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Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Brick Wall Doodle Technique

One of our LOVE FEST challenges on splitcoast asked us to doodle on our cards. I decided to use a Zentangle technique to make a brick wall. Here's the final card.
Here are step by step photos of the doodled brick technique. You start with evenly spaced horizontal lines. I staggered mine (I ended up adding one more layer of bricks on top later).

Step 2 is to add the staggered vertical lines. Don't worry about making them too straight as you want them to look like irregular bricks or stones.

Step 3 is to go back with your pen and round each corner adding the grout. I also go over each "brick" to make the "grout" between the two horizontal layers as well.
Last step is to use small dots to add texture. I then stamped my foliage in white craft ink then used watercolor pencils to add the color to them. I crumpled my panel for some more texture and tore the edges of the panel and distressed the edges of the framing. 
I also doodled on the flower adding white dots to the center and black dots along the petals after snipping each petal of the scallop circle. I distressed my notched banners.
Stamps: Vintage Vogue, Circle of Friendship Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Basic Black, Riding Hood Red, Confetti White, Pacific Point, Pear Pizzazz Paper Size: A2 Ink: Whisper White Craft, Basic Black Accessories: Hexagon, 3/4" square, 1"circle and Scallop Circle Punches, Black Marker, Piercing Tool, Watercolor Pencils, Gingham Ribbon Techniques: Zentangle, Crumpling, Tearing, Doodling, Paper Flower, Black Magic
Read more:    http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/2490513#ixzz2uU7W1MYB

Sketched Masculine Duo

     I made two masculine cards for this week's sketch challenge.  We have a really nice sketch from Janette this week.
    The first card I made is for my DH who is a pastor. It can sure get rough sometimes and I wanted to encourage him. I went with a Scripture verse from Verve. I used both woodgrain dp and an embossed woodgrain. I used a sand dollar for my circle piece with a burlap piece behind it. Lots of spatter from Gorgeous Grunge spread around as well as some sponging and scoring around the edges of my sentiment square and frame.

Stamps: Nature's Wonders, Gorgeous Grunge, Verve-PJ011 Ps 51:10 Paper: Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Soho Subway, Natural Ivory, Confetti White Paper Size: A2 Ink: Soft Suede, Versafine Smokey Slate, Early Espresso Accessories: Scoring Board, Sponge, Tim Holtz Woodgrain ef, burlap Techniques: Dry Embossing, Scoring, Sponging Read more:      http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/2490043#ixzz2uOHStXUz
     I stuck with a masculine, earthy feel to my second card as well.
Lots of distressed edges with sponging as well as a woodgrain piece. My sentiment is embossed and then the panel was torn and a faux burnt edge added. This is really simple to do: tear your edge then sponge with a lighter brown (Soft Suede) add a darker brown (Chocolate Chip) then finally your darkest brown or a black (Basic Black) Make sure you not only sponge along the edge while it is laying flat, but also pick up the piece to sponge perpendicular to the torn piece for the best effect.
Stamps: Stampendous-Blessing Paper: Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Recollections-Ferns Paper Size: A2 Ink: Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip, Basic Black, Versamark Accessories: Cutter Kit Distressing Tool, Sponge, Distressed Texturz Plate, Burlap, Twine, Tim Holtz Button, 1/2" circle punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Early Espresso ep Techniques: Distressing, Sponging, Faux Burnt Edge, Dry Embossing

Read more: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/2490042#ixzz2uOIxLFxF

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Tent Topper Twice


Today's sketch from Ally aka thecircleguru was perfect for me to try out the tent topper tutorial from splitcoaststampers. 

For the first I sponged in my floral frame die and stamped my images on the topper element.
The dragonflies have Dazzling Details Silver Sparkle added to them and I layered punched silver glimmer and turquoise papers for my smaller circle element. 
I am loving the SU Chalk Marker which I used for the heart around the feet as well as the dots around the edges of the circle. I had seen a fun Pinterest idea for making a scalloped edge and used that for the trim around my topper piece on my second card.
Here are the tools-edge punch, crimper, scissors, sticky strip or other strong adhesive

Run the punched strip through the crimper (my strip is ~3/4" wide)

Use the scissors to snip part way up the strip. This will make it easier to fit it around the curved edges of your circle.

This is the back side of my panel with an oops (my demo always said that's why paper has two sides!). I put the sticky strip along the edges then adhered the crimped strip.

Overlap the end being sure to line up the holes in the design.

Here's the completed piece

Because this is a topper and the back will show, I diecut another circle to glue over the trim. I rolled the woodgrain design on because there were some white ink smudges (guess I'd forgotten to clean my wheel as there is definitely some grey mixed in there). I added the sticky strip to the lower part that will be sticking to the card base.

You can lay your base down on your score board or grid paper with the bottom at the 5 1/2" mark. Then you adhere your topper so that the top is just below the edge of your score board.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Triple Stamped Sympathy

     This is my card for this week's sketch challenge. I thought the sketch would work great for a triple stamped card and I wanted to try out these colors after seeing this pretty card by girlgeek101.  Here's the sketch Janette gave us.
    
 Sorry, I forgot to take my camera down when I started so I don't have the initial stage, but here are the layers. I used temporary glue dots to hold them in place when I stamped. I stamped in Versamark then embossed with clear ep.  There will be a slight gap along each edge, but it will get covered up so don't worry! I colored with my SU markers including the Stampin' Chalk marker which is SOOOO much easier than a gel pen!

I've laid the pieces back down so you can see how they will fit together.

     Here are the image layers reassembled with their Soft Suede framing in place (each frame is 1/8" larger than the image piece), I sponged the edges with Soft Suede before assembling.
     Here's the final product. I had to stamp my sentiment separately and punch it and layer it on because I didn't leave enough room for it on my center square.
Stamps: Bordering On Romance, Petite Pairs Paper: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede Paper Size: 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 Ink: Versamark, Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip Accessories: Clear ep, Markers: Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip, Stampin' Chalk, Sponge, Thread, Glue Dot, Stampin' Dimensional, Oval Punch  Techniques: Triple Stamping, Sponging, Embossing

Read more: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/2484102#ixzz2t4tePnfn

     Hope you'll join along and make a card with this fun sketch!

Monday, February 3, 2014

Turning a card into a One Layer Card


     I am playing along with two challenges in one here. The first is a technique challenge to make a one layer card that looks like it has more than one layer. The other is to CASE a card from stamperrobin's gallery. I chose this beautiful Christmas card that had 3 layers as well as some die cut accents and a bow. 
Pine by Stamperrobin
I started out by punching a rectangle out of a large sticky note. After laying it down to see the space, I stamped my pine cones (mine are smaller with a lot less detail)



I cut sticky note masks and laid them over my pine cones.

I laid my rectangle reverse mask over this and sponged Soft Sky and Smoky Slate around.
I inked up my pine boughs with Always Artichoke then added Chocolate Chip along the stem & thumped some more Artichoke  around on the needles.
 I  stamped the boughs over the masked areas.
 I used a chalkboard marker to dot on some snow.
 So here's my first "layer"
 I trimmed the edges of my mask and laid a couple smaller sticky notes in the middle to cover my open area. I inked up my brayer and added Artichoke then Garden Green.
I went back with a sponge and filled in the outer "layer" a bit more. I'm ready to use my marker and ruler to define the edges of my "layers" I ended up using the brush side of the marker.
I wanted the sentiment to fit in the corner so I inked up the second word and stamped it first. Then I used my stampamajig to line up the second word over the top. 
I can't stand to waste ink, so I have brayered some rolling hills on the bottom of another sheet of card stock to start another card later.
Here's my final card with a bow added in the corner with a glue dot. In retrospect, I wish I'd gone with some warmer tones in the green, but I'm pleased with the layered look I was able to achieve. 
Stamps: Peaceful Wishes, Come to Bethlehem Paper: Natural Whit ePaper Size: A2 Ink: Always Artichoke, Garden Green, Soft Sky, Smoky Slate, Chocolate Chip, Early Espresso Accessories: Markers, Sponge, Ruler, Chalkboard Marker, Always Artichoke Seam Binding, Glue Dot, Stampamajig Techniques: Masking, Doodled Frame, Sponging, Thumping, Rock n roll Read more:
 http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/2480659#ixzz2sKA6Vhh3
Here's another one layer card I made this morning. Lots of layered stamping and sponging on this one along with some pencil shading.
Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge, Tim Holtz Life's Possibilities Paper: Neutrals Patterns Pack dp, white base
Paper Size: A2 Ink: Smoky Slate, Basic Grey, Island Indigo, Soft Sky, Midnight Muse, MS Petal chalk inks Accessories: Sponge, Dry Wall Mesh Tape, Pencil, Markers Techniques: One Layer Card, Crumpling, Sponging, Stenciling, Stamping Off, Masking   Read more:   http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/2480422#ixzz2sKB0D4K6