Striped Clear Block Technique Card

I had so much fun making this card that I decided to make another, but with a twist.  I obviously changed the colors, but I also decided to use the clear block technique.  This has become one of my favorite techniques for quick cards. 

Tips & Tricks

• For an explanation of how to do the clear block technique, check out this post.  I'm a little bit addicted to this, and as you'll see, so are my kids!

• I almost always add some sparkle when I use this technique.  The retired shimmer paint works great, but since it's retired, that's no longer an option.  Grab a bottle of Illuminate Glimmer Watermark refill ink and use that instead (psst...it's on page164!)  It looks almost exactly like the Frost White Shimmer Paint.

• I added a bit of detail and interest to the tag using my Chalk Marker.  It's so simple, yet adds just a little bit "extra" that this card needed.

Supplies

Stamps:  Yippee-Skippee
Ink:  Pacific Point, Bermuda Bay, Island Indigo, Marina Mist, and Soft Sky Stampin' Write Markers, Illuminate Glimmer Watermark Refill ink
Paper:  Naturals White and Pacific Point card stock
Accessories:  Big Shot, Chalk Talk Framelits, Clear Block E, Stampin' Spritzer, Marina Mist 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon (retired)

Purple Butterflies {Clear Block Technique}

I hope you'll forgive me for the short post today.  My grandfather passed away this morning, and I'm just not feeling like I have that much to say.  But I did want to post a card, which is my take on this one, by Vicky Hayes.

Purple was my grandmother's favorite color, so in a way, this is fitting for today, as he's now been reunited with her.  They loved each other so much that he couldn't even live four months without her.  And I am so grateful to have had these amazing people in my life!

{Retiring} Just Believe

Sigh...I can't believe this set is retiring.  It's one of my very favorites, and I use it a LOT.  This is definitely one that I'll be hanging onto, because I love it so much (don't I say that about every set?  I really mean it about this one, though!)

And yes, I'm still using that clear block technique.  It's just so fun, and I've decided I like the sparkly look with these.  But this will be the last one for a while.  Although I'm going to give you a tip about this technique.  Because water or alcohol is used, the card stock tends to pucker or warp a bit.  You can see evidence of that along the bottom of this card.  So you'll want to use a liberal amount of adhesive on cards like these.  I highly recommend using something like sticky strip or multipurpose glue, as snail doesn't quite do the trick for card stock that's been spritzed.  If you use the glue, it wouldn't hurt to lay something heavy on top of it for a couple minutes just to be sure it dries nice and smooth. 

Stamps:  Just Believe (116948)
Ink:  Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake (126975), and Early Espresso (126974)
Paper:  Baja Breeze, Naturals White (102316)
Accessories:  Early Espresso Ribbon, Dazzling Details (124117), Stampin' Spritzer (126185), Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint (116806), Clear Block E (118484)

More Sunshine

It's the week of clear block technique...are you so sick of seeing it yet?  This one is a different take on the rainbow card.  I used the markers in shades of yellow, and then stamped the Sunshine stamp on Daffodil Delight.  I spritzed both layers with the Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint and alcohol mixture.  And once again, it doesn't show up well in the picture, but it really does look neat in person.  Want to see?  I'd be happy to teach you how to do this...just give me a call!

Stamps:  Sunshine (132671)
Ink:  Daffodil Delight (119677), So Saffron (119700), and More Mustard (119701) Stampin' Write Markers, More Mustard Classic Ink Pad (126964)
Paper:  Daffodil Delight (119683), and Naturals White (102316) card stock
Accessories:  Clear Embossing Powder (109130), Heat Tool (129053), Clear Block E (118484), Stampin' Spritzer (126185), and Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint (116806)

Thoughts & Prayers

I seem to have a lot of cards featuring that fun clear block technique.  I hope no one minds...at least you'll get to see lots of variety using this technique!  For this one, I stamped the top half of the block with Baja Breeze (sniff, sniff, goodbye...) and the bottom half with Crumb Cake.  I just stamped with the pad right onto the block.  Then I spritzed it with a mixture of Champagne Shimmer Paint (again, sniff, sniff, farewell...) and alcohol.  It has such a light sparkle to it.  Unfortunately, it doesn't show up in the picture very well.  Trust me, it's gorgeous!  Then I simply stamped the flowers from Thoughts & Prayers in Early Espresso, and put just a dab of Dazzling Details on each flower.  Yes, more sparkle.  It's so pretty.  Yet another very simple card with lots of wow.  Have you tried this technique yet?

Stamps:  Thoughts & Prayers (113252)
Ink:  Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake (126975), and Early Espresso (126974)
Paper:  Baja Breeze, Naturals White (102316), and Crumb Cake (120953)
Accessories:  Early Espresso 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon (119959), Labels Collection Framelits (125598), Big Shot (113439), Stampin' Spritzer (126185), Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint (116806)

Clear Block Stamping

How amazing is this card?  I hope that doesn't sound arrogant, because I really can't take credit for this fabulous technique.  It's one of many that I learned last weekend in Baltimore.  All I did was color with my markers directly on a clear block, then spritz it with alcohol (water works, too, but will take longer to dry).  Then I pressed the wet block onto Naturals White card stock, letting it sit for a couple of minutes to absorb all the color.  And this amazing watercolor rainbow is the result!

This totally wowed my kids.  When I asked them if they wanted to try it, their eyes just about popped out of their heads.  They then went on to make all kinds of color combinations and made cards for all their friends that they were going to see that day.  I wish I had taken a picture, because they did a great job. 

For another spin on this technique, I made a sparkly rainbow.  Instead of spritzing just alcohol, I used alcohol mixed with shimmer paint, and it looks fabulous.  You might be able to see some of the shimmer in the picture below, but it's hard to capture.  But trust me, it looks great in person!

Stamps:  Sunshine (132671)
Ink:  Real Red, Melon Mambo, Regal Rose, Tangerine Tango, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise, Pacific Point, and Rich Razzleberry Stampin' Write Markers (Brights Collection 119702)
Paper:  Regal Rose (105130), Pretty in Pink (100459), Basic Black (121045), and Naturals White (102316) card stock
Accessories:  Stampin' Spritzer (126185), Champagne Shimmer Paint (116806), Clear Block E (118484)