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

Simple Beauty by Gennette Houghton

 

Hello, and Welcome to Watercolor Weekend.  Art Impressions released the most beautiful sets for Bible Journaling and they are great elements for cards as well.  I am so excited to work with these sets some more!

Isn’t this guy the cutest thing ever!!!!  I fell in love with him the very first time I saw him!  I used 6216 Mercy Set, I started by stamping in Distress Ink Pumice Stone after stamping off once and placed it on my watercolor paper.  I created a mask for the bird and leaf and used liquid masking fluid to cover the water drops.  I then used the 2^nd from smallest 5065 Oval Double Stitched Dies to trace a guide around the image, and then will use it to cut my project out.  I took a pencil and ruler to put in a guide for the horizon line, and used a black micron on the bird’s eye.  055, 025, and N15 was used on the main part of the body.  For the beak and the little tiniest of toes I used 946.  The small section of white under the wing I shaded with 565.  I added some highlights on the head with some Bleed Proof White.  I started with 126 on the leaf and then shaded with 177, leaving the area under the water light.  I then added in some 565 and 025 in the water and added some highlights with Bleed Proof White as well.  Using the horizon line I colored the ground with 969, darkening under the leaf for a shadow.  526 was used for the sky before I put the foliage and flowers in.  After masking the image I used 5826 WC Large Tree Set 2 for the grass in 177 and two small spots at the base with 969, stamping multiple times on both sides.  I then took the leafy branch from 5126 WC Foliage Set 4 and used 126 and then drawing a line up both branches with 177.  I then stamped in the flowers from the set in 177 and 526, darkening the centers of the flowers with more 526 after pulling the color out.  Tiny dots were also added with Bleed Proof White.  I softened all of the foliage with a damp brush finishing off my image.  I decided to leave the pencil guide in for the oval and shaded around it with 535.  I then used the die to cut out my image, and used 5727 Nested Oval Dies, 8^th from the largest to cut out a mat.  6205 Floral Shop Paper Pack was used to mat my card base.  I used an embossing folder on some solid cardstock for the band, and popped my image up with foam tape. 

For my 2^nd card I used 6220 Sing to the Lord, such a beautiful set, and Bonnie out did herself this time!!  I started by cutting my watercolor paper down to 4 ¼ by 5 ½ since I plan on matting my card base with it.  I then used my stamping platform because I plan on extending the line of wildflowers.  I used Distress Ink Pumice Stone and stamped off once each time.  I lined up the stamp to the left edge first, and then lined the stamp back up on the right to go completely across the paper.  I used 126 and 177 for most of the stems and leaves, on a few I used 192 and 249.  For the purple sprigs I used 676, the daisies I used N60 and N52 to shade the petals.  The centers I used 055, 025, and 026, and then added a bit of Bleed Proof White on the petals to brighten them a bit.  For the 2 little flowers I used 905, and the yellow flowers I used the same combinations as I did for the centers of the daisies.  For the Coneflowers I started with 685, it was more purple than I wanted so I went over it with a little 725.  For the centers I used 947 and shaded with 969, I also added a couple of dots of BPW.  I added in some 526 in the background.  I decided to take a ruler and pencil to create an edge at the bottom of the flowers and extended any of the foliage to meet up with the line that I needed too.  I then “shaded” the line with 725 to match the paper I chose from 5892 Easter S2 Paper Pack.  I used the 5972 BJ Decorative Margin Die to create a border in a matching solid cardstock and topped it with the paper I had picked, finishing off my card.  I was going to add the included sentiment but I decided not to.  I never have been big on putting sentiments on the front of a card, it leaves my options open for what the card can be used for.  Thank you so much for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed my cards.  Until next time!  Create….Share….Inspire!

Faith-On The Border Challenge by Janet

We're on the second week of our current challenge, "On the Border." Anything you can consider a border counts for this challenge. I made this with the beautiful 6219 - Hydrangea Margin Set. The set includes two mirrored hydrangea border stamps. I wanted to see if I could use the set to create a diagonal border on my card set at an angle. The stamps are not quite long enough to reach across an A2 card like I've done here but I discovered that I could stamp one full image and then simply stamp the first part of the image again nestled under the end of the first impression. You truly cannot tell where I did this because the images nest together so nicely.

After stamping the two images together, I set about coloring them in pink hues with Copic markers. Then I colored the leaves and stems. I changed the buds which are stamped as if they are closed. I used a yellow acrylic marker and then dotted white gel ink on top. It adds a little fanciful interest to the image I think. After completing the coloring, I fussy cut the edges of the image out and set it aside to make the card base.

To form the angled diagonal card, I started with a traditional A2 side fold card. I cut a piece off the front from top left corner to bottom right corner to create the diagonal flap. I ran the bottom section of the front card flap through an embossing folder for added texture. Then I cut a stitched strip that stretches across the front with a die in my stash. I glued that just above the embossing. There was just enough room left on the flap to glue the hydrangea strip in place. I trimmed the excess stitched strip and hydrangea border to fit the card's top and bottom edges. I cut the word Faith out from a die included in the 6155-Ornate Margin Dies and glued it on the stitched strip border. Finally I added a stitched mat to the inside of the card. The top portion of it is displayed when the card is closed. The finishing touches are the addition of several small flat backed pink pearls on the strip. 

I hope you agree that this technique created a soft and pretty floral card that is unique and special. It looks much more complicated to make than it actually was so it's sure to impress anyone who receives it!

Thanks for stopping by and spending time with me and Art Impressions today. Please visit the Ai store to pick up your favorite stamps, dies, papers, accessories, and supplies, including all the supplies I used in this card. 

Happy Crafting!

Happy Little Vampire Halloween Card

Hi Art Impressions friends!

Tasha here sharing a Halloween card inspired by the current Art Impressions Challenge! For my card, I used the little vampire from the 5506-Peek-a-Boo Stamp Set. I love this happy little vampire and his cute batty friend!

I started my card with a purple alcohol ink background. To go along with the current Ai Challenge, I added several silver glitter spiderwebs around the center of the card. I love all the different styles of webs and how the glitter adds a little sparkle!

To complete the card, I added layers of purple and white cardstock along with purple glitter paper to coordinate with the colors used on the vampire. I also added a piece of spiderweb pattern paper to tie everything together.

I love how this Halloween card turned out, and I hope you are inspired to join in the current challenge and create something fun!

Have a wonderful day!

On the Border Challenge #436 Week #2

 Hello Ai fans and welcome to week #2 of our
On the Border challenge.

We want to see your cards with a special border.

It can be stamps, dies, embellishments...whatever you can think

of that makes your border special.

Neema was our Featured Artist last week and
created this book style card with a floral border.

I used some border dies on my cozy little cottage.

Dori added a border die on each side of her fun lady.

Simone has a pretty, stitched border around her beautiful flowers.

5981 My Joy set
6203 Wisdom set 1
5949 Encouragement set

5591 – Journal Rectangle Frames Die Set

5063 Double Stitched Rectangle die

Gennette has a cloud and grass border framing her gorgeous flowers.

5826 WC Large Tree Set 2
5008 WC Flower Set 3
4868 WC Flower Set 2
5126 WC Foliage Set 4
6177 Garden Friends (sentiment)

Sharon has a frilly border to add interest to her floral card.

6221 Frameworks Set 3
6218 BJ Long Stem
5972 BJ Decorative Margin Dies

Janet created a stunning floral border.

Tasha adorable Dracula card used 5506, 5462, 5849.

Thank you so much to our Design Team for all of the different ideas and 

beautiful inspiration.

Please use something to make your border extra special.

It doesn't matter what as long as it's not just a plain old border.

We will select two winners.

A Top Spot Winner and a Lucky Random Winner will each be able to 

select a free, current stamp set of their choice from the Art Impressions Website.

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

Shine Your Light

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well! For today's project, I am sharing a card I made using the light house stamp from the Light of the World set (Set 6126) from Art Impressions. This one was a really fun one to color. 

I used Copic markers for the coloring on my project. I started by coloring the lighthouse. I used the straight edge of a credit card to carefully draw the lines with light pencil to get the stripes onto my lighthouse. I have always loved red in lighthouses so I knew that would be a color I would go with. I blended 3 different reds and grey to create the colors on the stripes, leaving the middle more light in color to create a bit of a rounded effect. 

Next, I colored the cliff, rocks and tree using may brown and grey colors, as well as a few different greens on the tree.

I then added my water in.... using back and forth strokes. At first, it looks a bit sloppy but as you keep adding your layers of colors, it blends quite nicely. 

I then added the sky using a blender brush and some light blue ink onto the background. I wanted to make the cliff look more grounded instead of having it float there, so I also added a cliff from the WC Cliffs Set (#5465) and colored that in using the same color combos as before. I then stamped the sentiment. I hope you have a nice week! I will be working on fall projects! 

Materials Used

Stamps

• 6126 Light of the World
• 5465 WC Cliffs Set

Markers

     R29, R24, R27, C2, C3, C4, C0, C10, C8, C6, E79, Y35, G29, W1, G24, G28, G94, W0, BG75, BG72, BG70, BG78, E59, E15, E57, E25, G99, E35, W7, W5, W3

 

Cruisin' Carol birthday card by Dori Mendiola

 Happy Wednesday AI Friends!

Today I have a card inspired by the current bi-weekly blog challenge - On the Border featuring the #5972 - BJ Decorative Margin dies and Cruisin' Carol - #6075.  I love these ladies from the AI People line. 

I stamped Cruisin' Carol onto copic friendly paper with Memento black ink and colored her with my copic markers listed below.  I then die cut her with the corresponding die that is included in this set.  

I die cut 2 pieces of pattern paper and a white cardstock panel using the #5063 - Rectangle A2 Double Stitched dies.  I also die cut two pieces of mint green cardstock using the #5972 - BJ Decorative Margin die for each side of the image panel.

I placed foam tape onto the backside of the image and popped her up onto the white panel.  The happy birthday word die cut is from my stash.

There you have it - Easy Peasy, Fun and Festive!  Thanks for joining me today!  Hope you join our bi-weekly challenge - On the Border - for a chance to win a free stamp set.  We love to see your creations!

Have a great week and hope you find lots of time to craft!

Copics used:  T0, T2, T4, T6

E00, E01, E11, E21, E23, E25

R20, R22, R24, R27, R29

Y28    YR12, YR14, YR16

B000      V12, V15, V17

Focus on Faith: Fall Fox by Sara Furr

Blessings, my friends, and welcome to the second edition of my "Focus on Faith" for the month of September. 

Fall will be fast approaching my neck of the woods, and I honestly couldn't be happier! I LOVE Fall, and all it has to offer; the beautiful, rich colors, the smells, the harvest of fruits and vegetables, sweater weather, comfort foods, and hot beverages. I'm really looking forward to the cooler weather and slowing down just a bit from the chaos of my busy life!

So, I thought I would create a Fall scene with one of my FAVORITE Art Impressions Stamp sets.... The Foxes, and one of my favorite Bible verses, Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I AM GOD", a verse that I find myself repeating when I try too hard to control all the chaos and drama in my life.

This is a call to stop worrying, quiet your mind, and remember God's power and presence. Focus on peace: Breathe slowly and remind yourself that you do not have to carry all your burdens alone. I thought this scene portrayed that "peace".

I stamped my fox onto Watercolor paper with Versafine Onyx black ink and watercolored the scene with Tombow markers 847, 925, 879, 969, N49. 

I masked off the left side of my fox before I added the foliage using the branch and leaves from the Foxes set, and I also used the leafy foliage from the Foliage set. 

When my scene was dry, I went back in with couple colored pencils, to add more depth and shading. I  then stamped the sentiment with Versafine Onyx black ink, and then die cut out the scene with the largest Scalloped Square die. I matted my focal piece to a square of green polka dot dsp from the Classic Christmas paper pack.

I chose this color because it creates a sharp contrast to the reds and oranges I used for my scene, and it really makes that fox come to life. Isn't he handsome? I just love this stamp so much!

I pray that you feel God's loving arms wrapped around you, keeping you safe, and freeing you from the worries of life. God has this! You can depend on it!

God bless you and keep you!

Sara Furr- The Crafty Farm Chick 

Supplies used:

#KH5951 Foxes set

#5417- Frameworks Sentiments set

#4051- Foliage set 

#5969- Classic Christmas PP

#6047- Scalloped Square dies

Canson XL Watercolor paper

Watercolor brush

Versafine Onyx black ink pad

Tombow markers: 847, 925, 879, 969, N49

Cozy Little Cabin by Reneé Matarese

 Hello Ai fans!

Happy Tuesday.

Today I'm sharing my card that I created for the On the Border challenge.
I needed a thank you card for an old friend who loaned our family her cottage
this summer.

I used gold paint and 2 different border dies from Art Impressions to
give my card a little something extra special.
(links below)

I also used a foundation stamp so all of the guess work was done for me.

Copics used:

W2, W3, G12, G40, R35
Ohuhu:

B21