Senior Years - Retirement swap cards

 These are swap cards I made for a group I belong to.  The theme for this month was "retirement".  I thought the Senior Years would be a perfect stamp set to use.

I visualized my couple to retire to a tropical country, with beautiful sunsets, palm trees, and large foliage with exotic flowers.

Stamps : Senior Years, Timeless Tropical

Inks:  Black Memento, Soft Suede, Stampin' Blends, Marker for the trees (Old Olive, Early Espresso)

Papers:  Basic White, Old Olive, Tropical Escape retired paper, retired other DSP for the sky.

Accessories:  In the Tropics dies, 1/4" Braided Burlap trim, Wink of Stella, Dimensionals

Double Sided See Through Shaker Card - Try Stampin' on Tuesday #456

I made this shaker card for the sketch challenge at Try Stampin' on Tuesday  where I had the option to do the sketch challenge or make a shaker using the sketch - so I did both.

However, I did something I had not done before - I made a double sided see through shaker card.  Both the front and the back of the card have a see through window, with the back flap of the card becoming the actual shaker unit.

The Poppy Parade base card is a 4 1/4 by 5 1/2" side fold card, with rectangle apertures die cut and covered by window sheets, in  the middle of both the front and back. This allows you to see through the card from the front to the back - like open concept.

Back of card

Two extra pieces of  Poppy Parade card stock 1/8" smaller than usual i.e. 3 7/8 by 5 1/8" also have rectangles die cut in the center.  The rectangular opening in the front is used as a template for these two extra pieces to ensure the "open concept" is carried through exactly the same in all layers. 

After the window sheet is adhered to the wrong side of the card front, the second card stock piece is adhered over it to hide it.

A window sheet is also adhered to the second smaller piece of card stock, as well as the back of the card base.  The shaker unit,with Poppy shaker elements, is created on the back flap of the card base and the second smaller piece of Poppy Parade card stock is added over the back piece to complete this unit.

The Tropical Oasis DSP also has a rectangle die cut with the stitched rectangle die, with a larger die and adhered to the card front. The card front is decorated with 3 flowers from the Timeless Tropical stamp set.  Each of these are coloured with Grapefruit Grove, So Saffron, with Cherry Cobbler in the center. After shaping, they are adhered to a 1 1/4" circle punch and added to the lower right frame.  Another 1 1/4" punched circle is also added to the inside to hide the flowers showing through the window sheet. Three hand cut sponged leaves added to the flowers complete the floral decoration.  Early Espresso stamens and gold prills are added to the center of each bloom.

A die cut tag from Ornate frame dies, with the word 'thanks' stamped in it, is added to the flower.

Supplies Used:

Stamp:  Time Tropical

Inks:  Black Memento, Grapefruit Grove, So Saffron, Granny Apple Green

Papers:  Poppy Parade, Whisper White, Timeless Tropical DSP, Granny Apple Green

Accessories:  Window Sheets, Stitched Rectangle Dies, Tropical Oasis dies, Gold Prills (non SU), Poppy shaker elements, Ornate framed die, 1 1/4" circle punch.

Another Timeless Tropical card

This time instead of flowers, the focus is on palm trees.

When I think of the tropics I think of colourful sunrises and/or sunrises, so I attempted to mimic these in my card. Using a sponge brayer, the following colours were added to the sky: So Saffron,Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral, Balmy Blue.

A strip of Tropical Oasis DSP featuring palm trees was added to the left side, and braided Linen trim as adhered along the edge. Note:  I did not place the trim ends under the card stock at their ends as this would make the card too bulky.  InThstead the trim was cut at the card stock edge and some ribbon fray solution was added to the ends to prevent fraying.  This solution can be obtained in any fabric supply store. Another strip of DSP looking like the beach  was adhered along the bottom.

The trees were stamped using markers - Old Olive on one tree and Mossy Meadow on the second and Early Espresso  on the trunks. and then die cut using the In the Tropics Dies.

The palm trees were added as shown on the card using small dimensionals some of which I cut in half. Grounding lines were added at the base.

The sentiment,, stamped in Early Espresso, was punched with the Label Me Lovely punch

Supplies Used:
Stamp: Timeless Tropical
Inks:  Sky:  So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral, Balmy Blue         
           Trees:  Old Olive, Mossy Meadow, Early Espresso markers
           Sentiment:  Early Espresso
Papers:  Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White, Tropical Oasis DSP
Accessories:  Tropics dies, 5/16 braided linen trim, brayer, Label Me Lovely punch.

Timeless Tropical Tutorial

With minus 26 degrees Celsius outside, my thoughts wander to warmer climes.  Wouldn't it be nice to go to the tropics? Feel the sun on your face, the sand between your toes!!

My imagination would have to suffice. So I pulled out the Timeless Tropics bundle and made some this card which includes a tutorial.

This Z-fold card has a Terracotta Tile base layered with Very Vanilla card stock.  All the images are stamped and then embossed with clear embossing powder.

Stamp:  Timeless Tropical
Inks:  Terracotta Tile, Soft Suede, Stampin' Blends Light & dark Cajun Craze, So Saffron, Soft Suede, Old Olive blend
Papers:

• Terracotta Tile 5 1/2 by 11 scored at 2 1/8 and 5 1/2".  Fold back on 2 1/8" score line to form a Z fold card
• Terracotta Tile 3 1/2 by 3 1/2" - mat for art piece
• Terracotta Tile - scrap to mat sentiment piece
• Very Vanilla 4 by 5 1/4" - for inside - embossed with Coastal Weave Embossing Folder
• Very Vanilla 3 1/4 by 3 1/4" - art piece - embossed with Coastal Weave Embossing Folder
• Very Vanilla 2 by 5 1/4" - for card front
• Very Vanilla 3 1/2 by 3 1/2" - for sentiment inside card
• Soft Suede 3 5/8 by 3 5/8" - mat for inside sentiment piece
• Tropical Oasis DSP 1 5/8 by 4 7/8" - for card front
• Very Vanilla 4 by 4 - to stamp and colour 1 large, 2 medium flowers, and 3 leaves
• Very Vanilla - scrap for sentiment
• Gold foil - to die cut "aloha"

Accessories:  

• Coastal Weave embossing folder
• In the Tropics dies
• 5/16" Braided Burlap trim
• Champagne rhinestones (2)
• Dazzling Diamonds

Putting Card Together:

1. Form Z fold card base by folding back at 2 1/8" score line.  Burnish all folds
2. Emboss both pieces of Very Vanilla - 3 1/4 by 3 1/4" art piece and 4 by 5 1/4" inside piece with the Coastal Weave embossing folder.
3. Mat art piece with 3 1/2 by 3 1/2"  Terracotta tile and set aside
4. Adhere embossed piece to inside of card.
5. Adhere 3 1/2 by 3 1/2" piece of Very Vanilla to Soft Suede mat and add to inside layer
6. Add Very Vanilla and DSP to card front
7. Stamp and colour images on 4 by 4" piece of Very Vanilla.  Stamp flowers with Terra Cotta tile ink and embossing with clear embossing powder.  Stamp leaves with Soft Suede ink and emboss with clear embossing powder.
8. Colour flowers with So Saffron Stampin' Blend.  Use Terracotta ink and the blender pen to darken the flower centers.

9.  Colour leaves with Old Olive Stampin blends. 

10. Die cut all images with In the Tropics dies and add to art piece as indicated in picture.

11.  Fold ribbon in half at an angle and insert under outside of large flower adhering with some tombo glue.

12.  Add rhinestones to flower centers and some Dazzling diamonds to the end of the stamen of the large flower.

13.  Adhere only left half of  finished art piece to card front making sure it completing covers the inside sentiment piece.

14.  Die cut "aloha" in gold foil and adhere to scrap of Very Vanilla.  Mat with Terra Cotta tile scrap and adhere left half to card front under the art piece.

Aloha - Another Mini Catalogue Sneak Peak

I'm focusing on making items using the Timeless Tropical stamp set with its coordinating Tropical Oasis DSP and dies, products that will be available on January 3 when the mini catalogue debuts.

 Yesterday I made a card featuring the Hibiscus flower.  Today the focal element of the card is a die cut pineapple.

 

This card features a die cut pineapple adhered to a background brayered with Pool Party and Pear Pizzazz Ink.  The Pineapple is die cut in 2 layers.  The top layer is Mango Melody with a layer of Soft Suede beneath.  The Mango Melody layer has the edges sponged with Soft Suede ink.  After the two layers were adhered together I used a bone folder to create some roundness to the pineapple and then it was adhered to the background using dimensionals,

The leaves were die cut twice - once in Pear Pizzazz, and once in Garden Green. The edges were sponged with their respective colours and then shaped by using a bone folder

The Garden Green leaves were added behind the pineapple; the Pear Pizzazz leaves on top of and in front of the pineapple.  Dimensionals were used between the layers.

The sentiment, die cut 3 times using Grapefruit Grove card stock, are adhered together and then added to the reverse side of  a tag made from the Timeless Tropical DSP.  The top was punched with the tag punch, and the bottom edges rounded with the corner rounder punch.  A bow made with the linen thread was added to the top of the tag.

The background piece was matted with Poppy Parade and then added to the card front.

The card base is Poppy Parade, layered with Mango Melody card stock embossed with the Coastal Weave embossing folder. Towards the left side, a strip of Tropical Oasis DSP (hibiscus pattern) was added as well as a 1/2" piece of Poppy Parade ribbon on top of the DSP.

The card was finished by fussy cutting three flowers from the DSP and adding them to the top and bottom of the art piece.  Red Rhinestones were added to the flower centers.

To finish the pineapple, some shimmer crystal effects was added to the edges of the pineapple leaves.

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Supplies Used:
Stamp:  Timeless Tropical
Inks:  Soft Suede, Garden Green, Pear Pizzazz, Pool Party
Papers:  Poppy Parade, Mango Melody, Whisper White, Tropical Oasis DSP Pear Pizzazz, Garden Green
Accessories:  Tropical Oasis Dies, Coastal Weave Embossing Folder, Red Rhinestones, Dimensionals, 1/2 " Poppy Parade ribbon, Linen thread, Corner rounder punch, tag punch

Hibiscus Birthday - Hand stamped Sentiments #329 - a Mini Catalogue sneak peak

I've been neglecting my blog lately for a number of reasons, some not  so good and some good.
Let's start with the good.
Three weeks ago I adopted 2 eleven week old kittens - a black one named Inky and an orange one named Pascal aka Rascal.  They don't know the rules of the house yet so they have required close supervision, especially with the Christmas decorations up. And they're fascinated with the computer screen and keyboard.  One is on my lap as I type. My son is a great help and works with them to come when he calls.  They're doing really well with that.

The not so good reason is that the same day I adopted them I was hospitalized with cellulitis (severe skin infection) of my right foot and leg which required about a week on IV antibiotics to clear up.

Okay, now on to today's post.
This birthday card was made for the sketch challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiment #329. and depicts a sneak peak of a  new stamps and coordinating dies from the upcoming Mini Catalogue debuting on January 3, 2020.

Stamp:  Timeless Tropical, Itty Bitty Birthday

Inks:  Black Memento,  Stampin Blends (Lovely LIpstick, Night of Navy, Grapefruit Grove, Mossy Meadow, Daffodil Delight)

Papers:  Shaded Spruce card base, Whisper White embossed with the new Coastal Weave 3D embossing folder, 1 by 5 1/4" strip of Tropical Oasis DSP, Flower and leaves stamped on Whisper White and mounted on a 1 3/8" Grapefruit Grove circle. It is added to card front with dimensionals.

Accessories:  Coastal Weave 3D embossing folder, Tropical Oasis Die, Stampin Dimensionals, Shimmer Crystal Effects (applied to flower and edge of leaves), Dazzling Diamonds, Stitched So Sweetly Dies (die cut sentiment) 1 3/8" circle punch. 1/4: Grapefruit Grove ribbon. self adhesive sequins

Flower:

After stamping with Black Memento ink twice (the second flower I just cut out  the stamen), It is coloured first with Grapefruit Grove ink and a blender pen along the edges of the petals and the stamen, with Lovely Lipstick Stampin' blend colouring in the rest of the flower.  To darken the center of the flower I used a Night of Navy Stampin' blend. 

Shimmer Crystal effects was applied to the edges of the flower petals, and the center, as well as the leaves.  Dazzling diamonds was added while the Crystal Effects was still wet. The extra stamen was also added to give this part of the flower a bit more visibility.

The flower was mounted on a 1 3/8" round punched circle using dimensionals.