IndigoBlu B.F.F. Birthday Card

I have a few birthdays to make cards in January.  This is for my friend of many years, we have so many happy memories, usually made over a bottle of wine at the kitchen table, so the sentiment I have used on this card seems especially apt.

I've created a background using three Distress Oxide Inks:  Squeezed Lemonade, Spiced Lemonade and Picked Raspberry, which I then spritzed with water to make the colours run into each other.  I added extra colour by sprinking a Mica powder in Fuchsia over the wet surface.  The granules spread, creating a pleasing background.  I then used my heat gun to dry the card.

I used an IndigoBlu stamp called "B.F.F" designed by Kay Halliwell-sutton, stamped in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink.  I added a small "Happy Birthday" sentiment in the bottom corner.

Funky Fossil "Bokeh Builder Stenicl" video tutorial

This evening I've attempted to make my second video tutorial, it is still far from perfect, but I am learning.  As they say, practice makes perfect... I'm certainly at the practice stage! 

You can find the link to the tutorial here.  

For this tag, I have used:

A white tag with the approximate measurements of 6x12cm

Funky Fossil "Scandi Garden" stamp set

Funky Fossil "Bokeh Builder" stencil

Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink

Distress Oxide Ink - Squeezed Lemonade

Distress Oxide Ink - Spiced Marmalade

Distress Oxide Ink - Worn Lipstick

Distress Oxide Ink - Picked Raspberry

Blending Tools

Block or Stamping Platform

Repositionable tape (like Herma)

Ribbon to tie

Lavinia Stamps "Astrid" on a "Feather Leaf Stencil" gel plate background

Up early this morning and made this card, while thinking about members of our family that I'm missing, especially the grand children.

I created the background using the Lavinia Stamps "Feather Leaf Stencil" on a gel plate background coated with PaperArtsy Acrylic Chalk Paints.  

The "Feather Leaf" detail is more obvious on the left hand side than the right, which dictated where I position the large Lavinia "Astrid" stamp. I inked up the stamp using Versafine Clair "Acorn" brown ink.  I coloured the hair area with a metallic gold pen, added a touch of pink to her lips and white to her eyes.

I used the same "Acorn" Versafine Clair ink to stamp the sentiment which is part of a Simon Says Stamp set called "Clean Line Everyday".  

Finally, I added some splatters of bronze coloured Posca Pen to the background and then inked the edges of the card in the "Acorn" ink.

Lavinia Stamps "Whimsical Hare" Card

I made a very quick small card this morning, using a gelli plate off-cut from a previous project with all stamping in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink.

I've used one of the beautiful Lavinia Stamps "Whimsical Hares" from the set, paired with Berry Leaves, Spanish Moss Foliage, Creeping Vine and Bullrushes.

Visible Image "Love" gel plate card

A few days ago, I had a gel plate making session.  This evening, I decided to use one of the backgrounds with a selection of my Visible Image stamps making this card.

I'd used two shades of PaperArtsy chalk acrylic paint, "Caribbean Sea" and "Gold".  I had attempted to get a pattern onto the plate, but it was drying quickly so I took an impression while I could, resulting in the background you can see.

I used the Visible Image fingerprint stamp from their "Bloom and Grow" stamp set with Versafine Clair "Acorn" brown ink.

I then used a stamp from the Visible Image set called "Creative Chaos" with "Vintage Photo" Distress Oxide Ink.

I used the Visible Image "Shape It Up" stamp set for the lnes and some of the mid size cluster of circles and the hearts were stamped using the "Have I Told You" set.

I heat embossed the word "Love" and the "star" both part of the Visible Image "Peace, Love and Hope" stamp set, using Wow! Metallic Gold Super Fine embossing powder.

Finally, using a Signo red glitter pen and a gold coloured Sakura gelly roll pen, I filled in some of the smaller circles.

Funky Fossil "Cattitude" tag on a stencilled background.

First thing today, I made a tag. It's a simple tag, but has a blending technique through a stencil, so I thought I'd have a go at videoing the technique.  My first attempt is rough, to say the least.  I need to find my way around the software a bit more, but if you would like to see it, here's the link:  https://youtu.be/-LK3SSSKynw  

I've used the Funky Fossil "Cattitude" stamp set and their "Simply Stripes" stencil.

I used "Rustic Wilderness" and "Mowed Lawn" Distress Oxide Inks blended through the "Simply Stripes" stencil.

Using Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink, I stamped the cat and the sentiment, I then stamped the cat again on a small piece of white card.

I painted the cat, using Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade and Spun Sugar Distress Oxide Inks.  I then cut out the image and used a black Sharpie pen around the outer edges.  I used an Orange Sparkle Signo Pen to the hat area then adhered it over the stamped image on the tag itself.  Finally, I layered it on to black card and threaded black ribbon through the punched hole.

Funky Fossil "Furry Friends" on a "Simply Stripes Stencil" background

Today I've been playing with the Funky Fossil "Simply Stripes" stencil, which I often over look, opting for a more decorative design.

I used an off-cut of white card in the size of 9.5cm (3 3/4") square. Positioned the stencil on the diagonal ensuring that corners were included, then used some low tack tape to hold the stencil in position.

Following the lines (from top to bottom) of the stencil I used a foam blending tool with "Tumbled Glass" Distress Oxide Ink.  I then lifted the stencil and repositioned it, so that the stencil lines covered teh "Tumbled Glass" lines I had just created.  I then used the same technique with "Cracked Pistachio".

I lifted the stencil and rotated the card a quarter (as I like to work in the same direction), repositioning the stencil with tape to secure.  I then used "Peacock Feathers" Distress Oxide Ink using the same technique used previously.  Once the tape and stencil are removed you can see the finished background grid, which I think is really pretty as they're some of my favourite colours.

I then mounted the background onto a piece of black paper and trimmed to size.

I then moved on to the stamping using Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink with the Funky Fossil "Furry Friends" stamp set.  I stamped the sentiment and then thedog on the bottom right corner, stamping the same dog image on a small piece of card.

Using the small piece of card, I coloured the dog image by using two shades of Distress Oxide Inks (Spun Sugar and Weathered Wood), applied with a paint brush.  I then cut out the image and adhered it over the stamped image on the card. Finally sticking the topper to a white 6x6" card blank.

P.S. after I had taken the photograph, I decided to add Glossy Accents to the eyes and nose, just to give a bit of dimension.