Bloom

Not long ago, my dear friend and stamping buddy Carol set off on a Washi tape tangent and put together some wonderful cards which wound up being published in RubberStampMadness magazine.  I got inspired by her work, although it took me a good while to act on it.  Not long ago, another blogger went wild with Washi and that did it.  I decided to go a little wild too . . .

Carol is a huge fan of black and white and one of her favorite colors is lime.  So for her Fall birthday, I had me some fun with Washi in those colors.  I have a ton of Washi in my stash, so expect more flights of fancy in the future . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Parakeet, Strathmore #90 Watercolor paper   

Stamps:       Savvy Outline Dahlia

Inks:             ColorBox Black

Watercolors:   Inktense Sherbet Lemon, Zig Real Brush Yellow Green

Emb Powder:  Judikins Detail Black

Dies:            DieNamics Single Stitched Line Rectangle Frame, Yalatan

                        Stitched Tags, Impression Obsession Small Bow, Marianne

                        Butterflies

                        DieVersions font Noodles       

Doo Dads:    Various Washi tapes, Wink of Stella Black          

Autumn

Fall is not my favorite time of the year as it brings to a close an all-too-short Summer.  But Fall's colors are indeed lovely and a pleasure to work with . . .

On this card, I wanted to bring in several  Fall weather elements with my color choices.  So I've mixed a foggy grey background with some glowing autumn shades set off with  frosty white and emphasized with a few black accents.  Happy Fall, y'all!

Cardstock:   Generic Burgundy, Grey, Strathmore #90 Watercolor paper   

Stamps:        Hero Autumn

Inks:              ColorBox Black

Watercolors:   Derwent Inktense Shiraz, Tangerine, Sienna Gold, Fern,

                           Amber, Tan

Emb Powder:  Judikins Detail Black

Dies:              Lil Inkers Stitched Mats Rectangles, Ali Express Etched

                        Frame, Hero Autumn Frame Cuts, Carta Bella Hello Fall

                        Set: “Autumn”, La La Land Stitched Ribbon    

Emb Folder:   The Paper Studio Woodgrain, Spellbinders Bricks and Bark

Doo Dads:     American Crafts Jute Black, Memory Box Jewel Stickers Black

Something Beautiful Remains

The death of a dear friend's Mother has prompted this card . . .

I don't believe I've ever used brown and blue together for a sympathy card before, but the more I look at it, the more serene and comforting it appears to me.  As for the sentiment from Technique Junkies, I am so glad to have it:  I think it's one of the best expressions of loving kindness for a Sympathy card ever . . .

Cardstock:   The Paper Cut Brown Umber, Strathmore #90

                        Watercolor paper      

Stamps:       Technique Junkies Something Beautiful Remains

Inks:             Distress Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean, Stormy Sky,

                        Brushed Corduroy, ColorBox Frost White

Emb Powder:   Stampin’ Stuff Ivory Pearl

Dies:             Lil Inkers Stitched Mats: Rectangles, Squares, Love

                        Nicole Scalloped Shell, Nautilus Shell, Penny Black

                        Bamboo Foliage                 

Doo Dads:    Stampin’ Around Glitter Gold Dust          

Fall

It has been a rough year for a lot of people - myself included - but I still have much to be thankful for . . .

While I love coloring with watercolor pencils, it's a little tedious to do over embossed images.  The pencil leads break and so do parts of the embossed image.  But my Inktense set of watercolor pencils had exactly the colors I wanted.  So I used a hand held pencil sharpener to shave off some of the color over a ceramic plate.  I picked out any wood that had dropped into the shavings and lightly misted the rest.  The colors hydrated immediately when stirred with my water brush and I was able to watercolor easily over the embossed acorns and leaves.

I hope all of my treasured readers have a blessed Thanksgiving Day, regardless of wherever they happen to live on our beautiful planet . . .

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, Strathmore #100 Bristol      

Stamps:       Impression Obsession Give Thanks, Acorn Row,

                        Inkadinkado Filigree Fall Set, Vippies Dotty Snow

Inks:             ColorBox Black, Distress Brushed Corduroy

Colorants:    Inktense Crimson, Sienna Gold, Fern, Mustard, Baked

                        Earth, Willow

Watercolors:   Zig Clean Color: Geranium Red, Orange, Bright Yellow

Emb Powder:   Zing Chestnut

Dies:            DieNamics Horizontal Stitched Strips, Ellentina Nesting

                        Tag, Arich Rounded Corners Stitched Rectangles, Carta

                        Bella Hello Fall: Fall                      

Emb Folder: Spellbinders Bricks and Bark

Doo Dads:    May Arts Jute           

Nature

This one is a guy card for my stepson's birthday . . .

Andy lives on the edge of the woods, has two dogs, and is out in nature year 'round. The elements on this card are ones he sees all the time while walking the pups . . .

After sponging dye ink on the back of the fern stencil, I pressed it onto the cardstock.  As metal repels dye inks, the background got the speckled look I was after.  I dried it with my heat gun, replaced the stencil and ran it through my die cutting machine to raise up the fern image. 

Lastly I sponged the green ink through the stencil.  Because of the thickness of the brass, I wound up with some white edging which set off the fern quite nicely - an unexpected benefit!

Cardstock:   The Paper Cut Brown Umber, Beckett Candlelight,

                        Strathmore #90 Watercolor paper, Marcos Jute, Generic

                        scrap Dark Brown           

Stamps:       So She Stamps “Nature”

Inks:             Distress Mowed Lawn, Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo

Emb Powder:   Vippies Transcendence

Dies:            Lil Inkers Stitched Mats: Rectangles, Memory Box Large

                        Fremont Pine: Outline, Background, Nellie’s Straight

                        Dotted Oval                     

Stencil:        Lynell Harlow Fern, Simon Says Bokeh Lights

Doo Dads:    Lowe’s Home Improvement Granite Crystals, Delta Texture

                        Magic Vintage Leather

Blessings

I had absolutely no idea where I was going when I started in on this card . . .

 . . . and that exciting quest has become a major part of the fun of stamping 

for me. 

Ten years ago, this card would never have gotten off the table.  I loved the colors in the background layer which I found in my Scrap Stash, but couldn't figure out what to do with the piece.  That would have totally stumped me back in the early days of workin' the rubber.  But now I just start in, trying out one idea at a time.  It's always an  adventure and  I am loving the process.

Picasso said that, "Inspiration exists, but you have to find it working."  

He was right.

Cardstock:   Strathmore #90 Watercolor paper, Beckett Iceberg,

                        Splendorlux Embossed Column Silver           

Stamps:        A Stamp in the Hand Words Background Script, Red

                        Rubber Blessings

Inks:               Distress Lucky Clover, Chipped Sapphire, Peacock

                        Feathers, Twisted Citron, ColorBox Frost White,

                        VersaMark

Colorants:    Color Bloom Lime Wedge, Stamp Zia Chroma Teal

Emb Powder:   PSE Cobalt Tapestry, BMuse Silver, Sweet Stamps

                         Fine Detail White, Delafield Silver

Dies:            Mama Elephant Femme Frames, Memory Box Butterflies:

                        Vivienne, Darla, Pippi, Isabella, Spellbinders Victorian                         Tags                      

Doo Dads:    Plaid Liquid Chalk Pewter 

Praying For You

An exceedingly dear friend from church is dealing with some really rough health issues.  So this card is for her . . .

I've covered the card front with carnations as she absolutely loves them, and I've added some sparkle with  a Wink Of Stella pen.  The colorful background came from the smooshing technique, which is still my favorite method.  I smeared three mini ink pads onto my craft sheet, misted with two sprays of water, dipped the cardstock into the ink, dried it with my heat gun, and repeated with the ink that was left.  Am crossing fingers it will bring her hope and healing.

May her recovery be quick and complete.

Cardstock:   Strathmore #100 Bristol White, Bazzill Rain Forest      

Stamps:       Rubber Stampede Mum Block Print

Inks:             Distress Wild Honey, Worn Lipstick, Spiced Marmalade

Emb Powder:   Lawn Fawn Textured White, Stampendous Shabby White

Dies:            Lil Inkers Stitched Mats Rectangles, Memory Box Prized

                        Chrysanthemum Outline, Background, Marianne Daisy &

                        Leaves, Tim Holtz Labels

Doo Dads:    Faber Castell Gesso White, Gelly Roll Clear     

Journey

My dear friend and stamping buddy Carol and her husband Gene are celebrating a remarkable event:  52 years of a very happy marriage!  So naturally, a card with a little extra oomph was called for . . .

In this case, the "oomph" translates into beading, which both Carol and I love to use in a variety of ways.  Here, random strands of it are hung between the weeping willow branches.  In real life, the beads hang freely and the willow leaves glisten over the stenciled dimensional leaves.

On wedding anniversary cards, I always like to add a dual element to emphasize the purpose of the card:  to honor a loving partnership that has thrived for a number of years . . . hence the two butterflies.  Thanks to a glitter marker, they shine - just like my dear friends Carol and Gene and their very solid marriage . . .  HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Rainforest, Strathmore #90 Watercolor paper, 

                        Generic Vellum  

Stamps:       VAP “Journey”

Inks:             Distress Gathered Twigs, ColorBox Frost White

Emb Powder:   Lawn Fawn Textured White

Dies:            Papertrey Ink Angled Labels, Memory Box Cascadia

                        Butterfly Trio            

Stencil:        Tim Holtz Leafy

Emb Folder: Sheena Snowfall

Doo Dads:    Delta Texture Magic Dimensional Paint Fern Green,

                        Spring Green, Wink of Stella Clear

A Pur r r fect Day

Very dear friends and neighbors of mine have twelve cats - how Vangie keeps the house in such fur-free and sweet-smelling order is a true mystery to me . . .

It's Vangie's birthday, so this card is for her. 

Seven of the cats are black, so they were easy to reproduce here.  The other five have a variety of coloration which I tried to replicate.  None of the cats wanted to pose for me, so I went with notes I took down.  The results are wide of the mark, but I think they'll still be recognizable by Richard and Vangie.  

As for fur babies Doce, Howard, Sumner, Malibu, and Callie Girl, a flick of their tails will probably be the only comment they'll make at my attempt to immortalize them . . .

Cardstock:   Marco’s Jute 

Stamps:       Impression Obsession Bark

Inks:             Hero Soft Brown

Colorants:    Inktense Saddle Brown, Neutral Grey, Ink Black,

                        Burnt Orange, Tan

Watercolors:   Zig Real Brush Ochre, Light grey

Dies:            DieNamics Collage Cover-Up, Frantic Stamper Ten

                        Fun Felines, Impression Obsession Cat Set, Spellbinders

                        Back to Basics Tags               

Doo Dads:    Text computer generated