Spellbinders Cardmaking Star

I am entering the Spellbinders Cardmaking Star competition with this card using the Cosmos Backdrop press plate, that I've watercoloured using Distress Inks.

My image was pressed onto Canson XL Watercolor paper, using Betterpress Black Ink, and my Spellbinders Betterpress system.  I painted it in by smooshing my Tim Holtz Distress Ink cubes onto my palette, and picking up colour with a paintbrush to add to my image.

After using my powder tool, I used Versamark Watermark ink with the It's Your Day Sentiment Strips to impress some black cardstock with all the great sentiments that come on this plate!  I sprinkled the impressions with white embossing powder and heated them all with my heat gun, before using the coordinating die to cut them out.

I matted the image with black cardstock, and adhered it down to my periwinkle blue cardbase.  The sentiment is attached with 3D foam adhesive, and a few black gems were placed around it.

I'm really loving my Betterpress!

Snow Happy

I coloured these up a few weeks ago, thinking I'd use them for winter birthdays, but decided to make them into Christmas cards instead.  This is "Snow Happy" from the Colorado Craft Company - illustrated by the amazing Anita Jeram.

I pulled out some ancient CTMH paper, and used Spellbinders dies to cut out the pine sprigs and sparkly leaves.

The images are coloured with Copic markers, and die cut with the Stitched Rectangle dies from The Greetery.

So happy to have my first two Christmas cards ready for this year!

Throwback Tulips

Each month, Art Impressions features a throwback set - something from years ago that they re-release for just a few days.  This is 5868 - Daffodil & Tulip Set from January (there's a new one out this Tuesday... and it's rumoured to be more flowers!).  I loved painting this - and went for total spring vibes.  Same goes for the paper and ribbon choices when I was assembling my card.

Ombre Anniversary card

 I took this idea from one of the Spellbinders designers, this is the Floral plate that comes with the Betterpress kit, along with the You are Everything Sentiment plate.  I used Distress Oxide inks in Peacock Feathers and Blueprint sketch to ink blend on the cotton cardstock, and used Peacock Feathers again to impress the floral images onto the background.

The Hemstitch Rectangle die is also from Spellbinders and always seems to give the perfect extra detail to cards.  I adhered the panel to my white base with 3D foam adhesive, and did the same with the sentiment.  A few irridescent jewels adding a little sparkle.

All supplies were from the Papercrafter's Workshop.

Floral Square Frame

 I was thrilled to purchase this Betterpress Plate from the Papercrafter's Workshop this week... and got it pressed as soon as I could!  This is the Floral Square Frame from Pinkfresh Studio, pressed onto watercolour paper.

I used Picked Raspberry, Mowed Lawn and Peacock Feathers Distress inks, and painted them onto the image... thinking that I would make bolder colours.  But after my first pass of painting, the softer shades started to grow on me, so I made it into a card as is.  The sentiment is from the Sealed Cord & Faux Seal Sentiments from Spellbinders.  My finished card is 5 1/4" square.

I am playing along with the Feb challenge on the Pinkfresh Studio blog... using the colour inspiration!

My Favourite Birds

 This set was released on the Ai website today, a lovely set with all different kinds of birds - designed by Bonnie's daughter Kim.  This is not my favourite card - I'm not quite happy with my execution, the splatters aren't perfect, nor are the hand drawn hearts... but I really love the concept.  When I first saw the swans, I had a love/anniversary/valentine type of card in mind.  So while it's not my favourite, I wanted to share it in the hopes of inspiring someone else to create something similar.

Galentines cards

 I decided to make Galentines cards for a couple of girlfriends this year, and have been dying to use this little envelope die from Art Impressions.  It's part of 5543 - Journal Template Die Set (one of a ton of dies that come in the set!), and I pulled out two of the Ai Paperpacks, mostly 5741 - Valentines Paper Pack, with a few sheets from 5835 - Mini Journal Paper Pack.

The Ai papers are double sided - which worked perfectly for all the little envelopes, so I die cut a bunch with coordinating patterns, glued them down to my panel, and adhered it all to my base with 3D foam adhesive.

I love switching it up and making a slightly different version - these papers have such a lovely soft feel to them!

Happy Galentine's Day!