Fish Bowl Dreams

Hi Everybody,

It is World Cardmaking Day!  How are you spending this day?  I hope you can work in a little time to craft or spend the entire day crafting because you know, it's a special day of the year set aside so that you can craft, guilt free.  They'll be lots of sales and give a ways so watch for those :)

(I apologize for the pics not being super clear, there was a huge reflection from the beautiful, sterling embossing powder)

I originally used the Sterling Embossing Powder but switched to Alabaster so it can be seen better. 

I used several Brutus Monroe products on today's card. I started by making an oxide ink background using Salty Ocean, Faded Jeans, Peacock Feathers, Cracked Pistachio and Wilted Violet.  I rubbed the ink pad over my Brutus Monroe Craft Mat, sprayed with water and quickly dipped my paper into ink randomly and heat set after a couple of colors and did it again.  I usually only do this twice and if there is a part that I am still not happy with, I spray a little water directly onto my paper and move the ink around.

I stamped a background stamp over the oxide ink background using the Brutus Monroe Wave Background Stamp.  I used Brutus Monroe Embossing Ink and Sterling Embossing Powder.  I think this Wave Background Stamp is SO COOL.  The very first time I saw it, I had a plan for it with the Fishbowl Stamp Set and Coordinating Dies that I used with it.  I colored the stamps with Zig Markers and cut out with dies.  I used the Inlaid Die technique here and fit the dies right into their designated spot like a puzzle.  Everything fit perfect with one exception.... I somehow put the crab die upside down and had run through Big Shot machine before I saw it.  I normally would get upset and redo the card but I figured a crab might can be on his back right?  Floating, chilling out or laying on the bottom of the ocean relaxing. See, I did it on purpose, yeah, that's it, on purpose lol.

I used sentiments from the new stamp sets, When I Grow Up Collection, Astronaut and Scientist.  I embossed both sentiments with the Sterling Embossing powder from Brutus Monroe.  I put the sentiments on a heavy weight vellum 48# so that it wouldn't overpower the background and I could see the background through it.  I did a die inlay with it as well with a Spellbinders Oval Die.  One of my best tips is that I use Stick It under vellum and I can't see it like other adhesives.  Make sure you are using a heavier weight vellum and do not mess up the smoothness of the adhesive and you won't be able to see it.  I used it here where the sentiment is. I finished it by adding some clear Wink of Stella glitter pen.

The thought behind these sentiments and this fish scene is Dream Big!  Oceans are Big and Endless! Never Stop Dreaming, Nothing is too large to keep you from your dreams. Simple as that.

These stamps were all so much fun to play with.  I hope I inspired you to try the Inlaid Die Technique and to try some fun, new Brutus Monroe products.  Lots of exciting new things to come from this company.  Stay tuned....

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Regina