NEW Circlet Mini TryFolds! PLUS Challenge 249 Stripes & Circles!

Spring is on the way, and so are NEW releases! We are excited to announce FOUR gorgeous additions to our Circlet Mini TryFold line! Our Circlets are so popular, and it's easy to see why! Each set contains three circular stamp images designed to layer together, as well as two dies that cut the openings. Send homemade greetings with our Front Porch Circlet, featuring a sleeping kitty at the front door. Our Pasture and Dock Circlets are perfect for masculine or feminine cards, featuring horses in the field and boats on a peaceful lake. Last but not least, our Easter Circlet is perfect for sending blessings this spring. Take a look at our video from Creativation to see a variety of cards you can make with our Circlets! Grab all four sets at artimpressions.com!

Carol has a tutorial you won't want to miss! Let's take a look!

Hello Ai Fans!

For our Stripes and Circles challenge I'm using the beautiful new Front Porch Circlet MTF.  I wanted to do something a bit different with this Circlet and decided to make a cute tag!

Since I wanted the images to be stamped crisp and clear, I used Strathmore Bristol Smooth card stock.  To step it up even a bit more, I pulled out a couple of my long neglected Watercolor Sets and stamped a wreath around the first two circle images.   I wasn't totally certain how this would work with the water color stamps, but I have to say it worked great!  I stamped each image onto a piece of Bristol Smooth using Versafine Onyx Black in, which is waterproof.

After stamping each image, I stamped the wreath using the techniques that Bonnie teaches in her watercolor videos.  To color the images I scribbled each marker color onto my pallet and used a barely damp paint brush to color each one.  (The markers I used are listed at the end of this post.)

I then used the awesome new Tag Stitched Dies set to cut each one into a tag shape.  The main thing I was careful with was to measure where I placed the tag die so that the images would still line up.  Here's a photo showing what I mean.

             

Measure above and to the right of the die, as shown in first photo.  Then for the others, I used those measurements to make pencil lines for the die placement.  Everything lined up just right this way!  I used the reinforcer die to cut the shape to go around the tag hole where the ribbon is.  

Here is a view of the second layer:

And the third layer.  (I actually have a yellow front door on our home!)

I love how this came together.  It would be perfect to give as a card, or tied onto a package for a pretty gift tag.  Of course, you can make this as a mini Tryfold following the directions on the back of the packaging.  I hope you've enjoyed seeing my different take on this Circlet.  I can't wait to see your creations linked up for the challenge!  Happy crafting!

Markers used:

Marvy LePlume II:  Olive Green, Leaf Green, Ochre, Yellow, Magenta, Sapphire,

Manganese Blue, African Violet, Brownish Grey

Kuretake Zig Clean Color Real Brush:  Fog Gray, Dark Brown, Deep Brown

Wow, Carol, this project is so sweet! Love your watercolor wreath and that yellow door!

It's time for a new challenge! This week is all about Stripes and Circles! You can use one or both elements in your cards to qualify for our challenge! Remember, we pick a "Top Spot" winner for a prize pack and two Honorable Mentions for a stamp of their choice! Playing along gives you a chance to win, and shares your creativity with other Ai fans!

 Here are the Challenge Rules:

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

✻ Limit two submissions per person. You will receive extra votes if you use Art Impressions stamps!

✻ 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 by clicking and commenting your fellow crafters.

✻ Make sure to get your link up by Wednesday, February 13 at 5:00 p.m. PST to enter your creations.

✻ Good luck and happy stamping!

An InLinkz Link-up

Let's not forget the winners of last week's Lots of Hearts challenge!

Top Spot goes to...

Carina!

Congrats, Carina! We think your Puppies Flutter card is too cute with all your little die cut hearts and customized sentiment! Email annelise@artimpressions.com with your address to claim your prize pack!

Honorable mentions go to...

Funtography

Debbie Rumpza

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Debbie Rumpza (@debrumpza) on Jan 21, 2019 at 5:18pm PST

Congrats, you two! We love the Welcome Little One card perfect to shower a new baby with love! And Debbie, your card with our retired Tina set is super cute with your ink blended sky sprinkled with hearts! Be sure to email annelise@artimpressions.com with your address and select a stamp set of your choice for a prize!

We hope everyone can join us for our new challenge! It's going to be a fun one!

Something BIG is coming! Be sure to check your email on Sunday, February 3, for a big surprise you won't want to miss! This news is coming to our newsletter subscribers first, so be sure you and your stamping friends to sign up for our emails!

Happy Stamping!

Saving All My Love For You -By Crystal Schneider

Hi AI fans! 

How is your week going so far? I'm so ready for the weekend. This week I had fun playing with this cute little squirrel from the Nuts About You stamp set. I'm actually a little scared of squirrels in real life but this set is way too cute. 

I started by stamping this adorable little guy onto the middle of a square die cut which I cut with one of the Square Double Stitched dies using Memento black ink. I then masked the squirrel so I could use the heart stencil for the background.   

After I pulled the mask off I colored the adorable squirrel in. I stamped the little acorns onto some brown paper and fussy cut them out. I stamped the sentiment onto a little rectangle die cut with one of the smaller Rectangle Double Stitched dies using white pigment ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder. 

I die cut some solid red and black cardstock with the Rectangle Double Stitched dies and layered them under my image. As a last little detail I used a little clear Nuvo drops on the hearts to give them a little shine. 

Spectrum Noir Markers:

MB2, MB4, TN2, TN5, TN8, DR6

Happy Stamping!

My Punny Valentine by Niccole Kulig

Hello Ai fans!!

I am here today to share with you a set of cards I made with new set  5117 - Valentine Critters. These have to be some of the cutest little animals I have ever seen.

As you can see I made a set of four cards with each animal in the stamp set.  A mouse, a beaver, an  otter, and a porcupine.
I actually made these cards a little smaller and narrower.  I cut a piece of card stock to  4.5" x 5" and folded the 5" in half so the finished card is 2.5" x 4.5".  I love how they turned out and I also made matching envelopes.  I made them all identical in the items used, and paper.  I gave each one their own character by the animal I picked, the sentiment, and the colorful dots. I popped each animal up with foam dots and added Wink of Stella to each heart on the card.
Pretty easy-peasy! They are even cuter in person, trust me!

Here each one is close up ...

THE BEAVER

Isn't he adorable, even with a yellow front tooth ???

THE MOUSE

I split up some of the sentiments with this little fella ~

THE OTTER

Both his flower and the hearts on his sweater have Wink of Stella.

THE PORCUPINE

I think he just might be my favorite.

Copics used:
Beaver: E00, E41, E43, E44, E47, RV21, RV23, RV25, &Y13
Mouse: C1, C3, C5, RV21, RV23, & RV25
Otter: BV00, BV01, BV02, BV04, E41, E43, E44, E47, RV21, RV23, RV25, Y13, Y15, Y17,  YG63, & YG67
Porcupine: C1, C3, C5, C7, RV21, RV23, & RV25



Until next time …

In the Air by Jil Lebel

Hello Ai fans!

For today's card, I made an interactive card with a regular stamp set.  I really like to do this and haven't done it in a while.  I used the In the Air stamp set along with the Slider Die.  There are quite a few cute stamp sets that work along with the Slider Die, but I really wanted to make the boy skunk move towards the girl skunk for a kiss.  I hope you enjoy this card and take a second look at some of the stamps you have to see if they might work the same way.

The images were stamped onto Spetrum Noir Ultra Smooth paper with My Favorite Things Extreme Black Ink and colored with Copic markers.  The colors used are listed at the end of this post. The image was cut in half between the skunks arms, noses & tails.  They were both fussy cut out right along the stamped line.  A Sakura Black Glaze pen was added over the eye and noses of the skunks for dimension.  A Spectrum Noir Clear Glitter Marker was added over the skunks hair.

All of the card elements were cut from The Paper Studio Vintage Valentine 6x6 paper.  The Slider Die was assembled and attached to the front of the card as directed on the packaging. A piece of paper measuring 1 1/2" x 5" was cut from the patterned paper to form the slider piece.  An eyelet was added on the pull tab side and pink embroidery floss was added into the eyelet.  The edges were also punched with the Cloud corner chomper. The pull tab was added into the slider piece.  The boy skunk was positioned at the far end away from the pull tab.  The girl skunk was positioned right by the pull tab.  The boy skunk was attached to the pull tab with foam tape and the girl skunk was attached to the slider piece.  It is important that the foam tape not touch the other pieces or the moving parts will stick.  The skunks were positioned so they kiss when the pull tab is moved.  

Copic Markers Used:
Dark Skunk - C3, C5, C7, R20
Light Skunk - C0, C1, C3, C5, R20
Bow - R20, R21, R22, R24

Thanks for stopping by and Have a Great Day!

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Rooted in Love by Carol Hintermeier

Happy Monday Ai fans!

I really had fun creating this card!  I used some patterned paper for a cute background for this card using the Tree Twist Ties set.

These Twist Tie cards are really easy to make.  The directions you need are on the back of the packaging.  I used the Art Impressions Twist Tie card that comes pre-scored and measured.  There are measurements for creating your own on the package though.  Here are a few photos of my process for this card.

   
   

   

From the top photo, (click on the photo to enlarge) I cut my pattern paper layers for each side of the card front and adhered them using some reposition able tape runner.  Using the stamp as a guide, I positioned the die and adhered it with removable tape.  As you can see, the die didn't cut through all three layers.  That's okay though as it left enough of an impression for me to correctly position the die on the white card and run it through my machine again.

I then stamped the tree trunks onto some scrap card stock, positioned the die over them, and die cut them.   I fussy cut any part of the trunks that was not cut by the die.  Everything was colored with my Copic markers (listed below).  After the trunks were colored I adhered them on top of the pattern paper layers.

I die cut several of the leaf shapes, then stamped the leaves and colored them.  The birds and birdhouse were stamped first, then die cut.

For the inside, I cut a piece of card stock to 4" x 5-¼" and used a cloud stencil and Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide to ink up a cloud scene that peeks through when the card is closed.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing a bit of my process to create this card.  It really is quite easy to do once you get started.  Thank you so much for stopping by!   Happy crafting!

Copics used:

E13, E15, E23, E47, E57, Y08, B14, B32, R29, R35, R39, YG25, YG67

I love you MOWER! by Reneé Matarese

Hello Ai fans!

You all know how much I love making masculine cards so I love the 5044 – Born To Ride Set.

I apologize for the for the sentiment in the photo...it doesn't look that way in real life.  On the actual card it's clear and crisp.

I think we all know this guy.  (or at least have seen him on our street! lol!)

Throw some headphones on him and he'd be my husband.  Well, whoever he is he makes an awfully darn cute birthday, Father's Day card etc.

Copics used:

B18, B29, B34, B6, G03, G07, Y17, Y26,

E000, E13, E21, E35, E50, E70, W1, T3, T5, N4

Enjoy your day by Sharon Caudle

Hello AI Fans!

I've got another project where I used the Sloth-some Set from Art Impressions. This time I made a couple small cards that are perfect for inserting a gift card to the recipients favorite coffee shop! All I did was fold my card and place the top of the die above the card fold.  Because that leaves the top of your card with a flat top, I cut an extra front out with the full die and adhere that piece to the front of the card. 

Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit today and until next time - stay crafty! 

Copics used:
E21, E23, E41, E43, E71, E74, E77
BG000, BG13, BG15, BG18, BG57
R27