Distressing, clear embossing powder and acrylic paint

I found this new technique in the latest issue of the Do Crafts magazine and I have been meaning to try it for a few weeks. Being as it makes use of my favourite product - clear embossing powder, I couldn't ignore it for long.

Here is a version of the card that was shown in the magazine so you get an idea of what I am talking about:

The technique involves stamping with Versamark clear ink onto coloured card. Make sure this is the colour that you want to show through the paint. Then emboss the image with clear embossing powder.

Then, paint over the whole image with your chosen acrylic paint and leave to dry. When it's completely dry, use a damp cloth (I actually used a face wipe but I think this might have been a bit too wet) to wipe over the stamped image to lift the paint off the embossing to reveal the colour of the underneath card. Then leave it to dry. You might also need to flatten the paper as well as it's prone to curling after heating and painting. Putting it under a heavy book or box will do the trick.

Here is a close up of the card:

On the flowers, once they had dried, I added a bit of turquoise ink to make it slightly darker. I painted on the gold elements in the background and on the flowers centres with sunshine sparkle perfect pearls powder. I then added some jewels.

I then tried a variation on a theme:

For the main image I used red card and the metallic bronze paint. For the background, I used black card and then covered it which Tim Holtz picket fence distress stain as I didn't have any white paint. This didn't work quite as well as the paint, but it did still work. I had to apply quite a bit to get the white you can see in the picture and I rubbed it away before it had dried. Once the background had dried I inked the edges with victorian velvet distress ink and left to dry.

The ribbon was secured to the back of the card and then twisted and fastened on the other side. Two lengths of the same ribbon were tied into a bow and secured to the front using glue dots. Some grey pearls where added to the corners of the main image:

I love this new technique and although the cards aren't perfect, there is plenty of room for experimenting and perfecting the technique. It is a little bit messy and time consuming as you have to wait for each piece to dry, but the effect it creates is certainly worth the wait.

New year, new techniques

I love learning new techniques when it comes to card making and all things paper crafts and when I look back at the cards I first made, I can certainly see how much I have learnt.

At the moment I like making as much of the card as I can without the help of pre-printed papers, peel-offs etc. I bought some stamps before Christmas and didn't have much time to try them out but in the last few days I have been experimenting, with some rather good results I think.

Here is the one card I made with the stamps back in November and everything is created by me:

For the background I stamped the words stamp onto some pink card several times. I then inked up the flowers stamp and took the ink off with my brayer. I then brayered the image over the words in a purple ink. The picture at the forefront was stamped and embossed with clear powder and then cut out. The same was done with the butterflies - first onto pink card with pink ink and then the larger butterfly was embossed with purple ink, cut out and stuck onto the first image. I bent the wings to give a 3D effect and added some pearls. This is my most favourite card so far.


Then I tried my other set of stamps and here is the result:

For this card I stamped the image onto plain white vellum and dried it with a heat gun. I then coloured it on the back with pro markers and heated it to dry again. I then had to flatten it under a book as it had bent slightly. It was mounted onto a scallop square which had been inked with a bronze ink, and secured with red brads. The sentiment and small bird were also heat embossed with bronze metallic powder. The backing paper (which unfortunately I didn't make in this one) was mounted onto core'dinations card and sanded over, which gave the white edge to the paper. Then the ribbon was added.

The other technique that I absolutely love at the moment it painting onto black card. I received some vintage paints for Christmas which I tried out on these cards:

For the main images on both I heat embossed them onto black with black glint embossing powder. I then coloured in the images with the vintage paint. The corners on each card were black peel off's which I stuck to black card and painted in co-ordinating colours. A different take on the monochrome look I think.


And following on the same theme is the last card:

I had already made several calendars using the butterfly stamp but this time, instead of using a white embossing powder, I used the pearlescent green one. Again it was coloured in with the vintage paints and mounted onto mint green pearlescent card. The swirls behind the butterfly have been embossed with the same green pearl powder but because they are on white, the effect is much more subtle. The sentiment was embossed in the same powder and used to prop up the easel card.


Now, back to the craft table as I have lots more ideas in mind to try - watch this space!