Apr 11, 2021 | Birthday, Clean and Simple, Gallery, Uncategorized |
Happy Sunday to all!
It’s the beginning of a new week so it’s time for another Paper Players challenge. This week, our talented LeAnne is giving us a Color Challenge. Misty Moonlight, Merry Merlot and Crumb Cake, plus a neutral. Wow! What a striking color combination it is.
There were so many ideas coming to mind for these colors, so I wasn’t sure in what direction this card was going to go. I had my Painted Poppies stamp set nearby, so I started playing with this poppy image, stamping random poppies on my top card layer. I decided to create a sticky note mask and use it to add some background ink splatter.
This is a clean and simple card. I stamped five poppies with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink. An odd number is always better than an even number when adding images or embellishments. Three of anything usually works best but since I had a lot of white space, I went with five.
The Painted Poppies stamp set includes a filler stamp that you can use to “fill” the poppy image with color. Instead, I colored the poppies with Light Crumb Cake and Light Misty Moonlight Stampin’ Blends. I used the Stampin’ Blends Color Lifter to create shading in the flowers. Without a doubt this Color Lifter is a “miracle” add-on to the Stampin’ Blends product line.
Next up is my Merry Merlot ink splatter. I used a splatter image from an older, retired stamp set called Gorgeous Grunge. This stamp set maintains a place of honor on my stamp shelf. I use it often. I’m sure you all have stamp sets like that! I masked my flowers and stamped the ink splatter over them. While I was doing it, I snapped a few pictures and created a quick tutorial. If you’re unfamiliar with the masking technique, click on the button below to take a look.
The sentiment, from the Art Gallery stamp set, is stamped with Merry Merlot ink.
So, grab your Misty Moonlight, Merry Merlot and Crumb Cake paper and ink, create something fun, and link up with us over at the Paper Players.
For more inspiration, click below to see what the rest of the Design Team created.
Shop my online store at Stampin’ Up!
Apr 9, 2021 | Birthday, Gallery, Quick & Easy |
A very happy Friday to you!
Today’s card is simple and easy. This project wasn’t planned for today, but I decided to go with it. I wanted to share my inspiration for this design because it came together so quickly.
I am a Guest Designer over at the Paper Players Blog Challenge. Yesterday morning, I was reviewing the submissions and one of the entries is a pink and black card with random pink flowers. It reminded me of the poppy garden stamp from the Painted Poppies stamp set. Later yesterday, I had time to just sit and stamp with no real goal in mind. That doesn’t usually happen and the first thing I did was pull out my Painted Poppies stamp set. The rest is history.
Under the beautiful black and white Designer Series Paper is a standard A-2, top fold Basic Black card base. The patterned paper is from the True Love Designer Series Paper pack. I added a Pool Party thin layer and a Basic White top layer outlined with one of the Stitched With Whimsy Dies.
I stamped the poppies stamp with Tuxedo Black Memento ink. Pool Party and Granny Apple Green Stampin’ Blends helped me give the poppies some color. If you look closely on the card, you can see I added a little Pool Party ink splatter to the background. I thought one of the stamps in the stamp set would be fun to use for some background shading. I stamped the ink off the image twice then stamped the background. The sentiment stamp is from the Boho Indigo stamp set.
Inspiration can come when you least expect it. Sometimes, you’re not looking and it’s right in front of you.
So, grab a flower garden stamp, add some background ink and create something pretty!
…the only limitation is your imagination!
Click to shop my online store at Stampin’ Up!
Apr 4, 2021 | Birthday, Encouragemet, Gallery, The Paper Players, Thinking of You |
Wishing you all the joy and light of the Easter season!
It’s Sunday and another weekly start for all of us at the Paper Players Blog Challenge. This week, our very talented Jaydee is hosting our Theme Challenge. Springtime Flowers is a perfect theme for Easter and this time of year. It’s actually been cold here in New Jersey the past two days. The grass is getting greener, though and the trees are starting to pop. We’re supposed to have a warmer week ahead and I’m looking forward to it.
Today’s card is a simple design using the Basket of Blooms stamp set. A few posts ago, I talked about this set being tucked away in the current Annual Catalog. I found it and love using it. It is retiring and available during Stampin’ Up!’s Last Chance promotion going on now.
Starting with a Thick Basic White card base, I added a layer of Mossy Meadow checked pattern paper from the Hydrangea Hill Designer Series Paper. I die cut the Basic White top layer with a Stitched Rectangle Die.
My images are stamped with Mossy Meadow, Gorgeous Grape, Bumblebee and Soft Suede ink. I wanted to add a bit of color to the images so I blended the ink with a Blender Pen. There are designs that I prefer coloring with a Blender Pen rather than Stampin’ Blends (which are our alcohol markers). Then there are designs where I prefer a Stampin’ Blend rather than a Blender Pen.
Stampin’ Up!’s Blender Pen is easy to use. The Blender Pen is a dual tip pen filled with a special solution to help easily blend ink. Once you stamp your image, you can go over the inked lines with a Blender Pen and pull the ink where you want it. For a darker shading or to actually fill in an image, you can use the Blender pen dipped in a drop of ink. I use a tiny drop of ink on a plastic spoon. Some squeeze their ink pad to get a little pool of ink in the top flap.
Whatever method works for you is best. The idea is to get ink onto the tip of the Blender Pen. You can clean your Blender Pen by lightly running the edges of it over scrap paper until you don’t see any more color on the paper. Your Blender Pen will last a long time by keeping it clean and making sure the pen cap in tightly secured.
I can’t honestly say that this is a “quick” card, but it is simple and easy. If you love to fussy cut and blend color, this design is for you. Just match the color of the flowers to your favorite patterned paper and you have a simple and clean card for just about any occasion.
So, treat yourself to the Basket of Blooms stamp set, add your favorite patterned paper, fussy cut a few flowers, blend a basket and create something simple to celebrate any occasion.
…the only limitation is your imagination!
For additional details on the products I used today, click here or on the images below.
Now let’s see what the rest of the Design Team created for your inspiration. You can click on each of their Blogs below.
Click to shop my online store at Stampin’ Up!
Mar 30, 2021 | Birthday, Clean and Simple, Gallery, Quick & Easy, Thinking of You |
Happy Tuesday!
I spent time in my craft room over the weekend doing a little purging and organizing. I’ve used much of the True Love Designer Series Paper, but haven’t really done much with this polka dot pattern. Without a doubt it is “clean and simple” pretty and makes a great card layer. The trio of colored cardstock strips add some color to the black and white. They also anchor the sentiment circle focal point.
Stampin’ Up’s Vellum cardstock is a quality weight and cuts beautifully, as well. No creasing at the ends or ragged edges and it’s very smooth.
I randomly colored a butterfly from Butterfly Brilliance with Blends and attached it to the circle. I colored three little pearls with my Blends for a bit more color. The sentiment stamp from the Garden Wishes stamp set. works well with the clean and simple card design. I like the informality of the mixed font in the sentiment.
This project is quick and easy. The card design will work well paired with a favorite stamp set and patterned paper. I chose a circle for my focal point because it created a pattern repeat with the polka dot patterned paper. Any shape would work depending on the patterned paper you choose.
So, (I know you know what I’m going to say) … grab your favorite patterned paper, add a focal point with a great image and stamped sentiment and create something clean and simple with a pop of color.
…the only limitation is your imagination!
For details on the products I used in today’s post, you can click on the images below.
Click on the image below for details on the last chance products available only while supplies last.
Mar 19, 2021 | Birthday, Congratulations, Gallery, Thinking of You |
Today’s card evolved from the Sketch Challenge over at the Fab Friday Challenge Blog.
There’s always something about a sketch that catches my eye. The rest of my project usually morphs into something not intended. That’s the case with today’s post. When I saw this Fab Friday sketch, my eye went directly to the banners. I thought they were interesting.
I wanted to cover the front of the card (no layers today), and went with the brush stroke watercolor pattern from the Fine Art Floral Designer Series Paper. It’s been a while since I looked at the patterns and they are certainly stunning. I wish I could say I created the paper, but I didn’t.
I did sponge some white ink to the top left of the paper for color balance. The white flower is fussy cut from the reverse side of the background paper. I sponged a little Pretty Peacock lightly over the flower to give it some depth and again, to create a bit of color balance. I also added a little more Pretty Peacock ink to the background paper. The whole “inking” process was fun. I felt like a real artist!!
I ask myself, “what’s a Basic Black background without some white splatter”. You always need the white splatter on Basic Black, so I went to my favorite ink splatter stamp then added a few bolder dots with my White Chalk Marker.
I found the perfectly sized sentiment in the Friends Are Like Seashells stamp set. I stamped the sentiment several times with White Craft Ink and my Stamparatus.
The thought of adding cardstock banners came to mind, but I went with the Fine Art Ribbon instead.
This design doesn’t need embellishments, but I couldn’t resist adding the Gold Metallic Pearl.
So, pull out some gorgeous patterned paper, channel the artist in you, sponge some ink, add some splatter and create some “Fine Art”.
…the only limitation is your imagination!
For details on the products I used today, click on the images below.
