Mini Slim Birthday Card (BM Stencil of the month and Galaxy Glazes)

 Today's card features the Brutus Monroe Stencil of the Month and the new Galaxy Glazes.

I started by spraying the stencil with Pixie Spray and letting the dry a minute on the back of my stencil.  Then I temporarily attached my stencil to a 3.5" x 6.5" black cardstock on the diagonal.  Using a piece of post-it note, torn in four pieces, I covered the corners of my card panel to keep them clean.  

Next, I used the Blue Galaxy Glaze and my stencil pal, I applied a thin layer over my entire card.  When I apply glaze over a stencil, I try and only pull it one way to prevent the glaze from squishing under the stencil.  After removing the post it notes, I slowly pull apart my card panel from the stencil.  Setting the panel aside to dry, I quickly wipe off my stencil and tools, and place them in a bucket of warm water until later to clean.  (If you leave glazes or pastes on your stencils and they dry, they could potentially not wash off later.)

Earlier, I had made another panel the same way, using the Purple Galaxy Glaze that had dried overnight.  I cut this panel down to 3.5" x 5.5."  My card base is a white heavyweight cardstock measuring at 6.5" x 3.5."  I attached the stenciled card panel to the middle of my card base with liquid glue.  For my sentiment I used a scrap from my cardbase and the birthday sentiment from Christopher's Sentiment Cutting Dies.  After I attached it to my cardbase with liquid glue, I stamped a "happy" sentiment from my stash with a blue ink.  I used my scissors to cut it down before I affixed it above the birthday die cut.  I finished off my card using some white flat back pearls to my card.

Here is the link for my YouTube video.  This is my first edited and voice over video.  I hope you like it and will give me a thumbs up and subscribe.   

Here is an affliated list of products that I used in the Brutus Monroe Store:

• Stencil of the Month
• Pixie Spray
• Galaxy Glaze Purple
• Galaxy Glaze Blue
• Christopher's Sentiment Cutting Dies

Maker Forte Release One Layer Flower/Birthday Card

 

My card today is a very fun and simple one layer card.  Starting with an A2 white card base, scored, folded and placed in my Original Misti.  I love the flower image from the Beautiful Night Garden Stamp (designed by Alex Syberia).  I choose an Orange and Redish/Pink ink to spot ink up this image. Spot inking, is what I call inking my stamp several times, overlapping colors. Actually, I like to repeat this step until I am happy with the mix and saturation of the two colors. 

Next, I removed the card from my Misti. Using the same Redish/Pink ink, I stamped the Red rubber Splatter 2 background stamp, I over the entire background.  However, I did not use an acrylic block or my Misti, which gave a more organic and imperfect look the the splatter look.

For a focal image, I chose the new Flower Cluster stamp (designed by Varada Sharma), placed it and my card base back in my Misti.  First, I treated the card base with an anti-static tool. Then, I stamped the Flower Cluster and my Sentiment (chosen from Alex Syberia's Flower Background with Sentiment Set) with the Color Hive Clear Embossing Glue Ink Pad. Thirdly, I covered them both with a Black Embossing Powder from my stash.  Finally, I heat set the embossing powder and my card was finished.

I hope you enjoyed my first Maker Forte post and card as a member of the Design team.  Below is a list of items I used that you can purchase in the Maker Forte store.  (all are affilated links with no additional cost to you.)

Maker Forte Store 

• Beautiful Night Garden Stamp
• Splatter Square Style 2 Background Stamp
• Flower Cluster Stamp
• Flowered Background Stamp
• Color Hive Clear Embossing Glue Ink Pad

Brutus Monroe April Inspiration Box Birthday Card (Glow in the dark)

The April Inspiration Box has these adorable party Dinosaurs that just screamed Comic strip to me.

I started by coloring my images with a variety of Copic markers.  I wanted a rainbow effect so I chose two colors and did some simple shading on each image.  Next, I fussy cut each image out including the sentiment that I wanted.

I used Phonebook cardstock and cut it four times from the window panel die from my stash.  I used liquid glue to attached them together for some dimension.  I also cut hte die from some white cardstock and just used the "windows"  

I used some purple tape to temporarily attached the white window pieces to the back of the Slmline Lily Pad stencil.  Using Clear Skies ink and a blending brush, to lightly ink up the windows and then I used the Glow In The Dark Glitter Paste with a rubber spatula over the stencil as well.  (You ended up not seeing the blue ink, so I could have skipped that step.)  

I carefully peeled each piece of the stencil and wiped down any edges that had extra glaze and then set them aside to dry. Next I used liquid glue to attached the yellow frame to my A2 White card base being careful to place the balloons, under the one section.  Once my Window panels were dry I used liquid glue to attached them their appropriate squares.  Because of the glitter glaze texture, I used liquid glue to affix all of the colored images and placed an acrylic block on top to hold them down until they all dried to the front.  I used some foam dots to attach my sentiment to the middle of my card.

Here is a picture of the glow in the dark glitter paste.

Here is the list of products you can by in the Brutus Monroe Store:

• Phonebook Cardstock
• April Inspiration Box
• Lilypad Slimline Stencil
• Glow in the Dark Glitter Paste is not available right now but you could use the Glow in the Dark Embossing Powder or Chroma Glaze in its place.

Hedgehog Hollow March Subscriptin Box

I have recently had the honor of being added the the Marker Forte/Hedgehog Hollow Design Team.  I received my first kit in the mail and I was so excited to this because it is FAIRIES!  There are three stamp sets, a stencil that comes with the negative, and 3 glitters.  This is my first post and design for the team. 

First, I took on of the white slim line panels (that came with the kit), treated with my antistatic bag and stamped the Fairy Swinging on the moon with a yellow pigment ink on at the top and the make a wish sentiment towards the bottom.  Next, I covered them both with a clear embossing powder from my stash and heat set them.

Using a blending tool, I ink blended Broken China, Blueprint Sketch and Black Soot Distress Oxides over the background.  I concentrated the lightest color (broken china) around the moon and sentiment.  I took a clean towel to carefully wipe off the embossing areas.  Next, I took the Fairy on the Moon stencil and layed it over the top of my Embossed fairy and a cloth over the bottom of my card panel. I used a shimmer spray from my stash and sprayed over the stencil.  I love how the shimmer spray left the silhouette of the stencil.

Here is a close up of the shimmer from spraying the stencil

Lastely, I took a stencil and glow in the dark glitter paste from my stash and created a starry background over the top.  Once dry, I used liquid glue to attach it to a yellow mat and then to my white Slim Line Cardbase.  My typical Slim Line cards measure 3.5" x 8.5."

I did get a photo of the glow in the dark paste, though the photos is upside down.

For a final touch, I used a small star die from my stash and cut out 7 stars to attach around my card.

I hope you enjoyed my card and will stop back again.

You can find the subscription link to the HedgeHog Hollow box is here.  Sometimes you can buy a one off box if there is any left.

Brutus Monroe & Dare 2B Artzy Collaboration Project

 

When looking at the Dare 2 Be Artzy website to decide what sets I wanted to work with I just HAD to have the ReWrite the Stars set.  I love musicals and The Greatest Showman but one of my all time favorite songs is Pink's Million Dreams.  

To start my project I took a A2 card Panel and rubbed my antistatic bag all over it.  I took the Aerialist stamp and the stars and stamped them all over using the Brutus Monroe Embossing ink, and covered them with the Brutus Monroe Alabaster Embossing powder.  After I heat set the powder, I used a blending brush to cover the panel in Gubby and Game Over ink by Simon Hurley Creates.  I love how the two colors mix to create the orange.  I had the idea that these colors represent the big top of the circus.

Next I took the Hills Stencil and the Poppy Glitter Paste both from Brutus Monroe to cover part of the card front, being careful to not go over the edges of the stencil.  I set the card panel aside to dry.  Next I stamped the Sentiment from the Rewrite the Stars set and stamped it in the Game Over ink and covered it with the Alabaster Sparkle Embossing Powder.  After I heat set it, I noticed I did not have the entire sentiment covered, but I liked the two toned look.  I used my blending brush to ink the sentiment panel with Guppy Ink.  I used a couple of stitched dies from my stash to cut out the sentiment and the dry card panel.

Finally I used liquid glue to attach the sentiment to my card panel and my card panel to my white A2 Card base.

Products used:

• Brutus Monroe Embossing Ink
• Brutus Monroe Alabaster Embossing Powder
• Simon Hurley Creates Game Over Ink
• Simon Hurley Creates Gubby Ink
• Brutus Monore Hills Mixed Media Stencil
• Brutus Monore Poppy Glitter Glaze (Special for the month of Jan 2021)
• Brutus Monore Alabaster Sparkle Embossing Powder
• Dare 2B Artzy Rewrite the Stars

Collaboration with Crafty Meraki

 

Today's post is a Collaboration between Brutus Monore and Crafty Meraki.  I was lucky enough to receive the You are Incredible stamp set from Crafty Meraki to work with.  I will be honest I do not use flowers and water coloring images very often because I am not comfortable with it yet.  However, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and go for it.  I started by stamping the large floral image from the stamp set onto watercolor paper with Brutus Monroe Embossing Ink, covering the sticky ink with Gilded Sparkle Embossing Powder (also from Brutus Monroe), and heat set it. 

I chose three colors of Brutus Monroe Aqua Pigments.  I used the Creamy Green and Yellow Green for the leaves and the Coral for the flowers.  My first step was to lightly paint all of the images and let it bleed over the sides of the image to give it a loose or messy watercoloring feel.  I let that dry and then proceeded to go in with another more detailed layer with the Creamy Green and Coral.  After that layer was dry, I added some of the Yellow Green to the leaves to deepen and give some shading.  I also added more Coral to the flower petals using some clean water to blend it out until I was happy with the colors and set it aside to dry completely.

Once dry, I put the panel in my splat box and covered the whole panel with splatters from all three colors.  I also grabbed the Gilded Aqua Pigment to add some gold splatters.  I decided to fussy cut out the entire image.  I tried several slimline card bases in a couple of colors and realizing I was out of cream cardstock, I chose a kraft base.  My card base measures 8.5 x 3.5.  

I wanted more shimmer and shine so I pulled out my Slim line stencils from Brutus Monore and flipped through them all to decide to use the Bamboo stencil.  I placed that down on my card base, taping the top and bottom of the stencil in place with low tack tape.  I generously applied the Brutus Monroe Embossing ink to the sides of the cardbase and through the stencil.  I then poured more Gilded Sparkle Embossing powder over the ink and heat set it.  I also did this to a scrap of kraft paper to the LOVE sentiment from the Crafty Meraki Stamp set.

I used foam tape to attach the floral panel to the front of my Gilded Stenciled base and liquid glue to attach some glitter sequins and my sentiment.

I hope you enjoyed my card.  Do you water color?  What techinque makes you uncomfortable?

Here is a list of products used that you can find in the Brutus Monroe Store:

• Creamy WinterGreen Aqua Pigment
• Yellow Green Aqua Pigment
• Coral Aqua Pigment
• Gilded Aqua Pigment
• Embossing Ink
• Gilded Sparkle Embossing Powder
• Bamboo Slim Line Stencil

Here is a link the the stamp set from Crafty Meraki:  You Are Incredible Stamp Set

Brutus Monroe Stencil of the Month March 2021

 

Today's card has no stamping.  This month's stencil of the Month from Brutus Monroe is a slim line stencil called Multi Ring.  My first step was to choose some patterned paper to cut out the tag for the front of my card.  This is a paper from the Farmhouse Florals 6x6 collection.

I compared my pink inks from my stash the pink in the roses and blended them both over the Multi Ring stencil (with pixie spray) temporarily attached my 8.5 x 3.75 white slim line card base with a blending brush.  Next, I dug through my leftover stash from Brutus Monroe Inspiration boxes and found a ribbon that also coordinated with the flowers and attached it to the bottom of my die cut tag with Easy Tear Tape in the 1/4" size.  I also threaded the top of the tag with more of the ribbon.

I attached the tag to the front of my card with some foam tape and then looked through my scrap stash for matching cardstocks to cut out my roses, leaves and sentiment.  I used the Rose Corner Die in a yellow, pink and orangey/red paper.  I fussy cut one rose out of the die cut and attached them to a darker scrap cardstock for the "back petals".  I also fussy cut around the scrap so I had two tone roses.  I repeated this process with two green scraps and a leaf die from the Flowered Heart Die set.  I attached all of the roses and leaves to the top of the tag on my card with liquid glue.

Finally, I used the same pink scraps to cut the word Hugs and its shadow die from Christopher's Sentiment Cutting Dies.  I did use my blender brush and the darker of my two pinks to give the shadow layer a little tint.  I used liquid glue to attach the sentiment together and then to the front of my card near the bottom of my tag.

Here is a list of affilated links to the products I used that can be found in the Brutus Monroe Store:

• Farm House Floral 6x6 paper pack
• Stencil of the Month
• Tear Tape 1/4"
• Rose Corner Die
• Flowered Heart Die Set
• Christopher's Sentiment Cutting Dies

One More Card Homegrown Happiness

 

I started with an A2 Brown cardbase.  I used the Abstract Flower Stencil in the bottom left corner and using a Ranger Blending tool, I inked up part of the stencil with Brutus Monroe Embossing Ink.  Then I used a soft dry paintbrush to apply some Orange Pigment Powder (from collectione one) over the sticking Embossing Ink.

Next stamped Jar from the Homegrown Happiness with Raven Detail ink on Perfect Blend Alcohol Paper.  I created a tiny mask from the lip of the jar and applied it to my stamped image so I could stamp one of the stems over the jar.  I removed the mask and colored in the images with a green and light blue Copic marker.  I also stamped the "marigold" flower and used a few orange colors.  I fussy cut both pieces and used liquid glue to attached them to my card panel.  I put a little embossing ink on the flower head and I spread some more orange pigment powder over the top.  Finally, I stamped the Thinking of you sentiment from the same set with Embossing Ink in the upper right corner of the card front.

Here is a list with affliated links to the products I used in the Brutus Monroe Store:

• Homegrown Happiness Inspiration Box
• Abstract Flower Stencil
• Raven Detail Ink
• Perfect Blend Alcohol Paper
• Embossing Ink
• Pigment Powder Collection One

Homegrown Happiness Inpiration Box One Layer Card

 

I am loving the new Inspiration Box Stamp Set from Brutus Monroe Homegrown Happiness.  I created another one layer card.  This time I used two colors to make a monochromatic card.

After treating my card base with my antistatic bag, I used Brutus Monroe Embossing ink and Alabaster Embossing powder for all of my images. FirstvI stamped the Jar on the front of my Gray A2 Card Base in the bottom left corner.  I created a mask for the lip of the jar and the flower image I planned on using and fussy cut them out.  Next I stamped the flower from the stamp set where I wanted it over the jar. I covered the lip of the jar and my flower with the Masks I made and then repeated the stamping steps for the stem.

For the sentiment I lined it up where I wanted it and used selective stamping to just ink up the with deepest with Embossing Ink (covering the sympathy word with purple tape when inking and removing the tape before stamping).  I repeated this step after I lined up the sympathy under deepest with the same way of selective stamping reversing the words that were taped.

I carefully used a N5 and N3 Copic marker to add shading on my flower and jar, avoiding the embossed images as best as possible.

• Homegrown Happiness Inspiration Box
• Embossing Ink
• Alabaster Embossing Powder
• Refillable Magic Powder Bag

Brutus Monroe March Inspiration Box Homegrown Happiness

 

I started my card by cutting down a piece of white cardstock to 3.5" x 8.5."  Then using my Misti stamping tool and Raven Detail ink, I stamped out several of the flowers and leaves from the Homegrown Happiness Stamp set onto masking paper.  I fussy cut out all my masks, when I cut my masks I try to cut just inside the lines of my stamped image or right up to the outside edge.

Next I layed the stamps out on my card panel just to see where everything fit and took a picture with my phone for reference.

I started with the images I wanted in the front, stamped them with Raven Detail ink and then covered them with the appropriate masks.  I continued this step until I had all the flowers I wanted stamped and masked.  Next I did the same thing with the various leaves and stems.  If I was short a mask, I quickly made another until all the pieces (except the stems were covered with a mask.)

For the background, I used a blending tool and Clear Skies Ink from Simon Hurley Creates to ink the entire background.  I carefully removed the masks and stuck them to the acetate with my stamp set so I can use them in the future.  I checked the edges and anywhere the mask left a white spot on the outside of the images, I carefully used some watered down Clear Skies ink with a paintbrush to fill in and give some details, texture to the blue background.

My next step was to color in all the flowers, stems and leaves with Copic Markers.  I used the following markers for my coloring:

Yellow Flowers: Y08, Y35, & YR16

Pink Flowers: RV02, RV23, & RV 55

Purple Flowers: V25, BV02 & BV31

Flower Centers: darkest of flower color and E23

The Stems and Leaves: YG63, YG67, YG67 & G43

I used my Misti to stamp my sentiment from the same set in Raven detail ink right in the center above my flowers.  Then I used some shimmer spray from my stash and lightly misted the air and ran my card panel through the mist to give just a hint of sparkle.  I cut down the top and bottom of the panel and used liquid glue to attach it to my 3.5"x8.5" Black Slim Line Card Base to finish it off.

Here are the links (affliated which I receive a small compensation but it is at no additional cost to you) to the products I used from the Brutus Monroe Store:

• Homemade Happiness Inspiration Box
• Raven Detail Ink
• Brutus Monroe Masking Paper
• Simon Hurley Clear Skies Ink

Valentine Cards with Brutus Monore

 

For my card today, I started by placing some media paste on two different piles on my glass mat and I mixed in Cherry Aqua Pigment into one pile and Fuschia into another pile and mixed them until I got the colors I wanted.  Next, I took a piece of paper and smooshed it into the two different colored paste until I was happy.  (I didn't leave any behind. I made several backgrounds with as much paste as there was left on my mat until it was all gone.) Then I left the backgrounds to dry overnight and cleaned up the left over residue from my mat, palette knife.

I ran my dried background with a stitched rectangle die from my stash.  Next I ran some red scrap paper through my Big Shot twice with one of the border dies from Lace Borders Cutting Die Set.  I also cut one layer from Prom Night Glamour Gloss Cardstock and glued them all together to create a thick die for texture.  I also did the same thing to the Love die from With Love and White cardstock three times.  I attached both stacked die cuts to the front of my card panel.  I used liquid glue to attach my card panel to a pink A2 card base.  To finish off my card, I used a small heart die from my stash to cut more hearts from leftovers of my Prom Night Glamour Gloss and glued them around my die sentiment.

For this project I started with an aqua pigment smooshed background.  Then I used the Flower Burst Stencil and an ink blending tool to pounce the Alabaster Pigment ink all over the front of my panel.  I set it aside to dry and in the meantime I cut a heart makeshift stencil from acetate with a die from my stash.  Once the inked panel was dry, I used a palette knife to spread the Bubble Gum Chroma Glaze and Some Happy Heather Velveteen glaze over the center of my card panel (through my makeshift stencil).  I scooped a little of each glaze onto my Stencil pal and then spread them together to create a mix.  Before the glaze was completely dry I pressed my Glamour Gloss Prom Night Heart from the Heart Petals Die Cut into the center of the heart and put the whole thing aside to dry overnight.

Once my panel was completely dry, I put it in my spatter blox and splattered both white acrylic paint and Aubergine Surface spray over it for some more pattern.  I cut the panel down with a stitched rectangle die from my stash and attached it to an A2 white card panel.  I used some white cardstock and cut out three of the Love word die from With Love die set and stacked them together with liquid glue.  I attached the stacked die to the front of my card along with a few white small hearts.

Did you make any valentines this year?  What is your favorite die or stamp set to use for Valentines?

• Media Paste
• Fuschia Aqua Pigments
• With Love Dies
• Lace Border Cutting Dies 
• Glamour Gloss Prom Night
• Heart Petals Cutting Dies
• Alabaster White Pigment Ink
• Flower Burst Stencil
• Bubble Gum Chroma Glaze
• Happy Heather Velveteen Glaze
• Aubergine Surface Spray