Quick and Easy cards created for Chocolate Baroque

Good morning. Today I am sharing some quick and easy makes using Wisteria Lane, Tranquility and Artistic Affirmations stamps from Chocolate Baroque.

My first card is a small 7 X 13cm card. The background was from my inky stash of papers created by spritzing inks onto cartridge paper and dropping on dishwasher salt crystals. These were then brushed off when dry. I tend to create batches of these papers so that I always have something in my stash for a quick make. Alternatively a printed background paper could be used.

The images from Wisteria Lane and Artistic Affirmations were stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with detail white powder. Versamark was rubbed down the edges of the paper and sparkly silver embossing powder applied before sticking to the card front.

My next quick make is a 15cm square card. An 11cm square of white stamping card was quickly painted with watercolour inks (orange and yellow). Images from Tranquility and Artistic Affirmations were stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with gold powder. Sparkly gold powder was used around the edges. Water was applied to the blossoms and onto the background to create sky texture and the moon, blotting off dissolved ink with tissue. The flowers were then over coloured with alcohol ink pens and sparkle pen brushed over for shimmer. A 12cm square black card mat was cut for framing and mounting onto the card front.

My last quick and easy makes are a 15cm square card and small gift bag to co-ordinate. I cut my mini gift bag from smooth white card using my Silhouette electronic cutter. You could use a die cut or ready made plain bag, or a make simple gift tag to match. Images from Tranquility and Artistic Affirmations were stamped with Majestic Blue Versafine Ink and quickly coloured with water based blue sparkle pens, blending colour using a clear sparkle pen. The topper was edged with blue alcohol ink marker to frame. Small sticky pearls and a bow were added to finish.

Tranquil Meditation and a Happy Place

Good morning. Today I am sharing some of my recent show samples using Tranquility, Wisteria Lane and Artistic Affirmations stamp sets from Chocolate Baroque.

I created 3 different scene cards, one using vibrant happy colours, one in blue & white monochrome and my third was an attempt at Parchment. I hope that you like them.

The theme for this weeks Simon Says Stamp Challenge (Mon) is ‘a trio of something’ – so I thought that these would fit perfectly.

Happy Place

I love colour so I created this ‘Happy Place’ using a bright cheery colourway.

Materials:

• Tranquility, Wisteria Lane and Artistic Affirmations stamp sets
• 8 X 8 inch card blank, white stamping card, scrap copy paper
• Inkpads: Versamark, Versafine (Vintage Sepia), Distress Ink (Wild Honey, Dusty Concord)
• Pigment powders (Lindy’s Stamp Gang – Urban Amethyst, Poppin Pink, Luminous Lemon)
• Embossing powder (purple and pink mix)
• Watercolour, sparkle and glitter pens (Spectrum Noir and Sakura – yellow, green, purple, pink, orange, brown, clear sparkle) and coloured pencils
• Fine tipped marker (waterproof brown, opaque white) and alcohol marker (dark purple)
• Zig 2 way glue
• Cosmic Shimmer PVA pearls (Vintage Pink), Stickles Glitter Glue (Star Dust) and Glossy Accents

How it was done:

1. The lanterns were stamped onto copy paper and cut out to create masks. I dotted a little zig glue on the back and left to dry. This glue then gives a temporary tac to hold the masks in place while stamping.
2. The scene was stamped with Versafine, stamping the foreground images first then covering with masks while stamping the images set behind. The scene was extended by drawing with the fine tipped pen (i.e. water swirls).
3. The foliage across the top was stamped with Versamark and pigment powders were applied with a soft brush. Further foliage was stamped with Wild Honey Distress Ink. The sentiment was stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with powder.
4. The image was coloured with watercolour pens, dissolved pigments, sparkle overlay and glitter pens. Highlights were added with white pen and additional shading added with pencils.
5. The image was edged with alcohol marker and by blending with Dusty Concord Distress Ink.
6. Extra sparkle was added with glitter glue and Glossy Accents. PVA pearls were applied to the border.

Tranquility

I have been trying to have a go at Parchment craft as I love the delicate result. I thought that it would make a lovely tranquil version. No picot cutting as I am hopeless, so I cheated with a die. I tried to hide the glue but still ended up with a blob of showing through the parchment – eek! I was fairly pleased with the results but have a lot to learn and more practice needed yet.

Materials:

• Tranquility stamp set
• 6 X 6 inch scalloped card blank, parchment, gold satin board
• 6 X 6 inch decorative stencil
• Pergamano tools (embossing mat, embossing tools, mapping pen, Sticky Ink and Perga Glue)
• Inkpads: StazOn (Opaque White), Distress Ink (Tattered Rose)
• Scalloped circle dies (Pin Dot Scalloped Circle – Tattered Lace)
• PVA pearls (tangerine), extra fine glitter and sequins
• Used tumble dryer sheet

How it was done:

1. The gold card and parchment were cut out using dies. The background was created using Distress Ink through the stencil (using a blending brush).
2. The image was stamped onto the front of the parchment using white StazOn. I then embossed the outlines on the back of the parchment using a fine embossing tool, tracing the stamped image. To help aid the embossing tool to glide on the parchment I rubbed over the surface using the tumble drier sheet first.
3. Larger embossing tools were then used to add shading. Although it is generally called ‘shading’ it is actually ‘highlighting’ as embossing stretches the parchment and makes it whiter. You need to work gently and slowly, leaving the parchment to rest between layers of further whitening. I did tear her cloak (eeeeek) but managed to disguise it with a little Perga Glue which was later covered with glitter.
4. Sparkly highlights were then added to the front using a mapping pen (dip pen), sticky ink and extra fine glitter.

Meditation

I love creating monochromatic blue & white cards. Perfect for a tranquil meditation.

Materials:

• Tranquility and Wisteria Lane stamp sets
• 15cm square card blank, blue card for die cut panel, white stamping card
• Versafine Inkpad (Majestic Blue)
• Water based sparkle pens (Spectrum Noir – blue and clear)
• Alcohol marker (dark blue)
• PVA peals
• Decorative square and arched panel dies (Tonic)

How it was done:

1. The images were stamped with Versafine ink and were coloured with sparkle pens and a damp brush to create shading. Decorative stamped elements were positioned to frame the central image.
2. The panels were cut using dies and edged with blue marker to frame. 3D foam was used to mount the central image and give it more depth.
3. Finished with PVA pearls.

My Own Unique Self

Good afternoon. As we have just had International Woman’s Day I thought this one would be appropriate to share this week.

The theme on Simon Says Challenge Blog (Wed) is ‘Girl Power’ – so I have entered this one.

Materials:

• Tranquility and Artistic Affirmations stamp sets (Chocolate Baroque)
• 8 X 8 card blank, smooth white stamping card, scrap copy paper (to create masks)
• Zig 2 way glue pen
• Shallow tray and shaving foam
• Ink sprays (green and turquoise)
• Versafine Inkpad (Onyx Black), Distress Ink (Black Soot)
• Coloured pencils, glitter pen (gold), sparkle pen (clear)
• Fine tipped pen (black) and alcohol marker (black)
• Gilding wax (gold) and glitter glue (gold)

Step by step:

1. The background paper was created using the shaving foam technique. Inks were dropped and swirled onto a layer of shaving foam and picked up onto the card. Excess foam was then scraped off to reveal the transferred ink pattern. Note: I have found that it can be difficult to add colour on top of these backgrounds. The surface can slightly resist watercolours. However, these monoprints do make fabulous quick backgrounds and I generally create a whole batch at a time to create plenty to keep in my stash for future projects.
2. The lanterns were stamped onto copy paper and carefully cut out to create masks. A few dots of zig glue were added to the back and left to dry (goes on blue then dries clear to create a tacky temporary glue surface).
3. The lanterns in the foreground were stamped with Versafine. Working from foreground to background masks were applied over the lanterns to protect them while stamping images behind.
4. Masks were removed and scene elements added using the fine tipped pen (horizon and water swirls to ground the images).
5. The image was coloured with pencils and glitter and sparkle pens used to add a bit of bling.
6. The scene was edged by blending in a little Distress Ink. Black marker and gilding wax was also applied around the edges to frame.
7. The topper was then mounted onto the card and glitter glue used to add more sparkle to the scene and around the edges.