Stamping with Marker Pens

Hi Everyone,

Like I said in my last post, I was off to test out my new Memento Dual Marker pens, by Tsukineko, and after a little practice this is what I've done!

The secret is in the 'huffing' ... another new term and technique for me to add to my crafting dictionary :) Here's how I made the card.

- Taking two pens, Bamboo Leaves (green) and Lady Bug (red), the first step was to ink up the holly corner flourish, from Anita's Magical Christmas stamp set, by 'painting' with the 'brush' tip, each pen has two tips, one a brush tip and the other a fine tip, carefully selecting green for the leaves and stems and red for the berries. 

- The next step was to 'huff' or breathe on the stamp to reactivate any ink which has dried during the process and then quickly stamp, first in one corner then, after re-inking, the second corner of the white card base. The process was again repeated for one corner on the inside of the card - and also the centre of the back.

- For the topper the sentiment, from Docrafts Penelope & Percy Christmas Greetings stamp set, was coloured and stamped onto a snippet of smooth white card in the same way. It was then run through the Cuttlebug cutting it with a Spellbinder Label Twenty-five die then sponged around the edges using Tim Holtz distress ink, Festive Berries. The red mat, made from yet another snippet, was created by tracing round the Spellbinder label die and cutting it out by hand. 

- The final touch was to add a bit of sparkle with Stickles - Xmas Red on the 'berries' in the corner flourish, and Crystal along the top of the word, Merry - and then a few of Anita's red gems to two of the corners. 

I'd like to submit this card to the following:

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge 123 - let's get sentimental

Craftyhazelnut's Challenge Extra for May - which, as ever, is anything goes

Jingle Bells - Merry & Bright

and, of course, Pixie's Crafty Snippets - Week 71 - where there's always fun and games to be had just so long as we hand in our snippets homework on time :)

Now, who would have thought that at my age I would have so much fun playing with colouring pens ... just proves I'm just a big kid at heart :))

And, finally, a weather update for Ayr - today we've had just about everything the weatherman can throw at us - sun, wind, a temperature drop (more like a thud) and rain - no snow though, so that's a blessing. Right now, 7pm, the sun is shining and the birds are happily singing away ... I think they are relieved the rain has stopped too!

I'm off to do a bit of blog hopping for an hour or so before joining the EM to watch a new police drama that looks promising.

Hope you all have an enjoyable evening and a lovely weekend.

Happy crafting,