Celebrating Summer - a Diorama Card - SUO Challenges #252

When I think about celebrating summer I think about many things.

I think about my garden, with the cacaphony of colour as all the flowers are blooming

I think about the sounds of the birds as they call to each other and tend to their young.  There's a cardinal nest in my lilac tree right above my swing chair.

I think about warm sand and going to the beach and getting my nose sunburned - about children playing in the sand building sand castles.

As impossible as it might seem, all these thoughts were put into one card - a Diorama card.  For the challenge with SUO Challenges summer is celebrated with a different focus.

To celebrate summer, two little girls (Beautiful Moments) are visiting Grandma who happens to live by the beach and has this neat garden.  On this day, gathering pails in hand, they head through the garden gate down to the beach to spend the day building sand castles. Grandma (unseen) is watching) If they get tired they can take turns sitting in this lovely pink (Magenta Madness) beach chair.  Don't you wish you could join them?

The sentiment from "Celebrating Sunflowers" bobs on the ocean reminding us what this day is all about.

Several stamp sets are used to set the stage for this 3 layer Diorama card.  Grace's Garden stamps and die cuts are used to create Grandma's garden, from the front gate to all the colourful flowers to the curious kittens being teased by the local birds, to the blooming vines over head.  The girls pause briefly as they walk through the gate hardly noticing the colourful scene all around them, their eyes focused on the beach ahead.

The ocean setting with the water and beach are created using the High Tide stamp set, with a brayered Balmy Blue sky, Pacific Point ocean and crumb cake beach.  An Adirondack chair, die cut using a Seasonal Layer die, sits among the beach grass on the shore. The shrill call of the Sea birds echo overhead as the girls step onto the warm sand of the beach.  The soft ocean breeze ruffle their hair as they take in the view, looking first at the water, then at the beach looking for a good spot to build their castles.  Finding a spot, they sit down to play.  Grandma is still watching.

This 3 layer Diorama card is 4 1/4 by 5 1/2" and 2 1/4" deep.  It will fold flat for mailing but a special, custom envelope will have to be made.

Layer 3 (back) is Whisper White 4 1/4 by 7 1/2" scored 1" at each end and has the beach scene.

Layer 2 (middle) Whisper White 4 1/4 by 7 1/2" scored 1" at each end. It has an aperture die cut in the middle using a medium stitched Label die. This is the end point of the garden, with flowers on both sides and vines over head.

Layer 1 (front)  Seaside Spray 4 1/4 by 11 1/2"  scored 2 1/4" each end. It also has an aperture die cut with the larger stitched Label die.

This is the beginning of the garden.  A variety of Stampin' Blends are used to colour the flora and fauna as well as the gate. It reminds me of my garden.

To put the card together, fold up the ends of layer 3 and adhere to the outside of the ends of layer 2 which have been folded down.  Adhere layer 1 with the folded ends added to the outside of both of the other layers.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Grace's Garden, High Tide, Beautiful Moments,  Celebrate Sunflowers
Inks:  Black Memento, Watercolor pencils (girls), Balmy Blue, Pacific Point, Basic Gray, Crumb Cake, various Stampin' Blends for the garden flowers,
Papers:  Whisper White, Magenta Madness, Seaside Spray, Garden Green
Accessories:  Garden Gateway dies, Stitched Nesting Label Dies, Seasonal Layers dies, Ornate frame die (sentiment) Blender pen

A garden, birds overhead, warm sand on your feet, the sound of waves, and a soft ocean breeze - what more can you ask for to celebrate summer.

Diorama Card - Blossoms of Life's Garden

Gardening has always been one of my passions, so I was excited when I saw I saw the Grace's Garden stamp set and coordinating dies (Garden Gateway Dies) in the new Mini Catalogue. It's been a while since I got it, and I finally finished a project using it.

I have made a Diorama card before here but I used a tutorial at Splitcoasterstampers here to refresh my memory.

The front layer of this 3 layer Diorama card is Purple Posy card stock; the other two layers are Whisper White with the base layer being Thick Whisper White.

Two sizes of stitched Nested Label dies were used to make the apertures; the largest being used in the front.  This gives  a tunnel effect and directs your eye to the back of the card which has a statement stamped on the back wall:  "Of all the blossom of life's garden, friendship is the most fragrant"

The open gate (the die cut gate was cut in half to allow it to open) provides an invitation into the garden which consists of many coloured flowers, vines, as well as some curious cats and birds.  These are all stamped, coloured and die cut from the Grace's Garden stamp/die set.

A close up of the open gate

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This is a side view of the right front of the card.

Close up of the left side.  See the bird on top of the post teasing the cat?

 Supplies Used:
Stamp:  Grace's Garden
Inks:  Black Memento, Stampin' Blends  combinations of Daffodil Delight, Highland Heather, Old Olive, Real Red, Basic Gray, Crumb Cake, Calypso Coral)
Papers: Whisper White, Thick Whisper White, Purple Posy

• Thick Whisper White 4 1/4 by 9 1/2": scored 2" at each of the long ends 
• Whisper White 4 1/4 by 7 1/2: scored at 1" at both long ends
• Purple Posy card stock 4 1/4 by 9 1/2" scored 2" at each of the long ends
• Whisper White 1/2 piece to stamp images.

Accessories:  Garden Gateway dies, Stitched Nested Label dies

Spring Time Diorama

I was challenged to make another Diorama card by a Facebook friend. In February I made my first Diorama card featuring the Big Catch stamp and it was very well  received.  The link to that post is here.

This time my card has a Spring theme. Like many, I am snow weary and yearn for warmer weather .

 I used the following stamp sets:  Abstract Impressions, Enjoy Life, and Petal Palettes.

Although this is a bulky card, it folds flat for mailing (see below).  However, an envelope will have to made using the Envelope punch board to accommodate the different envelope size.  I would recommend using a bubble envelope to mail this card.

The impetus for this card, and the colour scheme used, was a background technique I demonstrated in class on Wednesday.  This technique involved randomly applying the following colours on a piece of Whisper White card stock:  Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Highland heather, and Granny Apple Green, then spritzing the colours with water to blend them.  

I found this finished background piece lying on my desk this morning, and recalling the challenge I was given, I started making this card.

This card is by no means a 'quick' card and it did take me most of the morning to make.

The dimensions for the 3 layers to this card are as follows:

• Front:  Very Vanilla 10 1/2 by 5" scored at 2 and 8 1/2"
• Middle: Gorgeous Grape 8 1/2 by 5" scored at 1 and 7 1/2"
• Back (scene) 10 1/2 by 5" scored at 2 and 8 1/2"

Layering circle framelits were used to die cut circular apertures in the front and middle layers - a larger one in the front, and a smaller one in the middle.

Scene:

On the finished background piece, and using the stamparatus, the leaves and flowers from the Abstract Impressions stamp set were stamped across the bottom - the leaves in Pear Pizzazz and Old Olive, and the flowers in Highland Heather and Gorgeous Grape.

Then some butterflies from "Enjoy Life" were stamped randomly above the flowers using Gorgeous Grape ink.

This was added to the back layer.

Middle Layer:  Around the circular aperture yellow flowers from Petal Palette were adhered - a total of 4 stamped, coloured and die cut images.  You can see the flowers around the middle circle in the picture above. At the bottom of the circle was added the silhouette of the individual raising his hands up as well as a cyclist going by.  Both of these are from "Enjoy Life"

Front of Card:

Prior to die cutting the circle, some Garden Impressions DSP was adhered to the front. Flowers stamped, coloured and die cut using the Petal Palette stamp and die set were arranged around the circle.  Two birds were also added.

A butterfly left over from another project was added to the left side.

To finish the card, rhinestones were added to the tiny butterflies in the scene, and in the centers of the flowers and butterfly on the front.

Close up of left front

Close up of right front

Some Whisper White card stock decorated with a strip of DSP was added to the back of the card. Also added were some extra flowers that were not used to decorate the card.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Abstract Impressions, Enjoy Life, Petal Palette

Inks:  Black Memento, Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather, Old Olive, Pear Pizzazz, Various colours of Stampin' Blends

Papers:  Very Vanilla, Gorgeous Grape, Whisper White, Garden Impressions DSP

Accessories:  Layering Circles Framelits, Springtime Garden Thinlets, Petals & More Framelits, Rhinestones, Stamparatus

Best Catch in a Diorama card

Diorama a noun that means . A three-dimensional display of a scenery, often having a painted background in front of which models are arranged, or a small scaled replica of a scene.

There are a plethora of tutorials for Diorama cards but the one I found most helpful was made by Amanda Fowler, an Australian Demonstrator.  You can find her video tutorial here

There are also various types of Diorama cards. Some have two layers; some are three. All have an aperture through which the scene is viewed.

My Diorama card has three layers, a front and middle piece through which an opening is die cut and a back piece upon which the scene is built.

Although it looks bulky, it lies flat for mailing. But because this makes it a larger size, an envelope was made using the Envelope Punch Board.

From front to back, the layers are as follows:

Front layer:  Crumb Cake
Middle Layer:  Old Olive
Back Layer:  Thick Whisper White 

Two different sizes of the Stitched Rectangle framelits were used to die cut the apertures in the front and middle layers - the smaller framelit for the middle layer.

On the back layer, a mountain and water scene was created providing a lovely back drop for the fisherman who was casting his fishing line in the water. The Waterfront stamp was used to create the mountains.

This is a view from the left side of the Diorama card. You can see the 3 layers as well as the embellishments on the outside.

The 3 small fish were held in a bunch with Old Olive linen thread , the fishing hook  looks like its holding them up.

Above is the left side, which displays the 3D look of the card.  The cluster of reeds and bull rushes, adhered to the top and middle layer help to create this 3D look.  The rainbow trout adhered to the top of the card looks like it has jumped out of the water

Before entering the water, the fisherman left an extra hat which I placed on one corner of the sentiment, which was also die cut with the Stitched Rectangle Framelit.  The basket is waiting for his catch.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Best Catch, Waterfront
Inks:  Black Memento, Stampin' Blends, Basic Gray,  Balmy Blue, Pacific Point, Mossy Meadow, Soft Suede
Accessories:  Best Catch Framelit dies, Stitched Rectangle Framelit dies, Old Olive Linen Thread