Clean and Simple and a sneak peek!

I’m always on the lookout for holiday images that can be used to create clean and simple cards and this latest offering from  Flourishes hits the mark.  This card was created for the clean and simple challenge at SCS – the challenge was to use white plus one other color.  The beautiful image is from Flourishes Christmas Bouquet set, to be released on Friday,  is designed by the talented Marcella Hawley.  The set contains the image shown here in two sizes – I’ve used the smaller of the two.  The detail on the bouquet is wonderful and looks lovely stamped in a single color, or you can really go all out and color in the image.

 

To keep with the clean and simple challenge I stamped the image in Memento Cocoa ink – it gives it  a nice vintage look.  The sentiment is from Flourishes Holiday Greetings set.  You can’t tell from the photo but I edged the white panel, the sentiment and the  chocolate scalloped edge with a stardust gel pen to add a little sparkle.    A Martha Stewart punch was used for the scalloped edge with white pearls added for accents.  The embossed white panel was created using a new cuttlebug folder which has swirls and snowflakes on it  Everything was mounted on a chocolate card.  Here is a close up look at how I added the sparkle with the stardust gel pen.  I apologize for the poor photo quality – we’re expecting Hurricane/Tropical Storm Ida to hit here later tonight and there just is no good light today!!

This card came together so quickly I think I will do several versions  using different color schemes!  The size of this image is perfect for making holiday tags as well.

 Thanks for stopping by!!!

Holiday card with SEI paper

I mentioned previously that I love the look of red and blue for Christmas and I am seeing alot of this color combo this year.  I was absolutely THRILLED to get the new SEI holiday  12 x 12 paper pack called Winter Song.   It contains some very pretty red and blue holiday papers, some embossed, some glittered and some textured.  The card below is made with these papers, with the exception of the white cardstock for the main panel.

This card is for the featured stamper challenge at SCS.  I kept the general design, but changed everything else.  The cuttlebug embossed panel is one of the new CB folders (at least new to me) , and you can’t tell but I brushed a glue pad over the embossed areas and added a little glitter to make it sparkle.  The dotted background paper has a little glitter on it.  The snowflake punch is a Martha Stewart punch.  When I finished the card I realized there was no stamping!!!  Yikes – I can’t remember the last time I did a no stamping card!!!  Anyway, I think this SEI paper pad will get used up very quickly this season!!!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your holiday card making is going well!

A triple duty card!

Everyone is busy with holiday cards these days – I admit I am behind in mind, but I needed to make a Veteran’s Day card for my DH and this card takes care of that, as well as two challenges – a sketch challenge and ways to use it challenge over at SCS!

Since this is a Veteran’s Day card its all about the red, white and blue!  The Ways To Use It challenge calls for using stickers  – this card was put together quick and easy using patriotic K  & Company stickers that I picked up on a visit to Washington DC over the summer.  The only stamped image is the sentiment which is from Flourishes Patriotism on Parade Set.  The red and blue paper are from The Paper Company, picked up at Michaels on sale!  The ivory is from Flourishes.

So, it is a bit early – but here is a send out to all the Veteran’s – Happy Veteran’s day – thank you!!

A few recent challenges

I’ve been able to participate in more of the challenges at SCS and I’d like to share with you these cards that were made specifically for the challenge.

First is a sketch challenge…this particular sketch provided an opportunity to dip into my stash of designer paper.  It’s a personal goal of mine to actually use my supplies and not hoard them and doing challenges is a great way to achieve this goal!!

Basic Grey was used for the background (Perhaps on the top, Indian Summer on the bottom).  The image (stamp francisco) was stamped in Palette Charcoal on Flourishes Classic White Cardstock.  A variety of markers, pens and inks were used to color the image, including Ancient Page, copics and SU.  The blossom of the flower was stamped and popped up to give a little more dimension.  Chocolate pearls were added at the corners and bottom.

Next is a card made for a “clean and simple” challenge, which required the use of brads or eyelets and I was able to use both!

The image (Savvy Stamps) was stamped in Palette Burnt Umber and colored with prisma pencils and odorless mineral spirits.  The eyelets are used as a way to “hange” the picture.  the background paper is from Basic Grey  – Urban Prairie and the sentiment is from Flourishes Summer Blossoms set.

Thanks for stopping by!

Melon mambo with kraft

Today’s color challenge was to use melon mambo, kraft and black.  The bright burst of melon really pops against both the black and kraft neutrals.

The stamps are from Flourishes All Wrapped up set and were stamped in Palette Noir ink.  Now here is something odd – I started coloring the gift boxes with melon ink, but the color did not look right especially when placed against the paper.  The ink looked more orange-y than pink – not sure how that happened!! 

Anyway – here is a good tip…if you have prisma pencils try and match up a pencil color to your ink.  In this card I ended up coloring the boxes with a mix of prisma pencils #993 Hot Pink and #994-Process Red along with  #107o French Grey 30%.   These colors were a nice match to SU’s colors.  You probably can’t tell from the photo but I added a little sparkle to the boxes with a stardust get pen.  The colors overall in the photo are a bit off because of the weather here – its been rainy all day and looks like it will continue through the afternoon, so this was the best I could do.

The ribbon is a black satin overlayed with a sheer polka dot.  The black satin by itself seemed to heavy and the sheer dot too light.  Combining them gave the look I wanted!  The flowers are sizzix die cuts with black rhinestones for the center.

Thanks for stopping by!

My latest favorite color combo

I’m seeing these colors in some variation all around me – a light blue/aqua paired with a rich red/violet.  They can be found in Basic Greys Eskimo Kisses line, in the latest holiday line from Cosmo Cricket and I even saw this color combo at Cracker Barrel the other day on one of their holiday tree displays!

Materials Used: Stamps - Flourishes Holiday Greetings; Paper - Flourishes (white), SU (blue and pomegranate); Ink - Palette Ballet Blue, Marvy Aubergine, Other: ribbon, rhinestones, cuttlebug folder, slice machine

I first paired these colors a year or so ago (or was it longer?) when SU issued its beautiful pomegranate paper.  I wish they had made this a permanent color – I’m running low on my supply!  I used it with their soft sky and immediately fell in love with the look!  So this year several of my holiday cards will be made using these colors.

This card was a snap – the blue panel  was embossed with a cuttlebug folder and a panel of pomegranate dp was added on top.  The die cuts were made with a slice machine.  The sentiment is from Flourishes Holiday Greeting set and was stamped with a Marvy marker and sponged with Palette Ink – ballet blue ink.  Rhinestones and ribbon complete the card.

Materials Used: Stamps - Flourishes (sentiment), SU (flower), Rubbernecker (background); Paper: Flourishes White, SU Pomegranate; Ink - Palette Ballet Blue, Marvy Aubergine; Other: Ribbon, pearls nestabilities

With this color combo fresh in my mind, I decided to make a  birthday card – somthing I am always in need of!  Using the same color scheme I put together this card – soft and feminine.  The hardest part was lining up the pearls on the ribbon!  I used circle nestabilities to cut out the shapes and sponged some color on the circle before stamping the image.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

A favorite stamp

This stamp has to be my all time favorite from Flourishes.   I’ve used it for so many holiday cards not only because it is beautiful, but it is so easy to use.  It is so easy to make an elegant card – that is the true  beauty of a well drawn image.  My secret wish is that Flourishes would come out with a similar image that says Merry Christmas.

Materials used: Stamps: Flourishes Rejoice, Rubbernecker Victorian leaf, SeeD's harlequin; Paper: Flourishes Clasic White, SU Pomegranate and Olive, gold cardstock; Ink: Versamark, Marvy aubergine marker, copics; Other: gold embossing powder, rhinestones

I’ve paired the stamp with my favorite SU paper – pomegranate.  Oh how I wish SU would make this a permanent color!  When this was offered I failed to get the ink and I have regretted that decision ever since. 

The image was stamped on Flourishes Classic White Cardstock in versamark and embossed in gold.  I used the copic collections of Tea Rose and Evergreen for color.  The vine-y background on the pomegranate paper is stamped in magenta and is from Rubbernecker.  The Harlequin background was stamped in versamark and is f rom SeeD’s. I don’t know if you can tell but the diamonds of the harlequin pattern are outlined with a stardust gel pen.  Everything was matted on gold cardstock.  The rhinestones were a lighter pink so I just colored over them with the darkest copic marker from the Tea Rose collection to bring the color more in line with the ink and cardstock.

The great thing about this sketch is that all the panels were made using scraps!  I love when I can do that!

Thanks for stopping by!

Patches and Quilt Squares

Lately I’ve seen alot of cards using quilt-type squares, or patchwork and many of them include sewing.  I’m always impressed when I see sewing done on cards because I can’t sew to save my life!    I wouldn’t even know how to thread the needle on my sewing machine…..where is my sewing machine anyway???

Materials: Stamps: Flourishes Sweet Violets (sentiment); Paper: Cosmo Cricket (dp) SU - red, Flourishes - ivory; Ink: Palette L'Amore red; Other: ribbon, scallop punch

This card takes the patch/quilt square concept – but without the sewing!  All the designer paper is from Cosmo Cricket.  I took the bird patterened paper and just punched out squares around the design, then took a slightly larger scalloped punch and punched out red squares.  Everything was mounted on more Cosmo Cricket paper.  The sentiment, which is the only stamped section of the card, is from Flourishes Sweet Violets set.

Thanks for stopping by!

Clean and Simple

This weeks clean and simple challenge (CAS) at Splitcoast was to make a sympathy card.  I pulled the colors from the color challenge (cameo, burgundy and vanilla), so this card does double duty.

Materials Used: Stamps: Flourishes Thinking Of You: Ink,Paper,Ribbon: Stampin Up, Nestabilities Ovals

Sympathy cards are understandably difficult due to the occasion but Flourishes Thinking Of You set is the perfect choice.  The delicate images and thoughtful sentiments in this set will give stampers several options for a sympathy card.

To keep in clean and simple I stamped the floral image across the top and bottom of the card.  The Sentiment and oval floral were easily stamped and cut out with Nestabilitiy ovals.  Burgundy ink was used for all the image.

Thanks for stopping by!

Birthday Greetings!

I took my inspiration from a Riley Fitzgerald card, with the sketch from 2redbanana’s sketch blog.  The easy part was done – I had the image already stamped and colored from a previous project and it was just waiting in my box of stamped images ready to be used!

Materials: Stamps: Flourishes (gift box and sentiment), SeeD's (background); Paper: Flourishes, SU; Ink: Palette Charcoal, Copic Markers; Rhinestones, Stardust Gel Pen

I colored the image with copics – see my post HERE for a video of how I colored it.  It’s one of my favorite images, from the Flourishes All Wrapped Up set, because it can be used for so many occasions.  Its used as a birthday card here but just change the colors and you can turn it into a christmas, baby or wedding card!

Thanks for stopping by!