Paper Peeling & Color Challenge

There's a new color challenge on Gingersnaps - GC64: Yellow, Orange and Red. I posted it last Wednesday, but have been a very flaky blogger and this is the first chance I've had to post my card here.

In fact, I made two cards with this color combination using the Peeled Paper technique (TJ newsletter April/May 2010). I used my favorite Fabriano watercolor cards for the bases and stamps from Crafty Individuals. I used Distress Inks to create the panels - Mustard Seed, Barn Door and Spiced Marmalade.


Here's a closer look at the peeled paper.


Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful weekend!

Ali

Split Stamping Personality

There hasn't been much stamping or blogging going on here for the past few weeks, I'm afraid. That's what happens during school vacation. I have a little down time this week because my daughter is in camp and I finally managed to stamp today.

I have two cards to share - one I made for a tutorial I wrote on Gingersnaps, but haven't had time to blog. The background behind the woman is a sun print made using a chemically treated paper. You can read how it's done here. I restamped the image (from Artistic Outpost) on cream c/stock and cut out the woman and adhered her on top of the sun print. The pale blue background was made using the Sanded Whitewash technique (TJ newsletter Aug 09).


And the second card is for today's Clean and Simple Challenge on Splitcoast - it's been an age since I did that challenge. It's for my husband because we celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary next week.


Together they highlight my split stamping personality! Generally, I go for botanical, vintage and collage images, but I also have what I call my 'Papertrey' side. I love the clean lines of some of the modern images, such as this one from Stampin' Up (Cute by the Inch).

Quick Tip:

I love these Pitt Artist pens from Faber Castell and use them all the time. They have four different nibs - brush, medium, fine and super fine, and are waterproof and smudge-proof.


I like to run the brush tip along the edge of inchies (or other punched shapes) for definition and these work great. The super fine nib is good for filling in missing parts of a stamped image. Or the dots on this card. Their uses are infinite and at $11 - a real bargain. I got mine at an art supply store, but I'm sure Michaels and other big box retailers sell them too.

Here's hoping for more stamping time tomorrow.

Happy Stamping!

Ali

Marker Challenge

I hosted the Spicy Supply Challenge on Gingersnaps today and this month we're using markers.

I'm not in a coloring phase right now, so I figured I'd make a background using markers instead. I chose Spritzed Stone from TJs Dec 09 newsletter. It involves scribbling Copic markers onto acetate, spritzing it with alcohol and pressing glossy paper onto to it. I made another card with it a couple of months ago.

I used various shades of blue to create this background - I need cool colors in this oppressive summer heat! The main image is from Crafty Individuals and the sentiment from a retired SU hostess set.

Okay, off to walk the dog and then spend the day with friends. Lunch and a movie in air conditioning sound good to me!

Happy crafting!

Ali

Hot Challenge

We've been sweltering in the Northeast US this week. It was over 100 degrees on Tuesday. This type of weather does not suit redheads! But my fellow Founding-Femme over at Gingersnaps, Sharon, also a redhead (hence Gingersnaps in case people didn't get that!) set a hot challenge this week.

The challenge theme is heat. You should see the awesome cards Sharon and the rest of the design team came up. Here's mine:

The image is from a stamp set in the current SU Mini Catalog called Elements of Style with French Script underneath. The technique is Brazen Brilliance that's also in the previous post.

It's supposed to a little cooler today and tomorrow, so we'll have some respite to watch the World Cup Final tomorrow. Have a happy weekend!

Ali

Happy Independence Day

Happy Independence Day! Although we are British, we have lived in the USA for 13 years now and celebrate July 4th each year with our American friends. This is going to be a short post because we're heading out to a cook-out (English translation: barbecue).

I made this card using a technique called Brazen Brilliance, which was this week's Design Junkies' challenge. I never would have tried technique if it hadn't been for the challenge, but I'm really glad I did. It's fun and gives a great effect. Here's closer look:


The main image is from Artistic Outpost and the background is a retired SU stamp called Weathered.

Happy July 4th!

Ali

Washed Color Hydrangea

This is a card I taught at a stamping class last month and have only just got around to blogging it.

We created a Washed Colors (TJs April/May 10) background on a piece of watercolor paper using Bashful Blue and Certainly Celery reinkers. We added a little sparkle with some Smooch Spritz too. Once dry, the flower was stamped with black Stazon ink.


The vanilla card base is embossed with a new SU embossing folder called Vintage Wallpaper. All images are from a new SU hostess set called Because I Care.

Have a super weekend!

Ali