Blessings

When it comes to layering stencil sets, I cannot resist adding them to my stash . . .

. . . they take all of the angst out of coloring, especially when using the Life Changing blending brushes.  This grouping of mushrooms grabbed me right from the start.  But I felt the mushroom caps needed a little texture so I added some by dabbing an unmounted clear image of speckles inked in black. An unmounted image is easier to manipulate through stencil openings than a mounted stamp would be.

This set of four is so easy to use – especially the white flowers which are simply the untouched white cardstock showing through.  I love this set and will be using many color schemes with it in future.

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, Strathmore #100 Bristol Smooth  

Inks:             Distress Lost Shadow, Black Soot, Brushed

Corduroy

Dies:            Marianne Butterflies, TK Online Celebration Set:

Blessings               

Stencil:        The Crafters Workshop Mushroom Forest

Doo Dads:    Sparkling raindrops, Wink of Stella Clear 

Soar

As is always the case, I was inspired by another one of Jennifer McGuire’s excellent videos which showed how we can make our own stamps using Fun Foam and dies!  She used a fascinating new ridged leaf die that I was compelled to buy myself.  I’m so glad I did . . .

The light green image was made by the die used on Fun Foam.  After cutting the foam, a few tiny bits of double-sided tape were added to the back of the leaves and the new stamp was attached to the door of my MISTI.  Then it was inked and stamped.  Look at the lovely ridged details!

Two of the dark green leafy sprays were die cut from cardstock and were glued together for increased strength.  Pop dots were added to the leaves for added dimension.  I can’t wait to try this Fun Foam idea with a bunch of my other dies!

Stamps:       Amuse Studio Script Background

Inks:             Distress Lost Shadow, Evergreen Bough, Mowed Lawn

Dies:            Simon Says Whirl Leaves, Penny Black Bamboo Foliage, 

Elizabeth Craft Small Butterfly, DieVersions font 

Noodles: “Soar”               

Emb Fldr:    Paper Discovery Ornamental Gravel

Doo Dads:   Judikins Micro Glaze, Grosgrain Ribbon White  

Green!

This card actually functions as a color sampler rather than just a card - hence the rather over-the-top collection of shades . . .

 

I was in Michael’s a few days ago and was floored to find Recollections #110 cardstocks in four-shade collections of the same color.  Obviously I chose green and shared the news of my find with my dear friend Carol who lives a state away from me.  She’s a freak for lime and as this collection contains two shades of it, I thought she’d like to see a sample of them up close and personal, especially with its #110 weight which has not been easy for either of us to get in our countryside locales.

I’m always happy for any excuse to make a card so I’m delighted that this one might also be especially useful for my friend . . .

Cardstock:   Recollections Green Set of four shades, Canson 

Aquarelle #90

Stamps:       Fred Mullett Lavender

Inks:             ColorBox Frost White, Winsor & Newton Calligraphy

Ink White

Emb Pwdr:  Hero White

Dies:            Marianne Ropes, DieVersions font Noodles: “Green!”            

Emb Fldr:    Spellbinders Blistered

The Voice of Africa

As my friend Sandy loves all things African, I continue to dig into my stash of images from the Dark Continent for her birthday . . .

 

I’ve got more than a few African images left to use so Sandy’s birthday cards should be original for several years to come!

Cardstock:         Dorset Black Diamond, Strathmore #100

Bristol

Stamps:             MJ Barber African Warriors, Repeat

Impressions Tswana Pattern, Stamp Camp 

“The Voice of Africa”

Inks:                    Superior India Ink Black, Distress Black Soot

Dies:                   Tim Holtz Stitched Rectangles, Nellie’s 

Photo Frames, EK Success Photo

Corner punch           

Stencil:               Stencil Girl Boro

Journey

The background on this one is the same as my post of a week ago.  However, this version was even more of a blobby mess . . .

  . . . so I covered more of it up!  That’s one of the things I absolutely love about rubber stamping:  no matter what the disaster, there’s almost always a way to turn it into something that works.  In twenty-four years of stamping, I believe I’ve thrown away just ONE card front!

Cardstock:   Neenah Classic Columns Emperor, Canson Mixed Media #98

Stamps:       Touché Doodle Flower, Large

Inks:             Distress Villainous Potion, Peeled Paint, Rusty Hinge, 

Superior India Ink Black

Dies:            E-Scenery Stitched Oval & Frame Set, Memory Box 

Journey, Gina K Rectangle Double Stitch, Marianne 

Butterflies                  

Stencil:        Hero Long Leaves

Doo Dads:    Wink of Stella Clear, Gelly Roll Clear     

Hello!

At the time of this post, my beautiful granddaughter Audrey is finishing up her first year in college and looking at Finals coming up.  So an encouraging card and note are certainly called for . . .

Originally, the background was one of my failed attempts with a stencil and too much ink.  So as I did on a recent post, I covered most of it up with a busy die cut background.  On this one, I used the same busy background but added some popped up flowers, a wee dragonfly and a a sparkly HELLO!  Hopefully this will put a smile on her face and a spring in her step as she sprints towards the finish line.

Cardstock:   Neenah Classic Columns Emperor, Canson Mixed

Media #98    

Stamps:       Touché Doodle Flower, Large

Inks:             Distress Villainous Potion, Peeled Paint, Rusty Hinge, 

Superior India Ink Black

Dies:            E-Scenery Stitched Oval & Frame Set, Memory Box 

Journey, Gina K Rectangle Double Stitch, 

Marianne Butterflies                  

Stencil:        Hero Long Leaves

Doo Dads:    Wink of Stella Clear, Gelly Roll Clear     

It's Your Day

 In this one, I kept the focal point minimalist in order to let the strong background get all the glory . . .

I’ve been doing a lot of sage green/purple/white lately, as this is probably my all-time favorite color combination . . . hope you’re not too bored.  I’m in a very happy color rut right now but I’ll probably move on in the near future.  It’s best to try and be patient in the meantime . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill PaloVerde, Canson #98 Mixed Media     

Stamps:       Stampin Up “It’s Your Day”

Inks:             Distress Villainous Potion, Peeled Paint, ColorBox 

Frost White

Colorants:    Copic Warm Gray #3

Emb Pwdr:  Hero White

Dies:            DieNamics Single Stitched Line Rectangle Frame, 

Memory Box Tall Birch, Lil Inker Stitched Mats Squares, Marianne Butterflies

Stencil:        Hero Long Leaves

Doo Dads:    Metalix Glitter Moondust   

Celebrate

With this layout, I muted the overly loud purple and green background with a layer of vellum.  For added interest, I first perforated the vellum with Memory Box’s Pinpoint Leaf Plate before attaching it  with double-sided tape . . .

Vellum is often tricky to adhere because whatever glue you use tends to show through.  Happily, double-sided tape does the job invisibly.  Another great choice is to use one of those wonderful sheets of a bazillion tiny glue dots that are covered with release paper.  After die cutting the white dragonfly base and the sentiment, the stark white cardstock made the vellum-covered lattice trim look dingy.  So I peeled back the release paper, laid down the text and the dragonfly base, covered both with the release paper and burnished firmly.  So now the dragonfly base and the word match the lattice trim.

The next step was to die cut the piece into a lattice-edged panel.  The elegantly minimalist dragonfly, a few sparkling raindrops, and the text finished the project.  Love the misty look that vellum provides . . . I think I’ll start using it more often!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Leapfrog, Canson Mixed Media #98, 

Stampin Up Vellum         

Inks:             Distress Villainous Potion, Peeled Paint

Dies:            Spellbinders Fancy Weave, Dragonfly Decoration, 

Impression Obsession Congrats Word Set: “Celebrate”                     

Stencil:        TEMU Leafy Array

Impr Plate:   Memory Box Pinpoint Leaf Plate

Doo Dads:    Kat Scrappiness Sparkling Clear Droplets         

Blessings

Dealing with over-enthusiastic backgrounds is the theme of my next two posts . . .

On this one, the problem was a background image of leaves that were too blurred to be recognizable.  So I was left with colors to use instead of leafy images.  So I opted for an overlay featuring a die cut version of a wire fence.  Plenty of open areas but also a bit of a buffer between the background and the leafy spray with butterflies.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Parakeet, Canson Mixed Media #98

Inks:             Distress Oxide Peeled Paint, Dusty Concord

Dies:            Kat Scrappiness Woodgrain Framed Diamond Wire, 

Simon Says Butterfly Tendrils, TKOnline “Blessings”             

Stencil:        Hero Long Leaves

Impr Plate:   Memory Box Pinpoint Leaf Plate

Doo Dads:    Wink of Stella Silver