Seize the Birthday: Use an Embossing Folder

Happy Thursday! It's time for a new Seize the Birthday challenge, and teammate Ashwini has added the extra, optional topping of EMBOSSING FOLDERS. A great tool that I, at least, easily overlook when I'm creating a card, but that can add a lot of texture and interest. 

Since I was using an embossing folder anyway, I made sure I checked out my friend Jo's (and her friend, Gail's) Let's Squash It challenge! The current challenge is Nature Meets Watercolouring, which was easily incorporated into a birthday card: 

I began by embossing a panel of watercolour paper with my chosen folder - Crafter's Companion Butterflies and Flowers. I added a light wash of colour to the largest flowers, the butterflies and the vines using my Zig markers. Picking up on the butterflies, I die cut my sentiment backing in purple, and the sentiment itself in silver. I used the same purple for the card base. Finally, a few sparkly confetti to add a little more shine! 

My teammates have worked magic with embossing folders, as has our current surprise party guest, Melanie! Be sure to head to the Seize the Birthday blog for some embossing folder eye candy. ;) 

Supplies: Memory Box purple & Tim Holtz silver cardstock, Master's Touch watercolour paper, Crafter's Companion Butterflies & Flowers embossing folder, Heffy Doodle Happy Birthday shadow die, Zig watercolour markers, Creative Memories corner-rounding punch, Studio Katia crystal clear confetti 

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Addicted to Stamps and More: Happy 9th Birthday!

It's Addicted to Stamps and More's NINTH birthday! The first challenge was on June 20th, 2012. And how fitting that we have rotated to BIRTHDAYS in our challenge list! I went a little fancier than usual in my cardmaking for this special occasion: 

This is only my second time using this sweet Cats & Plants card kit from My Favorite Things - which is a little silly, since it's so much fun to use! I decided to create a little windowsill scene, starting with die cutting the window, curtain rod and curtains. I used a cloud stencil for the window view. (I think it will be fun sometime to put either another cat or a dog peeking in, but that's another card.) I also die cut the bench and cushion, adding woodgrain texture to the legs. Next up was stamping, embossing and colouring the cat and monstera before die cutting them, as well. I also added a bit of floor to the white panel, sponging the lighter colour before adding a few darker marks using a stippling brush. Added the sentiment and put everything together! 

Hope you will come and help ATSM celebrate its 9th birthday! 

Supplies: Neenah white, PTI soft stone & scrap blue cardstock, Echo Park We Are Family patterned paper, MFT Housecats stamps & dies, Verafine onyx black & antique linen, gathered twigs distress & tumbled glass distress oxide ink, Wow clear gloss embossing powder, Copic markers, Prismacolor pencils. MFT Window Dressing, Cat & Plant Perches & diagonal stitched rectangle dies, PTI woodgrain impression plate, MFT small cloud stencil

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Smooshing at Scrap 'n Stamp

It's my turn to be up on the Scrap 'n Stamp blog today, and my two cards are all about ink smooshing! I've got a card for a friend as well as a Father's Day card for the pandemic working-from-home kind of dad. I hope you'll pop over and take a look! 

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Color Hues: Aqua and Black

Here we are into the second half of June, and time for a new Color Hues challenge! Teammate Sheri has picked AQUA and BLACK for our new duo. Leading me once again into the dilemma of the many many shades of blue. :D I decided a sea-themed card with a watery-named ink would definitely qualify:

I am also continuing to have a lot of fun playing with my new Whittles dies! For my watery background, I smooshed some mermaid lagoon distress oxide ink plus a few drops of sparkle mist onto watercolour paper, crumpled some plastic wrap over top, and left it to dry. This gives me lots of tonal variations, even using just the one colour ink. While that dried, I cut out my shark and painted him with the same mermaid lagoon ink as well as some silver paint for his belly. Of course, then I added a bit of silver to his top half too - a shark this cute is happy to be sparkly! :D Once the smooshed panel was dry, I cut out the wavy backdrop, then for good measure, added some waves to the white panel with an embossing folder. To add a little more contrast between the shark and his ocean, I also cut him from black cardstock and used it as a shadow layer. That led me to shadow everything else, too! Not so much an innovative design choice as perhaps a little weird, but I went with it anyway. With a leftover of the smooshed watercolour paper, I stamped and embossed a punny sentiment. 

Lots of aqua and black inspiration from my Color Hues teammates! And I hope we will see your contribution in our gallery. 

Supplies: Neenah white & Stampin' Up basic black cardstock, Canson watercolour paper, Poppystamps Whittle Sea Life Sentiments, Versafine onyx black & mermaid lagoon distress oxide ink, Wow clear gloss embossing powder, Poppystamps Whittle Shark & Whittle Wave Background & MFT wonky stitched rectangle dies, Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirl embossing folder, Imagine Crafts sheer shimmer spritz, foam tape

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Pretty Pansies

I'm back with another card using the Pressing Thoughts stamp set, part Of Ellen Hutson's new Essentials by Ellen release! Pansies are such a cute flower - we had them in our back garden when I was small, and I would look for the faces hidden in their petal design. :) And have you noticed, nature does not worry about colour blending in pansies? So neither did I! :D 

I stamped and embossed one large and two small pansy blooms, colouring each in purple and yellow (my preferred pansy variety) before die cutting them. From my white panel, I die cut three hexagons, using the Essential Hexagons from last month's release. I also cut them from gold cardstock, then fit everything together after stamping and embossing my sentiment. For a finishing touch, I sprinkled a few gold confetti sequins. 

To celebrate the new release, there is an Instagram hop with three $25 prizes up for grabs for commenters! If you are interested, start here to see all the beautiful creations! You have until tomorrow to comment for your chance to win. 

Supplies: 

Solar White Heavyweight 110 lb - 25 pk, Neenah Classic Crest Cardstock

Twilight Purple, Memory Box 6 X 6 Paper Pad

Polished Foil, Memory Box 6 X 6 Paper Pad

VersaFine Ink Pad, Onyx Black

WOW Embossing Powder, Super Fine - Clear Gloss

Pressing Thoughts by Brandi Kincaid, Essentials by Ellen Clear Stamps

Pressing Thoughts by Brandi Kincaid, Essentials by Ellen Designer Dies

Essential Hexagons, Essentials by Ellen Designer Dies

BV00 - Mauve Shadow, COPIC Sketch Marker

V17 - Amethyst, COPIC Sketch Marker

Y06 - Yellow, COPIC Sketch Marker

Metallic Gold Confetti Mix, Pretty Pink Posh Sequins

Tonic Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive

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The Textured Snarky Stampers

It's a Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Saturday, and our newest challenge to you is T is for Texture! I added two kinds of texture and a little bit of snark: 

Look at the texture on those hearts! I used a new-to-me product, Nuvo expanding mousse. After adding some woodgrain texture to my panel, I spread a thick layer through a stencil, added a dusting of gold embossing powder to help keep them shiny, and then heated the whole mixture with my heat gun. It bubbles up and adds great dimension. I even added a little bit to the pup's ID tag. To my panel, I added my mini crazy dog - popped up, he's on about the same level as the hearts! - and the sentiment. I've flipped - and taken a few liberties with - the current sketch at Freshly Made Sketches. I'm also adding my card to the current Furbabies challenge at Shopping Our Stash. 

My sisters are as talented with texture as they are with snark! We also have a returning Queen and guest designer, Tristan. Grab your favourite texturing technique and join us! 

Supplies: Neenah white, Stampin' Up smoky slate & scrap green cardstock, Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz Mini Crazy Cats & Dogs stamp & die, Technique Tuesday You Aren't Normal stamp, MFT extreme black & Versafine onyx black ink, Wow clear gloss & pirate's gold embossing powder, Copic markers, Heidi Swapp confetti stencil, Nuvo Tuscan gold expanding mousse, PTI woodgrain impression plate, MFT stitched rounded rectangle die, foam tape

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