For her technique challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, Andreja has chosen
There are some videos showing how to do this on the 52CCT blog.
I used my stamp platform, and tried a few different stamps.
I started by stamping in black archival ink.
I then moved the card left and down slightly to stamp again in versamark, and added white embossing powder and heated. I repeated this step to get a strong white.
This obviously makes the images sink back, so we need colour to bring them out again.
I added distress ink to an acrylic block and spritzed. I stamped off on spare card to take off the first "blob" of ink, then pressed it over my images repeatedly. The embossing resisted the ink, and the black showed through the translucent ink.
I love this one!
This one I was less sure about - I added more blue to the left, trimmed it down and stamped in colour and then black in the corners using a stamp from the same set as the tree.
This one didn't work at all! Maybe I could save it with some specific colouring, for the moment it's gone into the file of "to be rescued" pieces.
For the sentiment, I also shadow stamped. I used coloured distress inks first (co-ordinating with the cards). I used more than one colour on the words.
I moved the card slightly then added black archival. For the baubles I used a scrap of white card, for the tree I used an offcut with ink on.
I really like how the ink came out on this one, it's very pretty. The bauble is lovely too, I'm not sure I've used it before!
This one took a bit more work before I was happy with it, and I still don't like it as much as the first. But the colours are lovely and bright.
To try your hand at shadow stamping and join the challenge, head over to 52CCT.
As there are 5 Saturdays in August, you have two weeks to complete this challenge, it closes on Friday 4th September. Have fun!
Andreja has set me a real challenge on the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this week. Her choice of theme is:
And she wants to see under sea creatures celebrating Christmas.
I really struggled with this! I don't really have character stamps. I can do under the sea, but how to give it a Christmassy twist?
In the end I came up with a card but it doesn't really fit the brief so I won't post it on the challenge.
The base of my card has been done with brushos, then I stamped into the ink and transferred within the paper using a seaweed and bubbles stamp from Clarity.
I added distress oxides with the same stamp, and spritzed with water to disperse a little.
I struggled to get a focussed photo - this was the best!
I used crushed olive, then decided it was too yellow, so overstamped in peacock feather ink.
The next layer is corals. I started with an old technique I haven't used for ages, smooshing ink inside a plastic folder and dipping the card in. I used distress reinkers for intense colour, in oranges and seedless preserve. This sometime gives a coral-like pattern, but of course not this time! So instead, I went over with the silver pen. The pattern is from a free to use image I downloaded; I did trace it on and then go over it, but then I couldn't see the lines and had got the hang of the repeat so went free hand. It was long winded but satisfying, and I think the results are beautiful.
The small square is stamped in grey archival ink with a coral stamp that came in a Clarity set with a seahorse - I didn't have it when I planned and started this card otherwise I'd have used that!
The starfish is a wooden embellishment, painted with gold paint.
For the sentiment, I use a Clarity stamp again. I couldn't resist highlighting the "sea" part of season's greetings. Using the stamp platform, I lightly wetted the card and stamped "sea" in peacock feathers distress oxide, masking the rest of the word. I spritzed again and let it dry.
I then overstamped with green stazon ink - the stamp was in the same place on the platform still.
The rest of the word, and "greetings" I stamped in black archival.
I edged each piece in black, before arranging and putting together.
To join in with the challenge head over to the 52CCT blog, where you can check out the other DT cards, they've done a much better job than me of making Christmassy Under the Sea Creature cards to inspire you!
The 52 Christmas Throwdown has a colour challenge this week. Andreja, our host for August, has chosen an unusual combination.
I started this card in an online workshop with Angela Simpson (the details are here). So no progress photos but lots of finished photos as there's lots to see in this card layout!
I started badly by grabbing the wrong card (I was disorganised so didn't prep beforehand as advised!). Instead of Sheena's stamping card I used Centura pearl hint of gold. I only realised when I'd done my cutting and turned a piece over. Fortunately, it still works with the colour challenge! And looks quite good, it gives a Christmassy touch of shine.
For ink, I used archival inks - fern green and orange blossom. I also used a bright tangelo orange on one piece, then decided I didn't like it so put it away again. I also used versamark with platinum embossing ink (a pale gold I really like).
The stamps are mainly a lovely Christmas set from Crafty Individuals. I also used a border and a snowflake from other sets.
To finish, I splattered with slightly watered gold paint.
I left a space on the left as above and below for the message to be written.
The design papers are from my stash - I went through pulling out green ones I liked - I looked for orange as well but didn't find any!
I stuck the DP down and then realised I wanted to ink the edges - so ended up putting sticky notes under the edge to mask the base while I did them. It meant the edging was a lot heavier than I'd have liked, especially on the front where I used a sharpie. It was also a lot more work!
The green sheer ribbon to tie the card closed was the last step.
It was a fun project to make, building up multiple panels in the same style and with a limited colour palette, although more work than a simple card! It definitely is something a bit special to give, a lot of the group on the workshop made male cards, and special birthday cards.
To join in with our colour challenge and share your take on orange, green and gold, visit us at the 52CCT blog. This challenge is open until Friday 14th August. Have fun!
As we enter August, Andreja is our new host at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown.
This is the sketch she has chosen to kick off the month.
For this, I created two backgrounds. For one, I sponged weathered wood distress ink over the background, then over stamped in the same ink with a script stamp from IndigoBlu.
For the other, I stamped with the script and a hash stamp, also IndigoBlu, in weathered wood ink spritzed with water.
I did take photos, but they are completely blurred!
I cut the darker one to size for a 5x7 card blank, and then cut 4 hexagons and a strip for the side from the other.
To decorate the hexagons, I used a very old red rubber holly stamp that I love. I used versamark, and added platinum embossing powder. While that was still hot, I added a gold glitter powder, to give a touch of glitter, and melted it. I don't usually like glitter but fancied it here.
I then found a turquoise and gold embossing powder mix that I'd made up ages ago. After edging the hexagons with black archival ink, I used this to edge the hexagons and to add hatches with a scrapping tool.
I did the same to the strip, but then decided it was too much. So I cut another strip and recreated the background and hatches, and added the holly in second generation weathered wood ink. That was more balanced.
The script in the background was too prominent for me, so I tried blending more ink over it. When that didn't help, I spritzed with water and blotted. Which worked, but left the background too pale. So I added faded jeans distress oxide to my blending mat and brayered it out, then spritzed and dipped the card into it. Much better!
I used one of the offcuts of the background (before the added colour) for the sentiment, I embossed in the platinum, without the glitter.
The final touch was to add a little of the faded jeans distress oxide around the edge of the strip and the hexagons with my water pen. This gave a depth that somehow made the card come together.
This
was meant to be a quick and simple card, but all the heat embossing,
not to mention redoing parts of it, meant it took a while.
I can't pretend this is my favourite card ever, but I do like this colour combination, and the hexagons.
For more inspiration and to join in with our sketch challenge, pop over to the 52CCT blog. You have until Friday 7th August to enter.
