Scraps of Life: Love and Strength

Hello, Friends! This is my last post as a July Guest Designer for Graciellie Design! It has been fun to play with digital images and all my coloring toys this month! I tired to do a different technique for each card (see all the cards at the end of this post).

For today, I used Distress Oxide inks to create a fast and easy card with a lot of pizzazz!

I was talking to my daughter about art stuff the other day and she mentioned a technique that she had done with watercolor paints and canvas. A lightbulb went off in my head because it is similar to a technique we card makers have used for years using Distress Inks. Then I remembered that I had used a similar technique using Distress Oxides in a class last fall. Well....all that "ah-ha" remembering came together in this card!

I started by creating a custom stamp using several digital stamps from the Vintage Peonies Release. One of the things I love about digital stamps is that you can combine them to create unique images in a few easy clicks of your mouse!

I first used the "fulfilled life" library card from the Vintage Library Cards Digital Stamp Set as my bottom layer. (I use Photoshop Elements 19 for quick projects.) Next I added the large flower stamp from the Vintage Peonies 1 Mega Digital Stamp Set, enlarging it to allow the image to bleed off the edge of the library card. Lastly, I placed the "love and strength" sentiment from the same stamp set at the top of the library card image.

Because these images are created in such a way that they can be layered and manipulated, you get so much bang for your buck! When purchasing digital stamps, making sure they are in PNG format, with transparent backgrounds means you can do a lot more with them!

I printed the image onto ColorMates Smooth Natural cardstock, which is a soft, vintage white. Using my craft mat, I smooched four colors of Distress Oxide onto the mat, then sprayed them with a little water to allow them to run together (Carved Pumpkins, Wild Honey, Abandoned Coral, Squeezed Lemonade). I simply placed the printed image face down in the ink and swirled it around. I kept going, adding ink and water until I was satisfied with the look.

I placed the wet image between clean sheets of printer paper under some heavy books to dry. I wanted to make sure it dried flat. I allowed the image to dry overnight. This simple technique can take longer simply because you need to allow things to dry. I find drying naturally gives me better results than drying with my heat tool.

I used a stitched die to cut out the image, then matted it with a scrap of old gold metallic paper before attaching the panels to a black card base. The finished card is 4 3/4" x 6" which is one of my favorite sizes!

I added some glitter enamel dots here and there to finish off the card. I also lined the card with more of the natural cardstock to give a place to write or stamp a message.

I hope that you will check out the Graciellie Design shop and blog to see more amazing products! There are both digital and rubber stamps, and loads of inspiration on the socials!

Here is a look back at the other cards I made with this collection: