Stenciling and Stitching To Create A Background, A Blank Page Muse Post

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I am at the Blank Page Muse Blog with this card panel. I used the BPM Leaves Collage Stencil. 

Please visit the blog for details on how this panel was created.

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this project at

Challenge #352~Seasonal

Simon Says Stamp IG Challenge

Gnome Art Journal, A Blank Page Muse Post

 

Hello! I am at the Blank Page Muse Blog with this art journal entry. This month, the DT is doing a steampunk theme, not a forte of mine so I hope this one is close enough to being steampunk. 

The Blank Page Muse products I used on this project are:

• Guardian of Autumn Mr. Elderwillow Gnome Clear Stamp
  
• License Plate Vintage Style Alphabet Rubber Stamp
  

Please visit the blog for project details. 

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this project at

SSS IG Challenge

Craft & Connect Blog Challenge

Craft Life Together FB September Challenge

Hexagons for a Card Design, a Blank Page Muse Post

Hello! I am at the Blank Page Muse Blog with this floral hexagon card. The Blank Page Muse stamp I used is from the Flamingo Row Red Rubber Art Stamps. The BPM DT is still celebrating Summer for this month. I hope you check out all the designers creations.

 

I used a hexagon die from an old Spellbinders Hexagon Nesting Metal Dies set. For the faux stitching detail on the Pebbles patterned paper background panel, I used a die from the Impression Obsession Border Stitching 2 Die. 

I love how easy this card can be put together. I also love the coincidence of my die cuts having similar colors as the stripes. Best of all, I love the additional stitching detail on this card.

Special thanks to Rachel Arribas of Pinkfresh Studio for the design and color inspiration. 

I hope you visit the BPM blog to see a photographed step by step card instructions on how this card was put together.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this project at

Simon Says: Stamp It 

Simon Says Stamp IG Challenge

Challenge 10~Anything Goes 

Pastel Colored Christmas

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Today's card is not the typical red-green Christmas card. Just for a change. 

I used several Blank Page Muse products on this card: 

• Blank Page Muse Country Vintage Christmas Rubber Art Stamps Sheet 
• Blank Page Muse Blocks Pattern Stencil
  
• Blank Page Muse Butterfly Trails Circles Patterns Mixed Media Stencil
  

I worked on the background of the card first. I used Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks on Yupo paper. I know Yupo is associated more with alcohol inks but it worked. I temporarily taped the blocks stencil to the paper to prevent the stencil from shifting while I blended the ink. I started with the THDO Saltwater Taffy. I heat set the panel to dry the ink before moving to the next ink color.

I rotated the stencil 90 degrees. After securing the stencil, I blended THDO Aqua Patina to the panel. Since the stencil is narrow, I moved the stencil up to blend the aqua ink to the rest of the panel.

I rotated the stencil 90 degrees again. This time, I blended the THDO Broken China to the panel.

I repeated the process using the butterfly trails stencil following the same order of inks.

Instead of rotating the stencil, I moved the stencil to the center to blend the aqua ink. 

I moved the stencil to the right side to blend the blue ink. 

This is how my created background looks like after all that ink blending on stencil.

I inked the snowman image on the stamp set using Versamark ink.

I used the Misti Stamping Tool in stamping the unmounted red rubber stamp on white cardstock. I used a washable glue stick to attach the red rubber stamp to the Misti. The glue residue can easily be wiped off from both the Misti and the red rubber stamp using a damp cloth.

This is the part when I forgot to take photos of my step by step process. But these directions hereon are pretty straightforward. I colored the ink using the same colors I used on the background. I smooshed the pigment on a palate and picked the pigment with a water brush. Since I used a cardstock, I tried not to saturate the paper with water. 

I fussy cut the image leaving a narrow border around it. I added doodling details to the image with pens and a snow marker.

I die cut an oval on vellum. I added embossing to the vellum die cut using the butterfly trail stencil. The impression created by the stencil is subtle compared to the impression created by an embossing folder. 

I die cut an oval frame using the next size oval die. I adhered the snowman to the embossed oval piece and the oval frame.

I adhered snowflake sequins on the panel that will be hidden underneath the vellum oval die cut. I adhered colored snowflake sprinkles to the rest of the panel. I used sprinkles of the same colors as the background.

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

Maria Giselle B.

Blank Page Muse and I Brake For Stamps 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!

Playing With Embossing Paste

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I had a bit of struggle creating this project. A lot of things going on with my life that I am afraid that it is draining me including my creative juices. When this happens to me, I usually spend time looking at my craft supplies and see if it will spark up some ideas. If that does not work, I go to the internet and look for projects using similar craft supplies that I have. This usually does the trick. 

Back to the project, I am using products from Blank Page Muse:

• Butterfly Trails Circles Patterns Mixed Media Stencil
  
• Woodlands Art Rubber Stamps
  

The stencil measures 3" x 8". I cut a white cardstock using the same dimensions. I temporarily adhered the stencil over the paper with tape. I applied white embossing paste over the stencil with a palette knife making sure I covered all openings with the paste. I gently lifted the stencil off the paper and set this aside to dry. I immediately washed the stencil and the palette knife with warm, soapy water. 

Once the paste was dry (I left mine to dry overnight), I spritz colors to the panel using different colors of stains and spray from Tim Holtz. I followed a rainbow order with the colors. I was hoping that the dried paste will keep its stark white color but it absorbed the ink colors. To mute the colors of the paste, I added another layer of embossing paste. This time, I slightly offset the stencil to create a shadow. I also poured Judikins Iridiscent Sparkle embossing powder over the paste. I set this aside to dry. Once the paste has dried, I zapped the powder with the heat gun to melt it.

I stamped the image from the BPM Woodlands Art Rubber stamp set on white cardstock using Versafine Onyx Black ink. I dried the ink with a heat gun before painting the image using the same colors I used on the panel. I used three additional colors of stains in coloring the image. I fussy cut the image leaving a narrow border around it. 

If you look closely, the image has a bit of dimension. It took me three times to come up with the final colored piece. I was adding shimmer to the heart on the hair using my black Wink of Stella when a blob of black ink dropped. Very frustrating and it did it again! On the third try, I decided to pick the shimmer ink from a palette and paint it on the heart. The shimmer was not as great compared to adding the ink from the brush marker. I added black Stickles over the heart and allowed it to dry. 

So as not to waste my first two attempts on this image, I adhered these pieces to the back of the final colored piece. The edges are not perfectly aligned but I don't think it is very noticeable. 

I stamped the sentiment on vellum using Versafine Onyx Black ink. If I am going to redo this step, I will use a fast drying ink next time like Stazon so I don't have to deal with smearing the letters. Despite heat setting the letters, it remained wet for a while. The ink I used will work if I added embossing powder to it and heat set it. But I want to keep the letters flat so as not to compete with the embossed circles. 

I cut the words apart so I can adhere it to the panel next to the circle scroll pattern. I adhered the image to the bottom left portion of the panel. 

I backed this panel with another heavy weight white cardstock to make it sturdy. I don't now what to do with this project yet. For now, it is ready to be added to a notecard or a scrapbook layout. It can also be used as a bookmark.

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

Cards 4 Tweens/Teens #13

Easter Scene Card

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. It will be Easter in a week. This occasion inspired me to create today's card for the BPM blog.

I am also trying out a new coloring technique, which is using Tim Holtz Distress Crayons direct to rubber stamp. I have watched videos on the same technique but instead of distress crayons, watercolor crayons were used. Since distress crayons are water reactive, it produced the same artsy image. The stamps I used are from the Blank Page Muse Woodlands Art rubber stamps. There are lots of cute images included in this stamp set. 

I cut the eggs using the Cricut machine on light weight cardstock. I used Tim Holtz Distress Oxide sprays and stains to smoosh the color to the eggs. I dried the eggs in between coloring using a heat gun so I can smoosh the egg again using the residual ink on the craft mat.

The letters were die cut using the My Favorite Things Spell Anything Alphabet Die-namics. I die cut this on white cardstock.

I trimmed a 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" white cardstock for the card panel. I added heat embossed clouds by pouncing the Versamark ink on the Blank Page Muse Clouds & Drops 5x5" Mixed Media stencil. To make sure I only apply ink to the cloud that I would like to use for my scene, I covered the other stencil openings with a Post-it note. 

I blended Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Salty Ocean and Speckled Egg) to color the sky. This is when the embossed clouds pop since it resisted the ink.

I fringed a wide strip of green paper using an Ellen Hutson die. I adhered this to the bottom edge of the card panel. I adhered the trees, then tucked in the eggs to the fringed grass.

I adhered the bunny next. Isn't the bunny adorable as it looks at the eggs like it is its work of art? 

I embossed the word easter using brown and sticky inks. The sentiment is from Lawn Fawn. I partially stamp the sentiment since I only need the word easter. I fussy cut this embossed sentiment leaving a small border around it. I adhered this to the fringed grass to complete this card's customized sentiment.

I hope you like today's card. Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant & 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 creation at

Simon Says Stamp IG Challenge

Easter/Spring

Soft Colors on Stencil

 

Hello. Welcome back to my blog. Today's card is my take on this month's Altenew Inspiration Challenge. I am using the stencil from Altenew's Silk Art Craft Your Life Project Kit. I blended the ink using blender brushes on white cardstock using Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks. This is a 3-layered stencil set. The stencils are conveniently numbered as a guide to which stencil is to be used first. 

Stencils #1 and #2 have parts that are very delicate. It can get malpositioned or worse, broken if not gentle in appling ink or mixed media. For such, I recommend using a temporary spray adhesive to prevent it from shifting while blending ink which may potentially break or twist these delicate parts. Also, be gentle in cleaning these stencils. You can either soak it in warm, soapy water or wipe the stencil gently, wiping the stencil following the direction of the stamen or leaf vein. 

If you are going to use the stencil with the coordinating embossing folder and you are going to stencil first before embossing, emboss the floral cluster on scrap paper first. Use this as a guide to position the delicate parts of the stencil so that it will match up when you emboss it with the embossing folder. Or you can just emboss it first before using the stencil to add color to the floral cluster. Same thing, just align the malpositioned stamen and/or leaf veins of the stencil to the embossed floral cluster. 

On to the card, I cut the panel at 5 1/2" x 4 1/4". I created a recessed frame with the use of a nesting rectangle die set. I die cut several more panels using scrap white cardstock. I adhered this to the back of the inked panel to add some dimension.

I stamped the sentiment on the inner panel using a stamp from Altenew Silk Art stamp set. I used a gray dye ink to maintain the soft look of the card. 

I am using a pink cardstock cut at 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" for the note card. I scored this at 4 1/4" to create a top folding horizontal card. I adhered the frame then the inner panel to the front of the card. 

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Altenew Challenge Blog #56

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog~Anything Goes

6/2024: Altenew decided to change its affiliate program starting this month. Below is my affiliate link to the website. I don't think I can directly link the products I used with this new program. Please feel free to do a product search. I will update as I figure this out. The good thing about this new affiliate program is that I get to earn on each Altenew product you purchase and not only on the product/s I used on this project. As before, 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. While in the Altenew blog, don't forget to check out their new release for this month. Thank you for your support!

https://altenew.com/6358517

Loose Background Using a Brayer and Painting with Ink Pad

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Today's post features my 8th AECP assignment featuring two inking techniques, using a brayer, and direct to paper inking.

For inks, I am using Tim Holtz Distress Oxide in Cracked Pistachio and Walnut Stain. Starting with the green color, I pressed the ink pad on a craft sheet. I sprayed a bit of water on the ink, then picked it up with the brayer. I rolled the inked brayer on a watercolor paper cut at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I repeated this process using the brown ink. I did not have a pattern when I was applying the inks. I just let the brayer create the pattern. I heat set this to speed dry it.

The next step is embossing. To make sure that the background panel is ready for this step, I did a trial of pouring embossing powder to the panel. If no powder sticks to the panel, then it is ready for embossing.

I am using the Altenew Hennah Elements stamp set on this card. I stamped the images more on the left of the panel. I stamped the images with Versafine Onyx Black ink. Since the watercolor paper is a very textured paper, I used the Misti Stamping Tool so I can re-stamp the image, if needed. I poured black embossing powder over the wet stamped images, then heat set it. I stamped one image at a time, pouring the powder after each stamping. I heat set this after stamping a cluster of images.

I filled the area using the smaller stamps included in the set, stamping these images with the same black ink and black embossing powder. Just be careful not to expose the embossed images to the heat so as not to flatten the embossing. 

I lifted the color from the flowers by applying water to the flowers. The wells created by the embossing traps the water inside the image. I picked this water with a paper towel. I repeated this process until I am happy with how light the color of the image is. At one point, I applied a pearlized water to add shimmer to the flowers.

I flicked opaque white paint to the panel and allowed this to dry.

I die cut this panel using a double stitched rectangular die from Simon Says Stamp. This die creates a frame and a panel with stitching detail on the edges of both die cuts. I die cut another cardstock using the same die. I applied glue to the frame die cut and adhered this to the back of the watercolored frame die cut to create a bit of dimension. 

For the sentiment, I die cut the word hugs on the panel using a die from the Altenew Hello and Hugs die set. I am planning to in-lay this back to the panel.

I lifted the ink from this word die cut but somehow, the sentiment is hardly noticeable when in-laid. Not giving up right away, I die cut this word three times on a brown cardstock. I adhered this brown colored die cuts to the back of the watercolored word die cut to create dimension. I still can't see my sentiment. For my third try, I added the green ink directly to the die cut. What's so nice about the oxide inks is that it kept the brown details on the die cut. I was afraid that I was going to lose that detail. 

But I am still not happy with the look. So as my last attempt to save this project, I used the hugs shadow die included in the set to die cut a brown vellum. I adhered the stacked sentiment on this, then adhered it over the opening created for my supposedly inlay sentiment. Much better, what do you think?

I adhered the frame to a side folding A2 note card, using the corner of the Misti Stamping Tool as a guide to make sure the frame is straight. I also temporarily inlaid the main panel inside the frame to help in positioning. I adhered the main panel after. I embellished the panel with several brown sequins.

Whew! I thought I won't be able to pull this one through. The rewards of perseverance. This card has a chalky feel because of the Oxide inks. I bet, it will have a different look if Distress inks are used. Want to give it a try? Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge

Time Out Challenges

Color Hues The Color Challenge

Pop Art Greeting Card

Hello! For my 4th AECP card, I created a Pop Art inspired greeting card. The layout and colors of my card are inspired by the card shown on the photo below. 

Inspiration Credit

I love the colors of the keyboards on the card that I was inspired to re-create it using stamps from Altenew Happy Birthday To You stamp set. I also like its simplicity and for it not being gender specific. 

I trimmed different colored cardstocks at 1" and 1 1/2". The music clef stamp is 3/4" height which will perfectly fit on the inch cardstock. For the 1/2" length, just like the inspiration card, I want the colored cardstocks laid from left to right of the card. I could have used an A2 card but it will be more of a hassle to divide 4 1/4" into three. Thus, I created an A6 card which is 4 1/2"  wide, when divided into three is 1 1/2". 

Using the Misti Stamping Tool, I stamped the music staff on each colored cardstock using Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Inks:

• Picked Raspberry on yellow
• Wilted Violet on blue
• Candied Apple on green
• Prize Ribbon on orange.

I heat set this to speed dry it.

I stamped the music clef and notes next using the same inks, and also with the use of the Misti Stamping Tool. This time, I prepped the area with an anti-static tool, stamped the images, poured clear embossing powder to it, then heat set it. 

Once I am all done, I trimmed a white cardstock into 9" x 6.25". I scored it on the long side at 4.5" to create an A6 card. I adhered the embossed colored cardstocks. For some variation from the inpiration card, I adhered gold cardstock strips on the top and the bottom of the colored cardstock collage, to give it an outline. Another variation I made is I stamped a sentiment on the front of the card. The sentiment is also from the same stamp set. 

To complete the front sentiment, I stamped the rest of the sentiment inside the card. I am planning to give this to my son who's birthday is next month but you can easily customize this card to any occasion. 

This is a very simple card, not quite a single layer but can be re-created into a single layer card. Instead of using colored cardstocks, you can do masking and ink blending to achieve the same look of colored backgrounds for the music images. 

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

Maria Giselle B.

 

Birthday Card Using Emboss Resist

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I created this card for four reasons:

• This is my second card as a participant in the AECP.
• The colors I used are inspired by the latest Color Hues Challenge.
• Ellen Hutson revived its blog challenge. I am so glad they did! To make it even better, it is a sketch challenge, which is my favorite kind of challenge.
• Lastly and most importantly, today, my 2nd son is celebrating his 17th birthday. And if you follow my blog, I mentioned in a previous post that he made a request for me not to give him cards anymore. Wish granted but it does not mean I won't create cards with him in mind, right?

Okay, back to my card. I trimmed a Strathmore Bristol paper at 6" x 4 1/2". I will trim this later into an A2 sized card but since I will be ink blending, sometimes starting off with a larger sized card is better. I am using Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Salty Ocean on this panel. I blended the ink using a blender brush, starting off heavy on the bottom and then lightening up the pressure towards the top. To make the bottom part darker, I switched to the ink blending foam. I heat set this panel to speed up the drying process. I prepared this panel for embossing using an anti-static powder tool.

I am using the three of the smallest stars in the Altenew Halftone Stars stamp set. I placed them on an acrylic block. I stamped these stars on the ink blended panel using Versamark ink. I poured clear embossing powder to the impression. I continued doing this until I filled up the whole panel with stars. I heat set the embossing powder until it melted. I blended more ink to the panel using the same ink. I wiped off the ink from the embossed stars using a dry rag. I set this aside to dry.

The stamp set has a matching die. I am using the third from the largest star die. I die cut this on the same Bristol paper. I prepared this for embossing using an anti-static powder tool. I stamped the coordinating star stamp to this star. I poured clear embossing powder. I blended the same ink to this star.

Do you notice the difference between the stars on the panel and the star die cut? The stars on the panel has a subtle appearance because of the trapped blue ink underneath the embossed impression. The star die cut on the other hand has no ink underneath the embossed impression, it made it look like I used a white embossing powder instead of a clear one. 

I die cut an extra star on white cardstock. I adhered this to the back of the embossed star for some dimension. Using the second largest star on the die set, I die cut a red mirror cardstock. I adhered this to the back of the star. I created a bow using a red DMC Diamant Metallic Thread. I adhered this to the center of the star. I embellished this with a red sequin and pearl.

For the sentiment, I cut a strip of the same paper. I stamped the sentiments from the Altenew Happy Birthday To You stamp set (word 'happy'), and Altenew Halftone Happy stamp set (word 'birthday') using Versamark ink. I embossed this with clear embossing powder. I blended THDO Fired Brick to this strip. I wiped off the excess ink from the embossed sentiment. 

I adhered the sentiment strip to the bottom third of the panel. I adhered the star after. 

Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day! And to my son, Happy Birthday!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Color Hues Challenge

Ellen Hutson Blog~May Essentials Composition Challenge