Journey

As this card looks better open than closed, I decided to photograph it that way.  If the perspective is off, it may help to know that I cut about an inch off the right side of the card front so that the plant border on the inside would show. . .

 . . . the problem was that the border’s all-white ink overpowered the feathers. But not to worry:  Copics to the rescue!  A few dabs with a couple of brown and tan shades and things calmed down and got a little more subtle.  While I’m still not sure the card really works, at least the Copics were an improvement . . .

The “Journey” theme ties in with the clock faces embossed on the card front, while the message inside – “A day at a time” – is a good reminder that Life takes time to unfold . . .

Cardstock:            Bazzill Pinecone, Beckett Candlelight

Stamps:                Stacy Borders, VAP “Journey”, Unknown “One Day
                                     at a Time”
Inks:                     ColorBox Cream White, VersaMark, Copic E89 Pecan,
                                     E84 Khaki
Emb Powder:         Stampendous Ivory Pearl, B’Muse Devil’s Food Delight
Emb Folder:           Darice Clock Background
Dies:                      Feathers from Die-Namics Feathers & Arrow Set  
Doo Dads:              Deckled scissors, May Arts Jute twine

With Sympathy

I thought the only annoying thing about my camera was the fact that sparkle and shine rarely show up in my photos.  Now, I’ve another annoyance to add to the list:  Color Corruption!  The phlox are actually purple – not the blue that is pictured . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 . . . OK, I guess this is a good time to use your imagination.  Think a rich dark purple with a few mauve accents to match the butterfly . . . whose color reproduction is accurate.  Go figure . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Rope Swing, Beckett Candlelight

Stamps:       Inkadinkado Tall Phlox
Inks:            Marvy Wet Looks Markers #8, 11, 72, Copic G24
                          Willow, V15 Mallow, Distress Stain Dusty Concord,
                          Distress Old Paper
Emb Powder: Vippies Transcendence
Dies:              Spellbinders Petite Scalloped Ovals, Grommet tags,
                           McGill Butterfly punch
Doo Dads:      Gelly Roll Clear Star, Light Green grosgrain ribbon

With Deepest Sympathy

Here’s another sympathy card that takes very little time to get together . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 . . . rounded corners, deckled edges, and a pearl-centered flower all add to the gentle feeling of this layout.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Splash, Raven, Beckett Iceberg

Stamps:       Inkadinkado “May you find comfort”, “With deepest
                          sympathy”, Stampin’ Up Itty Bitty Backgrounds,
                          Impress Large Branch
Inks:            ColorBox Black, Distress Weathered Wood       
Emb Powder: Judikins Detail Black       
Dies:            Spellbinders Deckled Rectangles
Doo Dads:    Black & White 1/8” gingham ribbon, fabric flowers,
                         pearl gem, 1/8” corner rounder

With Sympathy

It’s well into February now and perhaps your New Year’s Resolution to build up your stash of cards to have at the ready has begun to tank.  So I’ll be blogging some more sympathy cards in hopes of giving you some usable inspiration for this sensitive event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As previously noted, I do exercise more restraint for these sad occasions than is my usual habit.  I think the emphasis should be on the event rather than on my artwork, so I keep the layout subtle and the embellishments to a minimum.  My aim is to arrive at something that is soft, quiet, and showing as much loving kindness as I can manage.

Cardstock:            Bazzill Leapfrog, Beckett Candlelight

Stamps:                My Sentiments Exactly With Sympathy
Inks:                     Ancient Page Leaf Green
Dies:                      Spellbinders Classic Squares, Memory Box
                                    Prim Poppy
Doo Dads:              Green gingham ribbon, Gelly Roll Clear Star

Flowers

Some of the most-used words during my rubber stamping pursuits are:  “What would happen if I tried . . .”, followed immediately by journeys of exploration and discovery.  My first attempt with this lovely stamp was to color it in with Pearl Ex and a Dove Blender pen.  This technique usually gets me great results – however, not so this time.  So, I queried, what would happen if I just tried splotching around with some Distress Stains in a rather non-determinant artsy-fartsy style?  I found out . . .

 

After splotching, I misted with water to blend just a bit, heat dried, and then without using any ink, I sprinkled tiny pinches of White UTEE here and there and heated from below so that the UTEE wouldn’t get blown off.  I’m happy with the results which are completely out of my normal anal comfort zone, and expect that there will be a good deal of splotching around in my future!

 Cardstock:          Bazzill Ocean, Purple, Beckett Moonlight

Stamps:                Hero Delicate Blossoms, Stampin’ Up Itty Bitty
                                     Backgrounds, Serendipity “Flowers”
Inks:                      Distress Concord Grape, Faded Jeans,
                                     ColorBox Black
Emb Powder:       Judikins Detail Black, UTEE White
Dies:                     Spellbinders Classic Ovals
Doo Dads:            Perfect Pearls Mist, Purple pearls, Turquoise fibers,
                                    Gelly Roll Clear Star

 

Peace

Texture, texture, texture . . . I can’t live without it!  I was a very small child when I first saw a picture of Rodin’s The Kiss in our family’s Encyclopedia Britannica.  Once I got past the idea that I was looking at naked people, I absolutely flipped over the contrast in textures between the smooth bodies and the rough base.  Ever since, I have sought this contrast in all of my work . . .

 

 . . . of course, as a texture freak, there are times when I use way more texture than smooth, as in this card.  I do want people to have fun picking up my cards and running their fingers over the surfaces.  But texture needn’t always be tactile:  visual texture can be very effectively achieved by using a variety of patterns and colors.  However, nothing beats touch in my book . . .

 Cardstock:            Generic Oatmeal, textured Deep Purple,

                                    Marcos Jute
Stamps:                Fiskars brayer Mesh, Hero Peace Border
Inks:                     Distress Old Paper
Chalk:                    Pan Pastel Violet
Emb Powder:         Vippies Transcendence
Emb Folders:         Stampin’ Up Square Lattice, Ellison
                                    Paisley Palooza
Dies:                      Wplus9 Banner Trio, two sizes Emagination
                                      Daisy punches, Floral Punch Flower Center,
                                      Marvy Butterfly punch
Doo Dads:              Gelly Roll Clear Star pen

 

Ginkgo

I kinda went crazy with dies on this one.  I also took this gorgeous metallic bronze cardstock and decided that some tone-on-tone layering would be fun to do.  So I did.    

Trouble is, while some of this cardstock’s outstanding appeal does show in the upper right area, most of its textural, gleaming, hammered metal look is still stuck somewhere in the bowels of my camera.  Sorry, but you’ll just have to trust me on this one . . . it’s actually quite lovely in real life . . .

 Cardstock:          Unknown Metallic Bronze, Beckett Candlelight

Stamps:                Morningstar Thin Stripes, Art Neko “Ginkgo”
Inks:                      LuminArte Shimmering Mist Golden Bamboo,
                                    Distress Frayed Burlap
Stencil:                  Tim Holtz Burlap
Emb Powder:         Powder Keg Copper Kettle
Dies:                      Cheery Lynn Japanese Lace Pattern, Impression
                                     Obsession Ginkgo Leaf, Dee’s Distinctively
                                     Lattice Two, Spellbinders Back to Basics Tags
Doo Dads:              1/8” tan satin ribbon, toothpick

Wild About You

 This card appeared in Paper Creations Winter 2013 issue and is one of the few I’ve done that I admit to liking without reservation.  Everything just seemed to flow once I started on this layout and it easily came together without mishap.  Don’t we wish that they all went that way?

 

The heart is actually two leaves stamped side by side and I’m finding that this very small one dollar clear set from Memory Keepers is one of the most useful sets I’ve ever bought.  Containing just two sizes each of leaves and pumpkins, I reach for the leaves countless times and never seem to tire of them. 

As for the bows, they’ve been trimmed down from the original die cuts as their smaller sizes were a better fit for this layout.  Nowhere is it written that we stampers can’t alter stuff as we see fit – indeed, this is one of the joys of the hobby!  Many a card has been saved by a judicious slash-and-burn and this has also been helpful in getting me to see various elements in newly useful ways.

Cardstock:     Generic Kraft, Oatmeal, Cocoa, Red scraps      

Stamps:          We R Memory Keepers Pumpkins and Leaves, Zettiology
                           “Once as a Child” text, Inky Antics “Wild About You”
Inks:                 Distress Worn Lipstick, Barn Door, Vintage Photo
Emb Powder: Vippies Transcendence           
Dies/Punches:      Fiskars Eyelet border, Memory Box Crisp Bows, Grove
                                    Branch, Resting Birds,  Marvy 1” sq scalloped punch
Impression Plate: Cheery Lynn Cement, Papertrey Ink Linen
Doo Dads:              Deckled scissors