Happy Birthday Marlin

I thought I would give my From Land to Sea set a little love today.  I wanted to color this Marlin image. And Swirly Scribbles dies are perfect once again.  Great for ocean style cards!

Stamps: From Land to Sea, Thoughtful Banners
Ink: Basic Gray, Pacific Point, Night of Navy, So Saffron, Smoky Slate, Pool Party
Paper: Pool Party, Shimmer White
Accessories: Swirly Scribbles Thinlits dies, Metallics Sequins, Aquapainter

Stamped the marlin onto Shimmer White cardstock using Basic Gray ink.  I used mainly markers, drawing directly overtop stamp lines to get the shading.  I used the aquapainter to go overtop the lines, blending some of the colors.  Pacific Point is the lighter blue shading, I used Night of Navy along the darker areas.  So Saffron is the yellowish strip down the center, and I used smoky slate ink with the aquabrush to add just a bit of shading along the underside.  I cut the fish out by hand, then used a Pool Party marker around the white edges of the fish.  This way you have a little more paper to work with when cutting out, and you can match the cardbase color so as to diminish the cut out line visibility.

Just a couple cut out scribbles for the water lines adhered to the cardbase, stamping the sentiment between them.  Adhered the marlin, as well as some clear sequins for bubbles!

Sitting Here with No Words

My dear friend lost her best friend...her beloved kitty.  This card is for her.  I even colored the cat to match her "Mau-Mau".  I decided it was time for another couch made with the Decorative Label punch.  By far my most used and versatile punch!

Stamps: Sitting Here, Rose Wonder
Paper: Tip Top Taupe, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black
Ink: Basic Black, Peekaboo Peach, Tip Top Taupe, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Decorative Label Punch, 1" Circle Punch, Beautifully Baroque Embossing Folder, Raven Black Lace Trim, Glue Dots, Dimensionals.

I first stamped all three pillows and the cat in black ink.  Using markers I colored in the images. A little time consuming especially for the rectangular and square pillows.

I used pictures of my friend's cat to color this sweet cat to look similar.  The new Peekaboo peach is a surprisingly good match for a calico coloring.  What I didn't include in the "ingredients" is that I cut out a teeny tiny circle of blushing bride paper (1/16" circle punch) to adhere on the nose, then had to use a black marker to draw around the nose shape.  Her cat had an adorably pink nose, I had to make it so. Fussy cut around all the small stamped images.

The couch is made pretty easily using pieces punched with the Decorative Label punch.  A partial piece longways for the back of the couch (which is mostly hidden), a rectangular piece with the decorative label punched into it for the base and feet, and a small corner of the label punched for each arm. A strip of black for the couch cushion. Then it looked a little clunky so I used a Basic Black marker to color trim and edging.  Glued the pillows along the back of the couch, used dimensionals to adhere the cat to the front of the couch.

Stamped the sentiment which was perfect in my opinion, cutting again with decorative label.  Tied the black raven lace trim underneath the stamped sentiment, adhered the label behind the couch.

Once it was glued the other side of my card was empty so I made a lamp using the 1" circle punch, trimmed with the black lace.

Adhered the embossed background and the floor, then the couch resting on it.

I hope the card is something that makes her smile and makes her think of her dear one who crossed the rainbow bridge today.  HUGS.

Flirty Flamingo Swirly Paradise

Playing with more new goodies!  Featuring the Pop of Paradise Stamp set, Swirly Scribbles dies, and new In Colors!

Stamps: Pop of Paradise
Ink: Flirty Flamingo, Emerald Envy, Basic Black
Paper: Flirty Flamingo, Basic Black, Whisper White, Gold Glimmer
Accessories: Swirly Scribbles Thinlits Dies, Metallics Sequins, Gold Cord

Inked the flamingo in Flirty Flamingo ink, using a Basic Black marker to color the beak and eye portion before stamping.  Stamp and cut out.  Stamped the leaves in Emerald Envy, cut out.

Adhere the swirls cut with the die set, adhere the leaves and the flamingo, using dimensionals on the flamingo.  Use two-way glue to adhere sequins.

Adhere cut out swirls to the card base in tone-on-tone.

I added gold cord trim, it needed a little extra something.

Sitting Here Thinking of You Scenery

Just playing with this new stamp set, Sitting Here, for the first time today.  I spent a lot of time on this one, as the images are finely detailed and I wanted to give it the attention it deserved.  SO much fun!  I think I especially love the pillows!

Stamps: Sitting Here, Hardwood, Sheltering Tree
Ink: Basic Black, Cucumber Crush, Dapper Denim, Flirty Flamingo, Crushed Curry, Soft Suede, Soft Sky, Smoky Slate,Cajun Craze
Paper: Cucumber Crush, Soft Suede, Whisper White, Soft Sky
Accessories: Post-It Notes, Dimensionals, Brayer, Sponges, Blender Pens

Started with a 1/4 sheet of whisper white, trimmed down to 4 x 5 1/4.  Stamped the swing image in Basic Black. I used blender pens to color in the image with ink, markers to highlight some of the darker areas and small lines.

Using a large post it note, I stamped the swing image and hand cut it out and used as a mask for doing the background.  Masking the swing image, I then used another post it note to mask along the base to stamp the hardwood floor in Soft Suede.  Keeping the masks in place, used a sponge to sponge in Soft Suede all along the stamped floor area, swirling the sponge to coat evenly.

Reversed the floor mask to cover up the hardwood floor, making sure to keep the swing mask in place, used a sponge and sponged Crushed Cucumber above the floor to make grass. Once you remove the mask for the swing and floor, use markers and blender pens to add color behind the slats in the swing and any open white areas missed because of the mask.  It helps blend the edges too!

Using a brayer, add Soft Sky ink along the remaining top of the card.  I used a sponge to blend the remaining edges near the grass.

Using Sheltering Tree stamped leafy branches along the top of the card above the swing ropes, using Cucumber Crush.  I added some Flirty Flamingo flowers.  I decided it needed a branch or a panel to hang the swing on so I added a Hardwood stamped strip of Soft Suede.  Stamped some Crushed Curry Flowers along the grass top too.

Stamped the bird, cat, flower pot, and pillow, and used markers to color the images.  On the pillow and cat I used a touch of a Versamark marker around the edges after to give it a bit more 3D dimension.  Cut them out by hand and adhered with dimensionals.  For the flower pot, since it was difficult to cut out, I used Cucumber Crush to fill in between the flowers to make it look more realistic.

Stamped the banner strip in Dapper Denim onto Soft Sky, adhered with dimensionals.  Adhered card front to Cucumber Crush.

So much fun, I love how it turned out.  Thanks for looking today!

Amazing Dapper Denim!

Well, here is a little fun card made using some new products, including this wonderful new color, Dapper Denim, and a new stamp set and punch!

Stamps: Thoughtful Banners
Ink: Dapper Denim
Paper: Dapper Denim, Whisper White
Accessories: Duet Banner Punch, Banner Framelits, Star Confetti Punch, Metallic Sequins, Dimensionals, Fine-Tip Glue Pen

The pattern stamped on the Banner is actually the solid rectangle from the stamp set, which I stamped in a sort of brick style pattern.  The rest I think is pretty self explanatory.  Dimensionals under the banners, fine-tip glue pen for the stars.

Fab Friday 86: Best Beach Life

For the Fab Friday 86 Color Challenge.  What a fabulous color combo!  Sad that a couple of these colors will be retiring in under a month!  The combo reminded me of something from the beach, so I had to create!

Stamps: From Land to Sea, Wild About Flowers
Ink: Soft Sky, Lost Lagoon, Hello Honey, Crumb Cake
Paper: Soft Sky, Lost Lagoon, Whisper White
Accessories: Sponges, White Chalk Marker, 1" Circle Punch, Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon, Dimensionals

I'm regretting not photographing my progress so I can explain how I made this better, but I will do my best.

Using scratch paper as masking material, I first made the hill, by masking and using a sponge with Crumb Cake Ink.  I went back over the hill in Hello Honey for a darker and more sand like coloring.

This was the tricky part.  I masked the hill I just created, then made a wave-like shape by tearing more scratch paper.  Then using Soft Sky ink and a sponge, I placed the mask where I wanted it then using a sponge gently sponged around the edge, creating a wave outline.  I move the wave scratch paper several times and repeated the step.  Then remove the mask, and use Soft Sky ink to blend the lines a bit, keeping some of the white for the foam look of the waves splashing.

Using a straight edge scratch paper, masked the sky and created an ocean horizon line using Lost Lagoon ink.  I didn't fill the space between the ocean and wave edges completely because again you want to have the illusion of waves.

Sponged Lost Lagoon ink gently along the inside of the waves for some added color and foamy appeance.

I did end up losing too much of the white space on the waves, so I used a white chalk marker to add the white definition again which helps the color to stand out!

Using a circle punch, I punched a circle out of another piece of scratch paper, then masked area in the sky and sponged a sun in Hello Honey ink. Removed the mask, then took the sponge with ink and streaked out some sun rays out from the circle.

Stamped the lighthouse in Crumb Cake, cutting out by hand and adhering on the hill with dimensionals.

Stamped the sentiment in Lost Lagoon Ink.

Added the Crumb Cake ribbon for a little added something.

Beautiful Blessing Mother's Day

This is the card I made my mom for Mother's Day.  It has a lot of time involved thanks to the puzzle pieces of these floral dies.  SO pretty though.  I hope she loves it!

Stamps: Rose Wonder, Timeless Textures
Paper: Whisper White Thick CS, Whisper White CS, Pear Pizzazz CS, Old Olive CS, Cherry Cobbler CS, Rose Red CS, Perfect Plum CS, Elegant Eggplant CS, Crushed Curry CS
Ink: Tip Top Taupe
Accessories: Rose Garden Thinlits, Pearls, Clear Wink of Stella, Sahara Sand Lace Trim

The edges of the card background are stamped with multiple images from the Timeless Textures set.  They make a gorgeous vintage look!

 When cutting the flowers out, I separated each image into containers, the pieces that fill in the outlines.  Adhered the outline images, and carefully finding and fitting the appropriate pieces in the various colors.

Adhered some pearls, as well as cutting out the frames for the sentiment. Added wink of stella to the blossoms and leaves.  The top had an open area, so I added the lace trim.

The size is a half sheet of cardstock, 5.5 x 8.5