Everyday Items - Sponged Backgrounds

 Hi Everybody,

A really cheap and easy way to vary the look of your cards is to use items that you are sure to find around the home.

This card has been created with an everyday household sponge that I have cut into pieces to use with water based inks.

Quick, easy and very effective and if you change the colours you will vary the look.

I have used the pre printed and foiled sentiment strip that came with the  most recent paper packs that have been released and there are such a  lot in each of the packs.

The video is not too long but will give you time to relax with a cuppa and hopefully a new idea.
You may have already tried this in the past or you would like to do so now. 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Inked Embossing Folder

Hi Everybody,
 

This pretty card is done with an embossing folder and I showed you some of the others  a few days ago. 

I added a video to Craft Stash that shows a slightly different variation to this one.

But in this video I show you that you can use any embossing folder that you have and any water colours that will blend together. 

This card has been created with Brushos and a little parchment to diffuse the background

I also used any card that I had to add the colours too, and any black ink in my stash. 

I always have the gold wax, flowers and parchment on hand but you can leave them out if you prefer.

On this card to the left I have added in a light dusting of the wax and the butterflies are cut from gold card.

It gives such a pretty look and it will be different each time you do it.

You could also try a colour other than black to the infill and that would give you another look to your designs. 

It really is playtime with this technique and you are sure to enjoy the process.

For the card to the right I used pinks and purples to create the base and then added Villainous Potion to the embossing folder for the other colour.

I highlighted the design in gold gilding wax with my fingers and added the decoupaged flower and leaf to the card with foam tape.

I hope you enjoy the video and be sure to let me know if you try this for yourself.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Lace Stamped Background

Hi Everybody,

This was a technique that I covered a few years ago now and I may have shown other cards from the idea but I don't think that this was one of them.

The background has been inked with an Ombre colour scheme going from dark blue to a paler shade at the top. 

Then once that was dry I stamped at the bottom of the card the lace border in Versamark. 

It uses a stamp that I bought at a Craft Show and I have had this for many years and I don't know if it is still available

Once stamped it was sprinkled with white embossing powder.

The powder stands out much more once it is heated and is slightly raised from the card too. I added self adhesive pearls to each of the points on the lace

The sentiment is stamped in black and then clear embossed to give it the shine.

The flower display has been added to trail down the left side of the panel and as usual I have dotted it with glue and sprinkled it with glitter.

Smaller pearls have been added around the display and then that panel has been added to a top folded 5x7 card base.

It is a very pretty card and the techniques is easy to do. Take a kook at some of the stamps in your collection and try using them in this way for spectacular results.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx 

Altenew & Parchment

Hi Everybody, 

Today it is pouring down and quite cold so not a lot being done outside in the garden.
But yesterday I managed to get some of my very big plants re-potted  and some of the new plants used to fill out the other pots so they look pretty again. 

Then the whole garden ... back and front ... was jet washed to get rid to the grim that has collected this year, and now it all looks clean again and ready to face the world. And that's another job off my list of things to be done, and it is going down steadily.

This card is using another stamp and matching die set from Altenew and these have ben coloured in with the layering stencil.

Once these have been die cut I have added it to a piece of parchment that I have torn into shape and add to another panel that has  also been coloured with stencils.

The parchment diffuses the background and allows the flowers to show up more. 

Then the whole lot has been added to some knitted card with foam tape between each of the layers. 

The little sentiment is from a Card Making Magic paper pack and I added that to some white card for strength.

The card looks prettier in the hand than it does here and it is one that I am not unhappy with

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Mixed Flowers

Hi Everybody,

Not been around much this week but I have got loads of jobs done around the house. There are times when crafting has to take a back seat while other things get done and this is just one of those times..

This card was done on the spur of the moment and it is a 5x7 card with the fold at the top. 

I have made a background from some Fleur card from Anna Marie Designs and stamped some text onto the card.

The stamp was free with a magazine and the small twirly bits are from the same set. I added black pen around the edges as faux stitching.

I inked the edges with Antique Linen and added the flowers with foam pads to raise them up.

The large purple flower and the leaves are from the CMM Hellebore Decoupage set but the Roses are from the Layered Roses set that is o longer available.

The sentiment is from a pack bought at the Craft Shows and U cut off wat I need and add it to the card with foam tape. 

Quick simple and easy card that is now ready to send.

I will try to do better this week ... I promise

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx