Happy Birthday To My Love

Today is my husband's birthday.  Downside - it is also Father's Day.  Upside, we a leaving to spend a few days at a local resort - kinda a staycation.  Big time upside - I made this card for my Love on his birthday using my Rubbernecker Open Range stamp set using my Prima oil pastels.  

Since I had the stamp set out, I stamped quite a few samples.  I decided to put them together into cards.

I like them all, but my favorite was for Dan.  Happy Birthday, Love!  Happy Father's Day to the best man a girl could ask to father her children! 

A Field of Poppies

These cards belong with the set of cards to encourage a coworker.  I also used my Prima Oil Pastels to stamp these images, but there is a little more technique with these since the stamp isn't a layering stamp.  I've lost the connection of this stamp with the manufacturer, but I think it is a Rubbernecker stamp from way back.  The black centers aren't a part of the stamp, but the oil pastels work well if you "dot" in the dark color to the center of the solid stamp.

I was super pleased with how these cards turned out - very watercolor in feel and look.

I'll be back with more cards later this week.  There were more than 50 cards sent to my coworker, so I've got quite a bit to share with you.  Thank you for sticking with me.

I'm entering this card into Simon Says Stamp's Monday challenge Doodle It since I doodled the frame around my poppies.

Blue Flower Notecards

More cards in the stack of those made for my co-worker.  Same techniques, just using a different Rubbernecker stamp, Blue Flowers.

Whew.  I hope you are still with me.  I've a bunch more to share and will do so in the coming days. 

More Encouraging Notecards

I'm popping in today with these petunias stamped using my Prima Oil Pastel crayons and Rubbernecker Petunias stamp set.  These are more of the encouragement cards I made for my co-worker.

The yellow and slightly orange centers make such a bright and cheery card, I'm sure that they will be cherished and enjoyed.  Hurry back to work!

I'm entering this card into the Time Out Challenge:  #107: Spring because this is definitely a spring card and almost makes it as a one layer card (since my card front is one layer).

I'm also entering this card into the Word Art Wednesday's Weeks 330/331: Anything Goes

Encouragement for a Soul

One of my co-workers was suddenly stricken with some health concerns which has caused him to be out of work for the last several weeks.  When I realized he would be out for an extended period of time, I decided we needed to send some bright greetings to him to let him know how very much we miss his contribution as well as to encourage his healing.  This is the first of several card sets that I made and will be sharing on the blog.  I've delayed these posts for a bit to allow him time to read through all the well wishes before anyone else might get to see them too!

This set of cards was made with my Rubbernecker Poppy Duo stamps.  The stamp comes with the black outline stamp and the solid stamp to color the flower.  I decided to use a tried and true technique with my Prima Oil Pastels.

The frames around the flowers are hand-drawn.  This is a very "out there" technique for me, but I think it works here.  I decided to use an assortment of my encouragement sentiments, so each card says something different.  More cards to follow.

I'm linking this card up over at the City Crafter Challenge Week 407 CASe Ros for Happy Birthday Celebration  I CASed Ros' card and used the outline as my Inspiration. 

Stamping with Prima Oil Pastels

In an ongoing effort to use up some of the patterned paper in the stash, I made these cards.  The stamping was accomplished with my Prima Oil Pastels and a solid rose stamp.

I tried to finish each rose image with a little Hickory Smoke Distress ink in the background. These yellow roses are well set off using the patterned paper with a bit of grey in it.

Finally, the blue rose really had the most variation in color.  Still, I like each of these cards for different reasons.  I've given these cards away along with the others in this list as a set.  Ican't wait to see what else comes out of that stash!

Another Set of Cards Using Rubbernecker Stamps

I'm here to tell you that I enjoy me a good Rubbernecker stamp.  In this case I cracked open my Blue Flowers stamp and my Prima Oil Pastels again to make a slightly different take from the set of cards I made that I shared with you in this post.

However, the technique and assembly are the same:

I used the oil pastel to color the solid version of the stamp and a waterbrush to blot water and activate the color.  The outline was then stamped in black Archival Ink and embossed with clear embossing powder.

The hello sentiment was stamped in grey hybrid ink and the darling stamped on colored hybrid ink with clear embossing powder.   I fussy cut the darling sentiment from the vellum paper to create a bit of interest.

All panels were then mounted onto colored card bases.  I'm super happy with how these turned out and plan to give them away as gifts.  If you haven't tried the Rubbernecker watercolor set, I'd recommend giving them a try.  They make card making look easy!

I'm entering this in Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge Flora and Fauna.  Come join the fun.

Rubbernecker Stamps Cards

I picked up some new to me Rubbernecker stamps online so I decided to make a set of cards.   These were created using my Prima Oil Pastels.   I simply used the oil pastel to color the solid version of the Poppy Duo stamp and a waterbrush to blot water and activate the color.  The outline is stamped in black Archival Ink and embossed with clear embossing powder.

I really love how the Rubbernecker stamps work.  They are easy to use to create a beautiful finish.  If you haven't tried them, I'd highly recommend them.

I've decided to link up to these challenges:

City Crafter Challenge Blog White and Bright

Word Art Wednesday's Challenge Weeks #236-237- Anything Goes

Come join the fun.

Notecard using Prima Oil Pastels

Brandy lent me here wood stamp so I quickly stamped this image.   The coloring was completed during some of my travel last fall, but I just recently made this into a finished card.  The stamped image is just fabulous all on it's own.  Ultimately, I used my Prima Oil Pastels colored onto a piece of Palette paper to paint this image.  I'm so very pleased with the end result that I just had to share with you all.

City Crafter Challenge 299 - Negativity A Card Set

Hello.  I'm back again with a card set inspired by the City Crafter Challenge Negativity.  The challenge provides the following picture as inspiration:

and requires the use of the negative space created by a die cut.  In this case, I used my paper trimmer to create this "negative" frame.  Rather than popping the flowers up, I popped the background forward and created a little window through which to see my lovely petunias.  Here's the details which are the same as the card shared earlier in the week:

• I used my Prima Oil Pastel crayons by coloring directly onto the solid background stamp of my Rubbernecker Petunia stamp set.   I used the bright yellow in the center and the redish pink around the yellow - coloring like I was filling the image in.  I then spritzed the stamp with a mister and used a damp brush to dab at the stamp to activate and blend the colors.  On this first card, I mixed too much and the red overwhelmed the yellow.  I then stamped onto Strathmore watercolor paper.
• When the image was dry, I stamped with Archival Black ink the outline image and embossed with clear embossing powder.  I used a similar technique to this video except that I used the oil pastels to color.  
• I then cut the image out of the paper using my paper trimmer.  I had drew in the black lines/dot pattern with a black marker and adhered the sequins with some clear glue.
• I colored the rest of the watercolor paper with a watercolor brush and the orange oil pastel, stamping the sentiment in black Archival ink once dry.  I used a piece of craft foam to evenly raise the frame around the flowers. 

Inspired by all the color in the photo, I decided to experiment with the crayons and the various color combinations.   

Probably my favorite of the set, but not the best photos I've taken.  The sequins do a good job of picking up the color on the card too.

This card is probably the most striking in person.  I'm not a fan of orange, but it really works in this card.  I ran out of space due to some shortsighted paper trimming and ended up with just one line in the frame.  It works too, I think.























This last photo is the worst of all.  I ended up giving this card to Brandy who is recuperating from a minor surgery.  She's healing wonderfully and I just wanted to celebrate her and our friendship while giving her a cheer up.  I think this card (her favorite color, purple!) sent the message intended.

I have super enjoyed my time as the guest designer for the City Crafter Challenges this month.  I can't believe how much fun it was to play with color and create this card set.  I think I will send a couple of these over for the Lasting Hearts Card Drive over at Jennifer McGuire's blog.

I hope you are inspired to join us too.  Use the leavings from your die cuts - the negative part - and make something beautiful.  You could always send it in for a wonderful charity like Lasting Hearts.  Just don't forget to link up with the City Crafter Challenge, you've three short days left to join the fun.  I'll look forward to seeing you over there.