Stamps, Paper, and Ink

Apothecary Art from the heart

Ahh, relief.

Now that I've mailed off my Artisan projects, it feels so GOOD just sitting down to make a card for a special friend. What feels even better is typing away and doing photo edits like a blogger again! 

I'm caught up in the excitement of the new catalog and finally playing with my new supplies. I'm loving the new In Colors and experimenting with new color combinations. Couldn't pick a better stamp set to start with than Apothecary Art.

Shades of rose and pink are intriguing, especially this color with the lovely name of Primrose Petals. Although you may think it is like Regal Rose, it has a delicious warm smoky hue that's soft and romantic.

I paired it here with Very Vanilla and a bold dash of Daffodil Delight for the sentiment banner. The colors are really a bit brighter than my photo shows.

The Crumb Cake panel was stamped lightly with the Netting background stamp. 

Also new, is the Chocolate Chip firm foam ink pad. These are coming to you on June 1 in the new catalog, and you're going to love them for the strong detailed coverage you get with just a light tap to your stamp. I was delighted to see that I could heat set the ink with my Heating Tool and then watercolor using Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, and Primrose Petals. A light touch with my Blender Pen did the trick. 

The fabulous sketch at Mojo Monday inspired my layout. I just needed something in the corner to stay true to the sketch, and rolled paper flowers were so fun to make.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today. 

 

 

 

 

 

Beau Château Sympathy

It's sad when you find yourself needing to send a sympathy card. I've always wondered why the word sympathy is used so I looked up the definition.

Sympathy: harmony of or agreement in feeling, as between persons or on the part of one person with respect to another; the fact 

or power of sharing the feelings  of another,  especially in sorrow or trouble; fellow feeling, compassion.

It makes so much sense to realize sympathy is not sorrow/pity FOR someone, but loving thoughts shared with them. 

My friend gave her friend a beautiful butterfly necklace as a gift, so I thought bright butterflies would be appropriate using Daffodil Delight card stock. I highlighted the butterfly details by painting on Smooch Pearlized Accent Ink to give a shimmery glow. 

I've been featuring the Beau Chateau Designer Papers on my projects this week, and the Paper Doily Die. The coordinating Side Notes are a ready-made focal point for any project! I chose the label and stamped the sentiment from the Loving Thoughts set in Soft Suede ink. 

Our son and precious new DIL spent the last couple of nights visiting us, and just got on the road home. All our household is quiet now, with everyone off for the day except for Josie (our beagle pup) and me. I'm settling in with a second cuppa my morning tea, so glad you could join me! Have a great day.

  All supplies by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Loving Thoughts

Paper: Beau Chateau, Marina Mist, Very Vanilla, Daffodil Delight

Ink: Soft Suede

Accessories: Beau Chateau Side Notes, Marina Mist Taffeta Ribbon, Beautiful Wings Embosslit Die, Paper Doily Die, Smooch Pearlized Accent Ink (Midnight), Basic Jewels Pearls

Wild about Fresh Vintage

Happy Wednesday!

I'm wild about a few things that I combined as elements on today's card. Fresh Vintage is my absolute favorite set right now! I love wide striped ribbon but rarely use it. No matter what else I used for today's card, I decided it was going to include Wild Wasabi striped grosgrain. I love Kraft, so I chose a color combo of Crumb Cake, Peach Parfait, and Wild Wasabi.

The Fresh Vintage set has the perfect image that fits the 1" square punch then layers with the Postage Stamp punch. A pearl adds just the right touch of sweetness to the earthy colors. I randomly stamped the floral spray image to make the background on the Crumb Cake card stock.

The fabulous layout is from the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.

"Happiness" is wrapping it all up with the striped ribbon. What do yout think of today's card? I'd love for you to take a minute to let me know.

  All supplies by Stampin' Up!

Stamps:  Fresh Vintage, Loving Thoughts

Paper:  Very Vanilla, Wild Wasabi, Everyday Enchantment

Ink:  Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Peach Parfait

Accessories:  1" square, Postage Stamp and Decorative label punches, Wild Wasabi Striped Grosgrain, Basic Jewels - Pearls, Swirls, scribbles Sizzlet Die

Greeting Card Favorite

Hi, and happy Friday!

Greeting Card Kids is one of my very favorite sets, and the card I'll share today is one of my all-time favorite cards that I've made. Of course, I began with a great sketch (SSSC151) and the gorgeous Attic Boutique Designer Series Paper.

I LOVE this card sketch! I played a long time with the paper patterns and chose these airy floral patterns for a soft look. Watercoloring is an absolute delight to me, one of the most relaxing parts of my crafting. I began with Stampin' Up's Watercolor Paper, stamped the image in Black StazOn, and then ran it through the Big Shot using the Framelits Labels Collection die.

To color I used a Blender Pen and inks from my stamp pads. I also scribbled a bit of marker on a clear block and picked that up with the pen to color her skin. I used the following colors for little Ruby Mae (don't you think she needs a name, lol?): Pool Party, Indigo Island, Calypso Coral, Blush Blossom, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, So Saffron and Melon Mambo.

The sentiment (from the Tiny Tags set) is stamped in Poppy Parade ink and punched with the Tiny Tag punch. All tied up with a bow of Pool Party Seam Binding.

This wraps up nine projects I've posted in the last two weeks, and I can't wait to make some more!

If my projects have inspired you to stamp or craft, I'm glad. If you've gotten ideas or just enjoyed seeing what I've made, I'm glad. If you have time to leave a comment, I'd be delighted to hear from you.

Elegant Vintage Background

 The Fresh Vintage set is my absolute favorite!! For today's card I discovered how easy it is to make a lovely vintage background paper with the large floral image.

I stamped the image repeatedly using Concord Crush ink on Whisper White card stock. The shapely layered borders come from the Adorning Accents Edgelits. I also embossed the main panel, you may better see the detail if you click to enlarge the photo. Stamping the trio of flowers in Concord Crush ink with the small flower image, I then punched them out.

I combined Concord Crush with a Peach Parfait tag die cut with the Labels Collection. Pearls dress up this clean and simple card. I included a tag to play along with Jaydee's Clean and Simple challenge at The Paper Players. I had fun with this one!

 

  All supplies by Stampin' Up!

Stamps:  Fresh Vintage

Paper:  Whisper White, Peach Parfait, Concord Crush

Ink:  Concord Crush, Peach Parfait

Accessories:  Basic Pearls, Adorning Accents Edgelits and Embossing Folders, Labels Collection Dies, Peach Parfait Twill Ribbon, Basic Pearls, hole punch, Itty Bitty Flower Punch

Occasions to stamp!

I'm settling down after all the holidays, how about you? The days show hopeful signs of settling into some routine again. That means time to take walks with Josie, try to get the house back in order, and stamp! The Occasions Mini catalog goes live today with wonderful new products and I can't wait to show them to you. So settle back, I've got some cards in the lineup for the next couple of days.

  My favorite new product is the Attic Boutique DSP! I love the vintage patterns and color combos. My Valentine began wtih the sentiment from the Loving Thoughts stamp set, and I scored the panel for extra detail. That pretty little border underneath is made with the Adorning Accents Edgelits Die.

The heart images are from the Take It to Heart set. I stamped and cut the two larger hearts by hand. The little one was die cut with the new Fashionable Hearts Embosslit. I added pearls and a few spritzes of ink, just to make me happy!

This card is my entry for the contest this month at  Mojo Monday - it's a gorgeous sketch, don't you think?

  All supplies by Stampin' Up!

Stamps:  Loving Thoughts, Take It to Heart

Paper:  Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Attic Boutique DSP, Pretty in Pink

Ink:  Early Espresso, Pretty in Pink

Accessories:  Fashionable Hearts Embosslits Die, Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Color Spritzer Tool, Basic Pearls, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Adorning Accents Edgelits Dies, marker

Apothecary Art

Dear blog friends,

It's the time of year when we hear this often but I'm wondering where all the month of December has gone!

I had some time to stamp last week and LOVED trying out some of the new products coming in the Occasions Mini (available for sale on Jan.4). The Apothecary Art set is full of old-fashioned loveliness and I was so inspired to use this set with the new Labels Collection Framelits Dies.

I was also inspired by this month's muse at CASE Study Challenge, the wonderfully talented Amy Sheffer. I have admired her fabulous work for a long time and humbly jumped at the opportunity to play along in the challenge this week.I learn so much from studying and playing in challenges! What I love about stamping is that there is always some new twist, new thing to learn, or ... new products!

Here's Amy's gorgeous card:

I especially liked her bold use of neutrals with just a splash of another color, her beautiful flourish patterns, and her gorgeous ribbon treatment.

I began by stamping the image on Crumb Cake card stock using Basic Brown ink. I chose this because it stays colorfast when you color over it. I used the white gel pen, adding highlights with my markers, and shading the leaves in Pear Pizzazz.

I stamped the sentiment inside the banner from the Take it to Heart set, and cut it out. The DSP is from the beautiful Attic Boutique Product Suite. I cut the Crumb Cake layer with my snips and die cut the Pear Pizazz card stock with the next size Labels Collection Framelits Die. I added a mat of Early Espresso card stock and tied a bow in satin ribbon.

Hope you've enjoyed the array of sneak peek goodies!

 

"The Stocking is Hung" Vintage Christmas

Here's a window card with a cool twist - it's a unique type of suspension card too!

I cut a window in the card base and DSP using the 2-1/2" circle punch. I stamped the sentiment from Pines & Poinsettias (oh,I love that set!) and fussy cut it. Using Crystal Effects to make sure it holds real tight, I adhered the outer tips of the sentiment banner to the edges just outside the window. All that was needed was to "hang" the stocking by attaching it to the banner strip with glue dots. Easy and fun!

You can see the details in this close up. It's great being able to make your own cute embellishments with the Stocking Builder Punch from Stampin' Up! I also used the Beau Chateau DSP and punched a star accent out of Glimmer paper.

  All supplies by Stampin' Up!

Thoughts and Prayers

I have to tell you something. You know I love how crafting a card is a journey from beginning to end, with twists and turns, surprise and delight along the way. There is a feeling of losing all sense of time and getting caught up in the task at hand that is so therapeutic!

And there's something else I can tell you. I love to pray while I'm stamping. Not usually about the steps of making the card (although sometimes I do ask for help!) but about the recipient, or other friends or family the Lord brings to mind. Don't you love the fact that giving gifts and cards that are hand-stamped are one of the very special ways that we can show that we care?

I am telling you all this because that's the sentiment of today's card from the Thoughts and Prayers set. Have a look!

I am happy to have used the Timeless Portrait DSP that is SO, so pretty.  The very lovely sketch by MOJO MONDAY gave me a beautiful goal to aim for. I love Julee's sketches and I've learned so much from playing along and the beautiful samples.This sketch is the monthly contest, wouldn't it be great to be a winner?

A few details about the card. I made the flower using the Island Floral Die, the Fun Flower die, and the Boho Blossom and large Scallop Circle punches. There are LOTS of layers in there! All card stock was spritzed with Stampin' Mist and scrunched up, then left to dry. The River Rock flower base and the Very Vanilla panel were both embossed with the Finial Press folder and sponging was added with River Rock ink.

Bling! I traced along the edges of a die cut with the Scribbles and Swirls Sizzlet, then followed the lines to place the flourish of Basic Pearls. Easy!

I've listed most of the supplies in my post. If you still have a question, please feel free to ask in the comments or send me an e-mail. Hope your crafting is a wonderful journey today.

 

  All supplies by Stampin' Up!

His and Hers for Christmas

The Stocking Builder punch has been sitting on my work table for about a month now, just waiting for me to pick it up!

Well, I did it! How about His 'n Hers stockings?

   
I love the way this punch cuts out not only the stocking but the top of the stocking and the heel and toe so that you can come up with cute or elegant variations. For "His" I used the bold glitter stripes pattern of the Holly Berry Bouquet Specialty paper, adding mini jingle bells and a button tied up with a Baker's Twine bow.

"Hers" is a dainty floral pattern decked out with pearls! I used Wild Wasabi card stock embossed with the Snow Burst folder for the circle. Layering red satin ribbon and Very Vanilla Velvet Stitched ribbon adds texture and a touch of vintage.

Wouldn't you love to create some personalized stockings for your cards and Christmas tags this year? Contact me today to find out more ideas and order your supplies.

This card was created using another great sketch by Karen at the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.

Did you notice that the only stamping done was the sentiments?

  All supplies by Stampin' Up! unless noted *

Stamps:  A Word for You, Petite Pairs

Paper:  Holly Berry Bouquet Specialty Paper, Real Red, Very Vanilla, Wild Wasabi

Ink:  Chocolate Chip

Accessories:  Mini Jingle Bells, Brights Designer Buttons, Baker's Twine, Satin and Velvet Stitched ribbons, Stocking Builder and Scallop Border punches, Nestablilties*