Mr Cardmaker has a Double Background

Oooooh, doesn't that sound mysterious?  Nah, don't get your sleuthing hopes up. No double life for THIS card maker.  I barely can manage the one I lead!

I just made a project for Papertrey Ink's Make it Monday Challenge, where the theme is to stamp a double background.

I got out two of my Papertrey Ink stamp sets, Rosie Posey and Harvest Berries, got some inks, and got to work.

I made this--

I stamped the hexagon in yellow, then topped it with the leaves and a berry cluster from Harvest Berries in two greens.  I really like the mix of a graphic image paired with the flowing botanical.

Then, just because I can't leave well enough alone, I made a label for my sentiment using PTI's Mat stack 3 dies, and then die cut from that label some leaves form the Harvest Berries die set.  Then I die cut it again from a piece of the cardstock I use as my base, and inset it into the negative areas.  Now, this took some concentration; saving and placing those tiny white pieces was an, uh, interesting feat, to say the very least.

I hand drew some sketchy lines around the edges of the label, added my sentiment (Stampin' Up), added a ribbon, a bow, and some gems, and that was that.

This is a fun technique to try.  I may have to go at this again, with some other stamps, too!
Snowflakes and candy canes for Christmas, or falling leaves and pumpkins for Fall?  Worth a shot!

Your turn!

Thanks for stopping by!
All Best-
Richard

Mr Cardmaker Digs Through His Archives

I found this photo of my Mom's Mother's Day card, and I realized that I hadn't shared it with you here at the blog.  I am having a heat-induced loss of mojo, (that, and the fact that I turn 50 in two weeks), I am taking the opportunity to share some older things.

I made Mom this--

I very much dig this giant butterfly stamp from Stampin' Up, and I paired it with several stamps from other companies.  The styles are often really different when I do that, but I think if you keep it to a handful of styles (yet more than just two), you can have success  doing it.

The flowers are from a SU/Sizzix  die, and the leaves are a single Sizzix die. I colored some of the leaves with a "direct to paper" inking technique, and edged the flowers with a dauber.  I left the petals super flat, but I popped up each layer with foam adhesive.  Something different from the usual curling that is done on petals and leaves.

I actually remembered to do something to the envelope this time, too!  More good stuff, all the time!

Overall, I was happy the way it looked kind of deep and cool.  I think layering stamps is becoming a go-to move for me!

I am WAITING for my house numbers to come from Etsy, STILL.  It hasn't been any longer than what they told me; I am just impatient.  I want to take photos and show off a bit!!  Soon, I am sure...

Thanks for stopping by!
All Best-
Richard

Oh, But For a Scrap of Paper....

I watched THIS TUTORIAL about color blocking with Beate at Splitcoast Stampers a while back, and I decided to give it a go.  I liked what I did SO much, I wanted to submit it to that once-upon-a- time aforementioned masculine cards publication that I did NOT make it into.

I was thinking these would definitely make it in...

However, just as I was doing the supply list for these puppies, I noticed that I used a 1/2" piece of DP that was a part of Stampin'Up Sale-a-bration, and was no longer available for purchase.  So much for using these cards for publication.  Wop, wop.  

They remain, however, two of my favorite cards EVER.  I am entering them into Paper Crafts Connection's Nautical themed challenge, and  Curtain Call Inspirational Challenge-Feeling Nautical.

The first one looks like this--

I did the anchor in Versamark ink, and embossed it in clear powder, then grabbed my white pencil and added some detailing.  The "for you" is embossed in white, and the die cut grateful has the paper I mentioned.  See that fun little stripe happening in the "g" and "r"?  Publication killer.  *SIGH*

Here's a detail of the anchor area...

That white pencil does WONDERS, right?

 

 

So, in this second card, I used the negative space of the die cut.  It looks like this--

 

 



I love the orange and yellow matting here, with the navy panel making the background for the die cut.  Again, the "for you" is done with white embossing powder. Man, that striped paper looks so GOOD, especially next to the circle one....Such a pity....

 

 

I LOVE the effect the color blocking gives with die cutting.  And SO easy!  Just stick the papers down and die cut.  Throwing in some textured papers is a nice addition, too.

 

I hope you'll try this technique.  You will be amazed at what you can come up with!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

All best-

Richard

 

Warm and Fuzzy with the Oozak Challenge Blog!

Back again with the July 15 Oozak Challenge Blog, where we are doing "Anything goes with TEXTURE!"

 

I made this--

 

  

 

 

 

 

I have had Christmas cards on my mind lately, so I dove in with a wonderful stamp from Stampendous, and grabbed my Copics for these sweet snowmen.

 

I started with some Baja Breeze cardstock and layered some snowflake paper from My Mind's Eye that I passed through a snowflake embossing folder.  To that, I added a layer of green cardstock, embossed with a different embossing folder from Sizzix.  Then I got to work on my snowmen.

 

I love coloring white things with Copics.  I know that sounds weird, but the presence of color on a white image actually makes the white look so much better, and gives all kinds of depth.  My favorite thing though, was those cute little carrot noses.  I had to highlight them even more by applying some Glossy Accents.  Oh, and a tiny little snowflake, too!  

 

Now, I am no great shakes with blending Copics, but I think this turned out pretty well.  I had fun, at any rate! (Run over to Oozak and see the amazingly discounted prices on Copics, and SO many other things!) 

 

The scarf is paper pieced and popped up on foam adhesive, as is the fur part of their hats.  Those have a great fluffy coating of Fun Flock, too, and I am MAD about that part!

 

I did the sentiment on vellum with black embossing powder.  I used a dimensional Glue Dot, cut into pieces, to attach it, and I realized after I took the photo that you could really see one of the pieces.  I simply moved it behind the word "Warm", and it pretty much vanished!  Cool!

 

Add some vellum and rhinestone snowflakes, and you're done! 

So, there's TWO Christmas cards so far (See #1 HERE).  Sixty something (or more) to go...Don't worry, they'll get simpler as we get closer to mail date.  I'm not THAT much of a masochist!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

All Best-

Richard



Mr Cardmaker Is Such a Challenge...

I am RUSHING to get some things posted, so I can enter a couple of challenges.  I have been on the lean side of posting this week, so sorry about that, but I have lots of things to look at today, so I am hoping to make up for it.

For MOJO MONDAY, I made this--

 

Bright happy colors, and a sentiment from Wplus9.  I love those transparent sequins, too!

 

Then, for Moxie Fab World's Tuesday Trigger--Scene in Tangerine,  I made this--

 

 

 This could be one of my weirdo faves of all time.  I LOVE that Ball jar from Paper Smooches (coated in Glossy Accents), and the sentiment from CAS-ual Fridays  kills me dead!!!  I love it in gold!  Oh, the oranges are from GinaK Designs.

I'm also entering this one at simon says stamp and show, the anything goes challenge, and the anything goes challenge at bearly mine, and at crafts and me challenges.

And, since I had the orange stuff out, I made this, too...Not sure I can enter twice, but just in case...


 
I bought a new Hero Arts set that has lots of splats and swooshes, which I like a LOT.  I doctored it all up with a water brush, and I do love the gold sentiment (Papertrey Ink).  Oh, and the texture is done with clear embossing powder.  Nothing on top of it, just digging the shine.

Then, for me, I made this--

Some of these papers are a bit on the crooked side, but I like the design, so, here it is.  It maybe goes with the crooked letters?  Child-like, let's say...That's it....

So, speaking of the HOME, I have a few details left, and then I can show you what I have been up to.  I am waiting for my new house numbers, which are being custom created by an artist I found on ETSY! I can't WAIT!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Keep your fingers crossed for me.  The more stuff I win, the more I can create to share with YOU!
All Best-
Richard

 

Mr Cardmaker has a Serious Wobble

Well, around here, it's not so summery.  I and when the sun comes out, it is beautiful, but oh, my lawdy bees, it has been SUCH a wet summer.  It was in the low 60s when I got up today.  JULY 2!

Well, my card will NOT help us in my neck of the woods cool down as much I would like, but it is kind of fun!  This was a reject from one of the more prominent US card-making magazines.  Now, some would have a snarky comment to add here, but  shall refrain!

Anyway--

I made this--

 

I used penguins from Papertrey Ink, and the ice cream sandwich is from Too Much Fun Stamps.

Do you LOVE that ice cream sandwich?!  I do!  I stamped in black onto brown card stock, and then added some flocking on the ice cream part.  Looks so icy!

 

The fun part about the penguins is that they are on springs!  "Wobbles", to be precise.  I first saw these at a make and take, and I knew I had to use them somewhere, somehow. 

 

I tried to make it look as though the penguins were using the sandwich as a diving board, and were leaping into the swirling snow, but I'm not sure how well that conveys.  I just know that I got a serious giggle putting it all together!

 

So, since it's not being published, I will add it to my Christmas card stash.  I like that it is not a holiday card per se, so I can use it for just about anyone.

 

 

Have you started those holiday cards yet?  I have ONE.  I guess I had best get started....

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

All Best, and Happy Independence Day to my US friends!

(A belated Happy Canada Day, should that apply, too!)

 

See you soon--

Richard.

 

PS--The house now has new shutters and the CORRECT color on the door and window boxes!  (more about all that when I show you pictures)

Mr Cardmaker Gets His Girly On

Oh, Oozak, the things I DO for you!  (No, you will NOT have to suffer me in a push-up bra and sling-back heels. You deserve so much better than that horror show.)

This month were doing a "Anything goes with GIRLY" challenge at the Oozak.com blog.  I decided to go with a sweet little charm card, using some Stampin' Up cardstocks, and a Crate Paper 6x6 pad.

It looks like this--

I am big on doilies on "fancy" cards, and I just went to buy more of this tiny size at my local Wilton distributor, and they CHANGED the design!!  And, not for the better!!!  I just don't know what I'm going to do....unless someone out there has a set of doily dies they are willing to part with at a reasonable cost!

These charm cards are a hoot to create!  You just find all kinds of fun elements, many of which were just hanging around my craft table, and line them up on a piece or two of cording.  My tags are right for my paper pad, the star and heart were hanging about, and the leaves were a left over from a previous project.  I made the flower. 

Be sure to check out the Oozak design team's cards, and for REALS, check out the stuff on the website.  Bargains GALORE!!  Inkpads, Copics, Paper pads.....so much at such good prices!

Thanks for stopping by!
All Best-
Richard