Wild Animals and Friends Like You (giggle) - Digi Tutorial

YAAAAYYYYYYY! You're here!
I have lots of tips today ANNNNNNNND....

It's time to share a sweet friendship card using WILD ANIMALS for the new Moving Along With The Times Challenge!
How's that for a combination -- sweet AND wild?

We hope you can play along. Challenge #76's theme is WILD ANIMALS - just make sure your card's focal image has at least one wild animal and share your card!

My cards are made entirely from white card stock. If you are new to digital images, several tips are included below:

TIP:
Don't have a special app for your digitals? Use your word processor:

Most word processors have options for creating scenes. Play with yours to see what it can do. They may have a STYLE or FORMATTING option for things like OPACITY, SHADOWS, COLORS for you to create dimension, shadows, and color intensities:

TIP: 

CREATE CUSTOM PAPER FROM  YOUR IMAGE:

I saved a duplicate of the elephant image, and cropped off the head, tail and legs.
Then I put it on the word processor sheet, and sized it.
For the larger images, I simply increased the size of the image in the word processor:



to make the images smaller, I copy and pasted the image 3 times on my sheet and cut to size:


Both these options were used on my cards. Can you identify which card used the smaller print, and which used the larger?

1. Spellbinders Detailed Scallops (frame) card 5.5" x 7.5":
The card looks beautiful before adhering the layers:



After distressing with Black Soot dye ink, I applied Nuvo Glue Pen in the Large size around the distressing, waited a few moments for the glue to set, and then applied Gilding Flakes in Silver Bullion. They are so brilliantly silver, that it was difficult to capture on camera:



Using VersaMark ink, I further distressed, and heat set with Shimmer Semi Transparent EP. The edge is now dimensionally distressed with ink, shimmering EP and gilding flakes:



Midnight Madness Detail Opaque EP #252 has lots of sparkle, and was used on the sentiment from Happy Flowers Rubber Stamp Set. Because it is a detail embossing powder, it features sentiments well:



When embossing black, I prefer using a black pigment ink. But I don't have colored pigment inks these days, so....

TIP: 

"making COLORED embossable ink"

I did not have a black pigment ink on hand, and I wanted the black background for the sentiment before heat setting with Midnight Madness Detail Opaque EP. Here's how: Ink your stamp with VersaMark (or other clear embossing fluid). Then tap on the dye base ink in the color of your choice on top of the VersaMark inked stamp. Stamp on your paper.  Apply your embossing powder. Because the VersaMark was applied on the stamp first, when the image was stamped, the VersaMark ends up being on the "top layer" of your paper. Dredge with EP and heat set. Works for me every time.

The cute flower is from Tonic Woodland Aster Die Set #1285E.

Finished Card:

2. Sue Wilson die framed card 6" x 7.5":

Layered panel was distressed with Black Soot dye ink and VersaMark. 
Super Thick Silver EP467 (ultra glossy) was place on the inky areas and heat FROM UNDER THE PAPER. More VersaMark was applied and Midnight Madness Detail Opaque EP was heat set, creating a shiny, dimensional, sparkling panel:

With scraps of sticker paper and the Tonic Autumnal Oak Die Set #1431E, the large leafy branch was partially cut out twice. After pulling off the protective layer, exposing the sticky substance, Aqua Marine Semi-transparent Ultrafine G1062 glitter was applied and burnished in. I did the same thing with Tonic Beautiful Brambles Die Set #586E using Pistachio Ultrafine Opaque G1053 (one of my all time favorite colors). 

TIP: color your glitter

Because I wanted to shade the leaves a little, Prismacolor Alcohol Markers were lightly used on top of the glitter.

Before and After:

Finished Card:

TIP: To make this card with the rubber stamp set:

1. Make an elephant mask from text weight paper.
2. Stamp the front elephant in your inky-color of choice.
3. Place the mask on top of the stamped elephant (adhere lightly if desired).
4. Stamp the back elephant in your inky-color of choice.
5. Remove mask and color your images.

Products Used:

• Amazing You Paisley Elephant Digital Stamp Set (with 13 color options plus sentiments) (also available in rubber)
• Happy Flowers Rubber Stamp Set (huge digital bundle also available)
• Tonic Woodland Aster Die Set #1285E
• Tonic Beautiful Brambles Die Set #586E 
• Tonic Autumnal Oak Die Set #1431E
• Embossing Powders: Midnight Madness Detail Opaque EP252(has lots of sparkle), Super Thick Silver EP467 (ultra glossy), Shimmer Semi Transparent EP (lots of sparkle), Anti-Static Bag (covers area quickly)
• Glitters: Aqua Marine Semi-transparent Ultrafine G1062, Pistachio Ultrafine Opaque G1053
• Inks: VersaMark, Memento Tuxedo Black, Mowed Lawn Distress, Black Soot Distress Oxide
• Gilding Flakes in Silver Bullion
• Paper Blooms in Coconut color by Kaiser Craft
• Adhesives: Sticker Paper Sheets (for leaves), Deluxe Adhesive with fine tip, Dimensional Foam Pads Sticky, Nuvo Glue Pen Large
• Die: Spellbinders Detailed Scallops (frame)
• Die: Sue Wilson Ornate Pierced shaped frame
• Cardstock: White
• Prismacolor Alcohol Markers, Decorative Brad

Challenges these cards are gratefully submitted to:

1. 613 Avenue Create #211 Create your own Designer Paper (see tutorial above) 8/1
2. Classic Design Team Challenge Blog #27 AG DT 8/1
3. Crafting with Dragonflies #108 Animals 7/20
4. Crafty Animals #16 AG with Animals 8/1 (sep post)
5. Creative Craft Cottage Digi Challenge #94 Monochrome 8/3 
6. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #86 Anything Goes 8/1 (sep 8/4)
7. Scrapy Land Challenges #94 AG w/SL dies (Spellbinders, Sue Wilson, Tonic)
8. Sunny Day Crafting (7/15-8/15) Add an Animal 8/15
9. World Wide Open DT #7  AG for DT 8/15

Thanks for stopping by!
Crafty hugs,