Watercolored Panel

Hello! I am on the Blank Page Muse Blog with this watercolored panel. The BPM products I used are:

• Butterfly with Woman Mariposa Eyes rubber stamp
  
• Vintage Text with Bird & Flowers Background Rubber Stamp
  
• Butterfly Trails Circles patterns Mixed Media Stencil
  

I used the Misti Lite, which is a new tool for me. It is a stamping tool that helps with precise stamping especially when restamping is needed. A magnet is necessary to keep the tool in place. As for the paper, it needs to be secured with a less tacky tape or with another magnet which I did not do. I think if you use a larger paper, the tool might be able hold the paper in place. 

I used different mediums in coloring this panel. I used Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stains on the girl's hair. I used Gansai Tambi on most of the watercoloring except for the circle swirls on the background. I aslo used Tim Holtz Distress inks on this panel.

I switched brushes when I was watercoloring. I used different sized small round brushes on watercoloring the image and the area to ground the image. I used a flat brush on the background.

My initial plan was only to use the girl image on this project. Sometimes, ideas flow as I work on a project. I used the text background stamp to add details to the background. Even if the watercolor wash background has harsh lines, it was less noticeable once the text was stamped. I used a Tim Holtz Distress ink to stamp the text background.

Since I am not after a crisp impression, I used my hand to press the background stamp to transfer the inked impression to the paper. If you like it to be crisp, adhere the rubber stamp to an acrylic block. 

I used the stencil to add another layer of design to the panel. I added ink to the open circles of the stencil. I used Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain for this.

Some of the ink seeped under the stencil making it look like a blob instead of a circle. I am not too worried about this since I am going for a loose look. I picked up the excess ink with a dry paper towel.

I added details to the stamped image using a white gel pen for the eyes and a black enamel pen on the butterfly.

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

Maria Giselle B.

Blank Page Muse is having a FLASH SALE! 10 HOT red rubber stamps are featured for sale with an amazing 50% discount. What a deal, right? 

But if there is nothing on the sale category that interests you, BPM is generously offering a 15% discount to their online store to YOU, my blog readers. Just use the code BPMMaria when you check out.

Only 1 code per transaction please. Enjoy!

2-for-1 Graduation Cards

 

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

I am commissioned by a college peer to create graduation cards that she will give away. Aside from the occasion, she specifically wants cards with gift card holder. I used this month's sketch to create two-for-one graduations cards since she ordered a dozen.

The first card I created was a shaker card. I trimmed a dotted Simple Stories patterned paper at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I die cut the stars on this panel using a star die from Altenew. I adhered an acetate on the back of the window patterned paper. I adhered strips of foam adhesives around the stars over the acetate. I wanted to contain the confetti in each star that's why I surrounded each star with foam tape. You don't need to do this. You can just surround all of the stars with foam tape to create one well.

The messy part of this project is putting the confetti in the shaker well. I treated the acetate and the sides of the foam with an anti-static powder tool to lessen the cling of the confetti. Somehow, the confetti has a mind of its own, adhering to places where it should not. 

I applied liquid glue to the foam before covering the well with patterned paper. The liquid glue allows some wiggle time in positioning the patterned paper over the shaker well. The down side of this is sometimes the confetti gets attracted to the liquid glue. 

I die cut star frames on a dark gray metallic paper. I used the star die I used to die cut the star windows and the next smaller sized star from the same Altenew die set. I pieced this on the acetate star window, adhering it with glue. 

I die cut the sentiment on gold glitter cardstock. The sentiment die is from Paper Smooches. I performed a bit of surgery on the die cut sentiment. Instead of using the original die cut of "congratulations", I trimmed the sentiment down to "congrats". The exclamation point is from a Hero Arts die set.

I created a gift card pocket using a We R Memory Keepers Goodie Bag tool. I adhered this to the inside of the card and embellished it with a grad cap which I cut using the Cricut. I stamped the inside and the grad cap with sentiments from my stamp stash.

I was tempted to add some gold splatters on the front but I was afraid it is going to take the eye away from the shaker so I kept the background as is. 

For the second card, I used the negative cut stars from the first card. I scored the gray star die cuts from the points to the center to make it 3D. I added a foam square to the back on the center to keep it raised as I adhere this to the dotted patterned paper star die cut. For the points, I used Ranger Glossy Accents to adhere this to the dotted star and keep the score folds up.

For the background panel, I partially embossed a white pearl cardstock with an alphabet embossing folder. I adhered the stars to this panel.

For the sentiment, I stamped this on gold pearl cardstock with black pigment ink. I poured black glitter cardstock to the wet ink and heat embossed it. I die cut the sentiment into a strip using the coordinating die. The stamp and die are from Pinkfresh Studio.

I curled the sentiment banner. I added a foam adhesive on the center and curled the ends up adding a dot of glue close to the edge to keep it adhered to the panel. 

For the inside of the card, I adhered a scrap patterned paper to the bottom to act as gift card pocket. I stamped the sentiment with a dye ink. Dye inks are supposed to dry quickly. My stamped sentiment did not. I accidentally smeared a part of the sentiment. Uggh! I was tempted to pitch the note card. I even thought of restamping the sentiment on another paper then fussy cut it. Then I remembered my white gel pen. I wrote over the mess to cover it up. Now, the boo-boo is hardly noticeable.

I hope you like today's cards and that you join this month's challenge. We always love to see your projects.

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared these cards at

Simon Says: Anything Goes #59

Mirror Stamped Card

Hello! I am on the Blank Page Muse Blog with this interactive card. The stamp I used is the Blank Page Muse Bird in Flight Open Wings Steampunk Cogs Gears Art rubber stamp. 

Mirror stamping is when you get a reverse image of the original stamp impression. A stamping tool is very helpful with this technique. It allows you to re-stramp the image if needed. A clear stamp that is larger than the image that will be mirror stamped is also essential for this technique. The clear stamp I used is specifically made for this purpose although it can also be used to stamp a colored scallop edged background. A pigment ink is also needed since this ink tends to remain wet long enough to do the image transfer. I used Versafine Onyx Black ink. I also tried mirror stamping using VersaFine Clair but the result was not as good as the VersaFine Onyx Black ink. I used a brayer to help with the image transfer. I also think the paper is a factor to a successful image transfer. I initially used a smooth watercolor paper. It was harder to do the mirror stamping on this paper because of the thickness of the paper. On my second try, I used a smooth 80 lb paper and the transfer was better. 

Please visit the BPM blog for details on how I created this card. Mirror stamping is a great way to stretch out those stamps. I hope you give it a try. Below is a short video showing the interactive feature of this card.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day.
 

Maria Giselle B.

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!

I shared this card at

simonsayschallenge on IG~April: Things with Wings

Challenge 5~Anything Goes #109

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.