Love is still in the air...

What can I say? I like making Valentine's Day cards.

Here's one using SCACD's new ever-so-cool Soul Chimes stamp together with the Steampunk Heart from the also new, also cool Steampunk Heart with Wings set. I think the Soul Chimes stamp is very cool and would look good on all sorts of projects!

Soul Chimes was stamped with Pearlescent Poppy Brilliance ink onto pink patterned paper from last year's Valentine's Day 6x6 pad by Authentique, then embossed with Clear Detail Embossing powder. Clear Wink of Stella Glitter pen was used to add shimmer and sparkle to the dangly hearts, stars, and circles. I would have used my beloved Clear Stardust Gel pen, but it was all out of sparkle. Big bummer.

I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to position the Steampunk Heart, then it too was stamped with Pearlescent Poppy Brilliance ink and embossed. I colored the heart with cool gray Copic markers, then filled in the outline with the Clear Wink of Stella Glitter pen.

Washi tape was added to the base of the card front, which was then matted on dark silvery gray metallic cardstock by Bazzill Basics. I mounted the card front onto deep red cardstock and called it done. It was a relatively quick and easy card for someone who doesn't do quick and easy often.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges!
• Crafting When We Can Challenge #63: Lots of Bling
• Color Me Creative: Anything Goes
• Card Makin' Mamas Challenge #80: Make It Sparkle
• Paper Crafting Journey: Love is in the Air

My turn to host Stampotique Designers Challenge!

It's my turn to host this week's Stampotique Designers Challenge. Here's what I've got to say about it!

It's almost Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day makes me think of couples, so my challenge is called Perfect Pairs.

Use two (2) of an item so that things are in pairs. This can be two images, two embellishments, two layers of patterned paper, two colors, etc.

See how many pairs you can use in your project. Just be sure to use at least one perfect pair and have fun!

I'd love if you'd play along with this challenge. Be sure to read the challenge rules so that you get entered for a chance to win a fabulous prize!

Here's my card, featuring Stampotique's Gibi and Tobi.

 

Gibi was stamped using Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored with Copic markers. She was also stamped onto Eclipse Tape and fussy-cut. The Eclipse Tape was placed over her and Tobi was stamped, also using Tuxedo Black Memento ink, then colored with Copic markers. Tobi stamped again onto Eclipse Tape and fussy-cut.

Once his mask was in place, Spun Sugar Distress ink was sponged over the plain long heart from the Mix and Match Hearts stencil by The Crafter's Workshop, then outlined with a Spun Sugar Distress marker. This process was done twice, so the hearts appeared to be intertwined.

The plain long heart from the Mix and Match Hearts stencil was traced onto a double layer of Eclipse Tape and fussy-cut. These Eclipse Tape masks were layered over the hearts and the background was airbrushed behind all the masks with the Copic airbrush system. Copic markers were used to add a grassy ground for my lovely couple.

The stamped panel was die-cut using a Nestabilities die by Spellbinders, then adhered to a cardfront created from two layered (and Black Soot Distress ink edged) patterned papers from the very old Eskimo Kisses 6x6 pad by Basic Grey.

The sentiment was computer generated, then die-cut using an Impression Obsession die.  Spun Sugar Distress ink was sponged over the Dot-Fade Layered stencil and the Stripes Layered stencil (btw, the Layered stencils are on sale right now) onto the two die-cuts. Two heart-shaped gemstones were added to each die-cut and the card was finished with two sets of round gemstones.

If you're counting, my pairs are:

1. Two stamped images, namely Stampotique's Gibi and Tobi.
2. Two stenciled, outlined hearts. 
3. Two layered patterned papers
4. A two-part sentiment 
5. Two die-cuts (sentiments)
6. Two different stencilled backgrounds on the sentiments (Dot Fade and Stripes)
7. Two sets of heart-shaped gemstones
8. Two sets of round gemstones 

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall be entering this card in the following challenges:
• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenges: We Love Stamps
• Crafter's Cafe Challenge #50: Must Have Hearts
• Fab and Funky Challenge #203: Love/Valentine Theme
• Card Mania Challenge #40: Love is All Around 

Time for Love!

Here's a wall-hanging that used my left-over hearts from last week's Stampotique Designers Challenge. Actually, truth be told, I had this project in mind when I started to die-cut and emboss foil-covered cardstock hearts.

If you visit here, you know I love all things Steampunk and also love birds. This wall-hanging brings together both loves and is also seasonally inspired.

Here it is!

This card features Special Delivery*, a Steampunk parrot, who is one of the five stamps included in SCACD's fabulous MechAnimals rubber stamp set. He was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto Neenah cardstock, colored, then cut out using micro-tip scissors and my handy-dandy Fiskar's Fingertip-Control Swivel Kraft knife. When I was done, a black Big Brush pen was used to edge the piece so that unsightly white would not show. Clear Gelly Roll Glaze pen was added to his beak and talons to add dimension and shine. He was set aside while I worked on the rest of the piece.

I used a 5" x 7" flat canvas as my substrate. A piece of hoarded clock-patterned cardstock by Imaginisce was painted with Snowflake Fresco Finish Acrylic paint by Paper Artsy because I wanted to neutralize the background yet keep the clocks. Claudine Helmuth Studio Multi-Medium was used to adhere the painted patterned cardstock to the canvas. SCACD's Contempo Compass Statement Corner and Alice's Clock Statement Corner dies were used to die-cut cardstock. These die-cuts were adhered to the upper left and lower right corners of the canvas.

Now it was time to paint! I had selected three different shades of blue Fresco Finish paints, but the shades that I had chosen were opaque. I wanted the clocks to show, so the paints were watered down a bit and then sponged randomly over the canvas and heat-set after each layer. When I was happy with the coverage, Chipped Sapphire and Salty Ocean Distress inks were sponged over a Clocks stencil by Prima and the Gears stencil by The Crafter's Workshop.

The next step was to brush Pewter and Rose Quartz Treasure Gold by Paper Artsy over the raised, painted corner die-cuts to make 'em pop. The canvas still needed something, so I searched through all my rub-ons and added the words "time" and "love" as well as some hearts.

Here's a photo of the painted, die-cut, guilded, and rubbed-on canvas. The eagle-eyed among you will find a mistake and a discrepancy between this photo and the finished piece.

To create the heart, I applied Flashing Tape to black cardstock, but you could just as easily use Inkssentials Silver Foil tape. Heart and Scalloped Heart Nestabilities dies by Spellbinders dies were used to die-cut the cardstock, then the plain heart took a ride through my Big Kick inside of an Alterations embossing folder. When it came out,  I painted it with Fired Brick and Aged Mahogany Distress paints, let the paint set for a minute, then wiped it off. The paint stayed in the debossed areas.

Since I love me some Steampunk, I collect watch parts, gears, and keys as well as a motherlode of Idea-ology Findings and Fasteners. Some of the colors were altered using Copic markers and/or paint. These bits and bobs were adhered to the heart using mini-brads and/or dimensional foam squares. The final step was to perch Special Delivery, the Steampunk parrot, upon the heart using foam tape.

Here are two close-ups so you can see the details.

*I neglected to mention that Special Delivery, SCACD's Steampunk parrot, is also available as a digital stamp! Here's a direct LINK to it, but while you're there, you should take a peek at all of SCACD's Digital stamps!

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this project in the following challenges!
• SanDee and amelie's Steampunk Challenges: Time Machine 
• The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Challenges: Use Distress
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenges: Have a Heart

Lanterns and Distress

Since I'm still recovering, I've been playing around with inks, paints, and my stamps rather than coloring my usual open line images.

SCACD's newest rubber release features a great set called SCACD Montage Set #1,  which contains sixteen (16) stamps that are all fabulous. If you prefer, these images are available in smaller sets.

I chose to use the Eastern Lantern set which contains five different lanterns that can be used separately or in combination.

Here's my card!

Two of the five lanterns from the Eastern Lantern set were stamped onto a sheet of 6" x 8" 140 lb. Multi-Media cardstock using VersaMark ink, then heat set with White Fine Detail embossing powder. Evergreen Bough, Chipped Sapphire, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Worn Lipstick, and Picked Raspberry Distress inks in vertical stripes, then spritzed with an Inkssentials Mini-Mister. I lifted the sheet to let the inks run a bit. A baby wipe was then used to wipe away the inks from the white embossed lanterns and the piece was die-cut with a Nestabilities die.

Here's a close up of the remaining piece so you could see the two different lanterns I used and the total color effect!

Small colored Memento ink pads were used to apply ink directly onto the largest lantern stamp from the Eastern Lantern set. This process took awhile, so I huffed onto the stamp to re-activate the ink, then stamped onto a piece of Neenah cardstock. I used my Copic markers to go over the some of the lines, color the flower, inside of the lantern, and add a warm glow outside the lantern. I used a VersaMarker to coat the flower, then heat embossed with Clear Detail embossing powder, which would act as a resist. This piece was die-cut using a Nestabilities die, then kept in the die while Squeezed Lemonade and Chipped Sapphire Distress inks were sponged over the background.

The large-lantern piece was popped out of the die, then adhered over the white-embossed Distress inked piece. Some White Inkssentials Gel pen accents were added to the lantern, then some Clear Gelly Glaze pen was added too to add dimension and shine.

The card was finished with a string of black rhinestones.

Thanks for visiting today!

Stampotique Challenge #133 -- Include a Heart in your Art

Jackie is hosting the first challenge for February, which is "Include a Heart in your Art!". If you'd like to play along with this challenge, visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules, so that you'll have the chance to win a great prize!!!

Here's what Jackie had to say about her challenge!

In Ancient Rome 13, 14 and 15th of February were celebrated as Lupercalia, a pagan fertility festival. By the mid 18th century, the passing of love notes had become popular in England, precursor to the St Valentines Day card as we know it today. Early cards were made of paper and lace. By the 19th century they became so popular that factories started to mass- produce them.  

So as the  14th approaches it's time for you  to put a heart in our Art  and then show us what you have made. 

I am looking forward to seeing all the different ways you add a heart to your art!

 ~~~

Here's my card using Stampotique's Keeper!

Keeper, who is way too cute, was stamped using Tuxedo Black Memento ink, then colored with my Copic markers. When I was done coloring, I added Clear Copic Spica Glitter pen to his eyes, then coated them with a layer of Diamond Glaze glue. Silver Metallic gel pen was added to his key, then Clear Gelly Roll Glaze pen was added to his key and both sets of horns.

To create the heart, I applied Flashing Tape to black cardstock, but you could just as easily add Inkssentials Silver Foil tape. Heart and Scalloped Heart Nestabilities dies by Spellbinders dies were used to die-cut the cardstock, then the plain heart took a ride through my Big Kick inside of an Alterations embossing folder. When it came out,  I painted it with Fired Brick and Aged Mahogany Distress paints, let the paint set for a minute, then wiped it off. The paint stayed in the debossed areas. Sweet! A piece of foam was die-cut using a smaller heart die and adhered to the scalloped heart. Red Liner tape was applied to the edges of the embossed painted heart to seal the heart, creating a slightly puffy dimension. Leftover foil tape was die-cut using an old Hinges QuicKutz die, then adhered to the scalloped heart using Best Glue Ever by Scraperfect and mini-brads. An Idea-ology Locket Key was painted with the same two Distress paints, then adhered using star-shaped mini brads.

The patterned paper is from last year's Authentique 6x6 pad. Silver foil stickers and Washi tape were added to the card front to add some more visual interest. The heart was adhered, then Keeper was adhered using dimensional foam adhesive. The key, from my stash, was touched up with a red Sharpie, then adhered to the card using Waxy Flax.

Thanks for visiting today!

Bombshell Stamps Challenge!

Holley Barnhart, Bombshell Stamps' Ms. February, has shared her challenge over on the Bombshell Stamps Blog. Her challenge is called Bring The Heat.

You should play along with her challenge! Share your artwork with us for a chance to win a fabulous prize.

Here's my card using the Bombshell Angel set and the All My Heart set.

This is the first card that I've created after my second cataract surgery which has given me a pair of bionic eyes that have marvelous distance vision. I still need spectacles for mid-distance (computer and cooking) and reading and will also need to make a spectacle of myself sporting fabulously cool sunglasses!

As soon as the doc said I could drive (Driving sans specs is beyond weird and it's kind of totally amazing to wake up and be able to see well with both eyes!), I hied to the nearest Dollar Store and bought four pairs of readers in various strengths for a buck each. It was timely since we got a freakin' !#$% foot of snow yesterday here in New Jersey. I hate driving in snow AND I have discovered that snow is really, really bright and sparkly!

Anyways, these two images are the first that I've colored and fussy-cut. The card is simple, but my eyes tire really easily.

Basically, I stamped the cherub from the Bombshell Angel set and the flying flaming heart from the All My Heart set, colored both imges with Copic markers, fussy cut them, airbrushed a B21 Copic marker background, used sticker letters, and called it done!

It's not my best work ever, but since I worried that I would not be able to paper craft post surgery, I think it's pretty darned wonderful.

Thanks to visiting today!

My Koi Pond

SCACD recently released several new sets of rubber stamps, including SCACD Montage Set #2, which contains ten stamps. You can also buy these stamps in smaller sets if you'd prefer.

I've used two of the Koi stamps and the grouped Lily Pad stamp, from SCACD's Customize Your Koi Pond set (three Koi stamps, three Lily Pad stamps) to create this card.

My first step was to stamp the big grouped Lily Pad stamp with Lettuce Adirondack ink onto 140 lb. Mixed Media Strathmore cardstock. I colored the pads using Inktense pencils, then coated them with a layer of Glossy Glue and Seal, which acted like a resist and added a glossy texture. The largest Koi was stamped with Spiced Marmalade, Wild Honey, and Rusty Hinge Distress inks, and colored with Distress markers to even out the stamping and add a bit of shading.

The large grouped Lily Pad and big Koi were stamped onto Eclipse tape and fussy cut. The Eclipse tape masks were placed over their counterparts and a variety of BG and B Copic markers were airbrushed over them to create the water in the Koi pond.

The masks were lifted and the stamped pond was set aside. You'd think that with all the dies that I have, I'd have one to create a frame for this scene. Nosiree. So a cardstock frame was cut so that the aperture would fit the Koi pond. The frame was layered over the Koi pond. It looked a little stark so I used one of the two dies included in SCACD's Classic Corners set to die-cut kraft cardstock, which were placed in the four corners of the frame. Much better.

I have an extensive punch collection and I've been trying to remember to use it. The collection contains four dragonfly punches and I used three of them (McGill, Hyglo, and Paper Shapers) to punch white metallic cardstock. The three dragonflies were colored (on both sides) using Distress markers and were adhered to the card. Their wings were folded up to make 'em a bit more realistic.

A strip of Kraft cardstock was cut with a Die-Namics die. Twine attached to a Copic-colored coin was adhered over it.

Thanks for visiting today!