Road Trip

For today's card, I'm showcasing several Die-Versions dies including some that are in the Farewell category.

They are the Old Globe - East, My Micro font, Bon Voyage Sweet Spot,  Lucky Scallops, and Old Suitcase Sweet Petite (retired).

To create the Old Globe, I used the Painting with Embossing Powders technique.  (You can click here to see other posts using this same technique.)  Start out by adding some VersaMark to the image and then pour your first color of embossing powder on top and heat set.  Then begin adding more colors right on top of the original color and heat set from below.  There's no need to add more VersaMark between colors as you are melting the powders from the bottom.  This is also another way to add dimension to your piece.  The frame for the Old Globe consists of Blackened Bronze and Copper Flame mixed media embossing powders.  For the land, I started out by adding Madagascar Green as the base and then added Moss, Chocolate Sparkle, and Magic Speckle until I was happy with the results.  The water is Ocean Marbled embossing powder and the Old Suitcase and Bon Voyage sentiment were heat set using Tuscan Star embossing powder.  (All the embossing powders are manufactured by Sparkle N Sprinkle.)

I love using the Painting with Embossing Powder technique because there isn't a right or wrong way to do it.  Just keep adding color (and dimension) until you are happy!

There are lots of great dies listed in the Farewell Sale. (I already own lots of them :-).  So if you'd like to get any, you better hurry before they are gone.

If you'd like to earn 15% off your total purchase, be sure to add the code anne15 to the coupon box when you check out.  This discount is good on all the everyday prices.  Have fun shopping!

Hello

Today's card features a couple older Die-Versions dies and lots of embossing powders.  I die cut the Feather die several times to create the background and the Hello Express Edge was used to create the sentiment.  (Enabler alert: the Express Edge die is on the Farewell Sale list right now, so if you like it you need to get it before it's gone.)

To create the multi-colored feathers, I started out by covering the die cut with VersaMark and then I sprinkled on the various colors of embossing powders.  I did not heat set in between each color.  The embossing powders I used were all from Sparkle N Sprinkle (Black, Blueberry, Copper Mountain, Dust Storm).

Once the embossing powder was heat set and cooled, I then added some Rose Gold Velvet glitter to the top of the die cut.  I heat set this again from the bottom.  As you reheat the embossing powder, the glitter melts into the embossing powder.  This gives you a bolder strip of glitter versus using the glueless glitter technique, which has a more subtle glitter look.

For the Hello sentiment, I added a bit of bling using the Spectrum Noir Sparkle markers (Aquamarine) and then I covered it with Glossy Accents for a bolder, shiny look so that it would stand out a bit more.

Mixing and matching embossing powders is a fun and quick technique that will give you different results every time.  If you don't like how it came out, you can always sprinkle a little more embossing powder over the top and re-heat it.

Be sure to visit the rest of the Die-Versions team to see what they've created.  If you want to get a 15% discount on your total Die-Versions purchase, use the code anne15 during checkout.

Make A Wish

There are so many things you can create with the new Stitched Nesting Stars dies from Die-Versions.  As I usually do when I get a new die, I cut the shapes out from scraps of cardstock to get a better feel for what I want to create with them.  As I was tossing these around my desk, they sort of overlapped and it sparked an idea of creating a star-filled night sky.

A few years ago, I had seen a demo of painting with embossing powders and it stuck with me.  That's what I decided I wanted to try for this project.  It's definitely a trial and error type of technique - you just keep adding embossing powders and playing with it until you're happy with the results.  For this background, I used Ranger embossing powders (Turquoise and Blue Glass).

I started out by covering the cardstock with the lighter Turquoise embossing powder.  Then I began sprinkling the Blue Glass on top and heating it from underneath so that the powder wouldn't blow away.  I kept adding a little of one and then the other until I thought it looked like a night sky.

I also used a different medium on each of the stars for various sparkle.  The largest star was heat embossed using Stampendous Star Dust embossing powder.  The medium solid star was heat embossed with Clear embossing powder and the small solid star was heat embossed with Opaline embossing powder.  Spectrum Noir Sparkle markers added the additional bling to the open star.

My sentiment is a Sweet Wordlet and was also covered with the Sparkle markers.  The black card base represents deep, deep space and Nuvo Glitter Drops by Tonic Studios (Midnight Sky) give it the added shimmer and sparkle. :-)

Don't forget to use the code anne15 to get 15% of your Die-Versions order.  Just add the code to your cart at checkout for added savings.

Thinking About You

This month at Sparkle N Sprinkle, the designers are combining SNS products with chipboard from Want 2 Scrap.  For today's card, I used the painting with embossing powder technique on both the bird and the background.  This post is photo heavy with step by steps of how the chipboard was painted. 

To start off, I usually add White embossing powder to the naked chipboard.  If you are using brighter colors, this allows the truer color to show; otherwise it is a darker shade because of the brown base.

The background for my bird is the Fleur de Lis Nestaboard and I chose three different colors of blue to create the sky: Bracing Blue, By the Lake, and Sky Blue Spark.  I used the Stampendous Boss Gloss Embossing Ink on top of the heat set White embossed background.  If you look closely (you can click on the image to enlarge it), this embossing ink doesn't go on smoothly on top of an already heat embossed area like VersaMark does; it creates little puddles of ink.  For this background, I was fine with these dots (or puddled areas) as it reminded me of white clouds peeking through.  If you don't want the dots (or puddles), then you should use a different embossing ink.  (Note: If it's the first coat of embossing ink, this works just like any other brand of embossing ink and it's super easy to apply with the dauber top.)

Now it's time to start painting the chipboard bird.  This is actually a large piece with multiple birds called Birds of a Feather,  but I cut off the one I wanted.  I started out by adding color to the branch he was sitting on using Coffee embossing powder.  

Next came the leaves with Emerald embossing powder used for the base.   I used the VersaMarker to draw in the veins before adding Forest Green embossing powder.

For the bird, Concord was used for his body and feet, Red Apple for his head and wings, and Platinum for his beak.  I heat set each color before adding the next color.  Then I added a few details using a permanent fine tip marker.

The card base was die cut using a Sue Wilson Designs die (Noble die-Double Pierced Rectangle, Set B).  The center portion was then dry embossed using a Sue Wilson Designs embossing folder (Rambling Blossoms) and then I did a faux letterpress technique (from Sue Wilson) on top of the dry embossing. 

The thin frame, which gets cut when you use several of the dies from this set together, was pop dotted with dimensional tape and the center dry embossed, faux letterpressed paned was recessed.  The sentiment is also a die cut and is from Lawn Fawn (Thinking About You Border die).

Hope you enjoyed the process and it inspires you to try this technique too.