Card Collaboration!

Have you ever collaborated to make a card?! I recently did just that with three stamping friends and together we created this gorgeous card! Let me tell you about it! I started the card (see below) and mailed it to Lynne. No one knew who would get the card next and after we each added our touch, we snapped a picture and mailed it onward!

Lynne chose the perfect image to go with the soft spring colors!

I’m loving this more and more! That ribbon next to the burlap is so unexpected and such a lovely contrast of textures and styles!

Theresa was the last one to receive the card and said she was a but unsure of how to finish it with a bang! But she nailed it! I’ve never used micro-beads before and I love the additional texture they contribute to the card!

I love all the vertical lines in a row; the beads, the twine, the rose stem, the ruffle and the burlap. And Hope accents it all beautifully and horizontally!

Here’s a final look at our creation! I hope this inspires you to choose some friends to collaborate with too! Thanks for visiting!

Boots N’ Tulips!

One of the really fun things about being on social media sites in the stamping world is the card challenges!  This sweet little pair of boots is from  Bootiful Tulips by Technique Tuesday and I colored them up for Kathy Racoosin’s 30 Day Coloring Challenge!   I used my Copic markers in reds, aqua, yellow and greens then cut them out to put into a card.  

I decided to keep it simple by brushing on Distress Oxide ink in Squeezed Lemonade onto a white card base, using a very soft makeup brush to create a background for the boots.  I then attached the boots with some foam tape and added the cute little sentiment from Brutus Monroe‘s set called Super Sentimental.

I really enjoyed making this simple, but colorful card!  

Stampendous Paris Bonjour Bunny!

Oo La La!!  Somebunny went to Paris for the French cuisine!!  (Note his little napkin!)  I had SO much fun today creating this whimsical card, using the bunny from a set I won in an Instagram giveaway last week, and the fabulous new set by Stampendous called Paris Bonjour!!  On a panel of Strathmore Bristol Smooth, I stamped the field of flowers first, then masked the top layer and stamped the bunny.  I then masked the bunny in order to stamp the tree line!  After that I masked the tree line to stamp the Eiffel Tower!!  PHEW!  Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers for coloring and I added a bit of the script stamp from Stampin’ Up’s French Foliage set.  Surprisingly, this card didn’t take very long at all!

Paris Bonjour has coordinating dies (Woo Hoo!) so I die-cut an extra section of flowers, colored and then added Ranger Glossy Accents for shine and a smattering of Stampin Up’s Dazzling Diamonds glitter!  Mounted onto a piece of foam tape, they add a little dimension.  I trimmed down the Paris panel and adhered it to a slightly smaller panel of fun foam, layered it onto pink, then onto a white card base.

I don’t do “cute” very often, but I LOVE this bunny and this card!  I hope you do too!

Simon Says Stamp Winter Flowers

Can you believe this is a pointsettia?! It’s from Simon Says Stamp’s Winter Flowers set and I challenged another stamper on Instagram to use it in a non-holiday way and this is my take!  Unfortunately, I embossed the image in gold onto Neenah Index white cardstock instead of heavier watercolor paper, so as you can see, my coloring pilled the paper a bit.  I used my Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers in shades of pink and peach.  Thankfully I had the coordinating dies to cut out the images, and just layered them to the faux wood panel using double-stick foam tape.  That was adhered to a base card of green Bazzill card stock.  A few sequins and a twist of gold cording, then the sentiment embossed in gold completed this fun card!

Stampendous Rose Garden/Rosebuds

I was incredibly thrilled and honored recently to receive several stamp sets from Stampendous in order to create cards for them!  This image is from Rose Garden and I just loved working with the rosebuds.  To begin with, I stamped the image onto Strathmore Bristol Vellum paper with Versafine Onyx Black ink.  I used many layers of Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers to color in the image, then used the coordinating die to cut it out.  Setting that aside, I found this hardwood embossed die-cut oval in my stash of papers, and thought it would enhance the rose stem beautifully!  It was cut using Gina Marie Designs Stitched Oval dies, and I had sponged brown ink onto it to bring out the texture.

 

I also found this piece of patterned paper in my supplies and think it’s PERFECT for the look I was going for!  Don’t you think the white outlined flowers on the corner of it look just like rosebuds?!  Ooooo, it’s the little things, right?!  🙂  Anyway, I cut that to size, adhered it to my card base, then attached the oval in the center.  In order to lift up the rosebuds and leaves, I had to cut tiny pieces of double-stick foam tape to fit under all the teensy sections!  But it was worth the time and effort because…well…you know!  It’s GORGEOUS!!  The final detail was to cut the banner using Hero Arts Ribbon Messages stamps and banner die, attach a little jewel and add it to the card front.  I’m so in love with this card and am so happy that Stampendous has entrusted me with promoting their images!

 

 

 

Covered Bridge in April

Doesn’t this card make you long for the warmer days of spring?  My sister-in-law requested a birthday card using a covered bridge for my brother’s April birthday; thankfully, I have this stamp made by Stamp Francisco and enjoyed creating this just for him!  I heat-embossed the image in black onto Bristol Vellum surface cardstock, then created the sky using Ranger Distress Oxide ink in Broken China and Stormy Sky.  After that I lightly colored the barn with several shades of gray and brown Zig Clean Color brush markers, using a water brush to soften the color.  Finally, I lightly sponged a spot of Fossilized Amber into the sky to denote a peek of the sun.  I think my brother will really like this!