A Masculine Mixed Media Card for Sweet Stampin' Challenge

If I’m honest, masculine cards are probably one of the hardest things for me to make. I always seem to drift toward flowers, pretty layers, and all the softer details, so coming up with something for a guy usually takes me a bit longer! But this fortnight’s Sweet Stampin’ Challenge gave me the perfect excuse to step out of my comfort zone and have a play with a more textured, mixed media look.

I’ve been watching quite a few mixed media videos on YouTube lately, and they’ve inspired me. All those grungy layers, bits of texture and slightly industrial details had me wanting to try something a little different. It also gave me the chance to use one of my newer buys—an All & Create stamp set called Dynamics—which felt just right for this kind of project.

So here’s how the finished card came together.

I started with a mid-grey square card base and blended Evergreen Bough and Lost Shadow Distress Oxide inks over the background. From there, I built up the texture by stamping with the Dynamics set in black ink, Lost Shadow, and Vintage Photo Distress Oxide, which gave it that nicely worn, layered look without making it feel too busy. After that, I added some texture paste through Tim Holtz’s Clockwork stencil, and I loved how it picked up hints of the green and brown underneath. To finish it all off I added a dark grey die-cut clocks (another new purchase from my local bookstore) and splattered on some grey and white Dina Wakely acrylic paint for a bit more grunge, then added a pre-printed sentiment from Paper Roses.

I’m really happy with how this one turned out, and it’ll soon be heading off to a friend for his birthday. It’s always nice when a challenge pushes me to try a style I wouldn’t normally go for, and this card certainly did that. I’m sure it won’t be my last.

Baby Wipes: A Fun Creative Experiment

This month’s challenge in my local swap group was set by my friend Suna, and it was a fun one: “Use a Baby Wipe.” She even shared a few YouTube videos to get our creative juices flowing, which really helped spark some ideas.

On Wednesday afternoon, Grace and I experimented with a few different techniques. The idea we loved most involved ink blending onto cardstock, layering a stencil over the top, then adding several layers of baby wipes before running the whole stack through my Spellbinders Platinum 6. The result was such a surprise! The baby wipes absorbed the colour in the most interesting way. Because I used Distress Oxides for the ink blending, the finished panels have a soft, almost velvety look and feel. Grace made several panels during our session, and they all turned out beautifully.

On Saturday, I couldn’t resist making a few more panels of my own—two in green and one in a vibrant orange. One of the green panels has already been turned into a card, but since it hasn’t reached its recipient yet, I’ll save that for another post. Today’s focus is the card I created using the orange panel.

For this piece, I used a Gelli Art Circles stencil over Ripe Persimmon Distress Oxide ink, which added lovely texture and interest to the background. To ground the floral focal point, I die cut a vellum rectangle and layered it over the panel. The flower dies are from an unnamed brand and, I’ll admit, they gave me a bit of trouble—no instructions always makes assembly an adventure! In the end, I decided to keep things monochromatic, die cutting all the pieces from white cardstock and softly blending colour onto them using some Altenew Warm and Cozy inks.

The leaves were cut from orange pattern paper from Scrapbook.com, which tied everything together nicely. I trimmed the panel, matted it with white cardstock, and added a touch of sparkle to the flower centres using Gold Wink of Stella. To finish the card, I added a gold foiled sentiment from a Spellbinders set.

This challenge was such a fun way to try something I haven't done in a while, and I love how the baby wipes created such a unique texture. 

Red and Pink Love You

 Hi Dawn here to share my Pink and Red card for this month's Challenge at Die Cut Divas, asking for predominant colors of red &/or pink (neutrals & a bit of a non-neutral are ok). 

Remember to use a die cut &/or embossing folder in your red/pink creation.

We have the wonderful Hero Arts as our sponsor this month! 

Hero Arts has generously donated a $25 gift card for our 

February random winner - thanks Hero Arts!!

I started by white embossing Hero Arts Cling Heart Pattern Background stamp (circa 2016 - retired) and then using some Distress Oxide Picked Raspberry to blend all over the embossed hearts.  I used a Gina K Master Layout 2 to die cut the panel and a white matting layer.  I took the DO ink and did a ink pad to paper to colour my card base.  The love you heart is another retired Hero Arts set - Stamp & Cut Yes. (circa 2014) stamped and clear embossed with the DO Picked Raspberry ink and cut with the co-ordinating die.  The ribbon is a Poppy Stamps die called Grosgrain Ribbon.  Added some white and Rose cold foliage from Altenew's Branches and Berries.

We hope to see you in the February gallery by 9pm Pacific Time on Feb 28th.

Thanks for visiting & happy crafting!!

Radiant Rainbow - Altenew Live Challenge #15

 Got to watch Jen Rzasa this week - and loved the challenge - Radiant Rainbow.   Jen did an amazing rainbow stenciled floral... amazing.  

I started this last evening after work - and finished today. 

My background was made using a My Favourite Things stencil Petal Circle - which I used Distress Oxides in Worn Lipstick, Wilted Violet, Tumbled Glass and Mowed Lawn inks.  I then moved the stencil slightly and blended again.   Added a light blending of the same colour over each area.   I used a Gina K stencil to cut out a 4" square. And then spritzed with Shimmer mist in Frost.   I then die cut a circle and stamped a sentiment from Altenew's Classic Greetings.  I then took the smallest of the Altenew's Leafy Canopy and stamped in Versamark and white embossed it.  Once it was die cut, I took my metallic watercolour paints and painted rainbow colours!   They are so vibrant in real life, but hard to see the shimmer in the photo.    Finished with some silver dots for embellishments.

Craft Roulette #233

 I managed to watch the last little bit of the Craft Roulette live today.  Kristina Werner was the guest.   I wanted to make a birthday card for my friend who will be 70 next Saturday.  Last evening I watch a YouTube by Marion Emberson who did a spotlight technique she had seen done by Julie Hickey - so today I watched Julie video.   When I saw parameters for today, I knew I had to try out the technique. 

This is my 23rd submission... 

I used Penny Black's Background Basic Stencil to mask off the centre panel.  I used Distress Oxide inks - Tattered Rose, Wilted Violet and Fossilised Amber to add my Hummingbird colours.  I then used a Paper Roses stencil which had flowers and leaves and added the colours with a bit of a heavier hand.  I then stamped the Altenew Fairy Tale Florals image with Altenew Obsidian Black ink.  More leaves on the floral image to meet the Random parameter.   The Congratulations card parameter- congrats on your birthday sentiment.  It's a mis-mash of two sentiments from Altenew Sentiment Strips 3.   And of course, the Best Friend parameter has been met as this is for my Bestie's birthday next week -hence the 70 on the card.   Finished with some Silver Dot Sparkles.

Happy to have got time to do this this afternoon - as I also made a Banana Choc-chip and Walnut loaf and then dropped hubby at the Bays Club.  He's watching the All Blacks versus Australia rugby test with some mates.   I'm watching it at home and will go pick him up and go out for dinner when it finishes.   It's a day time game in Sydney, Australia so is an early evening game here as Sydney is 2 hours behind us.   It's half time now - we are leading 28 - 14.  

Time to settle back and watch the second half.

 

Fun Day at The Auckland Papercraft Show...

 Yesterday I took the day off and together with my friend, Suna, we head off to The Auckland Papercraft Show.  The big craft fair this year was cancelled, so a few of the contributors got together to put on a smaller show.  It was over the Harbour Bridge so off we went.  Luckily for us, the weather held and it was a good drive over (plus the traffic was quite light!)  We spent up well ... have to support the local stores!  And we had super fun taking part in a class.  It was from Scrapbook Central and our tutor was the lovely Chick Mitchell.  We did 3 cards in 2 hours- lots of ink blending and embossing - and lots of painting with watercolour shimmer powders.  Our kits used products from Memory Box.  I didn't quite finish my cards during class so did that last night.  

Are they just gorgeous!   And luckily for me, I already own the bird die.  And the sentiment foil and die set.   I loved the colours we used  - did have to buy one Distress Oxide colour - Tattered Rose. 

Of course, I did a good amount of shopping.  - Got some practical storage - extra large stamp pockets and another Tim Holtz tin for my Distress Oxides.  And some glue and Stick-It double sided adhesive.  Got a cool snowflake embossing folder from Altenew, a Birthday stamp and die from Gina K, a cute Birthday Wishes die from Creative Expressions and some different rub-ons.   All in all, a great haul.  

Inspired by Natasha...two cards

I've been crafting a bit for the last few days.. The long weekend was busy and I even managed some cards after work yesterday.  I made two cards inspired by YouTube videos I watch by Natasha Foote...her channel is HERE. 

First one was inspired by this video.  It's about coloured silhouettes 

I loved Natasha's use of purple so I did the same...of course I LOVE purple!  I did some ink blending like Natasha did on her card using some Villainous Potion Oxide ink , but when I decided to use Spellbinders Labels 1 to cut my panel, I lost a bit of the blending so I added some soft blending around the edges using Wilted Violet Oxide and added some splatter as well.  The panel went onto a white Decorative Labels 1 die cut.   I stamped a birthday sentiment from Altenew's Birthday Builder set  using the same Oxide ink.  Natasha has a neat trick for making a false layer - using some tape to mask off a little strip of the card and blending on ink.   Love how it always gives a great look. 

And the second card is inspired by this video.  It's called White Ink Embossing Tips and Tricks.

I've done some similar type of embossing - this one I took some teal card and an Altenew 3D folder (Silk Art) and white ink...inking up the raised side of the embossing folder.  I ran it through my Platinum 6 machine - and reinked and did it another pass through the machine.    This adds the ink to the debossed side of the card.   Once the ink had dried I added some Altenew Aqualicious Fresh Dye inks to the raised areas.   Added a foiled sentiment - used Go Press and Foil Aqua foil with a Pinkfresh Studio Perfect Sentiments hot foil plate and die set.   A few teal gems finished the card. 

Now I'm over to see Natasha's video for today.  She posts about three times a week.