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Jenn
http://blog.ecstasycrafts.com/blog

Pixie Powder Card Class ~ update on Blog from Feb 13 2017

I was playing with the Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Powders back in February and wrote a blog about the resulting card:

http://ecpapercreations.blogspot.ca/2017/02/fun-with-pigment-powders.html

I then decided I'd have it as a card class. We plan the month of classes a month in advance, so by the time the card rolled around, I was a bit concerned with my abilities!

Here is the first card I made along with the most recent.

In class we used only the "single color" pixie powders. So layered the different colors individually. Using a light dusting of the powder, then spritzing with water and heat drying the area, we created individual colors on our paper. The die is a Creative Expressions Background die, CED7106 and the sentiment Creative Expressions, CED5414.

Without naming names, there was one person in each class that came in saying they weren't going to like Pixie Powders. Thankfully I was able to serve up a slice of "crow pie" 😃. 

"Hi Jennifer, I am glad I stuck with it, because I love the end product."

 Here are some of the cards made in class (I didn't get photos of all of them, unfortunately).

 One person finished their card at home (with the rose) and made a second with the left over paper.

Each its own masterpiece, Pixie Powders allow you to create beautiful and custom backgrounds. The combinations and possibilities are endless! One tip, if I may, when layering colors, don't use too much water, keep a paper towel handy to dab up excess water while drying and above all, be patient and give the finished background piece a chance to dry. You may get discouraged during the process, but they are virtually fool-proof. 

I'd love to see your Pixie Powder creations. Feel free to email them to me at ECPaperCrafts.Jenn@gmail.com

Until next time,

Jenn
Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Powders are available at EcstasyCrafts.com

Creative Expressions dies CED7106 and CED5414 available at EcstasyCrafts.com

Stamp and Stencil card tutorial

Had a brief moment to play a little with the structure paste, a brick stencil and a cute Frog's Whiskers flower cart stamp. 

Using my Position-It, just in case, even though I didn't re-ink at any point, it's always a good idea to use it, just to be safe. You don't want to see that you need to re-stamp and can't because you didn't use your stamping tool

I used the Cosmic Shimmer Cloud Ink (Frosty Mink) to wash the background.

I used Nellie Snellen's brick stencil and the Nellie Structure paste. Leaving some bricks not filled in, just for the random affect.

Used the watercolor paper and memento watercolor markers to color in the stamp.  

Found a sentiment and frame and put the card together. Used some gilding wax on the Marianne frame. Can't really make out the cute frame this is.  Here's a close up of the frame.














Kind of cute, don't you think 😃?

So many card ideas, so little time!!

Until next time,

Jenn

For more info on the Position-It, Cathie Allan was featured in Creative Scrapbooker Magazine, have a look:

Products used: Cathie Allan's Position-It
Cosmic Shimmer Cloud Ink Frosty Mink
Nellie's Mixed Media Brick Stencil
Nellie's Structure Paste
Frog's Whiskers Flower Cart
Marianne Designs Frame
Joy! Crafts Stamp Sentiment

For more stamps from Frog's Whiskers, visit their web site:
www.frogswhiskersink.com

Mixed media foray!

I have admired the mixed media style for some time now. I've been playing a bit with different types of media but I'm ready to take the journey into some serious mixed media and even "grunge" card styles.

I scheduled a card class for April 12 & 15 and the theme was mixed media. So I pretty much pigeon-holed myself into coming up with something.

Now this is a rather gentle mixed media card, not so much for my sake but for the sake of the people who enjoy classes here at the EC PaperCrafts store in Shannonville, Ontario.


But I'm pretty happy with how it turned out!




I used a lace-looking strip die from Creative Expressions (CED8102) and made a stencil (or mask) using acetate. Cutting tip: Use a metal shim against the acetate to get a clean, crisp cut.

Painted the card stock with some Cloud Inks Summer Sky (CSCC15) and Decadent Oak (CSCC26). Spritzed that with the Cosmic Shimmer Mica Mists to give it a bit of iridescence (Teal Wash CSM01 on the summer sky area and Marigold CSVMM09 on the decadent oak area).

Then using the acetate stencil I made with the die, I used a putty knife to lay down the Nellie Structure Paste (MMSP001) on top of the stencil. This stands up off the paper so gives the card some dimension. I've done other cards with this structure paste and you can actually use mica pigments or even PVA to change the color of the paste.

Lightly spritzed the same teal wash mister (Teal Wash SCM01) onto card stock to cut out the roll up roses (Marianne Designs LR0256). If I wasn't doing a class with this card, I'd probably put double the roses on the card but I have a 2 hour time limit, so wanted to make sure we could complete everything. 

Picked some ribbon and cut the Creative Expressions "Cattails" (CED1444) out of parchment to make it more delicate. Used glue dots to seal up the roses and adhere all of this to the corner. The tag is from the same Creative Expressions pack (CED8102) and the sentiment (my surface area was limited) is from a Bonnidee stamp set (BS038), stamped in brown ink. 

Touched the edges with a brown stamp pad and layered on to a 5 x 7 card.

The first of many, you can be sure!

Until next time,

Jenn

Products in the card can be found at EcstasyCrafts.com
Retail Store in Shannonville www.ECPapercrafts.com
Products used: CED8102, CSCC15, CSCC26, CSM01, CSVMM09, MMSP001, LRO256, CED1444, BS038 

Stencils and brushes and quick cards!!

We received our shipment of the ClarityStamp Stencil Brushes and i had a chance to play on Saturday.

Watched a couple of videos (I'll link below) and thought I was ready to whip off some lovely stencil cards.

Ooops, I was mistaken, there was a bit of a learning curve.

Here are the videos I watched on the brushes:

Seems easy enough, right?

Well it is and it isn't. I picked out a simple stencil from Creative Expressions and used ink colors I had open, pear, yellow and Mediterranean blue on white card stock. I did not get the desired results. Here's a picture: 

Pretty awful, right? Even tried it again thinking it was my blending ability ... nope just as bad.

So I took a step back and thought, what colors do I love? One of my favorite color combinations is turquoise and brown. So I used those colors and a simple 5 x 5 inch pre-packaged card and layered it with the two colors. Here's a step by step pictorial:

Luckily, I chose right off to put my sentiment stamp on my Position-It. And if I hadn't you can see on the first hit of ink to paper, it was not good coverage. I imagine because of the space this script takes up, leaves room for an imperfect ink-to-paper hit. I went over the "Thanks" 4 times to get nice saturation.

But isn't that a lovely card?

I used a simple multi-frame die from Marianne Designs (one of my favorites for its simplicity and size) and the 4-pack of Romak card stock with envelopes. Whip out 4 of these with a variety of the sentiments from the Creative Expressions "Stylish Script" stamp set and you've got a really nice set of cards for any time you need a card quick!

My next play session will be on mixed media as I have a card class scheduled and I don't even have a card done yet. Stay tuned for more fun with paper crafting!!

Until next time,

Jenn

Products used can all be purchased at www.ecstasycrafts.com

Marianne multi frame square (CR1332).
Creative Expressions Stylish Script stamp set (CEC820) 
ClarityStamp Stencil Brush (ACCBR30006) 
Creative Expressions stencil (Mask)

February Contest Winner

We had our contest in February, post a comment on any of the blogs in February and each comment would enter your name in a draw for the Pixie Powders used in the card blog on February 13th. 

Fun With Pigment Powders

Drum roll please ... the winner of this set of Pixie Powders is ...
LRitchie (Lori from Courtenay)

 Please contact me at ECPaperCrafts.Jenn@gmail.com with your address and I will have them sent off to you.

Thank you all who participated. 

Until next time,


Jenn

Marianne Designs: Blog spotlight

We just received the spring collection from Marianne Designs and I haven't yet had a chance to play with them. But Marianne Designs has a blog and several designers so there is always inspiration and card designs on her blog.

I'll just post some of the cards made with this latest collection here and you can check them out on her blog.

This card uses the "Box Card Die" that is one of my favorites as it's base and filled in with delightful garden images. Just right up my alley, this one is! I will recreate it to some extent for sure.
 

The collection has two "confetti" dies one of flower heads and the other of garden veggies. As well two vines, so you can create garden veggie vines or garden flower vies.

Both equally delightful.

This card uses some of the dies from last year that are favorites of mine, the rubber boots, rake, and door add to this theme.




There is an edger die that is so well thought out, it has the notches cut out so you can tuck the veggies into the "ground"

there is also a "seed packet" die. I mean did they not think of everything??!!

Here's the Marianne Blog, has an option at the top to pick your language:

Bookmark this Blog for inspiration!

Until next time,

Jenn

And of course, this entire collection can be found at Ecstasy Crafts.