Background Sketchbook - colorized ribbon

I started coloring ribbon years ago when I didn't have the color ribbon I wanted for my cards.  For the instructions here that I did back in 2011.  I used Ranger distress stains and ink pads but you can do it with just about any ink or paints.  If you use paint you just need to water it down to make it fluid.  Just play with whatever you have and see what colors you come up with for your ribbons.

May Arts Christmas card challenge---didn't win

>>>>I wasn't one of the winners, I guess better luck next time for me.  Congratulations to the winners.<<<<<<

***this post will stick here till 12-18-14. If you have a chance please go to vote (see below) on my cards or any of the others. thank you.  scroll down to see most recent post.***
First wanted to say thank you to Bethney at May Arts ribbons for
accepting me as one of the twelve to participate in the Christmas
card challenge. Go here and follow instructions to vote on our cards, you have till 12/18/14 to vote . We were sent this ribbon that is like seam binding so it is perfect to use on cards with not a lot of bulk added to the card.  If you look to the left you will see my first card which is a twisted easel card with lots of green and brown tone ribbons that worked great for my gingerbread man theme.  the background piece is a take on the bargello technique then I added ribbons to the top tags by threading them through the holes to tie bows.  On the bottom tags I did what I call a ribbon folded bow kinda like ribbon candy.  For my second card (look to the right) again I did an easel card but I used Spellbinders Nestabilities dies for a shape card.  The background piece is the bagello technique and the top ribbon

bow is what I like to call a loopy bow.  All I did was thread a small piece of ribbon in the hole then I looped all the ribbons around my four fingers and next placed the looped ribbons in between the ribbon that was threaded through the hole and tied it off.....separate all the ribbon loops to make a fun floppy loopy bow.  Now if you look at the stamped candy cane there is another type of bow where I did a one hole bow.  Wrap the ribbon around the piece and thread both ends of the ribbon through the one hole and tie a bow!  comes out perfect every time! One last card which is one of my go to type of card ...... a shaker card!  A fun card that is always a wow card and this one is no exception.  First I adhered the ribbons to a piece of cardstock then ran it through my Big Kick with this big Sizzix snowflake for the shaker opening of the card then just finish off the card with saying and you are done.  Hope you stuck it out here for this long post and please go to Ribbons May Arts blog to see mine and all the other cards created with these ribbons and don't forget to leave a comment over there on the cards you liked.  thanks!
enter in following challenge:
1.  CCEE stampers - starring santa
card details:
all images by Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Co.
all ribbons by May Arts ribbons

Flowers

Here's a sneak peek at Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Co. Home Page new release for June called Great Flowers.  My tag is all stamped with

VersaMark ink then dusted with Ranger Perfect Pearls in gold...it is so shimmery IRL.  I hope it shows up in the photo.  for the background on the tag I swiped on some Ranger stains and I did an oldie but goodie trick...outlined the edge with a Krylon gold leafing pen.  I forgot how much I liked doing that on my projects.  My card I'm displaying here is simple but effective because I embossed on vellum then painted the back of the stamped vellum with Perfect Pearls that I made into paint.  Cut out and layer on top of two different ribbons, add a saying and you are done.

Tag details:

stamps - Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Co. Home Page Great Flowers

Ranger Perfect Pearls and Stains

ribbons by May Arts

Gear up

Today I'm giving you a sneak peek at Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Co. Home Page Gears to you and Gear Up.  They are new this month!  they are two good stamp sets with lots of gears and sayings to go along with them.  If you follow my blog you know I pick a theme for each month to carry through our blog hop.  my theme this month is heat embossing because I just purchased a new to me embossing powder by Ranger called Liquid Platinum.....it is a creamy silvery gold color and it has become my favorite.  my friends are mostly likely yelling...oh no! our sue embossing......well, yes I am that just proves how much I like this ep!  Oh well, what was I talking about oh yes, my theme for the month.....heat embossing, vellum and Perfect Pearls.
card #1:
embossed the gears, layered onto card.  added some folded ribbon and self sticking gems.
stamps - Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Co. Home Page Gears to you
Ranger Liquid Platinum ep 
 May Arts gold ribbon
self sticking gems
card #2:
stamp background gears on vellum with VersaMark ink, dusted with Perfect pearls.  punched 3 holes and added brads.
stamps - Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Co. Home Page Gear up
vellum
paper hole punch
brads
copper cardstock for base of card

Halloween at May Arts

 Today May Arts Ribbon are showcasing projects that 20 of us (I'm one!) made with lots of their ribbons.  One of my favorite things I did was make a ribbon bat with googly eyes and I used a Sizzix house die.  Check behind the windows of the house and you can see the fabulous sheer orange ribbon with webs.  I also made a haunted
house with a mini three hole pamphlet inside and then a
little three hole pamphlet book on it's own.  We were sent four different ribbons to use for this fun challenge, that is I had a lot of fun creating my haunted house cards and mini books for this challenge.

Please go to May Arts Ribbon blog to see what the rest of the contestants create and don't forget to vote for your favorite ones.

Wednesday! Simple Salutations #62

***if you are here for MFPaHC blog hop post please scroll down.***

My 6 months term for Simple Salutations is over in a couple of weeks...I hope you have been enjoying all my themes and cards there.  sometimes it was hard for me to do simple because I do like to have layers upon layers of cardstock and most of the time make something move or fold on my cards but I've done my best.  This week for Simple Salutations #62 the theme is pretty general.........Thinking of you and as you can see I did keep it simple with a black and white panda card.  Did what I like to call an "in and out" ribbon treatment.  simply put you punch two holes, thread ribbon down through both holes then on the back criss cross the ribbon and thread it through the holes again.  easy way to make a "knotted ribbon" without all the fuss making it straight.  Please go visit my sister members Vickie here and Steph here to see their thinking of you cards. 
my card details:
stamps - Mark's Finest Papers and Stamps! a Heinrich Company new October stamp release Pandas stamp set
May Arts silk black ribbon

Wednesday means.....Simple Salutations challenge

Yes, another Wednesday means time for another Simple Salutations challenge!  This is challenge #61 with the theme of Time!  anything goes as long as you use some kind of time whether it be a clock, wrist watch or even something pertaining to time on your hands.  For my card I stamped it in brown ink then cut it into three panels, layered it onto brown cardstock, tied ribbon around this panel then taped it to cream note card.  stamped stop watch on separate piece of cream cs cut it out with oval die.  die cut scallop oval to put behind stop watch and mounted onto card.  stamped saying in black ink directly over the three panel layer.
So let's see your time all this week at challenge #61 at Speedy TV a free community where you can see lots of samples and join other fun challenges.  don't forget to stop by my sister members Vickie and Steph's blogs to see their cards, too.
card details:
stamps - Mark's Finest Papers and Stamps! a Heinrich Co. Pocket Watches and Take Time mini stamp set
 May Arts ribbon
Spellbinders Nestabilities oval dies

sneak peek - Texture and triangle

This card is a sneak peek for Mark's Finest Papers and Stamps! a Heinrich Company August new releases.  This one if from upcoming stamp set Take Time mini.  I do like this big pocket watch in this set.  See my triangle and the big bow plus white embossing for texture to make this card eligible for the challenges listed below.
 Another sneak peek secret is the technique I'm doing for this month's blog hop............chalkboard technique.  You can check out this tutorial here .  There are lots of them out in cyber land.  My tips for this technique will be revealed during next week's Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Co. blog hop. 
entering in following challenges:
1.  Simon Wednesday challenge - Triangles
2.  Crafty Creations Challenge - textures
card details:
stamps - Mark's Finest Papers and Stamps! a Heinrich Company take time mini stamp set
May Arts wide black silk ribbon
white embossing powder and Colorbox pigment white ink
VersaMagic cloud white chalk ink pad
pattern paper
Spellbinders Nestabilities classic diamonds

Summertime

I made these cards using the SU dress framelit when I was visiting friends a few months back.  I brought the dresses home
in an envelope then forgot where I put them for "safe keeping"!  Well, I found them one day when I was looking for something else so decided to do something with them but what?  so went on pinterest and found a photo and cased it.  So sorry don't remember the name of the originator.  Anyway on my cards I used some thin cork for the sand.  Also used some gold cardstock I have been hoarding for years!  but I am trying to use what I have so with that in mind I cut into this beautiful gold cardstock.  Another paper I have been holding on to since
forever is velvet paper by Catherine...now I think the company Papers by Catherine has gone out of business and that is why I've saved it for so long.  At least that is what I tell myself so check out the green and cream bathing suits...they are the velvet papers.  I'm showing one of the inside of the cards because they are all basically the same.

  another bathing suit card is a bright colored one with reds and blues and the last is the striped bathing suit card.  The pattern papers used for some of these suits are from SU and ribbons are from   May Arts ribbons.  These cards went out to the friends I visited when I die cut these dresses. 

fun with AI's

  

Yes, I got out my alcohol inks!  haven't played with them in ages and forgot how much fun they are because you are never sure what your background will look like.  besides the fact you get  inky!  and that is always fun.
 I did a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" piece of glossy cardstock and ended up making two cards.  I used specific colors so I could enter one of my cards in a monthly challenge and ended up with another card that fit another challenge.  For my card on the left I used a big image that didn't fit on my card so I cut off one of the jokers and foam mounted him on the card standing by himself.  hard to see in photo but I used some leftover ribbon that is irridescent and beautiful in person....actually used the rest of it on my second card to the right.  Also got out my Nestabilitie dies for the shapes on my cards....have to love the ease of using Nestabilities. 
entering in the following challenges:
1.  Magenta July challenge - color combo pinks, purples, blue
2.  One stop craft challenge #235 - make your own background

card details:
all images by  Magenta style rubberstamps
Ranger - alcohol inks and archival jet black ink pad
May Arts ribbon
Spellbinders Nestabilities



 

Pottery

Continuing with Tim's june tag idea ....here is another one I created.  This time I used all Magenta stamps so I could enter it in their color challenge. 

tag details:
stamps - Magenta stamps
inks - Ranger distress ink pads, markers, archival black ink pad
ric rac by May Arts
entering this tag in following challenge:
1.  Magenta blog challenge - color combo
2.  Tim's blog - june tag using distress markers
3.  A Blog Named Hero - make a tag

Simple Salutations #50 - Automobiles, trains & planes

It's Wednesday the middle of the week so you know what that means Simple Salutations #50 challenge.  The theme is Automobiles, trains and planes!  as you can see with my card I decided on a train for my card and my favorite color...green!  I did try to keep it clean and simple but that is hard for me so this is the best I can do.  Please stop by Simple Salutations #50 challenge and join in the fun.  Please read the rules here on the main page for Simple Salutations .  You do need to join Speedy TV it's easy and fun. 
card details:
stamps:  train from MFPaHc Train Talk stamp set, saying & sign from MFPaHC On Track mini stamp set
ink:  Brilliance pearlescent thyme pigment ink pad
ribbon:  May Arts UK01 crinkle white
Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic diamonds

12 tags of 2013 - June

I finally got my tag done for June.  Think the last tag I did was back in April.  this is my version of Tim's tag using the distress markers to water color.  one basic difference is I don't like the ripped bottom of the stamped water color paper so what I did was do a faux ripped layer.   Hope you like my tag.

tag details:
stamps - butterfly collage from Memorybox Stamps , word collage from Stampers Anonymous
inks - Ranger distress ink pads, distress stain, distress paint, archival black ink pad
ribbon - May Arts
entering this tag in following challenge:
1.  Tim Holtz june tag - distress markers
2.  DLART-challenge blog - anything goes
3.  Fashionable Stamping Challenges - new technique (water coloring with distress markers)

tic-tac-toe challenge

Over at The Stampsmith Challenge they are doing a  tic-tac-to challenge so I decided to join in this month.  I did ribbon, emboss and metal for my card.  used some stuff I haven't used in ages like metal tape that I taped to cardstock then ran through my big kick with embossing folder.  I think it came out pretty good also have metal mini brads on the card with wide ribbon...can't miss this ribbon. lol!
card details:
stamp - The Stampsmith
embossing folder
May Arts wide silk black ribbon
metal HVAC tape
mini black brads

Tea for you

I do like to make cards that don't just sit there so here is a pop-up.  Use some bright colors to show off this cup of tea...I do like my cup of tea.  Please excuse hubby hand in picture...card needed a little help staying open for photo. Went into one of my baggies full of ribbon pieces (just couldn't throw out!) and found this sheer ribbon that worked great!  Took the longest piece tied a knot then taped ends to back of card.  Had a little snippet of ribbon left so tied a knot to ribbon that is wrapped around card. Fun to use up snippets of ribbon. 

entering this card in following challenges:

1. MFP Speedy TV - simple salutations #34 anything goes

2.   ~Craft Us Crazy~ - #38 anything goes

3.  Simon Says Stamp Challenge - anything goes

 

card supplies:

stamps - Mark's Finest Papers and Stamps! a Heinrich Company - Relax a Bit & Oh,Beans

inks Kaleicolor ink pad

ribbon - May Arts

Hearts

Here is a pop up card I saw years ago where you stamp a heart, mask it, stamp it again 3 more times masking as you stamp.  It's a small card but will still fit in note card envelope so no extra postage needed. 

entering this card in the following challenge:
1.  Great Impressions - anything with hearts
2.  Fashionable Stamping Challenges - show some love
card supplies:
stamps - Mark's Finest Papers Love, love, love stamp set and Judith mini heart peg stamp
inks - Colorbox warm red chalk ink pad,  Brilliance black ink pad
pattern paper - Memory Box
ribbon - May Arts

Not without my.......

coffee.......or in my case Tea!  but for the purpose of this tag it's coffee.  Did some stamping on kraft cardstock with white ink and faux stitching with a white gel pen.  Added a vellum envelope that I stamped the coffee cups on and put some coffee/tea cup confetti inside it.  Didn't have a mini envelope so got out my Sizzix petal envelope die, it worked great.  makes for a nice little shaker element on my tag. 

entering this in following challenge:

1.  the CLASSroom - femine tags, ideas from Julie Ebersole-Maile Belles

tag supplies:

stamps - Mark's Finest Papers and Stamps! a Heinrich Company (new release Oh, Beans)

Colorbox white pigment ink

Ranger archival coffee ink

Sizzix petal envelope die

white gel pen

confetti

ribbon- May Arts 

Santa is coming to town

Here is a fun Santa from Holly Jolly Greetings stamp set I used for this stocking pop up card.  The santa is colored with my favorite medium.....prisma color pencils then added some fun touches to his hat and beard with Ranger white Enamel accents. The holly inside the card are also from the same Holly Jolly Greetings stamp set.  Pop-up cards are a lot of fun and now with SU word window punch I don't have to use an exacto knife!  I'm all for that.

entering this card in the following challenges:

1.  CCEE Stampers - santa is coming to town

2.  Fashionable Stamping Challenges - to die for (any die or punch)

3.  Crazy 4 Challenges - use favorite holiday stamps

4.  The Play Date Cafe - #161 - evergreen, gumdrop, candy cane red

 

card supplies:
stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers and Stamps! a Heinrich Company
stocking die:  Sizzix
ribbon:  May Arts

Snowman fun

This is such a fun card to make!  It's an Inky Antics snowman  that I used on this card.  The front of this card is what I call a build a snowman because that is just what you do .... stamp different parts of the snowman to complete him.  Only negative point I have with this stamp set is they over looked the carrot nose so I had to draw it myself.  Oh well, nobody's perfect.  I'm not showing the inside of this card, yet because I haven't sent it out to my friend and I want her to be a little surprised.  Did some easy peasy coloring with watercolor pencils.  Added ribbon to layer of card and tied piece of ribbon in knot to make a faux scarf for my snowman.  enjoy!

entering this card in the following challenge:

1.  CAS-ual Fridays - knotty or nice (include a knot on card)

card recipe:

stamps - Inky Antics Rubber Stamps

ribbon - May Arts

Prisma watercolor pencils

Happy Holidays

Two posts in one day, I don't do that very often but it happens.  Here is another faux layer card this time with amaryllis flowers...impressed I know the name of the flower?  don't be it's in the name of the stamp set. ask any of my friends I'm not a flower or gardener person but stamping them, yes.

entering this card in the following challenges:

1.  One Stop Craft Challenge - christmas theme

2.  Crazy 4 Challenges - put a bow on it

 

card recipe:

stamps: used two new releases from Mark's Finest Papers and Stamps! a Heinrich Company Amaryllis Definition and Winter Scenes

ribbon:  May Arts

inks:  Ranger Archival jet black and Prisma watercolor pencils

***Don't forget to come back here on Monday to see my circle easel card within a card!***