2024 With 3 things: Crunchy Cards {by Ann Barnes}

Hello everyone,  Ann (aksbarchitect Creates)  here with you today; sharing some cards that I made for the "with 3 things" challenge. I was so excited to be able to participate in this new feature, especially to be able to stretch my imagination and creativity using the wonderful PaperArtsy products.

When my package arrived, I was looking forward to seeing which three products were chosen for me to create something with. I was certainly not disappointed! These new PaperArtsy Hot Picks stamps (HP2401) drew me in from the moment I watched the release video. This set contains wonderful small graphics, perfect for backgrounds as well as some bolder sentiments that could work in journals or on cards, even layered into a mixed media piece. 

Just as exciting is the package of Crunchy - Waxed Kraft Paper (WKPA5), oh the possibilities! I love the natural brown color of this paper and the waxed coating that gives way when the paper is scrunched up creating a web-like effect is simply divine. I have always wanted to experiment with just how much this crunchy waxed paper could handle and this was my chance! 

The final product included was a jar of PaperArtsy Infusions Just Walnut. Now this was a treat! The infusions line is so interesting and creates such beautiful finishes where each color includes some of these walnut crystals, but to have a jar of simply walnut crystals, it is pure joy.

Now, I must tell you, once I unpackaged these "3 things" my imagination went into overdrive. so many ideas came to mind. I may even have a little pile of experiments, as well as need to finish pieces, stacked on the corner of my table.

My first experiments involved the PaperArtsy Crunchy - Waxed Kraft Paper. I wadded it up and flattened it out again; heated it with my heat gun, making it crispy; stamped, inked, and dyed it; I even embossed and die cut with it. Each experiment fueled my imagination even more. If you are ever at a crossroads and not sure what to do, playing with products and experimentation is the key to unlocking your creativity. Here are a few of the results from my Crunchy - Waxed Kraft Paper experiments. I love the way that ups get the color variation when the paper is crumpled. and the dry embossed design is gorgeous on the PaperArtsy Crunchy Waxed Kraft Paper.

I also tried some different techniques with the PaperArtsy Infusions (Just Walnut). As you may know, I love working with inks; I sprinkled some of the crystals into one of my palette wells and added drops of water to create a walnut ink. Depending on the ratio of water to crystals, the ink color can range from a deep dark brown to a light almost tea color. These work so well as washes on paper. You can use the ink to dye ribbons and twine as well. Next, I added the crystals to PaperArtsy Fresco Tints - Mattint Glow, I chose to work with Mattint Glow, a wonderful transparent yellow, that when mixed with the Infusions Just Walnut, creates a gorgeous yellow ochre color.

When these papers were dry I knew that I would be creating some cards with the pieces. I have a feeling that if something made with this beautiful, cheerful color would arrive in someone's mailbox, it would make their day. Considering these were to become backgrounds, I wanted to add a bit of interest, using the more ephemeral stamps in the PaperArtsy Hot Pics 2401 stamp set, I lightly inked up the stamps and randomly added them to the papers. I did not use the entire images, just some sections of the stamps. This is easier to you when you do not use a stamp block.

I thought it would be fun to create a selection of cards. Spring is in the air where I live, so I decided to create some layered flowers for one of the cards. I stamped a piece of vellum with two of the PaperArtsy Hot Pics 2401 stamps, then painted the back side of the vellum with PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Gold (FF20). When the paint was dry, I die cut some layered flowers from the vellum as well as from the Crunchy Waxed Kraft Paper and created the flowers.

The flowers were glued onto the background. I painted stems and leaves using some very concentrated Infusions Just Walnut "ink" that I created by mixing the crystals with a little bit of water.

The "aged to perfection" stamp from Hot Picks 2401 seems perfect for a birthday card! 

The other two cards I made were put together in a similar manner, but one uses simple die cut wildflowers. These were cut from the PaperArtsy Crunchy Waxed Kraft Paper, and layered onto the background. 

For the third card, I burned the edge of a piece of the PaperArtsy Crunchy Waxed Kraft paper and used it as a wrap around one of the golden paper bases. I tied it closed with a piece of jute that I dyed with the Infusions Just Walnut. The inside features the "Light your fire" stamp and above the closure there is a wax seal that I created by stamping into the hot wax with a section of one of the stamps included in the PaperArtsy Hot Picks 2401 Stamp set.

I can't wait to send out my cards! I loved being able to take part in this new feature on the PaperArtsy Blog. I hope that maybe you have been inspired to pull out a few supplies and spark your own imagination. Thanks so much for stopping by today, Ann   xx