More Bleaching - using different card + two completed cards

Good Evening Everyone,

Sample 1

Wet and blustery weather over the last couple of days has forced me into the craft room - yes, I know, not exactly a tragedy :) So, I wasted quite a few enjoyable hours trying out bleaching, with a dilute solution of bleach & water, on off-cuts of different types/quality/colours of card to see how it reacted.  And I had varying degrees of success. In the Sample 1 above all the card used is from Stampin' Up. This was the best result I got from all my experimenting as, after several applications, the bleach stripped a goodly percentage of colour out leaving pink on the red, lilac on the blue and green on the black.

Sample 2

The cards in Sample 2 were totally unsuccessful after the same number of applications of the solution. The green card (top) is from HOTP and the turquoise card is a pearlescent from Create & Craft TV. The HOTP card is textured and, unlike the SU card, the colour is only on one side, as it is on the pearlescent too. I suspect that it is the method of producing the colour and how it is applied, it is coated on top, to the cardstock that has stopped the bleach from stripping colour from it.

Sample 3

For Sample 3 I spritzed the card with the dilute bleach solution and again with varying success. The problem with spritzing is that you can't repeat the application in exactly the same place - it's all a bit hit and miss really. The solution had a very subtle effect on the red and green card, and that is after repeating the spritzing. However, the brayered sample on the left took only one application to get quite a good result.

Brayered Sample

You might recognise this sample as one of the pieces of Claritystamp card I brayered with a Big and Juicy ink pad earlier this week - for those who missed it and are interested you can find the post is here. And here's a close up of the card.

Brayered Sample close-up

 I think it makes a very passable snow scene so will probably use it on a Christmas card.

I have been card making this last week, well, I've made two cards to be precise but, as I was just not pleased with them when completed, I'm only posting them as a record for myself as to how I'm doing - not so good : (  The proportions are all wrong and I'm not sure about the ribbon embellishment in the birthday card, although it is there to hide the edges of the punched lace trim, it looks a bit odd. And the dark blue design paper, from the same pack as the pink one, on the Christmas card strikes me as somewhat discordant - hearken to me, like I know what I'm talking about! I've clearly still got a lot to learn about card composition - but, what the heck, I'm enjoying the challenge : )

So here's the Christmas card for Week 21.

The fairy and presents are Anita's Decorative Toppers, the white scalloped die-cut is sponged with Memento Angel Pink, as is the greeting stamp from Lily of the Valley (done in VersaMark and Heat it Up silver embossing powder). The matting is Claritystamp Matt-coated postcard brayered with Big and Juicy Hydrangea - one of the other samples seen in a previous post. The design papers are from Penelope & Percy A5 paper pack. Flower hand made. The binding is Paradise Aqua from The Ribbon Girl. The blue base card is recycled and the edges distressed with scissor and adhered to white card base.  

And here's the birthday card made for my granddaughter.

The stamp is from House Mouse Spring Dip and coloured with the following Promarkers:Ice Grey 1, Warm Grey 2 & 3, Putty, Satin, Blush, Pastel Beige, Caramel, Blossom, Pale Pink, Rose Pink, Pastel Yellow, Lilac, Powder Blue, Cobalt Blue.

Other materials used: Yellow card base; white cardstock; House Mouse Inserts CD Rom; Letters and Numbers computer generated; Whispers Ink Pad, Rio Purple; Anita's 3D Gloss (for jar & eyes); punched lace trim, polka dot card candy and yellow ribbon from stash.

Fortunately, Jolene was a lot more pleased with her card than I was - it had her name on it!

That's me for this evening - I'm off to play for a while with more paper and inks. I've discovered over the last year or so that one of the things I most enjoy doing is trying out different techniques. I can spend hours in the craft space happily pottering around but not actually making anything, just accumulating lots of samples which may, or more likely not, get used some day. Is it a disease, I wonder?

Hope you are all enjoying the holiday weekend and perhaps even getting better weather than we've had here.

Take care all,