Picket Fence Studios November Release

Hello!

It's the 14th of the month, and that means it is time for another new release from Picket Fence Studios!  This month, 

Find the full release in the shop now.  

As always, I have multiple cards to share with you today, so lets get right on into it!  

Card #1 | Aquarius Girl

For today's first card, I stamped the image from the Aquarius Girl Stamp Set, onto white card stock, using a light ink for no-line coloring.  I then colored in the image, using my Polychromos pencils.  Once colored, I used the coordinating die to cut the image.  

I cut a piece of navy card stock to a card front size, and then used Slimline Cloud Coverage Stencil, and my Life Changing Blender Brushes to ink in some clouds - using Spun Sugar, Shaded Lilac, and Salty Ocean Distress Oxide Inks.  Once the clouds were added, I heavily powdered the panel, and stamped the sentiment from the stamp set, before heat embossing it in Metallic Platinum.  Then, I splattered a little Sparkle Paper Glitz - mixed with alcohol - over the top of the panel, and allowed it to dry.  The image was adhered to the card front, then added to a white card base.    

♥   ♥   ♥

Card #2 | Iconic

I began this card by stamping the Iconic Beauty Kiara Stamp in Black Hybrid Ink.  I quickly coated the ink in clear embossing powder, so that I could do an emboss resist technique over the top.  Using a Life Changing Blender Brush, I inked the panel in Stormy Sky Distress Oxide Ink, keeping the ink darkest on the outer edges of the panel.  Then, I laid the Fancy Flourish Stencil over the top of the panel, and inked over that with Dusty Concord Distress Oxide Ink - again, keeping the ink along the edges of the panel and away from the image.  Once the panel was inked, I was able to go in with my Polychromos pencils, and add some color to the image.  

To complete the card front, I die cut two sets of letters from the Slim Line Stitched and Scalloped Rectangle & Alpha Die Cutting System Die Set. I adhered the second set of letters on the back side of the first. I lined the letters up on my work surface, and applied painters tape to hold them in a straight line while I glued them to the card front.    I positioned the sentiments from the stamp set, in my MISTI, and then removed the center sentiment, so that I could stamp and heat embossed the two gold sentiments.   I, then, repositioned the other sentiment, to stamp and white heat emboss it.  I matted the card front with a piece of black card stock, then attached it to a white card base.  

♥   ♥   ♥

Card #3 | Hello Wreath

This third card was super quick to make.  I stamped and gold heat embossed the A Wreath for All Seasons stamp image onto kraft card stock.  I then used just three Polychromos pencils to add a bit of shading.  

I die cut the sentiment from the Mini Slimline Double Stitched Rectangles Die Cutting System Die Set, out of green card stock, and adhered that to the card front.  Then a added a little highlight to the die cut using the white pencil.  A few gems from the Sands of Time Gem Mix finished the card front, and it was adhered to a white card base.  

♥   ♥   ♥

Card #4 | Hello Plumeria

Another super easy card!  I layered the Slim Line Plumeria Flowers Stencil over a panel of white card stock.  Using the Life Changing Blender Brushes, I inked the flowers with Kitsch Flamingo Distress Oxide Ink, and the leaves with Bundled Sage Distress Oxide Ink.  Then, I removed the stencil, and die cut the panel with one of the rectangle dies from the Mini Slimline Double Stitched Rectangles Die Cutting System Die Set.  I also die cut the sentiment from the set, out of gold card stock.  

I layered the inked panel and sentiment together, and added them to a white card base.  Then, to finish the card, I added a few of the Iridescent Moonshine Sequins.  

♥   ♥   ♥

Card #5 | A Paper Hello

The final project is actually two in one!  I pulled out the Peach and Piper Checking the Post Stamp Set, and stamped an A2 sized envelope, along with stamping one of the images onto a piece of white card stock.  Then I colored in both images with Polychromos pencils.  I die cut the image from the card stock, using the coordinating die.  

To finish the envelope, I  stamped a sentiment from the Hugs Enclosed Stamp Set in Black Hybrid Ink.  

Going back to work on the card, I wanted to create a stitched frame for my shaker element.  So, I partially die cut a rectangle from the Mini Slim Line Double Stitched Rectangles Die Cutting System Die Set, out of teal card stock. To do this, lay your top plate of your die cutting sandwich, only over the portion you want cut.  Then, I lined the die up with the stitch marks at the length I wanted the frame - you will feel the die "settle" into place once the stiches line up in the grooves  - and die cut the remaining portion.  Once the rectangle was cut, I used the same technique, with the cloud die from the same set, to cut out the inside of the frame.  I then added a sheet of acetate for the window.  The backing piece of the shaker was stamped and white heat embossed with the A Friendly Paper Hello Stamp. Before adhering the shaker element together, I added a generous amount of the Snail Mail Sequin Mix Plus.  

Before assembling the card, I randomly stamped a panel of white card stock with the envelopes image from the Peach & Piper stamps set, in aqua ink.  Then I layered my elements together, and adhered the card front to a white card base.  

♥   ♥   ♥

That's it for today's cards.  As always, there are several other fun new things in the release, and I did not have time to play with them all.  Be sure to stop over to Picket Fence Studios and take a look at the entire release.   

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies specific to these cards, are listed, and linked, in the blog post.  

To see the basic tools that I use on nearly every card, please click here.

O Holy Night

Hello!

One of my favorite Christmas carols, just happens to be Oh Holy Night.  So, when I first saw the sneak peek of Concord & 9th's O Holy Night Stamp Set,  I actually gasped.  I knew that I'd be making my personal Christmas cards this year with that beautiful sentiment stamp.  I made these cards en masse, so I know this particular design is pretty easy to assembly line - even with the embossing.  If  you work in groups of 3-5 cards at a time, you'll have plenty of time to stamp and emboss each panel.  

To begin with, I cut my card front panels from Navy card stock (I used Gina K In the Navy card stock, to match with the envelopes, however, Concord & 9th has a beautiful Midnight color as well).   I lined up the sentiment stamp, and building stamp in my MISTI.  Then I put the star stamp on a small clear block.  I generously powdered each panel, before placing it in the MISTI to stamp with Versamark ink.  Once the panel was stamped with the larger images, I pulled it aside, and stamped the star.  I stamped up to five panels in a row, before adding the gold embossing powder to each panel.   Once all were coated, I'd heat set the embossing powder (bonus to working with multiples is that the heat gun heats for the first panel, so the subsequent panels are super quick).  

Once the embossing was done for all of my card fronts, I pulled out a couple of Distress brand inks, and some Life Changing Blender Brushes.  I used a smaller brush to apply Speckled Egg Distress Oxide Ink over the top of the star, and to blend it down towards the buildings.  Then, I used a larger brush to apply Black Soot Distress Ink to the top corners, and down the sides of the card front. 

Before, I adhered the card fronts to a white card base, I splattered them with Sparkle Paper Glitz that had been thinned with a bit of alcohol.   The finished card will be mailed out inside In the Navy envelopes that I stamped and heat embossed with my personalized return address stamp.  

And that's the finished Christmas card.  I made quite a few of these, with just a little time here or there, over the course of a couple days. I like to put my cards in the mail no later than the day after Thanksgiving, so I have made these a little early in order to get them fully prepared for mailing - but they are quick enough to make at any point in the holiday season.   I think they're gorgeous, and due to the single layer card front - they will not require any additional postage. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies specific to this card, are listed, and linked, in the blog post.  

To see the basic tools that I use on nearly every card, please click here.

Warm & Bright | Picket Fence & MFT Collab

Hello!

Today, Picket Fence Studios is doing a collaboration with My Favorite Things.  Each company is giving away a $50 gift card on the blog posts shown on the company blogs (PFS Blog here | MFT Blog here).  I have made two cards to share today, using products from both companies.  

This first card, was really fun to make.  I wanted to use the bright, fun, ink colors from MFT, to play on the Merry & Bright sentiment.  I began by blending a panel of white card stock, with a rainbow of color - using Red Hot, Orange Zest, Lemon Drop, Limelight, Summer Splash, Grape Jelly, and Ripe Raspberry Dye Inks, along with my Life Changing Blender Brushes.  Once the blend was how I wanted it, I die cut the Winter Snowflakes Dies from the panel.  

I layered together a panel of white card stock, a strip of black card stock, and a strip from the Stripe Splash Paper Pad, to create the card front.  I laid out the snowflakes to determine where to stamp the sentiment, then removed them while I stamped the Merry & Bright from the Inside Quotes Christmas Stamp Set, in Black Hybrid Ink.  I then adhered the snowflakes, paying attention to keeping them in rainbow order.  I added the card front to a white card base, then added a few clear gems from the Day and Night Gem Mix.  

The background for the second card was created with the Arctic Winter 6x6 stencil, and Gravel Gray Dye Ink.  I used a little painter's tape to section off the areas of the stencil I wanted to blend, and then used a Life Changing Blender Brush to blend the ink, so that it faded inward. 

I stamped and white heat embossed the sentiment from the Inside Quotes Christmas Stamp Set, onto black card stock.   I then layered some of the Winter Snowflakes Dies diecuts, from white card stock, and a bit of paper from the Stripe Splash Paper Pad.  I attached the elements to the card front, and then matted that on another piece of white card stock, before adding it to a white card base.  A few gems  from the Day and Night Gem Mix finished off the card.

I hope you enjoyed these cards.  Be sure to jump over to the blog posts on the PFS Blog and the MFT Blog, and leave a comment to be entered into the drawings for the gift cards.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies specific to this card, are listed, and linked, in the blog post.  

To see the basic tools that I use on nearly every card, please click here.

Picket Fence Studios October Release

Hello!

It's the 14th of the month, and that means it is time for another new release from Picket Fence Studios!  This month, there are some fun new stamp sets to color, and get artsy with, along with a few more holiday items.  There's also a couple of new additions to the Slim Line Die Cutting System - including mini slimline!

Find the full release in the shop now.  

As always, I have multiple cards to share with you today, so lets get right on into it!  

Card #1 | Feel Beautiful Today

This card began by stamping the image from the Watercolor Roses Stamp Set, in Barely There Amalgam Ink, onto white card stock.  I colored the image in with Polychromos Pencils.  Once the image was colored as I wanted, I die cut it, using the coordinating die.  

To create the background, I stamped the Watercolor Roses image onto Dove card stock, using the coordinating ink. I stamped the sentiment onto Grapefruit card stock, and heat embossed it with copper embossing powder. I fussy cut the sentiment, then adhered everything together with foam tape.  I added a few Vegas Baby sequins, tucked under the edges of the flowers, before adhering the card front to a white card base. 

♥   ♥   ♥

Card #2 | Chosen Family

For this second card, I once again began by stamping the Watercolor Roses image onto the corners of white card stock, this time using Midnight Ink.  Before I colored in the image, using Polychromos Pencils, I used a Life Changing Blender Brush, to blend Weathered Wood Distress Oxide Ink to the edges of the card panel.  

I stamped the sentiment from the Fancy Friendship Sentiments Stamp Set, onto black card stock, and heat embossed it with white embossing powder.  I die cut the sentiment, using the coordinating die, and then cut a couple more pieces from the same die.  I stacked the die cuts together, and then layered them on my card front with a strip of gold card stock.  

For a unique twist to matting the card front, I cut two larger triangles from the gold card stock, and then two smaller triangles from the black card stock.  I stacked them under the opposing corners from the floral images.  Then I adhered the card front to a white card base.  

♥   ♥   ♥

Card # 3 | Sympathy Leaves

This card was actually super easy.  I began by ink blending a background using the Life Changing Blender Brushes, and Distress Oxide Inks, on a piece of white card stock.  To get the blend exactly how I wanted, I used the colors Scattered Straw, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peacock Feathers, and Chipped Sapphire.  

Once my ink blending was done, I taped the panel to my work surface, and taped the Funky Leaves Stencil over the top.  I spread a bit of Black Pansy Paper Glaze over the top of the stencil.  I removed the stencil, and tape, and allowed the panel to dry.  

I die cut the Slim Line Oversized With Sympathy Word Die from gold card stock, and vellum.  Once the card front was dry, I adhered the sentiment die cut, and trimmed the overhanging edges.  Then I adhered the card front to a white card base.  

♥   ♥   ♥

Card #4 | Real, Not Perfect

The Iconic Beauty Sara Stamp, just screamed "Watercolor Me!" when I first saw it, but I wanted to try something a little different that had a similar effect.  I stamped the image in Black Hybrid Ink, and then quickly heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.  Then, I used the Life Changing Blender Brushes to inkblend over the top of the image, and create the background.  I used Distress Oxide Inks in Tattered Rose, Salvaged Patina, Scattered Straw, Peacock Feathers, and Abandoned Coral.  

Once the ink was blended on, I used a few Polychromos Pencils to add a bit more shading to specific points of her face.  I also added a few dots of white gel pen to the center of the large flower behind her ear.  

To finish off the card, I stamped the sentiment in the upper corner, and heat embossed it with gold embossing powder.  I adhered the panel to a white card base, and added a few of my favorite Iridescent Moonshine Sequins.  

♥   ♥   ♥

Card #5 | Led Home for the Holidays

I stamped the image from the For the Holidays Stamp Set, in Black Hybrid Ink, onto white card stock.  I used a bit of tape to attach the circle from the 2-1/2" Blending Stencil to the card stock.  Then I blended in the sky, along with adding color to the snow, using the Life Changing Blender Brushes, and Distress Oxide Inks.  The colors used were Antique Linen, Spun Sugar, Stormy Sky, Dusty Concord, and Chipped Sapphire.  I removed the circle mask, once the background was blended, to add a bit of color to the moon.  Then added it again - along with coving the tree line and snow with a piece of scrap paper - to sprinkle some water droplets over the ink blended sky.  

After the water dried, I went in with a few Polychromos Pencils, and a white gel pen to add some detail and shading.  

I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment with gold embossing powder.  Then, I painted the snow with a mix of Sparkle Paper Glitz, mixed with 91% Isopropyl Alcohol.  I have a little container of this premixed on my desk, and can shake it up, grab a paintbrush, and paint it on as needed.  The alcohol makes it dry super quick, and it leaves an amazing shine sparkly shine behind.  

Once the sparkle layer dried, I added the card front to a white card base.  

♥   ♥   ♥

Bonus Tag | Sweeter Holidays

My final project to share with you today, isn't actually a card, it's an oversized tag.  Those who have followed me for some time, know that I used to get a little crazy with the Christmas goodies - it tends to get a little "Mrs Claus's Bakery Workshop" around here.  I scaled back a lot the last few years, due to time constraints, but plan on getting back into it this year.  So there were several products in this months release that ABSOLUTELY caught my attention.  

To being with, I die cut the Gingerbread Bob, and Gingerbread Betty dies from Wheat card stock.  I also cut a few of the larger hearts from the Betty die set, and a rectangle for my tag base.  I inked these pieces, using the Life Changing Blender Brushes, and Distress Oxide Inks. I used the colors Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, and Ground Espresso to try to mimic the coloring of baked Gingerbread.  

Then, using the same dies, I cut the icing details for the "cookies" from white card stock.  For the hearts, I cut the larger scalloped heart first, then ran the die cuts through a second time to cut the smaller heart from the center. 

I die cut the white scalloped rectangle, using the Mini Slim Line Stitched and Scalloped Rectangles Slim Line Die Cutting System Dies.  Which I then inked with Antique Linen Distress Oxide Ink.  

I laid all of my pieces out to get my layout figured out, then stamped the sentiment in Cranberry Ink.  I then punched a hole in the corner, and added a bit of ribbon.  

♥   ♥   ♥

That's it for today's cards.  As always, there are several other fun new things in the release, and I did not have time to play with them all.  Be sure to stop over to Picket Fence Studios and take a look at the entire release.   

Thanks for stopping by!