Dina Kowal Creative

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Flash Sale!

Impression Obsession is having a FLASH SALE! Use code SOLSTICE for 20% off your order. Sale ends June 24th at midnight EST.

Impression Obsession DT Challenge: I Sea You

The Impression Obsession team's challenge today is to create a project with a nautical theme.

I shared a peek of this card yesterday - this is my sample for this week's tutorial over on Splitcoast - Gel Plate Impressionism! I used Distress Oxide inks for my base colors, and then stamped the sunburst with Colorbox dye ink.

You can see the background a little closer here - the result of the technique is a spotty, impressionistic effect that is a lot of fun for backgrounds as well as scenes.

It took me forever to find this kayak die on my desk...! The waves are a couple of negative cuts from the Sailboat Frame die, which I'll link with the others below.

Stamps and dies I used: CAC Reverse Sunburst, Start There, Kayakers, Sailboat Frame

Be sure to check out these other designers' blogs for inspiration -

Anna @ Sassy & Sweet Notes
Daniela @ For the First Time
Giovana @ Believe
Ilina @ Creativity Within
Jeanne @ Inky Paws
Jenny @ One Krafty Kat
Karen @ Paper Lilies and Ink
Kelli @ Stamping with a Dream
Kittie @ Kittie Kraft
Laura @ Laura's Stamp Art Journal
Vicki @ Summerthyme Studio

And be sure to stop by the site for a FLASH SALE! Use code SOLSTICE for 20% off your order.

Remember you can enter these challenges too, using your Impression Obsession stamps! See the I.O. blog for all the details - you might even win a $25 gift certificate!! We'd love to have you join us.
Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Splitcoast Tutorials: Gel Plate Impressionism

This week's tutorial over on Splitcoast is a really fun gel printing technique called Gel Plate Impressionism! Here's a peek at my card - I'll share more about it tomorrow since it fits the Impression Obsession challenge as well.

If you have a gel plate, I hope you'll try this one - it's really fun!
Thanks for stopping by!

Friday, June 15, 2018

Overstock sale!

If you're like me and you wait for sales and discount codes, you'll want to check out Ellen Hutson's "Our Oops" section this weekend - with coupon code YAY you can save 30% on a whole bunch of overstocked items - I spotted a couple of my designs in there as well! Lots of fun things to choose from.

Go peek! Sale ends June 19th, 2018 at 11:59PM PDT.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Splitcoast Tutorial: Black Ice Technique

This week's tutorial over on Splitcoast is the Black Ice Technique, developed by Melissa Kerman! Melissa's tutorials are always well planned and so unique - I hope you'll take a peek! I pulled out 2 of my butterfly designs - I've been seeing more and more butterflies in my yard, and the milkweed is blooming - beauty everywhere.

I made 2 cards using her technique, but my base is a shimmery silver cardstock rather than a foil, and my results aren't as striking as hers - I may need to revisit the technique with some shinier cardstock - I think the clear embossing would show up better.

At an angle you can see the clear effects a little better, maybe...? I love these 2 stamps so much - I will link them below.

Here's my second sample, and you can see a little of the 'ice' effect on the butterfly in the photo below.

Stamps I used: Big Butterfly, What If, Grunge Butterfly, Courage Dear Heart

Thanks for stopping in!
Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, June 09, 2018

Selective Stamping - quick and easy!

Just a quick post today - a few weeks ago I promised a video on how to make this clean and simple silhouette card, and it's done!

I used a couple of simple techniques for selective stamping, or stamping just part of an image at a time. Hope you enjoy!

The Flag Girl Silhouette stamp can be found HERE.

The Celebrating You stamp can be found HERE.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, June 07, 2018

Impression Obsession DT Challenge: Foodie Fun

The Impression Obsession team's challenge today is to create a project featuring something edible.

I love this clear set from Alesa Baker - it has some sweet sentiments and so many possibilities, from sparklers to florals and even a cute hangy banner! I stamped and embossed the cake, sparklers, and 4 sparkles with white powder, then watercolored with QoR paints.

For a little extra shine, I embossed a few more sparkles with clear powder, and added some dots around them with ColorBox Smooch.

I used more Smooch over the frosting on the cake too, and I love that added shine... my watercoloring shows through it, too, which I wasn't expecting. Looking forward to playing with that product a little more in the next couple of weeks!
Stamps I used: Sweet Celebrations clear set, Find Every Reason

Be sure to check out these other designers' blogs for inspiration -

Anna @ Sassy & Sweet Notes
Daniela @ For the First Time
Giovana @ Believe
Ilina @ Creativity Within
Jeanne @ Inky Paws
Jenny @ One Krafty Kat
Karen @ Paper Lilies and Ink
Kelli @ Stamping with a Dream
Kittie @ Kittie Kraft
Laura @ Laura's Stamp Art Journal
Vicki @ Summerthyme Studio

Remember you can enter these challenges too, using your Impression Obsession stamps! See the I.O. blog for all the details - you might even win a $25 gift certificate!! We'd love to have you join us.
Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, June 06, 2018

Splitcoast tutorial: Coffee Painting

This week's tutorial over on Splitcoast is Coffee Painting!

This was a fun technique to pick up again - I've done it before (HERE) with instant coffee, but I didn't have that on hand, so I tried my luck with the decaf in the pantry. The color isn't as rich as I would have liked, but maybe once my palette 'cures' a little longer I'll have a little more control of the depth of color.

This Printworks stamp has been sitting by my desk unused since the big Hobby Lobby sale - how long ago was that? Sentiment is from my stamp line at Impression Obsession (HERE).

It's been an exhausting week so far, and on top of it all, I discovered a couple of my stamp sets that have been stolen and are being sold from China through AliExpress... I'm trying to stay positive and keep perspective - I know many companies are seeing FAR more of their designs being used without permission, and 2 sets out of nearly 800 of my own designs is quite a small percentage. Please support original artists and designers and earnest American companies and not dishonest thieves of intellectual property - that's really half the battle... and if you see sets you recognize being sold "unbranded" or by someone other than the company or a trusted retailer, please let the company or designer know.

I need a nap!

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Splitcoast Tutorial: Impossible Card

It's my turn to share a tutorial over on Splitcoast, and I chose to fill a request we've had for the Impossible Card - this 'twist' on a playing card trick is very popular right now, and I had fun putting together a photo tutorial I hope is easy to follow and adapt to any card size.

The card base is a single piece of cardstock (no fold), and the construction is very easy, with one score line and 3 cuts... the cuts don't even have to be precise, which makes this design sooo very versatile.

I had this sweet little summer release (Mini Peekers clear set) on my desk still, and both the cat and dog images fit perfectly in the panel on this A2 design.

For my second sample and technique, I did a partial die cut in the focal panel, using my Baby Giraffe set - check the video to see how I customized the cuts for this card design! It's very easy to do.

Hope you'll give this a try!

Thanks for stopping by!