A Bright Future

New Heartfelt Creations Release!

Are you ready for a new Heartfelt Creations' release! This new Chateau Gate Collection is magnificent! The intricate detail in each of the designs is absolutely beautiful. This collection features 9 PreCut Stamp Sets and one beautiful new exclusive Spellbinders die designed for Heartfelt Creations. And, of course, be sure to leave a comment on the Heartfelt Creations blog to give some compliments on all the gorgeous designs by the team this week - they have outdone themselves! If you comment on the HC Blog by January 17 you'll be eligible to win the entire Chateau Gate Collection release valued at $174.90. The winner will be announced on January 18! I have a couple of cards on the blog today, so I'll have another post tomorrow with my second card.

And, by the way, if you're in the Dallas area, Heartfelt Creations has a booth at the Stamp Scrap Art Tour in Mesquite this Saturday & Sunday. I'm doing the make & take at the booth - stop by to see me & pick up the new collection!

Inspiration

As soon as I saw the New York City stamp in the new Scenic Vista set and the and the "bright future" sentiment in the new Door to My Heart set, I knew exactly what I wanted to create! Designs don't usually pop into my head, but this one did. And it's a pretty easy one - I used my COPIC airbrush, and did some sponging to create the lighting effect - I like the way it turned out.

Ingredients

Note: Finished card size: 5" x 7"

Paper

Early Espresso	7" x 10", and 4 1/8" x 4 3/4", and 1 1/2" x 3 3/4"
2009 Specialty Designer (SU!)	4 7/8" x 6 7/8"
Stamper's Select White (Papertrey Ink)	4" x 4 5/8"
Metallic (Wassau)	4 1/2" x 5"
So Saffron (SU!)	3/8" x 2 1/2"

Ink

Versamark (Tsukinko)

Early Espresso (SU!)

Peach Parfait (SU!)

Stamps

HCPC 3444: Scenic Vista PreCut Set (Heartfelt Creations)

HCPC 3449: Door to My Heart PreCut Set (Heartfelt Creations)

Accessories

HCD 710: Decorative Oval Window Die (Heartfelt Creations)

Ribbon Tag Trio 2 (Spellbinders)

Grand Calibur (Spellbinders)

Copper Tinsel embossing powder (Judikins)

Heat gun

COPIC Markers (Imagination International)

COPIC Airbrush system (Imagination International)

Eclipse Masking Tape (Judikins)

Ribbon (Michaels)

Sponges

3-D Foam Squares (Scrapbook Adhesives)

ATG (3M)

Scor-Pal

Rotary trimmer (Fiskars)

Instructions

BASE CARD

Cut a dark brown card base measuring 7" x 10", score at 5" and fold.

MAT LAYER and SENTIMENT

Cut a patterned mat layer measuring 4 7/8" x 6 7/8". and mount onto the card face. Cut/emboss a ribbon tag from dark brown card stock. Stamp the sentiment in dark brown ink onto yellow card stock measuring 3/8" x 2 1/2", and mount onto the ribbon tag. Thread ribbon through the tag, and mount across the bottom of the mat layer. Mount the mat layer onto the card front.

IMAGE

Cut a piece of white card stock measuring 4" x 4 5/8". Stamp the buildings using Versamark ink, and heat emboss with copper powder. Mask the building and a horizon line. Airbrush a sunrise, working from a light center to an orange/red border. I used these COPIC colors: Y21, YR23, Y38, and R05.

Before unmasking the building, use a straight edge mask, and sponge light orange ink in straight lines out from the buildings to create the sun rays. Now remove the horizon mask from the lower part of the image, and mask the entire upper part of the image. Finish with a darker orange/brown spray with the airbrush. I used E08.

Mount the image onto a piece of dark brown card stock measuring 4 1/8" x 4 3/4", and mount at the top of the card front. Cut/emboss the decorative window die from copper paper, and cut out the inner frame. Use foam squares to mount over the image.

Comment on the HC Blog!

Remember to leave a comment on the Heartfelt Creations blog by January 17 to be eligible to win the entire Chateau Gate Collection release valued at $174.90. The winner will be announced on January 18!

Stop by the HC Booth in Mesquite!

I'd love to meet you - please come see us at the HC booth at the Stamp Scrap Art Tour in Mesquite this Saturday & Sunday.

Thanks for stopping by!

So Glad We're Friends

Inspiration

As you are reading this on Sunday morning, I'm spending a lovely short weekend trip with my close girlfriends, and we are celebrating the 50th birthday of one of our group! I always smile, because when we met, she was just SO SURE she was way older than me, when I had her beat by almost 3 years. Every time she complains about getting old, I cut her no slack whatsoever, of course! She is a lovely person, and always has everyone around her laughing. Happy Birthday, Melanie!

This is the card I made for her - what better way to celebrate a milestone than by turning back the clock to younger days? I used a technique I hadn't tried before - a Prima mask laid over cardstock and airbrushed with COPIC colors. I found it is a very easy way to create a really pretty background and I made matching backgrounds in coordinating colors - pretty neat!

Ingredients

Note: Finished card size is 5 1/2" x 5 1/2"

Paper

Not Quite Navy (SU!)	5 1/2" x 11"; scored at 5 1/2", and 2 1/2" x 3 1/2", and 2" x 5", and 2" x2"
Peach Parfait (SU!)	2 1/2" x 4", and 2" x2"
Pear Pizzazz (SU!)	5 1/4" x 5 1/4"
Lap of Luxury (SU!)	2 1/2" x 5"
Stamper's Select White (Paper Trey Ink)	2 1/4" x 3 1/4"

Inks

Not Quite Navy (SU!)

Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)

Stamps

A Kind Word (SU!)

Best Yet (SU!)

Edgy Eloquence (SU!)

Accessories

COPIC markers (Imagination International)

COPIC airbrush system (Imagination International)

8x8 Mask I (Prima)

Flower punch (SU!)

1 3/8" circle punch (SU!)

Daisy Edge punch (Martha Stewart)

Brads (Paper Studio)

Paper Piercer

Foam tape

ATG (3M)

Rotary trimmer (Fiskars)

Instructions

DECORATIVE LAYERS

Use the mask to cover the green card stock, and airbrush with the YG93 COPIC marker to create the background layer. Use the paper piercer to punch 3 holes in a straight line in one corner of the green layer, and fill each hole with a peach brad.

Use the same mask, and airbrush the peach card stock panel, using the YR14 COPIC marker. Use the paper piercer to punch 3 holes in a straight line in one corner of the peach layer, and fill each hole with a green brad.

Use the daisy punch to decorate the edge of the strip of navy cardstock, then mount the decorator paper onto the punched card stock.

SENTIMENT

Stamp the sentiment in navy ink on the small piece of peach card stock, and use the circle punch to trim it. Punch a navy flower shape, and mount the sentiment circle onto the flower shape.

IMAGE

Stamp the image onto the panel of white cardstock, using black ink. Color with COPIC markers. I used these colors:

• Hair: Y11, Y17
• Skin: E000, E01, R83
• Dress: YG95, YR00, YR01
• Basket: E51, E53, E55
• Flowers: YR12, YR14
• Cat: YR15, YR18
• Shadows: C00, 0000

ASSEMBLY

The base card is made from the navy card stock measuring 5 1/2" x 11", scored at 5 1/2", and folded. Mount the airbrushed green mat with brads onto the base card. Mount the orange airbrushed panel with brads in the upper right area of the card. Add the designer paper with the punched navy border vertically on the left of the card front. Mount the image panel over the designer paper, and finish with the sentiment medalian mounted with foam tape.

Thanks for stopping by!

Airbrushed Lake Scene

Inspiration

Here's another airbrushed sunset - I love using this method for quick backgrounds! And the sunset theme is perfect for the summery lake images. This treeline image (an old one from CC Rubber Stamps) is especially good for this technique, since it is solidly black, and there is no extra coloring to do.

Ingredients

Note: Finished card size is 4 1/2" x 6"

Paper

Not Quite Navy (SU!)	6" x 9"; scored at 4 1/2"
Neenah Solar Crest	4" x 6"
Whisper White (SU!)	3" x 3"

Inks

Not Quite Navy (SU!)

Basic Black (SU!)

Versamark (Tsukineko)

Stamps

Treeline (CC Rubber Stamps)

Dream a Little (SU!)

Accessories

COPIC markers (Imagination International)

COPIC Airbrush System (Imagination International)

Eclipse Art Masking Tape (www.eclipsetape.com)

Big Shot Pro (Sizzix)

Grand Labels 11 Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Clear Embossing Powder (Stampendous)

Heat Gun

Modern Label Punch (SU!)

Sponge

Foam dots

Stamp-A-Ma-Jig

ATG (Scotch)

Scor-Pal

Rotary Trimmer

Instructions

BASE CARD

Score and fold the blue cardstock; then align the Grand Label 11 die just above the fold and cut/emboss the card. By positioning the die above the fold, the fold remains intact, and you create a shaped base card.

IMAGE

Stamp the treeline image on the eclipse tape, and carefully cut it out - splitting it into two masks at the shoreline of the image.

Ink the treeline stamp with Versamark ink, followed by the black ink. Stamp the image in the lower center of the white cardstock panel. Heat emboss the image with clear embossing powder. Position the Labels 11 die around the stamped image, and cut/emboss it. Leave the image in the die for airbrushing - this will create the white frame around the finished image.

Stamp the treeline image on the eclipse tape, and carefully cut it out - splitting it into two masks at the shoreline of the image.

Put the mask over the lower half of the image, and use a post-it note to cover any remaining open area in the bottom half of the card front. The sunset is created by airbrushing 3 colors of COPIC markers, starting with the lightest color. Airbrush the yellow (Y15) right around the one area of trees. Then, airbrush the (YR16) marker on the outer edges of the yellow, all the way to the outer edge of the panel. Finish up with the YR18 marker, around the outer edges of the card.

To do the water, take the masking material off the lower half of the card, and place the mask for the top of the treeline image onto the top half of the card. Add any post-it notes you need to cover the remaining area of the sky. I used 3 colors of blue, and painted lightest to darkest. Starting with the B93 marker, airbrush the center of the lake area, then use the B95 marker just outside the light blue, and then add the B99 marker to the the outer edges of the card. I finished the water by adding a little bit of extra dark color around the edge, using the C10 marker.

Remove the mask, then use E35 and E39 markers to darken the shoreline.

Remove the image from the die - you can clean the ink from the die with hand sanitizer. I found some sanitizer hand wipes at Target that work for this just great.

SENTIMENT

Stamp the sentiment with blue ink on white cardstock. Punch out the sentiment, using the label punch and sponge some blue ink around the edges.

ASSEMBLY

Adhere the image onto the front of the card. Mount the sentiment label with foam dots.

Thanks for stopping by!

A Special Birthday & Learning to Airbrush

Inspiration

Today I am in my hometown in Tennessee (a small town near Knoxville), celebrating my Uncle Mark's 90th birthday! He is a thoroughly amazing man - still works out at the local health club daily, researches our family's geneaology, works in his garden, and stays active in the community. We are having a simple family reunion to celebrate this momentus occassion, and I thought I'd share the card I made for this dear uncle of mine!

I am learning to use the COPIC Airbrush System - nothing fancy yet, but I'm really enjoying this new way to "paint". I decided to try something easy - duplicating the brayered or sponged effect of creating a sunset. I saw this card in the gallery of "suen" that inspired me, especially since I have the heron stamp in my stash! Here's the result:

Ingredients

Note: Finished card size is 5" x 7"

Paper

More Mustard (SU!)	7" x 10"; scored at 5"
Basic Black (SU!)	4 7/8" x 6 7/8", and 3 1/8" x 5 3/8", and 3 1/8" x 3 1/8"
So Saffron DSP (SU!)	4 3/4" x 6 3/4"
Not Quite Navy DSP (SU!)	3" x 3"
Not Quite Navy (SU!)	2 1/2" x 4"
Stamper's Select White (Paper Trey Ink)	3" x 5 1/5"

Inks

Basic Black (SU!)

Versamark (Tsukineko)

Stamps

Heron (Repeat Impressions)

Congrats (SU!)

Accessories

COPIC markers (Imagination International)

COPIC Airbrush System (Imagination International)

Eclipse Art Masking Tape (www.eclipsetape.com)

Grand Calibur (Spellbinders)

Fancy Tags 3 Shapeabilities (Spellbinders)

Clear Embossing Powder (Stampendous)

Heat Gun

Stamp-A-Ma-Jig

ATG (Scotch)

Scor-Pal

Rotary Trimmer

Instructions

IMAGE

Stamp the heron on the eclipse tape, and carefully cut it out. Ink the heron stamp with Versamark ink, followed by the black ink. Stamp the image in the lower center of the white cardstock panel. Heat emboss the image with clear embossing powder.














Put the mask over the image. The cool thing about the Eclipe "tape" is that you can use the masks over & over - you can see I've already used this mask during my practice sessions.










Use a post-it note in a straight line to mask the lower half of the image (this creates the horizon).





My work area looks like this before I start airbrushing. I have a magnetic cutting mat, covered by a teflon craft sheet. Then scrap paper held down with magnets. I use removable adhesive on the back of my image panel to hold it lightly in place, and the post-it notes over the image. In this case, I've even used a little bit of clear tape to hold the post-its together - remember everything blows in the wind of the airbrush. You'll enjoy the whole thing more if you're not worried about losing your work!

The sunset is created by airbrushing 3 colors of COPIC markers, starting with the lightest color. Airbrush the yellow (Y04) right around the heron's head and body - since it is masked, you don't have to worry about messing up the image.









Then, airbrush the YR02 marker on the outer edges of the yellow, all the way to the outer edge of the panel.





Finish up with the YR09 marker, around the outer edges of the card.









To do the water, reverse the post-it note mask - put it over the sky you just created, right along the line created by the sky airbrushing.




I used 3 colors again, and painted lightest to darkest. Starting with the B02 marker, airbrush around the heron's body, then use the B05 marker just outside the light blue, and finish with the B06 marker to the the outer edges of the card. I'm only showing you one round of blue - I think you get the idea!








The final airbrushing is to create the "mountains" on the horizon. To do this, re-mask the water with a post-it note just below the original line. Now, tear a post-it to create a "mountain-shaped" mask, and place it above the water-line mask.


Use the E09 marker to heavily color the narrow strip that is uncovered.






That's it! Remove all the masks and you will see a beautiful scene. Now you can color the heron and the cattails. I used these colors:

• Heron: C03, C05, YR17
• Leaves: YG93
• Cattails: E37

SENTIMENT

Cut and emboss the tag from the solid blue cardstock. Using the stamp positioner, stamp the sentiment across the tag, using the versamark-black ink combination. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder.

ASSEMBLY

Now it's just a matter of mounting all the layers:

• Black mat layer (4 7/8" x 6 7/8") - mounted on the front of the base card
• Yellow patterned background layer : 4 3/4" x 6 3/4" - mounted on the black mat
• Horizontal black mat: 3 1/8" x 3 1/8" - mounted 1 1/2" from the top, and 3/8 from the left
• Blue patterned mat: 3" x 3" - mounted onto the black horizontal mat
• Image black mat: 3 1/8" x 5 3/8" - mounted 1/2" from the top, and 4" from the right
• Image: mounted on the image black mat
• Sentiment: mounted at the bottom of the card front, centered

Final Thoughts

So, I hope you are all having a good Sunday, and give airbrushing a try if you get the chance! And, of course, if you have a minute, say a happy 90th birthday to my Uncle Mark!


Thanks for stopping by!