Happy New Year

Happy New Year!  Thanks for visiting my blog today.  My card is part of the Magenta Group New Year's post.  You can click here to see everyone's post on the Magenta blog.

This is a quick and easy card.  I cut a piece of white pearlized linen paper to 4" x 5 1/4" then, using my MISTI, positioned the two stamps on the paper.  I used my anti-static tool liberally on the front of the cardstock, then stamped both images using VersaMark ink.  I embossed with Brutus Monroe Gilded Gold embossing powder.  I masked off the images and then splattered some gold paint around the open area.

I wanted the background paper to match the embossed images so I applied VersaMark ink around the outer edges of a piece of 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" white cardstock, then covered with the same embossing powder.  I adhered this piece to the front of an A2 card, then adhered the stamped image over the top. I added a few accent jewels for some extra sparkle.

I wish you all the very best in the coming year.  Be sure to come back in the coming year for more posts.

Magenta Products Used:

0770.P Bursts

07.986.K Happy New Year

Other Products Used:

Brutus Monroe Gilded Gold Embossing Powder

Pearlized Linen Cardstock

VersaMark Ink

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!  My card today is part of a Magenta post from all the Design Team members.  You can check out all their beautiful Christmas cards here.  Magenta will also be doing a group post for New Year’s Day.

I love the “Penguin’s Gift” stamp.  I came across this one a few days ago while going through a box of stamps.  It’s one of my favorite Christmas stamps so I decided to share it with you today.  I bought this one so long ago that it was mounted on wood.  My first order of business was to remove the stamp from the wood block so I could use my MISTI.

I stamped the penguin in VersaFine Smokey Gray ink on white cardstock that was cut to 2 ¼” x 3 3/8”.  I also stamped the penguin again on a piece of scrap cardstock.  

I used Prismacolor pencils to color the penguin.  I also used a light gray pencil to add just a bit of “ground”, so it looks like the penguin is standing on something, rather than floating in the air - I did that after I took this picture but you can see it on the final card.  😊  Next, I colored the gift on the piece stamped on scrap paper.    I added some extra detail on the gift then went over the lines with a clear sparkly gel pen. (I’ve listed the Prismacolor pencils I used below.)  I cut out the gift and put foam tape on the back.

I returned the cardstock to my MISTI and stamped again with VersaMark and embossed with clear embossing powder.  I stamped the sentiment on a piece of white cardstock that was cut to 2 ¼” x 3 3/8” using VersaFine Smokey Gray ink.  After it dried, I stamped again with VersaMark and embossed with clear embossing powder.

I made a mask for my penguin and placed it over the top of the stamped image.  

Using blending brushes I lightly applied Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean and Wilted Violet Distress inks to both images.  

The blending brushes make it easy to apply a very light amount of ink. 

To finish up the card, I removed the mask from the penguin and adhered the gift I had cut out over the top of the gift on the stamped image.  Next I mounted both images on a piece of So Silk Fashion Purple cardstock.  I adhered a piece of glittering cardstock to the front of an A2 card, then adhered both images to the card.  I used a T-ruler to line up both pieces.  I added a few sequins and then put a drop of Nuvo White Blizzard drops on the center of each sequin. 

Thanks for visiting my blog.  Be sure to check back on January 1^st for another card.  Merry Christmas!

Magenta Products Used:

Penguin's Gift 37.195.I

Wishing you a Merry Christmas 07.1024.H

Other Products Used:

VersaMark Ink

VersaFine Smokey Gray Ink

Judikins Clear Embossing Powder

Distress Inks (Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet)

Prismacolor Pencils (PC1024 Slate Blue; PC1054 Warm Grey 50%; PC1001 Cool Grey 50%; PC936 Slate Grey; PC909 Grass Green; PC908 Dark Green; PC901 Blue Indigo; PC924 Crimson Red; PC921 Pale Vermillion; PC917 Orange)

A Gnome Christmas

I love the new Gnome dies from Simon Says Stamp.  My friend Dianne Johnson loaned hers to me and I've made many of the Large Gnomes (SSSD112037) and the Lil Gnomes (SSD112101).  They make great additions to cards and they also make great gift tags.  Dianne Johnson has a great post on her blog using Mini Masterpieces and you can see her post here. The gnomes are so much fun.  You can mix and match their hats and coats.  I used velvet for some of them and ran their hats through a snowflake embossing folders.  The velvet embosses beautifully, but it didn't show up well in the photograph.  I used a Copic marker E11, Barely Beige for the nose, and C-0, Cool Gray around the outer edges of the beard.

I added the large gnomes to Christmas cards.  I applied Nuvo Glimmer paste through the Greetery's Frosty Flakes stencil onto a piece of white cardstock cut to 4" x 5 1/4".  I also used the Greetery's Drifting Dies two cut two layers of snow for the bottom of the card from white cardstock.  This die also embosses snow swirls into the paper.  I used a blending brush to apply a bit of Tumbled Glass Distress Ink to the edges of the snow layers then used my Wink of Stella clear glitter pen to accent those swirls.  I also stamped a Magenta Merry Christmas sentiment on the bottom of the front snow layer.

To assemble the card, I adhered a piece of silver matte cardstock to the front of and A2 card, then adhered the stenciled piece.  I adhered the "back" snow layer, then adhered the gnome and the front snow layer.  I added a few sequin snowflakes and added a drop of Nuvo White Blizzard in the center of each sequin.

For my second card I used a blending brush to add a small amount of Tumbled Glass Distress ink on a piece of white cardstock that had been cut to 4" x 5 1/4".  I just wanted a touch of blue as the background to snow.  I ran this piece through a Renke Snowflake embossing folder.  Using the Greetery's Drifting dies, I cut two drifts of snow then embossed them with snowflakes.  I also shaded them lightly with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink.  

Next I cut the "Merry Christmas" using Memory Box's Large Sentimental Merry Christmas (#99804).  I cut it twice with white cardstock and again with silver matte cardstock, then used Gina K. Connect glue to adhere all three layers together.

To assemble the card, I adhered a piece of silver matte cardstock to the front of an A2 card, then adhered the piece with the embossed snowflakes.  I attached the "back" snowdrift, then positioned and adhered the gnome, followed by the "front" snowdrift.  (I trimmed both of the snowdrifts until I had the right height.)  I adhered the sentiment and a few snowflake sequins.  I added a drop of Nuvo White Blizzard in the center of each snowflake.

These gnomes are so much fun and can be used for more than just Christmas.  Simon Says Stamp also has a stencil set (SSST121455) you can use to create gnomes or use with the dies.  

Products Used:

Simon Says Stamp Gnome Dies

SSD112101, SSD112037

The Greetery Frosty Flakes Stencil

The Greetery Drifting Die

Nuvo Glimmer Embossing Paste

Magenta Merry Christmas (07.779.G)

Memory Box Sentimental Merry Christmas (99804)

Gina K Connect Glue

Copic Markers

Distress Ink

Super Saturday with Pam – Wishing you Peace Love Joy

Welcome back to Super Saturday.  For today’s card I used the beautiful Flower Mandala Background.  You can also see my card on the Magenta blog here.

I centered the stamp over a piece of 100# black cardstock in my stamp positioner.  I used my powder tool very liberally all over the cardstock to prevent any stray bits of embossing powder from sticking in the background area.  I stamped the image using VersaMark ink then covered the image with gold embossing powder.  Before heat setting, I used a small paint brush to remove a few stray bits of embossing powder.

I used Gansai Tambi Gem Colors and Fine Tec Pearlescent metallic watercolor paints to fill in the images.  For each set I have made a color swatch for each color on a strip of black watercolor paper which helps me select the colors for my projects.  

Since I used cardstock rather than watercolor paper, I didn’t use very much water with the paints.  I put the cardstock on a Make Art Stay-Tion and held it in place with the magnets.  I used a shade of green for the center of the mandalas and a shade of blue green for the outer section of the manadalas.

After the paint was dry, I cut down the image to 4” x 5 ¼”.  Next, I centered the sentiment at the bottom of the image, stamped with VersaMark and embossed with gold embossing powder.  To add a bit of sparkle, I sprayed the image with Tsukineko Shimmer Spritz. To finish up the card, I adhered the image to a 4 ¼”x5 ½” piece of gold foil cardstock and then to the front of an A2 card.

I did a second card front using a shade of red and a shade of pink. I also think this would make a great card for other occasions such as birthdays and thinking of you cards.

Wishing you a joyous holiday season.  Thanks for visiting my blog today.  

Magenta Products Used

0772.R Flower Mandala Background

07.1019.F Wishing You Peace Love Joy

Other Products Used

Fine Tec Pearlescent Colours

Gansai Tambi Gem Watercolors

Gina K Black Onyx 100# cardstock

Wendy Vecchi Make Art Stay-Tion