Sympathy

I have had to do some sympathy cards this summer (hate doing these ones) however took the time to play with my seldom used Distress Paints to make a background. I used Tim Holtz watercolor paper for the flower panel and put Mowed Lawn, Scattered straw and Tumbled Glass on my craft sheet then sprayed them with water. I dragged the paper through the watery paint until I was happy with the results. Then I decided I was not happy with the results so I took a Memory Box damask stencil and stenciled some designs on the background! LOL

 I stamped the flower image by Penny Black and colored it with Prisma pencils. The sentiment, from Impression Obsession, was heat embossed on a strip of vellum. I made another Distress Paint background on my main cardstock and used a TCW Art Is stencil for that background. Thanks everyone for stopping by and here is hoping I don't have to make any more sympathy cards for a good long while.

Far and Away...

I have been away in England for the past few weeks and, in fact, am still there! I am up a bit early so thought I would take a few minutes to update the blog. 

I made this card almost a month ago for a friend's birthday but with all the last minute travel prep I did not get a chance to get it up on the blog. The colored panel was done on Ranger's Sticky Back Canvas with Distress stains and Gelatos. After I was happy with my colored canvas I stamped and (white) embossed the gorgeous Penny Black stamp "Dreamy" stamp a few times. I added the Tim Holtz sentiment, a metal embellishment from my stash, some May Arts ribbon I stained with some Distress Stain and then added some Memory Box butterfly die cuts.

 Thought I would include a quick photo of me at Stonehenge. Quite an amazing place! Thanks everyone for stopping by!

A rose...

Thanks so much to everyone who popped by yesterday to see the alcohol ink demo. It was a very busy day! Also, thanks to everyone who pulled me aside or sent me a personal message to let me know how inspired they were by the demo. Always, good to hear that! :)
Here is another sample from my alcohol ink demo yesterday. The (glossy) paper the Elizabeth Craft Peel Off was put on was done with the "smooshing" technique then I stuck my stickers on and hand cut them out. I added some Glossy Accents to the rose and some Stickles to the wings of the bee to add some extra dimension. I matted the stickers on a piece of SEI velvet paper (Crafty Capers is now carrying velvet paper - yeah!). The embossed background was done with a Sizzix embossing folder.
If you would like to see this, and other alcohol ink samples up close and personal Crafty Capers will be open today (Sunday, yes Sunday) from 10 am - 2 pm so feel free to stop by. We are not normally open Sundays but this week due to a few out of towners requests we will be!
Hope to see you soon.

Alcohol Ink Demo tomorrow!

Crafty Capers free Saturday for March is tomorrow 10:30 - 12:30 stop by anytime during that time to see a bunch of techniques you can do with Ranger Alcohol inks. This stripy background is just one of the techniques you can do with the inks.
I am LOVING this new die by Memory Box (of course, the name escapes me at the moment). Sentiment is by Hero Arts.
Hope to see you at the demo tomorrow.

Resist Demo today!

Not a great photo however this is another resist demo sample. This baby is STUNNING in real life lots of blues and purples with contrasting with the Silver Dollar embossing powder and the card was easy and quick to make another bonus.
The stamp is by Stampendous and I used Distress markers to make the background on Tim Holtz's new watercolor cardstock. I am also quite impressed with the watercolor cardstock easy to stamp on even with a detailed stamp. I will be getting myself another package.
Hope to see you at the demo today: Saturday Sept 14 10:30 - 12:30 and, as usual, its free!

Joy!

It is the start of a long weekend - yeah! I managed to spend an afternoon this week playing with my Dylusions sprays, Distress stains and Gelatos. What fun! Here is what I created.

 I used After Midnight and White Linen Dylusions sprays, Picket Fence and Faded Jeans Distress Stains plus blue Gelatos all on Mixed Media paper to make a sheet of background paper. I cut a chunk of the background paper and stamped and embossed this In the Making Joy stamp with Silver Dollar embossing powder. I added some scraps of cardstock at the top of the card plus some Maya Road silver twine and white Liquid Pearls on the wreath.

Hope everyone has a fabulous long weekend!

Just Playing!

I bought a couple of Dylusions spray inks last week. The store has been carrying Dylusions for a few months or so now and I wanted to see what the fuss was all about. I bought 4 colors (Black Marble, Cut Grass, Fresh Lime & Lemon Zest) for this card I used Black Marble, Lemon Zest & Cut Grass.
I began this card by stamping my Penny Black "Letter Background" stamp with Black Archival ink on watercolor cardstock. I sprayed  my cardstock with water then sprayed Black Marble an Cut Grass inks. I blotted off the excess ink and let the cardstock dry. I then stamped Penny Black stamp "sundial"  I removed some of the ink spray by using my Niji waterbrush inside the Sundial areas to create a faux bleach look. I dropped a couple of drops of the Lemon Zest ink onto my Ranger Craft Sheet and colored the flowers with the yellow ink to give it a bit more pop. I stamped a Memory Box stamp (Fern Print) with my Brillance Moonlight white ink. I finished the card by stamping a Penny Black sentiment matted onto a piece of Bazzill cardstock. REALLY happy with how this first attempt at Dylusions inks turned out!
Thanks everyone for stopping by!

Busy Week

Well it was quite a busy week. We had a new order of dies come in earlier in the week and I did not have a chance to blog them and now they are pretty much all sold out! However never fear, I will be at the warehouse next week picking up more new product which will arrive later next week.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by this week and commented on the new store look. I am very happy with it! Thank you to Allison and Lori who I managed to trick into helping me on a Saturday night! If you have not seen the new store layout stop by it looks amazing! :)
Despite the busy week I did manage to get a few cards made up. I am busily playing with my embossing powders and heat gun in preparation for my free Heat Embossing demo next Saturday it is a drop in event running between 10:30 am and 12:30 pm. I will also be doing a quick ink review for those who have trouble keeping the different types of ink straight in their heads (took me forever to remember it too!). Might be a good idea to bring a pen and paper to the demo since as usual LOTS of techniques will be covered!
This card was done using two Hero Arts stamps (Large Flower background and sentiment (not sure of the set off the top of my head)). I embossed on white cardstock with Ranger's Seafoam white embossing powder then I used my Colorbox stylus handle and foam tips and sponged on Adirondack Red Pepper and Clover inks plus Distress ink Broken China to make the white embossing powder really pop. I stamed the sentiment using Verafine Deep Lagoon ink then cut the sentiment out with a Spellbinders Fancy Tags die. I finished off the card with some May Arts twine and a bit of ribbon in my stash (love using up those funny bits of ribbon in the botton my my ribbon bin!).
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Golden Pears

 I made this card using some alcohol ink pieces I had left over from some of my alcohol ink playing last week. The pears were made with white glossy cardstock, Caramel, Butterscotch and Gold Mixative plus the Memory Box pear die.
The sentiment is by Flourishes (Tag lines set). Paper is by My Minds Eye and Graphic 45. The flourish die below the pears is called Amira Flourish and is also by Memory Box.
I love the pear die from Memory Box and can't wait to use it some more!

Thanks!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by for the demo on Saturday! We had a full house for most of the morning!
Here is another of the sample cards from the Ranger Alcohol ink demo. I made a second card of this type because I needed a Thank You card last week. This card came together so quickly makes me wonder why I don't use Alcohol inks on my cards more often!
I started this card by stamping and embossing this flower image with white embossing powder on glossy cardstock then I pounced Raisin and Terra Cotta alcohol inks over top of the entire piece of glossy cardstock. The alcohol inks are lighter on the white embossing powder so you get a ghost-like image. Very pretty in my opinion!
I matted the image as shown and added some May Arts twine then I stamped the thank you background with Canteloupe Memento ink. I finished off the card with some white pearls that I custom colored using more Raisin alcohol ink.
Alcohol ink: Raisin & Terra Cotta
Other ink: Memento Cantaloupe
Stamps: Stampendous Ranunculas Field; Hero Arts So Many Thanks
Other: Hero Arts pearls, Ranger Seafoam white embossing powder, May Arts twine

Alcohol Ink demo today!

Crafty Capers is having a free Alcohol ink demo today between 10:30 am and 12:30 pm. Stop by to see how to create this stunning card! I have been having a lot of fun trying new alcohol ink techniques this week and can't wait to show you just a few of them!
I will be posting a few of the demo cards on the blog next week but most will be left on display at the store so stop by to see them in real life!

Alcohol Ink Demo!

Crafty Capers will have a FREE Ranger Alcohol Ink demo next Saturday Jan 12 from 10:30 - 12:30. Drop in anytime between 10:30 and 12:30. Here is a sneak peak of one of the techniques show cased.
Alcohol ink colors used: Meadow, Lettuce & Butterscotch
Stamp: Stuff to Say set from Tim Holtz
Dies by Memory Box: Nestled Bird & Swirly Tree.

Hope to see you at the demo next Saturday!

Happy New Year!

Just a quick, colorful card to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I have spent today and probably will spend tonight as well playing with Ranger's Alcohol inks and eating tasty treats. I cannot drink alcohol due to new meds so figured I should have some sort of alcohol to ring in the new year! LOL
I made this colorful background using a bunch of Ranger Alcohol inks on glossy cardstock and used compressed air to spread the color around. I thought it looked a bit like fireworks.
The stamped images were stamped on matte white cardstock with Pitch Black Adirondack ink but when I cut them out and put them on the background they were really too white! So I tried putting alcohol inks on the matte cardstock as well and it worked like a charm! Very handy when one is working at home with VERY limited supplies. Will have to play a bit more on matte cardstock. I added some Star Dust Stickles to the fireworks for some extra sparkle!
Here is to a fantastic 2013!
Stamps used: Hero Arts Happy New Year & clear set All the Time (a Operation Write Home set)

Another Happy Birthday

Saturday was my Mom's birthday and this is her card so I had to wait to post this until after her birthday to keep it a secret.
I pulled out my trusty brayer and used it on white glossy cardstock using Adirondack Pink Sherbet, Raspberry and Wild Plum dye inks to create a brayered background.
I then stamped a Penny Black flower stamp with Memento Tuxedo Black ink in a U shaped pattern around the edge of the card. I sponged Adirondack Pitch Black ink around the edges of the card using my Stylus wands and sponge tips. I cut out a Memory Box Willow dragonfly with a scrap of brown cardstock and cut out his wings with some Shimmer Sheet mylar then embossed the wings for extra texture.
The final step for this card was to pull out my Distress Picket Fence marker and do some random doodling for extra interest.
Thanks everyone for stopping by.

Collage Christmas

I must admit I do not often play with collage type images I am never quite sure what to do with them however I bought this Penny Black image (Christmas Text) a month or so back and I have actually used it quite a bit in fact I have not used a couple of the non-collage images I bought at the same time.
I began this card by stamping the image on a piece of off white Bazzill cardstock with Versafine Vintage Sepia ink. I distressed the cardstock with a mix of Antique Linen, Tea Dye and Peeled Paint Distress inks using Cut N Dry foam. I colored the pine bough with my Prismacolor pencils. I stamped the Penny Black sentiment on a piece of fragments vellum also with Versafine Vintage Sepia ink. Versafine ink can sometimes have issues drying on vellum so I embossed the sentiment with Ranger's Frosted Crystal embossing powder. I mounted everything as shown and the card was done! This card is a perfect one for mailing to out of town relatives since it has no bumpy embellishments. Always something to keep in mind when doing your winter cards nothing more annoying than spending lots of time on your cards, take them to the post office only to realize have to be hand sorted and you have to pay extra postage.
Thanks for stopping by!

Sunset Poppy

I had a few minutes to play the other day with my Distress inks and created this card. I began with a piece of linen texture cardstock then I applied some Antique Linen Distress all over the cardstock with a piece of Cut N Dry foam then I used a scrap piece of cardstock with a circle cut out of the middle to make the moon using Mustard Seed and Wild Honey Distress inks. I darkened up the edges of the cardstock with more Wild Honey and Fired Brick Distress inks. I stamped the Poppy by Flourishes in black then stamped the poppy again on a piece of Wild Honey Coredination cardstock and cut out the blossom. I stamped the leaves on a piece of green SEI pattern paper and cut that out as well. I glued the blossom and leaves over the original black image. I used a marker to make the stem green. I thought the poppy need ground to be growing out of so I used a piece of ripped text weight paper from the recycle bin and applied more ink using that as a mask. The sentiment was stamped with Versafine Onyx ink and is also from the Flourishes Poppy set. Voila! card done!
Card Recipe:
Distress inks: distress fired brick, wild honey, mustard seed, antique linen
Versafine Onyx black
Paper: Wild Honey coredination cardstock; Bazzill
Tombow marker 177

Vintage Irises

Wow it's been a busy couple of weeks. It seems quite a few people are in "Christmas" mode and are looking for supplies and ideas for their Christmas projects. Good for you if you fall into this category. I am still happily living in denial believing summer is just starting! LOL. I did managed to get a few minutes to play over the past few days between classes, demos, orders and shop renos (yes we are having some construction done around the store). I was in a rare vintage mood so thougth I would pull out my Distress inks. I began this card  with a piece of white cardstock then I stamped a script stamp randomly with my Tea Dye ink. I then embossed the cardstock with a Couture Creations folder. I carefully applied Broken China ink to the raised parts of the embossing with a piece of Cut N Dry foam then added more Tea Dye ink around to make the piece look even more shabby. I ripped both sides of the cardstock and crumpled and curled the edges. I've added a close up of the background so hopefully you can see what I have done. I stamped the iris stamp and colored them  with my Tombow markers then added more Tea dye ink to "brown" up the backround of the irises a bit. I cut out the image with my beloved Labels 14 Spellbinder die then matted with the beaded ovals die. I added some Walnut Stain Distress ink to each of the beads of the ovals to add more interest. I stamped the sentiment on a tag and edged it with ink as well. I finished the card by adding some of Hero Arts adhesive ribbon and sanding the main cardstock. Thanks for stopping by.

Card Recipe:

Stamps: Penny Black Flower Gallery, Penny Black Lettering Background & Stampendous Orchid Greetings

Tombow markers: 126, 526, 158, 990 & 991

Inks: Versafine Vintage Sepia, Distress inks Broken China, Tea Dye & Walnut Stain

Papers: Watercolor, & Coredinations
Embossing Folder: Craft Concept (limited edition) Cottage Floral

Embellishments: Hero Arts Cream Adhesive LaceSpellbinder: Labels 14 & Beaded Ovals

Perfect Pearls with Ink Its

Here is another card done with the new Sizzix Ink Its plates. This time I applied Ranger's Perfect Medium  to the plate Rustic Flower Border and ran the plate through my Cuttlebug then I dusted the impressed areas with Perfect Bronze Perfect Pearls. It added a beautiful metal type look to the inky areas!  I turned my card around to add just a bit of the border to the bottom of the card then dusted it with the Bronze Perfect Pearls. I stamped my Hero Arts sentiment with the Perfect Medium and dusted that with the Bronze powder as well. I LOVE how this card turned out! As is usual with pictures of Perfect Pearl projects the photo does not do it justice looks much better in person!
I really hope Sizzix comes out with some Christmas Ink It plates so I can use this technique on some Christmas cards! :)
Stay tuned for another VERY cool Ink It sample tomorrow!

Ink Its demo reminder tomorrow!

Just a quick reminder for those of you in the Nanaimo area Crafty Capers will be having a Sizzix Ink Its plate demo tomorrow (Saturday July 16) between 10:30 - 12:30. It's free just stop in and see what these great plates are all about! Also, Monday is our 2nd Coffee and a Card session. Between 11:00 am & 1:00 pm stop by and for $2.00 make a fabulous card designed by Kathy and enjoy a cup of coffee too! I've lots of positive feedback from those who attended last Monday. If possible please give the shop a call so we know how much paper etc to cut up but if you forget to preregister that is OK too (preregistering makes our lives a tiny bit easier).
In between demo and class prepping I managed to get a "quick and dirty" card whipped up today. A customer was in today and had heard about a alcohol ink technique where you apply Blending Solution to a stipple brush and create texture in your alcohol inks. I decided to give it a try however found the technique a little less than impressive. I did make a nice alcohol ink background however and managed to finish it up into a card. As most quick and dirty cards are it's pretty straight forward I used Lettuce, Stream and Stonewashed alcohol inks on glossy cardstock. I stamped Hero Arts Small Solid flower all over the background then used a Hero Arts sentiment and matted it as shown.
Thanks for stopping by!

Peacocks oh my!

I'm on a peacock kick at the moment. I just keep coming up with yet another idea to do with this stamp!
This card was done with the magic reveal embossing technique (see previous embossing posts for the technique). I began by stamping the Hero Arts Dictionary Greetings stamp all over a piece of white cardstock with Ranger's (dye) Esspresso ink. Let it dry then stamped the peacock over top of the writing with Versamark ink and clear  embossing powder. I had planned to color the peacock with my Tombow markers but when I had cooked the embossing powder I found I could not see the open areas well enough for any coloring (my eye is STILL bad) so I took my finger daubers and rubbed Brillance Sky Blue, Adirondack Denim and Adirondack Stonewash ink over the entire piece that popped up the imaged quickly!
I did end up adding some extra color to some areas with my Tombow markers. I cut the piece of cardstock down to a more managable size and added some more Espresso ink to the edges of the cardstock. I attached my peacock piece to a main card. The cardstock was left over from my heat embossing demo back in Feb?? the stripes are Be Creative tape and Crafty Capers Teddy Bear embossing powder. I added a Just Rite sentiment stamped in Espresso ink and matted onto a Just Rite Spellbinder die. I added a gold brad distressed just a bit with Espresso Alcohol ink to finish off the card.
Thanks for stopping by!