Monoprint Crackle Card - ImagineCrafts featuring Tsukineko.

Mix your favorite IMAGINE Crafts inks on our Craft Mat to produce spectacular backgrounds for card making. Today we’re sharing with you how to incorporate All-Purpose Inks with acrylic paints for creating crackle backgrounds
love creating backgrounds for my cards and scrapbook layouts. Gelli Printing is a firm favorite of mine because it offers the ability to just play and experiment – and with the wonderful inks and mediums available it is such a joy creating textures. A great alternative to the Gelli Plate is to use the awesome Craft Mat from IMAGINE Crafts to create some faux Gelli prints for some quick cards using All Purpose ink combined with acrylic paint. Make your own crackle background card.

Using Dies As Accents – Cluster Technique.

hello everyone - my apologies for still being MIA. But i still havea good reason - we are still not done with customizing my workspace. It has taken so much longer than what i hoped for various reasons! But I am seeing light at the end of the disorganized tunnel (and hopefully it's not a train).
So Fridays layout shared on the Wholesaler's blog is a fun one using some of my all time favourite dies from Couture Creations.
I have spoken a lot in the past about using dies on cards and layouts, and even as I use it more I realise the possibilities are endless. As you run out of elements to use and alphabets to create titles with, dies are those things that will never run out – each time you use a different paper or cardstock or technique on a die-cut, you can alter and change the way it looks and functions. 

TIP: when you group elements together on a layout, you form clusters. These make a bigger statement and have a huge impact when grouped closely together, when things are spread out too far from each other they lose their visual appeal and purpose.

Notice how the die cuts form an integrate part of the design without being lost – this is because they have a purpose in grounding the left hand side of the layout visually. The cluster also balances the layout having the enlarged photograph on the right hand side.
 
 I started off by adding my circle doily die cut underneath the vertical paper strips. I then added three leaf dies on top of the doily and finished off the cluster with a butterfly die cut on top of everything. A couple of printed tags cut from patterned paper and other elements finish off the cluster – but keeping everything nice and tidy close together.

Not only did I use the die-cuts to support my layout theme of being outside, the die cuts also lend colour and texture to the layout with its various layers.
And that’s how easy it is to incorporate die cuts into your layouts.

The Quick release paper on top of the die, creates a buffer between the die and your paper, which enables your paper to be released a lot easier as it is the release paper that will be left behind in the die. Trust me it makes a huge difference.
I place my dies skew inside my Cuttlebug – this way the pressure seems to be all over the die. This works especially when you have intricate dies with lots of details.

By colouring smooth white cardstock in different colours, I can create my own custom patterned papers in the exact colours I need for my project – making my die cuts unique and personalized each time I use them.
 Die cutting elements out of plain cardstock is so easy. They offer the opportunity to be inked on the edges, stamped on, embossed in your Cuttlebug, heat embossed, foiled, sanded, glittered or left plain. Each time you add a product to a die cut, you change the look of it, giving you loads of opportunities using them over and over again.

Tips and tricks for using die cuts:

When you cut detailed and intricate die designs on your Cuttlebug, I recommend that you use a metal cutting plate to ensure a nice clean cut

My sandwich in my machine for cutting is as follows: A, metal place, B, die facing up, paper, Quick release paper, C. I cut into my C plate – why? Well this was the original ever sandwich stack and it also prevents my B plate and C plate from curling up so much. I hardly ever replace my C or B plates because of curling and this is the reason why. When you use the stack A, C, B then your plates will curl excessively and will snap and need replacing more often.
**Please note that this is my own personal experience from practice
 

So go on – start using dies as accents, be brave try a cluster technique and start cutting away!


spEGGtacular Easter wishes - imagineCrafts card.

I hope you are having a hopping good Easter filled with the blessings God has promised to us all.
I am over on the Imagine Crafts blog with this Easter card using some of my favorite things - Tsukineko inks and stamps. Hop on over and see how I create the effects step by step.
Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko:

Kaisercraft Design Team 2015 Entry

Hi everyone, my apologies for being missing in action this past week!
I have been busy with work, and with a huge project - building a cupboard for my stash. I have no words to describe how excited I am about this cupboard. It has been a long haul and an even longer dream. But I finally got my J to consider recycling an old cupboard as finances are tight and we just had to make what we have work. And now we can finally see the vision and we are busy creating it.
But in the meantime I also got to play with the amazing new Kaisercraft ranges and to apply for the Design Team - nothing ventured nothing gained right?
I created this layout combining two of the new ranges - All the glitters and Furry friends.
I had this photo of my Dalmatian Bailey and niece and it worked perfectly with the colours and theme.

For my center panel on this layout I used a stencil and some gold ink to create an interesting effect. I wanted to mimic the gold of the paper and it worked really well adding that element of surprise. I also added some gold sprinkle confetti mimicking the look of the gold dots on the paper. And if you look closely you can see loads of sewing happening on the center panel using my sewing machine.
You guys know how much I love making cards with my scraps, and so this card was a ten minute card using my left-overs from the paper. The embellishment pack was a quick and easy choice to add my focal point image and some die-cut brackets from a left over piece of technique card stock.
 And lastly I used an empty glue dot cardboard roll and created a fun serviette ring for our Easter lunch. I simply covered the roll in paper and added some elements with some diamante adhered to the inside edges. Quick and easy but a nice touch to any table setting - doing my bit for recycling some of my craft stash while creating something functional.
Here's wishing you a wonderful Easter - celebrating the true reason for living life and finding meaning in the everyday!
Lots of blessings for a wonderful weekend!

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