You Are Pawesome!

  

Hi, and welcome! My inspiration for today's post was literally these two cuties laying on my desk. I had colored the images back during the 30 Day Coloring Challenge, and I'm just now using them. I was having so much fun; I decided to make a few more. I have a video tutorial below and walkthrough for anyone who is not a fan of videos. Some affiliate links are listed below. 

VIDEO TUTORIAL

WALKTHROUGH

Stamp images onto #80 Neenah Classic Crest Solar White cardstock using Memento Ink - Tuxedo Black

Color images using Copic markers. 

Note - I made four cards, two of each. 

Flowers - Y02, Y04, Y06 

Center - YG61, YG63, YG67

Leaves YG61, YG 63, YG 67

Bee - Y13, Y15, Y17  and N9, N7, N5, N2 for face

B00, B01 for wings

   

Flowers - C1, C2, C3

Center - YG23

 Leaves YG21, YG23

Bee - Y13, Y15, Y17  and N9, N7, N5, N2 for face

B00, B01 for wings

Die-cut all the images. 

Mask off #110 card base and lightly blend SSS Audrey Blue onto the card base. 

Stamp three hearts from the Busy Bee Stamp Set in the upper left corner of each card using Memento Ink in the color Tuxedo Black because I will be coloring the hearts. I then take one of the flower stems and use it to stamp a border around the cards using Versafine Onyx Black ink. 

Adhere all the colored images to the card base using 3D mounting foam. 

Stamp the bees buzz line and adhere bee. 

Stamp sentiments. 

Finish off with clear glitter enamel dots. 

Thanks for joining me.
 I hope you are inspired enough to head to your crafty space and create something amazing today! 
Be sure to head over to the website and become a subscriber, so you have access to my videos before they are published to the public. Did you know that every time I send an email to my subscribers a name is picked from my active subscribers to win a little something? 

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Rainbow Balloons

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Hi and welcome! How many nesting die sets do you own? And how often do you use the largest die in those sets? I was determined to start using those dies for my cards. The answer staring me in the face this whole time. If I die-cut one 6x6 piece of paper with a large die then cut it down the middle, I could not only use my large dies, but I could get two cards out of that one cut. 

I have a short video that walks you through the process of the "Rainbow Balloon" cards below.

Walk Through

• Die-cut patterned paper using large balloon die (it can be any large die you have), cut in half (long-length) with a paper trimmer.

For the balloon cards, I created an ink-blended background of clouds.

• Place a stencil on a 4.25" x 5.5" card panel, add ink to blender brush(tool), with light pressure start applying the ink. I swiped the blender brush in an upward motion because this is printer paper and circular motions will bend the edges of the printer paper. I used Simon Says Stamp Ink in the colors Deep Sea, Audrey Blue, and Sea Glass. Die-cut or use your paper trimmer to cut the card panel down to 3.75" x 5." 
• I created a stencil using the Honey Bee Stamps Cloud Borders Dies and printer paper.
• Stamp Hugs, Kisses and Rainbow Wishes on one panel and Happy Birthday on the other making sure to stamp one on the left side and the other on the right side, the balloons will be on the edge of each card.
• Die-cut or use a paper trimmer to cut  Sea Glass Cardstock to 4" x 5.25"; layer ink-blended backgrounds onto using a tape runner, adhere layered pieces to a 4.25" x 5.5" top fold cardbase. 
• Add 3D mounting foam to the back of each balloon and tie a silver thread to the neck of each balloon allowing the thread to loop around the edges of the balloons adhering itself to the 3D mounting foam.
• Adhere balloons to the edge of each card 
• Die-cut small clouds using the Simon Says Stamp Picture Book Sky Background die, add 3D mounting to the clouds and adhere to cards. 
• Finish off the cards with Honey Bee Stamps Carousel Lights Confetti.

Okay, I'm off to use those large dies! I hope you'll give this a try some time. 

I've entered the cards into a few challenges:

The Library Challenge 

Inkspirational

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge

As always, thank you for taking the time to join me. 

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Ink Layering, I'd Pick You Every Time

Hi, and welcome. Thanks so much for joining me here on my blog. Today I'm sharing the new Concord & 9th Sweet Strawberries Stamps and Dies along with a few other products that will be listed below.

I've created a short how-to video that will walk you through the process of ink layering with ink pads to create a look much like what you get when coloring with markers. I feel like this is one of those times when watching a demonstration of the process is best. I hope you'll take the time to check it out.

Be sure to become a subscriber to my website www.lisamensing.com for early access to all my videos. I'm in the process of creating a Color Inspiration page that will have color palettes for inspiration. I'm including ink colors and cardstock colors that I currently have to make your creating easier. I find it a great asset when my crafty mojo is running low. 

As always, thank you for popping in. If you have any questions just leave them in the comments or you can email me at contact@lisamensing.com. 

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Zen Coloring with Alcohol Inks

Happy Saturday and welcome! I decided to take The Daily Coloring Challenge, my first time.  I've wanted to paint with alcohol inks for some time now, seemed like the perfect time, and here's the end product. Yes, I know it's entirely too early for Autumn, but the colors led me to go with it. And did I mention I really need to use my Simon Says Stamp Four Seasons Sayings, yeah, that too. 

Click the banner below for all the details. 

I'm going to do my best to share something I color every day here on my blog and on social media. 

All I can tell you is grab the alcohol inks, a palette, small brush, and your favorite detailed stamp and have fun!

Stamp the image using VersaMark Ink onto Yupo Paper, cover with Simon Says Stamp Antique Gold Embossing Powder and heat set. Using alcohol inks color/paint the image, then LIGHTLY spritz with alcohol from a distance about 18 inches, add die-cut n bond adhesive to the back of the image and run through the die-cut machine. Die cut white cardstock to match the colored image and adhere the two together. (it helps flatten the Yupo paper). Adhere to a 5.5" x 4.25" kraft card base. Using VersaMark ink stamp images to fill in the empty space on the front of the card. Die-cut word, adhere to vellum and card. Stamp sentiment inside the card.

As always, thank you for popping in. If you have any questions just leave them in the comments or you can email me at contact@lisamensing.com. 

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Oh, Happy Day! - Faux Watercolor & Ink Smooshing

Hi, and welcome back! If you think this girl loves ice cream, you're right! I especially love anything that has pretty watercolor, faux colored or not, ice creams on it. These cards are so fun to create because you use several different techniques to create them.  I have a video below that will walk you through the process plus a written walk-through. Watching videos is not everyone's thing, I get it.

 Okay, let's walk through the process.

FAUX WATERCOLOR PREP

You can skip to 00:56 in the video for this step

You will need to Bristol smooth paper or watercolor paper, whatever you have on hand, place it in your stamping tool, position stamp.

Distress Inks in the colors: Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry, Squeezed Lemonade, Antique Linen, Walnut Stain, any stamp set that has stable images will work and sentiments. 

Ink up the stamp with Spun Sugar Distress Ink, stamp directly to the Bristol smooth paper, ink same stamp with Picked Raspberry Distress Ink, only inking part of the stamp (see photo above), stamp directly over the Spun Sugar Distress Ink you just stamped, with a watercolor brush add water directly to the stamp, close the lid of the stamping tool allowing the inks to react with the water, once you lift the lid you will have a loose watercolor look. You can take the watercolor brush directly to the stamped image at this point to move the inks around, this step is optional. Continue the steps above until you have all images done.

                                                                     

Stamp sentiments using Versafine Onyx Black Ink. Set these aside to dry while you work on backgrounds.

 

BACKGROUND PREP

You can skip to 02:42 in the video for this step.

Watercolor Paper, several sheets of scrap papers to serve as shims, water, watercolor brush, Distress Inks in the colors: Picked Raspberry, Antique Linen, Walnut Stain, Squeezed Lemonade.

Lay down scrap paper for shims laying watercolor paper on top. You want to have enough shims so that when you close the lid of the stamping tool it makes direct contact with the watercolor paper and you're not putting too much pressure on the lid. Add water directly to paper with a watercolor brush.

TIP: You can spritz water directly to the lid of stamping tool but I prefer adding the water directly to paper to avoid saturated inks running all over the place. Completely personal preference. 

Smoosh distress inks on the inside of the lid and close allowing the ink and water time to react with each other. 

Lift the lid, wipe clean and continue adding inks until you are happy with the background paper.

You can air dry or use a heat gun to dry the backgrounds. I set them aside to dry while I clean up and prep my work area for die-cutting, dry embossing, sanding and assembling the cards.

TIP #2: Add Perfect Pearls to a mini mister, add water, close and shake to mix the pearls and water for shimmer spritz. Great way to get multiple uses out of the perfect pearls.

DIE-CUTTING, EMBOSSING, AND SANDING PREP

You can skip to 04:31 in the video for this step.

Hero Arts Rectangle Nesting Dies, any embossing folder will work, I used the Darice Argyle Embossing Folder, Sand Paper or Emory Board, Shimmer Spritz

Die-cut backgrounds using Hero Arts Rectangle Nesting Dies, then place in an embossing folder and crank through a die-cut machine.  

I'm using a piece of scrap sanding paper from my DIY Home Painting supplies but you can use an Emory board, sanding block, whatever you have on hand. Lightly sand the embossed background to reveal more of the pattern. Spritz with shimmer spritz. 

I wanted to show the shimmer from the shimmer spritz I made using the Perfect Pearls. 

One of the cards I did some random stamping with sentiments to create a background. 

Layer background onto 4.25"x5.5" top-fold #110 card bases using ATG Adhesive, add 3D mounting foam to the back of faux watercolor panels and center over backgrounds, add sequins using Glossy Accents.

As always, thank you for popping in. If you have any questions just leave them in the comments or you can email me at contact@lisamensing.com. 

Disclosure: I purchase all my products and by doing so I can keep my opinions real! I do not offer paid endorsements. I will never recommend a product that I would not buy again. I do participate in a few affiliate programs that allow me to earn a small commission when you purchase items through my links. This is at no extra charge to you. I love sharing through my blog post and videos and that small commission helps to offset the cost. And I'm so grateful for this.

Diamond Patterns - Hello, You Are the Best

Hello crafty friends! 

Today I have several samples and a video to share with you using the Honey Bee Stamps - Diamond Patterns Stamps and Coordinating Dies. I have so many more ideas for this stamp set, and I can't wait to put those ideas on paper. I probably should sketch them out, so I don't forget. 

Video Tutorial

Do you have a favorite? I can't decide but I'm leaning on towards the "hello" card. 

As always, thank you for popping in. If you have any questions just leave them in the comments or you can email me at contact@lisamensing.com.