Tuesday, October 31, 2017

VIDEO- Distress Oxide Background featuring Flamingo Bells {Avery Elle}

Hello friends,

I am up on the Avery Elle blog and You Tube Channel this week with a video sharing how I used Distress Oxide Inks and Avery Elle's Flamingo Bells stamp set to create a tropical evening holiday scene. A list of Avery Elle products with links can be found at the end of my post.


Flamingo Bells is such a great stamp set.  It's so different from the images that you usually associate with the holidays like snowmen, snowflakes, and sledding, but for many parts of the world, Christmas has a decidedly more festive and tropical feel.

I was also so excited about the sentiments in this set. I have been wanting a "Mele Kalikimaka" sentiment for a really long time, so I was thrilled that it was included in Flamingo Bells.  If you've seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, I am sure you've heard the song too, but just in case, you can listen to the Bing Crosby version here. It's one of my favorites!

I hope you'll take a peek at the video to see how it all came together!  
Thanks so much for stopping by!

Katie

Supplies: 

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Festive Wreath No Line Watercoloring {Avery Elle}

Hello friends,

I am over on the Avery Elle blog today sharing one of my favorite techniques- No Line Watercoloring- featuring the Festive Wreath stamp set and the coordinating Festive Wreath Elle-ments die.


The "no line" technique name is a bit misleading because there are lines, but the trick to any "no line" technique is using the right color of ink to stamp your lines.  You want to use a very light color ink so that when additional colors are added, the lines disappear or take on the pigment that you are adding to the image.  For this technique, I like to use Antique Linen Distress Ink, but other light inks can work too such as light pinks or light grays. 


I stamped the images from the stamp set in Antique Linen Distress Ink and then I began to watercolor using other shades of Distress Ink.  I smooshed the ink cubes onto an acrylic block and spritzed the ink with water to create an ink wash.  Using a fine point paintbrush, I began adding color to the stamped images.


The most important pieces of advice I can share with this technique is to allow layers of watercolor ink to dry completely before going back over the same area with more ink to deepen the color or to color in an adjacent area.  If two wet areas touch, the ink colors will bleed and blend together and that may not me the look you want. 


A paper towel to blot us extra water and a heat gun can help speed things along if you are impatiently waiting for your images to dry.  Once everything is colored in, you can add detail back to you images using a fine tip pen.  On the finished card, I used a gray pen to add some detail to the bow and the eye to the cardinal. I used a white gel pen to add some highlights to the ornaments and the bird's wing.


I adhered the wreath to a card base I made using the A Tag for All Elle-ments die.   I stamped the sentiment with black ink and popped up the stars, candy canes, bow, and bird with foam tape.  I adhered some clear sequins to the wreath and added a sweet scalloped border using the Dotted Borders Elle-ments die to the bottom of the card.  I finished off the card with some Midnight Hemp Twine tied into a bow.

I hope this inspires you to try a little "no line" coloring on your next paper crafting adventure!  Thanks for stopping by!

Katie

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Peace Love and Joy (Right at Home)

Hello friends, 

I am so excited to be guest designing this month with Right at Home stamps to celebrate their latest holiday release!

I have two projects to share with you in the coming weeks and my first card is below. 


I created a wintery landscape by blending a watercolor panel with Distress Inks.  I sprayed water onto the panel to lift the link and give it the look of millions of stars in the sky.


I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment from the Peace Love and Joy stamp set with silver embossing powder.  The trees are actually the leaf veins from the Cozy Cardinal stamp set.

Well that's all for me today, but be sure to stop by the Right at Home blog for more inspiration using these and the rest of their newest release!

Thanks for stopping by!
Katie 

Friday, October 13, 2017

Welcome Home Halloween House {Avery Elle}

Hello friends,

It's Welcome Home Seasons Week on the Avery Elle blog!  I am sharing this Halloween House created with the Welcome Home Seasons stamp set.  I adore the original Welcome Home stamp set.  It's so fun to play architect and home designers with stamps and paper.  Now that October is here, I thought I ought to decorate the house for the upcoming Halloween holiday!


I used a combination of images from the Welcome Home and the Welcome Home Seasons stamp sets to create the house.  I love how the yellow door and windows pop against the gray house.   The ghost and cobwebs are adorably spooky- not scary- which is how I like my Halloween!


Adding some detail to the roof line with a white gel pen really brought out the decorative accents on the roof. I colored the potted plants with violet Copic markers and hung a wreath on the front door as a finishing touch.

Supplies:

Now I am definitely in the spirit to decorate my own house for Halloween.  Don't forget to check out the Avery Elle blog this week for even more inspiration featuring the Welcome Home Seasons stamp set!

Thanks for popping in!
Katie 

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Waffle Flower New Release Blog Hop!


Hello friends,
I am so excited to be celebrating Waffle Flower's new release today!  You should have arrived here today from Kari Van Noy's blog.  If you just stumbled upon this post and would like to get the full list, head over to the Waffle Flower blog.  


I have two cards to share with you.  The first card features the Warm Hands and Layering Woodgrain stamp sets.  A list of my Waffle Flower supplies used on my cards can be found at the end of this post. 



I stamped the accent layer of the Layering Woodgrain stamp set onto white card stock with gray ink. Next I stamped the mittens from the Warm Hands stamp set.  I loved adding the details with each of the stamped layers and I did a little "rock and roll" effect on the main mitten image with a deeper color of blue to add even more depth.  I attached twine to the mittens and adhered it to the card.  The "Stay Warm" sentiment is included in the Warm Hands coordinating die set. 

Next, I couldn't resist playing with some of the new interactive dies.  I pulled out the A2 Arch Window die and die cut it from a piece of white card stock.  I added some gray and white polka dot paper as curtains to hide the action that's happening outside. 


I punched a hole in the window shutters and tied them closed with some silver cord.  When the recipient unties the cord, this little scene awaits. 


Oh my goodness, this Cold Hands stamp set is the absolute cutest! I just adore these little mice and created a little snow-mouse scene.  I created the background by blending distress ink onto a panel of watercolor card stock. I die cut the watercolor card stock with the largest Nested Dome die- it's the same size as the Arch Window!  


I also used the Nested Domes die to create the card base.  Shaped cards are just so fun to make and receive!  Inside my card, I finished the sentiment by stamping the mittens and the "Warm Heart" sentiment.


One last look at both my cards using the Warm Hands and Cold Hands stamp sets.  This release is a fun one! 


GIVEAWAY!!!

To celebrate the blog hop, Waffle Flower is giving away $25 gift certificates to FIVE lucky winners. Leave comments on my blog and along the hop by 11:59pm ET on 10/09/17 for your chances to win. Winners will be chosen at random from the comments left on any of the posts on this blog hop and will be announced on the Waffle Flower blog on 10/11/17.



To celebrate the new release, all orders over $25 placed by 11:59pm ET on 10/09/17 with code SUNSHINE will receive a free Little Sunshine Stamp Set. The stamp set needs to be in your cart for the promo code to work. Limit 1 per customer; while supplies last. 



Your next stop is Amanda Korotkova!

Thanks for stopping by!
Katie

Supplies:

Warm Hands Card

Cold Hands Window Card