Sunday, August 3, 2025

Foxes & Wild Buck Foundation by Karen Day

 Hello Ai Watercolour fans!


Since fall is such a short season for card makers... now that it's August, I'm sharing my first fall cards!  This is the 6067 - Wild Buck Foundation.


I coloured the image with Tombows #969/565 and stamped it onto my Canson XL Watercolour Paper.  After pulling out the colour with a damp brush, I started by adding a wash of #493 to the water and sky, and adding shades of #969/899 to the tree.  I used the warm brown #947 to start adding layers of colour to the deer, keeping it lighter on his back and under his belly.  Now that my main elements were defined by at least a first layer of colour - I found it easier to plan the rest of my painting.  I used #991/126/177 to paint the grassy hill areas, wanting them to look a little faded/dry like they would in the fall.  I wanted my cabin to look like cedar shakes, so I painted it with #N49, and used 969 to give it wood trim.  I used a pencil to sketch in the suggestion of the shakes.  #837 was painted on the roof, and the windows were shaded with #565.  The rocks were painted with #N49, and hints of the browns used in the scene.  #899 was used for the deer's antlers, and to add some darker areas on his legs.


I used the small twig cluster stamp from 5059 - WC Harvest Set to stamp in the shrubs around the cabin and rocks.  Then with the foliage stamp from 5372 - WC Mini Foliage, I added the leaves in #993 and 837.  The small grass from Foliage Set - 4051 was stamped in #992 to add dry looking grass to the scene.  One of the trees from 5010 - WC Tree Set 1 was stamped to add a pine tree beside the cabin in #247.  To finish things up, I used #565 to paint the edges of the stream, and to add shadows where needed - especially on the mountains, rocks and the darker sides of the cabin.


I die cut my scene with the A2 Stitched Rectangle dies, and used 3D foam adhesive to adhere it over a brown mat, onto my subtle plaid paper from 5606 - Harvest Journal PP.  I wrapped some plain twine around the card base several times.

My second project features the KH5951 - Foxes Set.


I stamped the fox and stump from the set in #N49 onto my Canson XL Watercolour paper, masking the fox so that the stump would appear to be behind him.  I painted shades of #947 on the fox, along with N47 on his paws.  Using several browns - #992/969/899, I painted streaks of colour on the stump.  Masking both the stump and the fox, I used both ferns from 5830 - WC Mini Wreath Set coloured in three colours - #076/126/373 which gave them an interesting appearance!  The two leafy stems from 5476 - WC Foliage Set 5 were also added, being coloured up in #373/565.  The Daisy Bunch stamp from 4052 - Flower set were stamped repeatedly in #991/703 to add some two-toned flowers along the ground. 


 After touching everything with a damp brush to pull out the colour, I added the small grass from 4051 - Foliage set in #126, then did a wash with it on the ground.  #565 was painted in as the sky, and used to add shadows under the fox and stump.


My scene was die cut with the Stitched Oval die, and added to my base with a brown mat.  The background paper is from 5973 - Fall S2 PP.  For a little extra decoration, I added multi colour die cut pieces from Spellbinders Holiday Blooms, a wax seal and a few gems.  Hope you'll pull out those fall sets and get painting!


Saturday, August 2, 2025

ILYSM! Applying a Cultural Trend to Cardmaking by Janet


Have you noticed the "ILYSM" acronym popping up lately? It stands for "I Love You So Much," and I think using it is such a sweet, modern take on a love-themed card. So, for today's post, I'm sharing my interpretation of this trend! As a bonus, this card also fits perfectly with our current "Stitches and Scallops" challenge, thanks to a lovely rounded corner die that imprints a polished stitched border.

I started by cutting a 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" piece of smooth white cardstock. To create an elegant gold floral border, I used stamps from the 6061 - Tulip Floral Set for the corner iris and tulip bunches, filling in between with smaller clusters from the 6055 - Water of Life Set. I stamped these with VersaMark ink, sprinkled on gold embossing powder, and then heat-set them for a beautiful, raised effect.

Next, I created a lovely pink gradient on the edges using two Oxide inks. I applied Picked Raspberry heavily on the very edges with a brush, then feathered out the lighter Worn Lipstick to create a soft transition to white in the center. After this, I gently buffed the piece with a cotton cloth to ensure the gold embossed images were perfectly clean and vibrant.

To achieve that pretty stitched, rounded corner look, I took the largest die from the 5062 - Rounded Rectangle A2 Double Stitched Dies, centered it on my inked and embossed panel, and ran it through my die-cut machine.

Then came the "ILYSM" letters! I used the perfect-sized letters from the 5562 - Journal Letter Die Set, carefully arranging and gluing them straight in the white area of the panel. Below that, I stamped a coordinating sentiment from the 5734 - Friend Sentiments Set, which I think pairs wonderfully with the ILYSM message.

For the final assembly, I created an A2 card base from white cardstock. I then layered a slightly smaller piece of pink shimmer cardstock on top, centered my inked and embossed panel on that, and adhered everything down. To add a touch of sparkle, I scattered several silver and blue sequins across the card.

This card turned out exactly as I'd hoped! It's simple to make, right on trend, and can easily be customized with your favorite colors. Plus, it was so relaxing to create. I can't wait to give it to someone special!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Don't forget to find your favorite stamps, dies, papers and accessories at the Ai Store! You'll always find something that calls to you.

Happy crafting!

Janet YouTube - Blog - Facebook - Instagram - Pinterest 

Friday, August 1, 2025

August 2025 Monthly Challenge with Sara Furr

Hello Ai fans and welcome to the August Monthly Challenge.
Our Guest Designer for August is Sara Furr and she has two GORGEOUS cards for you.

After enjoying Sara's cards and learning her Faux Watercolor Technique, be sure to scroll down to see who our July winners were.

Here's Sara....


 Greetings from the Farm, crafty AI fans! I am Sara Furr, The Crafty Farm Chick, and I am so happy to be back here on the blog with you today. 



My first card is a Shabby Chic religious creation. These are the supplies that I used:

#6025- Fear Not stamp set
#4051- Foliage set 1
#6082- Bible Journal series 1 paper pack
#5543- Journal Template Die set 
#5768- Decorative Journal Page 1 Die set 
Memento tuxedo black ink pad
Versafine Onyx Black ink pad
Dye ink markers
Alcohol ink markers
Tumbled glass distress ink
Blending brush
Seam binding ribbon and Lace
Foam tape
Adhesive
Glue dots
Scissors- to Distress the edges of my cardstock and dsp
Post it tape- for masking sheep



I colored my image using my "hybrid faux watercolor technique". Several people have asked me to do a tutorial for this technique and so I am including it here today. 


To start, I stamped my sheep image from the "Fear Not" stamp set in Memento tuxedo black ink so that I can color the image with alcohol markers.
  I colored the face and legs of my sheep with a black alcohol marker and added little swirls in a light gray ink to mimic the curly wool on the sheep. I also added a touch of pink inside of his ear. 



 Next, I stamped the tufts of grass, from the "Foliage Set", in 2 different shades of green dye based ink markers under his feet. 


Then, I stamped the flowers and foliage with dye ink markers in the right hand corner.


 I created a mask for my sheep's wool and stamped the floral vine image behind his back with Momento ink. 


**Here is a tip** if you are unsure about how an image will look before you stamp it, just use a piece of window sheet over your image and stamp it so that you can see how it will look before you actually stamp it! *this is what is shown here*



 I then removed the window sheet and leaving just the floral vine stamp in place, I did the actual stamping behind the sheep with Momento Black ink. (I washed and removed the sentiment)



 I then colored the floral vine with alcohol markers, but I added in the definition in the flowers with the fine point of a dark blue dye ink marker. 



 I then went in with a light green alcohol ink marker and blended out my grasses and where my sheep is standing. It is this blending of the dye ink by the alcohol ink marker that creates a sort of "faux watercolor" look! 


 Now, to create my sky I added the metal die back to my die cut and ink blended Tumbled Glass Distress ink around the inside perimeter of the die. The die acts like a mask! 


Now, remove the die and voila! A perfectly masked and blended sky! ( you're welcome! šŸ˜‰šŸ˜)


 I stamped the sentiment in Black Versafine Ink and then assembled the front of my card.

I followed the same process to stamp and color the image on the inside.



For my second card I followed the same technique process on the Decorative Journal Page 1 die, except this time I blended my sky first with a blender brush and the Tumbled Glass Distress Ink.  Then I did all my other stamping and blending.
These are all the supplies I used:
#5543- Journal Template Die set 
#5768- Decorative Journal Page 1 Die set 
#5063- A2 Double Stitched Rectangle dies
#6082- Bible Journal series 1 paper pack 
#4964- WC Branches set
#5009- WC Mini Flower set
#5007- WC FOLIAGE set 3
#4966- WC Bird Bath set
#4873- WC Cats set
Momento Tuxedo Black ink 
Alcohol ink markers 
Dye ink markers 
Window sheet
Liquid glue that dries clear
Foam tape 
Scissors- to Distress the edges of my dsp and to cut out my kitty
Blender brush 
Tumbled Glass Distress Ink 
Stamp positioning tool
Stylus and Foam mat- used to curve my cat



I stamped and colored my kitty and cut her out. I colored her gray to look like my kitty, "Mouse". She is this beautiful lavender gray color, so I did a mix of light grays a very light purple ( all Alcohol ink markers). Once she was cut out I flipped her over and put her onto a foam mat and rubbed over the center of the image with a stylus to round the body so she looks domed. Then, I added two thin pieces of foam tape and set her aside.


To create my window, I first cut three layers of the window from the Journal Template die set. I adhered two layers together with a thin layer of liquid glue, then I cut a piece of window sheet the same size as the window frame and adhered that to the back of the window, and then added the third layer of the window frame to the back so that the window sheet was sandwiched between the layers, creating an actual look of a window pane. I then adhered the window over my stamped panel and added my popped up kitty on the ledge looking at her snack up in the tree! šŸ˜


 I then adhered the whole decorative window panel to a double stitched A2 rectangle die cut out of white card stock, and then adhered that to my beautiful designer paper from the Bible Journal paper pack with foam tape. I distressed the edges of my designer paper with a scissors, and added adhesive to the back, and then added it to my card base. I didn't add any sentiment because I thought it was perfect the way it was😁


I hope you liked my cards and that you got inspired to create something pretty, with a little bit of shabby chic! If you have any questions about my "hybrid faux watercolor technique" please don't hesitate to ask!
Blessings to you all and thank you so much for stopping by!



Now let's see who the two Lucky Random Winners were for our July Monthly Challenge.



The winner of the free stamp set from Art Impressions was Rachel Bankes.

Please contact Leah at Feedback@artimpressions.com
to claim a free stamp set of your choice!!


The winner of a freebie from me was Kathy R.
Please email me at Renee@artimpressions.com with your full name and address and I'll send you a photo of the freebies I have available for you to choose from.


Welcome to the August 2025 Monthly Challenge! There is no theme but you MUST use something from Art Impressions on your project. (Stamps, dies and or paper) First name and last initial is appreciated on your entry. You are allowed 2 entries. Both winners are chosen randomly. The first winner receives a free stamp set from Art Impressions and a random winner with a U.S. address will win a freebie from me. (Renee)

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Seas the Day! Card by Tasha

 Happy Friday Art Impressions friends!

Tasha here sharing a new card created with the 6075-Crusin’ Carol Set and the 6098-Cruise Paper Pack. I’ve been loving all the new Ai People sets, and this one is extra special to me; I LOVE cruising!


For this project, I went with bright tropical colors; perfect for a Caribbean getaway! One of my favorite parts of cruising is trying all the fun fruity drinks, and Carol is definitely on cruise control with her frozen cocktail in hand. Time to kick off that vacation!

The background came together super fast since it’s one of the awesome pre-printed sheets from the Cruise Paper Pack. Just add Carol and you’ve got an instant vacation scene; I love how easy and vibrant it turned out!


To finish the card, I layered tan, white, and navy cardstock along with a fun anchor-patterned paper to match the cruise theme. I also added one of the included sentiments to tie everything together.

Hope you enjoyed today’s project and that you're having a fabulous day!



Thursday, July 31, 2025

Stitches & Scallops Challenge #409 Week #1

Hello Ai fans!

Welcome to challenge #409,

STITCHES & SCALLOPS


We want to see your handmade projects using stitching or stitched or scalloped dies, stamps, embellishments etc. The stitching or scallops can be real (sewn), hand-drawn or cut with a die. You name it!

For our challenge, Janet is our Featured Artist and she created a lovely slimline card full of scalloped squares and stitching on her slimline panel.

Although Janet envisioned this card for another camping lover – perhaps as a thank you, an invitation to join her at a campground, or simply to celebrate the start of camping season, her inside sentiment makes this card perfect for so many occasions.

New home, retirement, graduation, new job and more!

So pretty!

We also have selected our winners for the Let Them Eat Cake challenge and you can view those after checking out Janet's beautiful card.

Hi everyone! I'm delighted to represent the newest Art Impressions challenge: "Stitches and Scallops!" In my card, I'm featuring AI Dies that deliver both these beautiful elements. But before we dive into the details, let's take a quick peek at the inside of this card.

For this project, I decided to challenge myself with a full-sized slimline card. These are typically 8 1/2" wide and 3 1/2" tall when folded. It's super easy to create a base from 8 1/2" x 11" cardstock: just cut the 11" side at 7", then score and fold on the 7"" side at the 3 1/2" mark. I crafted mine from light gray cardstock and set it aside.

This card features two of the fantastic new Freebie stamps. These are always a joy to work with, and the newest set includes adorable outdoor shelters, from a cozy chalet to a charming chicken coop! Three of these, including two different campers and a tent, are perfect for camping enthusiasts. My family loves camping and we've made so many friends through the years on our adventures. I envisioned this card for another camping lover – perhaps as a thank you, an invitation to join us at a campground, or simply to celebrate the start of camping season!

To begin, I stamped the two camper Freebie stamps and a sentiment from the 4932 - Pack Your Bags Set. After coloring them with Copic markers, I cut all three out with dies from the 6047 - Scalloped Squares Dies. I chose a square that fit the campers perfectly and an even smaller one to frame the sentiment. Aren't these campers just super cute?!

Next, I selected papers to complement my images. The vibrant navy, red, and cream floral background comes from the 6091 - Patriotic Cover Paper Pack. This 6" x 9" stack is ideal for larger projects like my slimline card. I then cut two slightly larger scallop squares from dark orange cardstock for the campers. For the sentiment, I cut two dark orange and one gray scalloped squares, each progressively larger.

Now for the stitches! I used the 5463 - Slimline Dies Set. These dies not only cut the perfect shape for the card but also imprint lovely faux stitches along the edges, adding a perfectly polished touch. By the way, you might spot my workspace in the photos – it's covered with Art Impressions' Gridline Placement Sheets! These are fantastic for protecting your surface and come with fun Ai images as a bonus – available at the Ai Store!

At this stage, I glued the campers onto their dark orange scalloped squares and did the same for the dark orange and gray sentiment layers. I backed the top sentiment square with foam tape and centered it on the stack. Next, I applied Art Glitter Glue to the back of the patterned mat and centered it on my gray card base. Then, I carefully arranged the three prepared elements (the two campers and the sentiment stack) on the mat. My goal was to center the sentiment with the two campers evenly spaced on either side. As a helpful tip, it's generally recommended that elements face inward on a card, so I positioned the campers so their fronts faced toward the central sentiment.

With the front complete, I moved to the inside. I had a strip of leftover navy paper from the mat, which I layered on top of a piece of leftover dark orange cardstock. After gluing them together, I cut this layered piece with another of the slimline dies, creating another beautiful stitched border. Before adhering it inside the card, I stamped another sentiment from the Pack Your Bags set. 

This completes the card and my post. I hope these ideas inspire you to use your favorite Art Impressions stamps, including the newest Freebies, for your own projects. For a chance to play along and possibly win free Ai stamps, please participate by uploading your card to our Stitches and Scallops challenge! We absolutely love seeing what our AI fans create – you never disappoint!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Don't forget to find your favorite stamps, dies, papers, and accessories at the Ai Store – you'll always discover something that sparks your imagination. Happy crafting!

Janet YouTube - Blog - Facebook - Instagram - Pinterest 



Thank you Janet!
Now, let's see who won our last challenge.

For our Top Spot we selected #2 Beebeebabs




Please contact Leah at Feedback@artimpressions.com
to claim a free stamp set of your choice!!
Be sure to grab our badge to display on your social media too!

Our Lucky Random Winner was #7 Becca Yahrling






Please contact Leah at Feedback@artimpressions.com
to claim a free stamp set of your choice!!
Be sure to grab our badge to display on your social media too!

Congratulations to you both!

Be sure to enter your creation for the chance to win a free stamp set from Art Impressions. 
We award one Top Spot and one Lucky Random Winner, and each will win a free stamp set from Art Impressions.

✻ Please make a new card or handmade crafty creation. You can make any item you wish; this is not limited to cards! (unless specified)

✻ Limit two submissions per person.
 ✻Please include your first name and last initial on your submission. You may include your entire last name, but it's not necessary.
✻We love to comment on your entries, but keep in mind if you use a private group or a platform that you need to sign up for, we probably won't be able to.
✻ The Ai Challenge is open to everyone, international submissions are welcome!
✻ Include a link back to the Ai Blog or grab our button on the top right of our sidebar!
✻ Share the Ai love if you can, by clicking and commenting on your fellow crafters.
✻ Make sure to get your link up by the deadline to enter your creations.
✻ Good luck and happy stamping! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter