Textured Backgrounds using Die-cuts - Group of Seven

Hi everyone.   It's the start of a new technique at Group of Seven.  This time we are using die-cuts  to add texture to backgrounds.  Basically, it gives a faux dry embossed look.  It's a great way to stretch the use of your dies.

Please check out the details for the Textured Backgrounds using Die-cuts technique and link to videos on the blog ...

For the card above I used some older dies that I haven't used for a while.  I started with die-cutting Fresh Foliage from Smoky Slate card stock three times.  I arranged the sprigs onto another piece of the same colour of card stock.  I adhered the pieces with glue and set aside.

Black card stock was adhere to my Honeycomb stencil (Penny Black).  I sponged over top with Hickory Smoke Distress Oxide inks, removed the stencil and let dry.  A panel was added to the left side of the textured background and the used leftovers for the inside of the card.

The Framed Fern (Penny Black) was die-cut from black card stock three times and adhered together to get a thicker die-cut.  To finish, a heat embossed sentiment (Essential Sentiments - Maker's Movement) was adhered.  I glued the framed fern on top and popped up the whole panel with foam.

And one more ...

For this next card, I used a textured leaf die (Delicate Leafy Branch - Simon Says Stamp), which adds even more texture to the background.  The Floral Stem Collage (Poppy Stamps) was cut from mixed media paper, watercoloured with Distress Inks and popped over top.  A simple sentiment (A Little Sentimenal - Clearly Besotted) was stamped to finish.

The tone-on-tone of the background and adhered die-cuts adds a lovely texture, depth, and interest without overpowering the main design.  This is a really easy and straighforward technique that is fun to do. :)

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Latest photo of Jessie.

She is enjoying a lazy afternoon.  Life is good! :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Card #1:

Stamps:  Essential Sentiments (Maker's Movement - closed)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Smoky Slate card stock (SU!); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Hickory Smoke Distress Oxide (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories:   Fresh Foliage die (Memory Box); Honeycomb Stencil (Penny Black), Framed Fern die (Penny Black), sponge, white embossing powder, heat tool

Card #2:

Stamps:  A Little Sentimental (Clearly Besotted - Retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); 
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Salvaged Patina, Shabby Shutters, Saltwater Taffy, Abandoned Coral (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Delicate Leafy Branch (Simon Says Stamp), Floral Stem Collage (Poppy Stamps), watercolour paint brushes

Challenges:

Group of Seven - Textured Backgrounds using Die-cuts

Bearnaments - Part 2

Hi everyone.  I'm back with the second sweet bear on a bauble image from Penny Black (Bearnaments).  The first image is posted HERE. :)

This time I kept the design CAS, adding a simple layered frame from Penny Black (Whirl).  The image was watercoloured on mixed media paper using Distress Inks, then die-cut using the matching die (Bearnaments Cut Out).  I used a silver metallic pen to go over the snowflakes on the ornament.  A sweet sentiment, from the same stamp set, finishes the card.

Close-up ...

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

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Bearnaments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Distress Inks:  Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Salty Ocean (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Watercolour brushes, Bearnaments Cut Out (Penny Black), Whirl Frame (Penny Black), silver metallic pen (Pilot), red chalk, diluted white gouache paint for splattering

Challenges:

Rudolph Days November Challenge

Bearnaments

Hi everyone.  Today I'm using a new stamp set (Bearnaments - Penny Black).  This has two adorable bears hanging off Christmas ornaments.  I've just used the one so far ... you'll be seeing another soon. :)

I stamped in Versafine Claire Nocturne ink and heat set before watercolouring with Distress Inks.  I used a metallic silver pen (Pilot) to fill in the snowflakes on the bauble ... and to colour the hanger at the top; then splattered diluted white acrylic paint for snow.  I used the matching die (Bearnaments Cut Out - Penny Black) to cut out the image and popped it up over top of a snowflake dry embossed background (Snowflakes - Cuttlebug).  I used one of the newest frames from Penny Black (Whirl), cutting it twice and layering for added depth.  To finish, I stamped the sentiment (from the same stamp set as the bear), onto a white sentiment banner and popped it up inside the frame.

Close-up ...

This was a fun image that is easy to colour.  I enjoyed layering it up to add lots of texture. :)

Sending the above card to the following challenges:

1)  Darnell's IDEAS November Challenge - Embossing

2)  NBUS Challenge #68

3)  Can You Handle the Pressure? Nov. 9th

4)  Peace on Earth Challenge #76 - Anything Christmas Goes

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Bearnaments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Versafine Clair Nocturne; Distress Inks:  Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Mowed Lawn, Evergreen Bough, Pine Needles (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Watercolour paint brushes, Silver Metallic pen (Pilot), Bearnament Cut Out (Penny Black); Snowflake EF (Cuttlebug), Whirl Frame (Penny Black)

Challenges:

IDEAS November Challenge - Embossing

NBUS Challenge #68 

Peace on Earth Challenge #76 - Anything Christmas Goes

Can You Handle the Pressure? Nov. 9th

More Glitter Painting for Gof7

Hi everyone.  Another card for October's Group of Seven technique - Glitter Painting on Acetate.

Unfortunately, it's very difficult to photograph cards that use acetate because the light bounces off and reflects.  The only way is to make the card fairly dark ... and that's what I did, but I lost the sparkly goodness of the glitter that's added to the back of the images. :(  Trust me, in real life, the card has sparkle! :)

All in all, I'm happy with my finished cards, but did not enjoy working with loose glitter.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Floral Holiday Trio (Magenta); Snowglobe Sentiments (MTF - retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Acetate
Ink:   Versamark; Candied Apple Distress Ink for sentiment
Accessories:   Liquid Platinum embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, glitter in different colours, glue

Challenges:

Group of Seven - Glitter Painting on Acetate 

Joyful Bears

Hi everyone.  It's just about time to get my Christimas cards into the mail.  I still need to make about a dozen, so you will see more Christmas cards in the short term. :)

I have this adorable card using the Scarved Sweeties (Penny Black), inside of the Posted stamp, which is stamped in Archival light gray ink.  I stamped the Sweeties in black pigment ink before heat setting and then watercoloured with Distress inks.  I used the matching die to cut out the image (Posted Cut Out).  The background is an oldie, but goodie ... embossing folder from Cuttlebug.  I think it might be one of the very first embossing folders I bought over 25 years ago. :)  I popped the postage stamp image over top and added a red die-cut "Joy" from AliExpress.

Close-up ...

These images are so fun to watercolour and the cutie bears keep me smiling the whole time.  I added some pink cheeks and then splattered the image with diluted white paint to finish.

Sending this card to the following challenges:

1) Darnell's IDEAS Nov. Challenge - Inks

2) Merry Little Christmas Challenge #59 - Anything Christmas Goes

3) Penny Black Saturday Challenge - November - Optional: Make a Scene

  

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Scarved Sweeties (Penny Black); Posted (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Real Red card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Black Pigment (Nocturne - Versafine Clair); Shadow Grey (Archival); Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Salvaged Patina, Hickory Smoke (Tim Holtz)  
Accessories:   Heat Tool, Posted Cut Out (Penny Black), Snowflake embossing folder (Cuttlebug), watercolour paint brushes, diluted white acrylic paint for splattering, Joy die (AliExpres)

Challenges:

IDEAS Challenge Nov. - Inks

MLCC #59 - Anything Christmas Goes

PBSC - November

Glitter Painting - Group of Seven

Hi everyone.  

Please check out the details for the Glitter Painting Techniques and link to videos on the blog ...

Group of Seven Cardmakers

You will see gorgeous sample cards by the group members.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make a card in time for the start of this month's technique.  I'm not really settled in my studio since our last move, and the piles were getting higher and higher.  Before one of the piles fell on top of me and hubby had to launch a search party ... I pulled everything out of the room and have just finished (mostly) putting it back.:)  Hopefully I will spend less time looking for things and more time creating. :)

This is my first card since getting set up.  This is a fun technique that is a bit messy, but I had a scratch sheet of paper to catch the glitter poured over my image and used it to quickly put the leftovers back into the containers.  I also used my large Surface Sweep brush (Tonic) to keep things tidy.  It helped.

I'm sharing a card made with the technique that uses die-cuts.  I followed the instructions, but next time I'll layer two dies before adding glue and glitter to give it more depth for adding glue.  Then add a third die-cut over top to finish the card.  I would like to try this using a different background.  You don't need to use acetate with this technique.  Coloured card stock would look good too, along with other substrates.  This should minimize the stray glitter that gets stuck to acetate, which seems to have it's own static cling!

This card uses the lovely Hibiscus Frame die (SSS).  I used spring green and dark purple glitter, which is so pretty together.  The sentiment is Endless Birthday Wishes (SU - retired)  I love the font on this and will always keep the set.

Sending this card to the Seize the Birthday #294 - Anything Birthday Goes

This has been fun.  And a great way to use glitter that has been sitting around for a long time.  Hope you'll try out one of the techniques (or both!) and add your card to our gallery.  We'd love to see you there.

Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps:  Enless Birthday Wishes (SU - retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Wilted Violet Distress Ink (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Acetate, Hibiscus Frame die (Simon Says Stamp), Mono Tombow glue, glitter, Paint brush to brush away stray glitter

Challenges:

Group of Seven - Glitter Painting

Seize the Birthday #294 - Anything Birthday Goes