Orchard Wreath

Can you believe it is the end of September?   If anyone knows how to slow down time, you could make a fortune by sharing that trick!  The end of the month means it is time for the Club Scrap Monthly Blog Hop and Linky Party!

While looking through the tutorials at SplitcoastStampers I found a cool wreath card made from a pine needle die.  I don’t have a die like that, but I decided I like the wreath idea.   So, after looking at what dies I do have, I used my Orchard Lite supplies to make this:

It was actually pretty easy to put together, just a little time consuming.   I started by using my Creative Memories Cutting System to cut a wreath shape out of chipboard.   I covered it front and back with paper.  Then I put my BigShot to work.  I used the “Leafy Branch” die from Taylored Expressions along with the similar but smaller branch die from this Taylored Expressions die set to cut out many “branches” of both sizes out of various colors of the Orchard papers.   I inked all of the edges using either Mowed Lawn Distress Ink or Ruby ink from Club Scrap.  I also added some “veins” using the really cool white gel pen that came with my kit.

After placing a layer of the smaller branches around the base, I added a layer of the larger branches, alternating between the four colors I had cut.  I then filled in some of the gaps with more of the smaller branches.  That whole process was made easier by using my handy-dandy needle-tipped applicator filled with bookbinding glue (both from Club Scrap).

I stamped a sentiment from Club Scrap’s Blossom kit (no longer available) onto one of the chalkboard stakes included in my kit using Club Scrap’s Parchment Pigment ink.  I also altered the stake using Wild Honey and Dried Marigold Distress Stains.   I finished off the wreath with a bow made from some of the ribbon included in my kit, and some “gems” from a past Club Scrap kit (I’m sorry that I don’t remember which one) altered with YR04 Copic Marker.

Wishing all of you a cool and crisp autumn!

Thanks for stopping by!

Shimmery Christmas

I recently discovered the Freshly Made Sketches blog and decided to give this week’s sketch a try.  As an extra challenge (especially for me), we are asked to keep our project “clean-lined and fresh”.  Here is this week’s sketch:

Here is my interpretation:

The panel behind the tree started out as a blue piece of cardstock.  I covered it with some Tim Holtz Idea-ology Frosted Film (which sadly doesn’t seem to be available anymore), then pounced it with Botanical, Honeycomb, Stream and Gold Mixative alcohol ink.

I also wanted to join in the Simon Says Stamps Monday “Shimmer and Shine” Challenge, so I used some gold silk screen paper that was hancrafted by Women co-operatives in Nepal.  I found a pack of it at Paper Source in Brookfield, WI.  I also used some Honey Gold Nuvo Glitter Drops on the tree (which didn’t show up very well on the picture) and to create my own embellishment “dots”.

Other supplies I used are:

**The papers are from Gina K Designs, and Club Scrap.

**The Christmas tree stamp is from Taylored Expressions, the sentiment stamp is from Gina K. Designs.  Both were stamped with VersaMark ink and embossed with Gold Zing powder.

**the fiber is from Club Scrap’s “Shades of Winter” kit.

**the star brad is from my stash, altered with Copic Marker YR14.  I also used Mowed Lawn Distress Marker to edge the "joy" flag to give it a little more definition.

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Make Me Smile

I bought a big roll of Tim Holtz Idea-ology Frosted Film a long time ago.   I loved the idea of it at the time, but it has just sat on my shelf because I wasn’t quite sure how to actually use it.   Recently I stumbled upon THIS post on the Classroom blog at Ellen Hutson.  I gave the technique a try and fell in love!  The sad thing is, I’m not sure the Frosted Film is being sold anywhere anymore.  Good thing I have a lot left!  Here a couple of background panels I made with some alcohol inks and Frosted Film:

I turned both of the backgrounds  into cards.  The first one I made for the Rubbernecker Stamps “Make Me Smile” challenge:

The background started with a piece of dark blue cardstock covered with the Frosted Film.  I then pounced on Watermelon, Sunset Orange, Citrus and Pearl Mixative Alcohol Inks.  I altered a scrap piece of silver velum using some Oregano Alcohol Ink, stamped the sentiment with Distress Embossing Ink and embossed with Primary Burgundy Red powder from WOW.  (My apologies – I’ve had that sentiment stamp a long time and don’t know where it is from).

The butterfly image is a two part stamp from Rubbernecker Stamps, stamped on another scrap piece of velum.  I used Wildberry ink from Palette and Topaz ink from Club Scrap on the solid “watercolor” part of the stamp. For the outline, I first stamped with Forest Moss Distress Ink then again with Distress Embossing Ink (the MISTI is great for double stamping!).  I then embossed using Oakleaf Olive powder from Lindy’s Stamp Gang.  When all that was done, I fussy cut the image and used some Multi Medium Matte glue to glue it on to the card.  That is one aspect about the Frosted Film that I’m not crazy about – only a good liquid adhesive will work when attaching something to it.

I also make a quick Christmas card with the other panel:

I used a variety of alcohol ink colors on this background, but I’m afraid that I didn’t write the colors down.  The tree is a die from Taylored Expressions, and the sentiment is from the Gina K. Designs Christmas Joy stamp set.

Other supplies I used are:

**The base papers are from Gina K Designs, all others are from Club Scrap

**Majestic Purple Liquid Pearls used as “ornaments” on the Christmas tree.

**Midnight Blue StazOn Ink used to stamp the Christmas sentiment.

**The fibers and eyelets are from my stash.

Thanks for stopping by!

Quick Masculine

Gina K. Designs’ Stamp TV forum is running a challenge this week to do a card with a masculine theme.  Perfect!  The next four cards on my list to make are all for men.  My initial inspiration came from this Stamp TV post by Sean.  It has been quite a while since I had a card go together as quick and easy as this one:

I started with a background made during a recent play session with my Color Bursts (Sap Green, Chartreuse, Terre Verte, Pthalo Green and Verdi Gris Liquid Metals used for this panel).  The three trees are from the Gina K Designs “Autumn Wishes” stamp set, and the sentiment is from the GKD “Grand Greetings” set.  All of them were stamped with VersaMark ink, then embossed using some Copper Foil embossing powder from Club Scrap (no longer available).

Other supplies I used are:

**The card base is Copper Metallic card stock from Gina K (I Love This Paper!), the other paper is from Club Scrap.

**The brown ribbon came with a Gina K Designs kit a long time ago, the green ribbon is from Elen Hutson.

**The little “metallic” charm was cut out using a Spellbinders “Ribbon Buckles” die. The brad is from my stash.

Thanks for stopping by!