Holiday Thinking Inking Week 2

Hi Everyone:
Just wanted to share with you the cards that I made for the challenges that were presented to our class in the Holiday Thinking Inking Class with Jennifer McQuire.  Please do not feel that you can't take part because you still can. You may have missed a few classes for chances to win prizes, but you can still submit cards using those techniques along with this week's techniques.  Just make sure to submit it to week 4 okay.  It needs to be uploaded to their gallery by Nov.1st.  It is always great to win scrapbooking supplies, but I have to say that I am just as happy to learn new ways to use my stamps and to get more bang for my buck.  So here are the cards that I made, including close-up shots.

The first technique that Jenn taught us was called Block Background. This is when you use an acrylic block to make your very own watercolored background.  This was a little tricky but after a few tries I got what I wanted!  These techniques work the best with Ranger Distress Inks by Tim Holtz.  Why you might ask?  Well they are made so that you can use them like watercolours,  which really comes in handy when doing a technique like the one used in this card.  I had a friend ask about exactly how this is done so I will try my best to explain it to you.  You take any size acrylic block and you cover it with various distress ink colours. Once you have the desired amount, you than spritz it with water. Depending on the effect your going for, you can either spritz close to the surface, which will give a more pooled water effect, or spritz further away, which is what I have done here. The closer the bigger splotches, the further away, the smaller the splotches.  Hope this helps.

Close-up Shot!  Sorry about the frayed ribbon here, but my scissors became dull apparently! Lol!

I used Broken China distress ink and Stampin Up chocolate chip brown. The stamps used were from Autumn Leaves, Stampin Up & Hero Arts.  I really love how this turned out.



This next card maybe small in size but there were many techniques used here. The background was first watercoloured in Broken China. Then splattered with watered - down white stamping ink. The trees were then stamped in a technique that Jennifer McQuire calls Generation Stamping. This is where you ink your stamp once and then continue to stamp until all the ink is gone. This is the technique used here to stamp the trees.  I then dipped the end of my Mister bottle in white paint to make the moon.  I then shaded around and above the trees to create the feel that the trees were in front of the snow and sky.  I then did a Painting technique to create the snow called Mopping/Stippling which gives such great texture.  I then stamped the cling dots to the green background and distressed the edges.  Liquid Pearl was added to water in my Mister bottle and then I misted the entire card.  I then added the sentiment and ribbons. This was so much fun to create!

Close-up Shot!

This shot really shows how wonderful spritzing Liquid Pearls can be on your cards.

It gives such a warm and glimmery effect.

Now this next card was one of my favorite cards to do.  Here I did the "Bleeding Technique" that Jenn taught us.  I decided to do it on a bigger stamp surface and I am so glad that I did.  I used this wonderful Bold Flourish on my card.  I just loaded the stamp up with different fall colours and stamped it on my watercolour paper. Then stepped back a little and spritzed it with my Mini Mister. The effect was amazing.  I then added Ultra Embossing Powder to it to give it more dimension and then inked all around it.  My background was stamped with the cling dot stamp and inked around the the edges and center to tone down the brightness of the paper.  I so love the colours here and that ribbon really helped to make this card look elegant.

Close up to show the bleeding of inks and to show embossed texture.

These cards were so fun to create and the fun is not over yet.  We are on our fourth week now and I will share pics of  weeks three and four with you early this week.  I trust that you are all doing well and spending some time together enjoying the fall weather.  Thanks for dropping bye and hope to see you again soon.

Hugs & Blessings
Dana