Sunday, October 5, 2014

The Great Distressed Pumpkin

Hi! 
Hope you had a wonderful week!  I have been working to extend the feeling of  autumn here while I look outside and feel like I am living inside a snow globe. Several inches of snow cover everything outdoors and  the snow continues to fall. But now I want to enjoy sharing the details of my most recent card with you.



The light brown base of this distressed pumpkin is stamped with a typed background. The pieced pumpkin top is created with a mix of alcohol inks and stamped images. The edges are completed with hand-drawn doodles. The stem is embossed with a crimper and inked.

The based of the background is dry embossed, brayered with black and accented with white line doodles. 


Wonder Under-so very sheer

Wonder Under (WU) Embossing Technique

The top of the background is one of my long time favorite embossing techniques.WU is available in most fabric stores and is often located close to the cutting table.  Generally it is used to adhere 2 pieces of fabric together.

Heat embossed with multiple powders



For this embossing technique cardstock is cut to the size desired  and the WU is cut a little larger for it will shrink when melted (perhaps about 1/2" around each side). 

It only takes a heat gun a few seconds to melt the WU so be prepared to keep gun moving or the webbing will melt away.  A clip clothespin may assist in holding the WU on top of the cardstock to protecting fingers from the melting plastic.

It's time to heat the WU and just go for it!  The fun part is to see the unique web patterns that the heat creates.

Embossing powders can be poured directly on the desired areas and excess dumped off. Versamark ink is NOT needed. Heat again just until the EP melts.

Final Touches-I was happy to tie up this pumpkin card with a bit of twine.  And add the stamp sentiment "Celebrate" across the great pumpkin!

This week I found some challenge inspiration at several wonderful places:
            Splitcoaststampers Mixed challenge 88: asked for a distressed pumpkin
            STAMPlorations October Challenge: embossing and stamps
            Simon Says Stamp Monday's challenge: finishing touch


Stamps used: Stamporations-Mixed Media Backgrounds set for distressed pumpkin images; Sentiment Builders-Celebrate set

8 comments:

  1. Wow! What a great card! I really enjoyed seeing all the clever techniques you used in creating this card and I'm so glad you were able to tap into Autumn even though it sounds like you're in a Winter Wonderland! I like all of the different patterns you incorporated and thought your hand-drawn doodles were brilliant. Truly great work here and I'm so glad you shared it with us here at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog!

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  2. Fantastic!! great texturing of the pumpkin :)

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  3. What a cool pumpkin, Jan. I love that new-to-me embossing technique. May have to see if I have some of that stuff around. Wonderful to see your creation in the STAMPlorations gallery. Thanks for playing with us this month.

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  4. Oh my goodness. I have tons of WU and never thought to use it with cards! I've got quilt fabric that I would love to incorporate with my latest hobby. What a wonderfully unique and textured background you've created with these 'new to me' techniques, and I will certainly be hunting up my supplies to try this. Love your pumpkin too, with the dimension, colors & textures. Was intrigued to see you are an Alaskan. I'll be joining as your newest follower, and thanks for visiting & such a kind comment. Also many thanks for a new technique to try!!! Hugs

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  5. What a great pumpkin and interesting technique for your background Jan! Can't believe you're having snow already - I need a couple of months of fall to 'cool' up to winter!!

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  6. Wow, I've never seen this technique! I hope we have this material in fabric stores in Finland. :) Cool! Thanks for joining us at STAMPlorations!

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  7. Fun background technique - thanks for the detailed info on how to do that - I have to try this one day! Thanks for linking up with us at STAMPlorations!

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