Bella Carta

Luminescence: Is it possible to photograph?

I didn't post yesterday ... I had my card done :-) but was waiting for better "light".  I far prefer to photograph with natural light, rather than flash - so sometimes I wait (and wait and wait!).

Anyway, this morning was better!  Here's a card I did with my new pearlescent water colors.  I really wanted to try to show how pearly and luminescent they are! I stamped with the large single flower on vellum (I used Brilliance Graphite ink) with black ep.  Uggh ... on my first try - I didn't pay attention and when I was 99% done melting the ep, I "popped" a bubble in the vellum.  So ... back to the table.  This time, in my haste/frustration - I didn't figure out till I was coloring that I hadn't quite set the ep on the flower in the upper left (you'll see it looks a bit grainy as a result).

And ... a product I LOVE!   I recently tried "Ultra Clean" stamp cleaner from Hero Arts.  It worked incredibly with my stamps that were used with pigment inks.  Its also specially formulated for use with clear stamps, but I discovered earlier - it works awesome with rubber stamps and pigment inks! 

Happy 4th of July and Heartfelt thanks!

Happy 4th of July and Heartfelt Thanks to all those who serve our country! 

I recently purchase my very first unity stamps!  I couldn't pass up one of their Feature Friday specials and received this wonderful "Its the Fourth" {this set features 9 stamps!} and the cute owl set - "Owl Always Love you!" {this set features 15 stamps!}. I haven't had much of a chance to play with them ...  I've been kinda busy (unfortunately, I'd rather stamp!).  But I also wanted to make a few cards and use some techniques/products I hadn't tried out yet! (Oh, the scandal, I know!). 

The first card features the a square card and Emboss Resist technique.  I used glossy card stock and stamped in bright inks the fireworks.  I then used Versamark ink and "glassy glaze" embossing powder(also known as UTEE) and dug out my heat gun.  I then went over the whole thing with an inked up sponge, but it could also be brayered.  I think with a little tweaking ... this could be really great (next time I'll take a white crayon and give each firework a halo before sponging/brayering).  Then added some rhinestone brads and a few rhinestone stickers.  This is a 5.5 in x 5.5 in. card on Brillaint Blue cardstock.

The next card .... I wanted to do something different - something than the normal Red, White and Blue!  So I broke the package open on my BRAND NEW NIJI PEARLESCENT WATERCOLORS!!! Oh Teresa, these *ROCK*, a million thank yous {Grazie Mille, ooops - that's only a thousand thanks - Grazie Millione mi amica!}.  We saw these being used at Stampfest last weekend in Orlando - your timing was perfect, my friends were drooling and got to purchase their own! 

If you're not familiar with these, these are from the same company that makes twinkling H2O's and they come in little sets that are reminscent of the water color sets from grade school (coincidentally, this month's Paper Crafts has a great letter from the editor about those school watercolors). 

I did this card on black, stamped and embossed the fireworks in gold.  I then used my aqua painter (also a Niji product) and want to town! Oh man, these are GORGEOUS!  They just eminate sparkle, I tried to do a closeup so you can see how luminescent they are!  I then used a transparency to stamp my sentiment.

The stamps are from Unity Stamp Company, ink and cardstock is from Stampin' Up!

ETA:  Lauren (My Time) has a GREAT tutorial on her blog today showing how to use the pearlescent watercolors direct on stamps.