Running With Scissors...

Blossoms on a Frame

 

I finally got the Distressed Polka Dots background from Stampin’ Up! so I can have polka dots any color, anytime, and in the nick of time, too, seeing as how they’re retiring it next month.  That’s me, right on top of things (not)!  I thought I’d team it up with some of my other recent SU! purchases for today’s card.

 

 

I cut out the center oval of the embossed panel with a craft knife, arranged the flowers and popped up the frame on foam mounting tape.  Stamps, colors, and such are listed in the recipe, below.

 

Not that I’m happy our weather has taken a turn toward chilly, breezy, and damp, but it does give me more stamping time when I’m not inclined to be in the garden. It’s much better to have too many things I love to do than nothing I love to do at all, don’t you think?  Enjoy your day!

 

Stamps:  Stippled Blossoms (flowers), Bloomin’ Marvelous (sentiment), Distressed Dots (polka dot background) – all SU!  Paper:  Yellow Bazzill textured, Whisper White  Ink:  Barely Banana, Summer Sun, Old Olive, Certainly Celery, Lavender Lace, Lovely Lilac, Close to Cocoa  Accessories:  Silver mini-brads, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Two Geese in Love

 

Hello, again!    I’m sure at a glance you can imagine this is a wedding card.  Can you also imagine it’s an image from 1919?  I found it at my favorite source for free digital “stamps”, which is the Digital Two for Tuesday blog, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Cora once again for rescuing these vintage treasures and making them available  to folks like me who love to color and make cards.  You can find this image here.  You really have to see some of Cora’s latest shares.  Think “flowers”.  Love! 

 

 

 

I don’t know that the story for which this illustration was made (The Girl Who Sat by the Ashes) has anything to do with a wedding, but that’s what I saw in it.  Not your traditional swans with their necks forming a heart, I like its uniqueness.  I chose the sentiment from my Stampin’ Up! One in a Million set.  You’d think the image was made specifically for framing a sentiment, wouldn’t you?

 

I printed the image on Flourishes Classic White cardstock and colored with Copic markers.  After the Copic coloring was done I used the itty bitty fine tip of a Stampin’ Up! Chocolate Chip marker to go over the twiggy branches.  The tree is full of fruit of some kind, which is also scattered on the ground.  Maybe they’re supposed to be olives?  I decided to pretend they’re plums, so I colored them purple.

 

Since it’s a wedding, the geese put on their sparkled finery and decorated the plums in sparkle, as well.  The image panel was embossed with Grace’s Frame embossing folder (Cuttlebug), then adhered to the card where pearls and ribbon finish it off.

 

Before I sign off I’d like to mention one thing about digital stamps and glitter.  My printer does not use waterproof ink, and if I add glue of any kind to any ink that’s not waterproof, the ink will bleed.  If I plan to use glitter I spray the image with a matte sealer after the coloring is complete but before I add the glitter.  A couple of light, quick drying coats works just fine.  Spray sealer, both matte and gloss, is a staple in my stamp room.  If you have any tips along these lines I’d love to hear them.

 

Thanks so much for dropping by.  I’ll look forward to our next visit soon!

 

Stamps:  Geese image from Digital Two for Tuesday blog, Stampin’ Up! One in a Million sentiment  Paper:  Flourishes Classic White  Ink:  Printer, Elegant Eggplant, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, pearls, Stickles Stardust glitter glue, Grace’s Frame Cuttlebug embossing folder

Botanical Bookplates

 

Hello!  Today I’d like to share a very simple card I made using Flourishes Botanical Bookplates Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.  The floral image is from Vol. 1 and the sentiment is from Vol. 2. 

 

 

I call this simple because the coloring was really very quick.  Stamped in green Palette ink (waterproof) on 90 lb hot press watercolor paper, I added very little color – just a bit of blue and green.  It’s a simple layout with a panel of textured blue I’ve had forever, an embossed background, and three little brads.   Just enough to remind me how much I love to stamp flowers.

 

By the way, I got a chuckle from Linda’s comment on my fancy horse card the other day.  She asked if I was feeling okay since it was not my usual type of image choice.  Well, I forgot to mention I made that card for a 13 year old girl who dreams about horses day and night.  I have, in fact, been using up my scant stamping time making special order cards.  I enjoy stamping, no matter what I’m working on, but I do so love the flowers.  Hopefully, there will be more of those coming soon, between the baby cards and kids’ cards.  Thanks for bearing with me!

 

Have a lovely day, and I’ll see you again soon.

 

Stamps:  Botanical Bookplates Vol. 1, Botanical Bookplates Vol. 2  Paper:  Blue textured, green, Flourishes Classic Ivory  Ink:  Palette Landscape (green), Old Olive, Bashful Blue  Accessories:  Ribbon, brads, Classic Bookplate die, Swiss Dot embossing folder

The Last of the Dress Form Cards

 

Hello!  I thought I’d share the last of the dress form cards today.  This is #5 of 5 and the simplest of the designs.  I wanted each one to be quite different from the others and perhaps I was running out of ideas or just ready to move on.  I still like it, though.

 

 

This is another of the Loralie stamps.  There are two dress forms in the set, this being the smaller of the two.  I watercolored with Tombow markers on 90 lb hot press watercolor paper.  The buttons are stitched on with silver thread.

 

How many of you go to sleep with your next card in your head?  For me it’s the most relaxing and pleasant way to drift off, and that's what this nighttime blogger is fixin' to do.  Happy stamping to all!  Enjoy your day, and pleasant dreams tonight!

 

Stamps:  Dress Form (Loralie), Feminine Charm sentiment (Flourishes)  Paper:  Black textured, Groovy Guava, Flourishes Classic Ivory, 90 lb watercolor, My Mind’s Eye Rosy designer paper  Ink:  Palette Noir, Tombow Markers for watercoloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, buttons, silver thread, Spellbinders Nested Lacey Pennants, Spellbinders Circles die, Scotch brand foam mounting tape to pop up dress form

Horse Nouveau

 

So much for photographing cards outside.  Oh, well, it was a nice idea.

 

Today I’m sharing a card I made with one of my free digital images from Dover Publications.  I can’t help but think “My Little Pony grows up and meets Mary Engelbreit” when I look at this.  When I decided to color this image I went with the markers I was carrying in my bag at the time, hence the pinks and purples.  Then, when I was trying to decide which color to use for the card base I ran the gamut of colors in the image – too much black, too much white, way too much purple.  Finally, I pulled out this checkered black and white glossy pre-cut card and it seemed right, somehow.  And that’s how I wound up with “My Little Pony grows up and meets Mary Engelbreit” card.

 

 

I colored the image on Classic White cardstock with Copic markers, then took a notion to spray the image with a glossy sealer.  I applied several quick-drying coats, then added glitter and sprayed more gloss.  The result is an image that looks like it was colored on ultra-glossy cardstock.  The colors really pop and the image has wonderful depth to it.  Well, that’s all fine and dandy until you try to photograph it.  Glare everywhere, and not much in the way of gloss, pop, or depth is apparent.  I hope you can imagine. . .

 

 

All the cardstock I used is either glossy or shimmery.  The purple flower is the last of six I bought in 2007, which averages out to a use of one a year – sheesh!   The flourished design on the petals was gold, but I colored it with a silver Pilot paint pen and added glitter.

 

I hope all of you moms had a very nice Mother’s Day.  My husband wanted to get me something special, but I told him all I wanted was time – no laundry, housework, or cooking, no making the bed, no going to the store.  Well, he saw to that and more.  Let’s just say I ended my weekend feeling a little spoiled.  Back to work and real life, now.  Have a great day!

A Wedding Card

 

A friend asked if I would make a wedding card for her and, of course, I agreed.  I’m always up for making something pretty.   The paper did most of the work, but, oh, what beautiful paper!

 

 

 

 

Even with the flower, the card fits in its envelope quite nicely, though it will require extra postage and hand cancelling.

 

 

 

Since it was another beautiful day, I had the luxury of photographing this outside on the picnic table.  I’d like to do that more often this summer, so, perhaps if you don’t hear from me for a while it’s probably cloudy or windy.  I hear we have some rain in the forecast, and we do need it, sad to say.   Guess I’ll be inside making cards and saving them up to photograph when the sun comes out.

 

Ingredients are in the recipe, below.  Happy stamping and a have a beautiful day!

 

Stamps:  Warm Words (Stampin’ Up!)  Paper:  Pale pink and green Bazzill textured, Flourishes Classic Ivory, Prima Fairy Flora designer paper  Ink:  Palette Cognac  Accessories:  Prima flower, ribbon, lace, Spellbinders Floral Flourishes dies and Nested Lacey Pennants dies

Spring Stamping

 

The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, we’re barbecuing and lunching on the deck.  Spring has come to the Oregon coast and that means more time outside and less time in my stamp room.  I’ve always loved the clean and simple style of stamping as much as I love a card that’s done to the hilt, and now is a good time to practice, I think.

 

 

I came upon this sketch at the CAS on Sunday challenge blog.  You can find this particular challenge here.  Simple, isn’t it?  That’s exactly what I’m looking for.  I didn’t deviate from the sketch at all, other than to add the flower and leaf sprig.  I made this card in a few minutes before I left the house for work, and it was every bit as satisfying as a card I spend hours (yes, hours!) on.  I’ll never give up my coloring and all the fun I have designing a more detailed card, but honestly, there’s something very liberating about clean and simple stamping.

 

Details are in the recipe.  Have a happy day!

 

Stamps:  Stampin’ Up! Bloomin’ Marvelous  Paper:  CTMH Key Lime (sanded to bring out the white core), Flourishes Classic White  Ink:  Melon Mambo, Always Artichoke, Palette Noir  Accessories:  Vine St. embossing folder (Stampin’ Up!), Scotch brand foam mounting tape (to pop up the flower)

Simple and Bright

Hello, friends!  I hope you’re having a good week so far.  I can hardly believe it’s May already.  I’m in the mood for sunshine and flowers, and in light of that I have a very summery card today.  I’ve used my Kitchen Sink 3-Step Daisy which I haven’t had out for a while, but it seemed exactly right for a cheerful thank you card.

 

 

 

Working from light to dark, I stamped the daisy in Apricot, Pumpkin, and red, then added a fourth step with the flower center in dark green.  One flower was masked so I could stamp the other two to appear behind it.  Just a bit of old designer paper, some brick wall embossing, a length of ribbon, and it’s done.

 

Thank you for stopping in!  Have a lovely spring day!

Fairy Baby

 

I had one of those perfect days Saturday – early morning in my stamp room, and the rest of the day spent mostly in the garden.  It hardly gets better for me, being a homebody and having these two passions.  I made this card with two stamps I’ve been sitting on for a while, waiting for someone to have a baby.  Though no new babies have come along, I couldn’t wait any longer and just had to finally color up this sweet image.

 

 

While shopping one day I spotted the sentiment set first – Straight from Heaven by Impression Obsession – and found this particular quote so sweet it almost brought tears to my eyes.  I popped it into my basket and headed off in search of a fairy baby, thinking it unlikely I would find one.  Well, I found not one but two fairy baby stamps, both just darling.  Imagine my delight!

 

This one is a Tina Wenke Stampavie called Fairy Baby.  I watercolored with Stampin’ Up! inks on 90 lb hot press watercolor paper.  After the coloring was completed I painted the wings with a translucent ice blue shimmery paint.  I had planned on keeping this card gender neutral, but I ended up with a little too much blue.  Gee, I guess I’ll have to do another one in pink.  After all, I do have another fairy baby stamp.

 

It’s a simple design on a slightly larger card to accommodate both the quote and the image.  The card measures 4 1/2”  x 6”.

 

Thanks very much for the visit today!  Have an absolutely wonderful week!

ps:  Just for fun I thought I'd enter a some challenges today --

Simon Say Stamp -- Anything Goes (Use Impression Obsession if you can, but not required)

Crazy4Challenges C4C183 -- Baby

Dream Valley Challenges #55 -- Things With Wings

 

Stamps:  Straight from Heaven (sentiment, Impression Obsession), Fairy Baby (Stampavie)  Paper:  Pale green textured, 90 lb hot press watercolor, retired SU! designer paper  Ink:  Brown Palette ink, various SU! inks for watercoloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, scallop edge punch

Poinsettia

 

Well, if nothing else, at least I’ve got this month’s Christmas card done.  Would you believe this is the first card I’ve made since the last week of March when I was on vacation?  I know!  If I don’t use it I’ll lose it, right?  It’s a spring thing, I guess.  I need to adjust to the change of the season.  All that fresh, puffy green outside makes me want to wash windows and plant flowers and pack up a picnic.  It sure as heck doesn’t make me want to stamp Christmas cards, but I’m sticking to it and come December I’ll be glad I did.

 

 

I used a several Flourishes sets on this card, all of which are listed in the recipe, below.  I stamped the background and made a designer paper frame which is raised on foam mounting tape.  The main image, of course, is the beautiful poinsettia.  It was stamped in Versamark ink on 90 lb hot press watercolor paper, then embossed with glittery Gold Tinsel embossing powder.  It’s watercolored with Stampin’ Up! inks – just two colors, Cherry Cobbler and Always Artichoke.  I stamped and embossed the image twice so I could layer the flower, and I added gold rhinestone bling to the flower center.  The pine boughs and the “Joy” are embossed with regular gold embossing powder.

 

And that’s that!  Another Christmas card to tuck away in the drawer.  Now I’ve got some flowers to plant, but I’ve been doing a little coloring on the side and I may possibly manage some early morning stamp room time to put some cards together, too.  I love spring and sunshine.  No complaints here!  Have a happy day!

 

Stamps:  Poinsettia (retired?), Christmas Music (background), Dove and Holly (holly sprig), All That Glitters (pine bough)  Paper:  Red textured, Classic Ivory, 90 lb hot press watercolor, BasicGrey Jovial designer paper  Ink:  Versamark, Creamy Caramel, Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke  Accessories:  Rhinestones, gold embossing powder, Spellbinders Curved Rectangle and circle dies, Scotch brand foam mounting tape