Another Sponging Technique using stencils

Hi everyone.  One more new-to-me sponging technique which I used to create my hubby's upcoming birthday card.  The background technique is Dina Kowal's Faded Water Stenciling video on SplitCoastStampers.  I changed it up just a little by adding blending through the whole stencil (a step near the end of the technique), not just at the bottom, otherwise, I followed her steps.

I'm happy with how this turned out and I know hubby will love it!  Used an older die from Cheery Lynn called Pair of Ferns --- I think I've had this about 20 years and still love it, especially for masculine cards.  I paired it with a black, thin frame (Thin Frames Rectangle dies from Simon Says Stamp).  The black looks fabulous overtop of the bright DOX inks of Peacock Feathers and Mowed Lawn (over top of a Leaves stencil from AliExpress.

Close-up ...

I'm sending this over to Seize the Birthday Challenge #208 - Create a Scene (optional).  I didn't use the optional topping this time. :)

Thanks for coming by for a visit!

Stamps:  Brushed Wishes - retired (Stampendous)

Paper:   Watercolour (Arches Hot Press 140 lb.); Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:   Distress Oxides:  Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories:   Blending Brushes or Sponges, Leaf Stencil (AliExpress), Water mister, Pair of Ferns dies (Cheery Lynn), Thin Rectangle Frames die (Simon Says Stamp), 

Challenges:

Seize the Birthday #208 - Create a Scene

Snow is Falling

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a Blue and Silver Christmas card.  I always try to play along in some Christmas challenges each month if I have time.  Today's card works for three! :)

I used Magical Sprays - Blue Hydrangea (Lindy's) for the background.  I hope you can see a little of the bright blue shimmer.  It's so pretty in real life.  I then silver heat embossed the snowflake (Snow is Falling - Visible Images) and sentiment that are both from the same set.  I added some fine silver embossing to the outline of the main panel as well.

Close-up ...

Playing along with Christmas Craft Creations February Challenge - Blue and Silver.

Also playing along with Merry Little Christmas Challenge #31 - Anythng Christmas Goes! 

and

Rudolph Days February Challenge - Anything Goes Christmas (delay start this month).

I hope you'll come play along!

Product Links

Blue Hydrangea Magical Spray (Lindy's)

Snow is Falling (Visible Image)

Stamps:  Snow is Falling (Visible Image)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Blue Hydrangea Magical Spray (Lindy's); Versamark
Accessories:   water mister, silver embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
Christmas Craft Creations February Challenge - Blue & Silver

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #31 - Anything Christmas Goes

Rudolph Days February Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Penny Black - Graceful Lily

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing cards made with a new stamp from Penny Black called Graceful Lily.  Lilies are my favourite flower.  I love their shape and the beautiful colours of the different varieties.  

This card started with a background piece from my stash.  It is a soft stencil monoprint from a stencil, although hard to see the design with this small oval.  It looks more like smooshed colours.

I stamped the lilies in black ink and heat embossed in clear; then watercoloured using Distress Inks (Picked Raspberry, Mowed Lawn).  Die cut the image with an oval and popped it up on the card front with sentiment (Enliven stamp set), to give it a bit of dimension.

Close-up ...

I wanted to make another card with this beautiful set.  I went in the opposite direction with design, using a black card base, stamping image twice, gold embossing and then watercolouring with metallic gouache paints.

The paints are very light in colour over top of black, but you can see all the shimmer from the pearl added to the colours.  The close-up shows it better.

Close-up ...

The sentiment (Smiles) is stamped and gold embossed to match the image.

Thanks for coming by for a visit!

Penny Black Product Links

Graceful Lily (30-689)

Enliven (30-705)

Smiles (30-802)

Card #1:  Have a great day

Stamps:  Graceful Lily, Enliven (sentiment) - both from Penny Black

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Picked Raspberry, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, waterbrush, Oval die (Spellbinders)

Card #2:  Hear for you always

Stamps:  Graceful Lily, Smiles (both from Penny Black)

Paper:   Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:   Versamark; Metallic Gouache Paints:  Pearl Scarlet, Pearl Eucalyptus (Arteza)
Accessories:   Princess Gold embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, waterbrush, 

Faux Mother-of-Pearl Stenciling

Hi everyone.  This is Faux Mother-of-Pearl through a stencil.  I do love the FMOP technique (video tutorial HERE) and it looks awesome using a stencil.

I used the misti to line up my card front (regular card stock) with the stencil (Rays Layering Stencil - Tim Holtz).  That way I could take off the stencil to clean after adding the pearl resist and it would be easy to place it into the same position for adding ink.

Used Frost White (Tsukinecko) acrylic pearl paint for my Faux Mother-of-Pearl look.  It's the most wonderful shimmery pearl ink. 

After the pearl paint is dry, I blended colours of Distress Inks over top (Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Ripe Persimmon).  Once the sponging had dried, I used a paper towel to gently buff over the stencil and remove any ink that was sitting on top of the pearl resist.  Finished the card by stamping a sentiment (Sunny Skies - Lawn Fawn - retired) in black with clear embossing.

Close-up - this shows the shimmer from the frost paint better, but it is even more shimmery in real life ...

Stamps:  Sunny Skies - retired (Lawn Fawn)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks: Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Ripe Persimmon (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories:   Frost White Pearl Paint (Tsukineko), cling wrap, Rays Layering Stencil (Tim Holtz), sponges

Penny Black - Sweet Centerpiece

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing another of the newly released stamps, this one is "Sweet Centerpiece".  And so it is. :)  I stamped in black ink, heat embossed in clear, and then watercoloured with Distress Inks.  The sentiment is also one of the new stamps "Smiles".

Close-up ...

Thanks for coming by for a visit!

Penny Black Product Links:

Sweet Centerpiece (40-727)

Smiles (30-802)

Stamps:  Sweet Centerpiece, Smiles (Penny Black)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Ripe Persimmon, Crackling Campfire, Dustry Concord, Wilted Violet, Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry, Tumbled Glass, Broken China (Tim Holtz); Granny Smith Apple (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories:   Clear Embossing powder, heat tool, waterbrush, white Posca pen

CAS Challenges February Reminder

It's already half way through February, so time for reminder cards for both CAS Mix Up and CAS Christmas Challenges.

Starting off with CAS Mix Up reminder ...

Nancy is our host.

Started out with a piece of card from my stash.  I believe this was done with watercolour sprays and cling wrap to give a lovely design to the background.  I sponged a stencil (Peeking Sunflowers - STAMPlorations) - given to me by a dear friend, over top of the background using Distress inks (Ripe Persimmon, Crackling Campfire, Ground Espresso).  I then used Versamark to go over the stencil again, sprinkled UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel) over top and heat set.  I love the thick shiny finish of the sunflowers.  Stamped a sentiment in Ground Espresso and clear heat embossed to match the rest of the design.

Close-up ...

Sending this card over to the STAMPlorations February Stencil Challenge - Anything Goes.

Also this is a new to me stencil, so adding this to the NBUS #23 gallery as well ...

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Susan is our host.

This card uses a new-to-be stamp set called All Cats (Gerda Steiner).  I stamped the image in black, clear heat embossed and then did the same with the sentiment (Stampin' Up! retired stamp) except used red ink.  I fussy-cut the image and watercoloured with Distress Inks (Hickory Smoke; Black Soot; Spun Sugar)  Added cheeks with red chalk and  small white dots with my Posca pen; then crystal glaze for the eyes.  The background is done with a Snowflake Stencil (Paper Artsy), sponged in Tumbled Glass ink and then coated and heat set with Kaldeiscope Embossing Powder (Stampendous).  You can see the shimmer a little better in the close-up photo, but you can't see that the shimmer is iridescent with lots of colours.  So pretty!

Close-up ...

Since I heat embossed through the snowflake stencil, I'm adding this card to the CAS Mix Up challenge gallery!

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I hope you'll check out the challenge blogs to see the amazing cards from our Designers, Guest Designers, and participants.  If you haven't had time to play along, there's over a week left before both challenges close on 24th at midnight PST.  Come join us!

CAS Mix Up Reminder - Hey Sunshine!
Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink: Distress Inks:  Ripe Persimmon, Crackling Campfire, Ground Espresso (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  cling wrap, watercolour sprays, Peeking Sunflowers (STAMPlorations), UTEE, heat tool


CAS Christmas Reminder - Merry Christmas Cat    
Stamps:  All Cats (Gerda Steiner); Sentiment - retired (SU!)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Black (Momentum); Distress Inks:  Hickory Smoke, Black Soot, Spun Sugar, Tumbled Glass (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Snowflake Stencil (Paper Artsy), blending brush, Kaleidoscope embossing powder (Stampendous), heat tool, clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, water brush, red chalk, white Posca acrylic paint pen, crystal glaze (Nuvo)


Challenges:
CAS Mix Up February Challenge - Stencil Heat Embossing
CAS Christmas February Challenge - Dogs and/or Cats

STAMPlorations Stencil Challenge - Anything Goes

NBUS#23 Challenge

The Flower Challenge #53 Reminder

Hi everyone.  It's already half way through February and time for the reminder post for The Flower Challenge #53.

I used a new stamp and new die on my card above.  The roses are actually a stamp (Peony Bouquet from Simon Says Stamp), even though it looks like a stencil (and they do sell a stencil with this design as well).

I inked all the roses with Picked Raspberry distress ink and stamped onto mixed media paper.  I wiped off the stamp and then added Mowed Lawn distress ink on the leaves and stamped again to finish the image.  I used my water brush to move colours around.  I added some Candied Apple and more Picked Raspberry ink to add shading  Wild Honey distress ink was used to add the centers of the flowers.  I thought the card looked very flat, so cut a rectangle from the center, added a white card stock backing slightly larger than the image; then popped up on foam over top of the card base.

The sentiment is a die (Happy Birthday Friendship Script from Memory Box).  Die-cut from black and added Crystal Glaze over top to give some shine and dimension.  Then adhered the die-cut to the center of the card.

Close-up ...

I hope you'll check out the challenge blog to see the amazing reminder cards from the talented Designers.  

Hope to see you in the gallery

Since I used a new stamp and die, I'm entering this card into NBUS Challenge #23 (never-before-used-schtuff). :)

Stamps:  Peony Bouquet (Simon Says Stamp)

Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Picked Raspberry, Mowed Lawn, Candied Apple, Wild Honey (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   water brush, rectangle die, Happy Birthday die (Memory Box), Crystal Glaze (Nuvo)

Challenges:

The Flower Challenge #53

NBUS Challenge #23

Penny Black - For You

Hi everyone.  Happy Valentine's Day!!  Hope you are all having a wonderful and relaxing day.  

Penny Black has a new release "Daydream" with went live yesterday.  This is the first image I'm playing with (...For You).  These mice are so adorable carrying the beautiful rose.  Smiled the whole time I was making this card! :)  I wanted to have the mice standing on something fun, so added a chain of hearts (heart image from Huggable) for them to run across.   Both cards are watercoloured with a mix of Distress Inks and Dye Inks.

Close-up ...

You can see the shimmer of clear Wink of Stella on the hearts to add a little sparkle. :)

Next card is super CAS.  I just used the rose from the same image above ...

This rose is so gorgeous, I wanted to show it all by itself.  I then fussy-cut and popped up on my card front that has a wonderful sentiment from one of the other new sets - Smiles.

I'm sending this card over to The Flower Challenge #53.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!!

Product Links

... For You (30-801)

Huggable (30-588)

Smiles (30-802)

Stamps:  For You (Penny Black); Smiles (Penny Black); Hearts (Huggable - Penny Black)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry, Rustic Wilderness (Tim Holtz); Granny Smith Apples, Real Red (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder, heat tool, water brush, Clear Wink of Stella

Challenges:

The Flower Challenge #53 - Use your latest stamps and/or dies

February's Zoom Fun!

Hi everyone.  Yesterday was the monthly Zoom call with my Crafty Friends. :)  We tried out a few more sponging techniques that everyone seemed to enjoy.  These are just two of the card samples I made for the call.

Starting with a technique from a recent Kristina Werner video.  Not sure what she calls this, but I would say it's like a sponging bleed through a stencil.  I have enjoyed trying bleeds from watercolouring, and this is similar in look.

Used a beautiful stencil (Festive from Tim Holtz), along with my blender brushes to add different colours of distress ink over the stencil (Peeled Paint, Mowed Lawn, Forrest Green, Rustic Wilderness, Gathered Twigs, Chipped Sapphire).  With using the really small brushes to get into tight spaces, I didn't have to do any masking - bonus!

Removed stencil and then used the blender brushes to add a very soft "haze" over each of the stenciled images in the same colour ink.  This blending fills in most of the white space and softens the overall look.  LOVE IT!

Close-up ...

Added a few extra details such as white paint pen to add snow to the pinecones, holly, and leaves, crystal glaze to the berries; stamped the sentiment (Big Scripty Greetings Holiday - Simon Says Stamp) in Chipped Sapphire ink, heat embossing in clear.  I thought it didn't stand out enough, so used the small tip of the crystal glaze to draw over the sentiment.  To finish, I splattered "falling snow" using diluted white acrylic paint.

Entering this card into February's Merry Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes.

Here's the second card I made ... can you tell I'm still happy to be making Christmas cards??!! :)

I'm really happy with how this turned out as well.  Used a stencil from Kaisercraft (Poinsettia), and the same technique as above.  Used a silver metallic pen to add dots to the centers of the poinsettias, and pencils to add veins to the poinsettias and holly.  Just adding little details makes a big difference.  I die-cut "noel" (from Memory Box - retired) from black card stock four times and layered them together with glue.  I covered the stack with Versamark and heat embossed with UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel) three times to get this beautiful, glossy finish.

Close-up ...

Thanks for stopping by to take a look.  I hope to post more sample cards soon, as well as the cards I made yesterday.

Stamps:  Big Scripty Greetings Holiday (Simon Says Stamp)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Night of Navy card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Peeled Paint, Mowed Lawn, Forrest Green, Rustic Wilderness, Gathered Twigs, Chipped Sapphire (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Festive stencil (Tim Holtz); blending brushes, Posca white acrylic paint pen, Crystal Glaze (Nuvo), clear embossing powder, heat tool

Stamps:  None

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Fired Brick, Peeled Paint, Shabby Shutters (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories: Poinsettia stencil (Kaisercraft); blending brushes, silver metallic pen (Pilot), watercolour pencils (Derwent), Noel die (Memory Box), UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel), heat tool  

Challenges:

Merry Little Christmas - February Anything Christmas Goes

Twofer #35 Challenge

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing two balloon cards for the Twofer #35 Challenge.  This is my first time making slimline cards and I had fun with more room to play on the card, but photographing them is difficult.

Remember to create ...

Today I'm using a balloon stencil (Big Balloon Stencil - My Favorite Things).  I created my happy birthday card by sponging six balloons in the colours of the rainbow, overlapping them slightly.  The die-cut Happy Birthday is from Memory Box.

Close-up ...

For my Baby card, I used just one balloon.  Started by sponging a plaid background (Plaid Layering Stencil - Tim Holtz).  I sponged my one balloon first with picked rasberry ink (which was used for the plaid background as well, and then shaded with Seedless Preserves.  These colours work well together - who knew??!! :)  The sentiment is also from AliExpress.

Close-up ...

Since this is the first time inking up the plaid stencil, I'm sending this card over to the NBUS Challenge #23.

I hope you'll come join in this very fun challenge!

Card #1 - Happy Birthday Balloons

Stamps:  Scripty Words (AliExpress)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Broken China, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Big Balloon Stencil (My Favorite Things); blending brushes, black fine marker, Happy Birthday die (Memory Box)

Card #2 - New Baby

Stamps:  Scripty Words (AliExpress)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserves (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories:  Plaid stencil (Tim Holtz); blending brushes, Big Balloon stencil (My Favorite Things), black fine marker

Challenges:

Twofer Challenge #35 - Balloons

NBUS Challenge #23