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   

Beware

Halloween themes are always so much fun to play with . . .

 The only part that didn't work at first was the four words:  they didn't show up against the background, even though it's not at all a fussy one.  The solution was to mount the words onto narrow, deckle-edged strips of white cardstock and pop them up with foam dots.  Much better . . .

Cardstock:   Dorset Black Diamond, Strathmore #100 Bristol, Bazzill

                        Velvet, Generic Orange  

Stamps:       Inkadinkado Happy Haunting

Inks:             Hero Black

Dies:            Spellbinders A2 Distressed Edges, Frantic Stamper

                        Scary Words               

Doo Dads:    Ranger Studio Black Gesso 

Thinking of You

A neighbor is going through some serious health challenges and I thought a peaceful card with a bit of sparkle would help to cheer her up . . .

This layout features one stencil used three ways:  the upper part of the card front was sponged through the stencil with VersaMark and then some clear embossing powder with a little sparkle was dusted on and heated.

The burgundy layer was stenciled with a very light tan stencil paste.  I skimmed over the paste to flatten it a little and keep the texture on the subtle side.  After it was dry, I sponged over the whole layer with ink.

The lower part of the card front is another layer I stenciled with coarse embossing paste which gave the design lots of texture and dimension.  The twig was propped up with dots of Glossy Accents added to the ends of the stems . . .

Cardstock:   Generic Light Taupe           

Stamps:       Stampin’ Up “Thinking of you”

Inks:             Distress Aged Mahogany, Pumice Stone, ColorBox

                        Cream White, VersaMark

Emb Powder:   WOW Clear Sparkle, Stamp-n Stuff Ivory Pearl

Dies:            Spellbinders Classic Squares Small, Classic Scalloped

                        Squares Small, Memory Box Eva Stem, Hero Small

                        Tag Frame

Stencil:        Tim Holtz Doily

Doo Dads:    Art Anthology Sandstone, Faber Castell Texture Paste Cement

Bloom

Irena, our neighbor who lives two buildings down from us in our condo village, is moving to California.  She's leaving behind a truly spectacular 100 ft–long garden which she created entirely with her own labor and funds.  Formerly nothing but weeds and scrub, it now has stone pathways, small trees, a bridge over a stream and a remarkable collection of hundreds of flowering plants.  She's going to live with her daughter where there is no garden.  So this card is to encourage her to make one . . .

 After die cutting the scalloped panel, I die cut the branch and set it aside for future use. I then backed the panel with Washi patterned paper.  After die cutting the branch out of white cardstock, I glued it down slightly offset onto the black panel.

Irena will be missed terribly and several of us are going to do our best to keep her garden blooming.  Wish us luck!

Cardstock:   Bazzill White, Washi paper Black & White, Generic Black         

Stamps:       Stampin' Place Dandelion, Verve Floral Symphony: "Bloom

                        where you're planted"

Inks:             ColorBox Frost White, Gelly Roll Clear Star pen, Wink of

                        Stella Clear

Emb Powder:   Stamp Zia White Sparkle

Dies:            Memory Box Grove Branch, Spellbinders Small Deckled

                        Rectangle, Small Scalloped Rectangle, Pink Fresh

                        Floral Squares            

Doo Dads:    Queen & Company Nightfall: Black pearls