We are Brave

 Today I am showing off a card that I created using Sassy & Crafty's Free & Brave Stamp Set.  I love these girl power images and the girl with the flag is absolutely amazing. I wanted to alter the flag to represent the Overcoming Disabilities flag since that's something that is really important to me.

I began by stamping onto watercolor paper with Ink On 3's Fade-Out ink. Next, I pulled out my watercolors and used Gansai Tambi Starry Colors paints for the gold on top and bronze on the bottom, the silver in the center is a combination of Spectrum Noir Sparkle Glitter Ink and a white watercolor from my stash. 

Next, I used Nuvo's Hair & Skin Tones Watercolor Pencils for her skin and hair. I struggled with her face and was not able to get the details of her features with the no-line technique so I tried to stamp just her face... unfortunately I did not have the paper lined up correctly and messed up her face and hair. So I restamped the face and hair with Fade Out ink then used a dauber to put VersaFine on just her facial features. In order to save the rest of my work, I just cut the new face out and glued it on to the already completed body. I used watercolor pencils for her shirt and the flag pole as well.

For the card front, I used black cardstock and Cosmic Shimmer Citrus Green Gilding Polish over the Sassy and Crafty Comic Book 2 Stencil. It took several layers of the Gilding Polish but the way it pops off the black was so worth it!

Next up, I used the buildable sentiments from Sassy Girls - Free & Brave to put together the sentiment "We are brave". I stamped it in my MISTI 2.0 using Hero Arts Unicorn White ink topped with a layer of green Opalite Ink to give it a green tint. Had I been more patient, I probably would have chosen to heat emboss the sentiment instead. I finished the card off with some little purple hearts from Queen & Co.

The colors purple and green, that I used on this card, are symbolic of the disabilities that I work hard to overcome each day. Purple represents Fibromyalgia, green represents mental health. There are so many people struggling with invisible disabilities and working to overcome them every day.

I hope that you enjoyed my card and be sure to check out Sassy and Crafty for all sorts of amazing stamps and stencils!

Until next time,

R. Winn

Playing with Power Packs! Long Hair, Don't Care

Holy cow, I have the coolest thing to share today! My good friend Amanda from Pear Blossom Press is launching a fantastic new item called a "Power Pack," this is a way to safely and easily create your own light up cards and is compatible with Chibitronics leds! I'm going to share my card, and then you have an awesome chance to win some amazing prizes by hopping our Mega Blog Hop... Amanda is doing it a neat way to enter, each time you comment on a blog, you're entered, because 20 blogs is a TON... but also, we are all excited about this product.

I decided to use the Kindred Stamps "Long Hair, Don't Care" stamp set... because this needed to be lit up! I created my circuit to light up a single lantern that was hand-carved by Audra years ago. After my circuit was created I started to build my card face. I used navy cardstock, then took the Kindred Stamps "Moon and Stars" stencil, and some silver Cosmic Shimmer Gliding Wax to create the background. I chose a small square die cut to create a hole in that background for the LED to shine through. I added a stitched border using The Stamp Doctor A2 Stitch Dies.

I couldn't locate my grass die cut, so I used my Scan 'n Cut to cut a layer of grass on a dark mossy colored cardstock. Then placed 3 of the characters from "Long Hair, Don't Care" front and center! These were colored using Copic markers. 

Next,,, I stamped my lantern on vellum using a Stamp 'n Write marker from Stampin' Up, then hand cut it. I glued it onto my background using a liquid adhesive from Thermoweb, I shy away from vellum because it's tricky to get to stick without showing lines. If I was doing it over, I would probably still use this adhesive, but cover the lantern's back more fully so that it was less splotchy.

Next, I used a dark grey cardstock (the same color that my circuit was built on) to put my sentiment on, I decided to emboss with Ink On 3's Embossing Ink and some beautiful WOW Gold Pearl Embossing Powder that I got from Kraftgali. I used some foam adhesive to pop the sentiment up. My last touch was adding a "Push Me" button to the card. I used Stampin' Up die cuts for both the sentiment and this button. Since I don't have any stamps that say it, I used a gold Sharpie to write it out.  I finished the card by mounting the card face and circuit to a card base that was trimmed in gold.

My tips after making my first light up card? 

• Definitely watch one of Amanda's videos on the Pear Blossom Press YouTube channel BEFORE you start your card, building one of these cards takes a little bit of pre-planning  (my kryptonite!)
• Draw out the circuit like she recommends in the video, visualizing it is only half the battle.
• Don't smooth the copper tape too much on the Power Pack corners, it may crack causing issues with getting it to light.
• Press firmly, the better the pressure, the better the light shines!

The last little bit from me, before I share some important info about these nifty little Power Packs, is a 30 second video. Be kind, I don't typically do videos, and hearing my own voice weirds me out, but I felt like it was necessary to get the full effect of this product!

To get a great introduction of the Power Pack, check out the first blog on the hop from Pear Blossom Press. Amanda and Micah have worked hard to create an amazing product and I could not be more honored that they asked me to join this hop, or more excited about how easy they are to use. 

The Power Packs are available three ways:

• Power Pack Kit (set of 3 power packs, batteries, copper tape, and 3 LED stickers) retail $15.99 USD
• Power Pack (3 units) (3 power packs with batteries only - perfect for people who already have Chibitronics kits, but don't want to make paper switches and battery holders) retail $9.99 USD
• Power Pack (single unit) (1 power pack with a battery) retail 4.99 USD

Deals Just For You:

Customers in the US can enter the code FREEUSA to receive free shipping on orders over $9 until May 11, 2019

International customers can enter the code INTL5 for $5 off International shipping until May 11, 2019.

Customers in Canada will be able to order kits from my amazing friend Kim Brown-Blyleven's Etsy shop here https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheCreativeCard/. You won't be able to use the coupons above, but you'll also avoid any pesky Customs charges.

MEGA BLOG HOP BELOW 

 Remember, for each comment you make, on the blogs and YouTube videos below, you will be entered into the drawing for 10 Power Packs, and Kindred Stamps is also offering a couple fantastic prizes to support Amanda and Micah in this new venture, so get commenting!

Pear Blossom Press

Koren Wiskman

Lynda Kanase

Jessica Shier

Lynnea Hollendonner

Kim Brown-Blyleven

Niccole Kulig

Annalisa Gibson

Marie Heiderscheit

Beth Duff

Mary Polanco

Rachel Winn (You are here)

Marcia Caradinta

Katrina Bertelsen

Daisie Hanson

Jessica Francisco

Samantha Klaebe

Jessica McAfee

Lesley Oman

Tania Cordie

Thank you for visiting me today, and please join me in congratulating Amanda and Micah on making their dream a reality, and wishing them the best of luck on their new venture!

~R. Winn