Embossed Robin

I have to get ready for a demonstration at our Extravaganza tomorrow.....I decided at the last minute to use the technique I learned yesterday - colouring and then embossing an image so you can sponge around it.  I'll share with you tomorrow the card I'm going to demonstrate - it's not put together yet.

For today's card, I used the Friday Mashup.....using the sketch below and including birds.

I have rarely ever used this bird - and I do like it!  It is stamped with Staz-On on the Newsprint DSP and coloured with ink and an Aquapainter.  You don't notice it in the photo - but the printing still shows through the ink.  Next, I inked the image using a VersaMark Marker and covered it with clear embossing powder.  Then I moved on to sponging extra colours onto the DSP.  

I know you could be really really careful, not emboss the image, and still sponge around it - but this way you don't have to be so careful.  And on a Friday afternoon - that's kinda helpful.

I'm excited about the Extravaganza tomorrow - as always.  Hope you had a fabulous Friday and that you have something exciting to look forward to on the weekend.

Thanks for visiting.

Joan

Ducks, Dinosaurs and Butterflies

I must say, my opinion of Summer Starfruit is beginning to change a bit.  I wasn't enamoured with it when I first saw it, but as I'm working with it, it's growing on me! 

The sketch for the duck card is from Create with Connie and Mary.  I decided I wanted to use the "Cherish Friendship" set because it's been neglected - and then I wanted to find an idea for colouring the duck.  Stampin' Connection (a website available to Stampin'Up! Demonstrators with loads of ideas and inspiration) came to the rescue and I took some inspiration from Sandy Mathis who had bleached the duck last June.  

So - I used the same Crumb Cake paper, stamped the image with Black Staz-On and then took an aqua painter dipped in bleach to colour in the duck.  Once I die cut the image with one of the Apothecary Accents Framelits, I took a sponge dauber with bleach to go around the edges and added some Cajun Craze after that.

The "gingham" piece is Very Vanilla put through the Stripes embossing folder in two directions - the embossing folder was brayered with Crumb Cake first each time.

Since I had the brayer out, I decided it was time for me to try out one of Michelle Zindorf's tutorials.  

I've cased her card pretty much exactly as she created it - except I need a WHOLE BUNCH of practice using the brayer so that I don't end up with straight lines.  

I learned two things making this card - 

1 - if you're real quick, you can add (clear) embossing powder to Classic Ink.

2 - In order to keep the dinosaurs' "true" colours while you brayer the background, you colour him with VersaMark Pen and add clear embossing powder so that he becomes a embossing resist.  Duh!!!  Fantastic idea.

Since I was on a role, I cased another of Michelle's cards.  I saw this card a couple of weeks ago, and thought it would be a good tutorial to start with.  She gives such fantastic, step by step, instructions.  The images were coloured with the AquaPainter using ink from the lid of the Ink Pad.  I think what I learned most - which I need more practise with - is the use of different colours to produce shading.  Next I'll have to create something of my own using the new things I've learned.

So - it was a productive afternoon - on top of doing 3 loads of laundry - and folding it....on the SAME day...WOW!

Hope your day has been filled with inspiration.  Thanks for stopping by!

Joan

Happy Birthday, Lesley!!!

I am so excited today to be part of a 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY,  LESLEY!!!

blog hop.

I "met" Lesley through the Design Team for "The Color Dare" challenge blog.  I've only known her a short time, but I know she's an incredibly supportive and helpful person.  We have a number of things in common.... we're both Canadian, teachers (she used to teach music, I'm currently teaching music) and I've discovered we have similar interests in music and movies too.  I love going to her blog to see what she's created because it's always fantastic and inspirational!

So - I'd like to encourage you to go over to Lesley's blog and wish her a happy birthday - She can be found at

Always Playing with Paper

and be sure to participate in the blog hop to see all the wonderful creations Lesley's friends have created for her...

Anne Marie Hile - Stampin’ Anne
Carrie Gaskin - Artistic Avenger
Cindy Beach - Stamps, Paper and Ink
Jaydee - Stampin’ with Jaydee
Jen Mitchell - I Create
Joan Jeffery - JJ Creations (Me)
Lauri Ingram - Paperville
Laurie - Hiding in My Craft Room
LeAnne Pugliese - wee Inklings
Nance Leedy - Canopy Crafts
Rita Wright - Cards by Rita
Sandra Azzopardi - Sandra’s Stamping Spot
Tui Nathan - Stampin’ Time

Thanks for stopping by today - Joan

Tri Fold Nature Walk

 

Today, over at Hand Stamped Sentiments, they've laid down the challenge for fancy fold cards - I don't think I've ever actually finished one of these Tri Fold Shutter Cards - but I'm relatively happy with the way this one turned out.  Lots of little pieces depending on the sections you want to highlight.  It's interesting to look through the gallery on Splitcoast for this type of card  - just to see the different ways that people have place their papers and what they've done to embellish their creation.

AND, over at Hand Stamped Sentiments, the DT has a wide variety of fancy folds cards to share for inspiration.

I'm off to the city to do some shopping and then I'm looking forward to having dinner this evening with a few of my former (won't say "old") college roommates.  We've been staying in touch for over 30 years!!!

Hope you have some life long friends to share good times with.

Thanks for stopping by to visit

Joan