Pink

I used this stamp to demonstrate how to use chalks awhile ago.   Finally, I created a card with it.  This is for Long on top tracker.  The stamp was inked with Versa fine black ink.  I helped speed the drying up by using a heat gun to make sure that the entire image was dry. 

 

The stamp I used is 4x4.5  After stamping I cut the image down.

 

Completed card.  I used chalk on the entire card. 

This is the chalk pallet that I used.  No other inks or colors were added.

I get asked what I used to apply different mediums with.  So - he is the 2 applicators I used for the chalk.
  I purchased these at dollar general.

Flamingo on ButterKut

Carving is so relaxing.  After a long day it is a perfect way to unwind.  I recieved a wonderful gift.  (Someone blessed me with a piece of carving block, boy do they know what I really enjoy) This carving block is called butterkut as a gift. You can purchase it at http://stampeaz.com.  The piece I received was just over 6x4 and is an creamy white.  I used acetone to transfer my image.  The transfer was crisp and perfect.  I let the transferred image sit for about 2 hours before I carved it.  Butterkut is very pliable and easy to carve, this carving block cuts very easily. Do to the thinness of the carving block (.25 inch) I used this in place of linoleum (block print).  Butterkut holds ink very well. I did not mount the carve - I left it unmounted and inked face up with a brayer.  The only image that I did not get a good impression on was my first (test image).  Since I was only using part of the carving to create my card I used painters tape to cover the area that I did not want to display,  I left the area to be inked 3x3 so I could cut down the print.

Here is my completed card. This is for short on top tracker.

This is the first printed image.  The paper is black and white striped. simple.

I used these colors to add depth to the frame layer. The back layer is a piece of red cardstock.  The inner frame is a piece of scrap paper. 

 

 

The flamingo is painted using Inktense Blocks and a water brush. 

 

I used these Copic markers to color the beak.

One the card was completed I coated it with Crackle Paint

Planes

I joined this tracker because I love jets, planes, and air travel. Current and of ages past.  

For the April Potpourri

Quick card made with scrap papers and markers.

 

 

I only had papers to do 6 card, after a long week with a sick kiddo it was very nice to be able to create for about an hour.  I have such a hard time getting a good picture of the cards. 

 

 

Faces- paint only

The card was created with different paint mediums.  Initially I was going to make a monprint and use that as my base, but I was cleaning up my work space and found mostly empty bottles of paint.  So - not to waste any..... I began putting paint to paper.  It never came out the way I desired, but I am moving on to another project.

 

 

 

 

For those of you who have never made a monoprint - I encourage you to start.  You can use craft foam, gelli plate,  a squishy place mat, or even a sheet of carving block. 

Iridessa

 

The lovely Schyler listed a Disney fairy tracker, so in support of her....

 

Oh, I know this is not my typical topic, but I love this fairy.  I love that she is not fair skinned, white, perfectly put together.  She has spunk.  So I carved her and made 2 sets of cards.  There happened to be another Tinkerbelle tracker - so I made a card for that tracker and donated the cards.  The top one is done with paints and the bottom one markers.  I used the same stamp plate just changes the orientation.

 

An extra card to give to those I'm my nightmare tracker

Another DR card

A quick card for special reasons.

Sewing on papers

So this little guy caused me fits. I remade, recarved, etc.  

I drew out a dress form, but made it short (more for a little girl). Then I took a sharpie to my drawing to thicken up some of the lines, and then carved it with a needle. One it was done I went back over the carving with a gouge to change the look of the lines.    The background paper is blue and green. The  material is ripped apart rather than cut.  To add shimmer to the black paper I  took a blending tool dipped it into water and sprayed it with perfect pearls.  After it dried I took all the pieces and sewed them onto the paper. I added my accents and made sure to add a yellow ribbon in support of the troops.

Schyler learning new medias

Over many months Schyler has been introduced to several different medias, techniques and papers.  She continues to excel in her use of what they can do for her.  Her latest project is an example of mixing acrylics paints, inks, ink blocks and papers.  A photo never seems to do justice to the work.  I am very proud of her for all work she puts into her projects.  In this particular piece she used inktense ink blocks to give the depth and texture to the open spaces. 

 

MrOspital's beautiful mask

I participated in an amazing tracker about masks. Every card in the bunch was amazing.  I immediately asked MrOspital if I could show his card.  He agree and immediately went beyond my expectations and wrote out a description of how he created it.  Every time I look at this I see the many steps that it takes to create such a piece.

A piece like this is quite remarkable.  The mask itself is the focal point, but the cut, speckles, glitter, texture and the embossing all accents the entire card drawing the eye in.   I can see the silver lining in the corners and where the eye cut outs are with the spacing and colors and layout all draw your eye to the center of the card.  

Here is the steps he used to create this beauty:

First I made the foreground paper using 4 sheets of 110 weight cardstock.  I laid the card stock out of the floor and spritzed them with both London blue and Campso teal Dylusions ink spray. 

I quickly spritzed the cardstock with water to spread the ink and create the effect before the ink dried. It dried overnight between two sheets of paper and under several heavy books.

I carved my stamp on OZ and then stamped it using Versafine “Imperial Purple” onto the colored cardstock. Next I embossed it using Recollections clear "detail embossing powder" and a heat tool. Then I used an X-Acto knife to cut the eyeholes out.
Next I used a toothpick to spread a small amount of Elmer’s glue to create the base for the eye-shadow. For the eye-shadow itself I used Martha Stewart Crafts fine glitter, azurite.
Then I used a Fiskars corner punch to do the opposite corners. Finally I added a piece of reflective cardstock for the background.

This amazing card is hung on my wall.  I love the inspiration he brought to this card.  It is difficult to do an art card with a full focus.  

I am honored to share this - thank you MrOspital for sharing your talent, view, and your process.

Show it off

This card was created using several techniques.  

I started with white card stock. I tinted spackling and added texture by mixing in a little water and using stencils to make an interesting background. I used Dylusion sprays one color at a time to cover the spackling. After each color of Dylusion sprays dried I used inks with a stencil to add more dimension. After the ink dried I coated the paper with crackle paint. The next paper was created using white card stalk, with yellow and gray water colors. The inked layer was stamped on white paper, painted with inktense blocks. The paper was speckled with red ink with a toothbrush. After all the pieces dried I glued them together, trimmed up the edges and coated with varnish. 

Gesso- stop to feel the music

I love gesso. Almost every card I make has it -  sometimes with texture and other just plain.  I love how the color react to having the gesso behind them.   I had this image for a very long time. I stamped it, cut it down so you only feel the emotion of the eyes.  This card has 3 different gesso techniques.  The back ground is not only a raised texture, but also a tinted gesso. After that layer dried I added another thin layer of white and ghosted it with several mini stamps to catch the resin. Then I used gesso that I thinned down, stained with ink and added some eye shadow to get an underneath shimmer (does not show up in the photo). After everything dried I then used a wide paint brush and coated it with wet perfect pearls to give the streaks that make the card feel light.  I added the music tape and coated it all with an acrylic coat.

Thomas the train tracker

My little guy loves trains, trains of all kinds, however, he really loves Thomas the train. When a wonderful friend sent him a Thomas the train stamp I knew I need to make a card with it.  So the tracker was born.

This stamp was carved by FORAYCH.  Awesome carve. 

This is Hiro and Thomas.

Bertie 

All the cards have been framed and hung on his wall.  

Painted owl

I was invited to join the painted owl tracker. I was excited to hand paint my owl. I used water colors on the tree. (The actual carve has a tree wrapped around the owl.)  I used ink blocks to paint the owl and acrylic paint to give a dimension to the eyes. Since every step had to dry individually, I coated each area with liquitex satin varnish after it was dry. Once complete the entire card was coated with liquitex high gloss varnish. 

Sample gesso card with layers

The back sheet is gesso with a stamped image right on top. The top layers are smooth gesso with stamped image on top and inked with color blocks. All coated with liquitex high gloss varnish.

Stamping on gesso

For this exercise I used brushed gesso, I brushed it on heavily so it can easily be seen.

I stamped my image right into the gesso. The pressure I apply determines what the stamped image looks like. The top row is with a light stamp and bottom with heavy pressure.

Let dry, I leave it over night, but depending on the thickness will depend on length to dry.  I used ink to add a layer of pigment.  I can add more pigment or use a damp cloth to remove it.

Here is a sample of stamping in gesso.

Adding ink onto the gesso dried paper

Normally I use a couple of colors and blend them, but you are only limited by your imagination.  I will use several products that are common in our group.

2 sprays

I spread it with a baby wipe

The more I rub with a baby wipe the more the ink moves.  This works with all water soluable inks.

1 or 2 sprays

Spread with a baby wipe

I removed some ink in the center of this color by letting it dry and then rubbing it lightly with a baby wipe. 

Cheap water colors

Just keep dipping brush in water and paint and adding it.

I just added the distress ink with the blending tool 

Here you can see all patches together. The light blue and pink in the center is crayola markers, but my kid took them so I could not photo them. At this point I left left an area white.  I applied a water wash. Means I took a wet towl and wiped my paper back and forth, up and down and then at an angle.

** to use crayola markers I just mark up the baby wipe with the marker and add it.

Here is a close up after the water wash.  

This ink and paint is water soluable so there is no longer a white area.  When you are done with your paper let it dry. You can add, change or enhance it when it is completely dry.