New Cards

Things have gone purple around here.  I decided to go with a more subdued design. I loved the pink but it was a lot to look at.   I made the header and to be honest…I'm smitten.   The rest of the blog?  Meh…not so sure yet.  What do you think?

My mom asked me to make two cards- one for baby and one for a high school graduation.  Here is their story….

First the baby card.  It started out shaky but in the end it is definitely one of my favorite pieces... EVER.  I was playing around with my new skills -AKA Tim Holtz techniques- dragging tags through ink.  I don't know the gender of the bambino and I only own the first 12 Distress Stains, plus Picket Fence, so my options were limited.  I wasn't sure I could even pull off a "baby" card using what I had.  I ended up using the Marbled Stains Technique (can be found in Compendium of Curiosity Vol 2 by Tim Holtz) using Faded Jeans, Broken China, and Spun Sugar with Picket Fence on a #5 manilla tag.  After the Stains dry I usually go back in with the same 3 colors of Distress Ink and using an ink blending tool I like to add color randomly.  To finish off the tag I like to use a small amount of Vintage Photo or Walnut Stain Ink, just a touch, on the edges all the way around the tag.  This technique really grounds the background.  If you have never done this, I recommend you try it, then leave me a comment or shoot me an email and tell me what you think.  If your tag is dark it probably doesn't matter how much brown ink you add but if it is light like this one, be sure you only add a small amount of ink…light layers.  Some people like to keep the ink pad they use for this technique slightly dry to ensure a very light application.    

After the tag dried completely I ironed it.****  With my beautiful…FLAT…. tag in hand it was time to design.  First the flower rub-ons.  I think they look like Queen Ann's Lace and I love how wispy they are….  delicate like a baby.   Next the script "Baby" stamp using black Archival ink and tiny flat-back pearls scattered throughout.  The dainty "ric-rak" on the end is a rub-on.  Finally, I added pink and blue seam binding that had been textured with water.  (You can read more about how I treat seam binding in my previous post.)

So I have a tag….now what?  I can't send her a #5 tag…I mean a #8 maybe but a 5?  No way... Uh, Uh.  I needed a card of some sort, right?  I tried several different ways of attaching the tag to the card but for this card it seemed that straight forward was best.  I made a 6x6 inch card from cardstock and when I say 6x6 I really mean something slightly smaller so it will fit in the envelope.  I really am sloppy and lazy enough that I just shave off a small-ish sliver horizontally and, after folding the card, I do it again vertically.

As with the tag, I like to do a little inking.  I used Faded Jeans and a touch of Vintage Photo around the edges of the card using my ink blending tools.  But the card was too boring so I ended up dragging ink all over the front of using a variety of blue Distress inks.  Although it didn't change the color of the card drastically it did allow me to throw some water on the card which gave me that awesome texture that I have become very fond of…Tim calls it Spritz and Flick but I could call it Throwing Water….it sounds more Zen.  I finished the card up with the white pennant-garland-streamer-flaggy thing.  It's a rub-on... and blue and pink rhinestones cuz every baby needs a little bling and blinking out a pacifier is just stupid.

Yes, a rhinestone covered pacifer from Etsy
Rochonda Ferrelli.  $25.

****HINT OF THE DAY***I actually went through and ironed all my tags.  Using Distress Stains means a lot of liquid is introduced to the manilla tag.  While Manilla certainly handles the liquid better than plain cardstock, it still ripples and wrinkles.  Tim likes to say "paper has no memory" (over and over and over) and he claims it will go back to flat after it dries…. but, it never seems to go back to flat enough for me.  So bring on the iron! Be sure to use something to protect your work surface and your iron.  I ironed between two sheets of typing paper and I use a dedicated craft iron.  Look for irons at yard sales and keep it in your craft space.  If you iron a piece with embossing powder on it the powder will melt off your card. This can be a cool look, IF you WANT it to melt away AND you remembered to protect your…well everything….by using paper towel or scrap paper to absorb the hot melted powder****
Next, the graduation card and again I started with a #5 tag.  But, this time I ended up with vivid reds with black and gold accents. This is certainly "a lot of look" as Tim Gunn would say.   The tag is made also using the Marbled Stains Technique.  I used Fired Brick, Wild Honey and Picket Fence Distress Stains.  After the tag dried I added Fired Brick, Barn Door, and Black Soot Distress Inks and a hit or two of Gold Glimmer Mist…DIVINE.  I stamped the sentiment, the gears and the clocks with Black Archival ink.  I added rub-ons from 7 Gypsies and a pretty red seam-binding bow.

I decided to attach this tag a little differently.  I started with a red 6x6 inch card as described above.  The edges were inked with Black Soot Distress and the front was stamped with a map background stamp several times to cover the card. The map symbolizes the journey of graduating from high school.  Get it? Huh…get it? Huh?Huh?  Yeah…it isn't that complicated is it? It's sort of like giving Oh The Places you Will Go for a graduation gift..

I stamped the number strip using Gold pigment ink and added a Washi Tape faux-binding.  Since I wanted to use a different technique to attach the tag to the card, I tried Tim's new Pocket Envelope from Sizzix but it wasn't big enough.  I ended up just folding over a piece of black cardstock and taping it together using 1/8 inch red-line tape.  I stamped the outside of this new "envelope" with a filigree stamp using Embossing Distress and Zing Gold Embossing Powder. This powder has a very glittery effect when melted.  I added the red seam binding knot before I taped my "envelope" in place using a lot of tape.  I attached two Tim Holtz Idea-ology keys "Life' and "Journey" ….again as symbols of her new life.

The amount of liquid and/or ink that is used to make the tags means not only do they wrinkle and warp, but the back of the tags are always one big hot mess.  I added plain cardstock, in this case the same as I used to make the card base, to the back of both tags to give the back a finished, professional look.

The good news?  I love both of these cards…

The bad news?  I had to mail these to my mom so while I was there I asked the postwoman how much it will cost if mom wants to mail them… the baby card will be $0.65 but my slightly gaudy graduation card….$1.95.  Sorry mommy!  It took a double hit…the 6x6 cost extra and the keys ended up being heavy.  I sent vellum envelopes for both cards…I love that the post people can see the cards when they deliver them.


I entered the baby card in this weeks Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge.
I linked this cared to the following Linky Parties:
Etcetorize
The Trendy Treehouse

Laters Baby….