A Spring Card - Step By Step - Papermilldirect DT

Hello, I have a new step-by-step to share with you, this time a Spring card to tie in with the brand new ‘Hello Spring’ craft challenge from Papermilldirect!  My favourite Spring colours are pretty pinks, lilacs and bright spring greens and so I’ve chosen these colours alongside white card to make them pop.

Step By Step:

Start by cutting the ‘flowers’ create a card die from Papermilldirect white card, I am using PMD White Linen as I love the texture. Remove all the waste bits of card and set panel aside for later. (I like to cut the white card first before I get inky fingers!)

Take a piece of PMD white card a bit bigger than the die cut panel, (As I am using watercolour inks I’ve chosen PMD White Hopsack card)  Add random swashes of watercolour ink using water brushes to cover the panel. 

 I am using Oak House Studio Colour Chemistry Inks in Paris Pink, French Lavender, and Bramley Apple colours. Leave the panel to dry naturally, or use a heat gun for speed.

Stamp the sentiment ‘Spring has Sprung’ in black Archival ink onto PMD white card, I’m using the back of a piece of PMD White Linen card.

Use nesting circle dies to cut out the sentiment, then cut the next size up circle from PMD Spring Green Lustre Print Silver card which is a nice match for the ink.

Take die cut panel and place against (dried) inked background, decide where to place it and trim background panel to size of die cut panel.

Create a card base by scoring & folding PMD white card and trimming down to create an approx. 15cm square card base.  (Either adhere background panel now to card front or wait and add the matted panel to card front when it's already layered).

Add 3D foam pads to back of die cut panel, you can place them behind the big flowers too as these will be hidden by gems later.

Carefully place die cut panel onto inked background panel so it lines up before pressing firmly down to secure the foam pads.Glue Spring Green die cut circle into the centre and add the sentiment circle on top using 3D foam pads to give height.

To finish, add adhesive gems to flower centres in clear, light pink and light green colours.  There are also 3 large flowers on the die cut panel that have petals that can be lifted and prised outwards to create extra interest.
This card would work equally well using a different set of Spring Colours, perhaps lemons and blues? Don't forget to share your makes over on the facebook page or why not enter a spring card or papercraft project in the new' Hello Spring' craft challenge?

Materials Used:
White Linen Card - Papermilldirect
Value White Card 300gsm - Papermilldirect
White Hopsack Card 255gsm - Papermilldirect
Spring Green Lustre Print Silver 300gsm - Papermilldirect
Watercolour Inks:  Paris Pink, French Lavender, Bramley Apple – Oak House Studio
Dies: Craft a Card 6x6 Flowers die, Scalloped Circle Dies - First Edition
Stamp: from Blooming Lovely set – Dovecraft
Ink: Jet Black Archival Inkpad - Ranger
Adhesives: D/S Tape, 3D Foam pads, Clear Drying Glue
Embellishments: Adhesive Gems in Clear, light pink, light green – Dovecraft

Thanks Card step by step using Derwent Watercolour Pencils - Papermilldirect DT

Hello I have a step by step for this Thanks card to share with you today. I am also testing the Derwent Watercolour Pencils, this is the first project I’ve completed with them so I have kept it simple.  As I am using a bit of water for this technique I have chosen to work with the PMD Hemp card.

Step by Step:

I like the effect of white embossing and have chosen a large stamp with lots of open spaces for this.  I’m using one of the large Double Daisy stamps (all links at the end) and have stamped onto Papermilldirect White Hemp card using a Versamark inkpad, sprinkled with white embossing powder and heat embossed.

Start to add colour using the Derwent Watercolour Pencils, I used the pencils dry to start with and applied brown colours around the centre area, then went in with a water brush (or a paintbrush) to gently blend the colours together.  Working in further colours as desired such as oranges and reds, using the water brush to gently mingle the colours. It is easy to regulate, if you add too much water, just blot with tissue, or if you’ve added too much colour just blend away with the brush. 

When you’re happy with the flower add some background colours, I’m using greens and blues and just blending them outwards.  If you want a more intense colour, then go back in with your pencils and build up more colour, the watercolours stay workable. 

Allow your image to dry, I used a blast from my heat gun to speed it up but let it dry fully before stamping the sentiment.  Stamp ‘Thanks’ using black Archival ink at bottom right of daisy.  Don’t worry if the stamping is not solid, it will pick up the texture from the Hemp card which works well with the canvas effect.

Score & fold papermilldirect card and trim down to create a card blank approx. 5 ½” square.  When the ink is dry, trim the watercolour panel down to about 4 ½ x 4 ¼” and mount onto a slightly larger piece of Papermilldirect Smooth Black card.  Mount completed panel onto card front using 3D foam pads to give height.

Verdict: I haven't used watercolours often so I am quite impressed that these Derwent pencils allowed me to feel like an ‘artist’, the colours are well chosen within the 12 pack I’m using, and they are so easy to blend that creating your own shades is easy.  I found using the pencils dry and then water brushing to release and blend the colours was a simple way to achieve a good result.  For adding lighter colours or more precise application, I used the tip of my water brush directly onto the pencil tip to collect colour.  These pencils are very good value, you don’t need much to add good colour and so they will last a long time.

I do hope you’ll pop by to see the next project I will be posting soon with the watercolour pencils

Angela x

Materials Used:
Derwent Watercolour Pencils (12) - Papermilldirect
White Hemp Card 255gsm - Papermilldirect
Black Smooth Card 250gsm - Papermilldirect
Double Daisy Stamp Set – Oak House Studio
Versamark / Embossing ink pad
White embossing powder
Jet Black - Archival ink pad – Ranger
Thanks clear stamp – DCSTP077 – Dovecraft
Adhesives: D/S tape, 3D foam pads

Your Dreams Take Flight - Gelatos Tutorial

Hello I'm back to share a new +Papermilldirect  DT project and step by step with you.  This week I'm testing out the new Papermilldirect Hopsack textured card along with some Gelatos to create a backgound for my Kite themed card.

Gelatos are a creamy soft medium that come in packaging that's a little like lipbalm! Take off the cap, twist them and they are ready to use direct to card etc, you can also apply with fingers, sponges, brushes and being water-soluable can be used to add colour to your projects in different ways, today I'm blending them with a baby wipe as this is an easy way to blend and dilute the colours without adding lots of water making them ideal for working on cardstocks without warping or pilling.

Step By Step:

Cut a piece of Papermilldirect White Hopsack textured cardstock approx 4 1/2" square. Scribble across the top using blue Gelatos (I'm using 2 shades of blue).  Take a baby wipe and blend the colours across the cardstock using circular motions, you'll see they blend so easy and you can scribble in extra colour if you need to.

 

Continue working down your square of hopsack card scribbling lines of different colours across and blending each time with a baby wipe until the panel is completely coloured.  I'm graduating from the blue through pink, orange, yellows and greens but you can use less colours if you wish.

Using black memento ink, stamp a decorative diamond stamp (Oak House Studio) onto PMD white Hopsack card.  Have fun colouring in your stamped image using alcohol markers (I'm using a selection of First Edition markers)

Add highlights or extra details to the diamond using a white gel pen.  Stamp sentiment words onto white hopsack card using black Archival ink.  The words I'm using are from Oak House Studio and I have cut the phrases to give individual words of: Your, Dreams, Take, Flight to fit with my Kite theme, ypu could of course use your own wording and either stamp or print out to suit your theme.

Create a card blank by scoring and folding an A4 sheet of PMD white hammered cardstock, trim down to create a square cardbase that will be just under 6"x6". Mount gelato panel onto a slightly larger square of PMD black card using d/s tape and then again centrally onto the card front.  Use d/s tape and glue to attach a length of blue & white twine to the Diamond to turn it into a kite. Use a black pen to outline each stamped word.

I have used a white chalk ink to stamp some subtle circles onto the gelato background, just to add a little extra depth before attaching the kite using 3D foam pads.  Tie pieces of twine onto kite string and trim to create ribbons, dabs of glue will hold the twine in place on the card front.  Using a clear drying glue, arrange words to spell out the sentiment and glue in place.

Gelatos are a fun way to add colour and can be blended with your fingertips or diluted with water or added to other mediums as well as being used with a small brush to add colour to your stanped images, you can even use them to stamp with too.  I love how easily they blend on the Papermilldirect Hopsack textured card to create quick and colourful backgrounds. 

Materials List:

White Hopsack Card - Papermilldirect

White Hammered Card - Papermilldirect

Smooth Black Card - Papermilldirect

Decorative Diamond Stamp - Oak House Studio

Sentiment words & Circles - from stamp sets - Oak House Studio

Alcohol Markers - First Edition

Black Memento Inkpad, Black Archival Inkpad, White Chalk Inkpad

D/S Tape, Clear Drying Glue, 3D Foam Pads

White Gel Pen, Black Fineliner Pen, Babywipes

Gelatos - Brights Set - Faber-Castell

Autumn Themed Card - Step by Step Tutorial

Hello, another week has gone by so fast, these hot lazy days of summer won't last and soon it will be Autumn.  In preparation this week the Design Team are working on the themes of Autumn or Custom Backgrounds and are working with a Special Offer ‘Gold Sandgrain’ card , the featured stock card this week is ‘Mocha Brown’.  I have chosen the autumn theme using the Gold Sandgrain, Mocha Brown, and White Linen card along with some simple stamping and water colouring to create a Thank You card.
The Sandgrain card is a lovely gold colour and has a beautiful textured effect, it die-cuts perfectly through my Big Shot machine (even with my worn out plates) and doesn’t lose any of its texture.  I have used it here to highlight the leaf panels, adding a touch of luxury to the design and complementing the gold detail embossing.  This is a really great card to have in your stash and will be especially good for Christmas makes as well as autumn and all year round really.

Step by Step:

Take a scrap piece of card (I am using an offcut of PMD White Felt embossed from my stash)  Apply Watercolour inks in autumnal shades swishing over the card randomly, I am using Oak House Studio Bramley Apple Green, Vintage Sepia & Juicy Orange diluted with water.  Use a brush loaded with diluted vintage sepia and flick it onto the card to create extra splashes of interest.  Leave card to dry or speed it up by using a heat gun.

 Using versamark ink, stamp 3 different leaves onto the water coloured card.  Sprinkle with gold detail embossing powder, tip off excess powder and emboss using a heat gun until the powder has melted.

Use Scissors or a craft knife to carefully cut out each leaf leaving a small border all around.  Using nesting dies (I’m using FE torn edge dies) cut 3 larger squares (approx. 2 ¼”) from Papermilldirect Gold Sandgrain and 3 smaller squares (approx. 2”) from PMD Mocha Brown Card.

Layer the smaller squares centrally on top of the gold Sandgrain squares using glue or d/s tape.  Add a leaf to each matted square using 3D foam pads.  Shape the leaves a little so the edges ruffle up to give texture.

Create a card blank by scoring & folding an A4 sheet of Papermilldirect White Linen card and trim to create a 5” x 7” standard card base.
Cut a strip of Papermilldirect Mocha Brown card and cut a fancy edge along the bottom using decorative scissors (I’m used Victorian Edged).  Stamp a Thank You sentiment at RH side using versamark ink and heat emboss with gold detail embossing powder.  Adhere strip across bottom of card using double sided tape.   Arrange the 3 leaf panels on card front overlapping them and the the sentiment strip.  Glue down when happy with placement.

This is a simple card design that could easily be adapted for other occasions, the autumnal colours would work well for a male themed card. 

Materials Used:

Gold Sandgrain – Special Offer Card – Papermilldirect

Mocha Brown – Featured Card – Papermilldirect

White Linen Card – Papermilldirect

Torn Edge Nesting Dies – First Edition

Victorian Edged Creative Scissors – Dovecraft

Bramley Apple, Vintage Sepia, Juicy Orange – Pure Colour Chemistry Inks – Oak House Studio

Winter Leaves Stamps – Oak House Studio

Script Sentiment Stamps – Oak House Studio

Gold Detail Embossing Powder – Oak House Studio

Plus, D/S Tape, 3D Foam Pads, Glue, Versamark embossing pad

Twist Turn Card - Step By Step Tutorial

Hello, I have a new Step By Step Tutorial to share with you.  This week the Papermilldirect Design Team are working on the theme of ‘Twist Turn’ cards, these are great little cards to make adding an extra fun element to your designs.  There is also a new Special Offer card:  Natural White Matt 260gsm which I am using to make my Twist Turn card this week:

Step By Step:

There are lots of videos and instructions online for Twist Turn cards, (this version is adapted from the June Issue of Quick Cards magazine) Trim an A4 sheet of PMD Natural White Matt (special offer card) to measure approx. 21.5cm x 14cm.  Daw a central line across the sheet, then mark a line down at 7cm and another at 10cm.  Draw the diagonal lines from 7cm to centre line at 10cm and do the same in reverse for the bottom diagonal.  Score and fold all lines: the 7cm line down will be a mountain fold, the 10cm line down will be a valley fold. The small diagonals will be mountain fold. And the centre score will be mountain fold to create the card base.  Crease folds firmly using a crease mouse or flat scoring tool.

Take a pieces of PMD Natural White Matt card and watercolour, I’m using Peacock Green Colour Chemistry inks and a water brush.  Add random spatters of Jubilee Blue and Vintage Sepia inks by flicking them from the end of a brush.  Blot with a paper towel, then leave to dry or use a heat gun for speed.

Stamp text onto 1 piece of the water coloured card using Triple Blue Skies inkpad to give an ombre effect.  I am using the OHS ‘English Garden Words stamp’ as it is a nice size to fit the card panels.  Leave to dry or speed up using a heat gun.

Using versamark ink, stamp a medium sunflower image onto scrap PMD Natural White Matt card and sprinkle with gold detail embossing powder.

Tip off excess embossing powder and pour back into pot for next time.  Use a heat gun to heat emboss the image until all the powder has melted and it has turned a lovely gold colour.  Colour the sunflower with shades of yellow and orange, I’m using the Triple Sunshine Yellows inkpad, along with Citrus Yellow, and Juicy Orange inks.

Continue adding as much detail to the sunflower as you wish with the inks, I have used a reddish brown colour ink to make the centre darker and add more shading to the petals.  Add a colour wash around the outside edges and when dry cut around the sunflower using scissors or craft knife.

Ink around the card base edges and outer folds using orange inks to add definition.  Trim the text stamped panel to approx. 10.5cm x 6.5cm and adhere to card front, add a matching panel (without text) to the back, adhere using d/s tape and /or glue.  Add 6.5cm squares of water-coloured card to the 2 square panels and small triangles to the LH inner folds if desired.

Diecut a ‘Thanks’ sentiment from PMD Black Card and add to text panel using glue to adhere.  Add 3D foam pads to back of sunflower and add to the front square of the twist turn card.

I was really impressed with how the Papermilldirect Natural White Matt card takes the watercolour inks and the heat embossing with no pilling or warping,  it scores and folds beautifully and is a perfect weight for these card styles, so it’s a versatile all round card to have in your stash.

Have you made any Twist Turn cards using papermilldirect cardstocks?, don’t forget to post your makes over on the PMD facebook page, so we can take a peek, Angela x

Materials Used:

Natural White Matt Finish Card - Papermilldirect

Smooth Black Card - Papermilldirect

English Garden Words Stamp - Oak House Studio

Medium Sunflower Stamp - Oakhouse Studio

Triple Pigment Ink Pads, Pure Colour / Colour Chemistry Inks - Oak House Studio

Gold Detail Embossing Powder - Oak House Studio

Thanks Word Die - Clearly Besotted

Plus: Versmark Inkpad (or embossing inkpad), D/S Tape, Glue, 3D foam pads

You Colour My World - Guest Blogging with Oak House Studio

Hello, I'm back again to share a simple card design step by step created with Oak House Studio products. I was invited to Guest Blog for OHS and this is my 3rd project.  

 (I would also like to enter this card into the July Make It Take it Challenge over at Craft Stamper Magazine, which is an 'Anything Goes' theme this month)

As the theme this month is Rainbow Colours I thought I would make use of those fabulous Triple Ink pads, there are enough to cover the whole rainbow.  I started by stamping circles onto white card, using the lightest 2 colours in each of the triple colour ink pads.  (The circle stamp I have used is from the Flowers & Circles stamp set but I notice that a brand new set of Circle College stamps has just appeared in the Oak House Studio Shop, perfect timing!!)  I stamped a butterfly onto each circle using the darkest shade from each of the 5 triple ink pads so that each circle was colour coordinated and when dry I used a circle die to cut out which also left a little white border all around.

 The card base is simply an A4 sheet of Papermilldirect White Linen card, one of my favourite card textures, scored, folded and trimmed to approx. 7” x 5” card base.  I chose the sentiment stamp ‘You Colour my world’ stamping the words in black Memento ink along the bottom of the card base, apart from the word ‘Colour’ which was fun to stamp using the triple inkpads to give a rainbow effect to the word.

To coordinate with the black ink and add definition to the circles I cut an extra panel of white linen card approx. 3” x 7” and matted onto black card to give a small black border top and bottom, adding to card front using d/s tape and trimming edges flush with card.

To create extra interest with a raised effect I added 3D foam pads to the back of each circle.

Position circles onto card front panel with butterflies in different positions and circles overlapping slightly, when happy with positioning remove backing from foam pads and press into place. I found it easier to stick down the first circle and the last one before adding the others.

 I’ve tried to keep this card CAS (clean & simple) with lots of white space and confining the colour to circles, it can easily be adapted using other stamps such as flowers in place of the butterflies or by using some of the other sentiments in the stamp set. 

Products used:

Flowers & Circles Stamp Set

You Are My Rainbow Stamp Set

Three Butterflies Stamp Set or Butterfly Bundle

Colour Chemistry Triple Inkpads (fruity reds, sunshine yellows, meadow greens, sky blues, berry purples)

Also, Plain White Card, black card, & White Lineneffect card – Papermilldirect

Black memento ink

d/s tape, 3D foam pads

 

 Challenges Entered:
July Make It Take it Challenge 'Anything Goes' at Craft Stamper Magazine

Enjoying the Possibilities - Guest Blogging with Oak House Studio

 

Hello again, I have been Guest Blogging over at Oak House Studio this month and have my 2nd project to share with you. I’ve been thinking about Lynnda’s recent post, about her stamps being not just images, but being possibilities.  I looked at the stamps and realised that they are indeed possibilities, possibilities to be creative however you wish.  

So with this newly realised freedom the Dress Form stamp evolved into an imaginative and colourful dress, with butterfly sleeves and a daisy vellum ruffle hem, using lots of different colours for this week’s theme of ‘rainbows’.  

 (I would also like to enter this card into the July Make It Take it Challenge over at Craft Stamper Magazine, which is an 'Anything Goes' theme this month)

I started by painting a 5” x 7” canvas with Gesso to prime it before applying Colour Chemistry inks in Citrus Lemon, Jubilee Blue and Pumpkin.  Stamping circles and triangles with the Triple Sky Blues inkpad and adding extra highlights by stamping with white acrylic paint and using a baby wipe to blend and distress in places.  

The dress Form and butterfly were stamped in Versamark onto hammered card and then heat embossed using the OHS Gold detail embossing powder.  I used a paintbrush to water colour the dress form using Paris Pink and French Lavender Colour Chemistry inks, with Peacock Green and French Lavender for the butterfly.  I also stamped small circle details to the dress form using Triple Sky Blues inkpad and used a white gel pen to add dots and highlights.

For the ruffle skirt I stamped one of the large Double Daisy stamps onto plain white vellum and heat embossed with the gold detail powder, using a paintbrush to watercolour the petals with orange colour chemistry.  Dress was assembled with glue by cutting butterfly in half and attaching each wing to each shoulder of body form, and the daisy vellum was cut out and added to bottom to create a ruffle skirt.   I shaped the completed dress in my fingers, added a pale pink organza ribbon and heart shaped pin before adding some foam pads behind the body to shape it before attaching to the canvas with glue.

 The ‘Creativity Never Goes Out of Style’ sentiment stamp was stamped onto hammered card, that I’d previously water coloured and over stamped. I  heat embossed with gold and cut it into 3 parts. Inked around edges with blue ink from the Triple Sky Blues and then glued into position onto the canvas.

I had so much fun making this project and felt the sentiment was very apt, the Oak House Studio inks and stamps were a joy to use as always, and I even discovered a new favourite embossing powder along the way.  Lots of future possibilities indeed.  

 Challenges Entered:
July Make It Take it Challenge 'Anything Goes' at Craft Stamper Magazine

 

Products used:

Dress Form Duo

Creativity never goes out of style

Double Daisy Set Updated

Medium Charming Butterfly

Texture Elements

Gold Detail Embossing Powder

Triple Sky Blues Inkpad

Pure Colour Chemistry Inks

5” x 7” Canvas

Hammered Card - Papermilldirect

Plain Vellum

Glue

If you enjoy stamping and playing with inks, or if you fancy having a dabble for the first time, then don't forget to head on over to the Oak House Studio blog where you will find lots of inspiring projects and makes.