Playing with colour blocking

I decided I have to work smarter and combine a few challenges at one time. I used to be really organised and copy all the challenge buttons to a word document but a bit ad hoc here whilst I remember how I incorporated doing challenges as part of my crafting day. So today's blog post combines 2 challenges and it actually helps a lot working out what you are going to do with more "parameters" to work within.

I wanted to take part in Just Add Ink's challenge to use large letters or numbers and I had 2 ideas in my mind but thought I would have a go at Keisha Charles colour blocking a die-cut. This was one of the fab classes at the OCC Spring Camp 2022 and I loved all of Keisha's cards and this is a blogged card I made at the time that you can see HERE.

The card I am sharing today Keisha used to teach this technique but I've tweaked it to also play along with The Card Concepts spring flowers in blue/pink/grey and white and I LOVE, LOVE the final result. Imagine a more vibrant card with hot pink/bright yellow/bright orange and that would be Keisha's card ;)

My card has turned out quite dreamy and the really cool thing about this technique is you don't need any coloured card stock, all the bits in the coverplate die you want to be coloured,  you just ink-blend to create. I have "cheated" as the skies are getting really dark and I want to snap a photo before the light has gone and used a tiny strip of Smoky Slate card stock to add the wee sentiment strip. I didn't really have time to wait for the ink to dry so I could heat emboss on it.

There are some really good tips in the picture below:

• Favourite tape for holding my dies in place is Highlighter tape (Lee Products) - best ever never sticks or tears your paper. In NZ we can buy from Ribbon Rose or Krafters Cart.
• Run the die facing up (a lot of people do this but I don't normally do it this way) so the bits don't fall out of the die
• Use a piece of an old mailer bubble bag between your card stock and the cutting plate, it adds a bit more shim and awesome with dies that have lots of little chads in them, they seem to pop out real easily. You can use it until its lost all of it's air (I've used mine about 6x now and think it's too flat now) 
• When the die-cut comes out use a similar piece of Glad Wrap Press 'n Seal to hold in all the bits and press firmly to make them stick

Here is my die cut with the back of it "stuck" to the press 'n seal

Remove the frame carefully, use your fingers to hold the bits in as you lift up the frame. Attach the frame to your card base. I have gone back to using Gina K's Connect Glue in a fine tip bottle, as much as I love the nozzle on the Bearly Art glue, the glue itself has no wiggle time.

Remove the pieces of the card you want to colour block and using a small blender brush ink blend. It may look messy but dries smooth and lighter.

And the final card:

Supply List (all Pinkfresh Studios unless stated otherwise):

Stamps: You (PhP)

Ink: Sparkling Rose, Sky Blue, Misty Coast, Versamark

Paper: Hammermill White, Smoky Slate (SU!), Vellum (SCT)

Dies: Ornate Floral, Sentiment Suite : You

Other: Blush glitter drops, medium foam squares (SP), Alabaster white EP (BM), small blending brushes (TE)

Challenges: JAI #650 , TCC #194 

Well I sincerely believe doing my colour blocked card with large letters using the dreamy colours of the Card Concept made my original idea better; so definitely 2 heads are better than one or in this case 2 challenges were better than one. Hope you can play along but do check out all the fab ideas on show at both challenge sites.

Thanks for popping in.

EDITED 4/5/23: My card was an honourable mention at JAI. 

Here's what some of the design team had to say... "Love the inlaid design and colour scheme", "Wow! What a show stopper!", "I love the soft colours and dimension in her card. The vellum under the sentiment is perfection". Thank you all for your kind words!

✿ Karen ✿