Soaring with Swallows - Thinking of You

 When I was about 7 my friends and I used to walk around a quarry that was no loger in use.  In the steep walls were holes, and flying in and out of these holes were swallows, flitting here and there intent on catching  mosquitoes.  I used to marvel at their beauty and their ease of motion.

Those memories came flooding back when I saw the "Soaring with Swallows" stamp set in the new mini catalogue.

My first card with this stamp set and coordinating die is a sympathy card, made in tones of gray and white.

The base and art piece panel are Smokey Slate and the rest of the card elements are white.  The ink used to stamp the sentiment is also Smokey Slate.

Before I started the card, I die cut all the different dies that came with the Swallows die and I must admit I was a bit baffled as to how to make the swallows. But I did figure it out and you see one of the birds in the card above.

The swallow is mounted on a doillie that is now retired but I decided to use it because it provided a perfect back drop for the swallow. The doillie and sentiment piece are added to a piece of Smokey Slate card stock die cut with a Nature's Thoughts Die.  This was adhered to a piece of Basic White cardstock die cut with a Scallop contour die.  All were added to a Smokey Slate card stock base.

To finish the card I added some metallic pearls.

Supplies Used:

Stamp:  Soaring Swallows

Ink:  Smokey Slate

Papers:  Smokey Slate, Basic White

Accessories:  Nature's Thought Dies, Scallop contour die, Swallow dies, Polka dot ribbon, Metallic pearls, dimensionals, pearlized doillie (retired)

Sending Positive Thoughts - Hand Stamped Sentiments #335

Having a positive attitude is so important during this time of crisis, during a time when most of us are in either self isolation, or quarantine, when social distancing, washing your hands, and "don't touch your face" are the new norms. 

This card, made using the sketch challenge with Hand Stamped Sentiments #335,  is for  all of you in self isolation or in quarantine. I am "sending positive thoughts" as well as a tutorial on how to make this card, your way. 

• Fold 8 1/2 by 5 1/2" Seaside Spray card stock at 4 1/4" for form an A2 card base.  Burnish fold
• Emboss a 4 by 5 1/4" piece of Whisper White with the Coastal Weave embossing folder and add to card base.
• Adhere a 2 1/4 by 3 1/4" piece of Seaside Spray DSP to the embossed layer against the right lower front about 3/4" from bottom.
• Die cut 2 circles in Night of Navy card stock using Layering Circle Dies.  Adhere to card front as shown in picture above.
• On a separate piece of Whisper White card stock, stamp 3 flowers using Seaside Spray ink with Night of Navy daubed on the centers; 1 leaf with Pear Pizzazz ink and one butterfly using Night of Navy ink.

• Die cut with Nature's Thoughts Dies
• Die cut 3 smaller sprigs using Pear Pizzazz card stock.
• Adhere large leaf and 3 flowers on large circle.  Cluster the 3 flowers, adding the top flower with dimensionals.
• Add 3 sprigs on smaller circle. Adhere butterfly, with dimensionals,  resting on top of these sprigs.
• Selectively highlight sentiment desired using a Basic Black marker and stamp onto a 3/4 by 1 7/8" strip of Whisper White.  Notch one end.  Die cut a Night of Navy edge and add to lower sentiment piece.
• Add sentiment, with dimensionals, across left card front extending across small circle and over stems of sprigs.
• Finish by adding metallic pearls on butterfly body and randomly on card front.

Supplies Used:

Stamp:  Sending Positive Thoughts

Inks:  Seaside Spray, Night of Navy, Basic Black SU marker, Pear Pizzazz

Papers:  Seaside Spray, Whisper White, Night of Navy, Seaside Spray DSP

Accessories:  Layering circle dies, Coastal Weave 3D Embossing Folder, Nature's Thoughts Dies, Metallic Pearls, Dimensionals.

Ginkigo- "my tree"

A Ginkigo tree, also known as Maiden hair tree, was a tree that grew on the front yard of one of the many rental homes my family lived in during my teen years.

I remember being fascinated by this tree.  While the leaves of the other trees around it turned into colours of red, yellow, and orange in the fall, the leaves of this tree turned from a dull green to a golden yellow.  One day I took a leaf to my science teacher hoping he would be able to identify the tree, but to my disappointment he could not . 

One day, when I was researching trees for a school project, I found a picture of "my tree".  I was thrilled to discover that it was a Ginkigo tree, native to China. I also discovered that an investigation is being done on the memory properties found in the yellowish plum 'fruit' of this tree with the hope that it might become a future treatment for Alzheimer's Disease.

Fascinating what one learns.

For the card I made with this stamp, I turned the image upside down because in my mind the tree branch was hanging down, not facing up.

A brayer was used to apply several shades of blue to a 3 3/4 by 5" piece of Whisper White card stock, after which the central portion was die cut using the rectangle die from the Nature's Thoughts die collection.  Before matting it with Basic Black card stock it was embossed with the Scripty embossing folder and then adhered to the cut out frame.  This was also matted with Basic Black card stock before being adhered to the Thick Whisper White card base.

The ginkigo branch was stamped on a separate piece of Whisper White, and coloured with Stampin' Blends in shades of yellow and green. I remember that the branches were dark in colour, almost black.

This was fussy cut and added to the die cut section.

The punched out sentiment, from the same stamp set, is added to the card front with dimensionals.

Supplies Used:
Stamp:  Beautifully Braided
Inks:  Black Memento, Balmy Blue, Pacific Point, Stampin' Blends (Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green,)  Early Espresso marker
Papers:  Whisper White, Thick Whisper White , Basic Black
Accessories: Scripty Embossing Folder,  Nature's Thoughts Die,  Label Me Pretty Punch,   Dimensionals.

Tags in Bloom Fun Fold Shaker Card

The "Tags in Bloom" stamp set is one of the new SAB offerings as of March 3. It was used to make this fun fold shaker card. This card has a smaller card adhered to the center front of the card base.

Supplies Used:

Stamp:  Tags in Bloom

Inks:  Black Memento, Crumb Cake, Stampin' Dimensionals (Rococco Rose, Daffodil Delight, Crumb Cake, Old Olive)

Papers:

• Rococco Rose 5 1/2 by 4 1/4" - card base
• Rococco Rose 6 by 4 1/2" scored at 3" to make the small card 
• Whisper White - 4 by 5 1/4" (2) - one for inside; one embossed with Layering Leaves embossing folder and layered on card base.  Die cut with Nature's Thought Die.
• Whisper White 2 7/8 by 5 7/8" (2) - one for front of small card; one on inside
• Whisper White 4 by 3" - stamp image for shaker unit

Accessories:

• Layering Leaves embossing folder
• Label Me Lovely punch
• Window sheet 4 by 3"
• Woven threads sequin assortment shaker elements
• 1/2" Rococco Rose scallop linen ribbon
• Champagne rhinestones
• Nature's Thoughts Die
• Foam adhesive strips

Putting the Card Together:

• Emboss one piece of 4 by 5 1/4" piece of Whisper White with the Layered Leaf embossing folder.
• Adhere to card front
• Fold and score the 4 1/4 by 6" Roccoco Rose card stock to form a 3 by 4 1/4" card.
• Die cut two pieces of Whisper White cardstock using the Nature's Thought Die.
• On the 3 by 4" Whisper White card stock, stamp the tag image; stamp the flowers only on the bottom of the image.
• Colour the flowers with Stampin' Blends.  Fussy cut the image.
• Punch out the center using the "Label Me Lovely" punch.
• Add window sheet to the wrong side.  Trim the window sheet around the image.
• Add foam adhesive strips around the window sheet 
• On one of the die cut 4 by 5 3/4 pieces of Whisper White, stamp the sentiment in Crumb Cake ink
• Adhere to front of small card
• Add sequins to middle of front, remove covers of adhesive strips and adhere to card front making the shaker.

• add scallop roccocco ribbon below shaker and rhinestones to top right.
• Stamp and colour 3 flowers to inside piece and adhere to inside of small card.

• Adhere small card to card front using dimensionals.

• Finish inside of card.