A Similar But Very Different Card

I am sharing another Distress Oxide inked card today and a few tips about putting a card together when you just cant think!!! I was struggling to make a card I really needed to send to a friend, she is such a jolly person even in the face of such difficult times. She is also a card maker so I knew she would love something a little bit different. But my head was kinda foggy with stuff!

I knew I wanted a colourful pastel Distress Oxide inked background and to use a new Woodware flower stamp set but I struggled to think up how to put my card together. Sometimes it gets like that with me when I have a lot on my mind, or when I am struggling with pain, I just can't seem so think straight, and that causes even more stress! I suppose it's the same as writers block?

I am learning that at these times I should go back and look at previous cards that pleased me and use them as a starting point.  Remember the Stitched Poppies card I made in a previous post? I was really happy with that card so I used it to help me with the card layout. rather like working with a card sketch, choosing certain elements and repeating them and maybe changing them a little! to create a similar but very different card..... I must remember to do this again as it really helped me to get going and make this rather important card (below) for a friend!

First I created the background using watercolour paper, lots of water and my Distress Oxide ink pads. after adding water to the paper liberally with a brush I swooshed my ink pads onto my glass surface and used a paint brush to add the colour to the paper trying not to think too much but also wanting to leave some white space I blobbed the ink and watched it spread on the wet watercolour paper creating areas of pastel colour. Then after drying the paper with a heat tool, I dipped my hand into clean water and sprinkled over my inked piece and dried it again watching the awesome effects Of Distress Oxides doing their thing! I love this technique, its almost fool proof and no two pieces are exactly the same

I then used the wonky stitched rectangle die to cut a piece of it out as with the Stitched Poppies card. I stamped the image using wilted violet distress ink after making sure my background was totally dry.  I coloured the flower image using perfect pearls powder with a little water using a paintbrush. 

Then I copied the side panel but this time I gave it a pennant tail and ran it through a leafy embossing folder. I carefully dabbed a versamark ink pad onto the raised leaves and applied dry perfect pearls powder to it with a soft paint brush, this highlighted the embossed leaves beautifully. 

My card was coming together now. I had overcome that initial block and found my creative flow again! 

I didn't want to distract from that lovely background so the grupier lace wasn't gonna work this time, its a bit too heavy for a delicate card. So I created a delicate white border strip using a die from the Floral Thinlit dies set by Stampin' Up instead. A pink strip of card completed the card base. After assembling the card I stamped and cut the sentiment which is taken from a Stampendous stamp set and then finally added the pearls which echo the perfect pearl elements nicely.

I am entering my card into some challenges...

The Crafter's Castle (link)

"Use your favourite distress inking techniques"

Cards 4 Gals (link)

"Stamping (no Digi's)"

***Some of my photo's seem to make that fossilised amber (yellow) colour look a lot more intense than it actually is, I think it s because the photo was taken in bright sunshine!

This has been a good lesson for me, I made 2 very similar but very different cards, why do I always want to reinvent the wheel? I am gonna type this out and put it on my desk.... 

"If you just can't think what to do,

 go back to when it worked for you!"

Stitched Poppies For You

After trying out some different inking effects with my Distress Oxide ink pads this week and being inspired by the Tim Holt'z fans over on Facebook, I was inspired by a card made by a group member. The card had a background which had really "made" the card. Previously I had been creating lots of vivid rainbow backgrounds and some pastel ones too. But this time after seeing that inspiring card I approached the background effect a little differently than usual by just using 2 colours. I simply used Fossilised Amber and Peeled Paint for this background. 

I used the swooshing method and water to create the background of the card and I was amazed to get this effect I surprised myself lol!  I am enjoying this Distress Oxide journey. Thank You Tim Holtz!

Yesterday was a "staying in" day, which gave me a good time to design (play!) with one of my newest stamps too...

This is my new Stitched Poppies stamp by Woodware, it was released  January 2018  I love the many stitched lines around the poppies which give a stitched effect as if someone has sewn the poppies. I did however cut off from the stamp those grungy edges though! eeeeek yes I said CUT!!! but I saved all the pieces in case I want to use them in future. I did this because I didn't want them stamped in black on my card. That would have been too dark for me as I wasn't trying to achieve a grunge effect. Also, they limit the use of the stamp... without those grungy borders I can use a square or circle die to cut the image out too.

I really like the effect of stitching on cards and mixed media. There's lots of dies available now with a faux stitching edge. I used to add faux stitches by drawing them with a fine line black pen but the new dies are so much easier to use. For my card I used my wonky stitched rectangle dies to cut the image out and then tried to highlight the stitched lines with a black fine line pen. My eyes are not that good and failed me in places but I managed to get the effect I was looking for which has pleased me. But I think I will leave the stitching to the work of the  dies in future! trouble is once I had started I had to complete it!.

I am entering this card into a few challenges

As You Like It Challenger (LINK)

"Favourite way to add stitching (faux, real, drawn) and why"

favourite way to add stitching is with dies just because it's so much easier

Crafty Card Makers challenge

"Get Inky / Messy"

Yes I did have a play with my Distress Oxide Inks!

HeARTful Stamping Challenge

"Anything Goes + a Stamp"

This Stitched Poppies stamp is the star of this card!

Stamping Sensations

"Anything With Flowers"

Definitely 3 Beautiful flowers

Country View Challenges

"Anything But Cute"

No, this is not a cute card but I do love it!

I stamped the image again and coloured the poppy flowers using my watercolour pencils. Then I cut them out and shaped them so that I could layer them 3d style, I added Nuvo Jewel Drops to accent the centres. The leaves were coloured using Peeled Paint oxide ink and an almost dry brush. 

I used pieces of sage green and red card to add layers behind the image and cut  a velum lattice strip and 2 corners using my spellbinders lattice die set. I added some guipure to the top of my stamped image sticking the image down with foam sticky tape.

I made a little pennant from style banner from velum then stamped and white embossed it with "for you" sentiment

Finally to accent I added some cotton thread and a die cut sewing needle (Tattered Lace die) to give the illusion of hand sewing again and 2 little buttons on the sentiment banner and a few twinkly sequins.

I have a number of friends who are fabulous needle workers, whether machine or by hand or cross stitch, This stamp will be so useful to make cards for them too.

thanks for looking have a great week!

Distress Oxide Inked Card, Your'e in my Prayers

As promised yesterday I have just popped by to show you the card I made with one of my Distress Oxide ink backgrounds, I am so pleased with how this turned out...

I am entering my card into the Crafty Cardmakers Challenge (HERE)

challenge #204 Get inky / Messy! I think my inky card fits the bill!

Did you see the post about buying and playing with my new Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink pads? you can view the posts HERE (link).

So this morning I took one of the backgrounds I had created yesterday, I had used the 4 colours I now own to create this background

Fossilised Amber, Picked Raspberry, 

Wilted Violet, Broken China.

I matted this piece onto a sheet of black card which has tiny little holographic polka dots that twinkle beautifully (I wish I could remember where I had got it from but its been in my stash for well over a year!) I cut the word "Prayers" out of the same piece of card using the Hero Arts Stamp and Cut "Prayers" set. 

I stamped the little sentiment above the die cut, from the same set of stamps.  I placed the matted piece onto white card stock to plan the layout but it seemed wrong somehow! too straight and angular...I wanted it to flow! Therefore I decided to tilt it and felt better lol. Then I had the bright idea (sorry for that pun LOL) of choosing the same colours and inking the card base similar to the background piece.

I used an 8x8 flourish embossing folder by Embossaliscious to emboss the card base after inking it. Now this card was coming together... I stamped some butterflies from the Stampin Up "Papillon Potpourri" stamp set and cut them out adding them to the card 3d style. Finally I added some sparkle with blingy gems to complete the card.

So many of my family and friends are going through really difficult times right now, Some with illness and others with situations that are hard to get through.I hope to be making some similar cards for them. But for now I am "virtually" sending this out in the hope that they receive at least some encouragement!and of course I will be praying for them in this tough season they are going through.

PRAYER CHANGES THINGS!

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask      or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 

 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20 NIV

Inspired! by Mr Tim Holtz

It's been quite a rough week... a tummy bug and severe pain from tummy cramps have caused me to have to rest up. I have kept strange sleeping hours as I dipped in and out of bed when I could manage to sleep...sometimes sleeping in the day and awake during the early hours! I went to hospital yesterday where I have been given some medication which I really hope proves to work over this next few days! there s no explanation of whats wrong except that my blood tests came back okay which is good news.

Even though I have not been very active in my card making while resting. I have been able to use the time for a real inspiration download!

In January every year the creative craft industry gathers at a convention centre in Phoenix, Arizona, for "Creativation" its the trade show where business' share their new products and wow everyone with their ongoing creative genius.
By typing "Creativation 2018" into the Youtube search box I found lots of inspiring videos and was wowed by the creative awesomeness.

There's so much good stuff coming out in 2018 BUT!  One person really did inspire me more than anyone....Mr Tim Holtz!  he has a passion for mixed media, vintage ephemera, grunge, and colour! I haven't gone down the mixed media or grunge route in my creativity but I am all about colour especially this year! So I watched and learned LOL. Tims new releases with Sizzix dies have really wowed me. The flowers and 3d embossing folders and embosslits are awesome and so my wish list grew!
But colour in the form of Distress Oxide Inks has really got my attention now! I watched him demonstrate these inks and was so inspired.

Tim Holtz has released a further 12 colours making the set up to 36 now. and announced that the full set of 60 will be made available this year. Finally, I  feel I want them! it's strange how something doesn't turn your head and then a year later and all of a sudden the creative sparks fly and inspiration comes and well there you go!
So after deciding to put them on my wish list I have been looking at these Distress Oxide ink pads and been trying hard to decide where to start in my collection! I don't need (or want) all of them but the trouble is every time I make a list the list changes lol.

Do I want the very brights? the blues / turquoises  what do I really want? gotta get the pinks! what about a rainbow?...indecision or what?

Its amazing how the price varies from shop to shop but then the sting of postage brings them kind of in line with each other. I don't have deep pockets full of cash for spending, we still need to eat! so I am gonna limit myself to 3 ink pads at a time now which 3?  I am torn between Worn Lipstick and Picked Raspberry for my first pink,


next up is Broken China, Salty Ocean and Peacock Feathers, then confusingly Cracked Pistachio,  Seedless Preserves, Wilted Violet Abandoned Coral and Spicy Marmalade where do I start LOL... Three of the new colours I definitely know I want to get are Squeezed Lemonade, Twisted Citron, and Shaded Lilac but these three have not made it to the shops yet! so I will start with collections 1 & 2!

below is a pic of the new set 3 release...