Victorian Autumn Scarecrow Card and Autumn Treat Tag by Diane Mason

Hello, and welcome back for Watercolor Weekend!

Hello, my Ai Watercolor friends and fans! I have two fall projects to share with you today. The first card combines the new border scene 6254 – FG Thankful Border and 6250 – Victorian Shop Set. The second project is a Fall Treat Tag combining elements from 5492 - Front Porch Harvest Set and 5598 - Harvest Set.

Yay, it’s officially Fall! I’m looking forward to the cooler days, the colorful Fall leaves, cozy sweaters and flannel shirts, and all the yummy treats associated with Fall. 

Victorian Autumn Scarecrow Card:

The new FG Thankful Border (6254) and the Victorian Shop Set (6250) work beautifully together to create a lovely Autumn scene. All the new border sets and structures work well with each other; it’s fun to mix and match the buildings with the borders to create new looks. For this scene, I envisioned an old Victorian home all decked out for Fall! 

Colors and Supplies Used:

Paper: Canson XL Watercolor Paper

White A2 Cardbase

Patterned Paper: 5973 – Fall Series 2 Paper Pack

Brushes: No. 4 round brush, No. 0 round brush

Stamps & Dies:

• 6254 - FG Thankful Border
• 6250 - Victorian Shop Set
• 5126 - WC Foliage Set 4
• 4868 - WC Flower Set 2
• 4964 - WC Branches Set
• 5372 - WC Mini Foliage Set
• 4051 - WC Foliage Set 1
• 5507 - Harvest Together Set (sentiment)

Ink for stamped images: Versafine Vintage Sepia

 

Tombow Dual Brush Pens: 025, 026, 177, 249, 555, 565, 772, 847, 856, 925, 933, 942, 947, 969, 977, 990, 993, N35, N75

 

Other: Post-It tape, Brown and Red TwinTone Markers, and twine.

Stamping:

 

To begin, I die‑cut a 3.75" x 5" stitched rectangle from Canson XL watercolor paper. I stamped the scarecrow border (6254) in Versafine Vintage Sepia onto the die‑cut rectangle using a stamp platform, then stamped the Victorian house (6250) above it.

I used a branch from (4964) to stamp in a tree to the left side of the house inked in 969 and also along the fence. Just the top of the small vine from (5126) was used for stamping in leaves and vines. The grass is from (4051) and inked with 177. For the bushes in front of the house, I used the row of bushes stamp from (5372). For the flowers in the basket, I used the mums stamp, adding 177 to the stems and 856, 933, and 993 to the flowers and stamped three separate times.

 

Painting:

 

I brushed in the sky with a watery mix of 555. For the white details, I used Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof White. 565 was used to darken the inside of the windows and also to add shadows throughout the painting. I used a gray TwinTone marker to add details to the roof, and a brown TwinTone to add details where needed.

Please refer to the above list of colors used and also the photo for reference for the other images in the scene.

 

Card Assembly:

I die-cut a 4.25” x 5.5” piece of patterned paper from (5973) using a stitched rectangle die and attached it to the card base front, and then adhered the painting.

Interior:

For the inside of the card, I die‑cut a 3.75” x 5” stitched rectangle of white cardstock and added a ¼” strip of leaf patterned paper along the top and bottom edges. Then I stamped the sentiments from 5507 – Harvest Together Set in orange and red ink.

This adorable fall card is ready to send to a friend to kick-off the Fall season!

Autumn Treat Tag:

Autumn brings lots of tasty treats like Caramel Apples and Pumpkin Spice everything! I made a cute tag and attached it to one of my favorite treats - a bag of Caramel Apple flavored Caramels! 

My bonus project combines images from 5492 - Front Porch Harvest Set and 5598 - Harvest Set. I love to shop my stamp stash and find new ways to combine images from different sets. The Front Porch series of stamps contain lots of hidden gems for many occasions and holidays.

I die-cut a piece of Canson XL watercolor paper using the large tag die from 5132 - Tag Stitched Dies. I inked the images with Versafine Vintage Sepia Ink. I stamped the scarecrow first and also created a mask. I stamped the hay bale next and then the basket of apples. I masked the apple basket too. With masks in place, I stamped the corn stalks in the background and a cluster of leaves behind the basket. Additional leaf clusters were stamped in the forefront. The sentiment stamped in brown is from 5600 - Harvest Sentiment Set.

Colors used: 025, 026, 055, 158, 173, 177, 555, 772, 847, 856, 910, 925, 933, 947, 977, and 992.

The decorative papers used to mat the tag are from 5973 - Fall Series 2 Paper Pack.

For the back of the tag, I stamped the sentiment (Treat Yourself!) from 5735 - Birthday Sentiment in Brown onto another die-cut watercolor tag. I also added leaves from 5598 to the bottom edge of the tag. Just add twine and your tag is ready for gifting!

Thank you so much for joining me for Watercolor Weekend! I hope you have enjoyed today’s projects. When you aren’t busy painting, be sure to get out and enjoy all that Autumn has to offer. Until next time, Happy Painting!

Sending Birthday Bucks Your Way! Card by Tasha

 Happy Friday Art Impressions friends! 

Tasha here sharing a fun birthday card created with the 5043 – Ole Buck Set.

I had so much fun coloring this group of hunters with Copic Markers. I used lots of greens and browns for the camouflage and added pops of bright orange to really make the images stand out.

For the background, I created some soft orange clouds with Distress Oxide ink and a cloud stencil. I also added a simple grassy ground using quick Copic Marker flicks to keep the focus on the stamped images.

I layered the card with orange, green, brown, and plaid papers to coordinate with the coloring. I also added a couple layers behind the sentiment to give it a little extra dimension.

The “Sending a Few Bucks for Your Birthday” sentiment makes me smile and is perfect with these guys!

Thanks so much for stopping by today and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Spread Kindness Challenge #437 Week #1

Hello Ai fans!

Welcome to our new challenge, Spread Kindness.

We want to see your cards that will bring joy to either a friend or a stranger.

Anyone who needs a little joy in their life.

This week I'm the Featured Artist and I created a pretty foliage and bee themed card that would be perfect for any friend you want to let know that you're thinking about them.

After you peek at my card, be sure to scroll down and take a look at who won our On the Border Challenge.

Bees are one of my favorite things to create with and my friends know that. Even if they aren't their favorite thing, they love receiving cards from me that are bee themed because they know that if I use them on a card for them, it's because I love them. 

Please see below for links to all of the Art Impressions products that I've used on my card.

I hope you enjoyed my "kindness" card.

Now let's see who won our On the Border Challenge.

For our Top Spot we selected:

Felicia S.

She created a beautiful circular border around her fall wreath.

Please contact Leah at Feedback@artimpressions.com

to claim your free stamp set.

 Our Lucky Random Winner was:

Lynn C.

Please contact Leah at Feedback@artimpressions.com

to claim your free stamp set.

Congratulations to our winners!

Enjoy your new stamps.

Here are the rules...

✻ Please make a new card or handmade crafty creation using either stamps, dies and or designer paper from Art Impressions. You can make any item you wish; this is not limited to cards! (unless specified)

✻ Limit two submissions per person.

✻Top Spot Winner and Lucky Random Winner each receive a free 

stamp set from Art Impressions

 ✻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

Halloween Farm Scene

Good morning, everyone! Today I am sharing a card using the newly released Country Side Series stamps from Art Impressions! This particular scarecrow stamp is made into a fall theme, but I changed it up and added some bats, spiders and added faces to the pumpkins for a fun Halloween card. This card was made using craft paper and colored pencils. I use both Faber Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils and Prismacolor colored pencils. You do not need both. I just have had a set of each for YEARS so I use them both together. I blend the colors with Gamsol (odorless mineral spirits, also known as OMS) and paper blending stumps. 

 I first stamped my two images onto the craft cardstock. Then I made masks for the barn and the top of the scarecrow fence scene out of some paper. I also secured a Tim Holtz moon mask, and then I ink blended some dark blue and dark grey ink around the edges of my paper. This created a nice and dark sky for a spooky nighttime scene. I went ahead and blended some white ink over the moon to create a glow on the moon and around it. The rest of the project was colored with colored pencils and OMS. I added spiders, bats, and webs for a little extra spookiness. I hope you like it! 

Materials Used

Stamps

• 5601 Halloween Accessories Set
• 6249 Country Chapel
• 6254 FG Thankful Border
• 6271 Flower Set 7

Paper

• Craft Colored Cardstock

Markers, Inks & Pencils

• Momento Ink Pad
• Prismacolor Pencils, Polychromo Pencils
• Odorless Mineral Spirits and blending stumps

Spooky fun fold card by Dori Mendiola

 Happy Wednesday AI Friends!

Halloween is just around the corner and I love making cards using Art Impressions fun assortment of sets.  This card also fits the "On the Border" challenge which ends tonight so I hope you all have entered for a change to win a free stamp set of your choice.

I used the #6111 - Spook-tacular set for this card as well as the #5604 - Halloween journal die set.  These sets are currently on sale at half off.  YAY!

 I stamped all of the images onto copic friendly paper with Memento black ink and colored with my copic markers listed below.  I then die cut them out with the coordinating dies that come with the set. 

I cut a base A2 card from white card stock.  Score in half and burnish.  I then trimmed off a 1 inch strip from the front.  I cut two pieces of black cardstock - one at 1" x 5 3/8" and one at 1" x 2".  I adhered a piece of the purple designer paper over the 1" x 2" piece.   I scored this piece at 1/2" and burnished it.  Adhere a piece of pattern paper to the other longer strip of black cardstock.  Glue the 1/2" tab of the 2" strip to the back of the longer strip (just above the center).  Now cut a scalloped circle from black cardstock and adhere that to the top of the smaller strip.  I then cut a piece of pattern paper using the #5726 - Nested circle dies and placed that over the black scallop circle.  

For the left side of the card, I cut a black piece of cardstock to fit the left panel and also a piece of pattern paper to fit over the top.

I decorated with the images and the card is finished with a fun fold opening.  BTW - the little grasses are in the #5935 - Fairytale Houses set.

 

I hope you enjoyed my card today and you enter the challenge.  Wouldn't you love to win a free stamp set?  

Have a great day creating!

Copics used:  E21, E23, E25, E50

T0, T2, T4, T6     R20

Y11, Y13, Y15, Y17

V12, V15, V17

YR12, YR14, YR16, YR18

Long Stemmed Daisies by Reneé Matarese

 Hello Ai fans!

Is everyone enjoying these long stemmed flowers as much as me?

Daisies are one of my favorite flowers.

I initially began by stamping this image just once. When I placed it on my card, it just didn't feel like it filled it up enough. My card is pretty large. I stamped it two more times and fussy cut out all of the flowers. I then stuck sprigs here and there until it seemed like a full bouquet.

I stamped one of the sentiments on a nested oval for the front of the card, framed it with a scalloped oval and then popped it up on dimensional foam tape.

On the inside, I stamped another sentiment from the set and also stamped the daisies again. The bottom border was made with some of Art Impressions designer paper and the largest die in the scalloped rectangle set.

A Halloween treat box by Sharon Caudle

 Hello AI Fans!

Happy Fall!!! (tomorrow LOL) I don't know about where you are, but it's clearly fall here in Reno. The leaves are changing and I can feel the difference in the air. The nights are getting pretty chilly dropping down into the 40's. I have always loved the weather in September. How about you? I love the colors of the changing leaves, but it makes me sad that the trees will soon be bare. So anyway, I have a cute little treat box tto show you that I made for Halloween. It's such a simple and easy little thing to do, but how cute does this dress up a Halloween treat?! To make it I just grabbed #5805 Mini Journal Box Die Set along with #6111 Spooktacular set. After stamping, coloring, and die cutting the window and frog, I cut out the box top so you could look through the window once it was placed on the box top. I thought the window fit the box perfectly (although I did have to put the shutters in just a smidge). I did stamp, color, and die cut two window frames so I could adhere the second one to the inside of the box. I just think it finishes it off nicely. When you open the box, you don't see a lot of raw die cut edges. That adorable paper is from #6130 Halloween S3 PP. 

So that's it for me today! Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit and until next time - stay crafty!!

Copic markers used:

YG01, 03, and 05

R20

V04, 06, and 09

E33, 35, 40, 41, 42, and 44

Geometric and Birthday Wishes by Simone Carr

 

Hello Creative Friends!

Welcome back to the blog! Today I’m sharing a card project that is all about the beauty of contrast. I combined a structured geometric background with a simple, delicate floral piece layered on top. Let’s dive in and see how you can recreate this modern look.

I started by cutting 13 hexagon pieces using my die-cutting machine. You can use any shape you like for this technique. I chose the hexagon because it’s a die I don’t use very often.

I embossed a piece of Strathmore Bristol Smooth Paper cut to 4 1/8" × 5 3/8". When choosing an embossing pattern, I recommend using one that is small and repeats itself.

I placed my cardstock on a grip mat so it wouldn’t move while I laid out the hexagons. This helped me keep the spacing consistent, especially for the first row. I used a ruler to help with the remaining pieces, but once I had a few in place, it became pretty easy to continue the pattern.

Once all the hexagons were adhered, I trimmed off the overhanging pieces. I used some of those trimmed pieces to fill in the remaining gaps. I then added foam tape to the back of the panel and adhered it to my card base.

For the floral piece, I stamped the image onto Strathmore Bristol Smooth Paper using Tombow 837 and 177. I colored the image using a #0 brush.

Once I finished coloring, I placed the piece into my stamping platform and stamped the frame using Versafine Clair Golden Meadow. I then fussy-cut around the frame and flower, added foam tape to the back, and adhered it to the card.

I finished the card by adding the sentiment and a few gems for a little extra sparkle.

Materials Used

Stamps & Dies

• 5135 Hexagon Double Stitched Die (second smallest)

• 6218 BJ Long Stem

• 6221 Frameworks Set 3

• 5949 Encouragement Sentiment Set

Paper

• Strathmore Bristol Smooth Paper

Inks & Mediums

• Versafine Clair – Golden Meadow

• Versafine Clair – Nocturne

• Foam Tape

Tombow Markers

• 837

• 985

• 177

• 526

For my bonus card, I used the Gull – Friends Set. On Canson Watercolor Paper, I stamped the image using Distress Ink Pumice Stone, stamping off once. I then colored the image using the Tombow colors listed below.

Once everything was dry, I assembled the card. I decided to color the third pelican and place him on the inside of the card. He was stamped and colored the same way as the images on the front. Since this set comes with coordinating dies, it was easy to die-cut him out and add him to the inside of the card.

Materials Used

Stamps & Dies

• 5399 Gull – Friends Set

• 5063 Double Stitched Rectangle Die (3rd Largest)

• 6048 Scalloped Rectangle Die (2nd Largest)

Paper

• 5873 Mini Birthday PP

• Canson Watercolor Paper

Inks & Mediums

• Distress Ink Pumice Stone

• Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof White

• Pitt Artist Pen Black

• TwinTone Brown

Tombow Markers

• 985, 925, 055 – Beak, Feet

• 725, 636, 403 – Balloons, Presents, Hats

• 977, 912 – Sand

• 977 – Cake

• N79, 565 – Shadow

• 526 – Sky