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Monday 22 January 2018

Twofer Feathers

Hello everybody.  I have been having a very busy time lately and my cardmaking has been a bit fragmented, and all the posts so far this year have been draft posts done well before Christmas and which just never got shown.  I was determined though to try and get my act together to enter LIM, CAS Mix Up Challenge, and together with the second card Darnell's new Twofer Challenge.  I only had the purple feathers ready and so missed the LIM deadline as obviously I needed the second card ready as well, but two out of three is OK, like they used to say on school reports...could do better..lol.  Darnell's Twofer Challenge is one you need to get your head round, using the same stamp/die for two cards for different occasions, and this has proved to be a hit and I am so pleased for Darnell.  Here are the two cards:


These two cards are for Twofer Card Challenge - No. 1 Feathers.

                                                    
                                                               
I have had this freebie feather die for a year or two and have only ever used it once so thought of that straight away.  I have to be honest and say that mainly I make just birthday, anniversary and Christmas cards so thought the two cards would be a birthday and an anniversary card.  This first one I decided to make purple to go with the LIM Challenge which sadly I missed, and I started by colouring a snippet of white card with some purple brushos, sprinkling them on and spritzing, and when dry die cut the two feathers.  I decided they were a bit pale so I added some Distress Ink in Shaded Lilac, and then round the edges some Adirondack Eggplant.   I cut a mat using a Crealies Pierced Rectangle die and another snippet of white card, then added some interest to this layer with a Texture Fragments stamp from a recently acquired set from Chocolate Baroque.  I heat embossed it using Versamark Ink and WOW Silver Metallic Embossing Powder.  It is quite a small stamp so I stamped it three times to form the background shape, and then I mounted this layer on to the white rectangular base card.  I added the two feathers giving them dimension by adhering them using Mounting Foam Tape and finished with a black snippet for the sentiment banner and heat embossed the sentiment using the Versamark and WOW Opaque White EP.


I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Pixie's Crafty Workshop - Weeks 317/318 where we use our snippets of card and paper etc.
Happy Little Stampers January Anything Goes with Dies Challenge.
Simon Says Monday Challenge - Birds of a Feather.

                                                                                                        

The second card took me a while to think what I could do with this feather die so I could make it look substantially different from the first.  I decided to dry emboss the feather across each corner of the square white base card.  This worked reasonably well but unfortunately in a couple of place it cut through so I cut the front off the card and then mounted this on to another card to give it a base layer and decided that it looked OK like that, just made sure that I put pieces of tape behind the cuts.  I then decided to use a set of stamps by Creative Expression called Rustic Birds, so as well as the feather background I thought this would work with the Twofer as I am sticking with the feathers theme, and I thought the two birds side by side on the branch would make a nice anniversary card.   I made a square background for the silhouette birds using a piece of glossy card and a stitched die from The Works, and sprinkled Turquoise Brusho Powder then spritzed with spray starch and and also a bit of water as it was a bit too grainy and I wanted a reasonably smooth finish.  Whilst wet I covered this in cling film which gives the finished piece that pretty pattern.  I left it to dry for about an hour before removing the cling film.  I am not totally sure exactly what the spray starch does, apart from the fact that it has more body to it than just water and maybe that assists it sticking to the card and makes the cling film work better, but I intend this card for the CAS Mix Up Challenge and it was the technique for this time so gave it a try.  There will be videos you can watch about this type of technique and the links will be on the blog.   I made the little silhouette scene on this using the smallest bird and one of the leafy branches,  and added the sentiment, stamping with Black Archival Ink.


I am entering this card into the following challenges:

CAS Mix Up Card Challenge - January - Use Cling Film + Stamping (my choice: Dry Embossing and Die Cutting)
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Add A Sentiment.

I hope you have managed to stay the course with this rather lengthy post, and thank you for visiting today and I'll see you again soon.








26 comments:

MaryH said...

WOW! This is a lovely feather and you aced that brusho look with the purple, really like the texture stamping too! That would look great as well if you're doing something with texture paste, then stamping. I really admire your design on #2 card to create the circle with the embossing. (I've had my dies cut through when doing that as well. If I think ahead, I use 2 pieces of lightweight cardstock...one under the main one I wish embossed. That helps, if I think to do it!) But your save worked great and I love the rustic birds (more feathers!) image. Looks real pretty in the blue too. Well done, you! TFS & Hugs

Meihsia Liu said...

Love your fabulous card! The die cut feathers are so beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing with us at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. :)

Christine Alexander said...

both cards are gorgeous, your delicate blue cling wrap background is so pretty and I love the beautiful deep purple of your feathers.

Darnell said...

First of all, Pat, thank you so much for taking a break from the busyness to play in my first Twofer Card Challenge! I'm so glad you did and I thank you for your lovely support! Having said that, I have to tell you that you had me holding me heart until I read through your post and clicked to enlarge your photo!

On first glance, it looks like you have the feathers as feathers on the first card but different feathers tucked into birds on the second! Lovely cards mind you, just a bit off the mark for my challenge concept if it were true! I was visibly relieved to discover your very clever design element of embossing the same feather on your white card mat behind the pretty blue cling-wrap background of your silhouette birds anniversary card! Phew! I love it and I love the deep rich purple Brusho and ink hues of your birthday card feathers and the awesome silver-embossed stamped image behind them! Well done, my friend, well done!! Hugs,Darnell

Kath said...

Fabulous cards Pat and a great explanation on how you made each of these beautiful designs.
Kath x

Cathy said...

Wow! Your purple feathers are just gorgeous Pat, love them and the texture stamp behind them looks perfect. Shame you missed the LIM deadline. Love how you've dry embossed with the feather die on your 2nd card too, brilliantt idea and it's so different from the 1st one, Cathy x

Virginia L. said...

Fabulous write-up about your two-fers! So glad that you join the fun over Simon Says Stamp Wednesday “Add a Sentiment” Challenge! Awesome details and design! Super work!

Loll said...

Two gorgeous feather cards Pat. I do love the new stamp from Chocolate Baroque that you've been using. It adds such a lovely background for your beautiful feather. Very artsy design! Your second design is so clever how you've used the same feather die to create a fun white-on-white textured background for your beautiful cling wrap panel. The silhouette stamping lets the colour and design of the panel really shine. Thanks for playing along with us at Twofer Card Challenge and CAS Mix Up! xx

cuilliesocks said...

Two wonderful cards Pat, the designs are gorgeous, I love the the feather and how you've used it in different ways, beautifully coloured too, Kate x

Susan said...

Two fabulous cards - love the pretty purple feathers over the silver texture stamp. And the anniversary card is perfect for CAS Mix Up - you did a great job on your cling wrap background, and I thought it was so innovative to dry emboss with the feather. Thanks so much for joining us at CAS Mix Up.

Sandma's Handmade Cards said...

Two gorgeous cards Pat and the image of the two little birds on the Anniversary card is so sweet. The purple feathers look stunning and I can really see them getting lots of use as stamped feathers aren’t the easiest of things to cut out. I think your use of embossing the feather die on your second is such a clever idea and show it’s versatility. I really wanted to join in this new challenge too but time isn’t on my side this week, so maybe next time. Crafty hugs, Sandra x

Di said...

Gorgeous cards Pat and some real thinking outside the box! I did giggle as you managed to tie out little sharp witted pal Darnell in knots at first. Because of my odd mind I spotted what you'd done quite quickly! LOVE what you produced - a credit to the playground :)

Hugs

Di xx

Mac Mable said...

Now this is clever Pat...had to look for the same feather and when I found it, it brought a huge smile to my face. Clever and so creative. Both beautiful cards, very different and that is the whole point of the challenge. Thank you for the amazing inspiration x

Kathyk said...

I LOVE (love love) the purple feather and brilliant idea to use the same feather for the background of your second card - very creative

Kathyk

maria f. said...

A great twofer. I really love your gorgeous purple feathers.

My Card Attic: Hazel said...

These are absolutely phenomenal Pat!! LOVE the techniques you have used (you always come up with the most interesting techniques), your posts may have been "fragmented", but they are certainly well worth the wait!! The designs are inspired! Have a great day my friend! Love & Hugs. Hazel xx
My Card Attic

Bonnie said...

I LOVE your purple feathers, Pat! And what a brilliant idea to use the dies to emboss on your second card! A beautiful cling wrap background for your sweet birds! A fantastic Twofer! Thanks for sharing with us at CAS Mix Up!

Susanne Vargas said...

Your phenomenal cards made my jaw drop! Love the purple feathers with the gray background and all that white space but this embossed circle of feathers behind the beautiful panel with the two birds sitting on a branch steals the show! What a creative idea!
Thank you for joining in the very first Twofer Card Challenge!

Barb said...

They are two lovely cards Par and very clever pairing them for the Two fer challenge. Barbxx

nancy littrell said...

So fun to see both your Twofer feather cards, Pat. Such different and pretty CAS designs. TFS your 2nd cling wrap background card with the pretty silhouette scene design. So pleased you joined us at CAS Mix Up. Hugs.

TaeEun said...

They are both so beautiful, Pat!!! What a pity that you missed the deadline at LIM! But you did an amazing job combining other challenges! The purple feathers are so dreamy and I love the subtle background you stamped! The texture created with the cling wrap and dry embossed feathers on the second card are gorgeous too!

Jo said...

Both are beauties. Love the dry embossed framing on the second, simple detail with a great finish. You achieved nice crisp creases from the cling wrap and the black stamping is beautifully done.
Thanks for joining us at CAS Mix Up!

Viv said...

I have these feather dies and have never used them! Time to rectify I think cos your make is fab.
Not tried the cling film with Brusho - works OK with Alco Inks.Although you have to leave it a long time to dry..... like forever!!!! Well not quite forever but overnight anyway!
Lovely Lovely birdie card too. x

Sarn said...

Two beautiful cards Pat. The feathers card is so beautifully CAS and the colours are so gorgeous. Love both cards, but the feathers is my fave. xxx

Karen Dunbrook said...

wonderfully done cards mf...pretty feather die.
xx Karen

Deepti Aggarwal said...

Both the cards are so gorgeous!!! But the first one is my favorite..Thank you so much for joining us at Happy Little Stampers - Anything goes with dies challenge. Hugsxx Deepti Aggarwal