Thursday Dream Schemes--Sketch Challenge

Here is this week's challenge sketch. I don't know why, but when I first saw it, I thought of the Honeycomb Stencil LJ 806. I just couldn't get that thought out of my mind, no matter how much I tried. I just couldn't figure out how I wanted to execute it. Then, I went to CHA and met a wonderful Australian lady named Julie Makela. She showed us a technique with Stampee Crafts foil that was PERFECT.

First, you emboss the image, either traditionally or with a machine. (I chose traditionally).

Then, you use pigment ink to stencil the image. (I used Adirondack in two colors of yellow).

While the ink is still wet, pour the powdered glue on it, and heat. It can't overheat, nor does it matter if it is a little undercooked at this point, so there is no pressure.

You then place the foil over the top of the image, and send it through a thermal laminator. I used the transparent color Cracked Ice and just purchased the laminator at Target for under $30.

Finally, you let the image cool a little and then pull the foil off quickly, in one fell swoop. (Think Bandaid).

This was REALLY easy, and just look at the beautiful results. Even more stunning in person, this honeycomb sparkles in holographic colors when hit by the sun.

So, then I began to think about the details. Bees were an obvious choice. I looked for the extra bees that I used on the card that I had published. (Stampers' Sampler Dec/Jan 2010-2011--shameless plug!). Not finding them (of course), I decided to recreate them. This is how I did it:

I conditioned and rolled out black polymer clay.

I used bee stamp (by the now defunct Cornish Heritage Farms), to press the design into the clay.

I cut around the bee with a craft knife.

I rubbed a little Moonstone Metallic FX onto the wings with my finger.

Then, I baked the bees according to the polymer clay instructions.

After the clay cooled, I glued yellow flock into the stripes using Art Institute Glue and added Purple Stickles to the eyes.

Then, it was time for assembly. I used My Mind's Eye paper, dark teal cardstock, and a stamp by Cornish Heritage Farms. I attached the bees with Glue Dots.

I was very happy with this card, which I promptly gave to my aunt--whose husband keeps bees!

Thursday Dream Schemes--Free Week

Here it is, finally. This is the turquoise/brown/kraft/neutral card I was initially going to post on January 27th. It is a recreation of the one I made for Lynell. This one is not for the faint of heart.

First off, the easy stuff. The background is a fabulous new raindrop background stencil that I did in the double glitter technique. I used two shades of turquoise that were very close, so the effect is very subtle.

Now, the details. I used the original white paste on the new owl stencil. I did it twice. On one, I used a Versamark pen on top of the dried paste with various colored embossing powders. When I reached the owl's back, I raked an Exacto knife through the hot embossing powder to create the feathered look. This really worked well, because the Opaque Zing powder that I used actually has two slightly different colored layers.

I used flock in the white parts of his stomach with the Zig Glue Pen. I did the same thing with brown on the other pasting.

Once finished with all the details, I cut them out and pasted them on the other paper. It created a nice 3D effect.

When I assembled the card, I popped the owl up a little, to show off all of his details.

Happy Valentine's Day--Virtual Valentine's Day Blog Hop!

Hello, everyone. Today is an addition to our regularly scheduled Dream Scheme Thursday. Dreamweaver, and many other wonderful companies, are sponsors for a Virtual Valentine's Blog Hop. The hop is being organized by Taylor Usry. Her blog is http://taylorusry.blogspot.com/ . There are tons of people in this hop, including Dreamweaver Stencils and my Dream Team sisters Wendy, Kristi, Terrece, Louise and Pam. Taylor's blog should have ALL the links. The more you comment, the more chances you have to win--so warm up that keyboard.

ALSO, as a special BONUS: Lynell of Dreamweaver Stencils says that she will select 3 new followers of ANY Dream Team Member Blogs to receive a free stencil. So, if you have been considering following one of our blogs, now is the time to sign up.

Anyway, here is today's Valentine's offering:

So, kind of surprising, huh? I have been posting every color of red and pink Valentine card for weeks, and now, on the actual day--green, blue and purple? There is a story behind this. Believe me.
I met this wonderful Australian woman at CHA, Julie Makela, who was demonstrating Dreamweaver stencils using an interesting foil product from Stampee Crafts. The process is as follows: emboss the cardstock traditionally or through a machine, stencil using pigment ink, pour their powdered glue on the wet pigment ink and heat, cover with foil (it doesn't matter if the glue cools first), send through a thermal laminator (cheaper than you think) and let the foil cool a little before pulling quickly off of the project. Well, this foil is so beautiful, that I just HAD to try it. It was easier than I thought and completely addicting! The pear, LL 563,was simple to emboss, and the stencilling sponges I could find were already loaded with green, blue and purple--so, I made green, blue and purple pears. They were so pretty, that I took a couple home.

These were done with the clear cracked ice (the green, left hand pear) and the clear water (right hand side pear). I included both of these detail pictures so that you might be able to determine the shiny texture. That cracked ice really turned out nice in the pictures, but the water is easily as lovely in person. They both catch the light just beautifully.

So, when the challenge came up, I must admit that I wanted to use these pears. I thought about it for quite awhile, before I remembered my friend's wedding, where she used the phrase "A Perfect Pear". Of course, I altered it a little. The phrase was printed from my computer. Be My Valentine LM 276, and the brand new Large Damask were both pasted with Pearlescent Paste and glittered with Art Institute Sea Shell Glitter. (Sea Shell is a transparent white glitter that "flashes" with pink and green--it reminds me of a crushed opal). Then, I just adhered everything and, viola, a green, blue and purple Valentine!

Comment for a chance to win-one entry per blog-and don't forget to go back to Taylor's blog at http://taylorusry.blogspot.com/ for more links!

Thursday Dream Schemes--Pink and Brown

This week's Dream Scheme is Pink and Brown/Kraft/ or Cream. In this post, I used the Double Glitter Technique. When you use this technique, with the double sided adhesive paper, don't forget to soap up the back of the stencil first, to prevent it sticking too much and bending. On both images, I used brown Art Institute Glitter on the main image and a pearlescent white Art Institute glitter on the background. The sentiment actually started as a longer set--Be My Valentine, but I maked out the extra words with removable Scotch Tape before I adhered the stencil to the paper.

Then, I squeezed pink Liquid Pearl into all of the hearts. It actually dried pretty quickly, considering that it was on top of a layer of glitter. I liked the contrast of the little pearl look with the sparkly glitter.

When everything was dry, I assembled the card using Bo Bunny Paper and Karen Foster Scrapper's Floss.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Thursday Dream Schemes--Free Week

Okay, so call me a liar. I WAS planning on posting that turquoise and brown challenge that I postponed from last week. I really was! Then, I realized that I had only two more posts until Valentine's Day and I really wanted to post this cute pink and green one.

Here it is

The patterned paper is Bo Bunny (even the green behind the rose). The dots, I think, are Bazzill Swiss Dots. The schocking part is the stripe that appears black. It is actually a dark green velvet paper. It doesn't photograph bright enough.

Anyway, the stencil, LG724, is older, but still gorgeous. I used the pearlescent paste. I waited until it was dry and then replaced the stencil. Then, I squeezed Liquid Pearls in two pinks and a green onto my non-stick craft mat. I then used a paint brush loaded with water to thin out each color and paint it onto the dried pearlescent paste. I pulled off the stencil and set the heart aside to dry. I just ADORE the pearl on pearl tones in this card.