Creative Heat Embossed Backgrounds - Group of Seven

Hi everyone.  Today our Zoom group is sharing cards from a recent zoom session on Creative Heat Embossed Backgrounds, which was led by me. :)  

Group of Seven Cardmakers blog

Please check out the link above for technique supplies and instructions, as well as photos of all the cards the group has made with this technique.  There are also links to each member's blog to read how they made their cards using this fun technique!

For the technique, basically heat emboss powders randomly on a piece of card stock to create beautiful and unique backgrounds.  The possibilities are endless as there are so many amazing embossing powders available.

Sharing two ways that worked for me to add versamark ink randomly to card stock.

First, scrunch a piece of cling wrap and dip it in versamark ink, pounce onto scrap paper or paper towel to remove excess ink to avoid blobs of ink.  Then pounce (very lightly) to add ink to the card stock before sprinkling with embossing powders and heat setting.

My card above uses three colours of embossing powders for the background: Garden Patina, Black Sparkle, Kaleidoscope (iridescent).  I die-cut a deer/tree image from black card stock and adhered it to the background.  I popped the panel up with foam and stamped a simple sentiment in black ink (Christmas Sentiments - Penny Black).

Close-up ... this really shows the irridescent colours mixed with turquoise and black.

Second, add random heat embossing using a griddle.  I placed a piece of parchment paper down to protect the surface of the griddle, placed card front on top and sprinkled a mix of embossing powders over top.  Turn on the heat to low and wait for the embossing powders to melt (doesn't take long).  Remove the parchment paper and card stock to cool.  Works like a charm.  The powders don't move from where you've placed them. :)

These cards below were made using the griddle to melt Metallic Frantage powders ...

Sending the card above to Just Us Girls #664 - CAS Birthday.  YAY!

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Card #1:

Stamps:  Christmas Sentiments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Versamark Re-inker
Accessories:   Cling Wrap, Embossing Powders:  Garden Patina, Black Sparkle (both from Ranger); and Kaleidoscope (Stampendous - retired), heat tool, Deer and Tree die (AliExpress)

Card #2 & 3:

Stamps:  Birthday Blowout (Poppy Stamps - retired); Happy Messages (Stampendous - retired)

Paper:  White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)

Ink:  Versamark (for sentiments)

Accessories:  Metallic Frantage Powders (Stampendous), griddle, Copper embossing powder (Ranger),  Meadow Branch die (Memory Box - retired); Leaf Sprig die (AliExpress), Circle and Oval dies (Spellbinders - retired)

Challenges:

Group of Seven - January - Creative Heat Embossed Backgrounds

Just Us Girls #664 - CAS Birthday

Peace, Love and Joy

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a Christmas card done with Stenciling Gesso and then sponging ink over top to create a soft, dreamy background (video by Eileen Godwin).  I have done this technique before ... click HERE or HERE. :)  

I used the beautiful Festive stencil from Tim Holtz, pouncing over top with a finger dauber sponge that had been dipped in a little gesso.  You need so little gesso for this technique.  It acts as a resist and once you sponge over top, the design appears.  I sponged with Salvaged Patina and Mowed Lawn for the background colours.  

The deer (Inspired - Penny Black) is die-cut from black card stock and I used the same to add a frame on two sides of my main panel before popping it up on foam to add dimension.  The sentiment (Christmas Sentiments - Penny Black) is stamped in black ink to finish.

Close-up ...

I'm sending this card over to the Rudolph Days January Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes.

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Stamps:  Christmas Sentiments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Salvaged Patina, Mowed Lawn; Black (Memento)
Accessories:   Festive stencil, gesso, finger dauber, sponge brushes, Inspired die (Penny Black)

Challenges:

Rudolph Days January Challenge 

Together

Hi everyone.

A few days ago, I posted a card using Mica Powder stenciling onto black card.  I set the mica powders using Sticky embossing powder (Ranger) and it worked really well.  Then my friend Susan suggested that the same sticky powder might work with gilding flakes.  I had to give it a try.

It worked so well!  No mess and fussing with glue.  I added Versamark to my image (Together - Penny Black), stamped onto black card stock, sprinkled Sticky powder over top and then heat set.  I pressed some gilding flakes into the image and burnished using Rub-it Scrub-it pad (Ranger).  I briefly reheated to set everything.

I used Cosmos Gilding Flakes - Persian Dawn.  The sentiment (Smiles - Penny Black) is heat embossed with Princess Gold embossing powder to finished the card.

Close-up ...

I'm sending this card over to the Penny Black Saturday January Challenge - Anything Goes Penny Black.

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Stamps:  Together, Smiles (both Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Versamark
Accessories:   Sticky Powder (Ranger), heat tool; Persian Dawn gilding flakes (Cosmos), Rub-it Scrub-it Pad (Ranger), Princess Gold embossing powder

Challenges:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - January 2023

Mica Powders on Black

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a card I made using Sticky powder to adhere mica powders through a stencil onto black card stock.

I'm really happy with how this turned out, but taking a good photo has been hard.  The colours are more subtle than this, and the flowers are a mix of blue and purple ... oh well. :)

Sending the above card to Stencil Fun January Challenge.

And also to Seize the Birthday Challenge #253 ... no topping today. :)

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Stamps:  Cosmos (Technique Tuesday - retired)

Paper:   White card base (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Versamark
Accessories:  Fading Florals Stencil (Simon Says Stamp); Sticky powder (Ranger); heat tool; Pearl-Ex Mica Powders (spring green, interference violet, turquoise), powder brush, white embossing powder, white acrylic paint pen (Posca)
Challenges:

Stencil Fun January Challenge

Seize the Birthday Challenge #253

Pink and Gold

Hi everyone.  Today's card was made for the Color Hues Challenge #55 - Light Pink and Gold.  I do love pink ... :)

I smooshed the background panel with a mix of Worn Lipstick distress ink and Delicate Gold ink.  I used gold foil card stock to die-cut the sweet pot of hearts,  Plant Our Love from Penny Black.  To finish, I added a white sentiment banner at the bottom, heat embossed in gold with Smile from the Stampendous Spring Sentiment set.  The panel is popped up to add some dimension.

This was a quick and easy card to make, although it took me a while to figure out what die to use with the background. :)

Here's a close-up ...

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Stamps:  Spring Sentiments (Stampendous)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); Gold Foil card stock (Tonic)
Ink:   Worn Lipstick distress Ink; Versamark
Accessories:   water mister, Plant our Love die (Penny Black), gold embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool

Challenges:

Color Hues Challenge #55 - Light Pink and Gold

Patterned Paper Christmas Cards

Hi everyone.  I know ... we just finished celebrating Christmas from last year. :)  But, I make over 100 Christmas cards every year, so I wanted to get started right away.  I actually made these late last year and sharing them now. :)

I was inspired by a dear friend (Leslie - Running with Scissors) to create some cards using patterned paper.  Click on the link above to Leslie's post with her beautiful cards using patterned paper.

All of us have patterned paper hanging about.  I'm more of a collector than someone who uses it. :)  Leslie's inspiration prompted me to make a few cards using patterned paper with simple embellishments to create beautiful cards.  These cards let the patterned paper do most of the heavy lifting.  I hope you enjoy what I've made and it inspires you to pull out those neglected Christmas papers.

These papers were gifted to me several years ago from a dear friend ... they are retired from Stampin' Up!  Aren't they gorgeous??!!  I'm happy to finally put them to good use. :) 

Sending the card above to Merry Little Christmas Challenge #48 - Anything Christmas Goes ...

Inside of card ... just adding a small strip of the patterned paper makes it special. :)

Two more cards using the same patterned paper with different layout and design ...

I hope to make many more cards using my patterned paper in new ways.  You'll be seeing more ...

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Stamps:  Merry Christmas (retired - SU!); Christmas Sentiments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Patterned Paper (retired from SU!)
Ink:   Delicata Gold (Tsukineko); Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Candied Apple, Fired Brick (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Layered Poinsettia die (Penny Black); Peace die (unknown); Berry Branch die (Penny Black); Joy die (unknown)

Challenges:

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #48

Huge Thanks

Hi everyone.  A quick card using one of my new sets from Pinkfresh Studio.  Have to be honest.  I started by heat embossing the matching image.  It didn't go well.  The etching of the stamp image is very light and shallow.  It took me several tries of restamping and heat embossing to get the whole image embossed.  And by then, it was very noticable that some areas where thick and some thin.  I do like the stencils and will definitely get good use from them, but not a fan of their stamps so probably won't be buying more.  For this image, there are 5 layering stencils, but I only used four. :)

Not only is this a NBUS stencil, but I also used my Saltwater Taffy distress ink for the first time.  LOVE the colour!  So I'm sending this card over to NBUS Challenge #46 (second entry).  :)

And, I'm going to send this to the card to the January Stencil Fun Challenge.  I didn't use the option of Winter this time. :)

* * * * *

New Adventure!

During Covid, a group of cardmaking friends zoomed (yes, it's a verb now!) monthly.

We tried out new or revisited old techniques and shared our makes and

advice on our own blogs.

Fast forward to 2023 ...

We are continuing to meet monthly via Zoom and

we will be sharing our advice on techniques and products on a common blog.

It will be a great reference for our group and for any of those

looking for ideas for techniques or products to try.

Group of Seven Cardmakers

We hope you'll check out our new blog to see what we are all about.

Then come join us monthly for our take on techniques.

* * * * *

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Thank you.

Stamps:  Bloom Bunch (Pinkfresh Studio)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Saltwater Taffy (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Cosmos bunch stencils (Pinkfresh Studio), sponges

Challenges:

NBUS Challenge #46 (second entry)

Stencil Fun Challenge - January 2023

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!!

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and creative 2023!

Starting off the year with a quick and easy card using some new toys I received at Christmas! :)

Sending this card over to NBUS Challenge #46.  Thanks Dolly!

* * * * *

And you may have noticed that I've updated my blog design.  This was a fun project I did for myself between Christmas and New Year's. :)

As some of you know ... pink is my favourite colour, with orange a close second.  I found this image last year and have been holding on to it until today.  I love flowers, especialy in these colours. :)

* * * * *

And finishing off this post, a Merry Christmas photo of Jessie and Violeta by Alex!

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Stamps:  Blooming Branch (PinkFresh Studio); Heartfelt sentiments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); Old Olive card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Picked Raspberry, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Mustard Seed (Tim Holtz)  
Accessories:  Silver embossing powder, heat tool, watercolour paint brushes, white embossing powder 

Challenges:

NBUS Challenge #46