Tuesday, November 4, 2014

APC Week 9: Bright & Bold and Subtle

Tonight I'm playing along with Claudine at Claudine's Art Corner, where this week the challenge is to alter two playing cards that are Bright & Bold and Subtle.

For those of you playing along with AEDM, I apologize I haven't been around today.  I'm sure some of you are aware of my current situation, where I can't get on the internet with my computer, but have borrowed a laptop and a temporary WiFi connection from my friend and neighbor.  Today I got really sick from something I ate yesterday.  I spent most of last night and today in bed.  However, with all that down time, I had a bit of an epiphany.  As I mentioned earlier, I can't load my copy of PhotoShop on my friend's laptop, but that doesn't mean I can't load photos onto MY computer, then transfer them to CD, then to my friend's laptop.  DUH!!  How simple can it be?  Why didn't I think of this sooner, rather than stressing over something that was so simple!  So, tonight I have finally finished these two APCs and can even share step out photos. 


I tried to keep the bright colors and the subtle colors the same.  For one card, I used metallic paint, while I used some of my handmade shimmering mists on the other.  I chose the card with the most gesso on it for the subtle card, because I know my mists have a tendency to look subtle on gesso when they dry.

I sprayed my mists on the first card, then set it aside to allow it to dry.

While the first card was drying, I painted the second card.

By the time I had the paint put away and the paint brush cleaned, the mists were dry, and I could stamp a background image.  This is a borrowed stamp.  You can tell because I don't use this foam stuff on mine.  I prefer a repositionable glue that I have called Wacky Tac that I paint directly on the rubber.

I got decent coverage, at least.  Now I needed to set this aside to dry before I add my focal image.

For my second card, I got out a set of clear stamps.  You have NO idea how much I dislike clear stamps.  They don't stick to anything, at least I can't get them to.  I also chose some gifted tissue tape.

Once stamped, I used my new white pen sent to me by Claudine, to add circles to two of the "flowers."  Even though the paint was completely dry, I still scratched through the paint and gesso with the pen.  I worried I had damaged, it, but I now believe it is fine.

Here are my completed Fantasy Flowers, my entry for Bright and Bold.

I fussy cut the focal image on my Subtle playing card and glued it in place.  I couldn't think of an appropriate phrase, so left it as is.

Here are both Week 9's altered cards together.

This is Day 5 of AEDM, 
 
and I altered two playing cards.

16 thoughtful remarks:

Vicki Miller said...

You are so good at keeping up with challenges. I dropped out of the APC challenge because I just had too much, but it's good seeing yours continue to be created. By the way my cheeks are a bit blushy from your last wonderful comments. Thank you very much!

voodoo vixen said...

I love the subtle one with the stamped background but my favourite is the fantasy flowers, how clever of you to think of that with the circles.
I wonder why your transparent stamps don't stick as I have had some for years and they still attach to the plastic/acrylic blocks I use.

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing this and for being so determined to post for AEDM. Marvelous colors and elements! ♥

Paula - Buenos Aires said...

Hope you feel better now! Awesome cards. Sharing them with my art journaling workshop group. :)

elle said...

The blessings of technology! Glad you are figuring things out, Elizabeth. Your creativity spills over into most everything you do!

froebelsternchen said...

Both are great - I specially like this fantasty flowers.. I do a very similar project just now....
Happy Day dear Elizabeth!

Claudine said...

Fantastic take on this week! Loving the girl and the flowers your created.

massofhair said...

Fantastic cards for the APC week 9 challenge Elizabeth, i have just caught up from week 7 and will blog mine later today. Beautiful colours for your fantasy flowers, love the washi tape and the circles.

To help the acrylic clear stamps stick you need a piece of plastic like packaging or an acrylic block. If the stamps get any dirt or other on them they need to be washed in warm soapy water and left to dry, this should return some of the sticky to them. If this doesn't work use either a glue stick or re-positionable glue spray. Hope this helps :-) xxx

By the way, hope you are feeling much better now, not nice to be ill after eating something :-) xxx

TwinkleToes2day said...

TOTALLY gorgeous! The background for the fantasy flowers is so luscious and the little girl is very cute :D

Maron said...

Very nice and a good tutorial too! Glad you're feeling better!

Laney said...

I love both of these cards and thanks for sharing your process photos! My clear stamps never want to stick to anything either! You have a lovely blog and I want to take some time to wander around here. :)

AlteredAddict said...

Laney, If you put some versamark on your clear stamps before you cover it with your ink pad you get a much cleaner print.

Also someone was telling me that if you take a sanding pad and very gently scrape over the stamp it takes off some of the film they put on the clear stamps.

I haven't tried the sanding method, but I've been told by more then one person it does work.

HTH
T

Karla B said...

Love this Elizabeth!Gorgeous!

Craftymoose Crafts said...

I hope by now you are feeling better. I am glad you figured out a way to use your photos, but what a pain with all the extra steps!

Your cards came out great this week! I like the tape stems on your fantasy flowers.

johanna said...

beautiful Cards. using Colors, i mostly use bright & bold, just love that!

ionabunny said...

The fantasy flowers are great. I like you left them simple. The angel with the flowers is cute. Hugz