One-layer card with depth

A one-layer card is as simple as it gets:  no fiddly measuring or cutting or matting.  Something clean and refreshing about it.  Of course, the danger with simple is that sometimes it becomes boring.    This card has some depth due to the reverse masking technique I used.  To make this card, I cut out a rectangle, then used the leftover piece (the reverse mask) to sponge a rectangle shape with soft sky ink.  I then stamped the group of trees with blue bayou, with the mask still on.  I then removed the mask and added the lovely pine tree in Wild Wasabi and decorated with a few sprinkles of Dazzling Diamonds glitter applied with 2 way glue.  Then the sentiment from the Merry Many Messages set (part of this month's promotion) in Purely Pomegranite.

I'm pleased with the way it turned out!

I know I've CASEd this card from somewhere, but I cannot recall for the life of me where I saw it.  Splitcoast?  If anyone knows, please let me know so I can give the original artist due recognition.  I'll edit with their name if I find it.  

Heat 'n Stick tutorial (or how to make the sparkly tree)

Due to popular demand (well, Christine and Maree wanted to know, anyway!) I've made a step by step tutorial on how to use Heat 'n Stick powder.        

Here is what you will need:

• Heat Gun
• Versamark
• Ink colour of your choice
• Dazzling Diamonds Glitter
• Heat n Stick Powder
• small paint brush
• Powder Pal
• Embossing Buddy
• Cardstock
• Stamp

Step One:

Give your cardstock and the powder pal (scrap cardstock may be substituted if you don't have a powder pal) a vigourous rub over with the embossing buddy.  Don't worry if you see little bits of powder from the embossing buddy on your cardstock; they will easily brush away at the end.  This will help stop any stray bits of embossing powder (if you were embossing) or heat n stick powder from sticking to the places you don't want them to go.

Step Two:  

Ink up your stamp with Versamark.  Versamark is a clear "sticky" ink that can be used alone to create a lovely watermark effect (tone on tone) or can be used to heat emboss with coloured dye inks or coloured embossing powder.  It is a must-have in any stamper's arsenal of supplies, in my opinion

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Step Three

Next ink your stamp into your dye ink of choice (here I've used Wild Wasabi):

And here's what it should look like:

Step Four: 

Next, working quickly while the ink is still wet, pour some Heat n Stick Powder over your image.  Tap off any excess and return it to the jar (it can be used many times over).  Here's where the Powder Pal comes in handy (and now you see why I rubbed it over with the embossing buddy:  static cling makes the fine powder stick even to the powder pal).

 

Step Five

Now heat up the image with your heat gun until you see the powder go shiny:

 

Step Six

While the image is sticky, dump on your glitter, and tap off any excess:

   

I store my glitter (and the embossing powders I use most) in these handy Glad containers,  much easier for clean up.

Step Seven

Then give it a quick (and I mean only for a couple of seconds) blast with your heat gun again to set.  It is frustratingly easy to burn your image if you overheat it - so you might need to do a few practice runs with this.

Step Eight

Allow image to cool, then using a paintbrush, or in my case, an old makeup brush, remove any stray glitter from your image.

  

And voila!  Your lovely, glittery tree is ready to be added to your project.  Click on the image to see more detail.  The other great thing about this technique (apart from the bling!) is that because the glitter is "set" with the heat gun, it won't rub off your project.

Some girly cards and my son's Halloween card!

Hello!

I'm feeling in a girly mood, and I had some pretty DSP (designer series paper) lying around, so I've experimented with some "girly" cards:  the first two have almost no stamping at all!

Hmm.  Not sure why this ended up sideways.  

This little bird was embossed with my SU dye ink  by inking up my stamp in Versamark watermark ink (clear ink used in embossing) and then dipping the stamp into my Groovy Guava dye ink pad.  I then sprinkled clear embossing powder onto the image, and melted it with my heat gun.  Voila!

Here we have the bird again, but this time she's very sparkly!  The photo does not do it justice - glitter never photographs well.  I deliberately made one edge of the card shorter than the other and stuck in some co-ordinating DSP along the edge for fun.

My little butterfly was also glittered up using the same technique as the bird - stamped in Versamark, then pixie pink ink, then onto the whisper white cardstock.  I then sprinkled on Heat'n Stick powder, melted it until it was sticky, and sprinkled over Dazzling Diamonds glitter, and gave it a quick final blast with the heat gun to set it.   Can you get any girlier than a pink, glittery butterfly?  

Finally, here's the card my 6 year old son made with me earlier this month to send to his best friend for Halloween.  Didn't he do a great job?  I drew the tree and skull, he did the rest.

Finally some cards and things

Today is a pupil-free day, so a long weekend for the kids, hooray!   I did manage to carve out some crafting time yesterday (11:00pm) so I could finish my sister Bridget's box of gift cards she commissioned me to make.  In case you are reading this Bid - hope you like them!

Here is the box (apologies for the dreadful photo taken at 11:00pm):

And the gift cards to go inside.  The brief was black. white and silver.  Simple but elegant.  I used the Baroque Motifs stamp set and it worked very well with such a pared-down colour scheme.

Then I made a few cards for kids as there are a few birthdays in our family at this time of year:

With the "Ahoy, Matey" stamp set:

 Now a girly one made with "One of a Kind" - I added some bling with heat 'n stick powder and Dazzling Diamonds glitter.   I had pictured this card completely differently before I made it, but this is how it ended up!  

Finally, my eldest son was invited to a classmate's birthday party, so I made the wrapping paper and matching gift card.  The invitation had a rocket ship on it, so I went with the space theme with the only rocket stamp I have, a cute clear acrylic stamp that I got in the cheapie bin at my local scrap shop.  I can't recall the manufacturer, but when I do I'll edit and post.  Hmmm, I've said that before, haven't I?

I love making wrapping paper to go with the cards I've made!  So easy and looks great (well, I think so anyway!).  I have a big roll of butcher's paper from IKEA that I use and I also found a big roll of white paper from that chain craft shop Riot.   I never have to buy wrapping paper (or cards) again!