The long winter is finally near to the end. I can see flower starting to bloom. Happy Spring~ I have used Waffle Flower magnolia stamp set for my one layer card. Yes I could have just color the flower, cut in out and place them on a blue background. But masking technique on one layer card was in my mind at the moment. I am glad I stick with it, Absolutely love the outcome.

Using distress oxide ink and blending brush to blend out each masking area with milled lavender and seedless preserves oxide ink in flower, mowed lawn in leaves and walnut stain in stem. 

After finished coloring each section, re-stamping the outline one more time in brown ink is necessary to make the image pop. Finally masking the entire flower and then finish off the background with salty ocean oxide ink and birch press circle burst stencil using blending tool.

Material/ supplies used:
Waffle Flower Magnolia stamp set
Picket Fence Studios Life Changing blender brush
Ranger Distress Oxide Ink
​Misti stamping tool

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上次使用Mama Elephant 的 hogs and kisses 以及lion dance水晶章來製作豬年賀卡時，受到很大的回應。大家對於豬小弟穿戴舞龍舞獅的表演覺得有趣，所以這次也用同樣的水晶章做另外兩張卡片。一張是豬小妹穿著舞獅裝，一張則是豬小妹豬小弟的父母獻元寶賀新年。這樣全家都到齊了～ 豬小弟舞龍舞獅卡可以看這裡: www.elainelaine.com/blog/welcome-the-year-of-pig-2019

同樣是使用復古氧化印台刷背景，之後將剪好的舞獅貼在豬小妹身上像是穿著舞獅正在觀望的樣子。製作這張時發現了一個蓋印上的問題，謹賀新年字章蓋完黑色會慢慢變不深，還好我有好多手作朋友幫我一起找答案，很快就找到了解決方法。解決方法會在下面解說～

利用Mama Elephant 的兩隻坐豬剛好坐在墊子上，手托著黃金元寶，豬年獻元寶是很喜氣的一張～

〈關於蓋印字體不黑的問題〉

背景使用氧化印台上色，有時可能因起化學變化而導致之後蓋印上去的顏色會稍微變淡，幾個方法可以改善：
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1. 使用油性印台
氧化印台會和水起化學作用所以用油性印台會比水性印台來的出色，很多廠牌都有出油性印台，我這次測驗了3款，最黑的是Versafine onyx black～

2. 吹風機是freeze time 的最佳幫手
雖說使用油性印台，但不同牌子的配方都不太一樣所以顏色還是有深淺之分，被氧化的程度也不一定，Versafine 的Onyx black 黑色的確最深，但如果要使用其他顏色蓋印，另外兩個印台Versafine Clair 和Ranger archival 就有很多非常漂亮的顏色可蓋印，那要如何不讓顏色好像被吃掉的感覺，這時候就要靠熱風槍了，蓋印完後要以迅雷不及掩耳的速度趕快吹乾它，讓所有畫面定格。其實要多謝Ann Chuang老師的一句話，Ann老師說一定要蓋兩次才會黑，因為第一次一定起化學作用第二次是和油性顏料接觸所以一定黑。因為這句話突然想到那就不讓它起化學作用，所以要在起化學變化之前趕快吹乾所有蓋印，用heat set 來定色。

3. Micro Glaze 除了有保護作用還有拋光的效果
不只一家廠商有出Micro Glaze，比較有名的是Judikins 和Tim Holtz。Micro glaze 大部分都用來保護作品，在作品上塗上薄薄的一層可以不讓指紋丶水漬殘留在作品上，有防水的功能。這一次也是為了保護作品而使用micro glaze卻意外發現可以讓蓋印字的顔色更加明亮，就像車子打完蠟之後，顏色變亮一樣。

這些是我的作卡心得，有興趣的朋友也可以試試，如果你有新的發現也請多多分享。最後分享我的春節卡片大合照💕

Material/supplies used:
Mama Elephant hogs and kisses clear stamp
Mama Elephant lion dance clear stamp
Micia Chinese New Year wood mount stamp
Tim Holts distress oxide ink
Tsukineko VersaFine onyx black ink
Tsukineko VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink
Ranger archival jet black ink
Tim Holtz Micro glaze

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在此感謝老師們的幫助，可以從老師們的部落格學到很多，有興趣者請看看下面的連結🔗
​Ann 的手作花園  anncard.blogspot.com

Thank you for visiting~ 謝謝觀賞！

舞獅章雖說是2018年的舊款，但搭配性很高，只要是跟舞龍舞獅有關的，過年過節都可以用到它。先蓋印小豬上完色之後再用removeable tape遮住小豬方便上背景色。發現Post-it 出的removable labeling tape 非常好用，連小小的尾巴都不會翹起來，很容易刷色，使用完的遮蔽貼紙就直接黏在印章膠片上面方便下次使用。

舞獅章的腳被我剪掉才可以露可愛的小豬，兒子說應該就擺在他頭上可是會像最後一張根本不知道是誰😂所以將舞獅頭和背部拆開來使用，看起來像小豬在奔跑表演的樣子，效果非常好！舞獅背部看起來很像軟軟的白毛是使用了加熱會起泡的白色凸粉，通常是用在雪景上但只用在造雪實在是太可惜了，它的3D效果增加了趣味性。

Material/supplies use:
Mama elephant hogs and kisses clear stamp
Mama elephant lion dance clear stamp
Miciacrafts good luck sentiment wood stamp
Hero Arts white puff embossing powder
Hero Arts  thick lacquer pen
Versafine Clair-nocturne
Distress Oxide ink pad- peacock feather
Picket fence studios life changing blender brush

謝謝光臨～
Thank you for visiting~

I am sharing a Christmas card that how I pictures a white Christmas will be. Using embossing powder as snow on the roof of each house can be tricky since it is applying on an embossing folder, in this case it isn't the more the merrier.  By gently brush a think layer of Versamark ink will get plenty of snow effect. I choose white satin pearl embossing powder instead of white powder to give the snow enough shine and ​pearlescent white look. The result is magical. 

Material/supplies used in cardmaking:
Cuttlebug embossing folder-village
Memory Box 30043 circle forest scene dies
Hero Arts white satin pearl embossing powder
Hero Arts My monthly hero kit October 2017
Tim Holtz distress oxide ink pad

Thank you for visiting~

Today, I am sharing a birthday card that I made for a dear family friend of over 15 years. Floral cards are one of my favorite cards to make because it is addicting. The more flowers you stamp, the more exciting it gets, which makes you want to stamp more. :) In this card, I have used two stamp sets from Altenew, one is the “life is awesome” stamp set for the main floral scenes, the other is the “botanical you” stamp set for the tiny berries. At last, I completed the look with a frame made from a craft die.

Material/supplies used in card making:
Altenew life is awesome stamp set
Altenew Botanical you stamp set
​Elizabeth craft designs happy frame craft dies

Thank you for visiting~

Today, I am sharing a simple but cozy Christmas card. The stamp that I used is from Concord and 9th Winter Wear stamp set. There is no masking involved while assembling the girl. It is super easy to stamp and color but the feeling is cozier than ever. 

I have colored two girls and decided to use the green scarf girl and save the other girl for later. While I was debating how I am gonna display my girl with the background from dark to light or light to dark, taking pictures and seeing from the different angles definitely helps in decision making.

Material/supplies used in cardmaking:
Concord and 9th winter wear stamp set
Altenew Sincere Greetings stamp set
Tim Holtz Diestress Oxide ink pad

Thank you for visiting~

I always believe red is one of the most festive color. So it is must be included in 2018 Christmas card collection. This is a tri-fold card with deer ornament die and Chinese sentiment “Jesus loves you”. The card then was closed with a paper band that stamped with Merry Christmas or Happy Holiday.

Thank you for visiting~

Material/Supply used in card making:
Hero Arts Deer and Ornament fancy dies
Cuttlebug embossing folder - village
​Judikins glow in the dark embossing powder

Thank you for visiting~

Sharing one of my favorite Christmas card this year. Two of my cats Sammy and Mikey are in the tree as well. Mikey is the sleepy head at the bottom of the tree and Sammy is the Siamese cat at the bottom right.

Material/ supplies used in card making:
Mama Elephant oh kitty tree clear stamp
Copic coloring
Tim Holts distress oxide ink pad blending for the background

Thank you for visiting~

Material/Supplies used in card making:
Dreamerland craft Balloon Ride stamp
Simon Says Stamp circle saying holiday clear stamp
Tim Holtz distress oxide ink pad

Thank you for visiting~

Is is so much fun applying embossing powder on top of 3D embossing folder. It has add interests to the next level. 

Material/Supplies used in card making:
Sizzix 3D textured impressions winter snowflakes
Simon Says Stamp Believe clear stamp set
Simon Says Stamp Believe dies
Tim Holtz distress oxide ink pad
Hero Arts embossing powder-silver sparkle
​Judikins embossing powder- extreme peacock

Thank you for visiting~

Material/supplies used in card making:
Altenew Peony Dream 3D die
Altenew  Sincere Greetings clear stamp
Altenew Cross Stitch canvas die

Thank you for visiting~

Hello there!  Spring is just around the corner, the cold snowing winter is about to pass. I know Spring fairy is working hard to bring color to the garden. This is how I picture my garden will be again... full of the vivid color..... all thanks to the Spring fairy, not me. lol

So happy to be chosen as a guest designer on Crafting by design for the March 1st anything goes  challenge. Today I am sharing one of my favorite stamp and die: Hello Lovely clear stamp set and heartstrings dies. Enjoy~

I choose happy birthday sentiment not only to celebrate the start of the Spring season but also to give a shout-out to all the friends and "me" who were born in the month of March. ^^ Happy Birthday~~

<Here are some of the behind the scene photo>

I choose to use Faber Castell Gelatos for it's texture and easy to blend with water. I draw some line on the leaf and use water brush to blend the color, also purposely to leave some texture and bleed outside of line.

While waiting for the watercolor paper to dry, I die cut few of the heartstrings die from Concord & 9th, these blank die cut will be add it to the card later.

The same heartstrings die again places on the main flower to cut the shape out. Then flip the card over to take out just the outer heart. You can see I put the washi tape on the die to make sure the distance between outer and inner die stay the same through out entire card making process....

Because of that when I add the blank heart die cut, it will fit exactly into the same space. Once the first blank heart die cut is in place, I seal entire heart with double adhesive sheet to secure every pieces. So when I flip over if any piece fell out(hoping not all of them) I can easily put it back. Luckily when I flip it over , just two pieces are needed to place it back. ^^ With all the pieces in place, the rest of the blank heart die cut is applied with glue and stacked on one by one. The last die cut shape will be placed on the top is the die cut from the original drawing. Lastly adding some embellishment and Happy Birthday sentiment, the card is completed.

Thank you for visiting my blog~ Happy crafting!

Supplies:
Concord & 9th Hello Lovely clear stamp set
Concord & 9th Heartstrings dies
Faber Castell Gelatos
Lawn Fawn Happy Birthday die