Art journal page inspired by Visible Image

Hi and happy Wednesday!

When playing with acrylic paints I often brush the excess paint on the empty pages of my art journal book. When art journaling it's often easier to start working on a page that is not completely empty --
even if I soon cover all with new layers of paint.



In my art journal book I had a double page with little bit of yellow, brown and orange Distress paints. I added a few layers of yellow Distress ink and some splashes of red/orange paint. I finished the background with adding more texture with gold colour crackle paint and a stencil.

 
I stamped the quotes on white cardstock with black Archival ink, cut them out, and glued on the pages. For highlighting the texts I kept the background quite monotonous, and used the flowerlike 'Visometry set 1' pattern by Visible Image on yellow, brown and orange cardstock pieces. I fussy cut all the 'flowers' and glued them on the background, around the quotes.



The end result reminds me of a field of daisies!


For more information on the stamp sets I used please click on the pictures below:





Wishing you a nice day!
Hugs,

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Easy birthday cards

Hi!
Beautiful images on patterned papers are a great way to easily embellish paper crafting projects. I like to keep in my stash pieces of patterned papers with flowers, butterflies and birds, and to use the fussy cut designs on cards, scrapbook layouts and art journal pages.

The starting point for these below cards was a leftover piece of floral patterned paper. I fussy cut all the flowers and leaves, and picked up pieces of solid red and cream cardstock to match the colours of the flowers.


Cardmaking: Easy bithday cards with Sizzix Big Shot and patterned papers

The square piece of red cardstock was used on both cards: First I cut an oval window using a Thinlits die from the new *Stitched Ovals die set*, and then used the inner part as a background element for my second card.

Cardmaking: Easy bithday cards with Sizzix Big Shot and patterned papers

Cardmaking: Easy bithday cards with Sizzix Big Shot and patterned papers

The words were die-cut using my favourite dies: for 'hello friend' I used *this set* for 'hello' and *this set* for 'friend'; and for 'happy birthday' I used *this set* for 'happy' and *this set*  for 'birthday' letters.

Cardmaking: Easy bithday cards with Sizzix Big Shot and patterned papers

Both of these cards were really easy and fun to make. Which one is your favourite?

Wishing you a great day!
Hugs,
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Heat embossed background on a simple birthday card

Hi!
Have you had a chance to play with stamps from the 'Visometry' collection by Visible Image? These versatile stamps can be used as individual images, but the images also make great background patterns when repeated.

For this card I used a piece of white mixed media cardstock, the Visometry Set 3 stamp set, Versamark embossing ink, and white embossing powder. I started stamping the pattern from the bottom of the card, turning the stamp each time 180 degrees, and aligning the sides of the large outer triangles.

The embossing ink does not dry that quickly, and one row can be stamped before the row of stamped triangles is heat embossed. Aligning of the clear stamp is not difficult, but I practiced creating the pattern first on a piece of scrap paper first before working on my card background. My image alinging was not 100% perfect, but I did not mind the imprecision :)



The embossed pattern resists watercolour, and I started colouring the background by painting the entire background with light pink. Then I added a darker pink watercolour on the flowers which were created when the image was repeated. Once the colour was dry I wiped the embossed pattern gently which highlighted the beautiful embossed pattern.

For the card front text I used the fun 'Visometry Alpha 1' stamp set: I stamped the letters on white cardstock, cut out, and glued on a piece of white vellum. I glued down the vellum strip by using glue only under the letters, and folded and adhered the ends of the strip on the background of the card. Done!

For more information on the stamp sets I used please click on the pictures below:





Wishing you a nice day!
Hugs,
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Mixed Media Card: Sunset at Santa Monica Beach

Hi!


Image transfer is a fun way to add semi-transparent elements to various types of mixed media projects. Even if the technique is not too complicated, learning it took me some practice. In this the tutorial video by Birgit Koopsen was of great help. I learned that the key thing was to let the glued image dry properly (even 24 hrs), and then the removal of the back paper was quite easy.

June Mixed Media Card Challenge theme is 'Sunset', and I remembered a photo I took two years ago at the beautiful Santa Monica beach. I thought the photo would be a perfect starting point for my sunset card project, but instead of using it as a collage element I decided to transfer a black and white copy of it on a painted background. 


So I started with converting the photo to a black and white image, and printing it on white office paper a laser printer. I painted the sunset sky with acrylic paints on a piece of white mixed media cardstock. For getting the horizon straight I first covered the bottom part of the cardstock with wide masking tape. Once the sky was ready I removed the tape and added some yellow paint on the bottom of my card front.

I did not mirror the image before printing as I thought it would work just fine without that extra modification step. In addition the picture did not have any texts on it which would have required flipping the image.


I had the feeling the card needed some texture, so I sew some straight lines on the bottom of the card. Then I adhered the card first on red cardstock and then on a cream coloured card base.
The finishing touch was made by stamping and heat embossing a sentiment text on the card. Done!


Read the challenge details here and view all the gorgeous sunset cards our talented design team has created. And I'm hoping soon to see your sunset card among the challenge entries!

Wishing you a wonderful day,
Hugs,


Scrapbooking layout: Original High!

Hi!
Very rarely I make layouts of special events, as I think the daily life is special and interesting enough to get documented on scrapbook pages. However, sometimes I do make exceptions, and a special night in April was truly worth documenting.

Adam Lambert was in playing in Helsinki, and my dear husband had bought us tickets for the show. We took the kids to my parents, had first a wonderful dinner, and then headed to the concert. Great show, good music, best company. I could not have asked for more!


I got the inspiration for the layout design from the sketch in Jehkotar Craft Challenge June mood board. My grid is much smaller than the one on the board, but that design it proved to be perfect for using four pictures on one layout.


The pictures I wanted to use were very colourful, so in order to prevent the page from getting too busy I chose a simple grey paper for the background. Before stencilling and rolling with a brayer some pink and turquoise paints on the background I white washed the center of the page with white gesso. I used Dylusions paints that are so easy to use but also very vibrant, translucent, and non-sticky after drying. In other words just the perfect media for scrapbooking and art journaling!


The grey background paper is from SODAlicious collection (oh how I miss that brand!), and I had another sheet of the same pattern in black. I fuzzy cut a few strips of the triangle pattern and glued on the background.


I also added some stamped patterns and glued down red sewing garn under the photos. Date and place I punched with my old Dymo.


I'm really happy with this page. I like the colours and the happy memories it brings back. Hope you like it, too!

Wishing you a great day,
Hugs,
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Let's Get Inky! with Craft Stamper Take It Make It Challenge


Hi and happy Friday!
Craft Stamper Take It Make It June challenge continues with a fun theme: Let's Get Inky! Our generous sponsor PaperArtsy has put up a great prize to be won: Five bottles of beautiful Infusions colours- you don't want to miss this chance to win! Check out all the challenge details here and play along!

My second card for the June challenge is made using my favourite inking techniques:


I started with inking the white background with several Distress Ink colours; yellow, pink, orange, and purple. Then I splashed water on the inked surface, let the water react with the ink for a little while, and pressed the cardstock with kitchen towel that picked up the dissolved inks leaving white splash marks on the card. Love this effect!


After drying with my heat gun I dabbed some small dark purple Distress Stain dots on my craft mat and picked up the colour with my card. That's an easy way to create contrast to a light background.


After drying I stamped and heat embossed the image using fine black embossing powder. When the image had cooled down I added bit more light on the image by removing some of the ink on her arms and face with bleach. Not too much though as I did not want those areas to become too light.

The finishing touches on the background were made with a text stamp and white acrylic ink. Before attaching the card front on the card base I sew a thin black border around the card. Done!


Simple techniques, and lots of fun! If you don't have Distress Inks, other water soluable inks will work well, too.

Wishing you a nice weekend! Happy crafting!
Hugs,

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Flower card in CAS style



Hi!
Even though I love to get my hands messy with inks an paints, to use stamps for creating patterns on my projects, and to build layers of colorful patterned papers, every now and then I prefer doing something completely different. Like a one layer card in 'clean-and-simple /CAS' style with plenty of white space, decorated only with a few carefully chosen elements.

Hei!
Kerrokselliset mixed media -työt ovat hauskoja tehdä ja sormien sotkeminen musteisiin ja maaleihin on kivaa, mutta aina silloin tällöin on mukava yksinkertaistaa ja vaihtaa tyyliä vähäeleisempään ja ilmavampaan. Tästä ajatuksesta syntyi myös tämä "CAS/Clean And Simple" -kortti, jossa on paljon valkoista pintaa ja vain muutamia harkiten valittuja elementtejä.



I was going through my box of scrap papers and I came across a piece of flower paper from October Afternoon ('Rose Garden' from Woodland Park collection). The red flowers I cut out with the intention to use them for another card project (I will show you those two flower cards in a few days), but decided to use also the little pink flowers. After adding a bit more ink on them I thought they were just perfect for my CAS flower card:

Kävin läpi jämäpaperilaatikkoani, ja käteen osui pala October Afternoonin hieman retrohenkistä kukkapaperia (Woodland Park -sarjan Rose Garden -paperi). Hyödynnän usein kuviopapereiden kuvioita askartelutöissäni, ja tämän paperin punaiset kukat päätyivät kahteen muuhun korttiin (näet ne täällä blogissani ensi viikon alussa). Pienet vaaleanpunaiset kukat saivat hieman Distress Ink -mustetta pintaan, ja ne sopivat vallan mainiosti tähän CAS-tyyliseen korttiin:


All the other elements were die-cut: For the branch I used Sizzix Brances & Stem die from Susan's Garden collection, the green leaves were cut using Sizzix Spring Greenery die, and the letters on the the word panel with 'Alphanumeric' die set by Sizzix/Tim Holtz.

Muut kortin osat on stanssattu: Oksaan käytin Branches&Stem -oksastanssia, xxxx, vihreät lehdet on leikattu  Sizzix Spring Greenery -stanssilla ja alaosan otsikon kirjaimiin käytin uutta ihanaa Tim Holtzin Alphanumeric -kirjainsettiä.


That letter die set is my new favourite; All the most common letters are included in the set several times, so you can die-cut the complete word easily on one go. In other words there's no need to repeat the cutting task if your word has two 'N's! Cool!
If you want to use the negative like I did here, I suggest you either use the magnetic platform to keep the letters in place, or attach the dies to the cardstock with a piece of removable tape before cutting.

Tästä uudesta kirjainstanssisetistä on tullut todellinen suosikkini: Fontti on yksinkertainen, selkeä ja moneen käyttötarkoitukseen sopiva, ja sanoissa yleisimmin esiintyviä kirjaimia on setissä useampi samanlainen. Silloin voi leikata koko sanan kerralla ilman, eikä tuplakirjainkohtiin tarvitse palata uudelleen.
Jos käytät stanssattujen kirjainten sijaan tekstin negatiivia kuten tässä, kannattaa stanssien alla käyttää joko magnettialustaa tai kiinnittää stanssit paperiin pienellä teipinpalalla ennen leikkaamista. Silloin kirjaimet pysyvät varmasti paikoillaan, eivätkä liiku stanssaamisen aikana.


There are several card challenges focusing only on CAS style cards. Two of my favourite CAS challenge sites are CAS(E) this Sketch! and CASology; their design teams are so talented! I recommend you check them out!

Yksinkertainen CAS-tyyli näkyy myös haastesivuistoissa - omat CAS-haastesivusuosikkini ovat CAS(E) this Sketch! ja CASology, joiden design teamit ovat aivan huipputaitavia. Kannattaa käydä tutustumassa!

Wishing you a great weekend!
Toivotan sinulle mukavaa viikonloppua!

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Inked card for Craft Stamper Take It Make It challenge

Hi and happy Friday!

A new Craft Stamper Take It Make It challenge started today. Our June theme is perfect for all paper crafters who love playing with different kinds of inks:

Lets Get Inky!
Use more than one TYPE of ink on your creation (ink pads, spray inks, reinkers, ink crystal powders, drawing inks, acrylic inks etc) , OR... use more than one COLOUR of ink on your creation!


The June sponsor is PaperArtsy, and one lucky winner will get five beautiful colours of Infusions!



My TIMI card is stamped using black Archival ink and a fun birthday set by Stampin'Up, and coloured using various Distress inks:


For inking the background clours and hills I cut a mask from a piece of scrap paper. I started inking the sky area from the top of the card, and once the first cloud row was done I moved the cloud mask downwards for creating the second row. While inking I covered the stamped animals with a hand-cut mask I made from two post-it notes.

I also left the mask in place when splashing water on the inked areas. I cannot help myself- whenver my project has an inked area I need to create dot patterns by splashing water on it. :) 


The animals were painted with Distress inks; I dabbed each ink pad on a craft sheet, creating a palette of watercolours. For picking up the paint I used a mid-size watercolour brush. On the lighter areas there was more water mixed to the ink, and the darker areas were painted with the same colour, but with less water.


The green and brown card bottom was first inked with green Distress ink and then painted over with a few shades of green and brown. The little gold confetti dots are painted with acrylic ink.

Hope this fun and colourful card inspires you to take yout your favourite stamps and your inks and to play along. It would be great to see your card among the challenge entries!
Challenge rules can be viewed here. Tool for linking a picture of your project is at the end of the June main TIMI post. There's plenty of time to enter; our challenge closes at midnight on June 22.

Happy crafting!

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"How long is forever? Sometimes, just one second"

Hi and happy Wednesday,

Last Sunday my daughter and I went to see the new movie 'Alice Through the Looking Glass'. Alice in Wonderland stories were my childhood favourites, and we were both excited about the new film. We don't go to movies too often, but this one we wanted to see on the premiere weekend. And in 3D!



I loved the story and the numerous time quotes that inspired me to make a time themed mixed media card using the Visible Image White Rabbit stamp set:


For the background I used a piece of white mixed media cardstock I first embossed with Sizzix Big Shot, using a clock themed Sizzix/Tim Holtz embossing folder. Then I painted the background with cream white and red acrylic paints and once the paint was dry I covered the embossed and painted cardstock with black antiquing cream. I wiped the excess antiquing cream with wet cloth revealing the embossed image; the antiquing cream can easily be processed until sealed with a thin layer of varnish.
For more info on this cool technique please have a look at the tutorial video by Andy Skinner (link to You Tube here!).

For creating even a more metallic look I dry brushed the embossed clocks with gold metallic paint before applying the varnish. Love the finished look!





I stamped the White Rabbit and the texts on plain white cardstock, coloured them with ProMarkers, cut out, and glued on the card front. Done!


For more information on the stamp set I used please click on the picture below:


 


“Time gives before it takes… Every day is a gift, every hour, every second.”
“You cannot change the past, but I dare say, you might learn something from it”
 

Wishing you a wonderful day!
Hugs
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