You're a Treasure Card by Tasha!

 Happy Friday Ai Friends!

Tasha here sharing a fun Summer card created with the new 5903-Treasured Armful Set. I have always loved mermaids and this mermaid stamp is just so cute and a lot of fun to color. 

To begin this beach-themed card, I stamped the mermaid and conch shell with black ink and cut both pieces out using the included die set. The die also cuts an opening that allows you to attach the shell to make it look as if she is holding it; I think this looks so cool!

After coloring, I created a little beach scene for the background. I used a wave pattern paper for the water and stenciled the puffy clouds to make a pretty blue sky. This looks like a perfect beach day!

For the sentiment, I embossed the included "You're a Treasure" greeting on to black card stock. I love white lettering and the black & white color combination looks great with all the bright colors.

Lastly, I attached blue and black card stock and a wood pattern paper to coordinate with the beach theme. 

I hope you enjoyed this card and are inspired to create with the fun 5903-Treasured Armful Set. 

Have a wonderful day!

Fall into Fall Challenge #360

Hello everyone!  We have a new challenge beginning today.  I had to Google it to see if I was rushing things...lol.  Turns out the official start of Fall is during this challenge so, it's all good!

Fall begins on...

Sat, Sep 23, 2023, 2:49 AM

Eastern Time

I won't be awake to experience it, but I will enjoy seeing all of your Fall themed handmade projects!

Our new challenge is called Fall into Fall.  We want to see any Fall themed crafty project.  Halloween, Thanksgiving, Fall leaves or whatever says Fall to you!

Before we check out Mercy's gorgeous card and picture tutorial she made as our featured artist for this challenge, let's see who won our Feeling Blue challenge.

For our Top Spot, we selected Cat L.

She made two cards.  One features the retired Gossip Club and on the other she used 5346 – Birdhouse Cubbies Set.

Please contact Leah at Feedback@artimpressions.com

to claim a free stamp set of your choice!

Also, be sure to grab our badge to display on your blog, Facebook or Instagram!

Now for our Lucky Random Winner.
#22 Debbie Hedges

She used the new 5794 – Whimsical Flowers set.

Please contact Leah at Feedback@artimpressions.com

to claim a free stamp set of your choice!

Also, be sure to grab our badge to display on your blog, Facebook or Instagram!

Now for the MAIN FEAUTURE!

Mercy has a dies only card with the exception of her sentiment.
Art Impressions has added some fabulous die sets over the last two years!

Here we are starting a new challenge, all about fall!   My favorite season! I love the feel, smell and colors of autumn.   But if I had to chose, the two things that stand out the most for me are the harvest festivals and fall leaves.   Both so fun.    In today's card I am using a newly released die set, the Fall Leaf Frame Die Set.  I decided to use this staple set as the "main" character, not combined with any other set and I loved the results.  Let's take a look,

For this project, I used a technique I don't often apply but equally enjoy, paper piecing.    As shown below I did not cut apart the frame set.  I die cut the first piece in yellow cardstock and removed the center and outer pieces from the frame.

Following this step I repeated the process using red cardstock except I only removed the centerpiece part of the die.  Then I adhered the two pieces together as shown below.

I proceeded to stamp the sentiment.   In addition, I die cut the frame using different color cardstock.

Following the previous step, I overlaid the center cut out as a guide to adhere the "floating die pieces".

I avoided the area where the sentiment was stamped and added a few extra layers to some of the leaves and the mushroom.   Finally I used Glossy Accent on selected elements.

I love this card, it's fun and pretty easy to create.   Hope you have a lovely day and will see you next time!

✻ Please make a new card or handmade crafty creation. You can make any 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!

 ✻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!

Join our challenge by linking up below.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Bloom Where You're Planted Challenge Week #2 plus new releases

 Hello Ai fans!

It's time for week two of our Bloom Where You're Planted challenge.

We want to see what you create using flowers, foliage, trees and plants.

Last week our featured artist was Nina and she shared two fabulous cards!
For her first card she used 5458 – Llama Set and Memento Ink Pad.

For her second card she used 5516 – Friends Forever Set along with the new 5741 – Valentines Paper Pack.

Now for the rest of the Design Team.

Reneé used 5717 – Little Girl Front & Back and 5719 – FB Fence & Window Set.

Mercy used three different sets on her card and you can view them here.

All of the products Sharon used on her incredible 3-D card can be found on her post here.

Click HERE to see which sets Tasha used on her card.

Janet created a front and back card using a bunch of fun new sets.
5543 – Journal Template Die Set
5739 – Birdhouse Village Set
5716 – Little Boy Front & Back
5719 – FB Fence & Window Set

And now,  although out Watercolor team doesn't normally participate in our challenges, all three of their cards fit our theme this week.

Here's Tricia, Diane and Karen's "Bloom" cards.

You can find all of their links and info on how they created their cards here.

We hope you're enjoying your week.  If you haven't had a chance to enter our 

challenge yet, be sure you do!  There's a free stamp set on the line for our Top Spot winner and for one Lucky Random Winner!

Be sure to use #artimpressions or @artimpressions when you share your work on social media so we can see it!

There are several new releases today (and last week) at Art Impressions.

Be sure to check out the new nested dies,

the new 5728 – Mushroom Cubbies

and the three new Matchbook Cubbies!

If you're new to the Matchbook Series be sure to check out this video from when 

they first premiered.  You only need to purchase the 5317 – MB Template Dies and 5318 – MB Envelope Dies and then you can add all of the additional sets that you want.

Happy stamping!

If you'd like to join in our challenge be sure to link your project below...

✻ Please make a new card or handmade crafty creation. You can make any 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!

 ✻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

Friends Forever Card by Tasha!

Happy Friday Ai Fans!

Tasha here sharing two cards created with the Ai 5516 Friends Forever Stamp Set!

For my first card I wanted to make a bright daytime scene. These girlfriends look like they are having a great time sitting together enjoying the weather! I enjoyed coloring their clothing and adding details to make their outfits unique.

I love this greeting and thought it would be perfect to send to a special friend. I used orange card stock to frame the sentiment to coordinate with the blue in the background. I also added red, white, and orange layers to the card to bring in more color. 

The second card is a night scene and I used darker colors to go with the starry night sky. You can really customize this stamp to go with all different seasons. I think I may create a Fall and Winter scene next!

I created the background with various stencils and ink blended the edges. I wanted it to look like the bright moon was shinning, so I kept the center bright to spotlight the friends. This stamp is so cheerful and it's so much fun to get creative and give each character a different look. 

I hope you enjoyed these projects and are having a wonderful day!

Watercolor Weekend June 4, 2022

 Hello Ai fans!

It's Watercolor Weekend and our Design Team has some spectacular cards for you today!

You won't believe the beauty and creativity!

Today we're kicking things off with Dot.

Hello,

I really don't want to live in the hot desert of Las Vegas anymore so I decided to color up my dream property which includes some of my favorite things - red barn, red flowers, trees, and water to fish in nearby. I'm very patriotic as well, so I had to include a flag. Hope you give this one a try. You could definitely send it for a 4th of July card or party invite.



Start by stamping the scene from the brand new 5526 - Foot bridge Simple Scene inked in Tombow pens 565 and 969. Then stamp the barn from the 5371 Barn Set inked the same way. Stamp only the house at the end of the brand new 5522 Country Village the inked the same way. Then stamp the middle house the same way. You don't have to ink all the houses, just the ones you want to use. Pull the color out of the lines the way Bonnie Krebs always shows us how to do in her tutorials. Stamp the trees from the 5372 Mini Foliage Set inked in 158 for the leaves and 969 for the trunks. Ink the leaves in 173 and stamp them again so you get that brighter green, also. Use 969 to darken the tree trunks and add more branches. Color the barn roof 969, the barn 856 and then add shadows with the 565. Use the Dr. PH Martin's bleed proof white to paint the frames on the doors and windows. Darken all the windows of all 3 buildings with the blue Tombow TwinTone fine tip pen. Color the roof of the back house with 969 and the door and the roofs of the front house with the 856. Use a pencil to draw the flag and flagpole then use the #1 paintbrush to color the pole with 969 and use the 856, 569 and the bleed proof white to color the flag. Use 969 to color the brick pattern on the chimneys and then color the bridge slats and road with the #4 paintbrush. Use a mix of 565 and 569 to color the water leaving some white areas. Then use 158 to fill in some of the white spaces. Use 565 to add shadows under the trees and under the bridge. Stamp the mini grass from the Mini Foliage set then use the red pen to add the flowers. Use the bleed proof white to add some white spots to the flowers. Cut it out with the 5063 Double Stitched Dies and then cut out the back ground pieces and attach it all to a card base.

Next up we have Tricia.  She and Karen were on the same wave length and both used the new teddy bear planter.  We're so glad they did. It shows just how versatile these images are.  Their cards are so different and both SO adorable!!

Here's Tricia's sweet version.

Let me tell you how I created this cute project.  I started out inking up the entire stamp with 969.  I added a bit of 569 to just the Bear not the pot.

First, I added some 947 to the bears ears, snout and foot. I added some additional layers to create depth.  Next, I pulled the color out of the bear and added some additional layers of 969 and 569 from my palette.  Make sure you are creating some shadows in this step.  Once you get a good foundation of black, I added some flicks with my brush to add some hair. I kept layering (making sure each layer is completely dry) until I was happy with the color.  Remember to leave white space to create separation.  I darkened in the eyes and nose with my black TwinTone marker. I added some 856 to the bow along with some bleed proof white to add a bit of shine.

Using my pencil, I added some bumps to the sides of the pot, to give the illusion it is a bee hive, a back to the hive, and guidelines for creating the shape of the hive.  I used my Molotow pen to save a spot for the opening and the bee.

I create the honey, I started out by layering a variety of colors.  This will give your honey a rich color.  First I added a layer of 055, followed by 025 and 993.  To darken underneath the drips, I added some 969 below and to the right of the drips and to the back of the hive.  Make sure to build slowly and leave lots of light color to shine through.  I removed the Molotow and colored in the opening.  I drew in the bee with a fine liner.

Using some 969 and N49, I added some color to the hive.  I used my paintbrush to create brush strokes to give texture to the hive.  To give depth, I added darker color to the sides of the hive.

I used a mask to cover the bear, and using my positioner, I stamped the weathered stump underneath the bear.  I pulled the color out of the lines and added some additional color from my palette.  Using the birch trees stamp, inked up with 969, I stamped it off and then stamped it behind the hive.  I pulled the color out of one side of the tree.

For the leaves, I stamped the small vine several times around the branches with 249.  I created the grass with 177, and the large grass stamp.  I added water and pulled the color out adding some additional 969 for the ground.  To finish up, I watered down some light blue to create clouds in the sky.  I was really careful to not touch the trees, putting a little color between them.

I used the small alphabet inked with 969 to stamp YUM! below the bear.  I just love how this fuzzy little Honey Bear came out.  I hope you give this project a try.  Don't forget to tag us on Instagram and use the #AIWatercolor. Thank you so much for spending time with me today, I hope you have a creative day!

Lastly, we have Karen's cute version of the bear planter.

Hello Ai Watercolour fans!

Hope you're enjoying seeing projects with some of the new Watercolour sets!  I couldn't resist doing another card with the sweet 5521 - WC Animal Planters Set:

I coloured my image with Tombow Dual Brush Markers in #565/969, and stamped it on Canson XL Watercolour paper.  I added layers of #993 to the pot, and started with #992/969 on the bear, starting soft and building layers of colour, keeping the darker shades where the shadows are.  While masking the pot, I added two of the tulips from 5475 - WC Flower Set 6 in #177/703, and the smaller sprigs from the set in #553/158.  I added the small foliage stamps from 5474 - WC Flower Set 5 in #076/177 spilling over the edges of the container.  After lightly touching the bouquet with a damp brush, I filled in some spaces, using the markers directly on the paper, and then added shadows to my painting with #565.  The bow was painted in shades of #703.  To finish it off, I cut out my image with 5061 - Square Double Stitched Dies, and mounted it to my base with 3D foam adhesive.

 

Thank you to all of our amazing designers.

Your talent is beyond measure and you provide us all with so much inspiration.

Did you see?

Earlier in the week Art Impressions had a new release!

There are 3 fabulous new sets.

   

You can see Bonnie's latest Watercolor Wednesday Live video by clicking the photo below.

She creates a beautiful lakeside scene as well as revealing these fun sets.

We hope you all have a wonderful and crafty weekend.  See you in two weeks for our next Watercolor Weekend!