A New Beginning

When my hard-working neighbor Trish finally decided it was time to retire, a card was certainly in order to mark this major milestone in her life . . .

 I don’t have a suitable text stamp for Retirement, so I typed this message I came across recently.  May her newly free lifestyle be as much fun as mine has been!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Red Devil, Canson Mixed Media #98

Stamps:        KaiserCraft Marble

Inks:              Distress Lost Shadow

Colorants:    Nuance Die Powders Red, Bright Yellow, Jade

Dies:             Goodculler Stitched Rectangles, Simon Says Butterfly

Drift, Marianne Butterflies             

Doo Dads:    Sparkle & Sprinkle Glitter Fantasy Gold,  Inkssentials

                       Enamel Accents Black 

You're Amazing

Last week, I posted our priest's Retirement card.  Today's card is for his wife.  In Eastern Orthodoxy, priests are not only allowed to be married, but they are also very much encouraged to do so.  Matushka* JoAnne is an amazing woman and I thought her card should say so . . .

In addition to the endless duties involved in keeping a parish going, Matushka also raised six children and held down a full time job.  And did all of it with energy and plenty of laughter.  "Amazing" doesn't even begin to cover it . . .

TIP 

One little side note re the speckled background:  without using any stamps or ink, I sprinkled pinches of black UTEE here and there, held the cardstock with my wooden bagel tongs, and heated it from underneath to keep from scattering the powder.  I have several stamps with a variety of speckled designs, but I really prefer this method because the UTEE adds dimension.

           

* In the Russian tradition, Priest's and Deacon's wives are referred to as "Matushka" which means "Mother". 

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute

Stamps:        Rubber Monger Pomegranate, Pomegranate Half,

                           text is from Simon Says Sketchy Banner Greetings

Inks:               Hero Black, ColorBox Black, Distress Brushed Corduroy

Emb Powder:   Judikins Detail Black

Dies:              Simon Says Sketchy Banners

Colored Pencils:   Inktense Watercolor Shiraz, Fuchsia, Chili Red,

                                       Poppy Red, Sherbet Lemon, Antique White,

                                       Stabilo 8043 Dark Green

Impr Plate:    Cheery Lynn Burble, Papertrey Ink Canvas

Doo Dads:    Black UTEE, Glossy Accents

Happy Retirement

When our much-loved priest announced his retirement late last year, it was quite a shock to all of us.  Father Sam has done a wonderful job and he will be greatly missed.  After a lifetime of dedicated service, I thought that images of beautiful rising balloons would be a happy send-off . . .

Glossy Accents were used to intensify the colors and add dimension to the hot air balloons.  Up, up, and away!  But we're hoping not too far away . . .

Cardstock:   The Paper Cut Brown Umber, Neenah Solar White

Stamps:        Unknown “Happy Retirement”

Inks:               Distress Brushed Corduroy, Weathered Wood, Gina K

                           Charcoal Brown

Emb Powder:      Vippie’s Transcendence

Dies:              Cheery Lynn Hot Air Balloons, Memory Box Puffy Clouds

Colored Pencils:  Inktense Mauve, Iris Blue, Mallard Green, Poppy Red,

                                    Tangerine, Sicilian Yellow, Aquarelle Dark Green

Impr Plate:    Papertrey Ink Canvas

Doo Dads:    Glossy Accents

Discover Yourself

My friend and neighbor Lynn retired this year after 25 stellar years as a teacher for Advanced English classes.  Heaped with well deserved accolades and honors over the years, Lynn is the high water mark of excellence in education.  Her retirement has met with huge regrets in her school and was a challenge for me to try and make a card worthy of her sustained efforts over the years.  Thanks to the genius of Tim Holtz and his Distress line of inks along with his innovative techniques, I think I got close . . .

This is one of a handful of cards I’ve done over the twelve years of stamping that has my unreserved (well, almost) approval.  Those Distress inks are utterly without equal and allow amateurs to come off looking like they know what they’re doing – always a plus in this amateur’s book.  After stamping the three Distress inks close together on my craft sheet, I water-misted 4X, and then Perfect Pearls-misted* 2X.  I then dragged/mopped up the results with the watercolor paper and dried with my heat gun.  Two repeats, and I was nearly done.  The final touch was his “Spritz and Flick’ technique:  spray some water into your hand and fling it onto the paper.  Watch for the water spots to appear and dry again with the heat gun.  Gorgeous!  I then overstamped the text and images.

Cardstock:     Bazzill White, palest Green, generic watercolor paper, vellum

Stamps:         Tim Holtz Just thoughts, Urban Tapestry

Inks:                 Distress Frayed Burlap, Chipped Sapphire, Shabby Shutters, ColorBox Black, White, Perfect Pearls Mist*, Gelly Roll Star Clear pen

Emb Powder: Judikins Detail Black, Stampendous Ivory Pearl

Dies:              Joy Butterfly

Doo Dads:      Antique Copper brads, Silvery Green eyelash fiber

*Perfect Pearls Mist:  this is Jennifer McGuire’s mixture of a scoop/heaping stirrer of Perfect Pearls and a Mini Mister bottle full of water.  Shake well every time you use it and bask in the non-glitzy glow and shimmer of the subtle but gorgeous results.  Vary the amount of Perfect Pearls to your tastes.  I spritzed twice for this card, but sometimes I want more shimmer so couple more sprays should do it.