How to use your cricut to make distress masks!

Hello,

Welcome back! I am always on the look out for ways that I can use my cricut to help me make cards. I love when I think of ways to incorporate the two together to achieve a tool or task that I could not make on my own or even purchase in a store! I LOVE this hack I made!

I decided I wanted to make a series of 4 by 4-inch panels and turn them into smaller cards for my co-workers at school (when we do go back to school). But I did not have a mask that I could use to mass produce the panels, so I created one, and made my cricut do all the marking!

In my design space I create this square. The outer square was a cut line. The next biggest square was a DRAW line. I purchased a pen adapter from Etsy for SHARPIE ULTRA FINE markers. I placed a black marker in my pen holder for that line. The smallest square is a CUT line. I took a piece of white cardstock, and ran it through my laminator. This gave the sides of the mask a slick surface, and will extend the life of the mask. I did try this without using laminated paper, and I was not able to blend colors as well. (go figure?!) Below is the Item I created. 

The outer square is 5.25 by 5.75.  The DRAW line is 4 inches by 4 inches centered. The smallest opening is 3.25 by 3.25 centered. I love that design space can do that for me.

Cut out a piece of Neenah white that is 4 inches by 4 inches and line it up with the black line that the cricut drew on the mask. I use LOW tack tape that is easily removed and can be used again. Flip your mask over. Blend any ink colors you wish. I used the four colors you see in the picture.

When I was happy with the blending, I left the cardstock in the mask. I distressed it with a bunch of Tim Holtz stencils and a darker color ink. I love to splatter it with black spots too. I am getting the hang of the bristle brushes. I do not own the Tim Holtz brushes......yet.

Here is an example of a finished card. I took the mask off to stamp the butterfly. I matted it on pink cardstock and I am done! This card was very quick to make, and I enjoy the distressed look.

Here are a few more blendings that I completed. I ended up cutting 10 masks, so that I could complete 10 at a time without having to remove the masks. I will finish these smaller cards in no time! Here is a link to my cricut mask. You must have your cricut design space installed to view and save my mask. LINK: Cricut masks
Kristina Werner has a whole video and post featuring many of her favorite blend combinations. I just like having fun! Thanks for dropping by. Please leave a comment, it would make my day!

Lucky find!

Hello,
I am so glad you are here. I often go on the facebook marketplace to see if anyone local is destashing any supplies for my crafting room. I found a woman who was parting with a mess of older stamp sets from companies that I have never heard of. She wanted no money, it was a porch pickup. I grabbed it!

Many of the stamp set were of no use to me. Companies like Autumn Leaves, Studio Calico, and some studio G mini sets. But at the very bottom was one set that I really liked. It had no name or brand that I could discern. Take a look:

It had a few shapes with writing inside the shape. I want to say it was a older fiskers set.  So I grabbed the flower and created a matching set of cards. I bought masking magic sheets and created masks so I could overlap the image and color around them with distress inks. Aren't they cool? I adore this one stamp, and I think I will use it again. The rest of the stamps, I think I will pass on to someone else.
Thanks for stopping by, please leave a comment. It would make my day!

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Clean and Simple

Welcome back,
I am joining the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge! The theme this week is Clean & Simple. . Take a look:

I saw this stamp set on the clearance rack at Technique Tuesday, and I had to grab it! I loved the price point, but seriously did not pay attention to the SIZE of the stamp set. I thought it was quite a bit larger then it really was. I was disappointed at first, but then realized that I don't have any smaller wildflower sets that I can use with a white frame. It's ALL GOOD!
I believe I used Picked Raspberries, Wild Honey and Mustard Seed. I used my Misti to get a dark black stamping. Thanks for dropping in! I would love a comment or two. It would make my day!

Hummingbirds are beautiful...

Hello again,

I fell in love with a card I made a long time again, and decided to duplicate it before giving it to a friend. I had so much fun, I made several!

First, I masked each card off with low tack masking tape, and left a narrow strip showing. I used my blending tool to blend two distress inks together. These two were created with Bundled Sage blended with Salty Ocean. Used water to create waterspots.

Then I removed the masking tape, and stamped the hummingbird with versamark ink and used a glittery black embossing powder. Then used my MISTI to stamp my sentiment straight.

These two were created by blending Picked Raspberry and lots of Salty Ocean.

On this bottom card, I tried a new twist on matting it in black. I tried to show just a sliver on top and on the bottom. I am not sure I like it. What do you think? I know you can not see it in the photos, but the hummingbird is very glittery. I wish the pictures did it justice! 

Supplies:

Stamps:  Allegro - Penny Black, Free flight - Penny Black, Mindscapes - Inkadinkado

Inks: Distress inks: Salty Ocean, Picked Raspberry, Bundled Sage. 

Paper: Neenah Solar White, black cardstock and Stampin' Up! colored cardstock

Thanks for dropping by! More to come.

Cindy

Using my MISTI

Welcome back!

Have you ever created a background or started a card, and inspiration stalled? I get that all the time. When it happens, I create a pile of my "unfinished designs" and they usually get shoved in a corner, or a drawer and forgotten.

This beauty was shoved away, and I finished it off and mounted it on brown cardstock. (not my usual go-to color) It turned out fabulously! I love the texture the birdcage gives to the background. It looks so planned.....I am encouraged when this happens.  Take a look:

To be honest, I am not sure all I used to create this card, But I recognize the stamp sets. Here are the details:

Card Details:

Stamps: Free Flight from Penny Black

White cardstock: Solar White Neenah

Black and Brown: SU! cardstock

Ink: Various Distress inks and black for sentiment and butterfly

Masking Alternatives: Jennifer McGuire

I am a step or two behind, but I just discovered Jennifer McGuire! She is amazing and her videos are SO rich with information and techniques. I was so inspired by this video. I have to try these three different ways to mask. Thanks Jennifer!

Featured Technique: Blended with Masking Card Set Expanded!

I had fun a while back creating a set of masked cards. With my new purchases at the expo, I wanted to create a few more of these cards. SO, please welcome 7 total...four more! Take a look.

All Four

I attempted to capture all seven card, but the set was bigger than my light box, so I tried three sources of light in addition to florida sunlight. Lots of shadows.  :(

Featured Stamp: Glass Vases by Hero Arts

Happy Saturday!
I sure do look forward to the weekends when I have time to create in my craft room and post my creations on my blog to share with you. I sure do enjoy it. Today's duo features a gorgeous stamp that I grabbed from a craiglist ad. What a great stamp! This makes for such a clean and simple card. I did not put a sentiment on them, but I think I might along the bottom when the occasion comes to it.Take a look:

Supplies: Stamps:Glass Vases - Hero Arts  Paper:  Neenah Cardstock  Inks: Yo-Yo Yellow, Bundled Sage, Tuxedo Black Tools/Punches/Dies: SU! markers.

Featured Technique: Blending with Masking Card Set

 I am beginning to think I have a hidden "clean and simple" style yet...I really love the simplicity of this set. The colors just pop. I chose flowers from three different sets with different sentiments. The bluebells are from Local King Stamps (Chicks), the set of 2 flowers is from Penny Black (Allegro) and the dandelion set is from Hero Arts (Wildflower Garden). This is going to make such a great gift. Enjoy!

Featured Technique: Blending with Masking

Welcome,
For this duo I cannot take credit for the idea. I leaned on another artist for inspiration for these; Darlene. I love the simplicity of this card, and how it can be used for many occasions.

For Duo #1 - I used light tack masking tape (my husband uses it in his line of work, I borrowed it from him) to frame one inch around the card. With bashful blue, pretty in pink, and certainly celery I blended the three in order with my blending tool. I used a tiny butterfly punch to punch out the three butterflies and used a black marker to create the path and the border.

For Duo #2 -  I re-used the same pieces of masking tape to create the frame. I blended dusty concord and worn lipstick distress ink with pacific point to create the background. I found a little foot punch that was in my "sell" pile, and decided to imitate two friends walking along side together for this card. I used the darker colors to give the impression of harder times. (did it work?) Again I used a black marker to create a random frame. Enjoy!