Tag Archives: Heat Embossing

I Love Altenew’s Cherished Memories Stamp Set

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It’s been a pretty long time since I’ve made anything.  Being safe at home has given me the opportunity to appreciate time spent with family, be it in person or through video.  Card making has taken a back seat for too long, so I decided to pull out a new-to-me stamp set and get to work.

I started off by stamping a few of the flower and leaf images onto Bristol paper using Versafine Onyx Black ink and heat embossing with Recollections Ebony embossing powder. I hadn’t used my Zig Clean Color markers in a while, so I chose a few purple and green shades to use (082 and 080 for flowers and 053 and 044 for leaves) along with my waterbrush. Once the images were dry, I cut them out using the matching dies.

Now for card design…I’m never very good at following a plan. I usually just start putting things down and seeing what looks best to me. I’m also not very good at feeling comfortable with a lot of white space (something that I need to work on). I decided on using piece of Simon Says Stamp fog card stock for a foundation for my flower/leaves piece. To give it a bit of dimension, I dry embossed it using the Cuttlebug Checkered embossing folder. The sentiment I chose was from the Taylored Expessions Simple Strips set cut out using the matching die (if you haven’t seen these sets yet, you really need to check them out…brilliant design). I backed the strip with a piece of My Favorite Things Black & White Stripes paper.

I adhered the flower using foam tape, and thought I was done at that point. After finishing a card, I always walk away for a while. Usually, I come back and still like what I created. This time, it still looked a bit unbalanced. That’s when I added the small black strips on the diagonal corners. As soon as I placed them, I knew it was done.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Cute Birthday Card Using Both Digital and Stamped Images

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I have collected so many digital images that I just never seem to think about once I store them away in the appropriate folder on my computer.  After seeing a recent Instagram post from Kathy Racoosin (@kathyrac) where she colored a gorgeous digital image, I was inspired to go through my stash to find something that I could use on the birthday card that I was making.  As you’ll see, I decided to start pretty small, but I’m hoping that it will inspire me to use more digital images in the future.

My Empty Nest Creations Birthday Card using Bugaboo Digital RPHello image

I started by ink blending my background (4×5 1/4″) using Distress Oxides Broken China, Blueprint Sketch, Faded Jeans and Black Soot.  As you can see, I had a slight mishap on the lower part, but I kept going because I figured that I could “hide” it a bit with my dog image.  (For some reason, the mishap isn’t so obvious on the real card.  Lighting and camera seem to highlight it.)  I finished the background adding some water spritzes and some white heat embossed stars using Simon Says Stamp Birthday Celebrations stamp set.  The final touch for the background was a few clouds cut from vellum using Ellen Hutson Silver Linings die set.  In order to hide the spray adhesive on the clouds, I simply added some white gel pen lines.

On to the stamping and coloring…Using Spectrum Noir paper, I stamped the heart balloon from Concord & 9ths Monster Love stamp set using Gina K Amalgam ink, and I printed the cute dog from Bugaboo Digital Stamps (RPHello).  After some very basic coloring, I fussy cut both images and put them aside to dry a bit.

Putting everything together was easy.  Using foam squares for some dimension, I adhered the dog and balloon in places that would leave room for the birthday banner.  Before adding the banner, I tied and glued the string around the balloon end.  While I let that dry, I stamped the greeting using Hero Arts Stamp & Cut Ribbon Messages stamps, but I knew that I wanted to have a portion of the banner to wrap around the balloon string.  To do this, I used the partial die cutting technique that Jennifer McGuire has shown many times on her blog.  I let the die cut most of the image, but left the left side of the die off the cutting pad.  Using my scissors, I added a bit to wrap around the string.

Once the glue was dry on the balloon string, I attached the banner and glued the string to the dog’s paw, and called it done!

Thanks for visiting 🙂

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p.s.  If you’re not following Kathy on Instagram, you really should.  She is so incredibly talented and a genuinely nice person.  Also, be sure to check out Bugaboo Digital Stamps to see some adorable images.

A Note of Thanks Using the Mondo Hydrangea set from Ellen Hutson

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I have had this stamp set on my craft desk for quite a while now.  I bought it because I absolutely loved every single card that I saw on Instagram that used this stamp image.  I figured it was about time I gave it a go.

My Empty Nest Creations Thank You Card Using the Mondo Hydrangea Stamp Set

I started by black heat embossing the flower stamp onto a 4×5 1/4″ piece of Bristol paper (I used Bristol because I knew that I was going to be coloring with my Zig Clean Color markers).  I then cut a mask out of masking paper to cover the bloom so that I could black heat emboss a few leaves.  I really love heat embossing any image that I’m going to water color because the embossing keeps bleeding to a minimum.

I pulled out one blue, one yellow, two green Zig markers and my water brush and started coloring.  That’s another thing that I love about Zig markers…you only need a few to get different shading and dimension.  Once the flower and leaves were dry, I stamped the greeting from W Plus 9 Basic Banners stamp set with Faded Jeans Distress Oxide ink that matched the blue from the flower perfectly.  I found a scrap piece of blue Bazzill card stock and mounted the flower piece on top and then attached it to an A2 card base made from Neenah Solar White 110# card stock.  After stepping away for a bit, I decided that something just wasn’t quite right, so I pulled out a fine tip black marker and drew in the frame.  That was exactly what it needed.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Love These Stamp Images by Stacey Yacula for My Favorite Things

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I just had to buy the Warm & Feathered Hugs stamp set and dies from My Favorite Things.  The images are simply adorable.  This set has 3 owls that are dressed for winter, so I thought I’d better make some cards before the winter season is over.

My Empty Nest Creations Card using MFT Warm & Feathered Hugs stamp set

I started by stamping the darling owl images onto Bristol paper using Versafine Onyx Black ink.  My Zig brush markers hadn’t been used in a while, so I pulled those out to color the owls.  After they dried, I die cut the owls using the matching dies.

The background was created by masking off the bottom left corner for my snow hill and ink blending the rest using Broken China, Salty Ocean and Blueprint Sketch Distress Oxides.  Using a black fine tip marker, I drew the hill edge and, once again, pulled out my Zig markers to give the snow a bit of definition with the light blue marker.  I made a slight shadow for the owl/sled using some cool gray Copic markers.  I heat embossed the sentiment from Hero Arts Made with Love stamp set.  Before placing the owl on the card front with foam tape, I added some falling snow using a white gel pen.  I die cut the card front with the Avery Elle Wonky Stitches die and attached it to a Neenah Solar White 110# A2 card base.

Glad you stopped by!

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First Valentine Card Using Poppystamps Inlay Heart Die

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I’ve been away from card making for quite a long time.  Life became much more important to my husband and me.  We became grandparents for the first time about a month ago (6 weeks early) to twins—a boy and a girl.  We are beyond blessed!  Life certainly is good.

After being away for so long, I kind of lost my creative mojo.  My husband has been trying to get me into my craft room just to make something because he knows how much I do truly enjoy it.  So…here’s my first stab at a valentine card for 2019.

My Empty Nest Creations Valentine using Poppystamps Inlay Heart Die

I just bought this beautiful Inlay Heart die from Poppystamps, and the Messages for Every Day stamp set from Simon Says Stamp.  Poppystamps dies always cut perfectly, and the sentiments on this SSS stamp set are awesome!

I cut the die on a piece of pink Bazzill card stock (sorry, I don’t know the color name), and then cut it again using a piece of patterned paper from the 6×6 Front Porch paper pad from Pebbles, Inc.  I added a strip of the same patterned paper to the bottom of the pink piece and adhered it to an A2 white card base made from Neenah Solar White #110 card stock.  I placed the single patterned paper heart into the space on the inlayed heart and glued it down.

All that was left was to pick the right sentiment.  As I said before, this stamp set has an incredible selection of greetings.  There were 3 or 4 that would have worked, but I settled on the “I love you so much!” and white heat embossed it onto a piece of dark brown scrap paper that matched the striped paper I used for the heart.  I attached the sentiment strip using foam tape to give it some dimension.

I hope you like it!  Thanks for stopping by 🙂

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I Know They’re Anemones, but…

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I see poppies in Altenew’s Build a Flower Anemone stamp set.  I guess you can make them any flower that you want, right?

My Empty Nest Creations Altenew's Build a Flower Anemone

After masking the large flower outline and leaves stamps multiple times (stamped them in Memento Tuxedo Black), I colored them with Copic markers.  After the Copic coloring was complete, I added just a bit of colored pencils to the flowers for some subtle detail.  To give the flowers a bit of dimension, I simply outlined them with some cool gray Copic colors.

For the sentiment, I chose one from Technique Tuesday’s So Blessed stamp set and white heat embossed it onto a scrap of black card stock.  For some added interest, I matted that piece onto a strip of paper from My Favorite Thing’s Black & White Stripe 6×6 paper pad and attached it to the floral piece.

To finish it off, I attached the floral piece onto a top folding A2 card base made from 110# Neenah Solar White card stock.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Gotta Love Some Whale Humor

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Ever since Ellen Hutson came out with their S’Whale stamp set, I knew it was eventually going to be part of my stash.  I just love the sentiments in it, but it was the whales that immediately caught my attention.  Who doesn’t love some adorable whales, right?

My Empty Nest Creations Thanks a Ton Whale Card using Ellen Hutson's S'Whale stampsFor this card, I paired it with the Hero Arts Wave Background stamp.  First, I cut my piece of Bristol paper using the Memory Box Stitched Rectangles Layers die.  I’ve had the My Favorite Things Rectangle Peek a Boo Window die for forever, but I’ve never used it; so I thought I’d give it a try here.  Once that was done, I placed it on my vertical, top folding A2 card base and lightly traced the window.  After taping off the area around the penciled window, I white heat embossed that open space using my Hero Arts Waves Background stamp.  The coloring was very simple.  I used some Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers in various blue shades to create my ocean.

For the whale, I stamped it onto a scrap of Bristol paper using Versafine Onyx Black ink and colored with a few gray and blue Zig marker shades and my waterbrush.  After fussy cutting it out, I started to put my card together.

I adhered the window piece onto my card base with foam tape, and then placed my whale in the window, again using foam tape.  There are so many great sentiments in this stamp set, so I had trouble deciding which one to use.  I never have enough thank you cards, so I settled on “Thanks a ton”.  I white heat embossed it onto a piece of black card stock and placed it just below the window.

Once I had the card put together, I thought that it needed just a little more blue to balance it out a bit.  I simply glued a strip of blue card stock to the bottom.  I love it when I can use my paper scraps to finish a card.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Concord & 9th’s Hello Lovely…again!

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I just love this stamp set, and I seem to use it on every other card that I make.  It is just that beautiful.  I paired this stamp with some pretty bright Zig Clean Color markers.  I usually am drawn to more pastel or muted colors, but I wanted to venture a little beyond my normal comfort zone.

My Empty Nest Creations Concord & 9th's Hello Lovely Just For You card

I started by white heat embossing the floral image onto Bristol paper.  I especially like doing this because it makes using a water brush much easier.  I used several Zig Clean Color markers to paint the flowers and leaves.  To highlight the floral image, I lightly water colored a gray background using marker 091.

Using Waffle Flower’s Lacy Layers, I die cut the floral piece (what an adorable scalloped edge 🙂 and attached it to a piece of yellow card stock that matched the yellow flowers perfectly.  To give the card a little dimension, I used foam tape to adhere it to the purple polka dot card base.  This card base comes from a Pebbles Cardmaking pad that is loaded with adorable bright colored card bases.  All that was left, was the sentiment.  I white heat embossed a sentiment from Altenew’s Penned Rose stamp set onto a scrap piece of black card stock.

I hope you like it!

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Watercoloring with Distress Oxides AGAIN!

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Let me start by saying that I’m not the best at watercoloring anything, but I just love using Distress Oxides and heat embossing to create some “easy to color” images.  Anyone can color within the lines, right?

Here is my latest card…

My Empty Nest Creations Distress Oxide Watercolor Floral Birthday Card

I started by gold heat embossing and masking many times the rose from Altenew’s Penned Rose stamp set on a piece of Bristol paper.  For the watercolors, I used Peacock Feathers and Fossilized Amber Distress Oxides and a waterbrush.  Once that was dry, I cut it on a diagonal to fit a top folding horizontal A2 card base.  Before adhering it, I covered the whole card base with yellow paper that matched the yellow portions of my watercolor piece.  I attached my diagonal watercolor portion, and added a happy birthday die cut using Lawn Fawn’s Happy Birthday Line Border die and the scrap from my watercolor piece.  Because that scrap wasn’t long enough to cover the whole diagonal line, I simply cut the tail end after “birthday” off.

That’s all there was to it…a pretty simple and colorful birthday card.

Thanks for taking a look!

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My Entry for Freshly Made Sketches #330

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I love the latest sketch on the Freshly Made Sketches site.  It gives just enough structure, but allows for a lot of creativity.

FMS Final 330-001

Here’s my take on this sketch…

My Empty Nest Creations FMS #330 using Simon Says Stamp What's Brewing stamp set

To create the background, I taped off a section of the card base and blended Wilted Violet Distress Oxide ink over the Tim Holtz Dot Fade Layering Stencil.  This is the first time that I’ve used this stencil.  I can see it’s going to be a new favorite!

Using Simon Says Stamp’s What’s Brewing stamp set, the coffee cup was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Faber Castell Aquarelle watercolor pencils.  The heart accent was stamped with Wilted Violet Distress Oxide ink to coordinate with the stenciled background, and the sentiment was white heat embossed on black card stock.  After fussy cutting the coffee mug and using a circle punch to cut out the heart accent, I was ready to put my card together.

To finish, I glued the sentiment strip onto the stenciled area and adhered the coffee mug with foam tape to give it a little dimension.

Thanks for visiting!

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