Lunar Animals One Layer Greeting Card

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I am glad you are here. I will be taking a month long break from blogging and creating. I hope you like my last project before my August hiatus. 

Mama Elephant is one of my favorite brands. The are searching for Guest Designers. So exciting, right?  I certainly want to give this a try. 

My card was inspired by a card I previously made with a similar design. Please check it out if you have time (Almost a One Layer Card).

To create the layout, I arranged the lunar animals from the Mama Elephant Lunar Animals stamp set based on its order on the Lunar Calendar. I have several pieces of stamped and die cut images left from a previous project that I used to plan the layout. For the animals that are lacking, I die cut scraps of cardstock with the coordinating dies. I used these die cuts as guide for placement of the stamp on a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" scrap paper. Once I am happy with the arrangement, I picked the die cuts with a Glad Press N' Seal.

Using the Misti Stamping Tool, I positioned on a corner a top folding heavy weight A2 note card. I positioned the Glad Press N' Seal over the A2 note card. I matched the animal stamp with the die cut. I picked the animal stamps with the door of the Misti then carefully removed the Glad Press N' Seal. I inked the stamps with Memento Black Tuxedo ink since I will be coloring the images with Copic markers. Without re-inking the stamps, I stamped the images on a Post-It Note which I die cut later on using the coordinating die.

I cleaned the stamps, then returned it back to the clear sheet. I placed the Glad Press N' Seal again over the note card, then repeated the process of lining and stamping the stamps. I stamped one row of animals at a time. 

I created a DIY stencil with a re-purposed plastic from a broken accordion file. I die cut a square on this plastic film using a square die that is large enough to fit the lunar animal stamp. I applied large Post-It Notes inside and on the back of the notecard to protect it from any stray ink.

I covered each lunar animal with the coordinating Post-It Note die cut to act as a mask. I positioned the DIY stencil over the panel with the square opening over the stamped die cut mask. I blended different Tim Holtz Distress Oxides on each lunar animal. I blended a color on the square opening, cleaned the DIY stencil and re-positioned the stencil on the next lunar animal. I repeated this process until I have blended inks on all of the lunar animals. I flicked some water droplets over the panel and picked the extra water droplets with a dry paper towel.

My most favorite part about masking is removing the mask and unveiling the image underneath it.

I colored the images with Copic markers. I stamped a simple message on the panel using a sentiment stamp from Mama Elephant Sunday Sentiments stamp set. I stamped the sentiment using Versafine Onyx Black ink. I poured clear embossing powder over the wet ink then heat set it until the powder is melted.

I hope you like today's project. Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you come back again after my blogging break. Will I see you in September?

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this project at

Anything Goes

4 Legged Friends

Ink Smooshing With Acetate

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. The month of July is almost over. I am thankful for this month for a lot of reasons. One of which is I became a part of the Altenew's July Release Blog Hop. Some of my cards are featured on Altenew's shop, online catalogue and social media sites. It is such an honor. 

Today's card features products from this month's release which are currently out of stock. Just click the 'notify me' button at the Altenew website to be informed once these products are back in stock if you are interested in purchasing it. 

The colors I used are inspired by this month's Altenew Inspiration Challenge.

I stamped the flower from the Altenew Build-A-Garden Sulfur Cosmos stamp set to a watercolor cardstock. I stamped it twice to fill a 6" x 4 1/2" panel. I used Versafine Onyx Black ink for the stamping. I dried the ink using a heat gun before doing the ink smooshing.

I am using Karin markers for coloring. I used the Neon Yellow, Neon Yellow-Orange and Neon Pink. I applied the pigment to a palette and spritz it with water to dilute the ink. Using a flat brush, I applied water to the stamped panel. This will help mute the color. I picked the ink using a scrap piece of acetate. I transferred the color to the stamped panel by pouncing the acetate to the stamped panel. I heat set in between inking to dry the ink. I repeated this process until I am happy with the coloring of the panel. There are a lot of advantages in using this technique. You can select which area of your project to pounce the ink on. You can also create new colors when the two colors of ink mix while it is still wet. And you can intensify the color by pouncing the acetate with the ink on an area again.

I have a stash of watercolor paper strips from cutting the watercolor paper to 8 1/2" x 11" since most watercolor papers come in 9" x 12". To make use of these watercolor paper strips, I colored a row of sentiments on the debossed side of the Altenew Raised Sentiments 3D Embossing Folder. I used the same colors I used on the smooshed panel. I positioned the watercolor paper strip over this inked portion of the embossing folder, then run it through my Sizzix Big Shot machine. With this technique, the color from the embossing folder transferred to the strip while giving an embossed impression on the paper strip as well. The embossed letters remained white in color.

The ink on the embossing folder can be wiped off with a baby wipe or with a Hero Arts Ultra Clean Spray if the ink won't come off with the baby wipe. 

I trimmed the strips narrower using a craft knife to make it into quarter inch sentiment strips.

I cut the floral panel at 1 3/4". I built the panel by adhering the sentiment strip on a paper cut at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". You can adhere the strips straight onto a notecard but I like doing it on scrap paper first. 

I adhered this strip to the top most edge of the paper. I adhered the floral strip next, then repeated the process until the paper is covered with the sentiment strips and the floral panels. I trimmed off any excess.

I adhered this to a top folding A2 note card. 

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

Maria Giselle B.

(I added above links to the Altenew products I used on my card. My affiliate link is: https://altenew.com/6358517. There will be no additional cost to you should you decide to purchase these product/s. It is just a way to help a fellow crafter sustain her love for crafting. While in the Altenew blog, don't forget to check out the rest of the products included in this month's release. Thank you for your support!)

I am sharing this project at

Altenew Challenge Blog

Add A Sentiment

 

Stitching on Stamped Images

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I am on the Blank Page Muse blog today with this card. I used a leaf stamp from the Blank Page Muse Scribble & Scratch Mixed Media Set 2 rubber stamps on this project. I repeatedly stamped the leaf using the Gina K Designs Wreath Builder template to create a flower. Just stretching out this craft supply. If you don't have this stencil or a tool that helps build a wreath, just lightly trace a line on the cardstock panel. Use these lines as a guide in stamping your image.

I also made a DIY stencil to add color to the stamped leaves. I stamped the leaf on a Post-It Note. I cut the leaf off to create a paper with a window. I lined the opening of the DIY stencil with the stamped leaf on the cardstock panel. I blended the ink over it. 

I poked holes on the outline of the stamped image. I added chain stitch to these holes using 6 strands of embroidery floss. I layered several sequins for the flower center.

I rotated the square to make this into a diamond orientation. To complete the tiled look, I cut triangles for the corners using the same cardstock I used for the focal point. I poked holes on these triangles. I  did a simple up and down stitching on these triangles using light blue and silver embroidery flosses. I used lesser strands, 4 for the light blue one and 2 for the silver one for a subtle look. I don't want the focus taken away from the flower.

I adhered the stitched elements of my project to a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" navy cardstock. I trimmed off the excess.

I die cut a sentiment strip on the same navy cardstock I used for the card panel. The die I used is from Altenew. I adhered this strip to a glittered white cardstock. I trimmed off the excess. I adhered this to the bottom of the front panel. 

I hope you like today's project. 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 am sharing this project at

Simon Says: Beautiful Blooms

Add A Sentiment

Santa & Reindeer Silhouette Card

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. This is my second card for the Kat Scrappiness Christmas in July celebration. As part of this celebration, Kat Scrappiness is having a sale on their Christmas products. They also have a You Pick 3 Christmas Challenge on the KS blog. I have links to both at the bottom of this post. 

I created a DIY stencil using a re-purpose plastic from a worn out expandable file. I die cut a circle on the center of the plastic. Depending on the cutting die, sometimes the cut does not go through even with the use of a metal shim. It's alright. Just use a craft knife to reinforce the cut created by the metal die. 

To create the moon, I temporarily adhered the stencil with the circle opening over a smooth white cardstock cut at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I blended gray inks over the circle opening. Once done, I splattered some gray mica water over the blended circle. I set this aside to dry. Once dry, I removed the stencil.

I sprayed a temporary adhesive on one side of the DIY circle stencil. I covered the ink blended moon with this circle stencil. I blended blue inks around the circle stencil. I started the blending from the circle going outward, using the lightest blue ink first then slowly progressing towards the darkest ink. I splattered white mica water over the panel and set this to dry.

My die cuts were created using dies from the KS The Night Before Christmas Window Scene Craft dies. I die cut the Santa and the reindeers on black cardstock. I die cut it three times and adhered one on top of the other for a bit of dimension.

I die cut an extra piece of the Santa and reindeer on black cardstock. I did some die cut surgery to customize this die cut. I snipped off Santa and adhered the remaining reindeers die cut to the back of the layered Santa and reindeer die cut. I offset it so it looks like there are two rows of reindeers pulling Santa's sleigh.

I just need the top of the trees so I partially die cut the Christmas tree on the die set on black cardstock. I die cut three pieces of trees. I adhered the trees to the bottom right of the inked panel. I trimmed off any excess.

I adhered Santa and the reindeers on the moon. I splattered white ink over the trees for a snowy look.

I trimmed this panel into 4" x 5 1/4" then matted it with a dark glitter gold patterned paper from the KS Autumn Faux Glitter 6x6 paper pad. The glitter paper is cut at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".

For my pick 3, I used the following on my project:

1. Die cuts
2. Add snow
3. Add gold touches.

I hope you like today's project. You still have time to enjoy the Kat Scrappiness sale and also join this month's blog challenge. 

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I added below links to the Kat Scrappiness products I used on this card. There will be no additional cost to you should you decide to purchase any of these products. While you are at the Kat Scrappiness website, do check out their wide array of products. They have a new release, too! Enjoy!

Kat Scrappiness

Kat Scrappiness Blog

I am sharing this project at

Challenge #108~Holiday Time

#308~Christmas in July #29

Christmas in July 4 Kids #9

Monochromatic Card

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Have you had those moments when you think you can re-make a stamp design using whatever craft supply you have? This card is a product of such moment. Just another way to stretch those supplies. 

The leaf stamp is from the Blank Page Muse You Make Me Happy stamp set. I used the leaf in a cascading design to mimic vines. I used a midnight blue cardstock for the card panel. After prepping the area with an anti-static powder tool, I stamped the leaf one branch at a time using Versamark ink. 

I poured silver embossing ink over the sticky ink. 

Despite the use of an anti-static tool, I end up having stray powders. I gently removed these stray, melted powder with an electric eraser. You can use a craft knife too if you don't have this kind of eraser.

I colored the leaves with a light blue acrylic marker. This marker gives a bold matte color. Despite coloring over the leaf spine with the acrylic marker, the embossing retained its shiny property.

I blended ink on the blank area of the panel with a dark blue ink. I splattered some gray mica water over the blended portion of the panel. Once this has dried, I adhered letter die cuts to create the sentiment. 

These letter die cuts were doubled up for some dimension. I also colored it with a blue acrylic marker to tie in with the color of the leaves.

This card is very easy to pull together. I encouraged you to give it a try. 

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!

Altenew July 2024 Release Blog Hop + Giveaway ($300 in Total Prizes!)

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I am so honored to be a part of Altenew's July 2024 release blog hop. This is a huge release with lots of amazing products to choose from. Today's post features product from this release and a few old Altenew products just to show you that these products can be used together. 

(I added below links to the Altenew products I used on each card. My affiliate link is: https://altenew.com/6358517. There will be no additional cost to you should you decide to purchase these product/s. It is just a way to help a fellow crafter sustain her love for crafting. While in the Altenew blog, don't forget to check out the rest of the products included in this month's release. Thank you for your support!)

FOR YOU SHAPED CARD

• Altenew Build-A-Garden Sulfur Cosmos & Add-on Die
• Altenew Nature's Wonders Enamel Dots
• Altenew Organic Linen 3D Embossing Folder (not a part of this month's release)

The Altenew layering stencils are conveniently marked with a number as a guide in applying inks for layering. You don't have to follow the order of the number. On this card, I started with stencil #2 which has larger open areas which seems easier for me to begin with. 

I also find it easier to die cut first before stenciling if the stencil comes with a coordinating die. The shape of die cut helped me with the alignment of the stencil. 

Don't hesitate to go back and forth between stencils especially if you feel you need some shading on a part of the image. This technique is no different when you color with other mediums. 

Using different brush sizes also help in getting the best of your coloring. Using a small brush on those tiny nooks and crannies help in the application of color. On the other hand, using a larger brush on a larger space limits the harsh lines created when blending inks. 

This shaped card was partially die cut. There was some difficulty in doing this because of how I laid the die on the notecard. It went beyond the 6" width allowed by my die cutting machine. If you have a wider die cutting machine, this will not be a problem. Another way to achieve this card look is to create a tab on the fold, then adhere it to another panel to create a note card. Or rotate the die so that it will fit your die cutting machine without problems. 

One of the layered stencils on this set has a detailed part which you can skew during cleaning if you are not careful. I suggest you go one direction when wiping off the ink from the stencil, preferably wiping towards the detailed part. 

I did partial embossing on the inner card panel which creates a background for the flowers.

Use those enamel dots sparingly to add accent to the card. 

I love the sentiments on the stamp set included in this Build A Garden set. The sentiment I used came as a one lined sentiment. I did partial stamping and a stamp positioner to make this into a two lined sentiment. 

SENDING HAPPY THOUGHTS CARD

• Altenew Build-A-Garden Sulfur Cosmos & Add-on Die
• Altenew Raised Sentiments 3D Embossing Folder
• Altenew Just Leaves Die Set (not a part of this month's release)

The embossing folder I used on this card is my favorite in this release. You are not limited with the use of this embossing folder by its vertical sentiment design only. You can emboss a 6" x 6" cardstock and cut the sentiments apart creating a stash of sentiment strips ready for use. 

Or just like on the card above, you can use one of the sentiments and repeatedly emboss the same sentiment on a strip of cardstock which will be a great way to use those scraps. To make this last technique easier, I created a template by embossing a scrap cardstock. Using a craft knife, I cut off the sentiment that I will be repeatedly embossing. I positioned this template back on the embossing folder by matching the embossed impression with the raised sentiments on the folder. I placed the strip on the open spot, then emboss away! 

 

To make the embossed sentiment pop out some more, I used an inked brayer to apply white pigment ink to the raised letters. I over inked some spots but this added some grunge to the look of the strips. 

The floral stamp on the BAG comes with a coordinating die but fussy cutting this image is not hard at all. I also love the fourth stencil on the stencil set which is not a layering stencil but a background stencil. You can use this with other projects and not be limited to the layered floral image the stencil set creates. 

CONGRATS TO THE FABULOUS YOU CARD

• Altenew Geo Tree Stencil
• Altenew Raised Sentiment 3D Embossing Folder
• Altenew Woodland Escape Fresh Dye Ink (not a part of this month's release)
• Altenew Gold Peach Crisp Embossing Powder (not a part of this month's release)

The stencil, as its name implies, is designed to create trees. The packaging insert has instructions and photo samples on how to create different rows of trees with Christmas in mind. I don't have any Altenew Christmas-themed sentiment so I explored other ways of using this stencil for other occasions. Don't be afraid to stretch out those supplies. I cannot believe that I came up with this rosette-like design out of this stencil. I think I will be creating more projects using this stencil. 

I embossed the sentiments on pearl cardstock strips. To make the sentiment pop, I gently rubbed some lunar paste over the letters. The look reminded me of the Dymo embossed labels. 

NO SENTIMENT CHRISTMAS CARD

• Altenew Geo Tree Stencil
• Altenew Halftone Stars Stamp (not part of this month's release)
• Altenew String Art Rectangles Die Set (not part of this month's release)

I created another card using the same stencil I used on the previous project now with a Christmas theme. I blended inks on a row of trees. Instead of a pair of triangles to create the tree, I extended the width of the tree by adding another inked triangle on each side of the triangles. And, the tree trunks? I used the incomplete triangle on the stencil to create this. I masked these incomplete triangle openings to shorten the height of the triangle. I also created a DIY stencil to ground the tree by cutting up an oval shape on a Post-It Note.

What is a Christmas tree without stars and sparkles? A bit of glitter embossing powder here and there does the trick. And, don't forget to add accents to the tree. I used a white get pen and a sparkle pen for this purpose.

I also used a colored cardstock as card base which somehow created a new different color.

Who said every card needs a sentiment on the front? I kept the card front sentiment free to keep the focus on the ink blended trees.

I added stitching using a metallic embroidery floss to create a border. I created a stitching hole template by embossing the Altenew String Art Rectangle die on vellum. I used the holes created by the die as a guide to manually poke holes on my project. In this way, I can extend the length of the stitching. I also have the option to poke extra holes on the middle of each piercing to make the stitches smaller if I want to. 

LOTS OF INK BLENDING CARD

• Altenew Build-A-Garden Sulfur Cosmos Stamp & Stencil 
• Altenew Build-A-Garden Sulfur Cosmos Add-On Die Set
• Altenew Raised Sentiments 3D Embossing Folder
• Altenew Warm Gray Fresh Dye Round Inks
• Altenew Tea Party Fresh Dye Round Inks
• Altenew Northern Shore Fresh Dye Round Inks

I like to highlight the Altenew inks on this card. Altenew has conveniently grouped their inks into color families. You don't have to have all the inks of a color family but if you are a new crafter or a struggling crafter or a crafter in a hurry, these grouped inks remove the guess work of mixing and matching colors. I used the Altenew Tea Party inks on the flowers. I stamped the floral image for this card, which I also did on my second card. Unlike the second card, wherein I colored the image with alcohol markers, I blended the dye ink colors on this image. It just shows how versatile this BAG set is. 

I colored the leaves and the stems with a color twist, using the Altenew Northern Shore inks.

For the background, I used the Altenew Warm Gray inks.  I mimicked the trendy cardstock strips look on this background. I used a large Post-it Note and a repurposed plastic from an accordion file for masking. I marked a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" white cardstock every 3rd of an inch making the spacing on each line of the embossed folder just right. Make sure to center the markings on the cardstock panel since there will be an extra 1/16" on the top and the bottom of the panel if you make your project on a portrait orientation just like my card. I blend the gray inks in an ombre fashion. 

Thank you for visiting my blog. I apologize for a very long post. I appreciate your time. 

I hope you find inspiration in today's projects. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Here is a link to Altenew's March Release Products: https://altenew.com/collections/july-2024-stamps-dies-press-and-foil-plates-fresh-dye-inks-more-altenew

Giveaway Prizes

$300 in total prizes! To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $100 gift certificate to 1 lucky winner and a $50 gift certificate to 4 winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog and/or each designer’s blog post on the blog hop list below by July 16, 2024 for a chance to win. Altenew will draw 5 random winners from the comments left on each stop of this blog hop and announce the winners on the Altenew Winners Page on July 18, 2024.

*The winner of the $100 gift certificate will be chosen from comments left on the Altenew blog.

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

I am sharing some of the projects at 

Challenge #319 

#38-For You Shaped Card

Let's Get Into Shape!

For You Shaped Card