AlexSyberiaDesign May Digi Stamp Release Blog Hop + Giveaway

Welcome to a very exciting event!!  I am privileged to guest design along with a stellar group of designers in celebration of the newly released Alex Syberia Designs plus a blog hop and giveaway!  I’ve been a big fan of Alex’s images for quite some time as you know if you follow my blog!  I’m a bit flower-crazy and she is all about flowers!  My card features a spankin’ new design called Full Bloom which I printed out in a 4X6 size thus getting two big images on one sheet of cardstock.  I spent a happy time coloring these luscious blooms with Copic markers.  As always, I use many colors so I can’t provide a list of those for you.  I also regret not remembering to set up my camera to either snap many progress photos or make a video!  

I did get a shot of this stage of my card! After coloring Full Bloom, I decided to fussy-cut it in order to mount onto a stenciled background.  As you can see, I ended up cutting the yellow blossom completely off the main panel because I wanted to fit it onto an A2 card and create a layer with it!  BTW, I don’t know where I got my leaf stencil but I do love the added foliage it provides for my flowers!  

After adhering my main image to the stenciled background, I put several strips of foam tape onto the back of the big flower and arranged it over the others.  I love that that particular flower was complete so that it could be the star of the show!  

A friend recently gifted me with the wonderful new sentiments and die from The Ton called Easy Expressions; I love the double font styles in this set and especially the little pop of black it provides against my floral background!  

I think this may be one of my favorite designs by Alex; those dainty little flowers are so sweet and the petals on all three blooms are perfect for coloring!  Now, onto the details of the blog hop and Giveaway:
To celebrate this release, Alex is giving away 7 $10 gift certificates.
Please leave a comment on each of the participating designers’ blogs/IG accounts in this blog hop by 05/22/2020 for a chance to win.
Winners will be chosen at random from the comments left on any of the blogs/IG accounts listed below and will be announced on Alex’s blog on 05/23/2020.    Please join us in the celebration and increase your chances of winning by taking a peek at the other creations made by the team!   Alex Syberia
Amber Rain Davis
Hannelie Bester
Nora Niskanen
Ilda Dias
Natasha Vacca
LauraJane
Jenny Colacicco
Yasmin Diaz
Tina Wilstrup
Rebecca Rapanaro
TaeEun Yoo
Jyoti Adhikari
Colleen Balija
Sandhya Iyer
Deborah
Nicoletta Porcu
Sharon White
Elena Cazares
Bonnie Crane
Melissa Goodman

 

 

New Lesia Zgharda Stamps!

 I’ve long admired the stamps and coloring by Lesia Zgharda, marveled at the precise and delicate detail of each image and have been enamored by their whimsical charm!  I don’t know why it took me so long to place an order but I finally did and just received my package from the Ukraine today!  (Am I the only one who gets a thrill knowing my mail has come from so very far away?!)  I pulled out my Prismacolor pencils and chose three shades of green plus the white to get started, copying Lesia’s style!  

I just love this sweet image which is actually two stamps!  Lesia’s cards are typically made with kraft card stock and coloring on the slightly rough surface gives the pencils some “tooth”!  I finished by mounting the kraft panel to a white base card which nicely accents the white highlights!  I stamped another Lesia sentiment in the center to complete my card which is appropriate for any person or occasion!  

After making two green wreaths I thought a purple one would be pretty and so it is!  I used my blender pencil to smooth out and blend the colors more on this card.  The sentiment is from a Stampendous set called Cling Garden Mum and is just a wee too big for the space but I still love it!  

This up close shot shows the smoothly blended pencil achieved by using the blender pencil.  

I’m not loving this third card but really enjoyed the creative process!  The stencil is part of the Stampendous set I mentioned above and I placed it over the panel then lightly brushed white distress oxide ink over it all.  After heat-setting the design with clear embossing powder it left behind a glossy, opaque impression which I feel overwhelms the delicate leaves.  I liked the gray tones of it though, so mounted the panel onto a gray textured base card.  A different look, for sure!  

My final and favorite card using the beautiful Eucalyptus Wreath was also colored in three shades of purple.  I added Crystal Effects as an added detail which I think is lovely against the organic card stock!  This time, however, I stenciled the background first, again using white distress oxide ink.  I just love how delicate it is and what a lovely backdrop it is for the bolder wreath design!   

Just look at that shine!  The sentiment on this card is from Studio Katia‘s Blooming Bunch stamp set.  I’m so happy with how each one of these cards turned out!  I hope you’ll go to Lesia Zgharda’s website and see all the wonderful images, cards and tutorials she shares there!  Perhaps you’ll be inspired as I was!  

I leave you with this final photograph of my favorite card.  Thank you for visiting!  

Instagram Inspired!

I love being inspired by other artists, and these cards were totally inspired by someone I just found on Instagram!  Afia, whose blog is here and Instagram here, just posted some cards that blew me away!!  Here’s the first card which I fell in love with!  Just look at that gorgeous color and the beautiful butterfly and that gold embossed detail!  I decided to follow Afia’s process which she shared on her blog and made my cards in the same manner.  I used my retired Stampendous Jumbo Dahlia and their current Mixed Mesh background stamp plus the Vintage Note stamp as well.  

My first step was to stamp the Mixed Mesh background stamp onto a panel of watercolor paper using Versafine Onyx Black ink.  I dried it with a heat tool, then heat-embossed the Jumbo Dahlia using black powder.  

Next I painted the blossom and the background with Gansai Tambi watercolor paints, drying between layers.  I mixed shades of reds, pink and orange for the Dahlia and greens and yellow for the background.  When it was completely dry, I spattered some watery white paint over it.  Next I heat-embossed in gold the Vintage Note stamp along the left hand side.  Afia used gold embossing on her butterfly card and I love how it looks on mine!  My watercolor panel was a little short, so I visually “extended” the panel by gold embossing a Lace Border (also an old Stampendous stamp!) along the bottom of my ivory base card.  

I cut a panel of gold metallic card stock to border the watercolor panel, then attached it to the card base.  My final touch was to add a few sequins and adhere a sentiment which I heat-embossed in gold onto a scrap of black.  I LOVE this card and although it looks nothing like Afia’s butterfly card, I thoroughly enjoyed copying her process!  

This is my second card following Afia’s process.  This time I used a panel of Bienfang Canvas paper and stamped the Mixed Mesh background stamp onto it with Versafine Onyx Black ink then dried it with a heat tool.  I heat-embossed in black the retired Jumbo Peony by Stampendous and then painted both with Gansai Tambi watercolor paints, drying between layers.  

Again, I used Stampendous Vintage Note and heat-embossed it in silver down the left side of the card.  I added a strip of rose-colored Glitterstock as an accent, along with a few silver sequins.  

I think this textured card stock is the bomb, don’t you?!  

I embossed the sentiment in silver onto another scrap of black card stock and attached all the layers to a card base of white.  I love both of my cards and now am heading over to Afia’s blog to see what will inspire me next!  Thanks for stopping by!  

Emboss Like A Boss!

 Did you know Brutus Monroe has an Embossing Powder of The Month Club?!  Here’s how it works:  If you sign up for the Embossing Powder club, you will receive a unique, limited edition powder once each month.  IF there are any powders left over from the subscriptions, they will be sold in store until gone.  Also, everyone that SUBSCRIBES to ANY of the subscriptions (Stamp Club, Inspiration Box, EP), will also receive 15% off on every in store purchase at any time.
 This is ONLY if you subscribe!  That’s quite a deal!  I hope you take advantage of it!                  Now, on to my card!  On a piece of Bristol Smooth card stock which I dusted thoroughly with my anti-static powder, I stamped out the beautiful Baroque background stamp with Versamark, then heat-embossed it with rich, dark Coffee Grounds embossing powder from September’s Club.  I tapped out several distress oxide inks (Fossilized Amber, Carved Pumpkin, Fired Brick and Bundled Sage) onto my craft mat, spritzed with water, then pressed my embossed background into the watery ink, moving it around to distribute the colors, drying between each one.

When I was satisfied with that, I set it aside to work on my sentiment die.  I cut it from  Macchiato card stock, which is beautifully heavy and luxurious! I then outlined each letter with Craft Glue and sprinkled on copper glitter.  It took several tries to get the glue to completely cover the letters, and several attempts to cover the glue with my copper glitter!   I’m bummed that it still didn’t quite cover every bit and it smudged a little onto my vellum panel.  GAH!  May I just say that my table and floor is covered though!!  😀

I was too invested in this card to start over so I carried on!  After trimming down my background I then added a smaller layer of vellum.  I attached it with Thermoweb Sticky Strip Runner then adhered my sentiment onto it, again using Brutus Monroe’s Craft Glue.  Finally, a card base of Macchiato finished my card!

Despite my messy glitter adventure, I still love this card and in real life, it’s absolutely stunning! Let’s take a peek at the other’s embossed wonders!!                                                                              MARIE   JESS   LAUREN   BERINA   WALESKA    HEATHER B.  

Hero Arts Large Posy X Three!

I recently purchased this beautiful flower stamp, Large Posy by Hero Arts, from a member of a Facebook stamping group I’m a part of.  It’s a great way to add new and not-so-new stamps to our collections!  And you may know by now that watercoloring large florals is my favorite!  I made three cards with Large Posy and this is the first!  I heat-embossed the image in black onto a piece of watercolor card stock, then scribbled the Zig markers into the areas with the most black lines.  I then used a wet paintbrush to move the color, adding more color to deepen the shadows.  This is a really quick and easy way to effectively watercolor!  

When the flowers were dry, I smooshed Mowed Lawn distress ink onto my craft mat, added lots of water then painted the background with it.  By picking up more ink, and less water I was able to create a darker area around the blossoms.  I dried the panel with a heat tool, then dripped water droplets onto the background.  How about that grid pattern?!  I pressed a grid stencil in the wet ink and then laid it onto the card being sure to only let the design go where the green area was.  I die-cut two “prayers” from another set I bought from the group member (Hero Arts Stamp & Cut Prayers) and then heat-embossed the remaining sentiments onto strips of card stock and attached them all to my card front.  Lastly, I spattered some black paint then mounted the panel to a base card of white.  

For my second card, I heat-embossed in white onto watercolor card stock, then watercolored the blossom with a couple purple Zig markers and a wet paintbrush.  When it was dry, I again smooshed distress oxide ink onto my craft mat (Squeezed Lemonade), watered it down and painted it all around the flower.  Another set I bought from the group is CTMH’s Beloved Blossoms and I inked up one of the stamps with Fossilized Amber and stamped it over the damp yellow background.  THEN, I inked up Stampin’ Up’s Dictionary with Iced Spruce distress oxide ink and after covering up the flower with a quickly torn “mask” of paper towel, I added that to the background!  

I trimmed the panel down, adhered it to a white layer then to a gray base card.  I don’t recall who makes the sentiment but I heat-embossed that directly to the card front.  Finally, a few faux droplets strategically placed were the final detail for my card!  

Last, but not least, this pink and gold beauty was the final card I made with Large Posy.  I heat-embossed the image twice in gold onto watercolor card stock, then created my background in the same manner.  Smoosh distress oxide ink, water it down, paint it onto the panel.  Add drops of water for a little interest, stamp over it with my script stamp and done!  The flowers were painted with just a little of the oxide inks that were on my mat.  

I trimmed my panel down then used a corner rounder on two corners, added a strip of gold glitter paper to one side and attached it to my white base card.  I had this embossed sentiment in my stash, so trimmed one end to a banner and adhered it with two big gold brads.  I’m especially fond of pink and gold together and so I especially like this card!  I hope you do too!  🙂  

Brutus Monroe Birthday Bears

Welcome to our blog hop for the Brutus Monroe Inspiration Team!  This week’s theme is die-cutting and I decided to take out My Favorite Things Striped Sentiment die and combine it with the adorable Birthday Bears by Brutus Monroe!  I used Brutus Monroe’s awesome Lunchbag cardstock to cut my first panel and then embossed it for some added texture.  I  then cut another panel with teal glitter cardstock; as you can see, I just popped the teal stripes into the Lunchbag panel for some fun contrast!  I adhered the panel to a base card of vanilla and moved on to the bears!

 

I stamped the two bears onto a piece of watercolor cardstock using Antique Linen Distress ink and got out my Zigs to watercolor them!  They’re such “chubby little cubbies”!  After fussy-cutting out the bears, I attached them to my card with pieces of foam tape for lift.  The HAPPY BIRTHDAY sentiment is from, you guessed it!  Super Sentimental!  I stamped that with Raven Detail ink onto a scrap of cardstock then trimmed it into a little banner, sponged a little Broken China distress ink around the edges and added it to my card front.

Combining dies and stamps make for a really interesting card and I love how this one turned out!  I just may tuck it away for a grandsons birthday!  Be sure to take a peek at what Waleska, Berina, Aletha and Marie have created!  It’s great to see how diverse our group of crafters is!