Dragonfly Spring

 

I have been playing with mixed media lately inspired by videos and classes by Tiffany Solorio.  She sometimes prints out a sheet called 20 Days of Play which is a series of prompts to experiment with.  The goal is not to make a card but to just play and expand your techniques to use on future projects like this one.  This card includes prompts to brayer ink or paint (day 4) and to apply texture paste on top of ink without sealing it first (day 7).

I started by applying Wilted Violet, Chipped Sapphire, and Shaded Lilac Distress Oxide inks with a two inch brayer on to Strathmore Mixed Media paper.  Next I added texture by randomly stamping using the Sacred Spells stamp by Lavinia, cross hatch stamp from the Timeless Textures set by Stampin' Up, and parts a very old flourish stamp from Stampin' Up and Black Soot archival ink.  Then I lightly brushed Hero Arts White Unicorn Pigment ink through parts of the Feathered Leaf stencil from Lavinia.   You can see some of it below the dragon fly's tail and in the upper left corner.  I then applied texture paste through parts of the BoHo Glam stencil from A Colorful Life Designs.  Because the ink is water reactive it bled through the texture paste.  Lastly I masked off the stenciling with copy paper and whacked my white Posca paint pen with a ruler to splatter white paint on the background.  To finish the background I swiped Dusty Concord Distress Oxide ink along the edges and attached it to a card base.  Now for the focal point.

I used Simon Says Stamp's Tattered Leaves die to cut the vine from mixed media paper and glued only the stem and stem ends of the leaves to the background, so I could curl the tips of the leaves upward for added interest.  For the dragonfly I used the Etched Dragonfly die by Simon Says Stamp to cut the body from mixed media paper and the wings from Platinum velum from Grafix, which has a shimmer finish.  I attached the wings to the body and glued only the body to the background so the wings would pop up.  For the sentiment I swiped Seedless Preserves Distress Ink along the edges of one from the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Small Talk pad. 

I  plan to enter this card in the Crazy is Our Fame - Stencils are Our Game challenge using the optional theme of Vines-Vinery, Die Cut Divas Spring is Coming Challenge, Mix It Up challenge using an optional die cut, and A Place to Start Optional Twist: No Squares challenge.  Why not head over to these challenges and be inspired?

Thank you for stopping by!  Until next time, Hansi

Mooch at Peace

 

This card was inspired by this one made by Kath Stewart.  It also inspired me to order the Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Christmastime 2 stamp set which was part of the 2019 release.  Although I have used other stamps in the set, this it the first time I have used the stamp that made me want to buy the set to begin with.  Six years!  How could I let that happen?!

I started by spraying Villainous Potion and Uncharted Mariner Distress sprays and water on watercolor paper and let it dry naturally.  Then I stamped and embossed the sentiment in gold and while I had everything out I gilded the edges of the panel with gold.  Now it was time to stamp Mooch from Lavinia Stamps in black Versafine ink and clear heat emboss him.  Yes, his name is Mooch.  Lavinia sells individual stamps and gives names to the fairies and animals depicted.  I bought him Christmas 2020 and used him quite a bit for a while, but lately I have been using cat die cuts and he has languished in my stamp drawer for a couple of years.  I stamped the holly from the Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Stamptember 2018 set with Harbor ink, a dark teal from Close to My Heart.  The clear embossing resisted the ink, so it looks like the holly is behind him.  I used gray Prismacolors to create a shadow to ground him.  Once I had the sentiments, Mooch, and the holly in place, I knew where to put the stars using a Tim Holtz Sparkle stencil and transparent matte texture paste.  I had almost forgotten about texture paste until I broke it out for my Abigayil and Her Kittens card last month.  Amazingly it was still spreadable after sitting for a few years.  I had placed a piece of Press and Seal plastic wrap over the the jar before screwing the top on and it really did work to keep the paste from drying out.  The last step before attaching the panel to a card base was to use a Jelly Roll #700 sparkle pen in the center of the stars and along Mooch's head and left side to look like reflected starlight.  This is what the card looks like if you tip it towards light.

Working on this card reintroduced me to some older stamp and and other products that have been neglected, so I am entering it in the Shopping Our Stash "The Cat is in the Bag" and The Neglected Stuff challenges.  I also am entering it in the Jingle Belles "Baby It's GOLD Outside,"  Crazy is Our Fame, Stencils are Our Game (optional theme Nature), Addicted to Stamps and More "Make Your Mark," and Show Us Your Pussycats challenges.

Thank you for stopping by!  Until next time, Hansi

Abigayil and Her Kittens

 This card was inspired by my all time favorite children's book, Abigayil, The Story of the Cat in the Manger, written by Rouben Mamoulian and illustrated by Marshall Goodman.  It has lots of text and beautiful watercolor and charcoal illustrations.  The story, told in the voice of Abigayil, a cynical streetwise cat who lives with her kittens in a stable in Bethlehem, is her testimony about the night Jesus was born.  Her paw was broken that morning when boys threw a rock at her while she was foraging food and now seems to be infected.  She is worried about being able to provide for her kittens and the possibility of not surviving her injury.  A woman gives birth while spending the night in her stable, and she hears the parents call him Jesus.  She is puzzled by the visitors that come to worship him and the fact that she feels his love and finds herself unable to attack the mice who are watching from their holes.  During the night a cold breeze begins to  blow through the cracks in the door, and as a mother herself, she is concerned about the baby, so despite her pain, she leaves her hiding spot and manages to get into the manger where she stretches out along side him to warm him with her body.  As dawn approaches Mary stirs, so she leaves Jesus and goes outside and sees a new star in the sky.  Abigayil is so filled with joy she does a high twisty jump before racing around the barnyard and fields.  Then she remembers her paw and stops in horror, sure that she has done irreparable, possibly fatal harm to herself, but when she checks her paw she finds it completely healed.  Come to think of it, the pain began to leave as soon as she touched Jesus.  Recognizing this as a miracle, she goes back to the manger, kneels at his feet and thanks him for healing her and showing her that love needs no reason.  She ends her testimony saying that Jesus is no ordinary baby.  He is a prescious gift of love and light to the world who will be a blessing to all.  

Now about the card:  I started by ink Smooshing Balmy Night Shimmer spray and plain water on watercolor paper and allowing it to dry naturally between layers until is liked how it looked.  Like with Brushos, the pigments broke into their component revealing other colors.  Next I used the Sacred Spells stamp from Lavinia and second generation to stamp along the sides.  I used the Star of Wonder die from Memory Box for the star, Cat D-Lites die from Spellbinders for the Mama cat, and Cat Set die from Impressions Obsession for the kittens.  After laying out the die cuts to check their position,  I used the Sparkle stencil from Tim Holtz and transparent matte texture paste for the smaller stars   I gilded the edges of the panel by pressing the edges a Versamark ink pad and then fine silver embossing powder and melting it with my heat tool.

I plan to enter this in the Christmas Crafts All Year 'Round "Oh Holy Night," Mix It Up "Mixed Media," Cut it Up  "Add a Sentiment" and Peace on Earth "Anything Goes"  challenges.

Thank you for stopping by!  Until next time, Hansi