Reverse Bokeh Effect

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of my peeps out there. I do believe that the older you get the faster time moves. This is just about the time when I want the days to drag a bit. Anywho, go shout it from the mountain tops that I have put up another post in under a month. I know ha, ha. Here is what I have been working on these past few weeks. I am calling it my Reverse Bokeh Effect.

  

I wanted to do this with varying shades of green ink, but did not have what i needed so I improvised. These are all Recollections papers and I used my punches to get various sizes. I then inked the circles with White Gesso and counted out at least 23 for each A2 sized card. 

The multi-shape circle embossing folder came in really handy as it continued the illusion of the circles. I made several others along this same theme and will post those at a later date. I could not resist adding a silver glitter to the center of the circles. I suppose gold would have been better, but I did not have any that size.

The sentiment is an old one from G-Studios used with a Spellbinder labels die. I tossed in circular flowers to continue the theme. They are from an old QVC set I ordered many, many moons ago.

Do try this technique using the toned multi-color paper packs available at Michaels. Have fun creating and keep inking in the name of love.
Until then.

St. Patty's Day Celebrations

Wow. I cannot believe how the time flies. When I was but a wee girl, the days, weeks, months and years would drag. Oh, if I could just turn back the hands of time. I would use it more wisely for one thing.


I have been busy playing with a lot of my tools and realized that I had been neglecting my Pink Wishblade. So, I joined a new group, Easywishbladers@yahoo. I am hoping this will rejuvenate my love for my wonderful machine and start designing again.


Just to show that I mean business I am posting a cut image I created.
 
It was not hard to do. I simply found some clipart pictures I liked and cleaned it up a bit using Inkscape and Creat and Cut--Wishblade updated software. Very easy peasy.

She is holding a set of clovers but those did not make it. Her hat is not complete. There are dark green pieces that cover the black on the hat. I could not find them and just went ahead and scanned the pic. Found them later under my cutting mat.

There is a hunky guy that I found who would make a lovely mate for this lady. I just might do a Vee-dio of creating a cut image of him. Figured out everything I did not do right on her and am getting back into my groove.

Just to challenge myself, I tried to copy an idea from Mary of Mamawslegacy. I failed miserably. She is a fabulous designer and does have free files available for various machines and images for download. Talk about your inspiration starter. You can always purchase cut image files directly from her store.

I had planned to make some St. Pat's day cards...and ...um...well...it didn't happen. Best intentions and all of that.

To make that up I would like to giveaway a set of Inkadinkado inchies clear stamps and a set of Martha Stewart clear leaves. Please leave a comment on this blog by the end of March and you could be the proud owner of one of the aforementioned stamps. Two winners will be picked at random.

Happy St. Patrick's day and let's try to go green all of the time.

As always keep inking in the name of love--even recycled. lol

Until then.

Happy St. Patrick's Day --The Shamrock

What would St. Patrick's day be without the lucky four leaf clover? I recall searching endlessly for these as a young girl.

My friends and I would toil for hours in fields of green seeking the elusive clover. During my lifetime, I have been able to find 4- four-leafed clovers. They had a home in the family Bible--not sure where they are now.

This card pays homage to the shamrock. I used more of the Studio G stamps on this one. The flowers are Prima and the ribbon from Michaels. I was supposed to have written March 17th inside the box or the words everyday. Still had not made up my mind before snapping this photo. Love the shamrock stamp.

Speaking of the Shamrock.

Information from http://www.history.com/

The shamrock, which was also called the "seamroy" by the Celts, was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolized the rebirth of spring. By the seventeenth century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism. As the English began to seize Irish land and make laws against the use of the Irish language and the practice of Catholicism, many Irish began to wear the shamrock as a symbol of their pride in their heritage and their displeasure with English rule.

Talk about using color to express your beliefs is in line with Inkallusions. Nothing positive happens unless it is done with love.

Always Ink in the Name of Love.

Until then.

It's the Luck of the Irish, doncha know

While shopping for groceries last week, my son wanted to buy a box of Lucky Charms cereal because there was a car inside as a prize. After putting away the box, it ocurred to me that he was my lucky charm, thus giving me the idea for this card. I stamped the letters using the KI Memories Alpha stamps and the Studio G St. Pat's Day acrylic stamps. The rainbow was created using colored embossing markers and puffy paint on the clouds. The hat was colored using Derwent Metallic colored pencils--it is a little hard to see the shading. While I was at it, I did several charms including a pint of ale and a pot of gold. You will see those on another card. The swirl is from Little Yellow Bicycle. To achieve the pseudo rainbow, I tore a piece of paper and used the edge to create my pattern and using a stipple brush, applied the various ink colors. I did not matte the rainbow, it has been applied directly to the card front.

Keeping with the tradition of St. Patrick's Day I'd like to share this information from http://www.history.com/

The Chicago River

Chicago is also famous for a somewhat peculiar annual event: dyeing the Chicago River green. The tradition started in 1962, when city pollution-control workers used dyes to trace illegal sewage discharges and realized that the green dye might provide a unique way to celebrate the holiday. That year, they released 100 pounds of green vegetable dye into the river—enough to keep it green for a week!

Today, in order to minimize environmental damage, only forty pounds of dye are used, making the river green for only several hours. Although Chicago historians claim their city 's idea for a river of green was original, some Savannah natives believe the idea originated in their town.

They point out that 1961, Savannah mayor Tom Woolley had plans for a green river, but due to rough water on March 17, the experiment didn 't work and Savannah never attempted to dye its river again.

Don't let that happen to you. Always use your dyes and Inks in the Name of Love.
Until then.