Another 45th Wedding Anniversary Card

I had whipped up this card for my parent's 45th wedding anniversary.  I decided to use the sapphire blue card that I shared with you in May and the pieces for this card were set aside.  I decided to go ahead and put the card together anyway.

The blooms are stamped with my Altenew Peony Bouquet stamp set and then partially die cut on the edge.

Not sure when I'll need this card, but it goes into the stash for someone to use for their special milestone event.

Another Notecard Set Using Supplies from the Stash

When I went "shopping" in the stash a few weeks ago I found these card panels that I had painted some time ago, but never put together in a card.  I had made similar cards (and here) previously when I stamped these panels and left them uncolored for some time.  Then, I watercolored the panels through a series of sittings - layering watercolor and never quite getting them "done" until I found them recently in the stash of partially finished cards.  I decided to use a more graphic feel for these two cards and my WPlus9 Hand Lettered Hello stamp and die set.

The beautiful sentiment is white heat embossed onto black paper and the blue card sentiment is more distinct in person - the picture doesn't do it justice.  Oh well, that is some more projects pushed to completion.  I'm liking this finishing of old project, but have more to share on other activities.  Will post those soon.

Happy Birthday Mabel

Today I'm stopping by to share the card I made my grandmother to celebrate her 91st birthday.  Navy blue is her favorite color and I couldn't resist making it the centerpiece for this card.  Also, a little gold embellishment never hurt either. 

The peonies are white heat embossed onto watercolor paper and I used my Mission Gold watercolors to add color the paper.  I was real pleased with how these turned out.  I found some greenery pieces from the stash and used my SSS Stitched Rectangles dies to make a white frame.  The sentiment is gold embossed - on the outside and on the inside.  I mixed two different sentiment stamps to make this inside sentiment.  She really is fabulous and I super hope that she feels special today, her actual birthday.

I scheduled this post as I am currently in the process of hosting a dinner celebration at my house.  It's getting late for my grandma, so we'll be wrapping up soon - which means she won't get a peek at her card before she opens it.

Happy Birthday, Grandma.  I love you so.

Watercoloring Peonies Buds

I had previously stamped some of these Peony buds onto Bristol cardstock and kept them in the stash for a fun coloring day.  No masking, just strategic stamping.

Ultimately, I decided to play with my Mission Gold watercolors.  I layered up the colors, eliminating blooms as I went (not all, but some) and intensifying the color.  That means that I spent several hours coloring this image as I let the paint dry between layers.

I'm not as happy with this yellow as I think it ended up being very flat in color and appearance.  Still, I enjoyed the process and learned as I went.

I also am not fully content with the chunky glitter frames on either card - I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and in the end I think they take away from the delicate nature of the flowers and the watercoloring of the image.

Live and learn - I need to take more chances creatively than I usually do.  For that, I'm pleased with how these both turned out.

Shaking It for a Happy Birthday!

I had made a shaker frame a while back and didn't know what I was going to do with it.  I had the supplies out on my workbench and didn't want to waste the opportunity.  The shaker frame sat in the pile for a while and I decided I needed a card, so I rifled through the leftovers of premade flowers and came up with this beauty.

The flowers were white embossed onto watercolor paper using my Altenew Peony outline stamp.  I used my Mission Gold watercolors to color the image - keeping the colors very light.  The leaves were done the exact same way, but didn't get as much color definition.  I searched and found some accent pieces - this time stamped onto Bristol paper using ink rather than watercolors.  I think the two media work well together and create a fine accent.


On the inside - a very simple sentiment because the front was so busy.  Happy birthday, period!  Its a wonder I don't have more cards made considering how many odd bits and pieces are in the stash.  It's one of the things that having a Scrapbox allows - the stashing of supplies in zippered bags inside the front doors.  I'm hopeless! :)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge: Happy Birthday!

Word Art Wednesday's Challenge 294/295 Anything Goes

Happy weekend, all!

More on the Mother's Day Theme

Oh how I love my Altenew Peony Bouquet stamp and dies.  Of all my layering flower stamp sets, this set is the easiest to use and get the best results.  This card turned out exactly as I visioned it.  The background die was cut using my Heartfelt Creations Raindrops on Roses die - now retired.  I used the faux metal technique, which has become a go-to, too create the shiny gold die cut.  I added gold glitter watercolor splatters using my Zig Starry Colors.

Some gold sequins finish off this card,  Of all the cards, this was my favorite to make - because the stamp set is so fun, because I always love the watercolor and because gold and a rose pink is really working on me recently.

Here's hoping your mother's day card making endeavors are going well!

Word Art Wednesday's Challenge 280/281 Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp's Simon Says A Hint of Pink

Slightly Different Take on the Peonies

I said I'd be back and I meant it.  I found some other peonies (made using my Altenew Peony Bouquet stamp and die set) previously made and stashed for future use and paired them with some of the faux metal die cuts.  I decided to use some not so common techniques/layouts.  Here, I used a cream card.  Not much of a change, but it does make a different look.

For this card, I tried a very different background - stamped with a background stamp in London Fog ink.  My husband didn't like this card, but I like it because it is different.  Not my favorite, but appealing because it isn't my usual style.

I'm going to enter these cards in the following challenges:

City Crafter Challenge Blog - Week #343 - Hello 2017

Word Art Wednesday's Challenge Anything Goes Weeks 264 & 265

These cards will go into the stash with the others to be used as gifts and/or encouragement in the days to come.  I hope your new year is off with a crafty bang!  I'll be back just as soon as I can finish editing a bunch of pictures to share my 12 Days of Christmas.  All the bags should be opened today, so there won't be any spoiling of surprises.  See you soon!

A Very Peony Hello Card Set

I just love using Jennifer McGuire's faux metal embossing trick on die cuts.  Here, I used the technique to make the gold metal frame - having die cut with my stitched rectangle dies and then heat embossed to create the centerpiece for this floral arrangement.  The peonies were made using my Altenew Peony Bouquet stamp and die set.  I white embossed the flowers and leaves onto watercolor paper and then used my Mission Gold watercolors to fill in the color.  It created this lovely effect - very soft and much more stunning in person.

The little berries were stamped and die cut pieces I had laying around so I just pieced this all together.

I chose to make two different layouts - portrait and landscape.  I don't really have a preference since I typically enjoy a very symmetrical card so the landscape appeals and the portrait version really ends up having the nicest flowers.

I'm entering these cards into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday's Challenge 262-263 - Anything Goes

Yay - these were so fun to make, I am going to use the remaining bits on a couple more cards.  See you soon.

Repeating the Floral Theme

So, I made the cards for my mom's birthday and so loved the design and colors I decided to give another try with a different color of MementorLuxe ink.  This time I stamped using my Altenew Peony Bouquet stamp set and MementoLuxe Lilac Posies.  As I mentioned in the previous post, this ink did not go on smoothly, requiring several layers to get the rich and crisp colors that you see.  I, once again, used my MISTI stamping tool to achieve this look along with some masking paper.

These, too, will go in the stash and become a part of a gift to someone.  The Altenew stamp set is simply beautiful and really, takes little effort to look spectacular.  Even when you don't get it exactly right, the colors and the layers are forgiving and the result is stunning.

A Perfect Little Card Set

I decided to make some cards for the stash to be used as gifts in the coming weeks/months as birthday season and the holidays come roaring in.  I couldn't resist the urge to break out my Altenew Peony Bouquet stamp set.  The inspiration for these cards is this Pinterest pin.  I was enamored by the soft colors of the card and wanted to try a few different techniques.  Here's my result.  I hope you brought a strong cup of coffee or tea, because this post is picture heavy.

I stamped each image using the outline version of the flower and the two different shaped leaves using embossing ink and white embossed the images onto Strathmore watercolor paper.  I did this multiple times on a sheet of paper approximately 5 x 8 in. and scraps leftover from other projects for the leaves.  This is a great way to use up those scraps and make something pretty with them. Each image was watercolored outside the lines using my Mission Gold watercolors.  I used a lot of water and tried not to fuss over where the color moved to.  As such, some of the flowers are prettier than others, but I like them all.  After the watercolor is completely dry, I die cut the images using the matching dies.

For the background, I die cut some Strathmore Bristol paper using my SSS Stitched Rectangles die.  I stamped the sentiment using my Concord and 9th By Your Side stamp and Memento London Fog ink.  I used my MISTI stamp tool to stamp repetitively until I had a crisp, grey sentment. I knew I wanted to watercolor the background so I cut another piece of Bristol paper ;and did a wash of color in each corner of the paper.  This seemed to light and plain, so I splattered some gold watercolor from my Gansi Tambi Starry Colors watercolor set.  That was just the look I was going for.  

My only remaining problem is that the card base was a more brilliant white than the Bristol which is a bit off of white.  I decided to edge the white cardstock base with some of the gold watercolor.  At first I didn't like the "splotchy" nature of the edging, but it has grown on me and now I think it the perfect, sparkly accent to my centerpiece flowers.

This card set is going into the stash and will definitely be a gift to someone in the near future.  I'm so pleased that I see more peonies in my future.  Stay tuned!

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Wendesday Challenge: Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday's Weeks 254 & 255 Anything Goes

Altenew's October Inspiration Challenge - I linked up the yellow flower since the colors fit the inspiration.

Come join the fun!