It's a Cocktails & Cards Party!

A quick post today, since I'm getting ready for a party! A dear friend and long-time customer of mine is holding a Cocktails & Cards Party in a few weeks, and I designed this party invitation especially for her. Cocktail Party is a retired stamp set, but I couldn't resist its whimsical design. The line drawing lends itself so well to bright colors, sparkle, and glazed glasses. I love that you can make the striped straw in the tall glass match your striped paper with the Striped Wall Background stamp. In this case, I chose black and white, but you could make it any color. The background is so simple to create with the Ink Splash embossing folder for a fizzy effect. And don't forget the matching envelope!

If you'd like to schedule a FREE card party in the Boise area, please message me through the Contact Me link at the top of the page. I'd love to get artsy with you and your friends!

Supplies List

• Stamps: Cocktail Party, Striped Wall background stamp
• Dies: Journey Circles, Ink Splash Embossing Folder
• Inks: Black Licorice True Fusion Ink, Clear Pigment Ink
• Cardstock: Whip Cream, Black Licorice, Outrageous Pink, Electric Lime
• Coloring Tools: Journey Color Splash Pencils, Journey Blending Brush Small, Sparkle Silk, Whip Cream Embossing Powder
• Adhesives: Journey Craft Glue, Journey Foam Squares, Journey Glaze
• Tools: Bloom Tool (piercing tip)
  
  To purchase these supplies and so much more, visit my FSJ store front. 

Technique: PanPastels on Black Paper

PanPastels are my favorite coloring tool, and I find myself constantly looking for new ways to use them. It's easy to always reach for white paper when you're planning to stamp and color, but why not try something totally different?

Here's a fun technique that you can try with PanPastels. They look amazing on black paper! Here, I used Black Licorice embossing powder to emboss several flowers on Black Licorice cardstock, using the Pretty Petals stamp set by FJS (retiring June 30). Then I used the Sofft Tools wand with the "slipper" tip to apply four colors of PanPastels: Whip Cream and Pool Play on the small flowers, and Sweet Berry and Banana Cream on the large flowers. 

I added a few "dew drops" of Journey Glaze, and a white embossed sentiment from the Good Karma stamp set (also retiring June 30.) The result is a striking but simple card that you can complete in just a few minutes. This technique would make a beautiful sympathy card as well.

Tip: You do not need to set PanPastels with any kind of fixative, as they cure on their own in about 24 hours. However, if you choose to use a fixative, please be sure to use a very light coating of artist-grade fixative so that it won't change the color of your pastels, or degrade to yellow over time. Many people mistakenly use hairspray, which will turn yellow within about a year. Your work is ART! Treat it accordingly.


Supplies List

Stamps: Pretty Petals, Good Karma
Inks: Clear Pigment Ink
Cardstock: Black Licorice
Coloring Tools: PanPastels, Black Licorice Embossing Powder, Whip Cream Embossing Powder
Adhesives: Journey Craft Glue, Journey Foam Squares, Journey Glaze

To purchase these supplies and so much more, visit my FSJ store front.

Grandma's Hummingbird

My late grandmother adored hummingbirds, and she had several feeders hanging just outside her living room window. We would watch them flittering about for hours on end. It's one of my favorite memories from my childhood. I made this card in honor of my Grandma and her favorite species, the Ruby-Throated Hummer.

First, I created the background using red and orange PanPastels to create a sunset effect. Then I layered Whip Cream cardstock onto a White Liner (sticky paper) sheet, and die cut the Floral View background, peeled the sticker backing off and adhered it to my card. Next, I heat embossed the "thank you" sentiment from Embroidered Greetings, onto a strip of Black Licorice cardstock.

Next, I used Clear Pigment Ink to stamp the bird on Whip Cream cardstock. Then I gently rubbed Panpastels over the ink to create the colored feathers of the bird. I die cut him with the coordinating dies, and then sponged the edges with black ink.

Finally, I spiraled a length of Black Licorice twine and tacked it down in a few places with Mini Glue Dots before layering on the bird using Foam Squares. This loop of twine gives the feeling of motion to mimic the constant flutter of a hummingbird's tiny wings. A few strategically placed Cut Rhinestones and some Sparkle Silk on the feathers finishes off this card for a dear friend.

Supplies List

• Stamps: Sweet Petunias, Embroidered Greetings
• Dies: Sweet Petunias, Floral View
• Inks: Clear Pigment Ink
• Cardstock: Whip Cream, Black Licorice
• Coloring Tools: PanPastels, Sparkle Silk, Whip Cream Embossing Powder
• Embellishments: Black Licorice Twine, Cut Rhinestones
• Adhesives: Journey Craft Glue, Journey Foam Squares, Mini Glue Dots

To purchase these supplies and so much more, visit my FSJ store front. 

A Bushel & a Peck...of Pickles!

My mom has canned her own vegetables and herbs every year since I was a kid, and I'm especially fond of her dill pickles. I made this summery card for her for Mother's Day, using the FSJ patterned paper called Sunday Adventure Prints, and the coordinating stamp set, "Bushel and a Peck." 

Using three different colors of green ink, I stamped jars of pickles (with sprigs of dill!) and snap peas. I coated the jars in Journey Glaze to make them look like glass, and topped them off with lids stamped in silver ink. I added a few finishing touches with Black Licorice gingham ribbon, three little pearls, and a tiny heart tag with a pop of red. It's those little details that really make a card special. 

Supplies List

• Stamps: Bushel and a Peck
• Inks: Electric Lime, Lemongrass, Kiwi Slice, Black Licorice, Cranberry Crisp, Journey Silver
• Cardstock: Whip Cream, Black Licorice, Lemongrass, Sunday Adventure Prints
• Embellishments: Black Licorice Gingham Ribbon, Pearls
• Adhesives: Journey Craft Glue, Journey Foam Squares, Mini Glue Dots, Journey Glaze

To purchase these supplies and so much more, visit my FSJ store front. 

Technique: Butterfly Dust

I just love the huge butterfly in the Bold Wings stamp set and I'll be sad to see it retire on June 30, 2018. This image can be a little daunting at first because it barely fits onto an A2 sized card, and does't leave any room for anything else. But get yourself used to the idea of only using a portion of a stamp on your card. In this case, I've cut off nearly half of the butterfly by tucking it under a textured frame. The result is a unique and visually appealing card that will wow your recipient.

The butterfly is heat embossed in Black Licorice, and then colored using PanPastels. There are only two colors used here, a pale yellow and a rich blue, but where they meet creates a lovely shade of minty green. PanPastels blend together so easily.

The frame is created with a chevron embossing folder, but you could use any design you prefer. I simply cut a rectangle slightly larger than the card base, ran it through the embossing folder, and then used my Journey Paper Trimmer to cut out the interior rectangle. You could also use Journey Rectangle dies to make it even easier. The just pop up the frame using foam tape, and tuck the wings underneath.

As a finishing touch (before layering everything together), I've sprinkled a bit of loose embossing powder just above the butterfly. I used the Journey Heat Tool from underneath to set the powder without blowing it away, since it's not adhered with ink in the traditional manor. This results in a sprinkle of shiny dust that resembles the dust of butterfly wings. Be sure to curl the wings with your Crease Tool and prop them up with a double layer of Journey Foam Squares so they appear lifelike. And finally, coat the whole butterfly with Sparkle Silk diluted with a few drops of water, to create that beautiful butterfly shimmer. 

Supplies List

• Stamps: Bold Wings, Small Things
• Dies: Journey Rectangles, Chevron Embossing Folder
• Inks: Clear Pigment Ink
• Cardstock: Whip Cream, Black Licorice
• Coloring Tools: PanPastels, Sparkle Silk, Whip Cream Embossing Powder, Black Licorice Embossing Powder
• Adhesives: Journey Craft Glue, Journey Foam Squares, Mini Glue Dots, Foam Tape
• Tools: Journey Heat Tool, Journey Paper Trimmer, Media Tray, Details Pro Shears

To purchase these supplies and so much more, visit my FSJ store front. 

Fast Flutters

Sometimes you just don't have a lot of extra time to make a card for that someone special in your life. But don't worry, I can help! I have a quick and simple card for you today, that takes just a few ingredients and about 30 minutes of your time. 

I stamped the butterflies in Clear Pigment Ink, and then heat embossed the images using Black Licorice Embossing Powder. I used PanPastels to color the butterflies, and then cut them out with the coordinating die. I curved their wings with the Crease Tool to make them pop up, and attached them to the paper with Mini Glue Dots, only at the body. Then I placed a double layer of Small Journey Foam Squares under each wing. I used an embossing folder to add some interest to the background layer. A bit of Sparkle Silk to add shimmer to the wings, a heat embossed sentiment, and a splatter of Black Licorice Silk for those finishing touches.

Supplies List

• Stamps: Small Things
• Dies: Small Things, Love Letter Embossing Folder
• Inks: Clear Pigment Ink
• Cardstock: Whip Cream, Black Licorice, Rich Coral
• Coloring Tools: PanPastels, Sparkle Silk, Black Licorice Embossing Powder, Black Licorice Silk
• Adhesives: Journey Craft Glue, Journey Foam Squares, Mini Glue Dots

To purchase these supplies and so much more, visit my FSJ store front. 

Technique: Embossing in Any Color

Whether you're a seasoned crafter or you're just starting out, sometimes you don't have the exact color you need for your design. Today, we'll look at a simple way to expand your arsenal of embossing colors.

As seen in my Square Affair post, I've masked off a section of the card with low-tack tape, and then used stamped images, embossed images, and PanPastels to create a unique and interesting background.

Did you know you can heat emboss an image in virtually any color? Simply press your stamp into Clear Pigment Ink, and then into the colored ink of your choice, then stamp on the paper and apply clear embossing powder and heat set. Viola! Custom embossing!

For this card, I used the "rock-n-roll" technique on both the sentiment and the butterfly, to get a two-tone image. To achieve this, stamp in your clear ink first, then in your lightest color, then roll the very edges of your stamp into a darker color, leaving the center only coated in the light ink.

Next, stamp the image over the top of the PanPastel strip, and sprinkle on clear embossing powder, then heat seat with the Journey Heat Tool. Follow the same steps for the sentiment. I also heat embossed some butterflies in white to add interest. 

Note: Test this technique on scratch paper first, as some brands and some colors of ink can change color when mixed with clear ink.

Finally, don't forget to pretty up the inside and envelope. Whoever receives your wonderful creation will really appreciate your attention to detail.

Supplies List

• Stamps: Small Things, Postage Stamp ATS, Bold Wings (sentiment)
• Inks: Clear Pigment Ink, Sweet Berry, Pretty Pansy
• Cardstock: Whip Cream, Pretty Pansy
• Coloring Tools: Whip Cream Embossing Powder, Clear Embossing Powder
• Adhesives: Journey Craft Glue, Scotch Painter's Tape for Delicate Surfaces

To purchase these supplies and so much more, visit my FSJ store front.