Club Scrap: Dahlia Blog Hop

Time again for another blog hop, this month is the Dahlia kit.  An amazing kit of flowers, soft, muted tones and gorgeous watercolor.  What to do with it?  Well as you go along the blog hop you will see me amazing creations. If this is your next stop, you should have arrived from  Debbie or if you are lost, you can start at the Beginning.

I have 3 cards for today.  The first one is just a beautiful card.  The next 2 are using a technique that I tried with my Minc.  So check out the whole post, LOL!!!

Card 1:

This is a window card.  The image is actually on the inside of the card and the opening in the fromt is covered by acetate.

So lets take a closer look.

The challenge with this card was in the planning.  I used a die, plastic sheet with graph paper marking to determine where on my card to place the window.  I marked the inside of the die onto the cardstock.

Using post it tape, I masked off the area.  Then using spun sugar distress ink, inked the opening.

After inking, misted it with water and allowed it to dry.  This is important, I did not, so well I have several of these lovely inked boxes.

Placed back in misty, lined up my "planning sheet, stamped the image over the inked box.  I then colored this with copics.  Stamped the sentiment.  Inside done.

Next, taking the pink cardstock in the kit, cut it down to size, and using my planning sheet, attached the die to the cardstock.

Using an exacto knife cut out the center of the die.

Added score tape, and placed a piece of acetate over the opening.  Next I cut out the die from white cardstock and gently inked the edges and covered the outside of the window.

Attached a white ribbon to the front, all that is left is to adhere the image sheet to the inside.  Finished.

Card 2 and 3

These cards are very similar but vary in some respects.

First step for both was to stamp the image onto Watercolor paper and heat emboss in white or clear.  I used Clear, but white works just as well.

Emboss and heat.  I did use the same stamps for both.  I added a butterfly to the softer one.  In hindsight I could have used another stamp from the kit, but I love this stamp.  So what can I say.

Once embossed, how I chose to color them is all that makes them different.

So Card 2 was colored using Primary Elements.  Like any pigment powder the challenge is in controlling them.  I almost used color burst but I wanted it soft and delicate.  I can't get that with Color Burst, so turned to my Primary Elements by ColourArte.

Using a dry paint brush and a very soft hand, laid the pigment into the areas.  Choosing colors that best reflected the image.  So green in the leaves, pinks and purple in the flowers, yellow-orange over the butterfly and blue in the background.

Gently mist with water, allow to sit for a bit and then I gently blotted up any excess water and dried with a heat tool.  Then I gently added a gold powder over the entire card, misted and dried.

In this photo I am gently picking up the excess water.  You can see how the color is concentrated in areas.  

This is after all the pigment is dry and before the next step.  Not bad, but not crisp images either.

Ok, let's switch to Card 3.

Same process, stamp and heat emboss.  This one was colored using a distress ink pads.  This is my all time favorite way to make a background fast.  Place the ink onto my glass mat or craft mat, mist with water until beads up and place paper into the ink .  I used Aged Mahogany and Crushed Olive.  Lately this has been my favorite combination!

Once inked, dry with heat tool or allow to air dry.

Next for both, I placed into a piece of cardstock and ran it though my minc.  This melted and removed the embossing powder and leaves the crisp white paper underneath.

 For the distressed one, I had my Minc on a setting of 4.  All the embossing powder was removed in one pass.  For the Primary Element, I was worried about the Gold, so ran it through on a setting of 2.  Amazing that too melted and removed most of the embossing powder, but did not damage or remove the mica from the Primary elements.  I still have a glimmer!!!

After this was completed I enhanced some of the areas by blending in more ink.  Distress with this technique often will seep under the embossing, you can see that here on the upper right flower, but I like it.  All that was left was to mount it onto cardstock, add a piece of twine.  The Sentiment was embossed in Gold on Velum and careful tacked down to give the impression of floating.

The Primary elements, I did nothing to the image once it was removed from the MINC.  Just mounted it, added a sentiment, also embossed in gold on Velum and added a white ribbon.  Elegant!

This one is my favorite, as I love soft and impressionistic.  Makes me think of Monet.  And who would know I used a stamp, embossing powder and a Minc.  This technique will work with a laminator and avoids having to use an iron and is much faster.   For more techniques visit my blog posting where I used waxed paper to create a unique background.

Well that is all from me.  Your next stop is :   Jennifer

Happy Crafting, 

Josette

Links:

http://clubscrap.com

Dahlia Kit for April

ColourArte Primary Elements

Distress Ink:  Crushed Olive, Aged Mahogany

Hero Arts:  Clear Embossing Powder

Strathmore 140# Cold Press Water Color Paper, 400 series.

Special Cards: Special Technique: Update

Hello friends,
I have been absent for a bit.  March has been a month of change and travel.  My crafting time has been severely limited but I did manage to make a few things. So what have I been up to!!
Well, my eldest daughter got married in Washington State.  So we spent the first part of the month finishing details and traveling.  It was a beautiful Wedding!!

Siobhan and Troy Silva

When we returned from Washington, I started a new position at Texas Pain Relief Group.  In the two years since I last worked in Chronic Pain, there has been a huge explosion of medication and treatment options that have become available.  So, I have been rapidly learning all about the newer medication and the ramifications of Pain Management in Texas, oh so different from Washington.  But I love the Clinic and the patients.  I am truly enjoying the challenge of this type of practice.  I am not cut out for urgent care.  I need to know I am making a difference and every day at this clinic I am making a difference and helping these patients maintain function and quality to their lives.  Thank you TPRG, so glad to be on your team!!

Ok, back to crafting.  I did a video for Colourarte with Twinkling H20 and used Club Scrap stamps.
I would like to share more information about this technique.  The results are stunning and very easy to accomplish

Black or very dark card stock can be a challenge for the stamper.  You either have to stamp in White, heat emboss with a light color or stamp your image on another color and mat with black or dark cardstock.  How do you stamp directly on this darker cardstock without using white ink or embossing powder.  The answer is bleach.  In my blog post of September 15, 2015 . the Club Scrap Challenge was to use bleach and I did, but only to alter the background.

In this technique I took it one step further.  Using the same Stamps, Transformation Stamp Set from Club Scrap, I choose the two Ginkgo leave stamps.

I tested my brown paper and blacks to determine which one gave me the "bleached color" I was after.

Bleach produces different colors on different Cardstock.  It can also be directly sprayed onto the cardstock for an interesting effect.

The Card Process:

Using the black cardstock and the smaller leaf stamp, I painted the stamp with bleach and then stamped the cardstock. This stamping needs to be lighter, so, I first stamped off onto another paper then onto the card stock.

Next I used a stamp positioner,  then I "inked the stamp" with bleach and applied to central area of cardstock. This was full strength, no stamping off.  I am trying to lighten the area that will be stamped with color.

All of the bleach stamping is complete.  See how that bleach puddled, that area will show up the colored image best.  OK, to this point, we have not changed the process much.  The next few steps is what kicks it up a notch.

Start by adding paint or ink to your stamp.  I am using Twinkling H20, as I like the glimmer and this technique is well suited to their properties.  I have done this with other water colors and ink, but I still think the Twinks shine here..

I am layering 3 different colors of paint onto my stamp.  This will then be directly stamped over the bleached image using the stamp positioner.

Once the center is stamped, spray the stamp with a small amount of water and stamp to fill in the background.

Second generation stamping finished. Light enough not to fight with the central image, but adds interest and glimmer.   You can now continue to layer more paint onto the images.  It is not necessary to clean the stamp or have the image dry to continue with layering.

Here I have layered gold onto the image.  Allow to dry naturally.  Don't use a heat tool if using any paint with Mica as the mica has a tendency to bubble when layered on this thick.

Final cards.  The image was  trimmed down and matted onto gold paper, and  then onto a black A2 card Base.  My intention was to create a set of note cards.  Beautiful aren't they!!

Here is the sprayed background finished as well.  The bleach makes the paper more porous, so it sucks up the ink.  This makes it difficult to get a crisp second generation stamp, but I like the effect of the splotchy stamping.  This piece was matted and framed and given as a gift.

Here is the link to video that shows this technique in action!:  YouTube Video

I hope you enjoyed this technique and will give it a try.  Be sure and check out all the selection of Club Scrap stamps.  They are a deep etched red rubber that shines with this direct stamping technique.

Be sure and come back for the Artist Team Blog Hop Next Month.
Happy Crafting,
Josette

Links:
Small gingko leave
Center Leaf
http://clubscrap.com
Bleach Technique on dark cardstock Video

ColourArt: Primary Elements and Stamping

In my last video for ColourArt I used  Primary Elements to create a soft background,   Background Video Link.  In this video, the background was turned into a card.  I had intended to use Twinkling H20 for the image, but after much consideration, decided to stick with the same product.  I tested this technique and determined it to be a perfect choice.

I used both backgrounds and cut them down to the right size.  The first one is an A2 and the second, well I just could not bear to trim all that gorgeousness away, so it is a 5.5" square card.

I cut mat out of gold Cardstock for the square card and did not use a mat for the other one.  I was struggling with the black but that was the paper that showed the image the best.  Gold seemed to soften it a bit.

The image was stamped with Versamark after a static tool was applied to the cardstock.  This helps control the powder,  Patting on the Primary Elements, finally brushing away the excess and cleaning up the mess with a Swifter cloth.  A quick spritz with water and after drying was ready for the card.

I cut the tag with an oval die, a mat from a slightly larger scalloped die.  Then using fun foam, created the corner element.  Final touch was to add a gold cord underneath the tag.

Everything was adhered with score-tape onto the card base, mat and finally the element onto the card.
I used scor-tape for 2 reasons.  Water color paper can be warped and it is hard to get good contact.  The second issue is that in Texas, my snail tape and ATG doesn't seem to stay stuck.  I am unsure if I need a different product or I am just glue challenged.  Anyway the scor-tape always holds for me.

I used a Heidi Swapp Glitter paper and it was backed with scor-tape before die cutting.  This paper is very thin but incredibly sturdy.  The combination of die cutting and score tape makes a durable sticker that is easily repositioned for a short time.


That is it!! All done.  Stop by YouTube: Primary Element and Stamping Video to see this card in the making.

Happy Crafting,
Josette
Link:  ColourArte
YouTube: ColourArte YouTube Channel
Supplies:  Primary Elements:  Beach house Blue and Sunburst
Veramark
Cardstock, black and gold
Swifter cloth
Scor-tape
Stamps are from Unity Stamp Company
Heidi Swap Glitter Paper in Gold

ColourArte Video: Creating a Pastel Background with Pigment Powders

I love pigment powders, but I don't like that in your face massive burst of color.  It doesn't matter which ones, they all have the same issue.  I have been playing with Primary Elements to see if I could get a softer look and had success.  I repeated the same process with Brusho and experienced similar results.  I did not try Color Burst as they are a similar powder type to Primary Elements, I am thinking this will work for them too.  How about you try them out and let me know!!!

Very soft.  I have the contrast and light adjusted as it was very hard to see in the photos.  In person, this is soft with the shimmer of mica that you get with the Primary Elements.  I do like my shimmer.

Here is another one, this one has more color in larger areas.  I prefer the first, primarily I am a card maker and want a background that doesn't steal the show.

The video shows the process in detail.  It is very simple.  Use a very light hand, find a way to remove excess powder and be careful with the water.  Dry between steps to prevent contamination of color.

YouTube Video Link :  Follow the link to watch the video.

Happy Crafting, see you next time when I turn this background into a card!
Josette

Supplies:
Primary Elements:  Azurite, Beachouse Blue, Ancient Coin, Blue Zircon
Water in sprayer, a straw, Heat tool, Water color Paper, Canson 140# Cold Press

Links:  ColourArte
ColourArte YouTube Channel