distress inks , a teachers thank you

Well hi there bloggers,
I thought I would share with you my teachers thank you cards. I decided to use a limited palette, which seems to be a thing of mine at the mo, but guess what?- no vintage photo or antique linen in site!!!!

I wanted the cards to appeal to my sons as they are for their teachers, to say a huge thanks for all their hardwork, but also wanted them to appeal to me.Both of my boys have had such wonderful years at school, a fantastic school I have to say!

I have listed below a quick run down of how they were made and then a list of the items I have used...hope you like them and hope the teachers do too!!!

1. Firstly, I stamped the background of the card using a script stamp from Creative Expressions Timeless journey set. I used pumice stone and black soot distress inks.

2. The next panel on left hand side was stamped using paper artsy stamp - minis MN57 , again using pumice stone distress ink from Tim Holtz.The edges were then distressed by adding pumice stone ink using blending tool.

3.The boy is a Lili of the Valley stamps and I love the way that by stamping in black distress ink onto smooth watercolour paper the image loses alot of the 'cutesy feel', but is still cute. The ink was then softened out using a small amount of water - I tend not to use a water brush as this can add too much water and is less easy to control.

4. This was matted onto textured cardstock, using spellbinders label 17 to cut layers.

5.The pen was stamped and softened using same technique as main image, the stamp is from Butterfly Kiss, again a creative expressions stamp.

6.The flowers were made using Tim Holtz Tattered floral die, onto grey paper, overstamped with script and layered using pinflair glue and a pearl in centre.

I am very pleased with the finished results.

Drop me a line and let me know what you think!
ta trace.x