hand-made elements

TGIF to all! our weather is supposed to rock this weekend so i've got my sprayon sunscreen stashed in the car, just in case i get caught outside somewhere. me & my freckles and strawberry blonde colouring fry faster than a cat on a hot tin roof! (grin)

this week on the hero arts club blog, the challenge is to make manly cards. always tough, but i think this example below fits right in!
i love working with great elements and embellishments to add to my cards, but man, they can be expensive, especially here in Canada!
i took matters into my own hands, so to speak, and made my own! i used some plain chipboard pieces that I multi-layered with embossing powder (platinum UTEE used here, 3-4 layers). when the final layer was still molten hot, i pressed patterned stamps into the EP then let it cool. voila! cheap and might i say AWESOME looking embellishments! you could also use thin cardboard, and cut out shapes using a Cuttlebug or other diecutting machine. i inked my stamps with versamark first to be sure they would release easily from the hot EP.


what do you think? give it a whirl - i'm sure you'll love the results as much as i do!

stuff used:
Basic Grey - [un]dressed Chipboard Elements
Tim Holtz - Visual Artistry clear stamp sets Life's Possibilities & Regal Flourish
Hero Arts - Geometric circles stamp
Judikins - Thin Lines cube (4-sided stamp with great patterns)
Tim Holtz Distress - multiple inks & walnut stain EP
Ranger - platinum UTEE & ink blending tool
gunmetal brads and screw-top brads
PearlEx powder - Micropearl
white, chocolate and purple cs

cheers,
crafty girl