Collage Frame with Project Life Cards

I finally realized that I've never shown you the collage frame that we made at my last Scraps and Prayers class.  I was having trouble getting any photos during our super hot and humid days.  I'd set up, as usual, on my front porch and my camera would fog up before I could even get the shot.

Here's what we made.  I used cards from the Project Life Everyday Adventure set, along with stamped pieces that were punched or die cut.  Using the Project Life cards makes this project super easy to complete.  I've kept mine pretty simple and basic, ready to add my photos.
I'll be sharing more about Project Life soon. 

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Work of Art with Watercolor

Today's card is the result of playing around in my studio... with watercolor paper and our Work of Art and Gorgeous Grunge stamp sets.  I love the results.

I was just trying to create a beautiful background. 
I liked it so much that I kept the card as is and all the text will be on the inside of the card.   

To create this look, you basically start playing around with your stamps and watercolor paper.  I started with slightly damp paper and spritzed more after stamping, where desired.  Once it was all dry, I stamped some more with a couple of Gorgeous Grunge stamps, using VersaMark Ink and then embossed with Silver EP.  Love it!  Now, get out your stamps and your watercolor paper and start playing.  See what you can create!
 

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Another Beauty of The Season

Here's yet one more card I made using our Beauty of the Season stamp set.  This one features stamping AND embossing... all on watercolor paper.  It makes for great texture.  The embossing folder is from our Holiday Catalog and it's called Filigree Frame.

I stamped inside the card and on the envelope, as well.  The cardinal is the state bird for our state of Illinois.  We often enjoy seeing them in our back yard.  They are beautiful.

This one was colored with inks and an Aqua Painter.   I used the medium marker from my Cherry Cobbler Blendabilities to color the berries on the envelope.

Here are all 3 of the cards I've made (so far) with this beautiful stamp set.

Isn't it nice to think about a little Christmas when it's so hot outside right now?

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Beauty of the Season with a Perfect Bow

I have another card to share with you today, using our Beauty of the Season stamp set.  I've decorated the inside and outside of the card, as well as creating a coordinating envelope.

I've stamped the cardinal onto watercolor paper, for added texture, and colored it with our new Blendabilities.

I added a strip of embossed CS on the lower portion of the card, below the bow.

Do you like to use bows but sometimes have trouble getting them just right?  Here's a video that may help you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=T9h8YPyn3Qs

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4 Beautiful Cards

I'd like to share a closer look at the 4 cards for my next Friday class (Sept. 12).  This class is moving to a fun, new time that includes participants bringing their own lunches.  We meet from 10:00-1:00 and the class includes eating here, with me providing fun projects, a beverage and a treat.  Sounds like fun, right?

Each and every card features a fun coloring technique, as well as beautiful embossing.  Let's take a closer look at each card.

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Time Out for Chrismtas...with a Striped Ribbon

I've been working on my Christmas schedule for 2014, so let's take some time out today to look at a card I've made for Christmas, as well as take a peek at what I have scheduled for my Christmas classes.

I'm using a brand new stamp set, called Beauty of the Season.   It's from our upcoming Holiday Catalog, which goes live on August.28.  This is a gorgeous stamp set!

The beautiful cardinal was stamped onto watercolor paper and colored with inks and an Aqua Painter.  I used the medium Cherry Cobbler marker (Blendabilities) to color in the little berries on the envelope.
My color story:
Always Artichoke
Cherry Cobbler
Soft Suede

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Coloring Techniques, Part 15

Today is the last entry in my technique journal... at least for now.  The nice thing about a journal like this one is that I made it so that it would be easy peasy to add more pages as I learned more techniques that I wanted to save and use for future projects.

Today's technique is one of my favorites... simply adding color by sponging.  When sponging over a heat embossed image, the embossed area resists the color, thus getting its name emboss resist. 
 
Here's the card I made using this technique.

Once again, I've made my card pretty inside and out... with a stamped, coordinating envelope.

I've used several complimentary colors of ink, sponging them on in a circular motion, and then burnishing with a tissue when finished, to remove excess ink.

Please do me the honor of leaving me a comment about how you've liked all the techniques, which is your favorite, which ones you've tried out yourself, and/or any questions you may have.  I hope you've enjoyed all the techniques as much as I have enjoyed creating and sharing them.

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Coloring Techniques, Part 14

I have 2 versions for you today for this next technique.  This is very similar to the technique I shared using our Chalk Marker.  Here it is before and after adding multiple ink colors.

For this one, you add color by stamping an outline image using VersaMark Ink onto Crumb Cake CS.  Heat emboss using white EP.  After it cools, color in the image using White Craft Reinker and an Aqua Painter.  It only takes a tiny bit of reinker to do this, so don't pour out too much.  Let it dry completely and then color over the white ink with the Aqua Painter using various colors of inks from the lid of the ink pads.  (Squeeze closed ink pad to create 'puddle' of ink in the lid.)

Here is a card I made using this technique.

Notice that I embossed the liner for the envelope.  I used CS instead of DSP for the liner.

Come on back and we'll finish up my technique journal with one last technique.

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Coloring Techniques, Part 13

Today's technique is created using a baby wipe.  You drip 3 coordinating shades of reinker onto a baby wipe and use it to 'ink' your stamp.  This is another one of those techniques that will turn out as a unique surprise every time you stamp with it, so it's a ton of fun.

I've used this technique on the 'masked' background piece and on each of the flowers.

Here's the card I made using this technique.

Come on back to see my next technique in my journal.

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Coloring Techniques, Part 12

Today's method of using color is a quick and easy, yet beautiful technique... simply use a color of embossing powder (EP).  My choice for this project is our gorgeous Crushed Curry EP. 

First, stamp your image using VersaMark Ink and then heat emboss.  I've chosen black CS to create a really striking and dramatic effect with the Crushed Curry flowers.  

Here's the card I made using this technique.

I had to think a while on what to do with this card because I didn't want to take away from the embossed layer.  I finally came up with the idea to add a vellum strip, emboss the 'hello' in black and then punch out a flower that was embossed on vellum.  I love how it turned out!  I decorated the inside as well, so it would really look pretty... inside and out.  So, I've actually shown you 3 ways to use a color of EP on your project, as well as more ways to use vellum.

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Coloring Techniques, Part 11

Woo hoo!  We're ready to begin the last section of my technique journal today.  I hope you're learning a lot from what I've shared.  I also hope that you will try some or all of these techniques, then leave me a comment about it. 

I actually have TWO versions of today's technique.  It looks beautiful both ways!
Version 1:
Stamp the image with VersaMark Ink and then heat emboss using white EP.  Once it cools, color in the image using our Chalk Marker.

Version 2:
Begin the same as Version 1 and then color over the Chalk Marker using our new Blendabilities.

Here are the cards I made to showcase both versions:

To get the touch of color on the flower on the envelope, I used a stamp from Gorgeous Grunge.  The flower is from the Hostess set, I Like You.

So leave me a comment and tell me which version you like the best.  I love them both and think each one creates its own unique and beautiful look.  I decided to keep any sentiment and/or message just on the inside and let the front showcase the beautiful image.

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