Hi friends
I hope you all enjoyed the festivity during the Holidays. We are feeling so much better it is nice to feel back to our normal selves again. Our normal LOL. Thank you for all the Best Wishes into the New Year. I hope it is one that makes all your goals reality and also continue in a creative mind while crafting. I know I am planning on making more cards myself. Being so far away from home, the ideas don't seem to flow as easily and I wish I knew why. But nevertheless it is fun trying so I won't question it anymore. Living in the moment is a good motto.
So today I thought since I have many more cards to share that I had made before our trip back home I will add another one for you to enjoy and will add info on it so you all know what went into the card.
This card was so much fun to make. I was inspired by a card I saw online but can't remember who it was from unfortunately. I kept the image in my mind until I was able to sit down and give it a try. I was pleased with the results and how easy it actually was to achieve this look.
You need watercolor paper for the whole project. Ink Pads, I used the Distress inks from Tim Holtz it works magic for this type of project. I cut out the size I needed for my image a rectangle in this case. I wanted to create a sunset background which is what you need to start with. Your image will be stamped on your work after the background is how you want it to look like. But for the colors I started from the bottom and added some of my subtle greens, and with a sponge dabber I was rubbing it into the paper. Added some darker green until I liked the look of it. Then I moved on to the middle part which was chocolate or brown and added some never in a straight line, nature is never straight! Then I went on with my orange. I started with some yellow and added the orange on top of it. Once I decided I had enough color I spritzed it with water on a paper towel. It will warp your image but not to worry, once it is dry if it isn't as straight as you want it to be, just iron it flat making sure the colored side is facing down onto a paper towel though.
Next step is to stamp your image directly onto your rectangle paper once it has been dried that is. Wait for about a minute. My ink I used for the stamp was Memento Tuxedo black it will not run on your background.
Then for the last few steps. You need to use embossing ink and apply the ink all over the image making sure all areas are covered. On a scratch piece of paper folded in half and opened up again. Add some transparent embossing powder (UT (Ultra Thick) is fine or you can use Stampendous Deep Impression (transparent)) Then with your heat gun emboss your whole image making sure it sits well facing you while embossing. You will repeat this process for 3 coats total or unless you prefer an additional one, it is fine. But I thought mine was good at 3 coats. Then I threw my image in the freezer for about 4 minutes. Once I removed my image I twisted it gently to make the embossing crack and give it a crackled look. If you wish you can run an inked sponge over your cracked areas, to accentuate and give it a more distressed look and wipe out the image after you are done to remove excess ink. Cut out the top and bottom of the image add a gold cord around your image, adhere it to your card and voila!
I hope you can give this a try if you are new to this technique but I had done this over 7 years ago and it was really fun to revisit my old favorite techniques again.
Cardmaking is fun when you are experimenting with different techniques. I find a lot of cards online have gone overboard with flowers and things that makes a card look more like a toy (too busy). I like pretty but I also like conventional, elegant, and Vintage myself. Most of my cards always have to be mailed anyway so if they are flat there are less risks to have your work destroyed in the machines and also will cost you less to mail out so it is all good. But we all have a style or two that we love and that is what matters.
While with my friends in California a few weeks ago, I cannot quote the newspaper article that they were referring to while telling me this, but the story was of a woman writing to the newspaper, she was complaining about receiving a handmade card for Christmas, she was insulted. She sent the article saying that she will send her more money next year, so she can afford to buy a real card next time. Wow. I'd say, with the kind of spirit she is in, she is lucky to even get any cards! She has no idea how much business she is aiming at while being so critical of this art/craft we all so enjoy! I hope you can reply to this article Gloria. Go for it!
Well, my friends that is it for today, it's a wrap for now.
I will try and send you another quickie tomorrow. In the meantime enjoy your day and please continue to send comments you make my posting a lot more fun to see that you are coming by to see what's posted every day. I love it! Thank you if you do!
Nicole :)