Floral Jewels

 

These cards are very similar, using the same colours, same techniques, same card stock, same stamps. but I've used different embossing folders for the background panels.  All the stamps and embossing folders are from Sheena Douglass's 'A Taste of India' collection, which is gorgeous!  I decided to use jewel colours with hints of gold for a rich, opulent look.   The base card is plain black.  The next  panel is a piece of Topaz coloured card that is embossed in a folder through a machine.  Silver gilding wax is lightly rubbed  over the raised pattern to give emphasis and sheen.  This panel is matted on to the base card.  Next a piece of lilac (Tourmaline)card is embossed as before, then three colours of gilding wax, purple, green, and blue, are applied as before. This panel is matted on to black card and layered on to the card.  On a piece of white card, the floral image from the 'Henna' set is stamped in black ink and heat embossed with clear powder.  Several single flowers and leaves are stamped and embossed in the same way, then all the images are painted with H2O's in jewel colours to compliment the waxes and card stock.  The images are all cut out, and attached to the card with dimensional glue.  Gold liquid pearls are used to create texture in the flower centres, and accents on the central panel. 

Clockwork Flowers

I had so much fun designing this card and playing with these lovely steampunk stamps by Sarah at Inkydoodles! ( Time Flies).  I wanted to design a pretty Steampunk card using bright, cheerful colours with a distressed and metallic feel.  I decided to create 3D  Steampunk flowers, and to include the gorgeous Dragonfly in the set. This is a technique heavy design, but a good worker.  So, the base card is plain card stock the same colour as Kraft card.  A border of cogs (Hexley Transport) is stamped along the top and bottom edges of the card using a brown Distress ink. A yellow Distress ink is then blended over the edges with patches of the brown ink.  The background panel is a piece of white card on to which a stencil (Clockwork Kingfisher) is placed.  A mix of Radiant Rains and Glimmer Mists are sponged and spritzed on to the card over the stencil.  These inks/paints are all pearlescent which gives a lovely sheen to the background.  When dry the brown Distress ink is lightly blended over the white pattern left by the stencil  to reduce starkness.   The large dial and cog collage image is stamped randomly all over the panel using black Versafine ink.  Several of the words are also stamped randomly in the same ink, and some in gold Brilliance ink.  The panel is completed by distressing the edges with the brown ink.  The panel is matted on to black card and layered on to the base card.  The flowers are created by stamping a floral outline image on to white card six times.  The images are then heat embossed with clear powder and cut out, three as whole flowers and three as just the middle petals.   They are then painted with H2O's in colours that compliment the background.  When dry the large collage and the words are stamped over the flowers in black and gold ink.  Then gold Liquid Pearls are dotted around the edges of the petals.  The clock faces which are the centres of the flowers are created using the body of the Dragonfly which is stamped and heat embossed as before.  They are then painted, cut out, and glazed.  The Dragonfly image is stamped on to acetate in black ink and heat embossed with black detail powder, using heat resistant acetate.  The image is cut out and glittered on the reverse side.  A key is made in the same way.  The flowers are shaped with a ball tool then assembled using dimensional glue.  Foliage sprigs are die cut and glazed and added to the card.  The Dragonfly and key complete this lovely design.   

Baubles and Bows

Another lovely Christmas card, this time for my eldest grandson.  He's 10 years old so I wanted to make the design a bit more 'grown up' than previous years.  I used the same colour scheme, card and paper as I did for my other grandson's card, but in a different way.  The base card is plain red card stock that has been edged with Moonlight White Brilliance ink.  Gold mirror card is used to mat and layer with some red and white dotted paper.  a piece of snow white Centura Pearl card is embossed in a folder through a machine.  Fine white glitter is added to highlight parts of the raised pattern.  Three filigree baubles are die cut from the same red and gold card already used, and attached  to the panel using glue that is then covered with a bow.  A small panel of red card is die cut and embossed, then matted onto the dotted paper.  A sentiment is added and alphabet stamps are used to personalise it.