Brutus Monroe Inspiration Team Blog Hop - ATC's

I just learned about Artist Trading Cards this month, actually. But I quickly came to enjoy making them. ATCs come in a wallet size 2.5 x 3.5 inch card for easy trading with other artists. I made a variety of them for this hop inspired by the Valentine theme for this season. I will give you step by step instructions for them here, with individual supplies lists. Let’s dive right in:

FOR MY LOVE

The read ATC that with the “For My Love,” sentiment came from a background I did a while back for a Christmas card with huge berries made of Nuvo Drops. I kept the extra water pigment colored panel and trimmed it down to ATC size. Then i stamped it with B|M Embossing Ink and heat embossed it with Conversation Heart embossing powder and then with Gilded embossing powder. I used a little die from Concord and 9th to add embossed hearts in a row above the sentiment.

LOVE NOTE

For my second ATC, I used the January Stencil of the Month and the Glitter Glaze of the month: Flamingo to make a stenciled heart of hearts. Then I trimmed down the heart to ATC sized cards. I foiled one of the hand written note toner sheets with Copper DecoFoil and fussy cut it around the shape of the Glitter Glaze Heart. I adhered the foiled pieces to the bottoms of the ATCs to finish them off.

For the last one I am witing about today, I used the Chocoloate Box Sfamp of the Month. I stamped the image repeatedly wth Raven ink. Then I colored it in with Surface inks and an Aqua Pogment water brush. I added some details with a whige getl pen. I finished it off with the XO image heat embossed in the white spaces using Gilded Embossing Powder.

Thank you for joining me on the Blog Hop today. You can continue the hop with the list below:

 JESS

DANIEL (you are here)

LAUREN

MARIE

BERINA

LUISANA

 ASHLEY

Foiling a Toner Sheet You Printed

Hi there!! Did you know you can foil a toner sheet you printed yourself?  Saturday morning I woke up at 4:30AM to play in my crafting workspace and decided to create a shiny gold background for the Charleston Stamp Set from Colorado Craft Company’s Lovely Legs line. 

I have made the image downloadable in my shop.  (Please navigate there by clicking shop in the menu of this page.  I’d give you the link, but I’d like you to try out my new shop link in the menu dillybob [I'm stickler for techie language]. Let me know how easy it was for you to navigate the checkout process.  You can skip the billing information area by leaving it blank and clicking continue.  Please use code:  IAMARTIE to take 100% off the price.)

In order to make the image foilable with DecoArt foils, you will need to print it with a laser printer—an inkjet printer will not work for this.  You may take the image to an office supply store to have them print it.  Make sure you print in black and at your highest quality setting.

Place your a foil transfer sheet from DecoFoil over the printed image and cover both sides of your project with  parchment paper. Run it through a hot laminator.  Peel off the foil from the image and you have a beautifully foiled Art Deco background to use with your Charleston Lovely Legs Stamp.

I hope you enjoyed this little tip and freebie.  If you would like to purchase the Charleston Lovely Legs Stamp Set, I have included affiliate links below.  When you use these links, I will receive a portion of your total purchase at no additional cost to you! 

Brutus Monroe Glitter Drops Blog Hop

Hey everybody!! Great to have you here with me today! The B|M Inspiration Team’s blog hop this week features the Glitter Drops! So many fantastic projects to ogle over this week, don’t miss a single post!

I made a background with my Silver Glitter Drops and the Stencil of the Month for January. Check out my pics!

These step-by-step instructions will help you recreate the card. Go ahead and make it your own by switching out colors, stamps, and cardstocks!

1. Trim down a panel of white cardstock to 4.25 x 5.5 inches.

2. Roll up a piece of masking tape and stick it on the back of the panel and temporarily adhere it to your glass mat.

3. Tape the January Stencil of the Month over the top of the panel at an angle.

4. Squeeze a good amount of Silver Glitter Drops onto the panel and spread it thinly over the stencil with a spatula or tool.

5. Peel up the stencil and put the panel aside to dry for about 15 minutes.

6. Stamp the panda, speech bubble and sentiment onto to some white cardstock using Raven Detail Ink, masking the heart out of the Panda.

7. Fussy cut them out and pop them up onto a black belly band about 1.5 inches wide and the entire wide of the card.

8. Pop up the belly band with some foam tape.

9. Draw a little heart onto the panda with a pencil and color it in with a red marker.

10. Adhere the entire panel onto the front of an A2 card base.

Thanks again for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this card. If you are inspired to use any of these products, please visit my supplies grid below and use my affiliate links to make your purchases! I will receive a small amount of the purchase price at no additional cost to you!

And please continue the hop… the links are below the grid!

JESS

DANIEL (you are here)

LAUREN

LUISANA

MARIE

BERINA

ASHLEY

Catherine Pooler Designs Stamp of Approval Blog Hop Jan 2019

A big hello to all my friends celebrating the Adoring You Stamp of Approval release by blog hopping today. Daniel West here with a few cards to highlight the beauty and versatility of this incredible collection of goodies.

]Catherine Pooler Designs releases a Stamp of Approval collection every quarter. Past Stamp of Approval releases knocked my socks off!! The Adoring You Stamp of Approval box comes chock full of versatile, timeless and well-crafted items valued at over $100. It comes with new stamp sets put together just for this release. You will not find these sold separately for many months.

The Adoring You Stamp of Approval will have you making Valentine’s and love notes all year. All of the stamp sets coordinate to present endless opportunities for fun at your craft desk. I have a few examples to show you below and will have more over the next few days on my Instagram and Facebook accounts (so be sure to follow me there).

Catherine Pooler Designs Adoring You Stamp of Approval Card by Daniel West

For my first example, I used the 6x6 Love Note Background Stamp and the Sweet Home Wreath Stamps. On some Catherine Pooler White Cardstock, I stamped the vine wreath image using Icing on the Cake. On a piece of white cardstock, I stamped the vine wreath image using Icing on the Cake Ink. I stamped over that image with the coordinating leaf wreaths using Flirty Fuchsia Ink and Sweet Sixteen Ink. I really enjoy how Catherine Pooler Inks work together with such ease.

Catherine Pooler Designs Adoring You Stamp of Approval Card by Daniel West

I used a machine to scan and cut out the image of the wreath and the sentiment. I popped them up on foam tape and mounted them on a panel I had stamped with the Love Note stamp using Sweet Sixteen ink. I added foam tape to the back of that panel, as well, and finished off the card with three fuchsia sequins.

Catherine Pooler Designs Adoring You Stamp of Approval Card by Daniel West

For my second card, I felt like leaving wintry colors behind and heading for warmer climates. I went for some Tiki Torch, Samba, Suede Shoes, It's a Boy, Icing on the Cake Inks. I stamped the sentiment, Love You, using Icing on the Cake, in the bottom left of a card base. Then I covered the sentiment with Unicorn Magic embossing powder used a heat tool to melt the powder.

Catherine Pooler Designs Adoring You Stamp of Approval Card by Daniel West

Then on I stamped the two love birds beak to beak using Tiki Torch ink for the background color and Samba for the detail stamp. I stamped the branch with Icing on the Cake, and the leaves with two blues: Suede Shoes and It’s a Boy inks. I ran these images through my Scan n Cut machine and set them aside.

Using an ink blending brush, I blended some Samba Ink onto the birds from the bottom up and around the edges. Then I adhered the birds and leaves onto the branch and popped them all up on foam tape.

Catherine Pooler Designs Adoring You Stamp of Approval Card by Daniel West

If you want to get in on this quarter’s Stamp of Approval, you need to add your name to the waitlist now to get first notice of the sales link, as these collections sell out fast. I have a feeling this one may go even faster.

Please let me know what you think of this month’s release and my cards in particular in the comments section below. Two random winners will be chosen from commenters on the blog hop to receive $25 gift certificates from Catherine Pooler Designs. Be sure to visit Catherine’s blog for more release photos and details about the release pajama party.

I have included a supplies grid below that include affiliate links. If you use my links to make a purchase, I will dance at your wedding and you will never forget that!! Actually, I will receive a small percentage of your purchase total at no additional cost to you.

Thanks for spending some time with me today. Now go shopping and go hopping!! You’ll find the links to the rest of the hop below my supplies grid.

Catherine Pooler 

Ilina Crouse

Kristie Goulet

Tracie Pond

Karen Baker

Susan Powell

Nanette Tracy  

Allison Cope  

Laurel Beard

Jen Carter

Daniel West (you are here)

Lea Lawson

Miriam Prantner  

Ingrid Blackburn

Simon Says Stamp Card Kit January 2019 Quickie

Hi there! Thanks for stopping by. Daniel here with a quick card from the Simon Says Stamp Card Kit for January 2019. I unboxed this kit live on my YouTube channel and immediately wanted to make a card. So I did it live and unplanned on my channel. You can watch the video below.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut the white cardstock from the kit in half to form two 8.5 x 5.25 pieces.

2. Score one of the pieces at 4.25 inches and tape it down to your glass mat with some masking tape at the score line.

3. Cut a wavy line out of some plain copy paper to make a hills mask for ink blending

4. Using an ink blending tool (I use the Picket Fence Life Changing Brushes), brush on some Tumbled Glass over your hill stencil about halfway up the front of the card base.

5. Repeat this step using Salty Ocean Distress Ink about two inches lower.

6. Stamp the large penguin on to the panel using an acrylic block and Midnight Ink from Catherine Pooler. This ink gives a solid impression on your first pass. I can’t say enough good things about it.

7. Stamp off the remaining in onto some plain copy paper and cut it out for a mask with some fussy cutting scissors.

8. Place your mask over your large stamped penguin image and stamp the small penguin image twice - once on each side of the large penguin using the same Midnight Ink.

9. Add a sentiment from the stamp set using Midnight Ink at the bottom right of the card.

10. Stamp a three of the tiny plus signs around the sentiment and voila!!! you are finished.

Thank you again for joining me today. I really appreciate it. If you’re feeling inspired by this card and would like to purchase any of the supplies I used, I have created a supplies grid below. By clicking on these links and purchasing through my links, you are keeping Del & Artie alive! :D . I will receive a small percentage of your purchase total at no additional cost to you!

Lovely Legs January 2019 Release Charleston

Hey there everyone!! I'm so glad you've stopped by today. I'm celebrating with Colorado Craft Company because today they released a new set of Lovely Legs Stamp Sets. 

I made a card with the Charleston Stamp Set. It features a flapper and her dance partner doing the Charleston.  

1.  I used Cardstock Warehouse Dark Grey 100 lb cardstock for the panel.  

2.   I ran it through a die cutting machine with the HeroArts Star Confetti Die. 

3. I stamped the dancers on a piece of Bristol Smooth Cardstock using Gina K Amalgam Ink. 

4. I colored in the image with Copic markers.  

5. I ran the image through my Brother Scan N Cut machine to cut out the colored in image. 

6.  I heat embossed a sentiment from the set using Alabaster Embossing Powder from Brutus Monroe on a strip of the Dark Grey cardstock. 

7. I blended the edges of the die cut panel with Life Changing Ink Blending Brushes and Black Soot Distress Ink. 

8. I popped up the sentiment strip on some foam tape, then added some double thick black foam tape from Brutus Monroe to the dancers. 

9. I glued the front panel onto an A2 sized card base I cut from a sheet of 100 lb Sweet Tooth Cardstock from The Cardstock Warehouse.  

I hope you enjoyed my card today. If you would like to purchase any of these supplies, I have included a grid below for your convenience. These are affiliate links, so you will be helping me out by using them at no additional cost to you.  

Brutus | Monroe Monochrome Blog Hop

Hey everybody!! I’m glad you hopped in today to see this week’s Brutus | Monroe Blog Hop. Today we focused on using a monochrome palette and I chose Scarlet Surface Ink as my color.

I made this card live on my YouTube channel, New Year’s Eve, so you can watch the “making of” here.

Step-by-step Instructions:

1. Cut a sheet of Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110 lb cardstock in half and score at 4 1/4” to make an A2 size card base.

2. Cut a panel out of the other half to 4 x 5 1/4”.

3. Cut a piece of craft foam to just fraction smaller than the panel in step # 2.

4. Ink up the flower portion of the wagon image from the B|M  Dragofly Garden  stamp set using the Scarlet Surface Ink from the December 2018 Inspiration Box.

5. Stamp your panel about a third of the way up with the flowers. Stamp again to fill the panel from left to right. 

6. Place some purple crafting tape at the bottom of your stamped image and place another piece of tape about a quarter inch below that one. Run your Scarlet ink cube directly over the gap to create a ribbon going across the panel.

7. Stamp the dragonfly image with Scarlet ink on scrap piece of cardstock then stamp it again with the 2nd generation ink onto the front of the panel. Repeat this two more times. You will have three lighter hued dragonflies across the front of the panel.  This adds some depth to your card design.

8. Stamp the Smile Sunshine image onto the same scrap paper as the dragonflies using Scarlet ink.

9. Cut out the dragonflies and banner with  fussy cutting scissors or a Scan N Cut  machine.

10. Glue your panel onto the craft foam with some Brutus Monroe All Purpose Craft Glue.

11. Adhere the foamed panel to your card base with the same glue.

12. Pop up your banner and 2 of your dragonflies onto the front of the card panel and you are finished.

Thanks again for joining me today. I hope you will hop along with the rest of the team to see what everyone else made using a monochromatic palette!

If any of the supplies I mentioned interest you, I have included a list of them below for your convenience.  These links are affiliate links and I receive a small percentage of the price you pay at no additional cost to you.  This helps Del & Artie to continue to provide inspiration to you!

DANIEL (you are here)

JESS

BERINA

ASHLEY

MARIE

LAUREN

LUISANA

The Paper Crate Card Making Kit Review

This month, Shannon Silverman, from The Paper Crate, asked me to review her December Card Making Kit. I am happy to share my experience with this box with you. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

The Paper Crate Card Making Kit

I did not look at The Paper Crate website before opening the box, because I wanted the initial reaction to the contents to come directly from the unboxing. You can can catch my unboxing video here. Or watch it below.

This box came chock full of great supplies that will live on in my crafting stash for a long time. It came with three ink cubes, a full sized bottle of Nuvo Red Berry Crystal Drops, two stamp sets, envelopes, pre-cut and scored card bases, cardstock strips and blocks, card making guides printed in full color, embellishments, a whole book of 6 x 6 pattern paper, 3D foam squares, and a mini welcome kit that included a bone folder, tape runner, acrylic block, and more!!

I just couldn’t believe my eyes! For the price point, this kit has so much stuff. Shannon curated the kit with high quality, well-designed items that delight the eyes and coordinate perfectly.

Detailed, step-by-step Instructions come with the box. For the beginning card maker, this will prove helpful. As an experienced card maker, I found it fun to follow along with one of the instruction sheets. It took me out of my style of card making and helped me experience the craft through someone else’s style. Then, I took the liberty to abandon the instructions and play with the kit my way.

The box includes a photopolymer stamp set by The Paper Rose called Cozy Winter. This set includes little furry friends that I badly needed in my stash. The other set, a clear acrylic stamp set called, Snow Season by Crafter’s Companion, feels very much like silicone. These kinds of stamps require a little less pressure when stamping—just kiss the paper with them. What they trade in firmness, they make up for in design—because the script of the sentiments in this set really impressed me.

Can I just say — NUVO DROPS!! A full bottle of NUVO DROPS!!! That’s all I have to say.

For value, I give this kit a 100%. You cannot get all of these items separately at anywhere near the $30 price of this box. Add to that, the individually packaged card elements cut and ready with card bases and envelopes and detailed instructions and The Paper Crate has a box you should not pass up.

I do not receive a commission for this recommendation. But The Paper Crate has given me a discount code to share with my readers. You can stil get in on the January 4, 2019, box, if you subscribe by December 31. Use my code: DA10 for an additional 10% off the already unbelievably low price.

I have listed all the items I could find in the grid below so you can compare the prices and see the incredible value of this kit. These are affiliate links, with the exception of the kit itself.

Brutus Monroe Thank You Cards Blog Hop

Hi there! Welcome to my entry for the Brutus Monroe Thank You Cards Blog hop! I have a stacked die-cut card for you, featuring the Thanks die from Brutus Monroe and some Glitter Glaze.

For this card, i began by grabbing some green cardstock from my stash and cutting out the word <<Thanks>> four times using the die and my Cuddlebug. I stacked them up using B|M All Purpose Craft Glue and covered the top layer with Glossy Accents and set it aside to dry.

I cut a piece of red cardstock with an angled end and glued the stacked die cut Thanks on top of it.

I got out my B|M Chevron stencil and some Fallen Snow Glitter Glaze and smeared some of the glaze on a piece of green cardstock. After it dried, I cut it down to a 4 x 5.25 and popped it up an A2 sized card base with some foam tape. I added the sentiment strip wtih some foam tape, as well

Finally, I finished off the card with some bezeled studs from my stash.

I hope you enjoy my Thank You Card and please hop along with the rest of the Brutus Monroe Inspiration Team. If any of these items interest you, please feel free to use the affiliate links below to purchase them. You will help Del & Artie continue to bring you great content and at no additional cost to you!

Here’s the list of blog hop participants. Please send them some love by visiting their blogs and commenting on their posts!

DANIEL (you are here)

JESS

BERINA

HEATHER

ASHLEY

LAUREN

Brutus Monroe Christmas Card Blog Hop

Welcome to my post for the Christmas Card blog hop!

For my card today I used the Sketched Holiday Printed Surface Board from Brutus Monroe, Copic Markers, Metallic Aqua Pigments and some Aqua Pigment Paper to make this card stand out.

Brutus Monroe Christmas Card by Daniel West

To begin, I added a few droppers full of Frosted Cranberry and Iced Holly Aqua Pigment Metallics to an sheet of Aqua Pigment paper and smooshed them together with an acrylic block and dried with a heat tool. I added layers of water, then more Frosted Cranberry and Gilded Liquid Element with some Rouge Surface Spray on top, drying after each layer.

Brutus Monroe Christmas Card by Daniel West

I grabbed a sheet of the Sketched Holidays Printed Surface Board and colored in some evergreen and berries with Copic markers. After fussy cutting out the image, I filled in the berries with Red Berry Nuvo Crystal Drops.

Brutus Monroe Christmas Card by Daniel West

I cut my background piece in half and popped it up with foam tape, lining the top and bottom with gold mirror card stock from my stash. I popped up the colored image with foam tape, as well and trimmed off the edged of the greenery that stuck out over the folded edge of the card base.

I added a sentiment to the card from the Stamp of the Month for December, using a strip of black card stock and B|M Alabaster Embossing Powder.

Brutus Monroe Christmas Card by Daniel West

I have included links to the supplies I used for this card below. Affiliate lnks help me keep this blog running and at no additional cost to you! If you use my links to make a purchase, please let me know and send me your address in an e-mail to delandartie@gmail.com. I would love to send you a card in the mail.

Thanks for being with me today and please hop along to see what everyone else on the Brutus Monroe Inspiration Team has created today.

DANIEL (you are here)

BERINA

JESS

HEATHER

ASHLEY

MARIE

LAUREN

My Christmas Wish List