Rainbow Greeting Card

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Today's card was inspired by this month's Pink Fresh Studio's Blog Challenge Rainbow Reverie. 

I used the colors of the rainbow to color the frames. I used the PFS Decorative Frames Press Plate and Die for the background. I did the letter press first by inking the press plate with a black dye ink and using the Spellbinders Betterpress System and cardstock. I have not letterpressed for a while so I had a couple of rejects before coming up with this one. 

Using the coordinating die, I die cut the frames. I used a metal shim in cutting the frames since the Betterpress cardstock is thicker than the regular cardstock. 

I blended Tim Holtz Distress inks on the frames. I blend the colors where it overlaps. The colors I used are Candied Apple, Carved Pumpkin, Squeezed Lemonade, Blueprint Sketch, Mowed Lawn and Seedless Preserves. I used the reject scraps to layer behind the blended frames to add depth. 

I adhered these frames to a scrap white cardstock cut at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I trimmed this panel to fourths to so I can rotate it and create a different pattern. 

I stamped the flower from the PFS Lovely Blooms stamp set on vellum using Versafine Onyx Black ink. I poured black metallic embossing folder to this and heat set it. I die cut the flower using the coordinating die. I used vellum for a softer look. I colored the floral bunch using the coordinating stencil. I used the same ink colors I used on the frames.

I stamped the sentiment on vellum also. The sentiment is from PFS Humbled & Grateful stamp set. I stamped this using Versafine Onyx Black ink and heat embossed it with black embossing powder. I die cut the sentiment using the coordinating die. I love sentiments with coordinating dies since it saves me time from fussy cutting it. 

I die cut extras on white and black cardstocks. I adhered the vellum piece to the white cardstock. I used a sticker maker to add adhesive to the back of the vellum. I adhered this to the black die cuts slightly off setting it for a shadow look. 

I adhered this to the panel where the frames meet.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this project at

Pinkfresh Studio Blog Challenge

Craft and Connect Challenge Blog

Anything Goes ~ Weeks #704-#705

BetterPress Letter Press & Glimmer Hot Foil

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. It is a new month! I can't believe it is November already. It is an Anything Goes challenge at Incy Wincy Designs with an optional twist, create a Christmas Card with a Handmade Background. I used both themes on my cards for today's post.

Have you tried the BetterPress Letterpress machine by Spellbinders? This is my first time to use this machine. Just like any other new tool/machine, I have to learn the tricks in using it effectively. 

Although Spellbinders came out with inks for the BetterPress system, I used dye inks from Altenew for the inking. I used the Spellbinders BetterPress specialty cardstock (Cotton Card), which is a heavy weight cardstock (220 lb.), to do the letter press technique. 

On my first try, I did not get a bold impression. I thought it was because of the light blue ink that I used. I repeated the process and still was not getting a good impression. On my third try on re-inking and letter pressing, the cardstock shifted creating a double image of the background. Oh, well. 

On my fourth try with a new cardstockck, I added a thin cardboard as a shim on the top of the BetterPress platform. This time, the shim added extra pressure to push the inked press plate towards the heavy weight cardstock. I just discovered the right BetterPress recipe for my Sizzix machine. Doing it using a darker blue ink was easier now that I know the right BetterPress sandwich for my die cut machine.

The Pinkfresh Studio Decorative Frames Press Plate that I used for the background has a dual purpose. It can be used for both BetterPress and Glimmer Machines. I hot foiled the background on a light blue cardstock using a light blue foil. 

The Pinkfresh Studio Decorative Frames Press Plate has a coordinating die which I used to cut the frames apart. If you are going to use a full background press plate or hot foil plate, I suggest using a cardstock larger than A2. The extra space allows you to get full coverage of the background design when foiling and letter pressing. 

I tried transferring the left over design on the foil to another cardstock using the Waffle Flower Solid Hot Foil Plate. I failed on this part. I should have used a light weight, non-textured cardstock and/or I should have used a shim. 

I interchanged the frames to create a multi-colored background. With this I was able to create three cards right away. Extra cards created are always great. 

 

I created a fringed multi-layered Christmas tree on the card above. I used a fringe scissors to cut the fringes. I added impressions to the top layer of the tree and the trunk. The triangle die I used is from Honey Bee. The star was die cut using a Lawn Fawn coordinating die. I adhered blue gems to the tree. I inlaid the decorative frames, using all of the pieces including the drop negative cuts for a seamless finish.

 

For my second card, I cross stitched the Christmas tree on dark green cardstock. The Christmas tree pattern is from The Magic of Christmas to Cross Stitch by Veronique Enginger. I framed the cross stitched Christmas tree using the second to the largest frame of the decorative frames. I also removed the in-between frame cuts on this card. I embellished the tree with star sequins and gems that glow in the dark. I adhered star sequins on the top of the tree.

 

For my third card, I poked a hole on the Christmas tree. I threaded a green glitter thread through the holes. I added dash lines in between the glitter thread using a Sakura Stardust pen. I also did stitching on the trunk using a metallic embroidery floss. I added a gold glitter star on the top of the tree. I die cut the star using the same Lawn Fawn coordinating die I used on the first card. I added different colored gems to embellish the tree. 

I hope you like today's projects. Please join us in this month's challenge at Incy Wincy Design. It is a very good motivation to start working on those Holiday cards.

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this project at

Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp IG Challenge

Scrapbook & Cards Todays FB Challenge