Two Great Cards ~ One Awesome Sketch

I am so excited about this week's stamping 411 sketch, that I made two cards! I started with this card. It uses shimmer white paper, and the reinker float technique. On the center 3x3" square, I embossed a white snowflake.

Next, I spritzed my cardstock with water till there were large pools of water. I added 2 drops of reinkers (soft suede and bermuda bay) to the top of a stamp box, and used a water brush to pick up the reinker, and drop it into my floating pools of water.

It's very important to do this with the right paper. Using shimmer white, is key to making this work, The whisper white would absorb the water and get the paper too wet. Lots of sponging and lots of love for this card.

Many times, I make my stamping 411 cards well in advance, so I won't be rushing. I used the above card in my "over the top" Christmas card class last week. Then, I had some extra packets.

I was asked to demonstrate a workshop wow at the Portland Maine, Stampin' Up! regionals last weekend, and since I had a few extra packets prepped. So ~ here's another card I made. with the exact same layout different stamps! I stamped my whisper white cardstock with stazon. for both flower images and the blossom definition. Then I began to color.

First, I used makeup applicators to apply an even coat of pastels to my image.

Next, I used a blender pen, to pick up the pastels and add it to selected areas of my flowers. When coloring this image I always keep in mind that the artist drew darker lines in the areas where my coloring should be darker. So I added the darker layer of chalk (with the blender pens) to those areas where the artist made the lines.

It seems I can't do a demo for a large group of people without using crystal effects, so I added crystal effects to the flower pot image, and all the flowers. The cool thing about adding crystal effects on top of chalk is, it doesn't move your color around. When applying crystal effects to an image colored with water based markers, you need to first do a thin coat to seal your image, let that dry, then apply thicker layers. On top of chalk, you can just go for it!

Many times in stamping I suggest that "less is more" when it comes to crystal effects, more is more. You don't want to see the brush lines from your paint brush ~ don't be shy ~ slather it on!

When that was dry, I sponged the edges with soft suede ink and assembled my card.