The joy of having a cold is that it's 8PM and I'm still in my pajamas since this morning. My daughter had a snow day, I took a sick day and because I'm just lounging around and taking it easy, I actually have time to make cards! Being sick isn't so bad after all! As I mentioned earlier, I signed up for this online card class all about one-layer cards. One of the techniques shared for this day's lesson was masking. Now, masking is something that I've known about for years--it's just that I don't think to actually use the technique very often. I bought a bunch of Eclipse masking paper when I CASEd this card of Kristina Werner's so I was ready to attempt masking using dies and punches. Jennifer McGuire showed how she made frames using dies and her cards were simply beautiful. She had this one card where she embossed an image and then colored it using several different colors and it was just so pretty that I had to try it. I used one of my Stampin' Up! framelits for the main frame and then used my extra large oval punch from SU! to mask out the center of the frame on my Neenah Solar White 110# card base. Once I had everything masked off on my card base, I used SU!'s Whisper White craft ink to stamp the background using an oldie but goodie--Filigree. I then heat embossed the image in white. I began coloring using a watercolor brush and my SU! markers but I wasn't getting the look I wanted so I switched to sponge daubers to finish inking the area. I didn't trust myself to try and use too many colors so I stuck with just the one shade of pink and let the variations occur naturally. Once I was done inking, I decided to outline the image before I peeled my masks off the card base. I used a really thin black ink pen whose brand escapes me (couldn't find my Copic multiliner!)...one of the only downfalls of being a bedtime blogger is that I'm literally in bed and can't just look at that pen and tell ya the brand :-). Anyway, with my mystery pen, I just carefully traced around the oval and then the inside of my framelit mask. I like the way the black helps the frame pop a little bit. I then used Versafine Onyx Black to stamp the sentiment in the frame center. I got to ink up another new stamp from Simon Says Stamp! which is a company I WISH I could work for--I'm pretty much a walking advertisement :-) I linked to the bundle with the balloon dies, but the stamp set can be purchased on its own for those not wanting the dies. I have another order arriving in a couple of days so I am very excited! My friend Ann and I were just discussing our ridiculous SSS wish lists....ah, dreamers. If you are interested in trying this technique but have no masking paper, try using computer paper instead with a little Washi to hold it in place. Needless to say, I'm enjoying this class so far and I think I will sign up for the ones they have offered in the past even though they aren't 'live'--I'm guessing the materials and lessons will be well worth the investment :-)
AuthorKaren Kelly Archives
February 2016
CategoriesFavorite DesignersKristina Werner
Julie Ebersole Jennifer McGuire Cristina Kowalczyk Laura Bassen Emily Leiphart Shari Carroll Kelly Purkey Dawn McVey Debby Hughes Favorite Places to Spend $$$Published Work |