Shimmer and Shine ATC

 This month on 9ATC group, the theme is "Shimmer & Shine".  I decided to work on a black background.  The background I made is like the Shinning Stones technique. Sprinkled several colors of Perfect Pearls over black glossy card stock.

Sprayed water with a fine mist, over the Perfect Pearls.

Placed a second sheet of black glossy card stock on top and twisted a bit. Then separated the two sheets of black glossy card stock. Took a crumpled paper towel and dabbed over the two sheets to create the pattern you see below.

Cut the background into ATC sized pieces. Stamped a butterfly and a floral image with silver pigment ink and embossed with Silver Pearl embossing powder and heat set.

Colored inside the butterfly and the center of 3 flowers with interference violet Perfect Pearls.

Stamped a script image in the lower right corner with Perfect Medium and brushed on some Aurora Amethyst Violet Mica Powder. Also stamped a small butterfly in the upper left corner with Perfect Medium and brushed on this same mica powder.

Added a small purple rhinestone to the small butterfly image. Finished ATC:

Teal Color Perceptions ATC

The color is Teal (blue/green or green/blue) in July for the Color Perceptions ATC Swap on the ArtVentures Group. The ATC is to be predominately teal and be how the color teal makes us feel. In the summer, it's wonderful to sit by a teal colored pond and watch the dragonflies go by, so "Refreshing".

I started with a greenish card stock and colored it with peacock feathers Distress Ink (a teal color).

Next, cut out some teal colored background paper and stamped small dots on the bottom section with the same ink and colored the edges.

 Stamped a dragonfly image with forest green StazOn ink over a teal & yellow background paper and cut out the image.

 Layered the image over the background paper and onto the card stock, added the round "dragonfly label" and some teal colored "pearls".

Faerie ATC

The theme for 9ATC group is Faeries. I decided to make a dark forest faerie.

 Choose a vintage image of a woman in the woods with an owl. Made a mask to cover the woman and owl and used black dye ink and stamped flourishes in the background. Made another mask to cover everything but the dress, and used black dye ink to stamp on a web like image.

Rubbed black dye ink over a green web ribbon and  used gold fast drying metal gloss paint over black feathers.

 Adhered the green web ribbon to the left side of the ATC, used an xacto knife to cut behind the woman's shoulder and added the gold & black feathers. Used a gold metallic Gel pen to add an eye to the owl and large eyebrows to the woman.

"Something wicked this way comes"

Gold Color Perceptions ATC

The color is Gold in June for the Color Perceptions ATC Swap on ArtVentures Group. The ATC is to be predominately gold and be how the color gold makes us feel. I'm not a jewelry person, but I find something about the warm shimmer of gold to be very "seductive".

I found an appropriate vintage image to print out, and colored over the hair and clothes with two different gold metallic pencils.

 Used an embossing fold to emboss some gold colored paper. Brushed brass Lumiere paint over the surface, then wiped the paint off of the raised areas with a paper towel.

 Adhered the colored vintage image, then added a dot of gold Pearl Pen to the ring on the man's finger. Used sunset gold Lumiere paint to color the edges of the ATC.

 Added round and flat gold brads to the crown points, and attached a couple of different gold filaments to the bottom left corner with a mini gold brad.

Using Embossing Folders to Make Prints

Last night at stamp club, the demonstration was on using embossing folders to make prints. We had lots of fun! The instructions were to use complimentary ink colors and daub them on to the embossing folder (the side where the images are recessed). Then spritz the ink with water.

Then place your paper or cardstock inside the embossing folder. I like to flip the folder over and press down on the folder, ensuring I press the entire area.

The image on the left, is the print I made. I like the soft water color appearance. I then spritzed the embossing folder again over the leftover ink, placed another paper in the folder and got the fainter image you see on the right.

I decided to embossing the faint image with the same embossing folder I used to make the print (after cleaning off all the ink & water) and got this effect:

I found more intense color can be made with this technique by applying ink directly to the embossing folder, instead of using daubers. 

 I got three images from one inking by spritzing the folder with water between each printing. With the third and faintest image, I ran it through the same embossing folder to get this effect:

 With the second printing, I ran the print through a different embossing folder. I like how this turned out:

 I decided to try this technique with 4 colors, not complimentary. The ink pads were applied directly to the embossing folder for bold color. These images are the 1st, 2nd and 3rd printings with the same ink, spritzing with water each time before pressing.

 I also embossed each of these. The one on the left with a different, diamond embossing folder.
The middle one, originally with the diamond folder, but thought it distorted the print too much, so re embossed with the original embossing folder. You can see the faint diamond images.
the one on the right with the original embossing folder. I like how the looks are so different although they started with the same embossing folder and inks.

Here are some of the other prints I made at stamp club.

I love using the supplies I already own in new ways. Hope you get a chance to experiment with your embossing folders!

Articulated Art Doll ATC

 The theme this month on 9ATC group is Articulated Art Dolls. I found a vintage image of a ballet dancer, I thought would work. Cut one out of the base for the doll, then another one of the parts of the doll that will move. Colored the leotard and shoes pink, and added pink glitter ink to the hair and back buttons on the leotard.

 For the background, I used graph paper and stamped on a blueprint image with blue dye ink.

Adhered the base of the doll to the background paper, attached the arm, leg and head with mini black brads. Added a strip of black washi tape to the right side, and added a pink "pearl" to the circle image at the base of the ATC.

Pink Color Perceptions ATC

The color is Pink in May for the Color Perceptions ATC Swap on ArtVentures Group. The ATC is to be predominately pink and be how the color pink makes us feel. I'm not big on pink, I like some pink accents, but I must admit, some shades of pink bring out my "girly".

Layered two different pink background papers with an "all the pretty things" ribbon and colored the edges with Primrose dye ink.

 Colored a vintage image with two shades of pink Distress Markers.

 Added a bit of light pink lace to the atc background, attached the vintage image and made a pink lacy flower and attached some pink beads.

"Pretty in Pink"