This is for Robin's (Stamperrobin) fun Free for All challenge...a love card with a moon. All the details can be found here .
These are Valentine cards are for a sweet little 6 year old girl and her lovely 10 year old brother. No prizes for guessing who loves fairies and who loves creepy spiders!!
The background was made with my usual smack and squirt technique (smack distress ink pad onto aluminium foil, squirt on some water, then slurp up the colourd water with a foam blending tool and swish it over the smooth cardstock).
I coloured a complete A4 sheet by rotating the cardstock and working on it in landscape. To get a good blend of colours I looked at a colour wheel and smacked and squirted in the following order - ensuring that each colour was well applied before moving on to the next colour (blend a very small portion of the new colour over the previous colour).
darkish green - Peeled paint
bright green - Mowed lawn
yellowy orange - Wild honey
orange - Ripe persimmon
red - Fired brick
hot pinkish red - Festive berries
purple - Seedless preserves
dark purple - Dusty concord
At this point I cut the A4 into 3 strips (one for the stash and two for these cards) I gave the fairy card a very light mist of water. Using the same colours, in the same order, I thump the foam blending tool directly into the ink pad (no water this time) and scrubbed extra colour here and there to get some contrast and depth of colour. These cards were almost identical after the initial smack and squirt, it is this step of adding more colour (undiluted) that each card can take on a different look. On the spider card I was heavy handed with the orange - blending it over the yellow orange and bright green.
This next step truly makes the world of difference....using a foam blending tool, lightly scrub on WALNUT STAIN distress ink (no water), scrub from the outside and move inward to a point where you want bright highlights.
I did not mask the moon as I have discovered that silver Versa colour and white Brilliance inks go over the top of distress inks beautifully. I used a round foam blending tool, inked in silver first, pushed it onto the cardstock and moved it around in a circular motion to give a blured and not so perfect edge. Reapeated process with white ink. Taking a baby wipe, I ever so gently wiped it across the moon.
Stamping was done next, using black Archival ink. I dabbed a little bit of silver ink on the mushroom border before attaching to card. The spider was die cut and I added some clear Wink of Stella to give him an even more revolting appearance!! The little fairy was coloured at the same time I was doing the smack and squirt (used an aqua pen dipped in the inky water). Clear Stella brush to her wings. I stamped and fussy cut a flower and attached 3D foam tape for the fairy to stand on. She comes with a wand...she is lucky I only cut off the wand and not aputated her hand!!
Thank you for looking, I had the lovliest time making these card. Have a great weekend ladies.
Date: Thursday, February 5, 2015 GMT Views: 3726
Favorited:34
Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni Favorites Team Notifier Splitcoast Challenge Hostess
Registered: October 26, 2009 Location: Oakhurst, near Yosemite Nat'l Park. Posts: 46755
Thu, Feb 05, 2015 @ 9:50 PM
These are drop dead gorgeous Susie!!! I especially LOVE the fairy card but you know me!!! Love your colors and your bgs are awesome! The the stamping around the edge, I HAVE to do that!! I also Love those mushrooms at the bottom! so so cool!! Beautiful! Fantastic, Sensational, dazzling!
------------------------------ Blessings, Robin Encourage one anotherMy Blog-InkMagination , QFTD201,Dirty Dozen Alumni.Impression Obsession DT, DRS DT.Formerly HC DT, ODBD DT.
Oh my gosh!!! These are fantastic. Your bg is just gorgeous. What beautiful colors and love all the stamping around the edges. I love that look because its so soft and dimensional. These are worthy of being framed.
Registered: June 10, 2011 Location: Canberra, Australia Posts: 7275
Thu, Feb 05, 2015 @ 10:35 PM
Oh Susie - you have outdone your self again. What wonderful backgrounds and thanks for the detailed description of the production. I love the "moons" - so realistic - with the haze around them. I am glad to hear that you haven't gone into doing amputations as well as your other surgical skills of "gender re-assignment" and "cataract surgery". he he he What an inspiration and totally incredible.
Registered: March 7, 2009 Location: Where the corn is knee high by the 4th of July Posts: 17498
Thu, Feb 05, 2015 @ 10:53 PM
AMAZING cards! I love them both! The fairy is gorgeous and the stamping on both cards is divine. Thanks much for the tip on the Versa and Brilliance inks. I did not know that. Your talent is boundless, your creativity endless. Thanks for making me smile, all the time.
Registered: December 22, 2011 Location: CO Posts: 21
Thu, Feb 05, 2015 @ 11:15 PM
The fairy card is one of the most beautiful I have seen on this site and believe me, I spend some time looking! May be my favorite. TheBGs are beyond amazing. Wow.
Registered: April 19, 2006 Location: Under piles of craft stuff in New Zealand Posts: 4148
Thu, Feb 05, 2015 @ 11:59 PM
OMG OMG OMG -- I love these -- I love love love fairy anything. I wish they where mine...... Oh to have time carding and learning from you would be so awesome... Susie your cards are stunning xx
Registered: May 18, 2005 Location: Connecticut USA Posts: 35783
Fri, Feb 06, 2015 @ 2:45 AM
Squealing with delight, what masterpieces you have created and so generously shared your laborious and glorious technique! WOWZERS!!! Really love these and into my faves they go! Happy Friday to you!!!
Registered: May 28, 2008 Location: Arnold, Missouri Posts: 15273
Fri, Feb 06, 2015 @ 3:44 AM
Susie, these are just superb. First your depth of color is extraordinary, blended perfectly. I had no idea that you could get the coverage of versa ink and white brilliance over distress inks like this. I was sure you masked your moon. Your painstaking directions are wonderful and appreciated. I know these cards are going to thrill one little girl and boy :-). Fabulous cards!!!!!
------------------------------ "The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever." Isaiah 40:8