Cardz 4 Guyz: Love You!

Love is in the air once again today, this time at Cardz 4 Guyz where the theme is Love You!  I always find male Valentine's cards quite tricky because I don't want them to be too cute or soppy (most of the men I know wouldn't appreciate it!)  So I have tried to create a very masculine looking Valentine's card which nevertheless gets the message across.

I created this card using a variety of techniques (and no patterned paper - unusual for me!)  I started off using a Kraft card blank and created my bottom layer by applying Versamark ink through a stencil and then applying mica powders in various metallic shades.  Then I applied some more Versamark around the edges and embossed using Wow! embossing powders.

For the square in the middle I used a piece of black card which I dry embossed using an embossing folder and then wiped over a Versamark inkpad so that the ink was picked up by the raised areas.  Then I applied mica powers and embossed around the edges in the same way as the lower level . 

I die cut the heart and the squiggles using dies from the Entwined collection by Leonie Pujol and embossed them using different colours of Wow! embossing powder.  I wrapped some squiggles around the heart and stuck it into the middle of the card, then wrapped some of the squiggles around each other and attached them at the corners.  Finally I added the sentiment "I'm happiest when I'm with you" which is from a Tim Holtz Ideaology pad.

I look forward to seeing everyone's creations at this week's Cardz 4 Guyz challenge.

Sian.  xx

Black Magic

I have made this card for the current Fantasy Stampers challenge, the theme of which is Black Magic.  The aim is to use black as the focal point of your work.  I would also like to enter it into the current Make My Monday challenge, which is no patterned paper.

I created both the background and the butterfly by stamping in Versamark ink on black card and brushing over with mica powders  I then matted and layered it onto purple card.  I used foam pads behind the square and the butterfly to give it some dimension, but I don't think this comes through well in the photo.  I wanted to keep this quite simple so as not to detract from the background so I added a bit of glitter to the butterfly, some purple gems and a large purple bow.  The sentiment, 'use your wings' is from the Tim Holtz Ideaology 'Small Talk' sticker pad, which has some lovely inspirational quotes.  The flower stamp used for the background is one that I've had for a long time, which came free with Craft Stamper Magazine.  I can't remember what brand the butterfly stamp is, but I do remember that I got it at the first ever craft show I went to, so it's quite old!

I always have difficulty photographing black cards and this one is no exception.  It's also a lot more shimmery in real life because again this is hard to capture in a photograph

Today I am sharing a card I made a while ago.  The dragonfly is a Sheena Douglass die cut, and I have also added a die cut background and flowers.

The background behind the dragonfly was created using inks and layered stamping, and I used mica powders on the dragonfly to make it shimmer.

Friendly Plastic and Mica Powders

This is a RAK for a friend.  I've used Friendly Plastic on a background which I've stamped in Versamark and covered with mica powders in various colours.  The butterfly is printed on acetate and shows up more in real life.  The word "Imagine" is stamped into Friendly Plastic.

It's a lot more colourful and shiny than it appears in the photo.