Altenew Educators Certification Program Level 3 - Creative Coloring with Erum, Advanced Techniques

Good Morning! It's a lazy Sunday for me so I thought I'd cover the next classes in my AECP course. I love Erum's coloring techniques and am an avid follower of her You Tube channel so when her Coloring with Erum - Advanced Techniques was available to me to do as part of my course I jumped at the chance.

She demo's lots of techniques that I will be trying but I chose 2 to document as part of my level 3. 

Day 1 was adding marker detail to stamped images. Previously this is not something I would of thought to do. I love the detail it has given to my images so will be using it frequently!

 Doesn't the flower look amazing!

I started the card by stamping the first 2 layers of the flower from Beautiful Day. I used Puffy Heart and Cosmic Berry Inks, this gave me a guide of where to add my shadows. Using the same colors in markers, which are from Set D, I added depth to the petals using the darker Cosmic Berry first. I then 'pulled' this color out with Puffy Heart. I also used the tip to tip technique which gives a mid color between the markers allowing the colors to blend easier. I was amazed with the depth this gave and impressed with my ability to achieve it.

I wasn't sure what to do with the center of the flower, I didn't want to ruin the work I had done by attempting to draw the stamens. I decided to use the outline stamp. I masked all the flower except the center with tape and ink the center in black. One thing to remember at this point -REMOVE THE TAPE! I forgot and ruined my flower with black smudges. I had anticipated that I would need to do this technique a few times so had stamped a few flowers. Picking up the markers I repeated my coloring. I then inked up the stamens again - REMOVED MY TAPE - and stamped it onto the flower. It didn't give as darker impression as I wanted.

I used #2 from the fine liner pen set and traced over the stamped stamens to darken them.

The leaves were colored in the same way as the flower. I used Mountain Pen and Firefly inks to stamp the layers then used the same green colors in markers From set F to add more depth.

Beautiful Day also has addition stamps that you can use to 'fill' your design with. I stamped the longer of these in grey denim and colored the images with the same markers sets. I did use a light lime green Copic because I didn't have one similar color in Altenew markers.

These were all the arranged in a spray and held together with press 'n' seal.

Using the Leaf Bed stencil and Bristol Smooth cardstock I lightly inked blended firefly ink into the bottom left corner and fading it diagonally across the card. I then removed the stencil and ink blended across the whole piece of card which made the stenciled image more subdued.

I had trimmed the Bristol smooth to 4x5.5in before stenciling. This was then added to an A2 card base giving me a border on each side.

My flowers were adhered in place. I stamped a sentiment from Build a garden Magnificent Branch stamp set and added a few coordinating sequins.

My next card uses a technique erum taught in Day 2 - Playing with textures. I have used embossing paste lots of times but have never used it with glitter and watercolors - It gives an amazing finish to the stenciled image.

I had purchased some black watercolor cardstock a while back to use with metallic paints so decided to see if it would work with this technique.

I started with a 6x6in piece of cardstock and laid the  Mega Bloom Stencil over it. I smoothed embossing paste over It. I love the reveal after using paste, it always looks so pretty.  I sprinkled iridescent glitter over the paste while it was still wet. it looked so pretty!

Once this was dry I started watercoloring with the Artist Watercolor Pan Set. I sprayed the paste with water and dripped Lapis Lazuli paint  on to it. I continued with Deep Blue and shades of purple until I achieved the beautiful colored flower.

I left this to dry again and stamped my sentiment from Build a Garden Tulips and Friends with embossing ink, sprinkled it with white embossing powder and heat set it.

I also matted an A2 card base with purple cardstock. ready for my design. Once dry I trimmed my watercolor piece to 4x5.5 inches and adhered it to my card base. I did have to place something over this while the glue dried because the watercolor card had warped slightly.

I finally trimmed my sentiment and added it to my card. Using black cardstock meant that excess glitter showed up around the image so I used a small paint brush to remove this.

I loved this class and will be using the techniques learned in more of my cards in the future. Thank you Erum for making the classes engaging and comprehensive!

Thank you for taking time to read my post.

Build a Garden: Magnificent Branch Shop at: ALT	Jet Black Crisp Dye Ink Shop at: ALT	Neenah Solar White 80lb Shop at: AZN	Creative Coloring By Erum - Advanced Techniques Shop at: ALT
Beautiful Day Stamp & die bundle Shop at: ALT	Leaf Bed Stencil Shop at: ALT	Crisp Dye Ink Puffy Heart Shop at: ALT	Crisp Dye Ink Cosmic Berry Shop at: ALT
Crisp Dye Ink Mountain Pine Shop at: ALT	Crisp Dye Ink Firefly Shop at: ALT	Crisp Dye Ink Gray Denim Shop at: ALT	Alcohol Markers - Set D Shop at: ALT
Alcohol Markers - Set F Shop at: ALT	Mega Bloom Stencil Shop at: ALT	Embossing Paste Shop at: ALT	Artist watercolor paints 24 pan set Shop at: ALT
Build a Garden - Tulips and Friends Shop at: ALT	Pure White Embossing Powder Shop at: ALT	Embossing Ink Shop at: ALT

Sparkly Snow

 Good afternoon! It's a holiday weekend here so chilling at home with maybe a hint of crafting!

It's Chibi new release day over at Stamper's Delights and I have an adorable image to share with you today, meet Chibi Angel Snowglobe:

I love this image and you may see my use her again - she is perfect for new baby girl cards!

I added the included Sparkle word to the image and printed her on stamping card. She was colored with Copic markers and fussy cut.

I matted an A2 card base with pink cardstock and an iridescent paper that shines so much! My globe was added to this and I die cut a banner from the pink card stock and added this with foam squares for dimension. Finally I added silver glitter to all the stars around her to make her shine even more!

Head on over to the Stamper's Delights Store to see all of this week’s New Releases.

Why not stop by the Stamper's Delight Facebook page for regular news and inspiration from my Teamies you can also enter the progressive challenge there, no blog needed and if you sign up for the Stamper's Delight Membership you will get free images to enter the challenge with!

All the design team projects are available on the Inspiration blog - hop on over there for more inspiration.

Thanks for stopping by and if you like what you see please leave a comment to let me know!

 

Exciting News!! Kawaii Pencil Pals are Now Clear Stamps!!!

 Good Afternoon! The weekend is nearly here and I am so looking forward to it.

Have you heard the news? Stamper's Delights, an amazing Digital stamp company has branched out to clear stamps!!! Yes you can now get their super cute Kawaii, Chibi and Anime images in physical stamp form. 

Today I am showing you some inspiration from my play with one of the Kawaii sets - meet the Pencil Pals:

Aren't they the sweetest?

I colored them with Copic markers and fussy cut them with my SNC. I also decided to cut mats for them. I used some of the coordinating stamps to make my background, when I added it to my card I realized my coloring was a little bright so added a layer of vellum to tone the colors down. My little pals were added on foam squares. I then stamped a sentiment again using some of the extra stamps to make this. this was matted and added to my card. Finally I added gold glitter to the stars on their hats and my sentiment.

You can find the stamps along with 2 other Kawaii collections in the brand new store and keep a look out over on the Stamper's Delights Facebook page for 2 other new collections coming the week!

Head on over to the Stamper's Delights Store to see all of this week’s New Releases.

Why not stop by the Stamper's Delight Facebook page for regular news and inspiration from my Teamies you can also enter the progressive challenge there, no blog needed and receive freebies! 

We also have a great new inspiration blog so why not pop over and follow us 

Stamper's Delights Inspiration

Thanks for stopping by and if you like what you see please leave a comment to let me know! 

Candy Cane Tails And Christmas Wishes

 Good Morning! Christmas is fast approaching - are you ready??? we are just about, still some deliveries to come in and food to buy oh and of course the Christmas tree to put up but that will be done tomorrow!

Christmas cards are something I love making and today's post shows another one using Joanna Sheens House Mouse Xmas Project Book, this is no longer available but is a great resource;

Just look at those 2 cuties with their entwined candy cane tails. They were sat in a wreath in the image but I wanted to bring the image alive so I die cut a bunch of pine branches and built a 3D wreath around them. I carefully cut their tails out of the image so I could continue the wreath under them and adhered them back in place on foam squares to give dimension. Red pearls made great berries.

For my card I matted an 8x8in card base with red card, I added some die cut holly tuck ins to break up the red. The project book has papers to match each image so I printed and trimmed some down. I them added glitter to the design before matting with green card and adding to my base. My image was also matted with green card and added to the card. Finally I die cut Love from red and green card and added this to the corner of the card.

What I Used:

Image and Backing Paper: Joanna Sheen's Christmas House Mouse Project Book

Pine Branch Die Cut: Tattered Lace

Card Base: Craft UK Ltd

Red and Green Card: Core'Dinations Premium

Holly Die: Tattered Lace

Glitter and Red Pearls: From my Stash

Love Die: Tonic Studios 

I will be entering tis card in to the House Mouse and friend Monday Challenge the theme is always anything goes but has an optional theme of Christmas this time around.

Thank you for stopping by I love sharing my work so if you like what you see please let me know in the comments 

Altenew Educators Certification Program - Let It Shine!

 Good afternoon. It's been a rainy day here today so perfect time to spend time in the craft room.

I haven't done any of my Altenew Educator's Certification Program classes for a while, school and design teams have kept me busy so today I have concentrated my next class which is Let It Shine!

I have made 3 cards for this, my first uses glitter which I have to say is not one of my favorite mediums but I worked outside of my comfort zone and used loose glitter instead of glitter cardstock:

I started with a black A2 card base, I placed double sided tape in strips along the top and right hand side. I then liberally sprinkled glitter over it. I burnished this with my finger and tapped off the excess. This left the glitter on just the tape. 

I then stamped Crown Bloom stamp and leaves using Altenew inks. As I don't yet have the dies for this set I used my Scan N Cut to fussy cut them and arranged on my card. I added a blossom stamp, which is part of Crown Bloom, colored yellow just to break up the red. Finally I die cut a sentiment, dipped it in wet glue and then glitter, once this was dry I arranged on my card.

My next card uses the Ranunculus stamp set and a cool technique:

I stamped the flower and leaf onto matt gold cardstock using embossing ink. I then used clear embossing powder and heat set. It give a cool engraved effect. I matted an A2 black card base with matt silver cardstock and arranged my leaf and bloom. Finally I stamped the sentiment with obsidian ink, added clear embossing powder and heat set it. A few golden pearls just balanced the desgn.

My Final card also uses embossing powder:

Using the Spring Daisy stamp set I stamped the outline of the flowers and leaves with embossing ink, added silver embossing powder and heat set it. This gave me a shiny image. I then stamped with colored ink, giving me complete flowers with shiny outlines. I fussy cut these ready for my design.

I matted a slimline card base with 2 different shades of purple card stock arranged my leaves and flowers both flat and raised with foam tape. I then die cut a sentiment from matt cardstock and added a few clear enamel dots for added shine.

Shopping List:

Altenew Stamp Sets:  Crown Bloom, Ranunculus Stamp & Die, Spring Daisy

Altenew Inks: Frosty Pink, Coral Berry, Jet Black, Ruby Red, Grapevine, Frayed Leaf, Forest Glade,                            Amethyst, Pale Mauve, Grape Agate, Mango Smoothie

Other Inks: Versamark, Versafine, Copic Markers.

Embossing Powders: Clear, Sliver

Red Glitter

Cardstock: Black, Silver, Gold, Pale Lilac, Deep Purple

Gems, Clear Enamel, Gold Pearls

Glue and Tape, Double Sided, Foam Tape and wet Glue

I am continuing to learn so many new techniques doing the Altenew Educator Certificate Course, and yes they can be applied to all my card making not just Altenew!

Thank you for stopping by and I hope if you like what you see you will let me know in the comments section.

 

Christmas in July

Good Morning! It's a bit cooler this week than it had been thank goodness!

But Hey it's Tuesday! New challenge starts over at Digi Choosday today! As always it is anything goes but the design team are sharing their Christmas makes with an unusual shaped card, Here's Winnie about to step over the prickly holly on my wreath card:

What I Did:

I started by resizing and printing 2 copies of the wreath and one of Winnie on to stamping card. I then fussy cut one of the wreaths, cut the blue and white flowers out of the other and shaped the petals on these. I colored Winnie with alcohol markers and fussy cut her too.

Using my Cameo I cut 2 rings from cover stock card. I scored about half an inch from the top of one and glued this section to the other making a card base that had a hole in the middle. So that this would stand I cut the bottom half inch off the back one.

The center of the front of the card base was covered with acetate and I added the wreath over this covering all of the ring. The white and blue flowers from the second wreath were then layered on their matching flowers on my card.

Winnie was then adhered to the center of the card on the acetate. I finally added glitter to her hat and collar as well as the flowers on the wreath.

What I Used:

Digital Stamp: Polkadoodles - Winnie White Christmas; Watch Your Step

Digital Design Wreaths: Polkadoodles - Baked with Love Foliage

Stamping Card: X-Press It

Alcohol Markers: Copic

White Coverstock Card: Neenah Solar White Cover Stock 110lb

Actate: From my stash

Glitter: From my stash

Glue - ZipDry and Quicky Glue pen

The Digi Choosday Challenge runs for 2 weeks, it is always anything goes so there is no reason not to enter and you never know you may just win!

Looking for more inspiration? Then check out my teamies designs over on the Facebook page, you can also post your own Polkadoodles' designs on the Craft Stamp and Colour with Polkadoodles Facebook group

Thanks for stopping by, now go join the challenge!

Shaking In The Snow

Good afternoon! I hope everyone had a great Christmas I know we did! Santa was definitely kind to use all.

Today's post is a card using a super cute image from Scrapper's Delights which was a gift for the design team members:

Isn't this a gorgeous Image! I colored it with my Copic markers, after it was colored Mollie said the girl reminded her of Anna from Frozen - I had unintentionally colored her is a similar color scheme!

I haven't made shaker cards for so long that I thought this was the ideal image to do so.

I had some acetate with snow already on it so I used This for my window. I cut an oval aperture from some patterned and foiled cardstock and added the acetate over this. 

I then matted my 7x5 inch card blank with a coordinating aqua colored card. I then lined up my image so she would show through the aperture and adhered it to my card base. Using foam tape I covered the back of the aperture card ensuring that there was a seal around the acetate window so the glitter wouldn't fall through.

I added a pile of glitter over the image and placed the aperture cardstock over the base, sealing in the glitter so it would shake loosely.

As the cardstock has snowflakes foiled on to it I didn't feel I needed to add anything else to the card.

I am trying to incorporate more videos in to my crafting so here's a little one showing the shaker!

Thanks for stopping by and if you love what you see please let me know in the comments

Grazing in the snow

Good morning, snow hasn't arrived here YET! so I thought I would share some with you.

I'm over on the Sum More Fun Blog with a snowy tunnel card using Victorine Original's Elk Silhouette in the snow stamp. 

I stamped elk image twice using blue ink and added crystal glitter using a quickie glue pen to one make the snow sparkle. I then adhered this onto a card base. Using a set of scalloped circle dies I cut apertures from 2 snowy papers. I used blue card to make 4 concertina stripes, adhered 2 of these to opposite sides of my card base and added the kraft colored snowy layer. I then fussy cut (yes antlers and all!) the 2nd Elk out and turned him over, colored him black and added him to the kraft layer to give the original one a mate!

The blue snowy layer was placed over this using the remaining concertina strips to give dimension. I then decorated the outer layer with die cut snowflakes and the word Noel. 

You can find the products I have highlighted on the Sum More Fun online store

And if you are looking for more inspiration check out their social media sites:

Sum More Fun Blog

Victorine Facebook

Raisin Boat Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

Oh and don't forget the Mood board Challenge is running until the 7th December

Thanks for stopping by

Oh so sorry

Good morning -wow is it cold outside but the sun is shining at with all the snow it looks beautiful.

Who is a follower of Kit and Clowder? if not get on over to their Facebook page and check out the competitions running this weekend using some adorable new designs from Scrapper's Delights.

My post today is to show off this little darling:

She's Kind Giraffe and is available with 3 sentiments, Sorry, Get well soon and Thinking of you for only $1.50 over at the Scrapper's Delights store. 

 I colored her with Copic markers and glittered her little flower. Then she was matted with pink card along with my card base. I then used gingham pink design paper before adding my image to the card. I die cut Surely Stitched circles die and replaced the center of this with my sentiment. a couple of buttons and some pearls just completed my design. 

 If you purchase her or any of the other new releases, get coloring and head over to Kit and Clowder to enter the coloring competition there. 

Janice has put together a tic tac toe for you to follow also:

Just choose 3 in a row for your card design and you could win a $20 giftcard - I used faux stitching, Heart and Glitter on my design. 

Head on over to the Scrapper's Delights Store to see all of the new releases, Then don't forget to stop by Kit and Clowder to enter this weekend's competitions

We also have a monthly challenge where you can enter any makes you do

Why not stop by the Scrapper's Delight Facebook page for regular news on and inspiration from my Teamies and keep your eyes peeled on my blog for new releases from them!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Brown Sugar Challenge - Pink and Pearls
Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes 
Creative Corner Challenges - Perfectly pink
Polkadoodles - Anything goes 

Sparkle Sparkle Everywhere

Good evening, 2nd post from me today and after spreading glitter everywhere - I think even Gizzie got some I can share the sparkly card I have made for the 12 month's of Christmas Design Team showcase.

 

Twinkling lights, garland, and tinsel oh my!  Christmas is quickly approaching and as we start to get ready for the festivities we'll be noticing that our surroundings will soon be rather bright and sparkly.  Whether it is part of the decorations that we put up or the special sparkle in the eyes of the people around us, there is a certain glimmer about.   Just like our surroundings, it is time to give our cards that same kind of glitzy look. 

 

The sponsor this month is

 

 Sparkle and Sprinkle

In order to have a chance to win the prize from them, we want to see a Christmas or other holiday card that has lots of sparkle and shine on it.   Here is your chance to grab your glitter, sparkles and other forms of bling and get to it!   If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize.
 

Remember, you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards and earn a free paper each month, and have your name thrown into the year end draw for some extra digital goodies.  You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $15 gift certificate to the Sparkle N Sprinkle store

 

The additional prize as always is a mini set of digital papers called the Glitteratti set from

 

 

 

Decosse's Dynamite Doodles

 

On to my card

 

 

I have used Winter Stream from the Sparkle and Sprinkle store I have colored the image using Polycromo pencils and the added an abundance of crystal glitter to all the snow! there are sparkles on top of sparkles! I then added Glossy Accents to the icicles and parts of the stream to give even more shine. I embossed some shiny pearl card with a holiday sentiment folder. I matted this onto aqua card along with my image. To finish I added yet more sparkle with 3 crystal gems to the bottom left corner.

 

Now come over to the 12 Month's of Christmas Link up and enter your Christmas makes!!!