Brayered Embossed Backgrounds

Continuing with the Croptoberfest Challenges over at PaperArtistsOnline, I made a set of three similar cards, challenging myself to use a brayer and embossing folder to get different looks with each one. For the first one, I brayered Ripe Persimmon Distress Ink over the embossed image after running it through the Cuttlebug. This results in a Letterpress look which I really like.

For the next one, I brayered the Ripe Persimmon Distress Ink over the embossing folder before running it through the Cuttlebug. I call this a Letterpress effect but I'm not sure I'm correct. Is it the positive or the negative? Whatever. I like it.

 

For the last one, I glued strips of contrasting cardstock to the panel before running it through the Cuttlebug. The photo may not illustrate it very well other than the word Blessings, but there are also strips on the words November and Autumn. After embossing, I also ran a brayer over the image with Ripe Persimmon Distress Ink.

 

 

Supplies Used:

All Cardstock from Club Scrap

Henna card base

Cruising black panel

Apothecary or Gramma’s Attic embossed panel

Flowers from Comfort Zone unmounteds

Rosette made from Wordsworth Tangerine Wash paper

Bling brad from my stash

Ranger Distress inks used on flower images

Tim Holtz Sizzix Thankful Background embossing folder

 

Thanks for looking. Which one is your favorite technique?

 

Club Scrap October Sketch Relay

This layout was created for Club Scrap's October Sketch Relay Challenge and features my niece Lexi at a basketball game I was lucky enough to attend.

Supplies used:

Club Scrap Scholarship cardstock

Basketball embellishment cut on Silhouette Digital cutter

Karen Foster Basketball stickers

Journaling computer generated

Sketch used: Steppin' Out sketch - November 2004

Double Take Sketches

I recently participated in an online class called Double Take at Big Picture Classes along with my friend and fellow Squirrely Girl Nancy. The class started before my trip to Kentucky but I wasn’t really able to participate until it was completely over and I had returned to my scrap cave. These first two layouts were created with the Double Take sketches. As always, I was multi-tasking and made them to suit some other challenges at PaperArtistsOnline.

This first one is from Week One, Sketch 1. It covers a recent visit to Lancaster, Ky, where I spent my first summer out of high school volunteering for three months with the Christian Appalachian Project. I was a tender eighteen year old and stopping by this place where I spent so much time was a touching experience for me. So much had changed and yet so little. It's a small town of 4,000 now so it was probably a lot smaller in 1972.
Supplies used:
Cardstock: DCWV from Mariposa and Immortal Love stacks
Flower cut with Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die on Cuttlebug
Tape strips from Heidi Swapp
Butterfly border strip from Martha Stewart Punch
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Garden Fairy
Button from Eddie Bauer
Doily and twine from Michaels
Computer generated journaling
CAP title is Ranger Distress Ink over a sticker which is then removed

This second layout is about visiting the levee in Newport, Ky, where I grew up and taking in the view of majestic Cincinnati across the river. My sister Chrissie and I are pointing at the buildings where we work/worked (I left in 1974).
So with the PAO Croptoberfest Challenges, I have been inspired to get out my sprays which I love collecting but rarely use. On this one I went crazy by spraying just about everything in sight. The page on the left was yellow American Crafts cardstock when I started. Love that Orange Juice. There wasn't a cloud in the sky that day but I added a few to fit the challenge on PAO. I think it works.
Supplies used:
Cardstock: American Crafts yellow, Wordsworth Tangerine Wash patterned paper
Cloud shapes and letter circles cut on Silhouette digital cutter; inked with Weathered Wood Distress Ink
Memories Mist Orange Juice used on white cardstock along with Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink
Computer generated journaling

Hell Raisers

Layout created for Club Scrap’s September Sketch Relay Challenge using a sketch from the Old South kit of July 2002. Layout describes the bike ride I took in July with Mallory and Bob.

All cardstock from Club Scrap. Layout base pages are from the Wheel & Sprocket Design Classic on Paisley cardstock. The sprockets were cut on my Silhouette from Strathmore Bristol Smooth paper, sprayed with Smooch and touched up with Pewter Metallic Rub-ons. Title was created using sticker letters from Fiesta, also on Bristol and sprayed, then the stickers were removed leaving the letter negative space. Photos were matted with blue from Solstice. Journalling note on Solstice also using rubber stamp from stash. Chain sticker from stash is from a Karen Burniston sticker set. Thanks for looking.

Squirrely Challenge – Embossed Glossy

Head Squirrel Nancy has resumed our Squirrely Challenges with one called Embossed Glossy. As usual, I am multi-tasking with my crafting. DH required a birthday card for his good buddy. As I’ve mentioned, I’m taking an online class from Jennifer McGuire (see sidebar) so I’ve combined all challenges into one with this card. It’s a fairly simple technique and the look of it doesn’t really come across too well in my photo but, trust me, it looks like suede. Hubby requested a card with “No Tarting Up” but amazingly asked for glitter. Go figure. So I suppose I should give him Art Director credit on this as I’m sure I would have put more embellishment on it if left to my own devices.

The card base is from Club Scrap’s All That Jazz kit as was the glossy cardstock used for the technique. I used Colorbox Chestnut Roan Chalk ink for the brown color after running the cardstock through my Cuttlebug using an embossing folder. The sevens were cut on my Silhouette layering four cuts for each one to give some dimension. I used Tiara Stickles to give the glitter look requested by Hubby. The greeting was stamped and cut out with my own hand. Unbelievable.

Thanks for looking. Feels good to be back at my craft table.

Inspiration Showcase–Row Two

I’m not moving too quickly on this class but have finished Row Two. I think our instructor Jennifer McGuire is up to Row Four. Oh, well, the class is available forever so I can work at my own pace. Crazy thing is, I’m also signed up for another scrapbook layout class which starts this week also. What was I thinking?

My colors don’t necessarily match up to Jen’s but I am following along on her techniques. This Row was all about die cuts and Cuttlebug embossing. Love those techniques and will be using most of them again in the future on cards and layouts. No stamps used on these butterflies. Only ink and embossing folders. Thanks for looking.

Inspiration Showcase – Row One

I am taking an online class from Jennifer McGuire, creating a 12x12 canvas displaying shapes using various inking and stamping techniques. Jennifer's canvas uses hearts. I chose to create mine with butterflies. You all know I love my butterflies. I have finished the first row which involved various forms of resist techniques.

Most butterflies were inked with various Distress Inks using Versamark ink as a resist. The red one with the button uses a heat embossed image for the resist. All stamps used are from my Club Scrap collection. Kits used are Be Wonderful, Arts 'n Crafts, Retro, Poetic, Haberdashery and Papillon (big surprise there!).

 

But haven't been able to complete any of the Bonus cards before turning out the lights tonight. Maybe tomorrow night? Stay tuned. Thanks for looking.