Friday, January 17, 2025

You’re koala-fied to be my Valentine! Card by Tasha

 Happy Friday Art Impressions Friends!

Tasha here sharing a fun Valentine's Day card inspired by the Art Impressions Monochromatic Challenge. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, it's the perfect time to get started on your cards!

For this project, I used the adorable Koalas Set as the main image and focused on different shades of pink to fit the challenge's monochromatic theme—because who doesn’t love pink?

I began by stamping the koala onto white cardstock and creating a mask using masking paper. Using a heart die, I cut out a center heart and a matching pink frame to frame the image. After masking the koala, I blended two shades of Distress Oxide Ink to create a soft, colorful background. I love how the lighter shade around the koala creates a spotlight effect, making it the focal point of the card.
To add dimension, I layered two shades of pink card stock and glitter paper with a piece of Art Impressions heart-patterned paper. The mix of textures and patterns adds interest while keeping the monochromatic pink theme. I also stamped "Happy Valentine’s Day" in pink ink to tie in with the overall look.
  
Lastly, I added tiny white hearts to the center heart’s background for an extra pop of detail. I love how the card turned out and hope it inspires you to create your own monochromatic Valentine’s Day design.

Have a wonderful day!




Thursday, January 16, 2025

Monochromatic Challenge #395 Week #1

Hello Ai fans!

Welcome to our most recent challenge.

This one is called Monochromatic.


I'm the featured artist this time, but before we see my cards, let's see who won our first challenge of 2025, Craft Time is Golden.

For our Top Spot we chose #1 Mary S. for her beautiful Love Birds.





Please contact Leah at Feedback@artimpressions.com
to claim a free stamp set of your choice!! ***Leah is out of the office until further notice***
but someone is covering for her. Please be patient if there is a slight delay.
Also, be sure to grab our badge to display on your blog, Facebook or Instagram!

Our Lucky Random Winner was #3 Kathy R.






Please contact Leah at Feedback@artimpressions.com
to claim a free stamp set of your choice!! ***Leah is out of the office until further notice***
but someone is covering for her. Please be patient if there is a slight delay.
Also, be sure to grab our badge to display on your blog, Facebook or Instagram!

Congratulations to you both! Enjoy your new stamps.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello everyone and welcome to my first feature of 2025.

I made three monochromatic cards on the slightly smaller side.
Two of them are gift card holders.


My first one is a cute little floral card perfect for Valentine's Day, an anniversary, get well or just to say hello and I'm thinking of you.


My next two are both gift card holders created using the mini frame dies.


Perfect for a man or a woman. They're both "just" masculine and feminine enough.



These are great for winter birthdays, co-workers, kids, adults...whoever you need to give a little something to. You could also just add a personal note inside. Sometimes, that all the gift that someone needs.


I hope you'll all join our Monochromatic challenge. You may just be our next winner.



✻ 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. You will receive extra votes if you use Art Impressions stamps!
 ✻Please include your first name and last initial on your submission.
✻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

Unicorn Carousel by Dori Mendiola


 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

Have you ever taken an image or die and put a twist on it?  When I saw the AI gazebo die (#5361 WC Gazebo set), it reminded me of the horse carousel at the fair.  So I decided to make the gazebo a carousel and the horses are now unicorns.  😄 

My card was fun to make but a little challenging due to the interactive mechanism.  This card can be just as adorable without making it move.



I die cut the gazebo with gold foiled cardstock and cut the slits to extend the bars behind the unicorns.  I decorated the gazebo with patterned papers from the #5939 Fairy Garden PP.  For each layer of the background, I cut slits for the mechanism by placing the gazebo die cut over each and marked with a pencil.  Then I roughly cut slits out of each so that the mechanism will work through all layers.
  
                                                        Pic 1

 I then made little tabs for the unicorns to ride along by cutting four 1/2" discs from cardstock and four 1 x 1/4" strips (see Pic 2).   Fold the strips and adhere to the paper discs as shown in Pic 2.  Feed the strip part through the slits to the back layer and adhere a round paper disc.  At this point, you can test to make sure these discs slide nicely up and down.  If they get stuck, just take an X-acto knife and shave a little off the sides of the bars to widen the track.
 I used the My Favorite Things Up and Down interactive dienamic as a template for my card.  Since this die set is for a larger mechanism, I had to make my own "T shaped" mechanism (Pic 3) to make it work for this card.  This was my challenge but I finally got it to work.  I used the MFT plastic spinning discs where the track goes through the disc.  A bead or button may work better and you wouldn't have to feed the track through, but I didn't think of that until later.  

                    Pic 2                                                            Pic 3

  Place double layered foam tape around the edges on the back side, making sure you don't hinder the mechanism.  Place onto the card base.

I stamped the unicorns (#5225 - Castle cubbies) with memento black ink onto copic friendly paper and colored them with my copic markers listed below.  After coloring them, I die cut with the coordinating dies as well as die cut an extra one of each with heavy duty cardstock to layer behind for stability.  Adhere each of the unicorns onto the paper discs showing through the front side of the card.


So, that's my card for today.  Hope you enjoy it!
Remember to put a "twist" on some of your stamp/die sets.  It's fun to see where your imagination might take you.  Make sure to share with us by entering the bi-weekly challenge for your chance to win a free stamp set.

Copics used:  N0, N1, N2
R20, Y11, G40, BG000

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Easy Paper Layering Card by Lynn Dionne

Happy Wednesday Ai Fans!!!

Watch video tutorial here!!!

Today we will be creating a pretty layered card in purples and teal greens! This card will actually have 5 paper layers and one "faux" layer which we will create using an easy masking technique!

First, let's stamp all of the florals and leaves from the Ai My Trust Set (5937) and color them using the Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens in the following colors: Blender, Lt Pink, Pale Violet, Violet, Ice Blue, Aquamarine Blue, Persian Green, Scarlet Red, Lt Brown, Blue Gray. Once the coloring is done, we will simply do some fussy cutting, leaving a little bit of a white border all around the edges.

The white card base will be a standard A2 size (4 1/4" x 5 1/2"). Then we will add a layer of purple polka dot paper, another layer of white cardstock, a layer of plaid paper, and finally the pretty frame die cut layer. The patterned papers will come from the Ai Encouragement Paper Pack and the frame will be cut from the Ai Decorative Journal Page 1 Die Set (5768).

For the white frame let's add a "faux" layer by masking the scalloped edges using some Post-it Layering and Cover-up Tape. Once the tape is securely placed on this frame, we will add some ink blending in a pretty Speckled Egg color. So now it will look like two layers!

Let's add a sentiment to this frame layer using the Ai Encouragement Sentiment Set (5949), and it will say "Healing thoughts sent your way, to lift your spirits to a brighter day." The sentiments in this set are just so thoughtful and kind.

Now let's go ahead and layer up the card using some 3D Foam Squares for added dimension and interest.

Finally, we will add the floral arrangement in the bottom left-hand corner. Don't forget the pretty little bird! Let's also add a cute bow using some white twine and some shimmer and sparkle with some coordinating teal gems!

Thank you so much for joining me today!  Have a fun and crafty day!!!

Ai My Trust Set (5937)

Ai My Hope Set (5936) 

Ai Encouragement Sentiment Set (5949)

Ai Decorative Journal Page 1 (5768)

Ai Watercolor Travel Box (4924)

Ai Encouragement Paper Pack (5955)


Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Golden Butterfly by Reneé Matarese

Hello Ai fans!

I think that every crafty person on the planet would agree that Craft Time is Golden!
My craft room is my happy place.


I always feel the need for a little extra bling around New Years.
I had fun with this one. Even though it's kind of over the top with bling and gold I still feel like it's pretty simple. I hope you like it. All Art Impressions products that I used are linked below. Be sure to enter the challenge for your chance to win a free stamp set. We choose a Top Spot and a Lucky Random Winner.



Monday, January 13, 2025

Making memories by Sharon Caudle

 Hello AI Fans,

As I grew older, I started to realize that I wasn't just out with family and friends having fun, but that we were making memories. Yes, for myself, but mostly for my kids and grandkids. During really special moments, I would think to myself, my heart just took a picture. These are the things that people will look back on and smile. Is there anything more special? I don't think so. And it's the smallest little things that seem to leave the biggest marks on our hearts. My card today represents that.  I've always said that Bonnie has an amazing gift for capturing such joy in her images! Look at those precious faces enjoying their ride in the snow! They are from #5953 Woodland Critters Set. I added a wonderful sentiment from #5797 Little Things Sentiment Set. The images are stamped with Memento Ink Tuxedo Black ink and then colored with Copic markers which are listed below. 






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


Copic markers used:
R02, 22, 24, 27, and 29
Y23, 26, 28, 35, and 38
BG53 and 57
BV02 and 04
B00, 32, and 34
G82 and 85
E30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 50, 51, 53, and 55




Sunday, January 12, 2025

Brighter Days Are Coming by Gennette Houghton

 


Happy New Year and welcome to Watercolor Weekend! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! 

I love red barns in a winter scene, there is just something about red surrounded by white.  I started out using a ruler to create guidelines for a strip on my watercolor paper and then masked the edges with post-it tape. Using 5262 WC Mini Cabins Set, I stamped one of my favorite barns in, close to the middle and slightly offset, using 565/969 and stamping off once. I then used a pencil to create guides for the hillside behind the barn.  I put a wash of color in 177, and above in N52, for some texture I used the tree foliage from 5373 WC Large Tree Set. Over the 177 I added some 249, and over the N52 I used N49 with the foliage blending it out with some water. 5372 WC Mini Foliage pine tree was used throughout the background. Over the N52 background I used 228, and the rest I used 249 and softened them with water. Around the barn I used the pine tree from 5010 WC Tree Set 1 in 249. I used both of the small trees from 5372 Mini Foliage, and one from 5058 WC Church Set, using 228 on the first two and N49 on the third one.  

After pulling the color out on the barn, I used a mix of 856 and 969 for the walls, 969 in the doorways, windows and under the eaves.  Adding 565 for the shadows. I then stamped in the single tree from 4808 Covered Bridge Mini Set in the front, to the left in 879, and a small branch from 4964 WC Branches Set to the right for a sapling also in 879.  I used a light wash of 177, 947, and 526 on the ground around the trees in the foreground. I then stamped the grass from 5826 WC Large Tree Set 2 in N57, softening it slightly with water, also adding in some 565 over the ground area to create a snow effect. I then used Dr. Martin PH Bleed Proof White on the barn, trees and ground areas adding a touch more 565 to give the “snow” more definition.  I also added 526 in for the sky. After erasing all my pencil lines, I decided to use my ruler and the gray Twintone marker along the edges of the strip and blended it out slightly with water to make it stand out more.   Finishing it off by adding a sentiment from 5949 Encouragement Sentiment Set in black ink.


For my next card I used 5916 Woodland Castle Set in 565/969, leaving off part of the door frame and door knob, and stamped it off once. Using the stamp positioner, and masking the side of the door, to place in the mouse from 5599 Mini Mice and Squirrel Set with 565/969 in the doorway after stamping off once.  I then added the second mouse to the left, also in 565/969, after stamping it off once.  I used a pencil to sketch in some shingles on the roof and window panes on the windows without any.  For the house trim and window frames I used 969. 565,526,969 was used on the roof. 565 was used for the shadows under the roof line and window sills. 947 was used to create the look of bricks. 055,025,026 for the glow in the windows. N49 and a black micron on the mice with a touch of 025 on the back of the one in the doorway.  I used N52 and 947 on the chimney. I then added in the sky using a mix of 565 and 249. Masking off the house, I stamped in the branch from 4964 WC Branches Set in 879 on both sides, adding some leaves in 027, 947, and 969 from KH5951 Foxes Set.  

I then stamped in the dried flower from 4701 Clay Pot Set with 027.  I added in the grass from 5826 WC Large Tree Set in 027.  I pulled a little bit of the color out of the flowers and grass, leaving the leaves alone, and added some 969 for a path to the doorway.  A little 565 was used around the base of the house and then added some Dr. Martin’s Bleed Proof White throughout the scene for snow, defining it with additional 565.  The largest die from 5064 Circle Double Stitched Dies was used to cut the image out. Heat embossing the sentiment in white from 5949 Encouragement Sentiment Set, and then used a die from 5543 Journal Template Die Set to cut it out, mounting it with foam tape to complete the card. All other dies used were from my stash.  Thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed my cards! Until next time.  Create….Share….Inspire!






Saturday, January 11, 2025

See You At Noon With a Latte by Janet


Today I have a quintessential Ai Card with an attitude! It's their cute images and tongue-in-cheek sentiments that originally attracted me to the Art Impression line so many years ago. The slightly irreverent humor just gets me! The set I used for this card is called AiCS40 - Spring Chicken Set. There are three chicken images and several funny sentiments.

The card layout was inspired by a Pinterest sketch which is where I sometimes find ideas when something doesn't pop into my mind. I used several patterns of paper from the 5873 - Mini Birthday Paper Pack. There's a lot of purple hues in these patterns so I chose a dark purple cardstock to use as an accent and dark purple pearls and rhinestones to decorate it. I used 5065 - Oval Double Stitched Dies, 5727 - Oval Nested Dies. and 5724 - Nested Rectangle Dies to create most of the shapes used in the design. 

This image is perfect the way it is but I still decided to add some additional touches to it. I sketched lines in the feet and in the hat to give those items a little more dimension and texture. Otherwise, this was a quick image to color since the chicken is mostly white with shadows in gray that I colored in with markers. I used two colors of gray and a blender to soften them. After coloring, I fussy cut the chicken out and popped it up on foam pads. This chicken has an attitude that makes smile. I hope it puts one on your face too.

Thanks so much for joining me here at the blog today. As always, please visit the Ai store for the products I used and all the things you need for your card, journal, and tag making projects. Happy creating!

Janet YouTube - Blog - Facebook - Instagram - Pinterest


Friday, January 10, 2025

Thinking of You Card by Tasha

 Happy Friday Ai Friends!

Tasha here sharing my first project of 2025! Today's card was inspired by the current "Craft Time is Golden" Challenge and features the 5953-Woodland Critters Set.

Now that Winter is in full swing and we are getting more snow here in Wisconsin, I thought it would be fun to create a little winter wonderland scene. I love owls and this stamp is perfect for Fall and Winter projects, his little scarf is just too cute!


I colored the owl with Copic Markers and used the included dies to cut the image out. To go with the "Golden" theme, I created a sparky gold glitter frame which looks awesome with the blue snowflake background. Art Impressions has great pattern paper!

Lastly, I added layers of blue, white, and brown card stock, pine cone pattern paper, and a scalloped frame using the same snowflake paper behind the owl. I also attached a "Thinking of You" sentiment to complete the design.

I hope you enjoyed today's project are will participate in the "Craft Time is Golden" Challenge!