Dragonfly Flurry Thank You Card

      I just love this Magenta stamp...it is my all-time favorite of theirs.  I find myself reaching for it often. It's so happy and carefree in style.  I created the background using the direct to paper technique with Colorbox inks, then stamped the image over the background with India Ink Black ink.  A few strokes with purple, green, and white colored pencils, and the background was finished.  All stamps are Magenta... background embossing is Cuttlebug.  I traced the tag and cut it out.
      This is the challenge I entered from Case This Sketch here  http://casethissketch.blogspot.de/2014/05/case-this-sketch-75.html
      And here is my card

Blessings,

lynda

Mother's Day Watercolor Cards

A quick post to tonight so that I can get my Mother's Day cards to my daughter and mother-in-law up. I used a technique I found on Laura Fadora's blog.  The video of how to do it is here.... http://laurafadora.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/virginias-view-challenge-2/

I found some mini stencils I had from Hampton Arts in the Ditto line.  I used Tim Holtz distress inks frayed burlap, worn lipstick, and spiced marmalade.  The die is Spellbinders Garden Weave.  On the daughter card, I sponged through the die cut for the background.  On the orange and pink card, I used a Hero Arts stamp for the background.  I used the mini blending tool to color the dies.

Without further ado....

Close up

...the die is raised on foam tape.

I am entering this card in the Simon Says Stamp spring flower challenge here http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/

Close up

I wish all mothers, grandmothers. god mothers. Foster mothers, and mentors a very Happy Mother's Day!

Blessings,

lynda

Hero Arts Soft and Pretty

This card will wrap up my Throwback Stamping Technique series this weekend.  It has been fun playing around with techniques we learned years ago.  Today, I used one of Hero Arts shadow stamps.  I will never let go of these stamps, as I love the effect of the soft shadow to anchor your image

I made my card base from white linen textured card stock.  I used the Tim Holtz blending tool to create a graduated pink to white background.

 I inked the E2054 with Marvy bubble gum pink and stamped off once, then stamped the shadow on linen texture card stock.  I pressed harder on the edges so that they would be more prominent.  Love that dark edge!

Next, I stamped the poppy stamp (sorry, mine is off the wood, so I do not know the stamp number) onto the shadow block I had just stamped, and also on some scrap linen card stock three times  I used some of the ink and a Dove blender to lightly color the poppies on the scrap piece.  Then cut them out and popped them up on the card with foam tape.  Finally, I stamped the phrase C3029.

 

I am entering this card in The Hero Arts Sketch Challenge here http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2014/04/10/new-sketch-challenge/

I hope you had an opportunity to stamp some this weekend.

Blessings,

lynda

Throwback Stamping Techniques

Lately there has been a lot of "throwback" activity on Facebook.  I haven't gotten into it on FB, but it seems I've gone throwback with stamping techniques this weekend.

In my last two posts, I revisited direct to paper inking.  Scroll down to check those out if you like.  Today's card involves not only direct to paper on the main image, but also distressing a book page, and for the background a technique with grocery paper bags, and finally dying seam binding....see this post for seam binding technique http://www.paperartscafe.blogspot.com/2011/02/technique-tuesday-crinkled-ribbon-for.htmlSome of these techniques only go back a couple of years, while others have been around at least twenty years!

The main background of his card was done on the paper bag.  I just took a paper bag and wadded it up to get it good and wrinkled.  You want lots of creases in it.  Then I flattened it out, and used foam applicators to apply acrylic paints. Just add some colors that go well together to create a pleasing collage of colors.  I like adding some metallic paint as well, like the gold I added to his background.  When it is dry, you have some gorgeous backgrounds to use for cards, journals, boxes, any paper craft project.

Now I'm off to church, then a Cinco de Mayo party!

Blessings friends,

lynda

More Magenta and Direct-to-Paper

I'm having so much fun with my Magenta stamps, and Colorbox cat's eye pigment pads.  Thought I'd try to coax spring into being here in upstate New York.  It's still quite cool, and damp!  I embossed these Magenta images, and applied ink directly from the pads over the images, then softened and blended the inks and removed from the embossing with a tissue.

     I'm using a sketch from the Mojo Monday blog challenge and entered this card here http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/2014/04/mojo-monday-343.html      I am also entering this in the Magenta Anything Goes challenge here  http://lestylemagenta.blogspot.ca/2014/05/defi-magenta-mai-2014-may-2014-magenta.html    .

And here is my card

That's it for today.  Hope to be back at it tomorrow!  Stop in and say howdy!

Blessings,

lynda

Direct to Paper Inking

I have had a renewed interest in my Colorbox pigment inks lately.  I love the blending of colors using the direct to paper technique that we learned years ago.  I still use it quite often.  Today I played with some blues and greens.  I tried it on linen texture card stock.  Here is my card...

As the name of the technique says, I just applied the ink directly to the card stock from my cat's eye shaped pigment ink pads, starting with the lightest to darkest.  I used a spong to soften and blend the colors.  The stamp is a Hero Arts stamp, which I inked with my India Ink black pad.  Since I used pigment inks on the panel, it was still wet enough to take embossing, so I covered the entire panel with clear embossing ink and heated.  Wow...the image jusy popped.  I love this stamp.  

I'm working on some more cards with this technique.  The pieces are finished, just have to assemble.  Stop back to check them out.

Blessings,

lynda