If Friends were Pumpkins - Inspiration Challenge Hand Stamped Sentiments #427

 Happy Halloween!!

I'm not out trick or treating, now am I giving out candy. Instead I am making a card for the Inspiration Challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments 

To make this card, I pulled out an old friend, and a new friend - the Pretty Pumpkins stamp set, and Autumn Spendor DSP

The 3 pumpkin image was stamped twice and coloured with Stampin' Blends.  After die cutting them, I cut one of the pumpkins apart and arranged all the pumpkins under the window, adhering them with stampin dimensionals.

The sentiment was added to the bottom of the card over the bottom of the pumpkins.

Supplies Used:

Stamp:  Pretty Pumpkins

Inks:  Black Memento, Stampin Blends (Pumpkin Pie, Mossy Meadow)

Papers: Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Basic White, Autumn Splendor DSP

Accessories:  Pretty Pumpkin dies, Window sheet, Brass Butterfly embellishments, Dimensionals.

Friends - Vertical Sketch Challenge - Paper Craft Crew Challenge #480

 I participate in monthly sketch challenges with an on-line group I belong to. This month I used the sketch from the Vertical sketch challenge with PCC 480  to make the cards for this month.

The topic for this month's challenge is "friends" and I thought the characters, especially the bear and the fox,  from the stamp set "Count on Me" would be perfect for this. So, I stamped them both with Black Memento ink and coloured them using Stampin' Blends after which they were cut out.

The card base is Pear Pizzazz card stock, 4 1/4 by 11" scored at 5 1/2".  This I layered with a 4 by 5 1/4" piece of Rings of Love DSP embossed with the Animal Prints Embossing Folder.

The 4 by 3" Basic White art piece has Balmy Blue and Pear Pizzazz applied using blender brushes. The tree stamped with Pear Pizzazz in the background is from "Campology".

Both images were added to the art piece using tombo glue, after which the completed art piece was added to the card front using dimensionals.

The sentiment is stamped on a strip of Basic white card stock notched at one end.  The edges are sponged lightly with Balmy Blue so that it blends in a bit better.

To complete the art  piece three decorative dots were added to the upper right side.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Campology, Count on Me

Inks:  Black Memento, Stampin' Blends (Smoky Slate, Balmy Blue, Basic Black, Cajun Craze), Pear Pizzazz, Balmy Blue

Papers:  Pear Pizzazz, Basic White, Rings of Love DSP

Accessories:  Animal prints embossing folder, Triple punch, Matte Decorative dots, Brushed brass Butterflies, dimensionals

Flower Power Try Stampin on Tuesday #452

The flowers in my garden are not yet in bloom - not even close.  They are valiantly trying to sticking their heads up out of the ground, but it is still too cold.

Yet the drawing power of the garden is evident by the frequency I am drawn there- just to look/see

The card was made for the sketch challenge at Try Stampin' on Tuesday #452, the theme for which was "flower power"

The A2 Terracotta Tile card base is layered with Whisper White embossed with the 3D Ornate Floral Embossing Folder.  A piece of Ornate Garden DSP (multiple terracotta, pink/white flowers) is added on the bottom quarter.

Flowers adhered to die cuts are added to the card front alternating above and below the edge of the DSP.

Flowers:

The small blossom punch was used to punch Whisper White flowers (2 for each flower) the petals of which were inked with Terracotta Ink, spritzed with alcohol, crumpled and allowed to dry partially. After partially uncrumpling them more there were allowed to dry before shaping them a bit. 

Two petals were also punched using the Petal punch.  Old Olive was used to colour these leaves and they were treated the same as the flowers.  The leaves were snipped off the stem to form individual leaves.

To make a flower, two completed flowers were adhered together alternating petals. Two leaves were adhered to the bottom of each flower.

Each flower was adhered to a die cut Terracotta Ornate Frame which was adhered to the card front at the edge of the DSP.

Sentiment:

The sentiment, from Another Thank You, is stamped on Whisper White card stock, in Old Olive ink, then die cut with an Ornate Frame Die.

Another larger, more ornate frame, is die cut in Terracotta Tile card stock, and the Whisper White die cut is adhered to the larger one using dimensionals.

This is then added,centered,to the top half of the card front.

A ribbon, made with a 3/8" Old Olive ribbon (which is part of the Ornate Garden bundle) is added at the bottom of the sentiment.

To finish, some Crystal Effects was added  to the flowers, and while it was wet, some Dazzling Diamonds was lightly dusted over the flowers.

Three Gilded Gems were added to the upper right.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Another Thank You

Inks:  Old Olive, Flowers (Terracotta Tile, Old olive)

Papers:  Terracotta Tile, Whisper White, Ornate Garden DSP

Accessories:  3/8" Old Olive ribbon, Ornate Frame Dies, Small Blossom Punch, Leaf Punch, Crystal Effects, 3D Ornate Floral Embossing Folder, Dazzling Diamonds, Gilded Gems, Dimensionals.

Partial Die Cutting tabs for Try Stampin on Tuesday #433

I started out by making a dresser card for the sketch/ inspiration challenge at Try Stampin' on Tuesday #433, but along the way, the card morphed into an interactive card with tabs that opened up to reveal a scene inside.  I used a combination of the Water Front and the Snow Front stamp sets to create the scene behind the tabs using the inspiration from the picture in the challenge.

The tabs were created using the partial die cutting technique.

The front of the card is Woodwork Texture DSP adhered to a piece of Whisper White.  This piece was divided in half with 3 partially die cut stitched rectangular tabs created on the left and a larger rectangular tab on the right.

A 1/2" round circle punch made the notch in the end of the tabs so they could be opened a bit easier. In addition some 1/2" Early Espresso circles were added on each tab end.

On the front of the right side I stamped the tree image from Snow Front.

This card front was laid on top of an identical sized piece of Whisper White card stock and with a pencil lightly drew the outline of each die cut opening.   The scene was then created.

Tab 1 opens to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of the scene as well as a black embossed sentiment.

Tab 2 opens to reveal some cabins for camping

Tab 3:  now the left side of the scene is revealed. 

Tab on the right:  reveals the rest of the scene as well as the rest of the sentiment.

This art piece was added to an Early Espresso card front.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Water Front, Snow Front

Inks:  

Mountains:  Smokey Slate

Trees & greenery:  Mossy Meadow

Cabins and Deer:  Early Espresso

Sky:  Light Seabreeze Spray

Versa Mark

Papers:  Early Espresso card base, Whisper White, Wood Texture DSP

Accessories:  Stitched rectangle dies, 1/2" circle punch, copper metallic embellishments, Black embossing powder

We're the Best of Friends -The Paper Players # 440 and a new catalogue sample

Do you ever have one of these nights where you wake up at 3 am and can't get  back to sleep? It is now close to 5 am and I've been up since that ungodly hour.  I've had too many of these nights.  However, I try to make the most of the quiet time to get caught up with my blogging.

Yesterday evening I experimented with making a Z-fold card using the Nesting Label dies and the new "Free as a Bird" stamp set with the theme of 'friendship".  This was  for the theme challenge with The Paper Players

A traditional Z-Fold card made with a Balmy Blue base is layered with Whisper White and then 3 different patterns of the Bird Ballad DSP.

The focal piece is a Nesting Label die of watercolor paper, within which a Balmy Blue watercolor wash was created to form a backdrop for the 'friends'.  The 'friends' are birds that I fussy cut directly from the DSP - the branch that one is perched on is die cut in Soft Suede using the Seasonal Layers die.  The leaves and flowers were stamped on a separate piece of Whisper White card stock, using the Free as a Bird stamp set, coloured with Stampin' Blends and then fussy cut.  These were attached to the die cut branch.  The 'friend' looks like he just dropped by as I placed him off the edge of the label die.

The label is adhered to the card front by one edge only, the biflagged sentiment beneath it. A Whisper White label adhered to the inside is positioned in such a manner as to not been seen when card is closed.

Three feathers, also fussy cut from the DSP, were adhered to the upper left of the focal image.  A bow, made using  Linen thread was added at the top of the feather cluster.

This stamp set is available for order on June 3, 2019

Supplies Used:
Stamp:  Free as a Bird
Inks:  Black Memento, Balmy Blue, Stampin' Blends - Petal Pink, Calypso Coral, Old Olive
Papers:  Balmy Blue, Whisper White, Bird Ballad DSP, Soft Suede, Watercolor
Accessories:  Nested Label dies, Linen thread, Colorful Seasons die

If Flowers Were Hugs....

If only flowers were hugs I would be getting hugs all summer long.  But for now I have to be content with flowers on my cards.  And since flowers attract humming birds - bonus!!!

The Humming Along stamp set also features a Humming Bird, who is the star of this card.  I haven't made a shaker for a while and had the urge to do so for this card.

 The card base is Coastal Cabana.

To create the shaker, some Tea Room DSP is first adhered to some Very Vanilla card stock.  The window for the shaker is created using a stitched rectangle framelit which die cut through both layers. Before adding the window sheet it was placed over a same size piece of Very Vanilla and  the boundaries of the window were drawn with a pencil mark.

Window sheet was then adhered on the wrong side of this window and foam adhesive tape applied all the way around it, as well as the card edges.

On the piece of Very Vanilla card stock with the pencil lines marked on it, images from Abstract Impressions were stamped randomly in Melon Mambo, Costal Cabana, and Granny Apple Green, stamping just beyond the pencil marked boundary.

Shaker Elements were comprised of Sprinkle Embellishments as well as tiny butterflies left over from an earlier project. A few tiny butterflies were saved to apply to the card front (see picture below).

The flowers and leaves decorating the outside of the shaker are from Abstract Impressions and were fussy cut.

The die cut  brightly, multicoloured hummingbird was adhered over the shaker close to the larger of the two flowers as if it were eating nectar from the flowers.

Clear Wink of Stella was applied to the entire tiny bird.

Self adhesive sequins, as well as tiny butterflies, were added to the card front as indicated by the various pictures.


















Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Humming Along, Abstract Impressions
Inks:  Black Memento, Stampin Blends for the bird, Melon Mambo, Granny Apple Green, & Coastal Cabana for behind the shaker, Melon Mambo for the larger flowers & Pear Pizzazz for the leaves.
Papers:  Coastal Cabana, Whisper White, Tea Room DSP, Melon Mambo, Gorgeous Grape
Accessories:  Humming Along Framelits, Stitched Rectangle Framelit Dies, Butterfly Pretty Framelit Dies, Window Sheet, Foam adhesive strips, Sprinkle Embellishments, Clear Wink of Stella, Dimensionals, Self Adhesive Sequins

Watercoloring with stamps - another Occasions sneak peak

The "Water front" stamp set is so neat!  The stamping makes it look like watercoloring - but of course it's stamping.

See what I mean?  I finished the card so that it looks like it's been placed in a frame. 

The placement of the sun provided orientation for the rest of the images. Here are the colours of inks I used:

• Mountains:  Soft Suede
• Grass:  Lucky Limeade
• Trees:  Trunk - Early Espresso marker;  Branches - Always Artichoke marker
• Cabin:  Early Espresso.  Windows coloured with Daffodil Delight marker
• Water:  Pool Party, Soft Sky, Marina Mist
• Sun:  Crushed  Curry
• Birds:  Basic Gray

The birds are from the stamp set "Wherever You Go"

After I finished the scene I took the fine end of an Early Espresso marker and used "grounding" marks under the hut, and trees, and along the shore line and base of the mountain.  I also sponged lightly around the sun and incorporated some Crushed Curry reflections into the water.

The edges of all card stock were sponged with Basic Gray ink

The art piece was masked with Soft Suede card stock, layered onto Whisper White card stock and then added to an Always Artichoke card base.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Water Front, Wherever You Go"

Inks:  Crushed Curry, Soft Suede, Lucky Limeade, Early Espresso, Pool Party, Soft Sky, Marina Mist, Markers (Early Espresso, Always Artichoke, Daffodil Delight), Basic Gray

Papers:  Always Artichoke, Whisper White, Soft Suede

Feathery Friends - You are Amazing- a Gate Fold Card

I just love this hostess stamp set, but then I like to color.  The detail on these birds are incredible!
This card has a definite  vintage vibe.

.

On the central art piece, the Stamp-a-ma-jig was used to place the two birds close to and facing each other and I colored them with ink pads and a blender pen...

The background was stamped using the Timeless Texture stamp set

The art piece was then matted with Marina Mist card stock.

The basic card is a gate fold card.  The two front panels are lined first with Marina Mist DSP followed by a Whisper White layer which has 2 leaf branches stamped and colored on each.  The background has also been distressed with the Timeless Texture stamp set.  Some tiny yellow flowers with black centers were attached to the ends of the branches on both sides.  I also placed a small flower on the pink bird.

The branch and flower is also stamped on the inside.  Sorry you can't see that.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Feathery Friends, Timeless Texture
Inks:  Black Memento, Watercolor pencils, Pear Pizzazz, Marina Mist (second generation), Old Olive,Always Artichoke
Papers: Marina Mist, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight
Accessories:  Blender Pen, stamp-a-ma-jig, small flower punch (non SU)

Clematis in Center Step Card Fold - The Friday Mashup #221

I love my flowers!  Every mornin at 8:30 a.m.  (weather permitting) I am out in the garden, dead heading, weeding, edging, watering, etc.  It is a time I enjoy very much.  Usually the birds are very active that time of morning, and I hear cardinals, chickadees, doves, and the occasional robin and they are my music accompaniement (? spelling).
When I saw the challenge with The Friday Mashup I was delighted. Yes! Yes! I went.  Then I looked at the colour challenge that went with it: Delightful Dijon, Old Olive, and Rich Razzelberry.  I immediately thought of my clematis, which has finished blooming for the summer, but gave me such a show for over a month.  So, I punched some flower petals and leaves and formed a clematis.

• The card is a Center Step fold card, and the tutorial I used is a modified version of the SCS one.  It was done by Brian King on his blog.
• The base cardstock is Old Olive, and I used the SU trimmer to do the cutting and scoring.
• The center piece  is layered with Rich Razzelberry cardstock, and then Whisper white embossed with the Brick embossing folder.

Flower:

• 6 of the smaller flower petals from the Build a Flower punch (retired) were punched in Rich Razzelberry cardstock.  Each petal was sponged with Rich Razzelberry ink, and shaped with a stylus and the lid of the tombo glue.  A 3/4" circle was punched in Rich Razzelberry as well, and with a hot glue gun, the petals were added to the circle one by one.
• For the center of the flower, I punch a 3/4" circle in Delightful Dijon, sponged the edges with the same colour of ink, then snipped all the way around the circle to create a fringe.  The center was then shaped using a tombo lid to push it into a stamping pad.  This was hot glued to the center of the clematis.  Then I punched a small Rich Razzelberry circle using the 1/8" hand held punch and adhered it to the center.  Finally a rhinestone was added.
• 6 Old Olive leaves were punched using the same punch.  Again, each leaf was sponged using Old Olive ink, and then shaped with a stylus and tombo glue lid.
• A narrow curved stem was cut free hand from a scrap of Old Olive and adhered to the Brick layer.
• The Clematis was adhered to the upper right of this layer, with the leaves added one at a time in a random fashion.

This is one of the 4 clematis vines I have.  It was so beautiful this year.

Designer Paper

• Seeing as I did not have any DSP with those colours I decided to make my own, using a multiple colour emboss resist technique (I made that up I think)
• On a piece of Whisper White cardstock, I randomly sponged areas of Rich Razzelberry, Old Olive and Delightful Dijon using sponge daubers covering the entire surfaces i.e. no white areas.
• Then using Versa Mark ink and the stamp set "Garden in Bloom", I randomly stampedvarious  t images all over the now very colourful paper.  
• Clear embossing powder was added, and then heat embossed.
• Then the entire piece of treated paper was covered with Old Olive ink and a sponge dauber. To finish, the surface was wiped with a dry clean towel.

This DSP was used to place on the front and side pieces.

The sentiment is from the stamp set "Garden in Bloom", punched with a Decorative Label punch, sponged with Rich Razzelberry ink, and adhered to the front using dimensionals.
Tiny flowers in Rich Razzelberry cardstock were punched and added to the front, and two were punched with the remaining DSP and added under the clematis.

Rhinestones were added to the tiny flowers; bling to the edges of the clematic.

Supplies Used:
 

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Wildflower Meadow - a Friend -Card 4

After a severe thunderstorm last night the temperature is a bit more moderate today.  Most of the humidity is gone.  I don't mind heat, but the humidity gets to me.

Card 4 in the Wildflower series is a little different.  I use the masking technique to create the background.

Taking a piece of photo copy paper, I cut it in the shape you want, separate the two cuts and adhere them using dot adhesive to a piece of Whisper White card stock. This is the mask.

Using finger daubers, apply 3 colours of ink to the open space- Pear Pizzazz at the bottom, strawberrry slush in the middle and coastal cabana at the top.

Then stamp this area with Versa Mark ink and emboss with black embossing powder.  I had to touch up a few of the embossed areas using the Versa Mark pen.  Then remove the mask and mat it to a piece of Black Cardstock, which in turn is attached to a base card of Coastal Cabana card stock.

The sentiment is from "Feeling good" - the embellishment from the new Holiday catalogue.

Stamps: Wildflower meadow, Feeling Good

Inks: Pear Pizzazz, Strawberry Slush, Coastal Cabana, Versa Mark, Basic black

Papers: Coastal Cabana, Whisper White, Photocopy paper, Basic Black

Accessories: Black embossing powder, Versa Mark pen, Frosted Finish embellishment.