Sea Prise!

Hello this is Nicky with you today to share a card using Sea Prise.  This is such a fun stamp set to help let your underwater creative dreams take shape!  There are coordinating dies also!



On smooth watercolour cardstock I stamped my puffer fish using Archival Ink and I then watercolour painted and die cut them.  Next, I created a watery background on a cardstock panel using Distress Inks that I blended using oversized stencil brushes.  I applied this to the base and then created a frame with grey cardstock using the larger plain rectangular die from Large Pierced Scallops Elle-ments.  



This frame was applied to the background with dimensional foam tape behind it to lift it up.  The puffer fish were applied with more foam tape and then the sentiment and shoals of fish were stamped using Archival Ink.



The finishing touch was the application of 'water droplets' which I applied using a special glass effect product to make dimensional bubbles.

I hope you find this card inspiring, until the next time, thanks for stopping by to read.

Nicky x

Floating Wishes

Hi, this is Nicky back with you today, this time I'm sharing a card using Floating Wishes from the new summer release together with a coordinating die set.



I created a card panel of smooth watercolour cardstock, ink blended it with distress ink and then distressed it with water and paint splashes.   I stamped the thank you sentiment from the set 4 times to create the illusion of ribbons that spell out words.  The panel was then die cut using Postage Stamp Elle-ments and the two cuts were reassembled, adhered together on the reverse side then applied to the card base with a layer of craft foam sandwiched in between.



The four heart balloons were stamped with archival ink onto more smooth watercolour cardstock and watercolour painted then applied with dimensional foam tape.  The whole scene was finished out with a selection of toning sequins.



Thanks for stopping by to read, see you next time!

Nicky x

Birthday Friends by Pretty Pink Posh

Hey everyone, just swinging by to share my latest card for Pretty Pink Posh.  I made this simply for the joy of it and Birthday Friends is one of my top favourites of all the stamp sets so far released by PPP.



In brief the card starts with a 110lb Neenah cardstock base.  Upon this is layered a panel of Insulation Pink from MFT Stamps and then a smaller panel of Strathmore Bristol Smooth which I ink blended softly in ombré style using Distress Ink and then added some paint splashes of the same colour.  I die cut and applied the 'ground', there is a glittered silver panel behind the Insulation Pink panel.



On more Bristol Smooth I stamped the children, their hats, balloons, cakes and gifts and hand painted them with Kuretake Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers. I highlighted some points with a Uni-ball Signo white pen and then adhered everything into position using varying depths of Scotch dimensional foam tape.  Each party hat was adorned with a tiny pompom and I used some of the gorgeous 'jewels' by Pretty Pink Posh to add that necessary sparkle and movement that I love to incorporate into most of my projects.

The sentiment was stamped with Archival Ink and that completed this little project which I hope you have enjoyed.  Here's one last look .....



Until the next time, thanks for stopping by to read!

Nicky x

Friend Birthday - Happy Hedgehogs by MFT

Hello everybody, thank you so much for stopping by the blog today to read about this latest card of mine using Happy Hedgehogs by My Favorite Things which has become one of my all time favourite stamp sets!



Here's a little run down of how this card was made.  The card starts with a white 110lb Neenah cardstock base.  I then ink blended a panel of Strathmore Bristol Smooth using Distress Ink and faded it to an ombré type finish.  I then splattered on some water and blotted it dry about 30 seconds later and next splashed around some of the same Distress Ink mixed with a tiny bit of water for vivid splashes.  The panel was then die cut using Stitched Wonky Rectangles by MFT. 



On yet more Strathmore Bristol Smooth I stamped all of the images from the set that I needed, I then die cut and watercolour painted them using my Kuretake Zig Clean Color Markers and highlighted some points with my Uni-ball Signo White.  I have an Archival Ink black pen that I used to play up the spikes on the hedgehogs.  I turned the tree limb and the tree stump into a seesaw and made the card very playful.  All components were attached with varying amounts of dimensional foam tape for depth and the sentiment was stamped in the upper right using my Misti.  Again using the Archival Pen I put in the 'whoosh' marks to help show the movement of both the upper and lower hedgehog.  The final touch was the addition of 3 wooden stars by Studio Calico (love these).



There you have it and as I often like to do, I adhered the card panel to the card base with a layer of white craft foam sandwiched in between to both lift it up and it adds a substantial feel to the card and they just survive the rigours of the mail system when you do this too!

Thank you for stopping by and I'll have another card for you very soon.

Nicky x

Birthday Cuteness Care Of Mama Elephant

My card today starts just as 99% of my cards start, with a strong card base of 110lb solar white cardstock from Neenah.  It is a remarkable day indeed if I use anything other than this, you might say I'm stuck in my ways, but you know what .... it just works, at least it does for me in more ways than one!  I then die cut a panel of Strathmore Bristol Smooth which is my go-to watercolour cardstock and also my favourite for ink blending.  The die cut uses Cloud Nine by Mama Elephant and it was then ink blended to a soft ombré finish then distressed with water splashes that I let sit a minute then blotted dry and then added paint splatters in a shade darker than the blended base colour.



The sweet cloud is from Cloud Nine also and I added the cheerful rosy cheeks using watercolour paint in the form of Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers.  I then stamped the Page Huggers from Mama Elephant onto yet more Strathmore Bristol Smooth, I then watercolour painted them and highlighted portions and then die cut and adhered each into position with Scotch dimensional foam tape and later added their party hats.  Each animal holds an ice cream cone and I adorned their hats with mini pompoms to add some fun dimension.  The sentiment was stamped and there's a further one inside wishing a happy birthday.  What would I do without my crystal clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh to add that final and very necessary twinkle?  If I could only have one style/colour of sequin this would be IT!



This was a relatively quick card to create and I hope you enjoy it.  Until the next time, have a wonderful day and happy crafting!

Nicky x