Winter Cardinal

 

Welcome to this week's LIMES inspiration post!

I chose this card as my inspiration from the gallery of this week's Splitcoaststampers' Featured Stamper!

LIST: Colours (red, white, brown), Techniques (die cutting, stamping), Elements (bare tree with cardinal, ribbon, sentiment strip, deckled edges, stamped red card base, stencil paste 'snow'.

INCLUDE: red, white, brown, die cutting, stamping, red frame

MODIFY: more trees, bigger bird, splattered snow, 

EXCLUDE: ribbon, sentiment strip, deckled edges

I love this colour combination at Christmas - it's kind of rustic and warm but still festive. I started by blending brown ink through the Abstract Forest stencil. Then I used a pinstripe stamp to stamp with a darker brown ink to add some texture to my trees. I spritzed the panel with iridescent shimmer spray and splattered some metallic watercolour for the look of snow.

I die cut my cardinal from white cardstock and blended red inks on. I used a black copic to create his mask, and a yellow copic for his beak. I added a shiny, beady eye with a dot of Crystal Glaze.

More ideas for Background stamps

 

Today I'm sharing more ideas for getting more from a couple of background stamps from Technique Junkies. I'm also sharing the results of an experiment that went very, very wrong! (and tips for making it work)! Plus use discount code TJArdyth10 to get 10% off at Technique Junkies. 

Shimmery Thinking of You

 

Welcome to this week's LIMES inspiration post!

I chose this card as my inspiration from the gallery of this week's Splitcoaststampers' Featured Stamper!

LIST: Colours (blue, brown, copper, cream) Techniques (die cutting, stamping) Elements (flourish, daisy, die cut flower with circle frame, ribbon)

INCLUDE: blue, copper, die cutting, circle frame

MODIFY: water stamped background, stencilled daisy, one daisy, added sentiment

EXCLUDE: ribbon,

SPIN:

I was really attracted to the tone-on-tone look of this card, even though it has more than one colour. I started by blending a panel with blue and orangey-brown, and then masked a circle and water-stamped with a background stamp. 

I stenciled my daisy with Lisa Horton Interference ink (shimmery ink that changes colour depending on what's underneath it), and added a heat embossed sentiment.

Combining Heat Embossing with other techniques

 

Today I'm sharing a video showing how I combined heat embossing with gel printing, Copic colouring and watercolour powders to great 3 very different looks. PLUS I have a discount code to share with you! Shop at Technique Junkies (direct links to the stamps I used are below) and use TJArdyth10 (it's case-sensitive) to get 10% off! (excludes bundles, clearance or already-discounted kits). 

Silent Butterfly

Welcome to this week's LIMES inspiration post!

I chose this card as my inspiration from the gallery of this week's Splitcoaststampers' Featured Stamper!

LIST: Colours (pink, white, black), Techniques (die cutting, embossing), Elements (white frame, black mat, pink and white butterfly, embossed dots on butterfly, no sentiment, twine body/antennae)

INCLUDE: pink, white, black, embossing, no sentiment

MODIFY: stenciled instead of die cut butterflies, white 'frame', black embossed mat, embossing on mat instead of butterfly

EXCLUDE: twine

This inspiration is right up my alley - bold colours, strong shapes, very simple. I used a solid die cut to create a mask, and then a solid butterfly stencil to create the outer wings. I drew in the body and the attenae.

I popped up the panel over a black frame that had been embossed.

And then, I had a really hard time stopping. I tried sentiment after sentiment and had to resist adding any gems or sparkle. It was hard! lol!

Clever Ways to use Black Cardstock

 

Celebrate

 

Welcome to this week's LIMES inspiration post!

I chose this card as my inspiration from the gallery of this week's Splitcoaststampers' Featured Stamper!

LIST: Colours (blue, green, white, peach, silver) Techniques (die cutting, stamping) Elements (Patterned paper,  layered doily with stamped sentiment in the centre, silver ribbon)

INCLUDE: blue, green, white, silver, die cutting, 

MODIFY: bold pink instead of peach, stenciled rings instead of layered die cut doily, flowers instead of pine branches, silver die cut sentiment instead of ribbon

EXCLUDE: ribbon, sequins

SPIN: square card

I think my all-time favourite layout is a square card with a circle on it. Instead of die cutting a doily, I stenciled two rings - one in blues/aquas and one with pinks. The pink ring was cut with circles a little bigger and smaller than the blue ring, giving a subtle mat. 

I changed the season and added some tiny flowers instead of the more wintery pine branches, and I die cut a script sentiment from matte silver cardstock

Techniques with a Twist

You know I love to put my own spin on craft supplies, so today I'm using some of Justine's newest products along with 3 techniques you can use to add a twist!