My Latest Discovery!

So now that I have your attention, I bet you're asking "What is your latest discover?" Well, I just bought a set of 36 Derwent Inktense pencils. They're similar to watercolor pencils, as the color is water soluble. But (and it's a big but, too), when the color is wet, it has the properties of ink, and when dry, is permanent.

So what does this mean? Well, for starters, lets say you lay down a layer of yellow, add your water, and let it dry. Then you add a layer of blue on top. The blue will not mix with the yellow because the yellow has dried as a permanent color. Now, if the yellow was still wet, then yes, it will still mix with the blue because it has not yet become a permanently set color.

I spent the night simply playing with my new pencils trying to get a feel for how they handle. And so far, I love 'em! The colors are so bright and vibrant, as you can see from the card above. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like the colors blend together a bit easier with these pencils too. Oh, and if you're wondering about the cute mermaid stamp, it's from Queen Kat Designs. Must not forget about one of my favorite stamp companies.

Let's Get Inky!

Time to share a couple more projects that were previously shown in Scrapbook News and Review Magazine. And as the post title indicates,both of these projects are ink heavy.

First up is an twinchie grid. On a 4 1/2 in x 4 1/2 in piece of cardstock, I stamped and heat embossed the background with clear embossing powder. Then, using several different colors of ink, I colored the entire background. The combination of clear embossing powder and ink creates a fun resist on the background.

Next, using a darker ink, I stamped the swirls randomly across the entire background. Then I cut the piece into nine 1 1/2 in x 1 1/2 in pieces. Lastly, I added a button and sentiment to each twinchie.

Next up is a really fun card. I started with a piece of Tim Holtz kraft resist paper, which I inked with several colors of Distress Ink. Next, I layered on a journaling ticket and felt banner. Then, I painted a chipboard heart yellow and then inked the edges with pink. Lastly, I inked an acrylic bird with pink StazOn and then highlighted the edges with black StazOn.

I hope you've enjoyed my projects today!

Fun Stuff

Today I have a fun layout and a set of ATC's to share, both previously published in Scrapbook News and Review Magazine.

First up is the ACT set. Love, love, love how these turned out! Using watercolor paper and liquid watercolor ink, I added color to the background for each ATC. Then I stamped the background to get a slightly distressed feel. Then, using my QKD fairy stamps, I stamped each image on a piece of tissue paper. Next, I adhered the tissue paper to the background using gel medium. So now you're asking why I used tissue paper. Simple, it's transparent enough that I can use the front or back depending on if I want my images to face right or left. Lastly, I used a gold Prismacolor marker to add highlights to the wings.

Now, on to my layout. The picture was taken last year on vacation to Tybee Island, GA. We took a dolphin sight seeing tour and my niece captured this awesome picture of one of the dolphins playing behind the boat. I purposefully made this a very clean/simple layout so that the picture is what shines through.

Thanks for stopping in today!

Cards, Cards, Cards

I'm back with you again with a few more cards to share, all of them previously published in Scrapbook News and Review Magazine.

First up is an adorable Spring inspired card. I just love the pink and black combo.

My next card is made with Tim Holtz kraft resist paper, layered with a Prima transparency. I had a happy accident with the flowers, so I'll definitely be making that "mistake" again. I had inked the larger flower green and the smaller flower yellow, but I didn't wait until they were full dry to layer then together. So the green bled into the yellow, and I love the outcome!

And for my last card, I went for a clean and simple feel. I simply layered a couple different papers and added a few Prima flowers. Simple, but stunning.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Card Trio

I have been a busy, busy gal today! So far I have six cards completed and a few more in various stages of drying. I can only show you three, for now. The rest are for a future issue of Scrapbook News and Review Magazine.

All three cards that I'm showing today feature Queen Kat Designs stamps and they're all done is a different style.

First up is a fun and funky stamped, layered, and very dimensional card. I love the Cabaret Fairy stamp! She just seems to have this mischievous look, which is fitting since I'm told I have the same look on my face quite frequently.

Next up is a clean and simple card. I had a lot of fun making the background and I didn't want to hide it with a lot of paper or embellishments. I used yellow and green liquid watercolor paint to color the background then used white paint to make the clouds. Then I simply stamped, heat embossed, and cut out the sun image.

Last up is my favorite card of the bunch, which is done is a very whimsical style! I wish you could reach through the computer and feel the texture on this card. I spritzed the background with Tsukineko's Goosebumps Texture Spray, then added several colors of liquid watercolor paint until I was happy with the color. Next, I stamped the flowers and then filled the centers with Enamel Accents. Lastly, I stamped, heat embossed, and cut out the butterflies.

On a side note, I just noticed that my hands have about 50 shades of ink on them. You know what means, right? That you've had a good play day in your scraproom. :)