Saturday 2 July 2011

The most beautiful view is the one I share with you






















I'm so happy to show you my project this week. I've made an ATC - an artist trading card, which is about 2.5x3.5". It's basically like any trading card (and about the same size) and you change it with other artists the same way. It's such a brilliant way to use up those small scraps of pretty paper, small embellishments and your favourite small stamps - or parts of your bigger ones. The stamp I have used here is called Arden, by Nikki Burnette from sweetpea stamps. The text stamp is also from sweetpea and can be found on ching chou kuik's plate #42.


You might think that this kind of small thing goes fast to make, but since I'm not used to this size it took about as long as a card. I really liked working like this because it made me focus on more details. Usually I don't want to overwhealm my card, but here it's almost a must, otherwise it's just an image on pretty paper. You have to add some oomph ;) My oomph is adding glitter to the patterned paper's flowers and the girl's hair and wings. I also added dimensional glaze to her hair to make it pop. I machined sewed around the border of the patterned paper before attaching it to the darker pink cardstock. I also stamped the text and embossed it with silver embossing powder. I coloured the image, cut it out and attached it where the sewing line is. By placing her this way it looks like she's inside a frame and her wing goes outside of it. I love this illusion of a frame.


I had so much fun with this that I think I'll have another go at it. You should try it too and send your creation by e-mail to the sweetpea blog to showcase next time we have out customer submission week.


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Sunday 26 June 2011

Multicoloured blocking

















I've had so much fun playing with today's card. It's a technique I've never used before I think and I came up with it all on my own (although I had inspiration) I'm proud of it and thought I'd share it with you.

If you're not very happy with your colouring of the sweetpea images  - you don't have to be! There are so many ways to use your stamps and this is one of them.

















I started by inking different stamps in different bold coloured inks on white paper and embossing them with clear embossing powder. After the powder has cooled off I inked the whole image with a contrasting colour with a direct-to-paper technique (which means you dab the inkpad directly on the paper) When I was happy with the result I wiped the images to remove any ink that was left on the raised embossed part. This will make the images pop. Finally I cut out different sized blocks and mounted them together. I added the little ribbon and bow to add some more interest to the card.

















It's a super easy technique and I hope you'll give it a go. All you need is some embossable inks (I used small versacolor) and some clear embossing powder. Have fun!

Images used - all by sweetpea stamps:
ching chou kuik: Seahorse plate 79
ching chou kuik: cheshire cat illusion plate 41
ching chou kuik: autumn harvest plate 57
Elaine Cox plate 102
Meredith Dillman: peacock fairy plate 76
Nikki Burnette: Tulsa
Sentiment: plate 30

Challenge:
Papertake weekly - here comes the sun

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