Faux Mother of Pearl

I had fun at a Stampin Up! card workshop and learned this fun & easy technique. Use a wadded up piece of plastic wrap to pick up a slight amount of Pearl White Lumiere paint and dab over white card stock and let dry. It dries fairly quickly with the small amount of paint used.
I love how this looks, very shimmery in the light.
And you can stamp over it! Here I used Midnight Blue StazOn ink. You can used dye ink also.
Here's the card I made using this piece:

Crackled Collage

After making the Rock Candy Distress Stickles Collage, I wanted to try doing it with Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint in place of the Stickles. All the steps are the same, except instead of applying a thin layer of stickles, applied a thick layer of crackle paint and let dry. Tim says, after allowing the cracks to start to appear on their own, you can use a heat tool to finish the cracking/drying.
I did get some bubbling of the paint while drying with the heat gun. Next, cover the paint with Distress Ink using a blending tool. Work the ink into the cracks.
Mist a cloth or paper towel with water and lightly wipe over the inked surface to reveal the paint and collage underneath.
I like how this looks. I needed to use a stronger adhesive under my paper to start with, but I like it anyway!

Book Study - Rock Candy Distress Stickles Collage

On NGS group, we're doing a study of Tim Holtz's book "A Compendium of Curiosities". This week we're looking at the section on Rock Candy Distress Stickles over a collage. Create a collage on a tag or card. Tim says to use a strong paper adhesive for this step.Stamp images with permanent waterproof ink. Make sure ink is dry before the next step.
If desired, ink the background with Distress ink using an ink blending tool. I used wild honey. Make sure it's dry before continuing.
Apply a thin layer of Rock Candy Distress Stickles over the entire surface, spread with your finger to ensure it's a thin layer. Allow to dry.
Finished background. Hard to photograph to get all the sparkle to show.

Fantasy Film ATC

We're doing an ATC swap using Fantasy film over on DCI group. Took the Opals/Fantasy Film Stained Glass Paper I made earlier today and adhered to white paper.
Ran it through a textured embossing folder (as you move the piece in the light the colors change, so cool).
Mounted on dark card stock. Added a vintage image, some small metal stars (colored with gold & yellow alcohol inks) and a ribbon with a phrase.
Can't wait to see what the others create!

Opals/Fantasy Film Stained Glass Paper

Fun technique I found on the After Midnight Art Ranch blog, watch the video here. Great way to use up scraps if you have them.
Cut up variety of colors on a craft sheet and sprinkle small amount of Opals Franklin over them. Lay another craft sheet (or parchment sheet) on top and press a hot dry iron over them for a few seconds.
If there are any holes, cover with more scraps, replace craft sheet and iron again.
Here's the same piece in the window. Fun!
Think I need to buy more colors.

Quilting for baby Nicolas

We're expecting a new grandson and his nursery has a jungle theme, so I've been busy sewing. Quilted giraffe:
Quilted elephant:

Quilted lion:
Jungle baby quilt:
abc quilt:

Book Study - Rusted Enamel

Continuing with our Book Study of Tim Holtz's book " A Compendium of Curiosities" on NGS group. This week we're looking at the section "Rusted Enamel". Ink a tag or card with your choice of color Distress Ink, directly from the pad. Completely cover the card with ink. While the ink is still wet, apply clear embossing powder over the entire card. Then turn the tag over, firmly flick the back to knock some of the embossing powder off the tag (not too much).
Heat the embossing powder with a heat tool until the powder first turns clear & shiny, then stop. Don't over heat. Let it cool.
Ink over the entire card with a brown colored Distress Ink using a blending tool. Work the ink into all the crevices. Then wipe off the excess ink with a cloth or paper towel.
Love the look of this, pretty quick and simple. Tim says if you want to stamp over this rusted enamel be sure to use permanent ink.

Book Study - Perfect Distress

On NGS group, we're doing a study of Tim Holtz's book "A Compendium of Curiosities". This week is the section "Perfect Distress". You'll learn more about this technique by watching Tim doing a video demo here.
First step is to ink the card/tag any way you choose and heat set. The one on the left is Direct to Paper (DTP) with wild honey Distress Ink. The one on the right is DTP with peeled paint Distress Ink and then rubbed on shabby shutters Distress Ink with a blending tool.
I added text over the background with black Distress Ink and heat set.
For the technique these next steps need to be done quickly so I don't have individual photos. On this one, stamped clock image with aged mahogany Distress ink, immediately, while the ink is still wet, apply dry Perfect Pearls (I used gold) over the image, work the powder around with the brush and brush the excess powder off. Then mist the card with water from a mini mister. This is supposed to set the Perfect Pearls and also wick the Distress Ink color from underneath the Perfect Pearls. I must of used too much water, both the ink the the Perfect Pearls ran. Use a heat tool to stop the ink running. I'm sure I can use this piece later, when I play with it some more.
For the second one, stamped butterflies with dusty concord Distress ink, brushed on blue Perfect Pearls and misted with water. This one I used less water. The Perfect Pearls didn't run, but the ink didn't run much either with this try.
I still like how it turned out:
One more try! DTP Distress ink to card, then used StazOn ink for the script, set with a heat tool.
Did as above, but used less water when misting.
Piece photographed straight on:
Card tilted so you can see the Perfect Pearls over the stamped image.
Interesting technique, but takes a careful touch with how much water to spray on.

For Fun

Made a place marker in my notebook for the upcoming "B" technique ATCs. Cut out a piece from a Brayered Gesso Resist Background and added a large decorative "B" die cut sticker.

Large Print Quilts

I was given some large print floral fabrics to play with. These are for Comfort Quilters.

"B" Technique ATC

For the ATC swap using a "B" technique on Art-Ventures, I choose the Brayered Re-inker background, I'd made yesterday using the Dr. Ph. Martins Iridescent inks. Cut the sheet into ATC sized pieces, then stamped flourishes with silver Brilliance ink, and inked the edges with this same ink.
Stamped an image with Black StazOn ink onto the blue brayered re-inker background from yesterday. Colored the edges with the silver Brilliance ink. Stamped the words with black graphite Brilliance ink. Added a strip of music themed tissue tape, added a white paper flower with a large iridescent rhinestone.

Brayered Re-inkers revisited

This is a fun technique that I've done before. Thinking of using it for my "B" technique ATC swap. On one sheet of 8-1/2" x 11" coated paper, used a mixture of 3 blues, 2 are dye inks and 1 Dr. Ph. Martin Iridescent Colors. Drops on craft sheet, pick up with brayer and brayer on to paper.
These colors blended together very well.
On another sheet used 3 different Dr. Ph. Martin Iridescent colors.
Light, but fun.
Next sheet of paper, used 3 different colors of dye inks.
Looks good.
This is one of those techniques that will look different every time you do it. Not sure which one I'll use.