Good Wednesday Everyone! Wow, I thought fall was here, or almost, but the thermometer says it is 90 degrees here! Whew! I don’t like it this hot in July, never mind the late days of September. I guess if I survive until the weekend it will be fine. By a week from now the highs are predicted to be 30 degrees cooler. Right up my alley.
Another busy day so this post is later than usual, although, if you are following me you know that sometimes posts are late. It just has to happen when I can make it happen.
Right now I am between two meetings and a haircut, just hangin’ out at the local library to at least get this typed, if not posted.
My card for today is an experiment in the use of Ranger’s Oxide Inks. These inks are REALLY cool, and I hope Stampin’ Up! has them in their new catalog. For the uninitiated, these inks are a fusion of dye inks and pigment inks. When you add water, they oxidize. The finished feel, and look, is chalky. However, unlike chalk, the colors do not rub off.
I started by trying for a ‘rusty’ looking background, sort of following the technique of Keren Tamir as seen on her You Tube video.
Well, mine certainly doesn’t look like hers, but I have not had much practice with these inks. I am pleased with the way the card turned out, even if it isn’t as ‘rusty’ as hers was. I guess mine has more patina.
I started with a sheet (yes, a WHOLE sheet) of watercolor paper, thinking I could choose which part I wanted for the card and use the rest for other projects.
I first schmooshed (I can pronounce it, but don’t know how to spell it, or if it is even a word) two colors onto my craft mat, directly from the ink pad. They are Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain, both browns, with the Vintage Photo having yellow undertones. Then I added the Cracked Pistachio, a bluish green color, sort of the color of copper patina.
I think this is where I differed from Keren. I did not have the video handy while I was working on the card, so was doing it from memory. Later, when I went back to the video, she did not put down the Cracked Pistachio in the beginning.
Anyway, I spritzed water over the ink on my craft mat then dragged my paper through it. I then dried it with my heat tool. I repeated this process 3 or 4 times until I was more, or less, satisfied with it. This is the nice thing about oxide inks….they layer. They do not turn to mud. As long as you dry between layers, they will look layered.
I chose the portion I wanted for the card, then used Soft Suede ink to stamp some distressing over it, using The Open Sea and Timeless Textures stamp sets. Then, using the Hexagons Dynamic Textured Embossing Folder, I ran it through the Big Shot to dry emboss it. Did I mention that this card is for a man?? I hope he likes rust! I am not sure you can see the embossing in the photo, but it is there. It is most visible down by the sentiment label.
Time for the haircut. I hope I can finish this before the day is completely done!
(Three hours later) OKAY, on with the show!
Next, I liquid glued this panel to a Pool Party mat. I didn’t want it TOO dark and since there was this bluish patina to the background, I opted for Pool Party. I think it perfectly sets off the panel. For the same reason, I chose Soft Suede for my card base instead of the darker Early Espresso or Chocolate Chip.
Then, using the 5/8″ Burlap ribbon, I wrapped it around to the back and taped to secure it. I’m thinking at this point that some copper would be good, so I wrapped some Copper Metallic Thread around several times over the Burlap Ribbon and taped it as well.
While I was experimenting with the inks, I thought I might as well do some experimenting with papers, too. I did a sheet of Whisper White using brighter colors and a sheet of paper leather in the same colors but different densities as the background. The bright colors will be in another card, but I did decide the paper leather would make very nice leaves. You can find it at most craft stores. It has a very nice leathery texture and will not tear.
I proceeded to stamp 3 of the leaves from Vintage Leaves in Versamark and heat embossed them with Copper Emboss Powder, rubbing my Embossing Buddy over the paper first. I think these are super cool! Using the Leaflets framelits, I die cut them with the Big Shot. Actually, I think the dry embossing is most visible in this photograph.
Using a glue dot to hold the stems together, I wrapped some Copper Metallic Thread around several time and knotted it. Then I made a bow by wrapping the thread around 3 fingers a few times, pinched it in the middle and secured by tying a shorter piece around the bow. Another Glue Dot adheres the leaf cluster to the Burlap Ribbon and the copper bow to the leaves.
Since this was paper leather and not paper, I could lift them up without bending them and attach the Stampin’ Dimensionals where they needed to be to secure the leaves where I wanted them.
For the sentiment, I punched a Pool Party label with the Everyday Labels punch, then cut another out of Soft Suede. This one I cut in half vertically and glued to the back of the Pool Party one, extending it beyond the ends. The sentiment is from Happy Birthday Gorgeous, stamped in Versamark ink and heat embossed with Copper Emboss Powder. I also inked around the edges of the sentiment with a sponge with a bit of oxide ink on it. Stampin’ Dimensionals secure it to the art panel and the card front is done.
The inside features a Crumb Cake mat with a sentiment panel in Pool Party. It is stamped in Soft Suede, both the sentiment and the leaves. The sentiment is from Balloon Adventures (retired). These panels were liquid glued to each other and into the card base.
I did not have time to make an envelope for this card. Actually, other than stamping a leaf on the front, I had no idea what I wanted for the envelope. Maybe I will devote a whole blog post to decorating envelopes. My friend Mary got me started with decorating them as she believes there should be “No nekkid envelopes.”
I hope you like this card, though it uses products other than Stampin’ Up! products. I do hope that the company decides (or has already decided) to offer a similar product to us.
HOST CODE good through September 30 NB7HX2ST
If you apply that Host Code to your online orders under $150, you’ll get a free gift from me. If your order is over $150, please don’t apply the hostess code (you’ll miss out on your own Stampin’ Rewards/Hostess $$ if you use it), but you’ll still get the free gift, too!
Wild Wing Creations Bird Egg Rewards:
Qualify to earn FREE Stampin’ Up! product from ANY current Stampin’ Up! catalog or promotion! The Wild Wing Creations Bird Eggs Rewards Program is my way of personally saying “thank you” to my returning customers.
For more information on these reward programs, click here.
September Card Class Tutorials
With a $50 order placed through my online store in September, you get my Painted Harvest Class Tutorials. You also earn Bird Egg Reward Points (see the information below) and if you apply the Host Code or have an order of over $150, you get the free thank you gift too!!
Card Cuts: Soft Suede: card base 7″ x 10″ scored at 5″, sentiment label back 1-1/2″ x 3″; Pool Party: front mat 4-3/4″ x 6-3/4″, inside sentiment panel 4-1/4″ x 6-1/4″, front sentiment 1-1/2″ x 3″; Crumb Cake: inside mat: 4-3/4″ x 6-3/4″; Paper Leather: leaves 4″ x 6″; Watercolor Paper: Art Panel 6″ x 8″
Non Stampin’ Up! products used: Ranger Distress Oxide Inks, paper leather
Product List
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