I'm travelling into a new way of working, a new country, a new language, and a new hobby which I'm passionate about. Come with me for some of the journey...

Friday 4 March 2016

Encore - Simple cards...

Encore Posts
While I'm away, there are some scheduled posts with new creations coming your way, but I'm also taking the chance to do some catching up here at Words and Pictures.   Projects which made their first appearances elsewhere for Design Team duties or Guest Designer opportunities, but which only had a sneak peek here, are being gathered together in the pages of my virtual scrapbook.  I'm calling them "Encore" posts and they're formatted differently (all the way down the centre), so you can spot them easily.
Please don't feel that you have to comment all over again!

So glad you enjoyed the Doll Exhibition over at Calico - thank you for stopping by even in my absence!  I've made it to Hong Kong, and had a lovely couple of days seeing a bit of the place, but now it's back into the theatre pretty much full time, with the odd break.  Internet is still unpredictable (think it's the hotel's fault here), but I hope to get round for some visiting once the shows are up and running.  But for now, I've another flashback post for you.  These cards were created as part of my Design Team work for The Artistic Stamper, and here's what I said back in June 2014...
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Simple???  Cards???  Yes, you did read that right...  Not only is today's project very simple, it also consists of a pair of cards.  Regulars at Words and Pictures will know that's a very strange double whammy indeed!  Still, it should mean a shorter post than usual!!


I wanted to play with the magnificent giant flower stamps, new from Katy Leitch.  I started by applying Distress Inks to the stamps, graduating the colours roughly from top to bottom.  I used Peeled Paint, Iced Spruce, Broken China and Faded Jeans.


Once it was inked, I gave the stamp a light spritzing of water and stamped onto watercolour cardstock.


I tapped Archival ink onto the little words at the bottom, just to keep those sharp and fresh whatever came next...


With that done, I then borrowed some techniques from one of last year's Tim Holtz tags - the June 2013 tag... I inked around the edges with a blending tool and then used a water brush to draw the ink in towards the image.


And I also put some ink onto the craft mat from Distress Markers in those same colours (except the Iced Spruce - don't have that as a DM as yet), and then let them soak into the nib of the brush.  Then you splatter delicate little ink droplets over your image.


I grabbed a couple of sheets of thick kraft card in A4 and, using the paler side, cut them to size to fit the watercolour panels I'd created.  I used the leftover cardstock to stamp my two sentiments - selected from various Tim Holtz sentiment sets - in Coffee Archival.


Obviously they were chosen partly because the font is similar on each, but also specifically for the shape of the words - a long tall one, and a wide flat one!


I inked both the sentiment panels and the borders of the card with the Coffee Archival ink pad, just brushing the pad against the card edges.


And inside each card, there's just a little echo of the image on the front.


This time they're stamped in Coffee Archival.


It's nice to get both versions of the stamping - the sharp clarity of the Archival, and the delicate softness of the "watercolour" Distress Ink.


Two cards, and they really hardly took any time at all...


I could get into this simple thing!!  Though it seems the post isn't that much shorter than usual.  I just like having lots of pictures, that's the trouble.


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Thanks so much for stopping by today for this Encore post.  There'll be another along soon, as well as some new projects scheduled in between.  I hope you're all well and thriving, and I'll see you again soon.  Happy Crafting all!

Flowers seem intended for the solace of ordinary humanity.
John Ruskin

35 comments:

maria's knutselplezier said...

These cards are amazing, I love the images , they look like they are painted, and I love the words !! I love the white paper on the brown and how you did the sentiment on the brown paper too!!

Have a nice time!!
Maria

Helen said...

Wonderful to see these cards again, Alison! Glad you've arrived in Hong Kong and have managed to see a little of it too before the hard work starts (continues!!)

froebelsternchen said...

AMAZING - I love them ... good to see them once more!

brenda said...

All so lovely Alison, the colours work so well with the kraft and some rater nice sentiments as well.

B x

Ruth said...

So, so beautiful and I love the text on Kraft card, stunning in their simplicity. LOVE! Ruth xx

Lucy Edmondson said...

These are just exquisite!

Lucy. X

chrissie said...

Nothing simple about this pair of stunning cards and I love the setting you used for the photographs it matches them perfectly.

Hope all is going well Alison

Love Chrissie xx

Pamellia said...

These are gorgeous Alison. I love the technique you used to get the multi-colouring on the stamped images, very effective and beautiful! hugs :)

A Pink said...

Two beauties! Alison Love those colour tones combined with the earthy tones of the kraftcard.
The watercolour stamping works so effectively with the lovely flower stamps and the torn edges add a touch of vintage .
hugs x

Almo said...

Ooh! I remember these two cards first time around and I loved the effect. Nice to see them again. Mo x

Dorthe said...

They are gorgeous,
the torn edges looking wonderful, and the stamps of flowers so amazingly done, with the spritzing of water , love it.
Also the words I like, ...maybe I should have a look for them, :-)
Have a lovely weekend, Alison.
Dorthe, xoxo

Redanne said...

Definitely worth a second look Alison! xx

Kay Wallace said...

Both of these cards are gorgeous, Alison! You have a way with Kraft that seems to escape the rest of us--oh, wait, that must be called talent! You exude it!!

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

They may be simple, but they are gorgeous!

Corrie Herriman said...

Wow, I love those ! So gorgeous and in my favourite colours of the moment ! Might be different next week !
lol
Corrie x

rachel said...

these are dreamy - really beautiful! Hugs rachel x

Astrid Maclean said...

That was such a great way of using those stamps Alison, love these!

Willy said...

OMGGG...love your simple cards!!!

Meggymay said...

A wonderful encore post Alison, these two are/were beautiful cards.
Yvonne xx

Margik said...

These cards are totally gorgeous Alison!
Mar xx

Paper Profusion said...

These are beautiful Alison, a treat to see again. Hope you manage some more escape time to absorb Hong Kong. I was there in 1991 (yikes, so long ago) as an extension to a trip through China. Not many tourists visited China then and Im sure if I could return now it would seem like a different country entirely. Anyway, I'll never forget the buzz and energy of Hong Kong, really liked it, as well as its fab shopping opportunities! Enjoy it all, Nicola x

Princess Judy Palmer said...

*Deep sigh* These are wonderful!

SueC said...

Beautiful, elegant cards Alison. Hope your time in Hong Kong is inspirational ! Sue C x

Deb said...

I think that I would call these cards simply elegant rather than simple Alison, they are gorgeous! Missed them the first time round so very thankful you shared them again. Hope you are not having to work too hard in HK and are getting time to explore and enjoy, have fun! Deb xo

Pawsitively Creative said...

Love these cards and it seems like something I could possibly do. Cards scare me! hehe! Thanks for the info and the step by step. Hope you are having fun and enjoying yourself! hugz ~Niki

Darlene G said...

Beautiful.

Brenda Brown said...

Beautiful cards Alison. So glad you've had a hit of time for exploring and seeing the sights. Good luck with the show.
Hugs Brenda xxx

Cocofolies said...

Of course I remember perfectly these cards!!!! :)
Enough lucky to have received one.. Still loving it!
Hugs again xxx

Barbara said...

I am never disappoint! every time I visit your blog I do it with great curiosity and each time I am fascinated by your projects! In addition to your technical ability I love your way of expressing thoughts! Fabulous as always! Barbara

pearshapedcrafting said...

So glad you got to look around Honk Kong before the hard work began again! The cards are beautiful of course - such gorgeous stamps too! Hugs, Chrisx

Unknown said...

Gorgeous colours!! Looks like a loose watercolour botanical sketch xx

Sue said...

These are beautiful, love the soft watercolour effect xx

Sandy said...

Beautifully done with such great sentiments.
sandy xx

Maggie said...

Lovely fresh cards loving the stamps
MaggieH

SewPaperPaint said...

I really love this watercolor stamping! The flowers and the large size are so pretty this way! <3