Happy First Birthday Picket Fence Studios!
Picket Fence Studios is celebrating their first birthday with a whole month of special activities and giveaways, and I am thrilled to be invited to help them celebrate in this month-long celebration!
And even though it's Picket Fence Studios' Birthday, they have special gifts for YOU! There's special discount coupon for you at the bottom of this post, as well a chance to win a $100 gift certificate from Picket Fence Studios!
I was first introduced to Picket Fence Studios through Lydia Fiedler and Iliana Myska, who absolutely raved about their Life Changing Blending Brushes. I resisted buying them for awhile. I'll admit. But once I did buy them, I realized just how life-changing they truly were. I have not touched a foam blending pad since! They are just that lovely! They are so simple and easy to use and clean, and they apply ink to paper with such soft and smooth blends, that I couldn't believe I had resisted buying them. They are always within reach on my desk now!
I could never get blending like this with a foam blender pad or sponge dauber! I always seemed to end up with a big ink-y blotch, no matter how careful or light-handed I tried to be.
How easy is that to create some super-simple, single-layer notecards?!? That took less than 3 minutes to heat emboss the sentiment from Simply Wonderful onto a white cardbase and blend color to the bottom of the cardbase. (Use a dry micro-fiber towel to remove any excess ink from your embossing.)
Today I am also using these Life Changing Blending Brushes with one of their stencils, the Sunburst Stencil, to create a sunrise background.
I prepped my stencil by lightly spraying the temporary adhesive to the back of my stencil. I let it dry for about 45 seconds, then adhered it to my card panel. The adhesive ensures that the stencil will not move, yet removes easily without ripping or peeling my cardstock or leaving any residue behind. I added a very pale lemon yellow ink to my panel first, then added a brighter sunshine-y yellow to the sun, blending outward slightly. (I'm going to layer a horizon on top of this panel, so I only inked the top two thirds of my panel.)
I then removed the stencil, and added a bit more lemon yellow over the whole panel, deepening the color of the sun rays, as well as creating a faint yellow tone over the white areas.
I then replaced the stencil, turning it slightly, centering the stencil openings over the darker inked sun rays. I then added a thin coating of Glitter Gel. The gel picks up a bit of the ink, and takes on a really pretty pale yellow sparkle. I tried to be very careful not to get the Glitter Gel onto the actual sun. Once applied smoothly, I carefully removed the stencil. I set my panel off to the side to dry (for about 35 minutes) and went and washed the excess glitter and temporary adhesive off of my stencil and tools.
While my glittered panel was drying, I used my MISTI to stamp the Ava Girl with black archival ink onto a piece of Hammermill Digital Color Cover paper. I used Copic Markers to add color, and a white gel pen to add highlights. I wanted a dark burgundy sweater, so I used R43, R59 and R89 to color her sweater, and even added W06 and W08 to further tone down the pinkness of the R markers. I then used the matching Ava die to cut out my colored image.
My inked and glittered panel is now dry, so it's time to create my horizon, trim my panels and assemble a card!
I chose to create a dark city scene with black cardstock. I simply used scissors to cut random square and rectangle pieces away, creating a city skyline that my glittery sun can be rising over.
I used my MISTI to stamp my greeting from Simply Wonderful with embossing ink, then I heat embossed with white embossing powder. Then I could trim my pieces to fit an A2 top-folding cardbase and assemble with liquid adhesive.
My second card uses the beautiful peacock tail image from the Let's Shake Our Tail Feathers set.
I'm stamping on vellum with embossing ink; and will heat emboss with black powder.
Just look at all that crisp detail from this stamp; even when heat embossed!!
I hand-trimmed out the image with detail scissors, and have flipped it over; and now am adding color to the back side with Copic markers.
I used very dark-colored markers so the colors would show through on the front embossed side.
I assembled my card using vellum adhesive tape runner to add my vellum image to a deep purple cardbase. I added a narrow black-matted strip of lighter purple cardstock that I had stamped and gold embossed the stacked birthday greeting from Forever and Ever. Once assembled, I used a small silicone-tipped stylus to add tiny dots of gold acrylic paint to the peacock tail.
As part of this Birthday celebration, Picket Fence Studios has generously offered a $100 gift certificate for one lucky visitor to my blog today! To be entered to win, please leave a comment on this post. Comments must be entered before 11:59pm Central Time, Sunday May 5th. The lucky gift certificate winner will be announced on Tuesday, May 7th, on this blog.
Picket Fence Studios also has an exclusive 20% off discount shopping code for my blog readers too! Use the code: PFS20 to save 20% on your entire Picket Fence Studios order! This code is only good for three days, so make sure you place your order prior to 11:59pm on April 2nd.
Thanks for stopping in today to celebrate Picket Fence Studios' First Birthday!
Have a fantastic day!
Beautiful cards! Love the backgrounds! Thank you PFS for so many generous prizes <3
ReplyDeleteI need them, too.I don't get great results with my foam blenders...Thanks for telling and showing us. Your sunny background looks great. It glows...
ReplyDeleteGreat mix of inking and glitter for the sun rays, and Ava girl is so stylish. The palette on the peacock tail is fab. Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeleteBoth cards are great and I truly love your idea of the city skyline - so simple and effective! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh Chris! I love the glitter and yellow sunshine rays! I need to get that Pixie Spray! Great coloring too! The peacock tail is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteI really need those peacock feathers! Great projects Chris!
ReplyDeleteThe peacock feathers make a
ReplyDeletewonderful border. The first
card is fantastic - so much
depth to the design. thanks
for sharing.
txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com
Chris, you have been a Very busy lady!! I loved your card ideas - especially using the Glitter Gel and Pixie spray with the sun burst. I really need to get busy and try out my Pixie spray.
ReplyDeleteLoving the sunset behind the city scene. So fun with the sparkle.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cards! Love the effect of your stenciled background on your first card! The sparkle is so pretty! Awesome setting for Ava Girl! And a beautiful card with the peacock feathers too!
ReplyDeleteLove your very confident woman! What a background!
ReplyDeleteLove your cards!!! Thank you for sharing!!!
ReplyDeleteFabulous work on
ReplyDeleteboth cards. The
Peacock tail is
lovely. I love
your sunshine card!
The background and
girl really shine.
Carla from Utah
Your cards are fabulous and love all the details in each creation!
ReplyDeleteI love both of your cards, Chris! Happy Birthday, Picket Fence!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards. Love the way you created the sun background.
ReplyDeleteYour cards turned out great! :)
ReplyDeleteI am so in love with your cityscape scene! Absolutely beautiful composition. And the peacock feathers are dreamy.
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful cards
ReplyDeleteBeautiful card, great tutorial.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous card, love the composition
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job on the cards. Love your inventiveness with creating the cityscape.
ReplyDeleteBoth beautiful cards. Love the scene you created.
ReplyDeleteThe rays look great--I like how you shifted it.
ReplyDeleteBoth cards are gorgeous! I really love the peacock one! But I’m a purple gal...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards and great tips! I really loved the sun rays you created. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWonderful cards. Love the sunrise background on the first one and thanks for the review of these brushes.
ReplyDeleteLove the life changing brushes for blending too! Thanks for sharing the beautiful cards!
ReplyDeleteFantastic projects and I love that you made your own skyline diecut!! What a great idea!!
ReplyDeleteBoth the cards are beautiful.. Love the ava girl so much.. Thanks for the inspiration..
ReplyDeleteBoth cards are beautiful! I really love how you created the skyline and used the glitter gel on the sunrays. So pretty.
ReplyDeleteChris, I have to say, I have always admired you work and your cards today are no exception. The Life Changing Brushes look like they would be a real pleasure to use and from all of the videos I have seen where they have been used, it seems to be the opinion of everyone. I have been trying to find a sunburst stencil locally but to no avail:(
ReplyDeleteYour peacock card is beautiful as well. Thanks for sharing and the chance to win Picket Fence's generous offering!
Super cute and beautiful cards! Wonderful designs and lovely inspiration.
ReplyDeleteStunning cards. Oh, how I wish I had a set of those blending brushes. I think they are a need not a want item. Can I tell my spouse you said that? [Bunny]
ReplyDeleteI have just ordered my 1st set of the smaller Life Changing Brushes and need to order the rest; awesome brushes. Love the stencil look and great explanation of the procedure.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! That sun and skyline!!! Love it!!! Great idea to add the glitter paste off set!!
ReplyDeleteWonderful cards! I especially love that sunburst/skyline scene you created for the first card!
ReplyDeleteLove these! That peacock feathers card is lovely!!
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful cards - I love the way you made the city silhouette for the first card, and the colours of the peacock are just lovely!
ReplyDeleteWOW I love your cards!!!!! Gorgeous coloring and I loooooove those stamps!
ReplyDeleteFabulous cards! The sun coming up over the city scene you created looks really cool! The Ava Girl looks so stylish against that background. The peacock tail is beautiful - love the coloring on the reverse side and the touches of gold on the front! The blending brushes are on my wishlist.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous work!! I especially love the stenciled sun!! Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThose cards are really great, but I really do love the Ava Girl so much, she's so sharp and sassy! Love the way you put all the elements together to make that card :-)
ReplyDeleteBoth cards are great, but I really like the first one. I like the sassiness of her look, and how you created the great skyline. It is so perfect!
ReplyDeleteSuch a cool, stylish girl in her cityscape, Chris ... the sunrise is just so eyecatching and delicious! Gorgeous, dramatic peacock tail ... the touches of gold are fabulous! Anita :)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous. Love the sunburst. You are so very talented. Thanks for the chance to win this generous gift. I am new to picket fence. Would love the blending brushes.
ReplyDeleteOh such beautiful cards and going to be one lucky winner!
ReplyDeletewonderful cards as usual, Chris! Love the detail and tips!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chance to win! Love your cards and can’t wait to check out the Picket Fence website.
ReplyDeleteLove your city girl card, reminds me of my own girl who does live in the city :) The hand cut cityscape is awesome, looks like it came out of a die. And the sunburst backdrop - it all came together beautifully! The life changing brushes - agreed, can't live without them - just need more hours in the day to play with them, right? Happy Birthday to Picket Fence Studios and lucky for us - thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful results..would love to try your brushes!
ReplyDeleteSimply stunning! The brushes are something I need! Love the cityscape!!
ReplyDeleteI love the soft look these brushes can give. You always do such a beautiful job on your cards and the cityscape that you cut out free hand worked great with the city girl. I wouldn't have thought of using the glitter gel on the sun rays but it looks like it belongs there. Great job, Chris.
ReplyDeleteWow, fabulous cards! Those brushes look amazing.
ReplyDeleteCards are beautiful! Never thought about embossing on vellum. Thanks for the tip. Have heard alot of good things about the brushes and would love to give them a try. Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteYour cards are amazing!! I really want to try the pixie spray!!! And those brushes. Hopefully I will be able to get them soon. Thanks for the inspiration!!
ReplyDeletebeautiful creations! blending is a pleasure with those brushes!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful cards you have. I need to try the brushes. I have heard so many amazing things!!
ReplyDeleteWow! That Shake a Tail Feather stamp and die is awesome!
ReplyDeletePicket Fence brushes truly are life changing. Thank you for coming up with these. I cannot use a foam blender any longer, since getting these. Hope I win, I want more brushes!
ReplyDeleteI have two - I need more!!!
ReplyDeleteGosh I need those brushes! Gorgeous work, as always Chris. Terri B.
ReplyDeleteAmazing projects, thanks for the very detailed 'how to'
ReplyDeleteBoth are gorgeous cards! Love the sunburst!
ReplyDeleteGreat cards! I love your glittery sun!
ReplyDeleteOh my GOODNESS!!! Your idea with the sun rays is GENIUS! And if I tried cutting a skyline with scissors it would look more like a 3 year old had been let loose with the scissors... What a perfect background to the perfectly colored girl! The vellum trick had my jaw on the table!!! Color from behind...pfft! I want to live in your brain for just a day!!! 💜🌵
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards. Like the sunset tech.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards
ReplyDeleteLove your creations! Fun verse
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards!! I love what you did with the sun rays!
ReplyDeleteWow! The peacock feathers card is stunning!! HBD PFS and thank you!!
ReplyDeleteOh these cards are beautiful! I especially love the peacock feathers.
ReplyDeleteJust lovely!! Peacock pretty!
ReplyDeleteLove the sunburst. Very pretty
ReplyDeleteI love your cards and I need the blending brushes!
ReplyDeleteI have two of these brushes but would love to get some more! Your blending is beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards! I’ve just got to get that peacock feathers stamp - so many gorgeous possibilities.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLove your cards. I would love to win so I could purchase some of those amazing brushes
ReplyDeleteYou are very creative!
ReplyDeleteYour cards are beautiful as always! I love Picket Fence products especially their Life Changing brushes and Pixie Spray! Awesome product! Thank you for your kindness and generosity!💕
ReplyDeleteWONDERFUL cards!
ReplyDeleteLOVE the glitter segments in your sunburst and cool fussy cut skyline, LOVE your vellum feather panel too - WOW!
Thank you for sharing and INSPIRING :)
PS - I struggle with ink blending and will definitely be checking out these new brushes!
DeleteHappy Birthday PFS!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards. And absokutely love those brushes
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your cards and your tutorial was well written. I think I and use some of the ideas. Love the Peacock card.
ReplyDeleteLove love love your cards! Just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYour cards look absolutely amazing!! I love how you showed us step by step. 😊
ReplyDeleteThis is soooo awesome!!! I LUV your ideas!! Those brushes look so cool
ReplyDeleteThe ease of blending sounds DIVINE !! That’s sooo what I wound if I won the gift certificate!! ALL the brushes!!!
ReplyDeleteChris, your cards are amazing! Great ideas and easy understandable steps! Thank you for sharing❤️
ReplyDeleteGreat card! I love those blending brushes
ReplyDeleteIt's fun to read your descriptions as well as see the pictures of your beautiful cards! You sure are talented!
ReplyDeleteI love the sunshine card - so cute with just the right amount of sassy! And your blending with PFS brushes - lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your beautiful cards, great designs!
ReplyDeleteBoth the cards are beautiful
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing
Wow, I love the peacock tail stamp, so elegant embossed on vellum. The sunshine card is fun with the sparkly rays!
ReplyDeleteI’ve been considering purchasing these brushes. I love to blend inks. Your examples are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks for showing all the details on making the sunrise card! I can see I need those brushes. Love how you made your city skyline & the wonderful card design! The peacock feathers look so elegant on the vellum & the touches of gold really finish this card off beautifully!
ReplyDeleteExcuse me while I put my socks back on....because you knocked them off! OMGosh - what stunning cards! All are beautiful, but your first one with the sunburst is ah-may-zing! Thanks for sharing your how-to :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards! The Peacock feathers is my favorite! Happy Birthday, Picket Fence Studios!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday picket fence Studios! Love the cards! I love the Sunburst stencil as well
ReplyDeleteSuper gorgeous cards!
ReplyDeleteGreat cards - love what you did with the glitter gel on your Ava Girl card. Love this birthday celebration for Picket Fence Studios - meeting such awesome talent and opportunity to win an amazing prize - thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love your colouring and that beautiful background!
ReplyDeleteLoved the technique you used with the sunburst stencil and cool trick for the skyline. Awesome cards.
ReplyDeleteThese are gorgeous cards! I really love the city scene card. :)
ReplyDeleteThat first card smacks of sassy girl power ... love it !! never thought of creating a city background using black card stock ... thanks for the tip. And more power to PFS!
ReplyDeleteGreat cards Chris.....love the sassy lady on the first card....wish I was that skinny...LOL.
ReplyDeleteBoth cards were super. Thank you so much for sharing them..
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