Creating a Background Using Silhouette Die Cuts

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. It is the first of May which means we have a new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs. Our challenge theme is/are Spring +/or Animals. I incorporated both themes on today's project.

I have several inspirations for this card:

• My card was inspired by a card Jennifer McGuire made using dog silhouette dies. 
• My color scheme was inspired by a Simple Stories patterned paper. 
• My sister loves cats.

I die cut the cats on floral patterned paper. I die cut extras using cardstock so I can adhere this to the back of the floral cat die cuts for a bit of dimension. Feel free to add more than one layer of die cut if you like more dimension. I lightly inked the edges of the die cuts with navy ink. After I arranged the cats on a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" navy cardstock, I picked up the die cuts with a Glad Press 'N Seal to preserve the arrangement. I applied glue to the back of the die cuts and press this back to the cardstock panel. I trimmed off the excess and used these extras to fill in any open areas on the panel. I adhered floral sequins in between the cats to fill in the spaces. 

I heat embossed the sentiment on the same navy cardstock. I die cut this into a strip. I matted this with a pearl vellum paper and adhered it to the background. 

I hope I inspired you with today's project, and that you join us in this month's challenge. 

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

Maria Giselle B.

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Inkspirational Challenge Blog

Feminine

Simon Says Stamp IG Challenge

Inspired By Pastel Card

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I created this card to join in the Inspired By Challenge which is linked at the bottom of this post. 

The focal image of the photo inspiration is the 'Wellies' which I only learned to be another name for rain boots. I went through my stash and found a Lawn Fawn stamp of a bear wearing wellies. The stamp set is called LF Here For You Bear stamp set. I colored the raincoat pink just like the color of the wellies in the photo. I colored the bear's wellies yellow just like the ribbon in the photo. I used Prismacolor pencils to color the bear. I added details to the bear with gel pens which you can see on the next photo. I fussy cut the bear leaving a narrow border around it.

The photo has flowers coming out of the wellies. To add flowers to my project, I used a border stamp from The Ink Blot Shop. I stamped the flowers using a neutral ink and colored it with pastel colored Copic markers, following the colors of the flowers on the photos. I created three of this floral border. I fussy cut the floral border leaving a border around the images.

The challenge also includes a sketch which can be an option if you don't want to do the photo inspiration. If you know me, I love jamming theme challenges in one project. To add the sketch to my project, I trimmed a 3" x 5 1/2" cream cardstock. Using a dotted stencil, I blended cream ink to the stencil. I must have not cleaned my stencil really well because there was ink contamination on my panel. I just went with it. After using the stencil, I made sure to wash it well this time. 

I trimmed the 6" floral border in half. I adhered the flowers to the cream panel. I tucked and adhered the bear underneath one of the floral borders. 

For the sentiment, I stamped the sentiment on a strip of cream cardstock. This is the same cardstock I blended the ink on. 

For the background panel, I embossed a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" Concord & 9th Baby Powder cardstock using a We R Memory Keepers 3D embossing folder. I lightly spritz the panel with water before running the the paper through the die cutting machine. This prevents the paper from cracking. 

I adhered the wide floral strip panel to the embossed panel using liquid adhesive. This is my favorite adhesive to use on 3D embossed paper.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Inspired BY Challenge Blog

April~Make A Spring Card

 

A CASE (Copy And Share Everything) Card

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Today's project was inspired by the following:

• Altenew's April Inspiration Challenge featuring Bridget Casey. In fact, I was so inspired by Bridget's card that I did a CASE of it. I hope she doesn't mind. A photo of her card is at the end of this post.
• Altenew is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Congratulations! The Altenew FB group has a weekly challenge for the whole month of April. I am kind of late in joining but I am so glad that I was able to create and be a part of it. What a coincidence! My 10th post on April for Altenew's 10th Anniversary! What a milestone!

Both challenges are linked at the bottom of the post.

I am using the Altenew Hennah Elements stamp set on my card. This is my first Altenew stamp set. Below is the first card I created back in 2014 using this stamp set.

I stamped the flowers on watercolor cardstock, both the small and large circular flowers so I can layer these. I stamped an extra flower but applying ink only to the center circle of the flower. I colored the flowers with Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers, following the colors of the inspiration photo. I colored the flowers and leaves following Bridget's colors on her card.

Although this set has a coordinating die set, I fussy cut the images, cutting it on the line. I think this is one of the reasons why I love this stamp set because of the ease of fussy cutting the flowers. I ran a black marker on the edges of the fussy cut flowers and leaves to hide the white core of the paper. 

I layered the small flower on top of the large flower. For a bit of depth, I stacked several scrap circle die cuts in between these two flowers. I repeated the same step in between the small flower and the flower circle center. I just made sure that the circle die cuts are smaller than the flower circle center.

I blended ink on the leaves to add a bit of depth since this will be behind the flowers. 

I flicked mica paints to the fussy cut images, an orange paint on the flowers, and a blue paint on the leaves. I set this aside to dry.

I trimmed a white light weight cardstock at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" which I end up trimming it down to 4" x 5 1/4". I spritz some water on this cardstock and embossed it with the Altenew Organic Linen 3D embossing folder which is one of my newest Altenew craft supplies. 

Just like on Bridget's card, I matted this embossed panel with a white glitter paper. I also did Bridget's trick of gutting the glitter paper by die cutting the hello on the center of this panel. This sentiment is from the Altenew Hello And Hugs die set. I die cut the shadow on vellum. 

I adhered the flowers, leaves and sentiments to the embossed panel, following Bridget's layout. I have some white space that I can't help myself but add sequins to these areas. 

I hope you like today's card. Congratulations again to Altenew on a decade of creativity. It is such a pleasure to be a part of your journey especially when you gave me the opportunity to be a guest designer on one one of your releases and blog hops which I get to enjoy by winning one of your challenges. I am also thankful to Altenew for creating the Altenew Educator Certification Program (AECP) in which I have learned a lot from. I fulfilled the AECP 3 requirements. I just need to take the plunge and finish the course so I can truly be an Altenew Educator. 

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

Maria Giselle B.

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

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Altenew Challenge Blog #56

Altenew FB

Anything Goes

Chalkboard Card

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Today's project is a throwback for me. Remember when this phrase became a trend? There are different versions of this phrase. I am also revisiting an old technique, the chalkboard technique which became a trend in crafting too. I remember that this is the technique I used on my first project as a design team member.

My rubber stamp is from Hampton Arts. I used the Stamp-a-ma-Jig to help me in centering the sentiment on a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" Grafix Dura-Bright black paper. 

I prepared the surface with an anti-static powder tool. I stamped the sentiment using Versamark ink. I poured white embossing powder over the sticky ink, then heat set it. This paper is a plastic paper. It will not melt with embossing but there is a significant warping with overheating which can be reversed by heating the other side of the paper. 

I added a shadow on the embossed sentiment using the Altenew Acrylic Marker. These markers have medium tips so I have overlapping of the color on some of the letters. Good thing that I used the Stamp-a-Jig. I repositioned the plastic film of the Stamp-a-ma-Jig where I stamped the sentiment over the embossed sentiment. After I aligned the letters on the Stamp-a-ma-Jig with the embossed letters on the panel, I removed the plastic film, and re-stamped the sentiment over the embossed letters using Versamark ink. I poured white embossing powder over the sticky ink, then heat set it. As always, I treated the panel with the anti-static powder before stamping.

I die cut the panel using an MFT Wonky Stitched Rectangle dies. I used the two largest dies. This plastic paper does not get cut all the way with die cutting. Not ideal but it worked for me on this project for the next step of adding white pigment ink to create the chalkboard look. Using a sponge dauber, I swiped Hero Arts Unicorn White pigment ink to the panel. 

Once I was done, I used a craft knife to separate the die cuts. I trimmed a sliver off the inner sides of the rectangular frame using a Hero Arts Rectangle Stacking die. 

I adhered the frame and the panel on a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" red cardstock using a strong double adhesive tape to flatten the plastic paper. I added a gem to the crown.

I hope you like today's project. Just shows that trends come and go even in crafting. Below is the link to my first chalkboard card in case you are interested to see it. 

Chalkboard Altered Digital Print

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

Maria Giselle B.

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April Edition #14

Anything Goes

 

Not Your Typical Christmas Colors

Hello! Welcome to my blog. Today's project inspiration is from the latest Newton's Nook Designs Blog Challenge which is a color challenge. I used a NND stamp and die sets that I have acquired a while back and have been itching to color. I know that the stamp is a Christmas theme stamp and the challenge colors are spring themed but that's what makes it challenging, right? Not to forget, I made this into a swing card for more fun.

The cat is colored with Tisoy, my sister's Siamese cat, as my model. 

The stamp set & coordinating die I used on this project is the NN Newton's Stocking. I stamped the cat image on watercolor paper using Versafine Onyx Black ink. I made sure the image is dry before coloring it with Tim Holtz Distress Crayons. I colored the Christmas stocking with a plaid pattern using the colors of the challenge. I die cut the image using the coordinating die. I heat embossed the sentiment on the stocking. I used Versafine Onyx Black ink with clear embossing powder. The sentiment stamp is part of the stamp set.

For the swing mechanism, I die cut a triangle on a green patterned paper. I die cut a small circle on the center of this triangle to hold the circle foam adhesive that will make the image swing. 

I trimmed a yellow and blue cardstock at 2 1/8" x 5 1/2" for the background. I embossed this using a snowflake embossing folder. 

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Newton's Nook Designs Challenge Blog #10

Anything Goes

My Favorite Things Stamps Christmas Card Challenge 

Doodling with Stencil to Create Faux Wax Seals with a Bonus Card

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Today's project features one of the many creative ways in using a stencil. I created faux wax seals using the Waffle Flower Wax Seal die. As much as I am fascinated with this craft, I have not invested on the supplies needed for it. I settled with the alternative way of creating wax seals with use of the die set and embossing powder.

On different shades of red cardstock, which are mostly from my paper stash, I traced the mushroom using the Blank Page Muse Cute Muhrooms Stencil. I used gold glitter gel pens with different tip sizes. I added details to the mushrooms by adding dots and lines. 

I die cut the layers of the wax seal on red cardstock. I adhered the layers together. I blended gold dye ink on the top most layer of the wax seal. To make this into a faux wax seal, I embossed the wax seal using Versamark ink and Wow! Ultra High clear embossing powder. These wax seals are now ready for use. You can adhere this on the flap of an envelope or use it to embellish your project. You can use other stamp images and die cuts in place of the mushroom as long as it fits the circular space of the wax seal die cut.

With the layered die cutting of the wax seals, I came up with all these circle die cuts. Instead of adding it to my circle die cut stash, I created a matching card for the wax seals.

I repeated the process of drawing the mushroom with the use of the stencil, and adding details to the mushrooms. I drew the mushroom on the red circle die cuts.

For the card panel, I trimmed a kraft cardstock at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I used a stamp from the BPM Scribble & Scratch Mixed Media Set 2 to add a subtle background to the panel. I used a kraft dye ink to stamp the image. 

I adhered the circle left over die cuts to this panel. I adhered a small x die cut in between the circles to mimic stitching in between the circles. The x was die cut on matte gold cardstock. The die I used is from Paper Smooches.

For the sentiment, I die cut this on matte gold cardstock using a die from Concord & 9th. I layered this die cut sentiment with another die cut for a bit of dimension. 

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!

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Anything Goes #48

Card Recipe Inspired Challenge

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I am playing along with the Kat Scrappiness Blog challenge. 

My patterned paper is from an Echo Park 6x6 paper pad. I love how some patterned papers have subtle designs just like this one. I splattered some mica green paint to this paper. The paper was cut at 4" x 5 1/4".

I used the Kat Scrappiness Nesting Fishtail Banner dies for my focal area. I die cut a Doodlebug patterned paper using this die.

I die cut a green cardstock with the KS A2 Stitched Strips Craft dies to create loops for the banner. I adhered this to the back of the banner. For the banner rod, I used a straw die to cut this on a cardstock with gold washi tape adhered to it. I die cut 2 more pieces of this straw on kraft cardstock and stacked it on top of each other for some dimension. I adhered a lace trim to the bottom portion of the banner using a hot glue gun.

For the focal image, I used the KS Wok On stamp set. I stamped this on lightweight white cardstock, colored it with Copic markers, and fussy cut it leaving a white border around it. 

I embossed a sentiment from the stamp set on the banner. This sentiment stamp comes as a one liner stamp. I cut the words apart so I can fit the sentiment on the banner. I could have masked the words to achieve this look but this was the quickest way of doing it without the risk of messing up. I can always align the cut up stamps next to each other to achieve its original look.

I adhered the patterned paper to a kraft cardstock cut at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I adhered the banner, then adhered the colored images. I added Ranger Glossy Accents to the eyes. 

I added green sequins and gems to complete the recipe. 

I hope you like today's project. You have until the end of this month if you want to join this 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 especially the exclusive Kat Scrappiness products. Enjoy!

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Challenge #302~Starts with a "B"