I’m Baaaack!!

It’s been such a long time since I’ve posted here but the new year is a great time to start afresh!  A friend recently asked me to make her bridesmaid-request cards and we had fun sharing inspirational ideas from Pinterest!  She wanted each card to be personalized so I created the wording on the computer then printed each one out.  I created three designs for her to choose from!  The first card was made with the main image from Simon Says Stamp’s Beautiful Flowers.  I inked up the stamp with Stampin Up’s Not Quite Navy and stamped it on the top and bottom of a panel of white card stock then created a watercolor effect with a damp paintbrush.  A white card base kept the overall design sweet and simple!

For her next option, I used a new set from Stampendous called Wild Rose Cling and it’s simple spray of blossoms was stamped with black ink onto two corners of my panel.  I colored the wild roses with Copics, making the leaves two shades of blue and finally, added a dotted background with a gray Copic marker after outlining the overall design with the same gray marker.  I mounted this to a base of navy card stock which made the white really pop!

The third and last choice was created using Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Flowers again, but this time I created a border at the top and bottom of the card using permanent black ink, then colored with Copic markers, trying to feature reds, pinks and a hint of blue.  I added a layer of navy behind the colored panel then mounted that to a white base card,

This is the final card made for her matron of honor and three bridesmaids; I added more red and a hint of red/orange ink to the blossoms to deepen the colors and then outlined the images with a gray marker to ground the design.

The two junior bridesmaids will receive this card in the mail, asking them to join the wedding party; I’m not sure how old the girls are but I think they’ll feel very special to be asked to participate and also to get their own personalized request card!  I enjoyed spending time just coloring and creating in my stamp room to fill this order and hope to share more cards with you soon!  Thanks for visiting!

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Altenew Crown Blooms in Watercolor

There are so many amazing card artists whose work I admire, and especially those who can create clean and simple cards!  I don’t think I can create “clean and simple” if my life depended on it!  I started this card thinking I would keep it really simple, one layer, no texture.  HA!!  As usual, I strayed from the plan!  Sigh!  On a piece of watercolor card stock, I stamped and heat-embossed in white the blossom and leaves from Altenew’s Crown Blooms set, masking the flower in order to place the other images.  I then began coloring with my Zig markers, layer upon layer, using a wet paintbrush to move and soften the color.

  I know I’ve mentioned before that when I choose colors for my cards, I try to use the ones that are opposites on the color wheel for the most visual impact!  Blue and orange are always so striking together!  Anyway, when I finished coloring the flower and leaves, I filled in the background with an aqua marker and lots more water to spread the ink.  After drying it with my heat tool, I spattered some black, aqua and white ink over the images, then added “dew drops” with my Crystal Effects glue!  

 I trimmed the panel down with my trusty Gina Marie Designs Stitched Rectangle dies.  I found a butterfly embossed piece I’d made AGES ago, and thought it would make a nice “frame” for my card, so die-cut that with the Stitched Rectangles in a size larger.  I adhered the panels together then mounted them to a card base of aqua.  

Lastly, I heat-embossed the sentiment from Simon Says Stamp’s Beautiful Flowers set onto a strip of coral cardstock which I’d trimmed into a little banner, then attached it with some foam tape.  So much for “clean and simple”!!  I guess that’s just not my style!  But I love this card and think it’ll perfect for many occasions!  

Simon Says Stamp’s Beautiful Flowers Doubled!

Aaaaand, I’m BACK with yet another card using the wonderful Beautiful Flowers by Simon Says Stamp!!  This time in shades of pink on a warm yellow background!  I stamped the image several times on my card stock, arranging the blossoms to form a background.  And then the fun began!  It takes me so long to color with Copics, adding layer upon layer of color, blending, shading, adding more color, doing more blending…it’s so relaxing and so satisfying!

Unfortunately, my markers occasionally leaked out too much ink and made a blob!!  Argh!!  But I was too committed to stop and start over!  OH well…

It’s amazing to me how beautiful the backside of Copics coloring is!  I did end up making color copies of both the front and back so I can use them in more cards and not waste this gorgeousness!  😀

To create this card, I used my Gina Marie Stitched Rectangle dies and cut the panel down then cut a smaller panel from the center.  To make the frame above, I used yet another die (the next size smaller) to cut the center out of the inside die-cut.  Does that make sense?  I attached a piece of white card stock behind the frame after stamping my sentiment and a teeny bit of the Beautiful Flowers stamp.  I had adhered the larger panel to a layer of green then onto a soft yellow base card.  I then popped the frame up with a piece of fun foam.  I really love that beautiful frame on this card!

I definitely got creative with THIS version!  After cutting my panel down with the Stitched Rectangle die, I also die-cut the center, then cut it down AGAIN, using several sizes of the dies!  I stamped the blossoms all over the white card base in black ink, then layered on my die-cut pieces to form a “window” which features the sentiment from Brutus Monroe‘s Super Sentimental set!  So how’s that for a double whammy?!  🙂

Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Flowers Take Three!

I had never ordered a card kit from any company before, so when I received Simon Says Stamp‘s June card kit I was so amazed at all the goodies it contained!  One of the most awesome items is this Tim Holtz Sizzix Botanical 3D Texture Fades Embossing Folder!  (Now that’s a mouthful!!)  But just look at the deeply detailed embossed texture!!  The instructions advise dampening your card stock before running it through your embossing machine, but I didn’t do that and it came out beautifully!  This gorgeous Cornflower Blue card stock also came in the kit with a coordinating envelope.  I heat-embossed the floral spray from SSS’s Beautiful Flowers set in black onto Bristol Smooth card stock, then used my Zig markers to color it in.  I used a dark blue marker to fill in the background and spattered water droplets over it all when it was dry.  

I trimmed the panel down to a strip which I mounted onto a layer of white card stock, then attached it with some foam tape to the beautiful embossed base card.  The final touch was to emboss the sentiment onto a scrap of white, add a little jewel and place that with a bit of foam tape to lift it up.  I just love the rich color and feel of this card!  

I made this card next except that I used the other side of the embossed base card, so the design is recessed.  It’s a little more subtle look.  I colored the blossoms again with my Zig markers, using shades of red, orange and yellows, colored the background with blue again and spattered drops of water!  A strip of black behind the flowers makes it stand out against the white base card.  

To finish this card, I heat-embossed in black one of the sentiments from Altenew’s Label Love onto a scrap of white, and lifted it with a bit of foam tape.  I loved making these richly colored cards and I promise these won’t be the last ones you see with Beautiful Flowers!!  🙂  

More Beautiful Flowers

I just can’t seem to stop playing with this fabulous set, Beautiful Flowers by Simon Says Stamp!!  It’s so elegant and so versatile!  For this card, I chose to heat-emboss the image in gold but left the flowers uncolored.  I added a rich green background using my Zig markers by coloring heavily with Olive along the edge of the image, then blended it outward with Yellow Green.  I decided to extend the color to the top of the panel with vertical brushstrokes and really like how it looks!  

After coloring, I trimmed my panel down and added a frame of gold which I made using two sizes of stitched rectangle dies.  I stamped the spray of blossoms onto a piece of white card stock using gold pigment ink, and when it was dry, I adhered my framed panel to the front.  Finally, I heat-embossed the sentiment in gold.  I can’t wait to mail this to just the right person!  🙂  

Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Flowers

I’m in love!!  This wonderful spray of blossoms is from a set called Beautiful Flowers by Simon Says Stamp and was included in their June card kit called Fly Me Away!  I’ve been seeing some stunning cards made with this, and well, you know!  I HAD to have it!!  😀  The first thing I did for this card was to stamp the image onto Bristol Smooth watercolor paper using Versafine Onyx Black ink.  BTW, this stamp is HUGE and my largest clear acrylic block was way too small, so I used one of the plates from my Cuttlebug instead!  That worked GREAT!  Anyway, I decided to use my Prismacolor pencils on this and spent a happy half hour filling in the blossoms and leaves.  As a final touch, to “smooth” out the color, I covered the flowers with a layer of light pink Zig marker, then fussy-cut them out, leaving one corner intact.  I love the contrast of the block-y styled words with the organic roses!  

Also included in the kit was this luscious Smoke Gray (heavy!) cardstock  upon which I stamped the spray of flowers using Iced Spruce distress oxide ink.  After drying the ink with my heat tool, I mounted the cut-out flowers using strips of foam tape.  The final touch was to add a few pretty sequins for a little sparkle!  

I think I’ll use a white gel pen and add some dots to the centers of these blossoms for contrast and interest!  Otherwise, I think this card is just perfect!