Vintage Scene Panel

 

Hello! I am back on the Blank Page Muse blog with this panel. I used the following BPM products: 

• World Map Hot Air Balloon Steampunk rubber stamp
  
• Wildflower Silhouette Border Style red rubber stamp
  
• Clouds & Drops 5x5" Mixed Media stencil
  

I used Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks on the clouds and the hot air balloon. The colors I used are Speckled Egg on the clouds and Broken China on the hot air balloon. It is recommended to use different brushes for oxide and dye inks. I don't have a lot of brushes on my stash so I only designate the brushes by color family. I just make sure to clean the brush after each use to avoid contaminating the inks with a different color and/or with a different ink property.

I changed to a softer and larger blending brush from Pinkfresh Studio. I do like the coverage this brush provides. It creates softer blends. I only have three of these brushes that comes in a box since I am just trying it out. I will probably invest on more of these brushes as the color need arises.

I used several tools on this project. I used a sticky mat and a rotating platform. The sticky mat keeps the paper in place while I blend ink. The rotating platform was very useful because instead of lifting the paper and/or the sticky mat to blend ink on a different part of the panel, I just rotate the panel. 

I also used the Misti Stamping Tool which is helpful on repeated stamping. I also used a plastic film which came with the Stamp-a-majig. It helps with planning the placement of stamped images on the panel. I also used the Misti Creative Corners. This tool is helpful when stamping images on the edge of the panel.

I also used a pressure tool which is actually a white board eraser. This helps in putting equal pressure to the stamp for better results. 

Lately, I have been using the Versafine Clair Nocturne ink a lot. I like the impression it makes on the stamp images. 

I created a mask using Post-it Notes. It is extra work with stamping and cutting but much cheaper. It gave me an opportunity to blend ink and add color to the hot air balloon which does not have a coordinating stencil.

I hope you learn from the tips I shared on this post. For more details on how I created this panel and more creative inspiration, please visit the BPM blog. 

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

It is back! Blank Page Muse is generously offering a 15% discount to their online store to YOU, my blog readers. Just use the code BPMMaria when you check out. Enjoy!

Happy, Frosty and Sparkly Card

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I participated on an online Altenew Workshop by @tracisjoyfulpapercrafting yesterday. This is the card that I created during th workshop. 

I don't have the same supplies that Traci used on her card. I used Altenew products that I have.

Traci used a stencil-die leaf combo on her card. I used the Altenew Just Leaves die set instead. I die cut the leaves on white cardstock. I blended ink on the leaves die cut using Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks. I used a small blending brush on appying the ink. After I pounced the brush on a scrap paper, I applied the ink heavily but gently (since these are dainty die cuts) on the center. I went light handed as I move the brush towards the end of the leaves. With these dainty die cuts, I recommend using a sticky mat to keep the die cuts in place while blending ink on it. Another tip is to piece the die cut back on the negative cut to add support to this dainty die cuts during the ink blending.

I die cut several colored glitter paper and adhered this to the back of the matching color die cut leaves. I slightly offset this for a shadow effect. With the die cut being so dainty, it was a tough job to do the offset look.

I adhered the leaf die cuts to a white cardstock panel cut at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" following a rainbow order. I overlapped some of the leaves.

I added colored sequins to the panel, adhering the sequins close to the matching leaf color. 

For the sentiment, I die cut the sentiment on black mirror cardstock using the Altenew Timeless Sentiment die set. I die cut the shadow on hollographic paper adding more sparkle to the card.

I always enjoy attending Altenew workshops. I don't only get to craft but I also get to listen to other fellow crafter's stories. 

I hope you like today's card. Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this card at

Bright & Cheerful #55

 

Tracing on Stencils to Create an Art Journal Page

Hello! I am on the Blank Page Muse blog with an art journal page. It has been a while since I did one. This page is very easy to make.

The BPM products I used on this page are:

• Alphabet Stencil
  
• Steampunk Watch Face rubber stamp
  

After planning the layout of the quotation on the page, I lightly traced the letters using a pencil. 

After I completed the quotation, I wrote over the pencil lines with a black gel pen. I allowed the ink to dry before erasing the pencil marks. I added squiggly lines to the letters with a dark gray gel pen. 

 

I inked the watch rubber stamp with pigment inks and interference inks and stamped this on the page.

I wrote the source of the quotation on the bottom of the page. 

Isn't that easy? I hope you like today's page. Please visit the BPM blog for more details and inspiration from other BPM designers.

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Sketch Inspired Greeting Card, Using a Puncher

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. It is time for a new challenge at Stick It Down Scrapbook and Card Making Challenge on FB. You have three options to choose from so joining is very easy. You can choose from a scrapbook layout, a double page scrapbook layout or a card layout. Choose one or choose all! 

On to my card. I did several modifications on the card sketch without altering it too much which I will explain throughout this blog post.

For the background, I usually search the web for color palettes to use on my card. Once I have made a selection and checked if I have the necessary colored cardstock to create the background, then I start going to work. I used a Martha Stewart punch for the detailed portion of the three wide strip background. 

I was all awe with Martha Stewart punch back then when she still had her crafting brand. I invested on a few. I still have it. The punch I used on the card is one of the punches I bought as a resale. Most of the punches are still boxed. The only downside of a punch, especially detailed ones, is it somehow loses the springy feature and some of the cuts are not crisp. To re-condition the blade of the punch, I punched on aluminum foil a couple of times. I should have punched on wax paper too to make the blade slick. 

Another downside on using a punch is that my wrist is not as strong as it was. Pressing the puncher proved to be more difficult this time. 

Another thing to consider is the paper being punched. I had difficulty with the mustard cardstock. I earned a lot of scraps from the punched rejects. I think results are better on a smooth cardstock that is 80 lb. 

I adhered the strips together, taping it to each other to connect it and create a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" background panel. I created a lace trim using the punch. I punched on the same colored cardstocks I  used on the strip background. I adhered the same trim color to the wide cardstock strip.

For the main focus of the card, instead of using flowers or other shaped embellishments, I used images from The Greeting Farm stamp set. It is about time for me to use this stamp after purchasing it on FB Marketplace. It is also time to give my color pencils some loving attention.

I stamped the images on kraft cardstock using a black ink. I have an old dye ink pad that did not give good results. I changed to my Memento Tuxedo Black ink which also did not give a good result. The Versafine Clair gave me the best result. Maybe because this is new or maybe the other two ink pads does not do well with the Neenah Desert Storm cardstock because I am able to use these inks on other paper without problem.

I colored the images using the Faber Castell Polychromos. I need to use it more so I don't lose the skill in coloring with color pencils. I have those harsh lines on the faces of the girl images. I should have blended it some more to smoothen it out. I added details to the colored images using gel pens and glitter pens.

I die cut the images using the matching die..

Instead of having the embellishment straight down the card as on the sketch, I staggered the arrangement just to partly cover the images. After all that coloring, I think I should show it off and not hide it.

I stamped a sentiment from the stamp set on a rust colored cardstock, the same one I used on one of the strips. I die cut this using a Lawn Fawn stitched die. I adhered this to the strip panel.

I hope you like today's card. I hope you join this month's challenge. We can't wait to see your projects.

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Reverse Silhouette Stamping

Hello! I am on the Blank Page Muse Blog with another card featuring the BPM Wildflower Silhouette Border Style Red Rubber Stamp. This is my third and last card for this month using this stamp just to show you several ways to use this stamp. Below are the links to the other two cards in case you are interested to see it:

• Silhouette Stamps with Acrylic Markers
  
• Stepping Up Silhouette Stamps
  

The details on how I created this card is on the BPM blog. I have a brief description and snippets of the process here.

I called this reverse stamping because instead of stamping the silhoutte stamp last, it is stamped first on the panel. I heat embossed the image since I did an ink resist technique on this stamp.

I usually start heating the panel from the back. This minimizes the powder from being blown away by the heat gun. After I see a bit of melting of the powder, I move the heat tool to the front. I move the heat tool constantly while melting the embossing powder to avoid overheating it ending up with a flattened image.
 

My go to paper when I ink blend is Bristol paper. Any smooth paper will do. I used Tim Holtz Distress Oxides on this card, Salvaged Patina and Cracked Pistachio. I blended a color on one corners of the paper and blended the other color on the opposite corner of the paper, blending the two colors on the middle. After picking up the color from the ink pad with the blending foam, I pounce the foam on a scrap paper and lightly apply the color to the paper. 

I usually plan my card prior to making it but this card had some surprise additions. I decided to do some stenciling on the big open area above the embossed wildflower. I used the BPM Butterly Trails Circles Patterns Stencil. I applied the same colored inks over the stencil. 

I stamped over the panel too with the BPM Handwritten Note Art Rubber Stamp. I initially spritz the stamp with water. I tapped the excess water then press the rubber stamp to the blended panel. One of the properties of Oxide inks is that it reacts with water. The impression of the rubber stamp lifted the ink off the paper creating a ghost effect. I also inked the stamp using one of the oxide inks and stamped it directly on the panel.

I did not get a good embossing on one of the flowers. I fixed this by using a white gel pen and adding dots of white to the flower.

Although I kept the panel bare which makes it an all-occasion card, you can easily add a sentiment die cut or even stamp on it to customize this card.

I die cut the panel using a My Favorite Things die. I love the added stitching detail to the panel. The panel was cut at 4" x 5 1/4" by the die so adding this panel to an A2 note card gave some leeway for a matte effect. 

I hope you like today's card. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Stepping Up Silhouette Stamps

Hello! I am on the Blank Page Muse Blog with another card featuring the Blank Page Muse Wildflower Silhouette Border Style Red Rubber Stamp. This is the second card that I made using this stamp. If you are interested on the first card, please visit my first post using this stamp, Silhouette Stamp with Acrylic Markers.

I created an ink blended panel for this card. The colors I chose has a spring feel. I don't know about you but I am ready for spring. The weather here at St. Louis is warm today then cold tomorrow. 

If you did not do a good job with ink blending, don't you worry. I die cut hexagons on the inked panel which is a distraction from the uneven blending. I will do another technique on these hexagons later on which makes the blending look even. I used an Altenew Sticky Mat while blending the inks. This contols the movement of the paper while I apply ink on it.

I used the negative cut panel to help with the stamping of the hexagon die cuts. You don't need to do this step but if you are trying to make the flow of the colors the way you blended it, this step is very helpful. 

After positioning the hexagon, I removed the negative cut panel. I inked the rubber stamp with a dark brown ink then stamped the image to the hexagon. 

I repeated this process on the other 2 hexagon die cuts, using the negative die cut panel as a guide for the orientation of the color blending.

I moved the hexagons to the part of the stamp that I want to be on the die cut to create an illusion that I used several stamps when in fact, all the images came from one stamp set.

I used an Altenew Raised Sentiments 3D Embossing Folder for the sentiment. I embossed a strip of cream pearl cardstock by aligning the strip with the sentiment I want to emboss. I wanted the sentiment strip to be skinnier so I die cut the sentiment using a strip sentiment die. You can use a trimmer or a craft knife instead.

Since I ran the embossed sentiment through the die cutting machine again, the embossed details got flattened. I aligned the embossed strip to the embossing folder and ran it through the embossing folder again.

Now, the embossing details are regained.

Lots of texture on this card with the embossing of the hexagon die cuts and the cardstock panel.

I hope you like today's card. Please visit the Blank Page Muse Blog for more details on this card. 

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I added  the links to the Altenew products I used on today's card. I have an affiliate link to share: 

https://altenew.com?sca_ref=6358517.r8GKPlnC45

There will be no additional cost to you if you make a purchase. It is just a way to help a fellow crafter sustain her love for crafting. Thank you for your support! 

I shared this card at

Simon Says: Beautiful Blooms

Challenge #39~Anything Goes #24

Challenge #98~Anything Goes #42

 

Silhouette Stamps with Acrylic Markers

 

Hello! I am back on the Blank Page Muse Blog with this card. For the month of March, I am planning to showcase this BPM stamp, the Wildflower Silhouette Border Style Red Rubber Stamp, on my projects. I am going to use this stamp in different ways to show its versatility. 

I used the Altenew Acrylic Marker Volume 1. I chose three colors to create an ombre pattern on a black watercolor paper. I blended the colors using a flat watercolor brush.

Since acrylic markers are opaque, I can stamp over it. I used the VersaFine Clair Nocturne Pigment ink. I stamped the image on a plastic film first. I used this as a guide so I would know where to stamp the image on the watercolor paper. Aside from the stamp positioner and the plastic film, I also used an L shaped ruler in determining the spot where to stamp the image.

I stamped the image three times to make it more stark black. I dried the image with a heat tool. I die cut the panel using a Simon Says Stamp stitched rectangle die. I created a stitched frame on white cardstock using the same die set. I also die cut a Hero Arts wood grain frame die on black cardstock. 

The sentiment is from the Altenew Essential Sentiment Strips Die Set. I did a partial die cutting technique to extend the length of the sentiment on a black mirror cardstock. I colored a strip of black cardstock with the light green acrylic marker I used on the background. I adhered the sentiment strip to this colored strip. The green color shows through the holes created by the sentiment strip die.  

Without taking into account the die cutting, this card is very easy to make with its simple design. If you don't have acrylic markers or paint, you can use a pigment ink or oxide inks which also have opaque properties. You can aslo embossed the flowers with embossing powder to make it stand out some more. 

I hope you like today's project. I added links to the products I used above just in case you want to check it out. As for the Altenew products, I have an affiliate link to share: 

https://altenew.com?sca_ref=6358517.r8GKPlnC45

There will be no additional cost to you if you make a purchase. It is just a way to help a fellow crafter sustain her love for crafting. Thank you for your support! 

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this card at

Challenge #98~Anything Goes #38