Creating a Card for the Blue Knight Rubber Stamps Red, White & Blue DT Challenge

Hello my crafty and creative friends!

Today I'm sharing a card that I created for the Blue Knight Rubber Stamps Design Team Red, White & Blue Challenge.

I knew that I wanted to use Blue Knight's OLD GLORY stamp as the focal image along with a sentiment from the THANK YOU HERO stamp set.
I also knew that I wanted to .....
Add color with PanPastels
I wanted a "resist" look
I wanted to use Versamark ink for the resist look
and
I wanted to add color "outside of the lines"....AKA beyond the lines of the image...for a stained/distressed/worn look

I started out by stamping the OLD GLORY image with Versamark ink onto Spectrum Noir Ultra Smooth card stock making sure to let the ink cry completely.
I chose the PanPastel colors that I wanted to use from my Sunrise/Sunset and Day/Night Blue Knight Select PanPastel Palettes...(Red...Blues...White...and the Colorless Blender)

I use a PanPastel Soft sponge applicator to apply the colors to the image.
To whiten up the stars,  used an eraser to remove any blue that may have covered them.
(Yes!...PanPastels are erasable!)
I gave special attention to extending the red into the alternating white stripes of the flag image for the worn,/distressed/stained look that I wanted.

After the image was colored I went over the entire image with the Colorless Blender which was helpful in softening the colors and "blending them out" to achieve the look that I wanted.
When all of the color was in place and blended and looking as I wanted it to look...
I sprayed the piece lightly with Nexxus Comb Thru Hairspray to seal/fix it (to prevent smudging and smearing)

I also used PanPastel to add color to a smaller piece of card stock, for the THANK YOU HERO sentiment.
The sentient was stamped with black Versafine ink (my fave for stamping sentiments)

I chose red and midnight blue metallic card stock for matting and positioned the matted sentiment piece with fun foam to add some dimension to the card

In the end, this card had the look that I had in mind when I began creating it for the DT's Red, White & Blue Challenge.
Best of all, I got to try out PanPastels to see if I could achieve the distressed color-outside-of-the-lines look that I wanted, I also got to try a color/resist technique, which worked out nicely with the PanPastels (*Good to know for a floral image that I have in mind for a future card)

For me, extending color beyond the image lines is stepping outside of my usual card making comfort zone. I am typically a very CAS neat and tidy card maker...so this casual look is a stretch for me...and one that I am glad I tried for this image and card.

Thanks for stopping by today to take a look at my Red White and Blue DT Challenge card.
I hope that you found a little bit of inspiration at my blog today and might create a red white and blue card of your own!

You can find the OLD GLORY stamp HERE
and the THANK YOU HERO stamp set HERE
The Blue Knight Select PanPastel Palettes can be found HERE

Wishing you a wonderful and creative day
Michelle

Creating a Card with Blue Knight Stamps and PanPastel Palettes

Hello my crafty and creative friends!

If you've found your way to my blog via the Blue Knight Stamps blog...thanks for visiting today.
If you're a subscriber and/or regular visitor to my blog, thank you, as always...for liking my cards enough to visit time and time again!

I've got a great little quick-and-easy-card to share with you today, created with the TALL CASTLE SCENE and FOREVER AFTER stamp sets. All of the coloring was done with PanPastels.
(*With the exception of the castle's tower flag, which was colored with a Copic marker.)

I have so say...I really wish that I had put together a video to share with you as I colored and created this card.
You'd have been amazed at how quickly this card was stamped..colored and put together.
The coloring was literally a 8-10 minute process with my Blue Knight Select PanPastel Palettes.
Add a few more minutes (10 max) to create the sentiment piece and to choose and cut the matting layers...and 3 minutes to zip along with my ATG gun and some Scor-Tape...and in about half an hour (probably less)...this card was created....from start to finish!


There were a few thoughts and ideas that I had when I sat down to create a card....
1. I wanted to use the Tall Castle Scene stamp...the very first Blue Knight stamp that I ever owned....given to me by a friend who fell in love with Blue Knight Rubber stamp at a stamp show many moons ago.

2. I wanted to use my Blue Knight PanPastel color palettes to color the image...BUT, I wanted to not use the colors straight up in their pure color format...I wanted to blend colors to create new colors that would have a nostalgic overtone.

3. I wanted to apply the PanPastels in a way that would have the look...if even in a small way...to water coloring.


I kept these things in mind s I created the card...and this is what I wound up with....

I stamped the Tall Castle Scene image on a piece of Spectrum Noir Ultra Smooth card stock (my fave) using a stamp positioning tool....(I left the stamp in the tool after I stamped the image because I was going to need to use it again)....
I began coloring the image with an assortment of sponges and sponge tipped applicators.
I had success mixing and blending new colors (off image...on a separate piece of card stock) with the colors in the Blue Knight PanPastel palettes, and was able to create the colors that I had envisioned for this image.
After the image was colored...I put the colored piece back into the stamp positioning tool...in the same position it was the first time that I stamped it (before coloring)...
I stamped the castle image again...
Doing this gives fantastic results...making the image extra crisp and well defined.
(Yes...you can stamp OVER PanPastel coloring!!)
Next...
I colored a smaller separate piece of card stock for the sentiment.
When the castle and the sentiment were both complete (before matting). I sprayed each piece lightly with my trusty Nexxus Comb Thru Hairspray to seal and "fix"both pieces (to prevent the PanPastel coloring from smudging and smearing)
(I like using the Nexxus Hair Spray because most :fixative/sealant sprays have toxins and/or need to be sprayed outdoors)
Then...it was time to choose the metallic card stock for matting.
I chose matting colors that I felt went well with the colored image: Black metallic and a deep red metallic.

I cut all of the mat layers to size.....Matted the image and sentiment pieces using Scor-tape....(My fave whenever using metallic card stock because sometimes.., as much as I love ATG adhesive...Scor-tape just does a better job when it comes to metallic card stock)
I added fun foam to the back of the image piece.
Decided on where I would position each piece...
and put the card together.

You can see the dimension created with the layers of this card.
(Thank you fun foam!)

This was a fun card to create!
And in the end it turned out exactly as I envisioned it to be (in my crafty little head) when I first sat down to begin creating it.

I was happy to reunite with the Tall Castle Scene stamp...
It's been a while since I created a card with it....and it was a wonderful stamp choice for the type of card and color ideas that I had in mind!

You can find the Tall Castle Scene Stamp...the Forever After sentiment set...and all of the PanPastels HERE ...at the Blue Knight Stamps web store.

Thanks for visiting today
Wishing you a wonderfully creative day!
Michelle

Step by Step Tutorial Creating a Card with a Stamped and Blended PanPastel Background

Hello my Crafty and Creative Friends!

Today, I'm up on the Blue Knight Rubber Stamps blog sharing my DT project....
As DT Coordinator...sometimes I get caught up in behind the scenes "stuff"...and my Blue Knight creative time kinda takes a back seat.
Sharing this card with you today...and the cards that I hav planned for the remainder of the month bring me back to what I love most...creating! (YAY!)

Today...we'll be looking at the steps I've taken in creating a card with a stamped PanPastel blended background and the KIND WORDS BOUQUET and ONCE IN A LIFETIME stamp sets.

If you've found your way here to my blog via the Blue Knight Inspire and Create blog...thank you for clicking the link and joining me here for this step by step tutorial.

Let's take a look at the finished card...and then I'll share the tutorial

First, I chose PanPastel colors that caught my eye...
Some yellows...blues..pinks...reds...
I applied the colors with a sponge applicator, in circular motions, to blend them.

After the colors were applied and blended, I shook off any residual pigment dust that may have been left on the colored piece...
Then, I stamped the KIND WORDS BOUQUET image around the four sides of the PanPastel-ed card stock piece, using black Versafine ink.
PanPastels do transfer some color when handled if you don't "seal" what you've created...
My "sealant" of choice is Nexxus Comb Thru Hairspray.
(I try to avoid toxins etc that are present in most fixatives)
A LIGHT spray of the hairspray works well for my card making purposes.
(No need to saturate your creation with hairspray...remember...a LIGHT mist does the trick...and a little bit of time after misting is needed for air drying time.....a "little bit" as in 1 minute...)

I chose black metallic and bright pink metallic card stock for matting.

I wanted the matting layers to complement the PanPastel colors
The pink background color and the blank inked image were the two colors that caught my eye most, so I chose mat colors that went well with pink and black

For the sentiment piece, I created a second blended piece of card stock, with the same colors that I used to create the stamped background piece.
I shook off the colored piece to get of any residual pigment dust.
I stamped a sentiment from the ONCE IN A LIFETIME stamp set, using the same Versafine ink pad.t the card stock piece.
Once again..I sealed the piece with my Nexxus hairspray AFTER stamping the sentiment onto the PanPastel-ed card stock piece.

I die cut the sentiment piece with a stitched rectangle die and matted it with metallic lack card stock.
I positioned the matted sentiment piece with fun foam , for added dimension.

The completed card had the look that I had set out to accomplish, and best of all, I discovered that PanPastels are very cooperative with creating this look and the kind of background that I had in mind when I sat down to create this card!

Working with PanPastels...experimenting...exploring...and trying different looks and techniques  has been 100% fun!
I've always been a fan of creating blended inked background and now I can add blended PanPastel backgrounds to my list of favorites!

You can find a select collection of PanPastels and individual PanPastel colors along with today's featured stamps (Kind Words Bouquet and Once in a Lifetime) at the Blue Knight Rubber Stamps web store HERE

Thanks a bunch for visiting today...
I hope that the card and tutorial that I've shared today inspires you to try things that are new to you...experiment...and above all...enjoy your creative time.
Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday!
Michelle.

Video Tutorial for PanPastel Newbies and Hope-to-be-Newbies: Creating a Beautiful Blended Sunset

Hello my crafty and creative friends!

I'm really excited to share this video tutorial with you.

I've recently been reunited with PanPastels.
My first PanPastel experience was many years ago when I purchased a few pan colors and truthfully, never really learned how to use them.
In addition...I purchased the colors without really knowing what the best choices would be for blending and blending to create new colors.

Recently, through my experience of being the Design Team Coordinator for Blue Knight Rubber Stamps, I was re-introduced to PanPastels, by the owner of Blue Knight...Lynn.
And so...I bought a large collection of colors because this time, it was love at first sight for me and my beloved PanPastels.
The possibilities for smooth easy blending and creating new colors is amazing and exciting!
I am totally smitten with PanPastels.

Just when I thought that it couldn't get any better with my love affair with PanPastels...
Blue Knight Stamps has come out with 2 Blue Knight Rubber Stamps Select Palettes of 7 color each.
The beauty of the palettes is that they are colors that have been  chosen to make creating skies EASY.
(Emphasis on E A S Y)
But they're not limited to creating day and Night Skies and Sunrises and Sunsets...
The palettes have so many possibilities for so many of your stamping and coloring projects

The other day, one of my crafty pals, Debbie, came over to spend the day in my studio with me, for a day of card making.
Debbie had never used PanPastels, so I thought that we'd make a video of her first try at creating a Sunset....
I got out my Blue Knight Stamps Trees and Stream stamp...and got started creating our sunsets.
You are going to be AMAZED at what Debbie accomplished with her first try at creating a sunset with PanPastels.
Debbie, herself, was jaw-dropped at what she was able to do...never having used PanPastels before.z

She couldn't believe that SHE, herself, created a beautiful blended sunset sky.

We worked together...creating the same cards...
These are my cards....Debbie created 2 just like mine

The ability to blend multiple colors to create this sunset is amazing...

(So much less tedious than ink blending can sometimes be._
The Trees and Stream stamp was ideal for allowing Debbie to give PanPastels a try....
She got to create the sunset sky...add color to some landscape elements like grassy ground areas...tree and water...all of which mean blending some additional PanPastel colors.
This sunset came together quickly.
Actually...the entire card form came together quickly.

I think I'm hooked.

YOU are going to be amazed as well...
And I have a very strong suspicion that you're going to head over to the Blue Knight web site to order your palettes as soon as the video is over.

I'm always excited to share a great product..tool...stamp company etc with all of you...
It's what we all do in out shared love of card making.

Sharing this video and demonstrating how easy it is to create truly beautiful cards with blended color thrills me...
I guess it's because it makes me happy knowing that you'd feel so great kicking your card making skills up a notch...just by giving something new a try.

So...here's the video of Debbie and I....
Wait until you see her very first sunset...
Prepare to be amazed

By the way...
You can find the PanPastel palettes and a select group of individual colors HERE, at the Blue Knight Stamps web site.
The Trees and Stream stamp can be found HERE

Enjoy the video...

Catherine Scanlon Week Daily Giveaway Winner Announcements!

Hello my crafty and creative friends!

I'm excited to share the names of all of the winners of the Catherine Scanlon Week Daily Giveaways!

But first, I'd like t thank you, one more time for following along here , at my blog, last week...as I shared all of the cards that I created with Catherine's new release stamp sets.
As you know, I adore Catherine's stamp/art style, and I am always thrilled when I share a card created with  stamps that I love...and then hear from other card makers who tell me that the card has inspired them.

Not only were your kind comments appreciated (by me!)...but they were also your entries for the daily giveaways...
Today's winners were chosen at random, from daily comments/entries.
The daily giveaways were opened to blog visitors with USA mailing addresses.

*You can find each of the weeks featured stamps at the ART GONE WILD web store HERE, where all of Catherine Scanlon's stamps are available.

I hear a drum roll...and that's my cue to announce each of the winners!

Here we go!..
I'll list the giveaway day...the giveaway(s) and the winner(s) names

Monday
GAYLE BARTHOLOMEW

Tuesday

Heather

Wednesday

Sam I Am

Thursday ~  Giveaway #1
Turtle

Thursday~ Giveaway #2
KAT

Friday~ Giveaway #1
Patti J

 Friday ~ Giveaway #2
Avra

Congratulations everyone!

Please send your full name and mailing info to me at: tobellissimacards@gmail.com ....  NO LATER THAN 5 PM, TUESDAY,  JUNE 11th.

If any winner(s) does not respond by 5 PM on June 11th, a new winner/winners will be chosen for that particular Giveaway stamp set.

Again...congratulations and thanks for following along during Catherine Scanlon Week, here at my blog.
Michelle.

Re-Cap Day: Catherine Scanlon Designs Week

Hello my crafty and creative friends!

It's Re-Cap Day!

Today I'm sharing one more look at all of the cards that I've created this past week with Catherine Scanlon's newest stamp release

Not a lot of chit chat from me today, mainly because as I shared the cards for the first time each day during this past week, I included info about the card making process and the stamps.

Today, I'll simply share the photos again...one at a time...and will include a photo of the stamp set(s) which include the stamp set name 

*Click HERE  to be taken directly to the Art Gone Wild web site, where Catherine's stamps are available via mail order.

Okay...here we go!

First up...What I call...
                      "The Toast" collection

Geranium

Floral Corner

Hydrangea

Fancy Pastry

Chocolate Candies

Strawberry Cake

So, what do you think?
Are you as smitten with this collection of c New release Catherine Scanlon Designs Stamps?
I'm guessing that after this week, you have a Catherine Scanlon Wish List....Like I do!

Thank you for joining me this week and  thank you for all of your kind comments.
I am aways thrilled to share what I love with others, whether it's a card...a stamp set...a tool...or the stamps of a designer artist that I adore!

Please stop by tomorrow When I will share the names of each day's giveaway winner!
7 Giveways.....7 winners!

Good luck everyone!
See you tomorrow!
Michelle.

Day #5 Catherine Scanlon Designs New Release & Daily Giveaway Week

Well, here we are....Day #5 of Catherine Scanlon Week & Daily Giveaway(s), here at my blog.
(Yes!..I've got daily giveaways for you...so be sure to post a comment below to be in on the giveaways!..If you missed commenting on the prior Monday - Thursday blog posts...you can still post comments under each of the posts on those days..to be in on those giveaways.)

Now let's talk about today's stamps...and cards...
I don't think that I have to tell you that I have thoroughly enjoyed creating each and very card that I shared with you this week. Catherine's designs always make my crafty little heart skip a beat...and this week's collection of her stamps did that and more ...each and every day.

Today, I'm sharing a few cards with you...created with 2 different stamp sets

       Chocolate Candies           and          Fancy Pastry

           

*You can find both of today's featured stamps at the ART GONE WILD web site HERE


And now...
Today's cards!
(I'm excited to share them with you!)
WARNING: You will want to indulge in having something sweet after seeing today's cards

First up... Chocolate Candies

When I sat down to color this image with Copics, I was already loving the details that Catherine has on on each chocolate piece and the strawberries. (And ...I hoped that I could do this image justice with my coloring)
I started by coloring the larger image  first...the chocolates
Next, I colored the strawberries and  cut them out with super tiny detail scissors.
(I knew that I wanted to add some dimension to this card by stamping the strawberries separately and positioning them with fun foam to elevate them a bit)
I die cut the chocolates piece with a mini scalloped rectangle die, using fun foam t position it on the card front.
I chose chocolate brown card stock and red glitter paper as the matting layers.
I also went over the chocolate details (Sprinkles...icing...flowers etc) with clear Wink of Stella...I did the same on the chocolate covered strawberries.
That little bit of shimmer on the colored image element together with the glitter paper give this card the little bit of sparkle and zing that I had wanted.

You can see the dimension that I created by positioning both the scalloped image piece and the strawberries with fun foam.

Next up....I've got another delicious card to share with you today...
with the FANCY PASTRY stamp.

I love  to color when creating cards...
Copic coloring and water coloring are probably my two faves

I chose o color this image with Copics...and was excited to get started because the image affords the opportunity to use various colors and to do lots of blending.

 I colored the image and then die cut it with the same mini scallop die that I used for the first card, above.
This time, after die cutting the image piece, I left the piece in the die and used he die as a stencil for add some light inking to the background with Ken Oliver Stencil Brushes.
For this card I chose chocolate brown glitter paper and a deep red card stock for matting.
I positioned the image piece with fun foam for added dimension.

I just love all of Catherine's  art and her attention to detail.
For me, the card making person...images like this are a joy to work with...to color..to create with.

What a way to wind down this week of Catherine Scanlon's Designs here at my blog!
I can't tell you that I had a favorite stamp from the group of New Release stamps that I created cards with this week...because I truly enjoyed creating with ALL of them!

I'm excited for all of you who took a moment to post comments each day...because you all now have a chance to win one of 6 stamp sets that Catherine ha offered as a very generous giveaway.

Be sure to visit me here tomorrow, when I'll share a recap of each of this weeks stamps and cards.

Thanks for visiting today...and for following along this week
If you are already a lover of Catherine Scanlon's stamps...I hope that you enjoyed seeing what I've created.
If Catherine's stamp designs are new to you, I hope that you have discovered a love of them and are inspired to create some cards of your own with Catherine's stamps.
If you've never visited the Art Gone Wild web site before...have fun browsing and shopping!
I have a feeling that when you visit... you'll love all of Catherine's stamps featured at their web store.
and...
Just because I am a self professed enabler...you'll find Catherine's stamps HERE, at the Art Gone Wild web site.

Have a wonderful day, my crafty and creative friends...
Michelle.