Group of Seven Cardmakers - Embossing pastes

Hi everyone, it's time for the monthly Group of Seven Cardmakers post and this month we are looking at Pastes.

The great thing about pastes is there are so many options and they also don't need to be expensive. With some basic supplies you can make your own texture and coloured pastes.

You can make your own texture paste using the following ingredients

Method 1 

1/4 cup of Baby Powder

1 tablespoon of school glue

1table spoon white matte acrylic paint

Instructions -

Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Stir well till blended

Add colour medium if desired.

Use on you projects.

Method 2

1 part Cornstarch

1 part Elmers Glue

Optional white acrylic paint

Instructions

Combine cornstarch and glue in a mixing bowl

Mix well

Add paint or other colour medium if desired.

Use on your projects

Here are my samples for you to check out.

Card 1-I used an acrylic block and distress oxides to create my background and stamped the image and used a circle stencil to create the moon. I used a snowy stencil to add pearlized embossing paste. This is a great way to add a little bling to your  Christmas card.

Simon Says Stamp Stencil, Card-IO stamp, BetterPress Sentiment

Card 2-  I did another acrylic block print with distress Oxides for my background. This time I used some texture paste through my script stencil. What I love about using texture paste in this way is that it pulls some of the colour from your background and you get a really nice muted colour to the paste.

Finnabair Stencil, Art Specially Stamp

Card 3- I added some powdered inks to the texture paste to colour it. I masked off the lower portion of the card before I placed the stencil and then spread the blue grey texture paste over it. When it was dry I watercoloured the trees to give them a little depth. I used white sparkle snow texture paste over the ground using a palate knife and die cut the deer and glued them in position. I then added a little extra snow texture paste around their feet.

TCW Tree Stencil, Memory Box Deer Dies, BetterPress Sentiment

Card4/5 these two cards were cut from the same panel and was a little bit of an experiment. 

I used texture paste through the stencil, once it was dry I coloured it with zig watercolour pens. I replaced the stencil and used some Triple thick gloss glaze and my finger to go over the stenciled areas. The glaze when it dried sealed the stenciling, I then sprayed the whole sheet with Lindy's Magical sprays. I'm sure you know I love it when things look a little grungy so I love the end result. There was a little colour leakage and seepage of the glaze and such a beautiful sparkle.

Tim Holtz Poinsettia Stencil, BetterPress Sentiments

I hope you give pastes a try on your projects, you will have so much fun and they really make your card look so special ♥

Card Recipe
Stamps: see the individual cards.
Paper: Mixed Media and Watercolour
Ink:
Accessories: Stencils, Texture Pastes, Powdered inks, Ultra Thick Gloss
Techniques: Stenciling, Watercolours, Texture Pastes, Die cut, BetterPress

Treats on Tuesday at Magenta - Watercolour sprays and Bleach

Hi everyone, I'm over at Magenta with this pretty bird and playing with some ink and bleach. I hope you head over and check out how I made this card.

Stamps used

Bird on a branch

37.285.P

14.677

Good Friends

07.1036.L

Card Recipe
Stamps: Magenta
Paper: Watercolour, 110lb White
Ink: Versafine Clair nocturn
Accessories: Bleach, watercolour sprays
Techniques: Watercolour Sprays, Bleach

Treats on Tuesday at Magenta - Mixed Media Bird

Hi everyone I'm over at Magenta with a mixed media background for my little winter bird. I hope you head over and check out how I made this card.

Stamps and Stencils used

Round Bird

76.002.M

Numbers Abstract small

0775.J

Bursts

0770.P

35.062.H

TM309

Card Recipe
Stamps: Magenta
Paper: 110lb white, Mixed Media card, Printed text paper
Ink Versafine Clair Morning Mist, Distress Oxide, Versafine Clair Blues
Accessories: Stencil, Texture Paste, Metallic wax cream. Gesso, Watercolour pencil
Techniques:  Mixed Media, stenciling, Watercolouring

Treats on Tuesday at Magenta - Poinsettia Christmas Cards

Hi everyone, I'm over at Magenta with a couple more Poinsettia cards, I hope you head over and check out how I made these cards.

Stamps and stencils used

Poinsettia

02.327.P

Wishing you a Merry Christmas

07.1024.H

Seasons Greetings

07.994.F

TM327

07.1022.I

Card Recipe
Stamps: Magenta
Paper: 110lb White

Ink: Distress Oxide, Versafine Clair, Distress inks
Accessories: Ranger Watercolour Crayons, Stencil
Techniques: Smooshed inks, Direct to Stamp Watercolour, Stencils

Treats on Tuesday at Magenta - Bokeh

Hi everyone, I'm over at Magenta with two bokeh cards for you. When I did this with the Group of Seven Cardmakers I mentioned stamping your image before adding the bokeh dots or stamping your image after adding the bokeh dots. This is how different they look.

Stamp and Stencil used

Wild flowers Stamp

14.633.P

Circle duo Stencil

TM179

Card Recipe
Stamps: Magenta
Paper: Watercolour, 110lb White, Black
Ink: Versafine Clair Nocturn, Hero Arts Unicorn
Accessories: Magenta Stencil, Gold pen
Techniques: Bokeh, Watercolouring

Group of Seven Cardmakers technique - Bokeh

Hi everyone, it's time for the Group of Seven Crafters monthly technique. This month we played with a Bokeh technique.

• I taped my piece of watercolour card to my mat creating a border and it also helps reduces the warping of the paper as it gets quite wet.
• I used a large paint brush to wet the whole card.
• After it was wetted I used 3 different colours of water colour on each of my samples, gold snuck into all of them.
• I let the card dry then removed the tape. Little bits of water colour seeped under the tape but I think that adds to the interest.
• Bokeh made easy a Wplus 9 video gives you and idea of how to do the bokeh circles.
• I have the perfect stencil for this by Magenta (TM179 duo circle stencils), but you can make your own stencils by using different size circles with dies or punches on acetate or velum.
• I also used Hero Arts White ink (Unicorn) pad and a small blending foam. I find the Hero Arts white ink is one of the juiciest ink pads and gives a real strong white print with stamps or sponge.

You can either add your white bokeh circles before or after you stamp. I really like the misty look of adding the white circles after my stamping, you see more of the image if you stamp after putting the bokeh circles on. My Christmas card stash really needs a boost so I did three Christmas cards

This was a really fun technique and one I will be doing again.

Card 1 Stamp- Unity (Grumpy Owls) BetterPress Sentiment

Card 2 Stamp- Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous, BetterPress Sentiment

Card 3 Stamp- Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous, Mamma Elephant Easy Christmas Sentiments. 

It was hard to capture the image behind the bokeh on this one 😀

Card Recipe
Stamps:
Paper:
Ink: Hero Arts White, Versafine Clair Nocturn, Archival Grey
Accessories: Magenta Stencil set (TM179)
Techniques: Watercolour, Bokeh

Treats on Tuesday at Magenta - Nuance Powders and Bleaching

Hi everyone, I'm over at Magenta with this a card which has been coloured with Nuance powders and  zig water colour pens. I hope you head over and check out how I made this card.

Stamps used

Flower

14650.P

Good Friends

07.1036.L

Agrias Amodon Butterfly

0858.H

41.060

Nuance Powders

Red, Orange, Purple

Card Recipe
Stamps: Magenta
Paper: 110LbWhite, Watercolour
Ink: Versafine Clair Nocturn
Accessories: Nuance Watercolours, Zigs, Posca Glitter Pens
Techniques: Watercolouring

Group of Seven Cardmakers - Elegant writer

Hi everyone, the Group of Seven Cardmakers are playing with our Black Elegant Writer. This is a wonderful pen which has a calligraphy nib and beautiful colours when water is added to it.

The pens come in different nib sizes, I have 1.3mm Extra fine and 2.5mm Med. I.5mm use my fine tip to outline stamps on the paper and the 2.5mm when outlining directly on the stamp (the ink can stain your stamps).

Personally I like to add the colour to the stamp after using another colour to define the image, this way it keeps to the line thickness fairly narrow and you don't get a huge flow of colour when you add water.

There are other colours (Red, Green, Blue and Brown) but they don't break down into different colous the way the black does.

Once I have watercoloured my image pulling the elegant writer colour into the image I sometimes place it back in the stamp platform and re stamp it to give some definition to the outline.

Here are a couple of videos for you to check out using the Elegant writer.

How to Use the Elegant Writer Pen by Karlyn Holman (23:24)

and

Vintage Watercolor Cake by Understand Blue (5:09)

Card 1- Stampers Anonymous poinsettia and script, BetterPress sentiment. I used a brush and water to draw the colour into the Poinsettia.

Card 2 Penny black stamp (Christmas Blush), BetterPress Sentiment. I used a brush and water to move the colour from the Elegant writer, when it was dry I watercoloured the flower with pealised watercolours.

Card 3 Penny Black Feathered Friends, Stampers Anonymous sentiment. I used a brush with water to pull the colour from the Elegant writer, when it was dry I watercoloured the Robin.

Card Recipe
Stamps: See the description for each card
Paper:
Ink:
Accessories: Elegant writer, Stamp Platform, watercolour pencils
Techniques: Elegant writer, Watercolouring

Treats on Tuesday at Magenta a Mona Charlotte and a Butterfly

Hi everyone I'm over at Magenta with another card using this sweet little Mona Charlotte the cat. I hope you head over and check out how I made this card.

stamps used

0847.O Mona Charlotte

0858.H Agrias Amodon

Card Recipe
Stamps: Magenta
Paper: 110Lb White, Mixed Media, Blue
Ink: Versafine Clair Nocturn
Accessories: Memento pens, Zig pens, gold gel pen
Techniques: Watercolouring, Kitchen roll ink transfer

Treats on Tuesday at Magenta - Elegant Writer

Hi Everyone, I'm over at Magenta playing with an Elegant Writer pen and some Christmas cards. My friend Susan reminded me how much fun these pens are. I hope you head over and check out how I made these cards and also check out Susan's beautiful card.

Stamps used

02.327P

02.329P

07.1065N

07.1057J

07.1019F

Card Recipe
Stamps: Magenta
Paper: Watercolour, 110Lb White, Black
Ink: Distress Ink  Weathered Wood
Accessories: Elegant Writer, Clear Sequins, Blue Metallic Pen
Techniques: Watercolouring