Wild Card

Just a quick post - a card I made for online card classes "Wild Card"

It's a 2fer...a shaped card that is also a shaker. (Day 1 & Day 4)

Liquid Masking Fluid

So the crunch is on to try and get my "homework" done.

Here is my latest (and yes it's a Christmas card... never too early to start I figure...)

I used stamps from Art Impressions, Tim Holtz Distress inks and some Fineline Masking Fluid to mask the snow. I added a little clear Wink of Stella to the start, lights and ornaments for a little shine. Picture doesn't quite pick up the sparkle.

Had a few mishaps so it was definitely a "learning" card - hopefully I'll remember the next time I use these stamps.

Time for Another Class with Online Card Classes

Online Carda Classes was offering a new class "Mask-erade" which is all about using masks or masking media to create cards. Below are some of the cards I've created using Paper masks and freezer paper... still need to try liquid masking and embossing.

If you are interested in this class or other classes they offer you can find them at

Okay.... so here is what I've come up with

Paper masking - just a disclaimer here.... I went a little glitter crazy.


For the first card I die cut "Birthday Wishes" (Everyday Sentiments from Tonic Studios) on a large post it note. Laid the post it note on some card stock weight vellum (Stampin' Up) and then pressed a versamark ink pad over the die cut covering the vellum. I then applied some Spoonful of Silver (glitter and embossing powder mix from Stampendous), removed the mask and then heat embossed it. My original plan was to leave the exposed vellum as is but found that it was difficult to read... so I tried outlining it and that didn't work so well and ultimately ended up coloring in the words with a black Copic marker. So.... the vellum wasn't necessary... could have used plain black cardstock. Mounted the glittered piece on black and then white card stock (Stampin Up) and then on a black and white flowered card base (unknown).

For the second card, I took some double sided tape (Scor tape) and mounted it on scrap white cardstock. Leaving the release paper on the other side, I die cut the tree using Alesandria Tree Outline (Memory Box). I then selectively removed the release paper and applied different glitters (superfine glitter Stampin' Up). The release papers remaining asked as a mask to allow me to mix the different greens and the brown of the trunk. I then mounted this on white card stock (Stampin Up) that had been die cut using a stitched rectangle from Lil' Inker. I created the banner using Sketching Banner Greetings and coordinating die from Simon Says stamp. I attached the panel to a preprinted card base (unknown) using foam tape.

Freezer Paper - oh the ideas running through my head.... I have fallen in love with freezer paper... who knew you could do this? and so economical.

So in creating my first card using freezer paper I actually managed to make 2 cards.

First I used Fresh Foliage die cut (Memory Box) to cut out of freezer paper. I then ironed this onto my watercolour cardstock (Arches). I then took some distress ink (Tim Holtz/Ranger) and added color around and overtop of the mask. Once it was dry I removed the mask (waved the heat gun over the freezer paper and it released beautifully). I then diecut the watercolored piece using a stitched rectangle die (Lil Inker). I stamped the sentiment from Sketchy Banner Greetings (Simon Says Stamp). Mounted on some old green card stock (stampinup), foam mounted onto a vanilla card base (Stampin Up). Final touches were some sequins (Pretty Pink Posh).

So the second resulted from the mask itself. I loved how inking I did over the mask turned out and who can resist an easy second card and so that turned into the next card. I took a piece of white card stock (Stampin Up) and cut out the same die and inlaid the mask. Add the birthday sentiment from Curly Cute (Stampin Up) in black ink (Hero Arts) and free hand drew the black lines along the edges and added some sequins (Pretty Pink Posh). Foam mounted the panel unto some Not Quite Navy card stock (Stampin Up).

My final card was probably the most time consuming. I used the Birch Tree Cutting Plate and Birch Tree Accessories Dies (Taylored Expressions). I actually used the negative masks (so the piece remaining after you remove the diecut) to block in color for the owl, sign & deer on some watercolor paper (Arches) using distress inks (Tim Holtz/Ranger). As I went along I ironed the freezer paper over my images. I added some freezer paper (loosely cut) to form the grass line and then ironed on the birch tree die. After adding the background color behind the trees I then removed all the masks, went over the trees, deer, sign, owl etc adding some shading and added some color to the foreground.. I stamped the happy birthday from Sketchy Banner Greetings (Simon Says Stamp), mounted on some dark brown cardstock and then on a white card base (Stampin Up). Totally faked it and loving it!

Day 5 of Holiday Card Class

Day 5 is to come up with His and Her cards. I basically used the exact same card for both but just swapped out a few elements that I thought could read either more masculine or more feminine.

My masculine version I went with more traditional colors of red & green. For the background paper I used a plaid. My focal stocking is one that has a strip of argyle which lends itself to a more masculine bent. I added a touch of glitter with wink of stella because I just couldn't resist and it's pretty subtle so I think I can get away with it.

My feminine version I went with less traditional colors of Bashful Blue and Rose Red. Background paper is light blue with a more delicate pattern and the focal stocking has a snowflake instead of argyle strip. Kept the touch of glitter with Wink of Stella.

That about does it for today.

Stamps: SU Stitched Stockings, Many Merry Messages
Ink: SU Bashful Blue, Rose Red, Wild Wasabi, Poppy Parade
Paper: SU Whisper White, DCWV Basic Christmas and DCWB Basic Winter Stacks
Other: dimensionals, Wink of Stella Clear

Day 4 Stretching your holiday stamps... or using non-holiday stamps

Today's homework is to use holiday stamps in a creative way or as a twist use a non-holiday stamp to create a holiday card.

I used a stamp set from Close to My Heart called Connections that has a bunch of circles of different sizes. My thought was to use them to form a Christmas tree. I used Old Olive green to form the tree and then Raspberry Ripple to add the "ornaments". A few dots with a gold pen and some rhinestones to finish the tree off. The greeting is from a Christmas Carol from Kaiser Craft (I think).

Back to Day 2

So Day 2's class was about using die cuts and one of the techniques was using an inlay technique similar to that done with wood working. In fact the instructor used wood veneer paper. Very cool.

So I don't have any wood veneer paper (and yes I'm sure that some of you are surprised that I don't have that particular item in my stash of goodies)... but I do have some velvet paper that I bought from Stampin' Up! years ago and have never found the right card to use it for. Well this is the card...

So my first attempt, not so good... the card turned out okay eventually but boy did it take a lot of fiddling to get it to look right. Second attempt much better. First of all it was much easier and as a result looks much bette r. Love it!

So my problem is that I used a snowflake die that was very intricate and once I cut the words the pieces got even smaller. My first attempt I cut the words first and then the die - do not recommend.

Second go round... cut the snowflake first and didn't remove the die right away. I flipped the die over so that the paper was on the top and used some eclipse tape to hold all the pieces in place. Pressed down to transfer all the small pieces to the masking tape. Then I removed the die from the velvet paper, added sookwang tape to the back. From a scrape piece of release paper from sookwang tape I cut the snowflake die again. Used that on the negative space on tope of the sookwang tape and used it as a template to position all the little pieces. Sounds complicated but worked great.

Then I cut the words 2x - once out of the velvet paper and once out of Wasabi Green cardstock. Added more sookwang tape to the back of the velvet paper and inlayed the green words into the velvet paper. Final step was to remove the release paper from the snowflake, revealing the sookwang tape. Added Dazzling Diamonds glitter. Then just mounted on Wasabi cardstock and then on a white card stock.

A little complicated but I am very happy with how it's turned out.

Skip Class Day 2 and move to Day 3

Okay... so inspiration doesn't always come in a structured manner... so we are skipping day 2 while I think about that for a bit more and moving on to day 3. Day 3 homework is to create a clean and simple card. Here is my version

Stamp: SU Scentsational Season, Holiday & wishes
Paper: SU Very Vanilla, SU Patterned Paper
Ink: SU Real Red
Other: Fine gold glitter, Sookwang tape, dimensionals, SU coordinating die, SU Gold Cord