Have I Told You How Much I Like Butterflies?

 I've fallen in love with all the recent butterfly products that have recently came out and my shopping has reflected it!  I've also decided that when I'm really happy with a card and I haven't put on a sentiment - I'm ok with that.

Today's card uses the Tim Holtz Mini Detailed Butterflies.  I die cut them with a white heavy card stock and generic black card stock using my mini die cut machine (Side Kick).  I actually sat on the floor and had a little desk set up with my Tonic Travel Glass Mat and die cut while watching a show on tv with the family.

Using Tombow markers I "loosely" colored on white with vibrant colors, knowing that a black outline die cut would be glued on top and hide imperfections.  Which is exactly what I did next using HoneyBee Creative Precision Tip Glue.  They went together really quickly and I ended up making lots of them.  

The background was made with a sizzix embossing folder that had been inked with a brayer and a mix of Lucky Clover and Mowed Lawn Distress Oxide Inks.  I ran that through my Gemini Jr and proceeded to assemble my card.  I've found I have better luck using score tape to attach my embossed piece to the card base.

My colorful butterflies and pearls (from my stash) were attached with glue.

Affiliate links used at no cost to you.  Not all links are affiliate, I just want to share what I used.  All products were purchase by me unless noted.  I don’t sell anything nor am I employed.  This is my hobby and I hope to inspire you to play :)

Fiesta with Hero Arts

Sorry to be missing this last week.  It seems a wretched virus has landed in our home and with a compromised immune system, I've been hit hard.   

Actually, I have had this card done for a few days and am just now getting it posted.  Today's card is made with the April My Monthly Hero Kit and as of this post, it is still available.  With the exception of the card stock used and my Big Shot (Sizzix) I only used the kit to create this card.  Nope, that's a lie.  I also used VersaFine Ink and Clear Embossing Powder.  And a heat tool....boy should I just stop now....and take another nap?  Yep, because I also used Tombow Markers.  Here's the card

So yeah....  Have a great day and keep crafting.

Affiliate links are used at no cost to you.  Not all links are affiliate, I just want to share where I found them.  All products were purchased by me.  I don't sell anything and I'm not employed, this is my hobby and hope you are inspired to play :)

Watercolor with Tombow Markers Card

Hero Arts is one of my favorite companies, I love their products so much, I subscribe to My Monthly Hero Kits.  Todays card uses the February 2018 Kit.  To change it up a bit, I decided to use my Tombow Markers as watercolors.  

First up, you need to use watercolor paper, otherwise, you'll have a muddled mess with paper pilling up, that's been the case for me.  Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Cardstock is great and resists buckling when wet.  The February Kit has lots of birds and feathers, I chose feathers for the background.  Orange, gold, light brown and a bit of green color markers were scribbled directly onto the stamp.  Then I houghed (blew moistened breath on to the stamp) and stamped.  Not enough moisture, so I used my Water Brush Pen (Kuretake) to blend water on the cardstock and mix those colors around.  After that dried I scribbled a light blue marker on a palette and again used that water brush pen and lightly colored the rest of the background sky blue.  Following the same process as the leaves, I stamped a leafy branch and bird from the kit.  Using coordinating dies, I ran those through my Big Shot.  I used a stitched rectangle die from The Stamps of Life.  To get that 1/16 border of Kraft cardstock I used mini paper layer tool and my PenBlade.   Finally, I stamped the sentiment in Versa Mark ink and heat embossed Zing Glitter Gold embossing powder.  

Have a great day and keep crafting!

Cup of Cozy - Four Ways

Todays cards challenged me a bit.  I stepped outside my comfort zone to try something new.  We all fall into that "do what I do best" or "I've got a formula that I like".  This stamp set from Concord & 9th was a gift with purchase.  

First I stamped the mug from Cup of Cozy with versafine ink on to  Bristol Smooth cardstock.  Some time ago, I bit the bullet and bought the whole 96 set of Tombow Markers-time to color!  I watered those down by using a palette and water brush.  

This one has a background stamped with the coffee beans in AI's Hot Java Momma in Vintage Photo Distress Oxide ink.  Then I used Stitched Rectangles from Stamps of Life for the dark brown and stamped the sentiment with Versa Mark ink and covered with Ranger Seafoam White embossing powder and heated.  Then I stamped the steam with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and swiped Spectrum Noir Sparkle Pen for shine.  Finally I wrapped some crochet thread around the side and attached a button and tied a bow and added Glossy Accents to the liquid in the mug.

For this card I ran my Kraft paper through the Sizzix Big Shot in an Alterations embossing folder.  This time I inked the edges with the vintage photo distress oxide ink.  Stamped and heat embossed the sentiment on the cup with Ranger Gold Embossing Powder and added the tea bag.

The next two cards is when my comfort zone was challenged.  I used Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolors on Strathmore Mixed Media, for the background.  I only used one color but I did add several coats after drying.  The steam was stamped with Fog ink from Stamps of Life and swiped with sparkle pen.  One has ribbon from Recollections Sheer Creations.

Have a great day and keep on crafting!