Running With Scissors...

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

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

Feminine Charm

 

By now you’ve figured out I went on a mini-binge with my dress form stamps.   A girl has to have a little fun, right?  This is one of the more elegant dress forms I have.  The stamps are from Flourishes’ Feminine Charm set.  I used soft toned vintage sewing themed papers with lots of stitching and sewing-related tidbits, including a few eyelets from a drawer full of eyelets which I seldom use these days (but am determined to use up in my lifetime).

 

 

 

The dress form is watercolored with Stampin’ Up! inks on 90 lb hot press watercolor paper.  I guess you’d have to look pretty closely to see the pattern markings on the paper.

 

 

 

I do have a couple more dress form cards, as well, but I figured this was enough for one week.  Focusing on the dress forms was more or less a self-challenge to get me using some stamps and supplies I haven’t touched in a while.  I hope you had fun looking!  See you again soon!

 

Stamps:  Feminine Charm (Flourishes)  Paper:  Caramel textured, blush, 90 lb hot press watercolor, KaiserCraft Vintage Timeless designer paper  Ink:  Palette Noir, blush, various SU! inks for watercoloring  Accessories:  Silk ribbon, lace, pearls, eyelets, lace flower, scissors charm, circle tag

Christmas Card of the Month

 

It’s the 25th and time for another Christmas card.  So far, so good, but, of course, I’m only two months into the year.  For this card I used Flourishes’ Forest of Trees stamp set.  I usually reach for the fluffy evergreen tree when I use this set, but I felt like something a little different this time.

 

 

I made a simple scene, nothing real sophisticated.  I’m sure it doesn’t make sense to have so much snow on the ground and none on the trees, but this is how I pictured it and I probably would have made a mess of it were I to try to make it more realistic.  Here’s the “how to”:

 

• I cut a hill shape from plain cardstock and held it in place on the glossy cardstock image panel while I stamped three trees along its edge in Versamark ink.
• Still holding the cardstock hill in place, I sponged Soft Sky ink along the top edge of the hill.  Then I was able to remove the hill mask and finish sponging the sky.  The Versamark trees became ghostly shapes in the background.  Can you see them?  They would have been more distinct if I’d let the Versamark dry before sponging.
• I stamped three more trees in Memento Tuxedo Black, and the sentiment (Flourishes Paperwhites stamp set) in Blue Bayou.
• The falling snow was stamped in Versamark with a stamp from retired Stampin’ Up! Itty Bitty Backgrounds, then embossed with white embossing powder.

 

That’s it!  Quick and easy and no extra postage required.  I’m feeling optimistic about getting the cards in the mail a little earlier this year.  Have a great day!

A Flourishes Challenge

 

I’m playing in a challenge today.  It’s something I don’t do often, but the stakes are high on this one.  If I’m the lucky random winner it means Flourishes’ entire February release will be delivered to my doorstep.  Fingers crossed!

 

This is the Pick 1 Challenge.  They give you a choice of three sketches, three color combos, and three embellishments, and you’re to pick one from each category.  If you use Flourishes’ stamps your entry is counted twice.  Well, I have plenty of Flourishes stamps.  Sounds like fun!

 

 

I don’t know how many times I’ve used this image.  Love it.  Love.  It’s from the Spring Is Sprung set.  I chose yellow and green from among three pretty color combos, and my one embellishment is the button.  The other embellishment choices were lace, or ribbon, specifically silk or satin.  I stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black on Flourishes Classic White cardstock and colored with Copic markers.  To extend the pennant die I cut it twice and joined the two behind the image panel.

 

What a great way to spend my Saturday morning prior to an outing with the doggies.  I think I’m ready for Monday now.  Have a good week!

 

Stamps:  Flourishes Spring is Sprung  Paper:  Memory Box Granny Smith, Flourishes Classic White, DCWV Lemon Flower Stack  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Button, linen thread, Spellbinders Large and Small Standard Ovals, Nested Lacey Pennants, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Russet Mums

Today I’m sharing some flowers I stamped in the fall, but only just got around to making into a card.  Back then I got busy making Halloween cards, and then Christmas, so fall took a back seat.  It always happens.  So here are my fall flowers in January.  These Chrysanthemums are from Flourishes’ A Year in Flowers 3 stamp set.

 

 

Whenever possible I like to watercolor my images.  It depends on the kind of paper I stamp on and where I’m doing my coloring.  If I’m at my desk at home I’ll take that opportunity to watercolor.  I stamped in Palette Noir ink on 90 lb hot press watercolor paper and painted with Stampin’ Up! inks.

The flowers were painted first with So Saffron. . .

                                           

 

And then Really Rust, letting a little bit of the Saffron peek at the petal edges.

 

 

I started the leaves with Certainly Celery. . .

 

 

And added Always Artichoke for deeper shading.

 

 

To finish, I sponged around the edges with So Saffron and then smoothed the sponged ink with a wet paint brush.  Finally, I used Close to Cocoa for shadowing close to the image.

 

 

I framed the flowers very simply on CTMH cardstock which I sanded for a distressed look.  The embossed panel was made with a Cuttlebug folder from the Heritage Collection.

The little bit of designer paper I used is My Mind’s Eye A Beautiful Life.

Spellbinders dies used are Labels Four; Large and Small Standard Ovals; and Floral Flourishes.

The lace bow was made with Mrs. Wright’s hem tape from the fabric store, and Kaiser rhinestones are the final finishing touch.

This was a rather quick card, actually.  A simple design, and watercoloring is nearly always a quicker process for me than Copic coloring.  It helps that the stamp illustration shows you exactly where to put your shading.

Got to run, now.  I feel as though I hurried through this post, and I apologize if it appears that way.  We were out in the fields and woodlands with the dogs all afternoon and I plan to do nothing after dinner (evening blogger, here).  I hope you enjoyed looking.  Have a beautiful day!

Tea and Roses

I don’t know if anyone still looks at this blog, or subscribes, or views it in a reader, but I’ve decided to come back here for cards and whatever crafty projects I may dream up.  My other blog, Goldens and Garden, will be just that – a blog for Wally and LuLu (my two Golden Retrievers) and the happenings around the garden.  Though everyone has been kindly tolerant of me, so patient and indulgent while I find my way – to blog or not to blog, and what to blog about – I’ve never felt quite comfortable about posting cards on Wally and LuLu’s blog.  And, let’s face it, I love to stamp and I miss my stamping blog.

 

So, here I am, back on TypePad.  I lost some of the functionality when I downgraded to a free blog, but I think it will suffice.  Are you still with me?

 

So… I’m not sure what led me to create this card.  I think it was the Lace Edges border stamp which, for some reason, I felt compelled to use.  Looking for an image to pair it with, I thought of the stamp set, Let’s Have Tea, which I believe Flourishes has retired.  Once I got those two together, it seemed the perfect sentiment was this one from Around the Arbor.  It’s always been one of my favorite quotes and I believe it wholeheartedly.

 

 

I hadn’t planned on cutting out the Lace Edges, but card making can be full of twists and turns and I rarely end up where I initially intend.  I needed someplace to put the pretty velvet ribbon, and this is where it looked best.

 

 

The center embellishment is a piece cut from a length of trim to create a ribbon slide.  Its make up of gold with a clear rhinestone decided the tone of additional embellishments.  The vertical lace trim is edged with foil sticker strips by Flower Soft.  Spellbinders dies (listed in the recipe, below) gave the center panel some graceful curves.

 

The images were stamped in Ranger Distress Vintage Photo and colored with these Copic markers:

 

 

That’s it for today.  I’ll be back when I have time.  Thanks so much for visiting, and I wish you a beautiful day.

 

Stamps:  Lace Edges, Let’s Have Tea, Around the Arbor (all Flourishes)  Paper:  Caramel textured, Flourishes Classic Ivory, Prima Romantique designer paper  Ink:  Ranger Distress Vintage Photo for stamping images, SU! Chocolate Chip for sentiment, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Velvet ribbon, ribbon slide, lace, rhinestones, brads, gold foil sticker strips, Scotch brand foam mounting tape, Spellbinders Curved Rectangles (curved edge), Labels One (frame), Labels Eighteen (sentiment panel)

Sometimes I Just Want to Color Something Pretty

Actually, I began coloring this a while back, but put it aside when I thought my pinks were too bright. Finally, I Googled pink Magnolias and found them in shades varying from very soft to rather bright. So, here are my rather bright pink magnolias:

The stamp set I used is Magnolias, from Flourishes. I colored with Copic markers and cut out the flowers so I could avoid using the extra ink required to shade around the image. I really do need to stock up on the Various Inks, but I shudder at the cost. These are the colors I used:

Since I made this card just for fun I left the sentiment off for the time being. It may become a birthday card, get well, thinking of you, possibly even a sympathy card. I hope you enjoy it. Have a lovely day!

Stamps: Magnolias (Flourishes) Paper: Soft Sky, Flourishes Classic Ivory, retired Stampin’ Up! designer paper Ink: Memento London Fog, Copic markers for coloring Accessories: Ribbons, pearls, Spellbinders Classic Ovals Large S4-110, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

One More Easter Card

I couldn’t let the occasion pass without using this beautiful set from Flourishes called He is Risen.

I’ve gone a little muted in the colors, and not a lot of embellishment.  I almost left the ribbon off, but added it at the last minute.  My sewing machine has been giving me fits lately, and the decorative stitching down the side looks more like a tangled fishing net than anything decorative.  I’ll have to take some time to figure out what’s wrong.  It may be something as simple as a dull needle, but the thread seems to be catching somewhere.  Darn.

I watercolored the image on 90 lb hot press watercolor paper, then cut it out and mounted on Scotch brand foam mounting tape.  The design is so simple there’s not much more to say about it, and I seem to be plum out of words at any rate.

Thanks so much for dropping in for a visit.  I’ll see you again soon!

Stamps:  He is Risen (Flourishes)  Paper:  Beige textured cardstock, 90 lb hot press watercolor, My Mind’s Eye Rosy designer paper  Ink:  Palette Umber, various SU! inks for watercoloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, gold cord, Spellbinders Standard Circles Small, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Sweet Nature

Hello, again!  I’m back with another card today.  I know!  I’m just as surprised as you are… two days in a row.   If I’ve got ‘em I might as well share ‘em.  I had this pretty Sweet Nature set sitting out on my stamp table with a mask for the flowers already cut, so I thought I might as well color it up and cut into a fresh paper pad at the same time.

The papers are Alla-Prima by, of course, Prima.  Stampin’ Up! folks would recognize these colors as Sahara Sand, Crushed Curry, Old Olive, and Bermuda Bay.  They’re an exact match.  I used Sahara Sand textured cardstock for the card base, and Crushed Curry ribbon.  I stamped the flower image on Flourishes’ Classic White cardstock, masked it and stamped the script in Sahara Sand.  After that I was really stumped as to what color to use for the flowers.

Bermuda Blue is an improbable flower color, and too much Curry is… well… too much Curry.  I’m not sure why the flower color had to be such a tough decision, but this is one reason stamping is a slow process for me.  Finally, I decided to go bold with a deep red.  There’s a bit of that Curry color in the flower centers, and I sponged some Sahara Sand onto the image panel which, I hope, brings the whole thing together.

The coloring was done with Prismacolor Markers – alcohol markers just like Copics (but less expensive).  They do a great job if you’ve got the right combo of colors for blending.  I’m torn between rounding out my Prisma collection or collecting all the Various Inks for my Copic markers.  I do love all those beautiful Copic colors… A decision for another day.  These are the Prisma colors I used:

• Flowers:  Carmine Red, Mahogany Red, Dark Umber, Spanish Orange
• Leaves:  Avacado, Dark Olive Green

I used the Copic Colorless Blender to add highlights to the flower petals.

I know some of you are wondering about LuLu, so I’m happy to tell you her surgery went just fine.  As I write this she’s not home yet and it’s mighty quiet around here.  Poor baby didn’t want to leave her Mama so I had to walk her back to the kennel area.  She was frightened and trembling, knowing something funny was going on.  After lots of hugs and smooches and sweet talk I left her with one of her favorite soft toys and hurried away without looking back.  It just about broke my heart, but I know everything will be good in the end.  I’ll be there bright and early in the morning to pick her up!

Take good care of yourselves and I’ll be back when stamping happens.  I’ll be home having quiet time with LuLu this week so when we’re not cozied up on the couch I’ll be in my stamp room as much as possible.  See you soon!

Stamps:  Sweet Nature (Flourishes)  Paper:  Sahara Sand textured, Flourishes Classic White, Alla-Prima designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Cherry Cobbler (sentiment), Prismacolor alcohol markers as listed above  Accessories:  Ribbon, pearls, Martha Stewart branch punch, 1 1/4” circle punch, Spellbinders Labels Eleven and Labels Four, Scotch brand foam mounting tape