterfly image and a sentiment in black ink.  The green card has a flourish image stamped in black on to the base card.  These cards have been created using the same techniques as those in the previous post, but they all look quite different.  Again these are good 'worker cards'. 

Crystal Green

These two lovely designs are created using the same tecniques, but with a different colour background and base card, and a few additional embellishments they look very different.  The base card in the first photo is snow white centura pearl that has been stamped around the edges with a crackle stamp, using Lime Brilliance ink.  The base card in the second photo is a plain green card.  The background panel in both cards is copier paper that has been coloured with pearlescent watercolour paints.  While still wet the paper is scrumpled up quite tightly, then straightened out again and dried.  The panel in the first photo is tinted around the edges with Black Soot Distress ink.  It is then matted on to dark card and layered on to the base card.  The panel in the second photo is layered under a piece of black card that has an aperture cut out and embossed .  Then the art work is matted and layered on to the base card.  The focal panels for both cards are created using a technique called 'caught in crystal'.  An image is stamped on to acetate using black Stazon ink, then the acetate panel is turned face down on the workspace.  A clear medium, ie. glossy accents or floor polish, is spread all over the panel.  Coloured inks or H2O's are blended in to the medium, then mica powders are added to give a nice sheen.  A piece of tissue paper is scrumpled up, straightened out and attached to the panel, creating texture.  The art work must be left to dry, which takes several hours.  The panel is then edged with copper Krylon pen, matted on to dark card, and attached to the card with dimensional glue.  In the second photo a couple of die cut flourishes are added.  This is a good 'worker' design, suitable for either sex, any age, any occasion. 

Ice Blue Poppies

This is a lovely fresh design that I made for a friend of mine, a card, envelope and bookmark.  The base card is snow white centura pearl, on to which a floral image is stamped in clear ink on both side edges.  The image is heat embossed with holographic powder.  The backgroung panel is white card that has been embossed in a folder through a machine.  Broken China Distress ink is used to tint the edges, picking up the raised pattern.  The panel is then matted on to silver mirror card, and a ribbon added.  It is then attached to the base card with dimensional glue.  The central focal panel is a lovely collage image that is stamped on to centura pearl card with blue Brilliance ink, then heat embossed with clear powder.  The panel is matted on to silver mirror card and layered on to the card with dimensional glue.  The envelope is stamped with the same floral image used around the edges of the base card using blue Brilliance ink.  All edges of the envelope are tinted with ink.  The bookmark is made with an offcut of centura pearl card that is stamped with the floral image in Brilliance ink, and heat embossed with clear powder.  The ink is also used to tint the edges of the bookmark.  The focal panel is made in the same way as before, then matted and layered on to the bookmark.  A hole is punched at the pointed end and a ribbon threaded through.  A lovely hand crafted gift to match the hand crafted card. 

Coming of Age

I designed this card especially for my youngest daughter's 21st birthday, she's very feminine and likes a bit of glitz so I thought this shabby- chic design would be just right.  The base card is a white scalloped edged card, coloured with Distress inks that are blended around the edges of the card.  It is thenspritzed with a pink glimmer mist.  When dry, crackle and flourish images are stamped around the edges with one of the Distress inks.  Using a piece of beige and a piece of pink card and grand Nestabilities dies two shaped panels are cut, the beige one smaller than the other.  The pink panel is tinted around the edge with pink Brilliance ink.  The beige panel is tinted with the same Distress inks blended as before.  Again the panel is spritzed and when dry a script image is stamped all over it.  The same flourish is stamped using flitter glue then guilding flakes are added.  Using two different dies some flourishes are cut from the beige card, then tinted as before.  Glitter is added to highlight them using a glue pen.  The flowers and leaves are die cut from patterned paper, the flowers coiled and glued then glazed with glossy accents.  Micro beads decorate the centers of the flowers.  The numbers are painted with cream acrylic paint, then stamped with flourishes using flitter glue when dry.  Guilding flakes are then added.  A tag is punched out of pink card, stamped with a flourish image and tinted around the edges with Brilliance ink.  A sentiment is added in gold then the card is assembled.  This design is technique heavy but I think the finished result is worth it.

Florals in Lilac

This is another simple design that can be created quickly.  The base card is textured white card.  The background panel is embossed in a folder through a machine, then disrtress ink is blended around the edges.  The panel is then matted onto dark card and added to the base card.  Several floral shapes of different sizes are die cut or punched out of co-ordinating card and paper as well as some foliage.  The petals are shaped with a ball tool on the back, then the flowers are assembled in layers, glued in the centers.  A spot of stickles glue is placed in the center of the top layer to finish the flowers off.  The assembled flowers and foliage are attached to the card with dimensional glue, and a greeting or sentiment added.

Season's Last Leaves

This is a quick and easy design that is great for that unexpected or 'Oh no is that today?!' occasion.  It is also a good worker design.  The base card is textured white card that is left plain.  The background panel is a piece of card that has been embossed in a folder through a machine.  The corners have been shaped with a punch, and the edges coloured with gold Krylon pen.  An image (in this case trees) is stamped with clear ink on to dark card then heat embossed with clear powder.  This enables the image to retain the colour of the card and provides a resist.  Gold Brilliance ink is applied all over the image, then the panel is polished with a tissue, removing some of the ink as the embossed image resists it.  The panel is finished as before.  A co-ordinating border and a couple of leaves  are created in the same way, and the leaves are cut out.  The card is assembled by matting and layering the panels on to the base card, then the leaves are added using dimensional glue. 

A Twist in the Tale

 

Here is the other card I have made in this design.  It is almost the same as the original card, but in this case I have used a stencil and glimmer mist sprays on the base card then stamped the trailing ivy.  I have used different die cut leaves and acorns, and a foliage spray die cut in the corner.

Return to Middle Earth

 

Another version of my 'Homage to Middle Earth', this time on canvass.  I have made two cards in this design, both for other people, so I decided to create a version for myself!  I have been dabbling with projects on canvass for a while now so I felt confident enough to transfer this design from card to canvass.  Instead of blending inks for the background I have used acrylic paints.  Then around the edges of the canvass I have tinted it with Walnut stain Distress ink.  The trailing ivy is stamped in Sepia Versafine along the top edge, down the sides and across the top of the hills.  The mountains are painted free hand, then some tiny pine trees are stamped with second generation ink to give the effect of being in the distance.  The corner flourish and the elvish script are stamped with flitter glue and guilding flakes added.  This technique is also used around the very edges of the canvass.  Glitter is applied in a few places to add highlights.  The door is stamped in sepia then coloured as before.  The large ivy leaves are stamped, cut out, glazed and shaped before being added to the cavass with dimensional glue.  The other leaves and foliage are die cut from card coloured with H2O's, shaped and embossed then added as before.  This was lots of fun to do, and I'm really pleased with the result.  AND I get to keep this one!

Pretty in Pink

 

This is a lovely design which I really enjoyed making.  It is similar to the last card 'Black and Blue Beauty', using the same techniques, stamps and embossing folders.  The differences in this design are the colours    used,  the addition of some flourish die cuts, and the base card is stamped with a crackle stamp and then distressed around the edges. 

Black and Blue Beauty

This lovely design is another inspired by Sheena Douglass, using her stamps.  I love the colour scheme that I chose, and the big, bold 'in your face' feel of the design.  The base card is a lovely electric blue shade, the corners are rounded using a punch, then the edges of the card are tinted with Black Soot Distress ink.  The background panel is a piece of black card that has been spritzed with a silver glimmer mist.  This gives it a beautiful sheen.  The panel is then embossed in a folder through a machine, and edged with a silver Krylon pen.  It is matted on to black card and layered on to the base card.  A piece of white card is coloured with Radiant Rain pourables and glimmer mists which are blended together.  When dry the card is randomly stamped with the image of a large flourish using second generation ink.  Several flower images of various sizes are stamped and heat embossed in black on to the card, then cut out and shaped to give dimension.  The flowers are then layered and held together with a brad.  The brad is covered with glue and glittered to make the center of the flower.  A large botanical flourish is stamped and heat embossed on to the same card, then painted with Lumiere paints.  The floral buds are glazed with Glossy Accents, and liquid pearls are added to create texture.  Some foliage is made in the same way.  When dry all the images are cut out, and attached to the card with dimensional glue.  A beautiful worker card that is sure to please!  

China Blue

Another version of a previous design ( Guilded Bamboo), this is a quick and simple card to make.  The base card is plain white and a notched corner punch has been used.  The background panel is a piece of blue card that has been coloured with shimmer mists (blue and gold), then embossed in a folder through a machine and edged with silver Krylon pen.  The panel is then matted on to navy card and layered on to the base card.  The focal panel is a bamboo image with guilding flakes added.  The panel is matted on to silver mirror card and attached to the artwork.

Vintage Mechanics

 

This design is definately one for the men.  It's Steampunk, it's cars and gears, and it's metallic - it ticks a lot of boxes!  The base card is plain black cardstock.  The large background panel is dark brown card that is embossed in a folder through a machine, then copper guilding wax is applied.  More wax is applied around the edges to make them brighter, then the whole panel is buffed with a soft cloth.   The wax contains metal so polishing it really makes the artwork shine.  A smaller background panel is made in the same way out of black card and using a stencil to emboss it through a machine.  Again the pattern is enhanced with guilding wax.  A piece of white card is coloured with blended distress inks, then a mechanical collage image is stamped on to it in Sepia ink.  The small background panel and the stamped panel are cut out and layered on to the large panel, which is in turn attached to the base card.  This adds dimension, texture and interest to the design, especially as dimensional glue has been used to attach the two smaller panels.  A vintage car image is then stamped on to cream card with sepia ink, then heat embossed with clear powder to make it shine.  A sentiment is stamped on to a piece of  the coloured card, then matted and layered on to the card to complete the design. 

Beautiful Scraps

This design is one that I made for a freind to prove a point.  My friend laughs at me because I don't throw  anything away when crafting "it might be useful for something else" I always say.  So I made the flowers on this card out of scraps left over from one of our 'play days' that my friend was going to throw away.  The base card is green, and a leafy bamboo image has been stamped in lime green Brilliance ink around the edges.  The background panel is black card, spritzed with lime green shimmer mist, then embossed in a folder through a machine.  The edge of the panel is coloured with a gold Krylon pen  then it is matted on to plain black card.  The scraps that were discarded by my friend were pieces of copy paper that were put under some pieces of cardstock that we had been sprizing with shimmer mists, to protect the work surface.  We used several shades of green during our 'playtime', so I had plenty of materials to use with various floral die cuts.  Some of the paler scraps were stamped with the bamboo image to add extra interest.  The butterfly was made in the same way.  The flowers were assembled by just a dab of glue in the center of each flower and layering different sizes and types together.  A dot of glue and glitter in the center of the top layer, and on the body of the butterfly complete the embellishments.  The flowers were attached to the card with dimensional glue, and a sentiment stamped, matted and layered and attached in the same way.  I think this is a simple, cheerful design to suit many occasions.    

Blue Romance

 

I love this design!  It is inspired by  Sheena Douglass, using her stamps and techniques, but with my take on things.  The base card is Centura Pearl, with a botanical swirl image stamped and heat embossed on one side of the card, using a two- tone embossing powder.  Silver liquid pearls have been dotted along the stems to add more interest and texture.  The background panel is created from white card that has been coloured with Radiant Rains, and spritzed with a Cosmic Shimmer mist.  This gives the panel a lovely shimmer and vibrant colour.  When dry the panel is randomly stamped with text, using second generation black Distress ink.  Then the botanical swirl is stamped in one corner of the panel with clear ink, and heat embossed using silver embossing powder.  A dragonfly image is stamped and embossed in the same way.  The botanical swirl image is painted with H2O's and the little buds are glazed with Glossy Accents.  Liquid Pearls are again used to enhance the image.  The panel is matted and layered on to plain black and silver mirror card.  A smaller panel is cut from the same card as the panel and a sentiment is stamped and embossed on to it to match the rest of the design.  Silver Brilliance ink has been added around the edge of the panel, then it is matted and layered in the same way as before. 

One for the Men

This design is simple, clean and masculine.  I have used a vintage car for this card but other types of car, and different colour schemes would work as well.  The base card is brown textured card.  The background panel is a piece of paper that has been coloured with H2O's.  While still wet the paper is scrunched in to a ball, then  gently pulled and semi- straightened out. When dry the panel is gently rubbed all over with clear Versamark ink, then gold embossing powder is added.  The ink and the powder only catch the paper in certain places, so that when heated the final effect is a distressed, aged look.  The panel is matted on to gold mirror card and layered on to the base card.  The tag is created from a piece of white card that is coloured with Distress inks that have been blended together.  The tag is then stamped with various small images, in this case with a vintage theme, using a sepia ink.  The middle of the tag was masked off during stamping.  The mask is removed and a sentiment is then added in the space.  An eyelet is added and some ribbon threaded through.  The vintage car image is stamped onto white card with sepia ink.  It is then coloured with a brown glaze which also gives it shine and dimension.  When dry the car is cut out and attached to the card with a large foam pad.  The tag is attached in the same way.