See the Chocolate...

Hi Ai fans! 

This week I played with My favorite things stamp set which is perfect for me. I love chocolate so I love the sentiment with this stamp set. 

"See the Chocolate

Seize the Chocolate 

Be the Chocolate" 

This is my 100% I love all things chocolate. 

I used this stamp set to make two cards this week. I stamped the image twice with Memento black ink and colored them in with alcohol markers.  The first card I shared I stamped the sentiment onto the front of the card.

I adhered the ladies faces looking through the window on the inside of the card.

The second card I adhered the sentiment die cut out inside of the card.

Spectrum Noir Markers:

GT1,GT2,GT3, TB2, TB3, TB4, EB1, EB2, EB3, HB1,HB2, HB3, CT2, CT3, CT4, BG2, BG3, BG4, FS6, FS7, FS8, CR1, CR3, CR6, BT3, BT4, BT6, IB1, IB2, IB3, DG1, DG2, DG3, IG2, IG4, IG5, GB1, GB3, GB5, DR1, DR3, DR4

 Happy Stamping!

Escape to your Favorite Place | By Jessica Shier

Hello Ai Fans!

Today I'm using the Dock Circlet stamp and die set. These come with two dies to cut out the dock and boats so you can create a fun Tryfold card easily. This time though I'm stacking the top two layers to create a dimensional window card.

Below I have a photo of all the die cutting and stamping I did. Using the third largest Rounded Rectangle Double Stitch die to die cut a piece of Neenah Solar White 80lb card stock and some blue craft foam. Then I stamped the first dock image along with die cutting it. Using that piece to make a line with a black marker on where to die cut the dock die from the craft foam. 

The second die and image is of the boats in the water. For this layer I used both boat pieces on white card stock. Then die cut that same piece with the second largest Rectangle Double Stitch die. I also used that second die to die cut the front of an A2 top fold card base, this creates my final window to the inside of the card. Using a pencil I traced the top edge of the die cut onto the inside and stamped the final image with the circular sentiment. Not shown in the photo is also the sentiment "Thinking of you" from the Succulent set, I thought it would go nicely with the inside sentiment "Serenity is found when you escape to your favorite place."

Before gluing my layers together I colored my stamped images with Prismacolor Pencils. These images also look great with Copic coloring or watercolors too! I also inked the edges on the boat and dock die cuts. Using makeup blending brushes again, I blended Distress Oxide inks on to the rounded rectangle piece and adhered that to the blue craft foam. I did ink blending for the second layer too, but used Pumice Stone Distress ink first then Iced Spruce Oxide ink over the top. 

Prismacolor Pencils Used:

Mountains and shading

PC1076 90% French Gray 

PC1074 70% French Gray

PC1072 50% French Gray

PC1068 10% French Gray

PC947 Dark Umber

PC1082 Chocolate

PC941 Light Umber

PC1032 Pumpkin Orange

PC918 Orange

PC1034 Goldenrod

PC922 Poppy Red

PC1006 Parrot Green

PC909 Grass Green

PC912 Apply Green

PC989 Chartreuse

PC1025 Perwinkle

PC1079 Blue Violet Lake

PC1023 Cloud Blue

Thank you so much for joining me today! Happy Stamping!!

Live, Laugh Love!

Hi Ai fans!

This stamp set Live-laugh-love  just makes me laugh. I loved coloring this happy image in I couldn't help but smile when I was coloring them. They are having such a great time together.

I kept the focus on the image so I die cut it out with a double stitched oval die then matted it onto some pattern paper. 

Spectrum Noir Markers:

GT1,GT2,GT3, TB2, TB3, TB4, EB1, EB2, EB3, HB1,HB2, HB3, CT2, CT3, CT4, BG2, BG3, BG4, FS6, FS7, FS8, CR1, CR3, CR6, BT3, BT4, BT6, IB1, IB2, IB3, DG1, DG2, DG3, IG2, IG4, IG5, GB1, GB3, GB5, DR1, DR3, DR4

 Happy Stamping!

Seas the Day | By Jessica Shier

Hello Ai Fans!

I have another Flip card to share with you today. This time I'm using the Octopus Flip card set. These flip card stamp sets make such cute little scenes and you can have them hold up the sentiment in so many different ways. This time I used a die from the Flag Double Stitch Die set to have the octopus hold a flag sentiment.

I started by stamping the octopus flip image on to a piece of Neenah 80lb Solar White card stock, with Amalgam ink. Using purple orange, pink and blue Copic markers to color in my image. I left just a bit of the image white like I do a lot when coloring. While coloring the Octopus I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with the background. I decided on a simple underwater scene. 

All the Copic markers I used are listed below. The sand was easy, simple blending of some E markers adding a little definition and interest. I wanted this simple because I knew I was going to ink blend over the top of it. I added texture with a few of the darker markers by adding small dots through out the sand. For the water I did streaks or flicks of blue starting with the darkest color at the top, then fading to the lightest blue. Also adding more of the darker colors through out the panel.

I used Distress Oxide ink in Faded Jeans and Frayed Burlap to darken the edges. Using the makeup blending brushes I was able to get pretty close to the image with out masking or inking over it. I also blended Distress Oxide inks in Picked Raspberry and Spiced Marmalade on a piece of Bristol Smooth card stock, that I trimmed down with the second to largest Rectangle Double Stitch die. I concentrated the color around the outer edge because I knew it would mostly be covered by the Octopus copic colored panel.  I adhered those panels together then added a black card stock layer below the orange and pink blended card stock before gluing everything to a side fold A2 card base. 

I used both sentiments that come with the Octopus Flip stamp set. Stamping them onto Neenah 80lb card stock with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink. I let the ink sit for a moment to dry before running it through my die cutting machine with the banner die from the Flag Double Stitch die set. 

I could have made the inside similar to the front but I kept it simple and easy. I used a smaller Art Impressions Rectangle Double Stitch die and stamped the flip image of the Octopus. Using the same Copic markers I mirrored the coloring. The points of the flag should be on the other side to make it more mirrored, but that is ok! 

Copic Markers Used:

BV04, BV02, BV01, BV00

YR04, Y21, RV55, RV52

B14, B02, B00, 

W3, W1, W0

B29, B16, B14, BG11, B02, B00

E43, E35, E34, W31, W3, W6

Thank you for joining me today! Happy Stamping!!

Girlfriend Blend Coffee Card | By Jessica Shier

Hello Ai Fans!

Today I'm sharing another coffee themed inspired card. I couldn't resist coloring up the Girlfriend blend set! Don't forget to enter in your own coffee cards in the current challenge. 

Using a stamp platform, I stamped the Girlfriend Blend image on Neenah 80lb Solar White card stock with Gina K. Amalgam ink. I really had coffee on my mind for this one. Which is why I kept my coloring to mainly neutral tones. I used BV00 to add shading to the caffeinated ladies light skin tones. Blending that out with E51 and E00. I shaded in a table for them to lean on and sketched in the blue sky, B41 & B00.

Once the coloring was done I used the largest Hexagon Double Stitch die to die cut the Girlfriend Blend image. Since I was die cutting I went ahead and die cut a green card stock with the Stitched Rectangle Double Stitch die and also the ovals, or petals/leaves. Twice with a shimmer green card stock and four times with a Chartreuse felt. The oval die is from the Tag Double Stitch die.

I added a strip of Simon Says Stamp Dark Chocolate card stock to the bottom of the image. For the sentiment, "Never underestimate the power of being properly caffeinated." I heat embossed with white embossing powder on Papertrey Ink Dark Chocolate card stock. 

Copic Markers Used:

W9, W6, W3, W1, W0

C5, C3, E81, E77, E74

E59, E51, E43, E35, E34, 

E31, E18, E17, E15, E07

E00, RV55, RV11, R81, 

R83, R27, R17, R14, R12

B41, B00, BV00

Thank you so much for joining me today! Happy Stamping!!

I'll Never Be Old... By Crystal Schneider

Hi Ai fans!

This week I played with the Hot-java-mama stamp set. This lady is so much fun drinking her coffee right from the coffee pot. I stamped image onto smooth white card stock with memento black ink so I could color it in with alcohol markers. After I stamped and colored the image in I fussy cut it out.

I die cut a 5 1/2" X 4 1/4" double stitched rectangle out of stripped pattern paper for the background. I then die cut a smaller double stitched rectangle out of kraft card stock. I wanted to make my own pattern paper so I stamped the coffee cup with the straw in straight lines across the kraft card stock. I stamped the sentiment onto a small piece of card stock and rounded two of the corners. I layered everything onto a 5 1/2" X 4 1/4" card base.   

Spectrum Noir Markers:

IB1, IB2, IB3, DG1, DG2, DG3, EB1, EB2, EB3, FS6, IG2, IG5

Happy Stamping!

Gnome-one like you! by Reneé Matarese

Hello Ai fans!

Today begins a three week obsession!  I'm suddenly feeling the need to craft with mushrooms!!  I think I know why.  My mom has been ill and I've had my Spring and Summer consumed with helping out with her care. I didn't plant any flowers, create any pots or even buy any hanging baskets.  I have MANY perennial flowers but I think my yard is lacking in color this year. I think this was my escape. Over the next three Sundays you're going to see 3 different cards made with the 5125 – WC Elves Set.

This time I combined the elves set with

5000 – Gotta Garden Set. 
I used the Gnome, the gloves and the garden utensils from that set.

I also used 5133 – Flag Double Stitched Die and 5063 – Rectangle A2 Double Stitched Dies on my card.

Copics used:

E00, E02

Arteza Real Brush Pens:

101, 111, 112, 115, 117, 118, 121, 127, 128,

137, 146, 153, 154, 167, 173, 177, 181, 190

Yoga Ladies | By Jessica Shier

Hello Ai Fans!

It's Design Team member Jessica here and I'm back with another birthday card! This time I'm fussy cutting the Yoga Set. These two ladies are part of the whole group image but can be easily cut apart from the rest to be used separately.

I stamped the Yoga set image on to a piece of Neenah Solar White 80lb cardstock with Amalgam ink. For these ladies I used Copic Markers to color them in. The list of colors I used is below. Once I had them colored up I used my Fiskars scissors to fussy cut them away from the rest of the group. I also used a craft knife to get into some of those harder to reach areas. The lady in purple does have a pony tail but it couldn't be salvaged, so she has a shorter hair cut. 

I've been experimenting in the craft room so the background was a trial run but I like the way it came out. For this I used Black cardstock, a stencil and texture paste mixed with Neon Aqua Pigments (neon pink and neon blue). This gave me a lovely pastel pink, purple and blue background. Which pops against that black cardstock! I let that dry and mounted it to a Neenah Solar White 110lb A2 sized cardbase. 

The Yoga mats I made for the ladies, are cut from pink and blue craft foam using the second to smallest Art Impressions Rectangle Double Stitch die. Normally I use the foam as a dimensional but I liked the texture of this craft foam and thought it fit well with the Yoga theme. Using a larger rectangle die I cut a piece of Neenah 110lb cardstock and adhered the yoga mats. Then I stamped the sentiment "Keep calm and yoga on" in black ink using my stamp platform in case the foam got in the way, which it didn't! Next I stamped the balloon that also comes in the Yoga Set. I situated it so that it looked like the yoga person at the top of the sentiment was holding it. Since the balloon was a little long, I stamped it again on a scrap piece of cardstock, colored it in and fussy cut it out. 

I attached the white cardstock panel to the texture emboss with some strong glue. Now all I had left to do was adhere the ladies to their yoga mats and attach the cut out balloon. I used some scrap craft foam  behind the presents and cake, so that they were even with the Yoga ladies. 

I forgot to get a photo of the inside but I did use another sentiment from the Yoga set that says... 

"It's just a birthday! Nothing to get bent out of shape over!

lol! 

Copic Markers Used:

W6, W3, W1, W0

E59, E77, E74

E51, E35, E31, E00

Y00, Y02, Y21

YG01, G40, YG41

BG13, BG11, BV11

RV93, RV55

Thank you so much for joining me today! Happy Stamping!

Farm Fresh Tri-Fold Birthday Card- By Crystal

Hi Ai fans! 

This week I played with the Produce Stand MTF stamp set. 

I stamped, colored and fussy cut the images out. I used the coordinating dies from the stamp set to die cut the awning and the window out. I trimmed a  piece of white card stock down to 3"X 9". I then scored 3" in on either side to make a square 3" tri-fold card.

I die cut the window to match the spots I attached the other die cut pieces. 

That little raccoon sitting on his stool eating a watermelon is just too cute.

I die cut a double stitched 4 1/4" X 5 1/2" rectangle and adhered it to a card base. Stamped Happy Birthday onto a banner on the front of the card. I adhered the tri-fold card to the card base centered in the middle but towards the top.  

Spectrum Noir Markers:

Happy Stamping!