Petal Prints - part 5

Two more cards today, and then you won't have to look at Petal Prints for awhile! :) Both of these cards use the detail "overstamp." Honestly, I don't use them all that often, as I prefer the pressed flower look, but they can still be fun! This first card was for a swap, and I needed it to be something I could produce in large quantities. I stamped out full sheets of the flower, then chopped away. The bright tones are quite unusual for me - particularly as orange is my absolute least favorite color - but I do like to play with them occasionally.

The last card was one of the first I made with watercolor crayons. I was actually wetting them too much, but the "fuzziness" didn't really matter with the initial impression. This is a very forgiving set for trying new techniques!

Well, hope you've all enjoyed this look at one of my favorite sets. I still don't have the new catalog in my possession, but I admit that posting these "oldies but goodies" was a fun way to pass the time. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Petal Prints - part 4

Today is all about the leaf image. This is sort of a one-sheet-wonder type idea, with a technique I call monochromatic resist. Start be stamping the image with versamark on glossy cardstock, and let it dry (or zap it with the heat gun if you're as impatient as I am!). Next, go over the images with some colors - I used baby wipes here (with dots of reinker), but sponges or a brayer work really well, too. Finally, go back with the original image and stamp in a dark color. Simple, but quite lovely!

I used a panel layout on the first card, and I made the second card last year, when I was cleaning off my desk and came across a small scrap. Although you can't really tell in the photo, the mat is folded over, and I reall liked the tiny bit of dimension that it provides.

(Please ignore the brownish purple that is showing up in the leaf panels - I promise it's just shades of green IRL. The colors got a bit funky when I reduced file size)

Petal Prints - part 3

This is probably one of my all-time favorite cards with Petal Prints, and I can't even tell you how many times I've made it (with different colors and verses, of course). Color the image with markers, and stamp in a scrap of white, then add a sentiment. Matted with black, then layered with a strip of the accent color down the side. Tie on some ribbon, and you're good to go.

I loved doing this card at workshops, as the easy elegance seemed to appeal to everyone. Plus I got to prove that you can use ribbon on a card without being able to tie a pretty bow...

Petal Prints - part 2

So here's today's card, featuring polished stone done on vellum (a very nice effect, but needs a good sealant applied before using). It was done with silver and two shades of blue, then I layered it with gray cardstock before mounting it to the blue card. I used staples on the sentiment just to bring in a bit more silver.

It may be flowery, but I think this card is quite masculine!

Salute to Petal Prints - part 1

I have a pretty busy week ahead of me, but I did have to point out that the new SU Catalog is looming large on the horizon. And while I'm excited to see the new goods, it's also time to bid adieu to some favorites. Petal Prints is probably my all-time favorite stamp set. I just love how the images look like pressed flowers, but then you can add the outline for a more whimsical look. Anyway, I'll be sharing some "archive" cards this week (and apologies for lousy photos, as most of these are from at least two years ago!)

This card has a rather "country" vibe to it with the gingham ribbons. Not usually my style, but I love it here. The sentiment is from "Words of Wisdom," another wonderful set that's being retired as of June 30.

Pounded Flowers - A Tutorial

I've posted several cards made with pounded flowers, so thought I'd make up a little tutorial. First off, gather your supplies: a hammer (standard or ballpeen), cardstock, flower(s), and some sort of cover sheet (I'm using wax paper, but plain newsprint or lightweight copy paper would be fine). You'll want to work on a hard, fairly smooth surface. Sidewalks are great as long as they aren't too bumpy. A large piece of wood would also work well.

Next, place your flower wherever you'd like it on the cardstock, then cover it. Hint: If the flower has a lot of petals, you may want to pull a few off just to avoid too much juicy splatter. I removed about half from the flower you see here.

Now for the fun part - start pounding! You can sort of see what's happening if you're using wax paper, so can get a sense of where you may need to pound a bit more.

And you're all done! Pull back the cover sheet to admire the results. You'll need to pick off the flower bits, and be careful not to smear it around too much on the cardstock.

It's a lot of fun to experiment with different flowers and see what colors emerge. These flowers are a very reddish purple, but the pounded images are much more blue toned. You can also arrange smaller flowers to make fancy edges or wreaths, as I did here and here.

So here's my finished card. You'll need a good quality adhesive to use with the finished product, as the cardstock will warp due to the moisture. For this card, I mounted the panel to Always Artichoke (both embellished with the Corner Ticket punch), stamped a sentiment (Hero Arts), and added a bit of ribbon (SU). The finished card is 5x7, and the printed paper is by DCWV (Old World Stack).

Calling all BasicGrey fans!!

Rocky Mountain Hobbies is one of my favorite online stores, and right now they're running a sale on BasicGrey: 15% off all products (paper, ribbon, magnetic snaps, everything!) through Sunday, June 24. Just enter code BG15OFF at checkout. Some items are already marked down, too, so you can really pick up some good deals. Oh, and did I mention that shipping is free over $50? They carry tons of Paper lines, plus goodies like primas and stamps from Technique Tuesday. Check it out! (They also have an automatic Rewards Program, based on your cumulative purchases.)

Shine?

I have one of those lovely summer colds, so thought I'd make this card to capture my mood :) The card base is Soft Sky, one of the new colors that will be available from SU as of July 1. The Bella is matted with River Rock, another new color. The patterned paper is BasicGrey (6" Gypsy pad). The sentiment was created with acrylic stamps from Skipping Stones Design (Angelina Alpha).

The bathrobe is pieced with another printed paper from the BG pad, although it didn't photograph well. That detailed cutting is a pain, but it does add a nice touch! I did some more coloring with my prismacolor pencils, too -the shading around the Grumpy Girl really helps make the white area on her robe pop. And lastly, I just have to say that the tiny yellow primas do coordinate better IRL!

Still More Fun with Twinkling H2Os!

I really have been using these little watercolor paints so much lately! This time, I chipped off a tiny piece and dropped it into a small mister bottle along with some water. I know that there are many companies out there that are selling these types of sprays right now, but I figured I'd make my own!

I laid out some small flowers from our backyard and misted it down. I used regular cardstock, although I'm thinking that watercolor paper would work a whole lot better. Still pretty, though. Verse is from Biblical Impressions.

New MOPS theme

As I've mentioned a few times, I am the creative activities coordinator for our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group. The theme for the coming year (we operate on a school year type schedule) is "The Home Factor" and Dwell Well is sort of a sub-theme. The set Road to a Friends from TAC has this cute house that coordinates perfectly with the theme, so of course I just had to buy it!

I stamped it with Palette Noir ink onto a Fabriano square notecard, and then did the sentiment with Karen Foster snap stamps. I colored it with a mix of straight marker and watercoloring, then accented it with ribbon from my stash.

Swirly Fun

Still playing around with Baroque Motifs, and I thought I'd share my "inspiration" along with it. I love the design of this tank top, and as soon as I saw this set, I knew I was going to have to create something with these colors.

So here's my spin on it... I stamped the swirl using white & brick red Versamagic inks on Blush Blossom, then layered it with some cranberry crisp. I wanted to keep the panel pretty large but still leave room for the sentiment (from another new set - Holidays & Wishes), so I trimmed a bit off the top of the card base. Still fits in a standard envelope, but just a tiny bit different.

Happy stamping!!

New set - Baroque Motifs

Well, I've placed what will probably be my last order as a demo for SU, and pre-ordered a couple things that will be in the new catalog. My favorite set is Baroque Motifs, which includes this beautiful swirl. It looks very organic to me with those little leafy elements, so I went with it and thought I'd add a few of the little Primas. The card base was an extra I had stamped when I made these cards, so I just added a swirl and those darling purple beauties. Simple, but I love the result!

Retired SU Sets for Sale

As promised, here's the first list of items that I'm selling off. All these sets have been retired for at least a year; they're all nicely trimmed and have been used but not abused. They're in original boxes, and I can send you a photo of the actual set if you'd like. Shipping is extra, and I accept check (with time to clear) or paypal. Drop me a line at tah_dah @ lycos.com if you're interested in anything.

Daisy Punch $5
Bamboo (bkgr) $10
Basket of Blossoms $7
Bold Birthday $8
Bold Blossom Greetings $8
Bold Check Fram (bkgr) $6
Button Bear $20
Christmas Peace $10
Contemporary Collection $8
Fabulous Four $6
Friendship’s Journey $15
Fun Phrases $10
Gift Tags $10
Great Groupings $12
Hang in There $14
Happy Birthday Greetings (bkgr) $10
Hearts & Posies $8
Hello Spring $5
I Like Your Style $12
Just A Note $4
Love Blooms $11
Make A Wish $13
New Beginnings $12
Notable Notes $10
Petite Posies $8
Posy & Bee $9
Roughing It $30
Season’s Greetings (partially mounted) $25
Shape of Things $10
Simply Seasonal $10
Sketch A Party $10
Something Nice $9
Stained Glass II $16
Sun, Moon & Stars $8
Thank You Blocks $6
Vertical Greetings $18
Watercolor Fun $7
Wishing Well $15

Good Things really do come to those who wait!

Joann's has a line of kits (Gallery J) that are nice alterables, along with all the papers and embellishments to make a very nice item. I've been wanting to replace our kitchen clock for quite some time now (it's been knocked off the wall one too many times), and there was a very cool clock kit I'd been eyeing up. Only problem - it was $19.99. Too rich for my blood! I debated about getting it with a coupon, but even at 40% off it was still $12. I actually put it in my cart sometime around Christmas (when I had a 50% coupon), but still couldn't do it.

Well, I was running errands on Saturday and stopped at Joann's. Turns out they're doing some major clearance, and I now am the proud owner of a clock kit. Final cost: $4.97. Woooo Hoooooo! I also got some really great embellishments that I'd been longing for from the CK line that had been marked down to 50 cents. Yeah, Baby! This week is pretty full, so I don't think I'll have time to work on the clock. Still need to decide exactly what I'm going to do with it, too. I have *too* many ideas, but I'm determined to actually make up my mind and create something!! (And on a side note, I did not buy the tray kit, although it was pretty cool, too. See, I do have just a teensy bit of self-control...)

More Fun with Twinkling H2Os

I was going a bit crazy yesterday afternoon, so decided to take a breather and play. The latest issue of the Technique Junkies newsletter (link on the sidebar) had the "Cling & Scrunch" technique. There were several suggested variations, but I decided to use it with my twinks. I've had them for about two years now, and I think I've used them more in the past six weeks or so than in all the previous months combined - it's kind of fun rediscovering what's in my stash!

So anyway, I started with plain old white cardstock, then misted it with water. I used my aquapainter to apply various colors of the TH2Os, layering them up and really saturating the paper. I then covered that with some crinkly plastic wrap and set the pieces aside to dry (that's the hardest part!).

I did one piece with really vibrant red and orange tones, then used Penny Black images. I love how it turned out, although it's definitely a departure from my usual.

I did the other one with greens and purples, and finished it out with the SU Stipple Hydrangea. I layered it with a piece embossed with the CB Script folder (swiped with ink to make it more noticeable).

I wish you could see just how lovely these are in person - I am including one detail shot of the hydrangea card just so you can get just a hint of the shimmer!

Psssstt! Have I got a deal for you!

C'mere! Duck into this alley so no one can see us! I got some good stuff for you, mostly stamp sets. Hope to post the (first) list soon.

(I'm trying to reclaim some space AND funds - plus, if I sell enough stamps I get to go to the MOPS convention in September. Help a girl out! PLEASE!!)

Wishing You Joy!

Used another Bella image that I was RAK'd; it seems I like her in a green dress! I also used BasicGrey papers again - Stella Ruby this time. I'm feeling a bit more confident with my prismacolor pencils, but still have a lot to learn.

The sentiment is by Kolette Hall ($1 bin at Michael's), and the mesh type ribbon is from All My Memories.

May you have a joyous day!!

Simple, Shimmery Thank You

Well, Monday was World Cardmaking Day, and I celebrated a day later by cranking out 15 of these as a Thank You for our MOPS coordinator (this morning was our last meeting!).

Simple design, but they're very lovely IRL. The main image (Artfully Asian) was painted with Twinkling H20s, so it kind of reminds me of cloisonne. The purple layer behind that is Bazzill Bling, so more shimmer. I added a bit of narrow black organdy, and then stamped the sentiment (Sincere Salutations).

Pounded Flower

Hey, look - I finally made something! Now admittedly there is very little actual stamping involved, but it still felt good... I'm definitely going for simple designs these days.

I had picked some flowers a few weekends ago and done some more pounding, then set them aside and life got busy. Well I took a couple minutes this afternoon to complete this card. The original flower was a vivid fuschia, but it came out a pretty bluish purple. I punched it, then layered it with another punch (Vintage Violet), then added a bit of ribbon (Creative Impressions), mounted it a Celery card base, and stamped the sentiment (PaperTrey).

One quick note: if you do use this technique, you'll need a good adhesive for the pounded image, as the cardstock does warp a bit from the moisture of the flower. Mono Multi works for me!