Hey everyone! Happy Thursday!
I’m crazy about bokeh. You might have gathered that from the old way I took my photos of my cards. There is just something so magical and special about bokeh, and I was thrilled to see it become a trend in cardmaking a little while back. Whilst not as prevalent now, it still is a popular technique, and one that makes for magical cards.
As you know, I love coming up with think-outside-the-box ways to use my supplies. So when I saw the new Polka Stencil that is part of the latest Neat & Tangled release, I didn’t want to use it in a straight-up polka dot way. The stencil (and its counterpart, the Scoops Stencil) are designed to go with the ever-popular Scandinavian Prints stamp set, and you’ll see plenty of great designs created with this in mind from the awesome N&T DT. Me? I decided to combine my love of bokeh, and my love of thinking-outside-the-box, with something I don’t love at all… coffee.
Please don’t leave.
I absolutely *love* the smell of coffee. But my very sweet tooth just can’t cope with the bitter taste. I tried to get on board with coffee culture when it first started popping up. There was one occasion, at university, where I bought a mocha. I sat there for half an hour, trying to drink it. The only way I managed to have even half of it was to add about a million sugars, and to take tiny sips at a time followed by big bites of chocolate. I’m sorry. I tried. But I love that lots of people love coffee.
Anyway, digressions aside, I combined stencil, bokeh, and coffee – and came up with this:
I’m kinda gaga about this one. Not just the card, but the photo too. I mean, it could pass for an ad, right?
I freehand drew and cut a coffee cup shaped mask and adhered it on top of my card panel. I then blended a few Distress Inks in circular motions over the entire panel, and a lot of my favourite Rose Gold Bangle ink. This makes the panel super-sparkly in real life! I splattered on some drops of water to remove some of the Distress Ink, then blended over again, before dropping some more droplets on and then leaving those bare. I complimented with some mist splatter too (of course), then left it all to dry.
Once everything was dry, I used some of the large polka dots of my stencil to add some white and gold bokeh dots! The effect is incredible and looks so much like the effect I was after! I added some stamped dots using the smaller of the stamps from Scandinavian Prints so that I didn’t just have big dots, then admired the finished look once I’d peeled off my mask.
There was only one sentiment I could think of that would be perfect for this card, and it comes from the Santa’s Tags set. Just because I don’t think there’s magic inside that drink, doesn’t mean I don’t acknowledge that there is for a lot of people! A few sequins from some new mixes finished things off nicely too!
I do strongly encourage you to visit the Neat & Tangled Blog to see what the rest of the DT has created and to hop along and leave them some love! There are prizes in it for you!
Tomorrow is Release Day so I hope you’ll be filling your basket with a lot of goodies! What’s on your shopping list?
Supplies
Oh I love this look!! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing!Such a cute card and I love the products you used as well.New to your site.Loving It!
This is really beautiful Taheerah, a fantastic job!
Fantastic bokeh look!!!
Beautiful card and colors!!!
Oh, yeah! Love the bokeh background that you rocked… mine never come out well.
Very cool design. I love the smell of coffee but don’t drink it either.
Great card. Very interesting background.
This is an amazing card! Love the beautiful colours and the fantastic bokeh effect!
OH, I meant to say – I hope clean up wasn’t too bad 🙂
I am sorry to say this – but your photo grabbed my attention before your lovely card!
Your bokeh effect is stunning, very clever card – LOVE!!!
Great snapshot! What a gorgeous background you created! Love the colours you chose, they all go so beautifully together. I’m a Chai tea drinker personally. Black tea, spices, milk and honey. I think that’s where the magic is!
Your bokeh design is awesome! Love your photo too! I must say I love coffee as well so this is pretty perfect!
Awesome use of the stencil for the bokeh effect!
I am not a coffee lover either… but I love a mocha! It is the sweetness I love! 🙂
Oh my goodness – this is just incredible!!! I love the bokeh effect you achieved and your gorgeous freehanded coffee cup. I think this is my fave card from today’s hop! Like you, I’m not a coffee fan – can’t stand the taste of it. Years ago I was mistakenly given a mocha from a coffee shop instead of my vanilla steamed milk and I didn’t realize it until it was too late. I can still taste that coffee to this day and shudder… ICK!
This is just lovely and I adore all the new sequin colors.
Absolutely your photo could pass for an ad! So eye-catching! As for your card: beautiful and, as always, ingenious! Stencil a la bokeh: brilliant and lovely; your coffee cup, marvelous! Even though you’re not a coffee fan, I love that you embrace the ‘coffee concept’! Out-of-the-box trendy, my friend!
Hugs~c
Love it!
I love the Bokkeh effect you created here!
Lovely card and your ‘ad’ shot
is really cool! I don’t drink
coffee, but I love the smell
of it.
Carla from Utah
Wonderful card; gorgeous background; beautiful colors!
This is so pretty! I love the blended background and the bokeh effect 🙂
Gorgeous! Your writing made me chuckle, and your photos are amazing! Thanks for sharing an outside-the-box use of the stencil.