VanGoghChica Studio

I made this card to further explore inking different backgrounds. It was fun and I got kind of playful. Here's my breakdown of how I did it.   Supplies Altenew  Butterfly Dreams set Altenew  Pigment ink in permanent black Altenew Fresh Dye ink sets in  Golden Sunset ,  Sweet Dreams  and  Enchanted Garden . Altenew Fresh Dye ink in  Coral Berr Altenew  mini blending brushes Altenew  white cardstock Die cutting machine and frame die Gold cardstock Metallic gold marker Glue Cut a 4.25"X5.5" (A2 size) piece of white cardstock. Also create an A2 foldover card from blank cardstock Using ever-so-soft pressure, swirl a buildup of colors onto the front of the card and on the cutout frame. I used three inks to create the background. I found that inking the frame a darker color made the frame more of a presence and that is what I wanted. The butterflies fly on top of, within and under the frame. Use die cut machine and frame die to cut large a...

In my You Tube video, I explain the different components in making this card. I enjoyed this process - blending ink,  mixing colors. And I have to say, I am getting more accomplished with new tools, such as my die cutting machine. So, let's get to it. I recommend watching the video first and then read the supplies list and instructions. Supplies Altenew Sweet Rose Bouquet stamp and die set Altenew Better Together stamp set Altenew white cardstock   Altenew Pocketful of Sunshine fresh dye ink set   Altenew fresh dye inks in Bamboo , Frayed Leaf and Evergreen Altenew Crisp ink in Parrot and Grass Field Die cutting machine Glue Blending tool First cut your card stock to A2 size (4.25"X5.5") On separate card stock, ink the roses in it's four layers and leaves in two layers. Cut roses and leaves out with your die cutting machine With Bamboo ink and blending tool, blend bamboo around top of card. Go slowly and VERY light. I also added frayed leaf and citrus burst in layer...

How to live with my disabilities as an artist.

Initially, I bought this flamingo stamp set because I live in South Florida and like that I get to see flamingos. But as I was working with all the pink gradations (four different pinks in one bird!) in my flamingo, I was reminded of how people used to say they brought babies. So this became a new baby card. I want to clarify that I chose pink because it relates to the heart chakra and love, not for little girls.  Coming from a background as a painter, I really enjoyed making this card because I worked with a lot of different shades of pink and I got to apply the ink hands-on for the background. My playful side also enjoyed creating the munched up border; it looks like those flamingos were munching their own card, lol. You may notice something else in my photos. I was talking with a photographer friend and recommending she watermark her photographs that she publishes online when she reminded me that I don't do that for my own work! Good point. I used to, but then stopped because it...

 Have you ever received a fancy card with letterpress type? With letterpress, the paper is textured and you can literally see the printing process. It denotes an important and special feel to the card. Letterpress is officially done at a printers; but I have a trick to make a faux letterpress card.  This trick is actually multi-step, requiring agile fingers and patience. I will show you a tip to make it go smoother. It took me several tries to figure it out but I am happy to pass it along. But first:  Supplies White cardstock Altenew Butterfly Dreams layering stamp set Altenew Fancy Hello Die Altenew fresh dye ink sets in Golden Sunset  and Sweet Dreams Die cutting machine Spray adhesive Vellum The first thing you will do is die cut five fancy hellos from card stock. Then you glue each fancy hello on top of each other, making one thick fancy hello. For me, this was harder than it sounds. I have neuropathy in my non dominant hand and this creates numb fingertips and ...

  My first class in the Clean & Simple (CAS) style of card making was basic. I admit, that I had to hold myself back while creating this card. Basically, I stamped the images and colored in two spots that I felt balanced the composition and injected a little pizazz. It is pretty straight forward.  Supplies Altenew Many Thanks stamp set Altenew Healthcare Heroes stamp set Altenew fresh dye ink in crimson Altenew pigment ink in permanent black Staedtler watercolor pencil no. 124 Hangfan alcohol marker in carmine No. 6 round brush One item that I did not list in the supplies is Altenew Stampwheel 2.0. I did not list it because it is absolutely not necessary. But I am writing about it because it makes your life so much easier if you're going to be making cards regularly. I love it! If you are into making cards, put it on your gift wish list now. A birthday or celebration anytime soon? This detail shows how thorough my black ink stamped. Without the Stampwheel 2.0 , I would pro...

Here you can View my YouTube video that is a check in which focuses on my art journal pages. Here are pictures of my art journal pages that I show in the video.