Saturday, March 28, 2026

Bleaching (with Bleach or Water) - Group of Cardmakers

Hi everyone.  This month at Group of Cardmakers, we are experimenting with Bleaching (with both Bleach or Water).  There are lots of variations, and some techniques are known by a variety of names such as Water Stamping, Ghosting, etc.

Please check out the details for this month's Bleaching (with Bleach or Water) Technique and link to videos on the blog, along with more card samples from Christine, Pat, & Susan.
My results were a mix.  I had success with using Bleach, but not much success with using Water.  I'll share what worked for me ...

The first three cards are done with the same technique ... smooshed background with Distress Inks, dry; stamp image and heat emboss; then bleaching the image with paint brush dipped in bleach and blotted with paper towel.

The card above is the Blooming Branch stamp (Pinkfresh Studio), stamped in Brushed Cordoroy and heat embossed with clear over smooshed background.  I used bleach to remove the image colour, left it for a day, and then watercoloured with Distress Inks.  I used a hot pink marker to add more colour to the center of the blooms.  I die-cut the center of the card front using the Semi-Circle Stacker Frame die (Penny Black) and then popped it up over top.  A simple sentiment from Happy Snippets (Penny Black) finishes the card.

Sending the card at the top of the post to:

* * * * *
I used the same method for the fuschsia card.  Smooshed distress inks for the background.  Image is Captivating (Penny Black), heat embossed with Liquid Platinum embossing powder.  I used distress inks to watercolour where I had removed the background colour with bleach.  A sentiment, Cosmos - retired (Technique Tuesday) was also added in Liquid Platinum Embossing.  Used a white paint pen on the stamens.

Sending above card to:

* * * * *
For my final card using the smooshing and bleaching technique, I used Christmas Birds - retired  (Northwoods).  Again used Liquid Platinum embossing.  The sentiment is from retired Snowglobe Sayings (MFT).

Sending this card to:
 

I hope you'll give one of the bleaching techniques a try.  There are a lot of options using bleach ... and a few using water.  It's worth trying them out to see what works best for you.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Card #1:
Stamps:  Blooming Branch (Pinkfresh Studio); Happy Snippets (Penny Black)
Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Brushed Corduroy, Saltwater Taffy, Abandoned Coral, Shabby Shutters (Tim Holtz)
Accessories: Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, water brush, bleach, watercolour paint brushes, Semi-Circle Stackers (Penny Black)
 
Card #2:
Stamps:  Captivating (Penny Black); Cosmos - retired (Technique Tuesday)
Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Hot Press Watercolour Paper (Arches 140 lb.)
Ink:   Versamark; Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Lumberjack Plaid, Wilted Violet, Villanous Potion, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Liquid Platinum embossing Powder (Ranger), heat tool, water brush, bleach, watercolour paint brushes, white acrylic paint pen (Posca)

Card #3:
Stamps:  Christmas Birds (Northwoods); Snowglobe Sayings - retired (MFT)
Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Versamark; Distress Inks:  Salvaged Patina, Wilted Violet, Salty Ocean (Tim Holtz); Arteza Watercolour Markers
Accessories:  Liquid Platinum embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, water brush, bleach, watercolour paint brushes
 
Challenges:
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Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Guest Designing at Rudolph Days

Hi everyone.  I'm thrilled to be Guest Designing at Rudolph Days Challenge this month.  Thanks to Helen for asking me to join.

 

Today's card features a wonderful die of a Christmas Window.  It has several pieces that you can use all together, or on their own.  This is my first time using it, so I'm going to use all the pieces. :)

The card front and base is Soft Suede card stock, which I'm sure is long retired from SU!.  I love the deep colour.  It's a great contrast to the white window.  I die-cut all the pieces from different colours of cardstock:  White, Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler, Silver metallic; with the tree cut from mixed media paper and watercoloured using distress inks.  I used a silver pen to add the "garland" on the tree.  The sentiment is from Merry Up! (Penny Black).  I sponged Mustard Seed ink behind the window and tree.

Close-up ...
Sending the card to the following challenges:

I hope you'll play along at Rudolph Days Challenge, which is open from 25 to end of month, every month throughout the year.  Come join us!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Merry Up! (Penny Black)
Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Soft Suede cardstock, Cherry Cobbler cardstock & Silver Metallic cardstock (all from SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Mustard Seed (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories:   Christmas Window die (Temu), Wreath Strip die (Cherry Lynn), watercolour brushes, White embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool

Challenges:

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Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Festive Friends

Hi everyone.  Today's card uses a new-to-me die, Festive Friends (Spellbinders).  I took advantage of the large piece that is the bear's sweater, embossing  it with Cross-Stitch EF (Taylored Expressions) and highlighting the stitching with Savaged Patina distress ink. I cut the bear, his sweater, and the string of lights (background) from coloured card stock.  I only used white for the sentiment (cut three times and stacked) and the lights (coloured with Posca pens and coated with Nuvo Crystal Glaze).  

Close-up ...
Sending this card to the following challenges:
Darnell's IDEAS Calendar - Week 3 - Embossing - the bear's sweater is dry embossed
NBUS Challenge #84 - first time using this die set from Spellbinders, and the sentiment die
Christmas Kickstart #108 - Out of the Woods --- this bear is definitely Out of the Woods and not in his own element, fighting with a string of lights ... hope this is OK.


Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  n/a
Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Baked Brown Sugar, Granny Apple, Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler, Sky Blue cardstocks (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Salvaged Patina, Gathered Twigs (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Festive Friends dies (Spellbinders), merry die (Temu), sponges, Posca acrylic paint pens, red chalk 

Challenges:

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Friday, March 13, 2026

Spring Green

Hi everyone.  I had some fun in my studio yesterday.  I made a card that works for several challenges. :)

The background is partially stamped script in soft green ink, and then texture paste added through a stencil.  I used a new-to-me layered flower die, sponging with two shades of soft green.  I added some pearl paint to the center and sprinkled with glitter.

The texture paste is hard to see in the photo above, but better in the photo below.  The card is finished with a sentiment (Super Day - Penny Black), stamped in more green.

Close-up ...
Sending this card to the following challenges:
           

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Super Day (Penny Black); Script (Penny Black)
Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Layered Flower die, Slimline Gentle Leaves stencil (TCW), sponge, Embossing paste (Dreamweaver), palette knife, Quadrafoil stencil (Silhouette), Ice White Pearl Pen (Viva), glitter

Challenges:


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