Thursday, July 28, 2016

Special Birthday Wishes

Two cards are being posted today, so don't run away after seeing the first one!

On the first card, I loved the center image (a leafy border I'd never used before) and thought it would be neat to leave it in black and white and apply color to the background instead . . .


However, I used two different white cardstocks and the whites didn't match.  Things like that bother me.  So I went over the white areas with Distress Old Paper ink to try and even things out.  The results were less than successful.  But I went ahead anyway, added some die cut text and topped things off with die cut sequins covered with Glossy Accents.

The results in a word?  BLEAH.  Mainly, the image doesn't work with the background.  Also the colors.  Also the overly shiny sequins.  

So I tried again . . .


This time, I went with primary colors and an art deco center strip.  The unvarnished sequins look a lot less intrusive, and along with some white chunky glitter to match and pick up the whites in the cardstock, I am much happier with this version.

But I still really love that leafy strip in the first card . . .

The first card:
Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Strathmore Postcards Watercolor
Stamps:        Judikins Bolio Nature
Inks:               Distress Barn Door, Wild Honey, Mowed Lawn, Old Paper,
                           ColorBox Black
Emb Powder:   WOW Clear Matte Dull
Dies:              Lil Inkers Stitched Mats Rectangles, Tattered Lace Everyday
                           Sentiments, DieNamics Sequins
Doo Dads:    Glossy Accents


The second card
Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Strathmore Bright White
Stamps:        Judikins Bolio Whimsy
Inks:               Distress Candied Apple, Wilted Violet, Mowed Lawn,
                           ColorBox Black
Emb Powder:   WOW Clear Matte Dull
Dies:              Lil Inkers Stitched Mats Rectangles, Tattered Lace Everyday
                           Sentiments, DieNamics Sequins
Doo Dads:    Heat & Stick powder, ProArt glitter White


Monday, July 25, 2016

Enjoy Your Special Day

This is one of those rare cards that was actually going splendidly throughout the composition process . . .


But it was a letdown when it was done.  I loved the individual elements, but the layout wasn't working.  Its off-center arrangement originally looked pretty good in my mind's eye, but the reality was different.  It was the addition of the three dots on the right that put a little balance back into the picture.  Now I like it – hope you do too!

Cardstock:   The Paper Cut Eames White, Beckett Moonlight, Generic
                           scrap Black
Stamps:        Judikins Bolio Deco, Starving Artistamps Feather Stitch,
                           DieNamics Banner Greetings
Inks:               ColorBox Cream, Black
Emb Powder:   Stampendous Ivory Pearl, Judikins Detail Black
Dies:              Ultimate Crafts Magnolia Borders, DieNamics Banner
                           Greetings
Doo Dads:    Black, Silver beads, Inkssentials Enamel Accents Black



Thursday, July 21, 2016

Autumn Splendor

I tend to shy away from using large images.  Their size sort of overwhelms me, but I got lucky and had fun with the three biggies on this card . . .


Hard to believe I dug myself out of a large hole by digging an even larger one, but I did, and I think the three huge images play nicely together, don't you?

Cardstock:   Bazzil Raven, Generic Black
Stamps:        Starving Artistamps Big Oaks, Stampin’ Up “Autumn”,
                           Unknown “Splendor”
Inks:               VersaMark, Distress Barn Door, Fired Brick,
                            Gelly Roll Clear Star
Emb Powder:   Vippies Transcendence, Stamp Zia White Sparkle
Dies:              Lil’ Inkers Stitched Mat Rectangle, Simon Says
                           Sketchy Banners
Stencil:          Wendy Vecchi Basically Bricks
Doo Dads:    Golden Embossing Paste

Monday, July 18, 2016

Soar

This is the first time I've used the mosaic background stamp.  I thought its craggy look made a great rocky mountain background for the soaring birds . . .


 After stamping the mosaic twice, I colored the second image, fussy-cutting out the individual shapes and pop-dotting them over the original for added texture.  Then, a little sparkle on the leading edges of the birds' wings as they climb toward the heavens, and we're done.

Cardstock:   The Paper Cut White Matte Coat, Neenah Solar White,
                           Bazzill Raven
Stamps:        Just For Fun Broken Mosaic, Creative Catalyst Tweed
                           Border, MaxStamp Pegs “Soar”, Gelly Roll Clear Star pen
Inks:               Hero Black
Emb Powder:  WOW Clear Matte Dull
Markers:        Copic YG25 Celadon Green, YG67 Moss
Dies:              Spellbinders Shoot!, Impression Obsession Sea Birds
Doo Dads:    Deckled scissors

Thursday, July 14, 2016

African Adventures

Awhile ago, I submitted three samples for a color challenge, which was to use black and white plus one color.  None of them made the cut.  But since I like them, and this is my  blog, you too get to have a look at these over the next three posts! 



Second only to Kraft-plus-any-color, black and white are at the top of my list for favorite color combinations to work with.  Adding in a third color really makes it special. 

My favorite things on this card are the beading ( a little hard to see – sorry) and the serendipitous idea to use a grassy border die to cut out an orange strip and use it for some added texture under the palm frond strip.  I'll be doing that one again for sure . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Neenah Solar White, Generic Black,
                           Orange
Stamps:        Stamp Zia Palm Fronds, Snakeskin, Spikes, MJ Barber
                           African Mask, Haika ”African Adventures”
Inks:               ColorBox Frost White, Black, Distress Rusty Hinge
Emb Powder:   Judikins Detail Black, Opaque White
Dies:              DieNamics Sentiment Strips, Sweet ‘n Sassy Fence
                           & Grass Border set, Unknown punch Sun
Doo Dads:    Black, Orange beads

Monday, July 11, 2016

Enjoy the Journey

I've a dear friend who is coming up on 29 years of sobriety and this card is tailor made for him . . .



The upper left and lower right solid corners were actually stamped with a piece of rubber waste left over from a sheet of un-mounted rubber images.  I thought it made a great free-form shape that would work for many casual layouts in need of some corner accents. 

"Rubber waste" is an oxymoron:  no such thing, in my book!

Cardstock:   Marcos #110 Jute, Neenah Desert Storm
Stamps:        Unity Beautiful-Inside and Out, All text: Making Memories
                           Magnetic Stamps
Inks:               VersaFine Olympia Green
Emb Powder:   Cloisonné Emerald Onyx 
Emb Folder: Cuttlebug Oxford
Colored Pencil:  Prisma White    
Impr Plate:    Papertrey Ink Linen
Doo Dads:    May Arts Jute

Thursday, July 7, 2016

With Heartfelt Sympathy

When our wonderful neighbor Bob unexpectedly lost his brother last month, this is the card we sent him . . .


Some classic Kraft, cream, and black, textural contrasts, and simple images helped to create the peaceful layout I wanted to be able to give Bob. 

Cardstock:   Marcos #110 Jute, Beckett Moonlight
Stamps:        My Sentiments Exactly Sympathy Sentiments  
Inks:               Hero Black
Dies:              DieNamics Pierced Rectangle Frame, Memory Box
                           Prim Poppy
Emb Folder: Taylored Expressions Weathered 
Doo Dads:    Viva Pearl Pen Cream

Monday, July 4, 2016

Birthday Wishes

Continuing with the red, white, and blue color scheme – which I think is terrific at any time of the year – this card is for Justin, who's turning six . . .


My stash of youth-oriented stamps is pretty much zip:  I have an adorable image of an antique teddy bear and that's it.  Justin is way past that phase, so I figured that a cake image would make a great fall-back for any age, right?

There's plenty of sparkle on this card, but as usual, the greedy camera ate it all.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Admiral, Strathmore Bright White, Generic scrap Red
Stamps:        Hero Sending You Love: “Birthday Wishes”, Hero Stamp
                           and Cut Birthday: “To You”
Inks:               ColorBox Frost White, Silver, VersaFine Majestic Blue,
                           VersaColor Scarlet, VersaMark
Emb Powder:   Stamp A Mania Desert Rose, Judikins White Diamond,
                                Delafield Silver
Dies:              Hero Stamp and Cut Birthday: Cake, Cake Plate, Spellbinders
                           Banner Basics Three, Stampin' Up Itty Bitty Banners
Doo Dads:    Stamp Oasis Heat and Stick, USArt Quest Crystal Effects 
                         Gold Essence