Falling For Fall

Well, with 40 degree celsius weather here in central Ontario, it certainly doesn't feel fallish today, however the leaves are beginning to show the season as they are starting their colour change with the increasingly shorter daylight hours.

Inspired by some of the best parts of the season... clear blue skies and the beautiful colours of falling leaves, I am sharing this Magenta card that is up on the Magenta Blog.

I started with a 5"x7"140 lb cold press watercolour paper and clear heat emboss stamped the Zen Maple Leaf in a patterned design. Next, I watercoloured the leaves with combinations of Golden Yellow, Orange, and Red Nuance powders. Once dry, I watercolured the background in between the leaves with a very watered down Turquoise Nuance powder solution and then added depth of colour with some touches of Aquamarine using a wet-on-wet technique. Then, I white heat emboss stamped the Life is Beautiful sentiment on a chipboard tag and attached it to the panel with twine. Lastly, I adhered the completed panel to a card base.

TTFN,

Magenta products used:

42.226.P

MNU008

MNUOO6

MNU015

MNU001

MNU020

07.940.G

CB699

Mini Album Makers Challenge Guest Designer

There is a new challenge blog out there created by the talented Autumn Clark of SewPaperPaint for mini album makers and I have the pleasure of sharing a mini album tutorial as a Guest Designer there today.

I am sharing a step-by-step how-to make 3" x 4" mini multi-surfaced hand stitched book. Head on over to their blog here to find the instructions.

Here is a collage of how the various surfaces of the mini were used.




Enter this month's mini album challenge for a chance to win an awesome Seth Apter prize pack. Details can be found in their blog launch post here.



TTFN,

Sending Sunshine

Wanting to send a pick me up card for a friend, I created this Magenta watercolour floral card to send some sunshine her way.
  

  

Visit the Magenta blog here to find how-to make and close up details.

TTFN,

Magenta products used:

14.661.L

14.653.L

TM154

07.952.F

MNU005

Index Card Experimentation

I often reach for an index card when I am trying out a new technique. They are versatile and durable, standing up to a lot of moisture, handling, and layers. They come pre-cut in 3"x5" or 4"x6" sizes and if I like my experimentation piece, they make a great greeting card size.

Today, I am sharing a greeting card that evolved in such a manner from index card experimentation.

I started by scraping gesso onto the blank side of a 4"x6" index card, leaving many small areas bare. Once dry, I used a Graphite Stabilo All pencil around the edges and activated it with a wet brush. Leaving some areas bare allows colour to saturate the paper giving it a grungy aged look.  Once that was dry, I used texture paste through the Flower Silhouette stencil to add two flower images. 

Supplies: Flower Silhouette stencil, Laces stencil, Script and Postage stamp, Sending Hugs stamp (Magenta), Dina Wakley Blackberry and Black Scribble Sticks, Sterling and Black Dina Wakley Acrylic paint, Black Archival ink, fine Black embossing powder, and Texture Paste (Ranger), gesso (Golden), Graphite and Black Stabilo All pencils (Stabilo), index card (Staples)

Once the paste was dry, using a Blackberry Dina Wakley Scribble Stick, I added colour all around the flower edges and then activated it and dissolved it out with a water brush allowing the colour to fade as it moves away from the flowers. Once, that was dry, I placed the stencil back over the flowers and stamped the raised flowers with black Archival ink and the Script and Postmark stamp. Next, I edged the flowers with a Black Stabilo All pencil and activated it with water. 

Then, I sponged silver paint through the Laces stencil and once it was dry, I added depth with a Graphite Stabilo All. Next, I scraped a touch of gesso over the stencil painted sections to age and blend them. I added some splatters of watered down black acrylic paint and because I was thrilled with how the index card experimenting turned out, I added the Sending Hugs sentiment by heat emboss stamping and adhered it to a card base. A little black Stabilo All edging and it was done.

TTFN,

Magenta products used:

TM151

95.085.M

TM220

07.971.F