I have seen some other crafters using photo paper instead of Yupo to make some beautiful alcohol ink backgrounds.  I decided I would try that myself, but also I combined adding a bit of stenciling using distress oxides on top to make this bold background.  I made this background into a card.  To find that card you will have to go to my Instagram account.  I have a reel showing the inspiration for the card I made.  I hope you will check it out.

To see the video of this background being created please head here.

Thank you for stopping by my blog today.  I hope you find things that inspire you.  I love this hobby so much, so I enjoy sharing my cards with all of you.  Hope to see you all soon.  If you wish to support me, please see the buy me a coffee link over on the right hand side of this page.  If you wish to support my channel by buying a card or two, please see the commissions section of my Buy Me a Coffee link or head over to my Etsy shop.  Have a great day!  Happy Crafting!

Simple Background Using a Stiff Brush

 This is a simple background I used to make all the time on my cards.  It just takes some ink, a stiff-bristled brush, and something to mask with.  Cardstock will do.  I love the result of this simple background.  It is quick.  It is easy, and you don’t have to do much more but add a sentiment.  This is a card tutorial a beginner can follow.  If you want to make it a bit extra, stamp a few images along the pattern.  Hope you enjoy trying this next time you make a card. 

To see the video of this card being created please head here.

Thank you for stopping by my blog. I hope you find things that inspire you. I love this hobby so much, so I enjoy sharing my cards with all of you. Hope to see you all soon. If you wish to support this channel even more, please see the buy me a coffee link over on the right banner. Have a great day! Happy Crafting!

Acrylic Paint Swiping

 So, let's just swipe some paint on cardstock, to see where we end up. That is all I did today. I used acrylic paint. I think a reinker would work for this as well. Then built on those backgrounds once they dried. You could of, course use a paintbrush, but I just used my finger to do this quickly. To see the video of this card being pulled together head here.

 Paint scraping works when making cards too! I was so excited to find this technique. It is addictive, simple, and satisfying. I tried to make the sentiment flow with all the layers by stamping on each and every layer. It really made it stand out I think. Hope you enjoy this card. Be inspired..go enjoy your stash soon.

If you want to watch the less than 2-minute video of this card please go here.

Scored Background

 

This is another super simple card that is great for a beginner card maker. The scoring and the multitude of gems give it a classic elegant look. Your sentiment can be stamped or in my case, I used a sticker. This uses minimal supplies. It does take a bit of time to put on all the gems at each scored intersection. I find doing that very soothing. Give it a try!

To see the video head here.

Trying Deco Foil Transfer Gel Duo for the First Time

 

Wanted to share the outcome of my first use of the Deco Foil Transfer Gel Duo. I think it went really well. I used it on a live over on Tik Tok last weekend. I applied the paste to my card base using a stencil. I let it dry overnight. In this video, I run it through with foiling sheets in the Mini Minc Machine. I am really happy with the results. If this is something you have been eyeing I would recommend it. Below is the video showing you the results.

Elegant Pearl Background

 Dollar Tree to the rescue once again. Since I am so anti-measure. 🙄 I'd rather just eyeball things. I could never get my pearls or rhinestones to line up perfectly in rows to create a background. Well, the lines of half-back pearls that dollar tree sells are connected. Making this process much easier. Use any die-cut to create your shape and fill in with these beauties. I love how this card turned out so elegant. To see me make this card you can see it over on my YouTube channel found here.

Here is another card I made recently using this same technique.

Stacked Stamped Backgrounds

Stacked stamped backgrounds....brought the WOW factor!🤩 Layering text in white embossing ink or versa mark ink followed by another image stamped in dye or distress oxide inks has made me happy and led to SEVERAL cards. If you want to see me put the background and the card together head on over to my YouTube channel (link is here).

Cards- With No stamping

So I found a couple of challenges this week that interested me. One is from Splitcoast Stampers.  If you have never been over to Splitcoast you should really check it out.  There are forums to discuss all things Stamping or Papercrafting related, tutorials, and tons of inspiration.  Under the Ways to Use It Challenge posted 4/16/20 the challenge was to make a card with no stamping.  There are tons of ideas that floated in my head but nothing solidified till I saw Kristie Marcott's challenge, #kristiescardchallenge this week over on her Instagram channel. Her challenge was to make your own background paper.  From those two challenges as inspiration, I ended up with the card at the top of the post. 

I used Distress Oxide inks in worn lipstick and fossilized amber to make a blended background.  I added Brilliance moonlight white with a stencil of triangles. Then I added a white feather along with a die-cut HI sentiment. I added a few clear sequins for sparkle.  Simple but I loved how it turned out.

While I had everything out I decided to do another card. This one doesn't fit with Kristie's challenge but still is appropriate for the Ways to Use It Challenge from 4/16/20. 

My scraps from my easter cards led to the main panel.  I had cut my scraps into strips and made panels of "cardstock" out of them.  I kept this card simple by adding a pink die cut border to the bottom.  I added the white die-cut banner on top with the black sentiment hugs at the bottom.  I am going to add this card also to an Anything Goes Challenge #184 over at Creative Fingers Challenge Blog.

I hope everyone is staying safe.  Take some time to get creative out there...I know it helps me to stay calm during this time so Hopefully it does the same for you.

Also, join me on Social Media at:

Pinterest: Samanthadesigns

Facebook Page: @SamanthadesignsPapercrafts

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Cowgirls Rule...& Blog Giveaway

A card that took literally weeks to make is finally born.  😊 Stay to the end of the post to here more about the giveaway.

Today's card is one that has been put together in stages.  The image is from artbymiran on etsy.  You can find her here.  The cowgirl was colored with copics weeks ago.  She has been sitting in my cut out container just waiting to be added to a card.

I knew I wanted to have a wood grain background for the card.  I don't own a wood grain stamp nor an embossing folder that does this.  So what to do?  MayMayMade it to the rescue.  I watched this video that teaches you three different techniques to make a woodgrain background.  You can watch it here.  This was exactly what I was looking for.  So maybe a couple of weeks ago I made the background piece using peacock feathers distress ink.  My "planks" aren't very straight but I love the effect.  It was super easy.  

Then last weekend I took that background and die cut it using my memory box cross stitched rectangle dies.  I also die cut the two banner pieces out of Recollections paper using a Papertrey Ink die.

Finally yesterday, I put it all together with another scrap of cardstock I had.  I added the sentiment from my word stickers I made.

You can see a close up of those stickers by reading my blogpost here.  This is a word document I made for my use and am happy to share.  I just printed these out on cricut sticker paper and cut out when I need one.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #496 found here.
Creative Fingers Challenge: #130 Anything Goes found here.
Digi Choosday Crafting Challenge:  Week # 19 Anything Goes Found here.

****Giveaway****
Go to my blogpost here to see more about the giveaway that will be drawn June 2, 2017.

Final Look-Assembly Line Cards

 Over the weekend, I got a chance to finish all the cards I had planned from the backgrounds and critters I had completed. Here is one of the cards I made into a shaker using a circle die, some fun foam and acetate.  I stamped Birthday Wishes by My Sentiments Exactly in Momento Tuxedo Black Ink after putting together the shaker.  I added the bear holding  a cake, as well as a pearl enamel dot.  I used some chunky blue glitter as the shaker portion.

Next is a similar card this time I used a heart die, with some sequins, gold micro beads, as well as some iridescent glitter inside the shaker.  I used the same sentiment, this time with a yellow flower added.  This critter is a fox holding a present.

Below are the other cards I did using the same idea but this time they are not shakers.  For these I think the image should have been bigger on some.  The critter sometime really isn't filling the entire space well.  I used patterned paper behind one image.  I also used two critters in one trying that out.  I like them all but the shakers are my favorites.

The shakers I am entering into two challenges:
Pile it On Challenge:  #129 Interactive Card
Lemon Shortbread Challenge: #38 Anything Goes

Some of the time I had to play over the last weekend led to all of these birthday backgrounds.  Stay tuned to see what they will become the next time I get to "play".