Underwater Scene as a Double Gate-Fold card

Here's this week's card for  Frantic Stamper, a fabulous online paper crafting store, which also has its own wonderful line of precision cutting dies and clear stamps. Here's a card featuring the dies from this month's Under the Sea Fantasy collection, which consists of 28 dies, two clear stamps, and six background stamps.

The card features Seahorse Edger Facing Right (FRA-DIE-10254), Seahorse Edger Facing Left (#FRA-DIE-10253), and the Swimming Mermaid die (#FRA-DIE-10238). 

I had some pre-made double gate-fold cards in my stash. The cards were unfolded, then sponged Chipped Sapphire and Blueprint Sketch Distress ink (Ranger) in loose horizontal stripes over the both sides of the card.

Seahorse Edger Facing Right  and Seahorse Edger Facing Left were die-cut from white metallic cardstock, then colored with Copic markers. The colored die-cuts were adhered to the exterior flaps of the card as shown above.

Shadow Grey Archival ink (Ranger) was sponged over the seaweed portion of the Octopus stencil (The Crafter's Workshop) onto the inside of the card.

A piece of leftover cardstock was die-cut with the Swimming Mermaid die. The die-cut was removed from the scrap, then the Swimming Mermaid-shaped aperture was used as a stencil. Jet Black Archival ink (Ranger) was sponged over the back and front of the make-shift stencil to finish the inside of the card.

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Steampunk and Owls = Perfect Together!

Another Tuesday, another Steampunky card featuring Steampunk Owl from the New Steampunk set by Carmen Medlin Designs, available at I Brake for Stamps.

Steampunk Owl was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts) and colored with Copic markers. The image panel was die-cut with one of the dies from the Stitched Rectangles Thinlits die set (Sizzix). The background was added with Copic markers, which were also used to color the Steampunk Owl. Yellow and Orange Spica Glitter pens were used to add a glittery touch to Steampunk Owl's umbrella lightbulb. Turquoise Stardust Glitter pen added bluish glitter to the center of his gears. Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) was used to add shine and dimension to the Steampunk Owl's beak, talons, gears, lightbulb, and the Steampunk piece on his belly.

Gold cardstock was cut to a 5.75" square. Being a thrifty me, the interior of the gold cardstock was die-cut once with the Compass Corner die (Impression Obsession) and three times with one of the labels from the Stitched Double Fishtails Labels (Frantic Stamper).  Patterned paper from the Fair Skies 6x6 pad (Farmhouse Paper Company) was cut to 5 5/8" square, then matted onto the gold metallic square.Words from the Chit-Chat sticker book (Idea-ology) were added to the Fishtails Labels, which were then adhered to the card front. The Steampunk Owl image panel was adhered to the card front, which was then mounted on a 6" x 6" card.

I Brake for Stamps has a huge and varied collection of rubber stamps that you ought to check out right now. Just so you know, I Brake for Stamps ships internationally!

Click HERE to be whisked I Brake for Stamps to check out all of the goodies! Best of all, if you buy something, you can get a 10% discount off of your purchase if you use this code: SAVE10KATHI

Thanks for visiting today!

Deep Sea Divers!

It's my second month as a guest designer over at  Frantic Stamper, a fabulous online paper crafting store, which also has its own wonderful line of precision cutting dies and clear stamps. Here's my third card featuring the dies from this month's Under the Sea Fantasy collection, which consists of 28 dies, two clear stamps, and six background stamps.

 Today's card features the Deep Sea Diver (FRA-DIE-10248), the Shipwreck (FRA-DIE-10245), and the treasure portion from the Treasure Chest (FRA-DIE-10246) dies.

The Deep Sea Diver was die-cut twice from white cardstock. One of the die-cuts was placed upside down under a piece of mid-weight cardboard, then run through my Big Kick (Sizzix). This flattened out the detail and the edges to create a mirror image of the die.

The treasure was die-cut from gold metallic cardstock and set aside. 

The Shipwreck was die-cut once from white cardstock and all three white die-cuts were colored with Copic markers, then set aside while I created a background for them.

140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock (Strathmore) was painted with Pthalo Turquoise and Bllue Green Light Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paints (DecoArt), then heat set. Pthalo Green Blue MFA paint was sponged through the Moving Vines stencil (The Crafter's Workshop), then heat set.

The Shipwreck die-cut and the gold treasure were adhered to bottom of the image panel. Titan Buff MFA paint was painted over the die-cuts, heat set, then Media Sand Texture Paste (DecoArt) was scraped over the paint and die-cutss to create a sandy sea bottom. This was allowed to dry, then it was touched with several colors of Distress markers (Ranger) to add depth and color to the sand.

The two Deep Sea Diver's hands were slightly bent around some black cording, which was adhered to the image panel. Morning Dew Nuvo Crystal Drops (Tonic Studios) were added to the image panel, loosely following the shape of the cording, to create the look of air bubbles.

The image panel was matted with metallic black cardstock then adhered to a kraft card to finish it up!

Thanks for visiting today!

Adventure Awaits Steampunk Budgie!

I guess I'm still in a Steampunky mood because today's card features the budgie from the Special Delivery set from the Mech-Animals Set 1 by Carmen Medlin Designs, available at I Brake for Stamps.

The Special Delivery Budgie was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts). I fussy-cut around the tail, then slid one of the dies from the Stitched Postage Rectangles set (La-La Land) under Special Delivery Budgie's tail, and die-cut the image. The background was added with Copic markers, which were also used to color the Special Delivery Budgie. A black Multi-liner pen was used to edge Special Delivery Budgie's tail. Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) was used to add shine and dimension to the Special Delivery Budgie's eye, talons, rivets, and collar spikes.

Patterned paper from the Uncharted 4.5" x 6.5" pad (The Paper Studio) was trimmed, edged with Hickory Smoke Distress ink (Ranger),  then matted onto silver metallic cardstock (Neenah). A scrap of the silver cardstock was die-cut with one of the labels from the Stitched Double Fishtails Labels (Frantic Stamper) and the Key Corner die from the Fuschia and Key Corner die set (Impression Obsession). The sentiment from the black and silver Quotations sticker sheet (Idea-ology) was added to the Fishtails Labels, which was then adhered to the card front. The Special Delivery Budgie image panel was adhered to the card front, which was then mounted on a white card.

I Brake for Stamps has a huge and varied collection of rubber stamps that you ought to check out right now. Just so you know, I Brake for Stamps ships internationally!

Click HERE to be whisked I Brake for Stamps to check out all of the goodies! Best of all, if you buy something, you can get a 10% discount off of your purchase if you use this code: SAVE10KATHI

Thanks for visiting today!

Thanks for visiting today!

You're a Treasure!

Here's this week's card for Frantic Stamper, a fabulous online paper crafting store, which also has its own wonderful line of precision cutting dies and clear stamps. I must admit that I've been having such fun showcasing die-cuts, rather than stamped images. It's a nice change of pace for me.

Under the Sea Fantasy is the theme of Frantic Stamper's July release, which consists of 28 dies, two clear stamps, and six background stamps.

 Today's card features Treasure Chest, FRA-DIE-10246.

Solar Crest White cardstock (Neenah) and Metallic White cardstock (Recollections) were die-cut with the Treasure Chest die, then colored with Copic markers. Spica Glitter (Copic) and Stardust Glitter (Sakura) pens were used to color the treasure inside the chest. White Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) was used to color the pearls. The Treasure Chest was assembled and set aside while I created a background for it.

A piece of Repositionable Scotch Tape was placed across white cardstock to create a horizon line. Summer Sky Memento ink (Imagine Crafts) was sponged over the Picasso Stencil/Shield (Stampendous) to create a cloudy sky.  Desert Sand Memento ink was sponged below the sky to become the sand. Copic markers were used to add some detail to the sand. 

The colored, assembled Treasure Chest was adhered in place and a shadow was added with Copic markers. Sticker words from the Chit Chat sticker sheet (Idea-ology) were adhered to form the sentiment. The image panel was matted with white cardstock, then adhered to a kraft card.

Thanks for visiting today!

Take Flight!

Here's a Steampunky card featuring Victorian Steampunk Owl from the New Steampunk set by Carmen Medlin Designs, available at I Brake for Stamps.

Victorian Steampunk Owl was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts) and colored with Copic markers. The image panel was die-cut with one of the dies from the Stitched Rectangles Thinlits die set (Sizzix). The background was added with Copic markers, which were also used to color the Victorian Steampunk Owl. Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) was used to add shine and dimension to the Victorian Steampunk Owl's beak, screws, rivets, and the Steampunk piece on her belly.

Patterned paper from the Junque Gypsy (Marion Smith Designs) 6x6 pad was cut to 5 5/8" square, then matted onto gold metallic cardstock. A scrap of the gold cardstock was die-cut twice with one of the labels from the Stitched Double Fishtails Labels (Frantic Stamper). Words from the Chit-Chat sticker book (Idea-ology) were added to the Fishtails Labels, which were then adhered to the card front. The Victorian Steampunk Owl image panel was adhered to the card front, which was then mounted on a 6" x 6" card.

I Brake for Stamps has a huge and varied collection of rubber stamps that you ought to check out right now. Just so you know, I Brake for Stamps ships internationally!

Click HERE to be whisked I Brake for Stamps to check out all of the goodies! Best of all, if you buy something, you can get a 10% discount off of your purchase if you use this code: SAVE10KATHI

Thanks for visiting today!

Purrfect Time!

Here's today's card using one of the wonderful cats from the Les Chats Russe rubber stamp sheet (Katzelkraft) and the tiny clock from the Les Droles d'Accessoires rubber stamps sheet (Katzelkraft).

The cat was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts) and die cut with one the dies from the Stitched Rectangles Thinlits die set (Sizzix). The cat and the background were colored with Copic markers. The cat's eye and the clock face were coated with several layers of Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) to make them dimensional and shiny.

Yellow cardstock was embossed with the Clocks Embossing Plate (Cherry Lynn Designs), then die-cut with the Reverse Pawprint Border (Frantic Stamper). It was cut to 5.25" x 4" and adhered to a grey A2 card. The image panel was adhered to the card front.

Grey cardstock was die-cut with the A Hint of Lime die (Die-Versions). The sentiment was adhered to the top to finish the card.

Today is a special day for me. It's the day that my cats were born in 1999. They're both gone now and I miss them dearly. Of course, they live on in my heart and we'll remember them forever.

We're in the process of tearing up the soiled carpeting, refinishing the floors, and painting. It's not going as smoothly as I would like. It feels like a step forward and two steps back, yet I hope it's over soon so we can adopt a new pair of kittens. I'm so ready. It's the purrfect time!

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Scrapy Land Challenges: Anything Goes
• Show Us Your Pussies Challenges: Furrything Goes
• Crafty Animals Challenges: Anything Goes
• Dies R Us Challenges: Layers

Keep on Swimming!

It's my second month as a guest designer over at  Frantic Stamper, a fabulous online paper crafting store, which also has its own wonderful line of precision cutting dies and clear stamps. I must admit that I've been having such fun showcasing die-cuts, rather than stamped images. It's a nice change of pace for me.

Under the Sea Fantasy is the theme of Frantic Stamper's July release, which consists of 28 dies, two clear stamps, and six background stamps.

 Today's card features the Swimming Mermaid die #FRA-DIE-10238 and Shipwreck #FRA-Die-10245.

The Swimming Mermaid  was die-cut three times from white cardstock. One of the die-cuts was placed upside down under a piece of mid-weight cardboard, then run through my Big Kick (Sizzix). This flattened out the detail and the edges to create a mirror image of the die.

The Shipwreck was die-cut once from white cardstock and all die-cuts were colored with Copic markers, then set aside while I created a background for them.

140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock (Strathmore) was painted with Pthalo Turquoise, Cobalt Turquoise Hue, Cobalt Teal Hue, and Viridian Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paints (DecoArt), then heat set. Pthalo Green Blue and Green Gold MFA paints were sponged through the Moving Vines stencil (The Crafter's Workshop), then heat set.

The die-cut was adhered to the bottom left of the panel, then White Media Modeling Paste (DecoArt) was scraped over the net portion of the Mini Nautical Chains stencil (The Crafter's Workshop) and allowed to air dry. Once dry, Media Sand Texture Paste (DecoArt) was scraped along the bottom to create a sandy sea bottom. This too was allowed to dry, then it was touched with several colors of Distress markers (Ranger) to add depth and color to the sand.

The image panel was matted with kraft cardstock then adhered to a blue card to finish it up!

Thanks for visiting today!

Happy Fourth from the Gnome of the Brave!

Sorry about the pun. I couldn't help myself. I decided that one of the gnomes from the Gnome Sheet (I Brake for Stamps) would be perfect on a July 4th card, then this sentiment sprung to mind. This fabulous gnome is one of NINE (9) gnomes and a plethora of mushrooms on that sheet. Please gnote that this sheet is a great bargain!

The Gnome was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts) and colored with Copic markers. The image panel was die-cut with one of the dies from the Stitched Rectangles Thinlits die set (Sizzix). The background was added with Copic markers, which were also used to color the Gnome.

Distress Micro Glaze (Ranger) was sponged over the Stars Layering stencils (Stampers Anonymous) onto the top part of a panel cut from 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock. Blue Bister was sprinkled over the stars, then spritzed with water, and tilted to run a bit. The excess was brushed across the page with a paint brush.  This step was repeated several times, then a tiny bit of Blueprint Sketch Distress ink (Ranger) was sponged over the stars and Blue Bister to match the colored Gnome better. The top part of the image panel was heat set.

Red Bister was sprinkled onto the bottom part of the panel, spritzed with water, brushed across the page, then heat set.

***A Digression***
By the way, Bister is very similar to Brusho Crystal Colors. In fact, the only difference (other than the shape of the packaging) that I noted was that the Bister colors have some brownish tones mixed in with the colored crystals which creates a grungier look.

The Bistered panel was put under some books to be flattened a bit. It was then die-cut with a larger die from the Stitched Rectangles Thinlits die sets, removed from the die, and the edges were lightly distressed with a scissor to add a touch of white and texture. The panel was then adhered to patterned paper from an ancient 6x6 pad.

Another sheet from the same pad was die-cut with a long rectangle die from the Card Creators A2 die set (Spellbinders) and one of the dies from the Conversations Bubble die set (Spellbinders). Simply Sweet rub-ons (Doodlebug) were used to add the sentiments.

The image panel was adhered to the card front. The sentiment strip and the conversation bubble were adhered, and the card front was adhered to a white card.

I Brake for Stamps has a huge and varied collection of rubber stamps that you ought to check out right now. Just so you know, I Brake for Stamps ships internationally!

Click HERE to be whisked over to I Brake for Stamps to check out all of the goodies! Best of all, if you buy something, you can get a 10% discount off of your purchase if you use this code: SAVE10KATHI

Thanks for visiting today!

Diva!

Some news. I've stepped down from the Stampotique Design Team. It's been a fabulous run, but after several years, it's time to give some other artists a chance. They are celebrating the new team and a new release with a blog hop. You should definitely hop for a chance to win a fab prize. Click HERE to find out more information.

With that said, here's a tag for the current stencil challenge and also for "Word-Up Weekend", which is celebrated on Stampotique's Facebook page.

I used one of the cats from the Kitty Cube (Daniel Torrente) and the "What? Never seen a diva before?" (Carol's Collection), I also used one of the die-cuts that I received for the Eileen Hull/Stampotique collaboration.

I stamped the fluffy cat from the Kitty Cube with Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto the flower die-cut (Eileen Hull/Sizzix), then colored around the flower with Copic markers. Sometimes I find it easier to color the background first, especially in a small space like the flower. The cat was colored with Copic markers, then her eyes received dots of Morning Dew Nuvo Crystal Drops (Tonic Studios), which didn't sting at all.

I put her aside so her eyes could dry while I created the background of the tag. I was totally stoked to receive the newest colors of Distress Oxides today, so I just had to use a few of them. I chose Black Soot, Picked Raspberry, and a hint of Wild Honey Distress Oxide inks (Ranger). I smooshed the Black Soot Distress Oxide pad onto my craft mat, misted it with water, then dragged a piece of 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock (Strathmore). I heat set the cardstock, then repeated the smoosh-mist-drag process with the Picked Raspberry ink pad. I did this several times until I was happy with the result, thoroughly heat set the cardstock, then sponged the same colors directly onto the cardstock, spritzing, then heat setting each color. The last touch was to sponge just the smallest amount of Wild Honey Distress Oxide ink onto the panel. Oh! I almost forgot, I used seam binding to wipe up the excess smooshed ink, then heat set it to make it all crinkly.

Picked Raspberry Distress ink was sponged over the smallest pawprints on the Pawprints stencil (Kaisercraft), then heat set. Black Soot Distress Oxide ink was sponged over the largest pawprint on the bottom right of the panel.

What? Never seen a diva before?" was stamped with Jet Black Archival ink (Ranger), then heat set. "Meow" washi tape was added to the panel, then my diva cat panel was adhered. The tag front was adhered to a black tag and the Distress Oxide dyed seam binding was threaded through the hole at the top of the tag to finish it up.

Thanks for visiting today!