KittieKraft

April Craft a Scene Challenge- Silhouettes

Happy Tuesday!  I had a big mess up with my schedule this past weekend and failed to post my Craft a Scene card for the April.  Our challenge was to post a project using silhouettes and our sponsor for the challenge this month is Caroline Rawcliffe of Caroline’s Creative Stamps.  This was my first attempt ever to use digital images to create a scene and I must admit I was a bit intimidated. I am technically challenged but after I got the hang of it I had a great time sizing and moving the images around.  Here is what I came up with.

I chose to work with the pink and lavender moonlight background and sized it to fit inside my round Nestabilities dies so I could create a triple matted frame with a floral punched border. The colors in the background were perfect to combine with Almost Amethyst cardstock and I thought black was the perfect contrast with the Amethyst and to match the silhouette.

I chose the fairy and placed her sitting on top of a mushroom.  It is hard to tell but I flipped one section of the three mushrooms to alternate and so they wouldn’t look so set in place. I reduced the size of several leaves and added to the branches of the tree.

I chose to embellish my scene with amethyst punched flowers and black foliage.  I know….whoever heard of black foliage?  But….I think it adds so much contrast and interest to card.  I know there would be lots of flowers around the fairy if we could see further into the scene.

I hope you have a great day.

I have failed to make a photo of the punches and dies that I used so I copied and pasted for you.

 

Image:  Caroline’s Creative Stamps- Digital Silhouettes

Paper:  Black, White, Amethyst

Accessories:  Martha Stewart Flower Box PATP Set and Flower Punch, EK Success Mini Daisy Set and Rock Fern Punch, Fiskars 1/4” Flower Punch, Black Glaze Marker, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Mounting Tape

Brown, Cream, Blue and Green

I mentioned in my post yesterday that our Rubbernecker design team members shared a paper exchange and I received gorgeous papers from Joan. My project today was totally inspired by the cream flowers and blue and green foliage on the brown Parsley Place designer paper.

I chose to use blue paper for the accent layer for under the floral spray. I punched the border and then crimped it to give added texture and dimension.

I color washed the punched vanilla flowers with Antique Linen and Brushed Corduroy reinkers, heat dried and formed with a stylus on a mouse pad. I die cut and punched the green and blue foliage and shaped the leave with the same technique. I arranged the foliage and flowers and attached with Glossy Accents.  I added the Just Because sentiment to the card can be used for any occasion.  The final step was to add a drop of Glossy Accents to each flower center to add a bit of shine.

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate all the wonderful and uplifting comments that you leave every day.

Stamps: Rubbernecker Just Because 565-22
Paper: Soft Sky, Vanilla, Prima Marketing Madeline Collection-Parsley Place
Ink: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy
Accessories: Martha Stewart Flower Punch, Deco Flower PATP Border Punch, Spellbinders Foliage Dies, EK Success Rock Fern, Crimper, SU Oval Punches, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents

Friendship Blooms In All Seasons

Good Sunday morning.  Aren’t weekends wonderful.  Even though Sunday is more house chores day it is still so relaxing compared to work days.  I have had a great time this morning playing with some new designer paper.  Our Rubbernecker design team had a paper exchange so everyone could have something new and different to play with.  Joan gifted me with beautiful floral papers and the one I used today is from The Girls Paperie and is called Vintage Whimsy. The sweet roses on the paper inspired me to create a paper rose and foliage project.  I love the sentiment from Rubbernecker’s Floral Silhouette Set.

 

I assembled the base of the card with the designer paper and added a strip of eyelet border in white to add another vintage element.  I die cut the double matted frame using Nestabilities Label and Oval dies and layered over the sentiment and mounted.

I created the roses using the bright and colorful cardstock that I used for the base of the card and frame.  I wanted the rose and bud to pop in contrast to the soft pink background.  I used cardstock for the leaves that perfectly matched the foliage on the designer paper. I added a little softness around the rose and bud with punched branch sprigs.  This is a sweet card to give a good friend for any occasion.

Thanks for looking in today.  I have another long work week ahead of me due to moving in and  opening a new medical practice so I will probably miss some of my regular posts again.  I keep thinking I’m too old for this stuff but I am thankful to have a good job.  Have a great week.

Stamps:  Rubbernecker Floral Silhouette Set 467

Paper:  Raspberry Fizz, White, Kiwi Kiss, The Girls Paperie-Vintage Whimsy

Ink:  Pink Passion

Accessories:  McGill Snowflake and Rose Punch, Martha Stewart Eyelet PATP Set and Branch Punch, Nestabilities Foliage, Labels and Oval Dies, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents

Matching Frame and Background

Good Saturday morning!  I have missed posting a few days in a row due to some extra long work days. Thank you to each of you who took the time to write and let me know my posts were missed.  I was very touched.  I have had a wonderful time this morning relaxing and creating a project for the Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge. The inspiration site is the Harabu House.  I was inspired by this lovely tea towel.

Here is what I came up with.  The pattern of the tea towel reminded me of the Rubbernecker Morning Glory Panel and matching Morning Glory Frame.

I stamped the frame image and the panel image on white cardstock.   I die cut the center of the frame opening with oval Nestabilities and cut a blue oval to create a double matted frame for contrast.   I attached the panel to the card base and then mounted the frame layer with mounting tape.

I die cut several pieces of foliage, distressed and attached to the frame base. I stamped another piece of white cardstock with the panel image and then punched several flowers to create a focal point for the project. I think the blue pattern on the flower petals adds a touch of elegance to the project.

I punched several smaller flowers to place around the foliage to soften.  The Morning Glory frame and the matching panel in any color work beautifully together.  I especially like the blue and white.

I hope you have a great weekend. 

Stamps:  Rubbernecker Morning Glory Panel 518 and Morning Glory Frame 523

Paper:  Brocade Blue, White

Ink:  Bashful Blue

Accessories:  Martha Stewart Hydrangea Punches and Branch Punch, EK Success Large Daisy Punch, My Favorite Things Leafy Flourish, Nestabilities Oval Punches, Fiskars 1/8” Circle Punch and 1/4” Flower Punch, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents

Belleek Inspired with Faux Patina

Good morning!  The Technique Lovers Challenge at Splitcoaststampers this week was to add a couple of steps to the Belleek Inspired technique that we learned a few weeks ago and to create Faux Patina. 

 

The additional steps was to lightly sponge ink over the raised areas to help it stand out and then finish with rubbing the versa pad over the raised area and light sprinkling gold embossing powder over it with a spoon and heating. I used Antique Linen to brayer the embossing folder to create the Belleek embossing.  I then used a sponge to lightly apply Broken China to the raised embossed areas and then heat dried. I then lightly rubbed the versa ink pad directly on the raised embossing and lightly sprinkled gold embossing powder and heated. It is a beautiful effect.

I tried to duplicate the gold effect on the vanilla foliage and the frame and blue flowers.  I sponged both with Antique Linen and then sprinkled the embossing powder on lightly so it wouldn’t stick and cover the whole thing.  I distressed the back of both the flowers and foliage with a stylus on a mat to shape.

I attached the frame with mounting tape and then arranged the foliage and flowers with Glossy Accents to create a flower spray. I finished by placing a tiny antique gold pearl in the center of each flower. This card is so much prettier in person than in the photos. I seem to have difficulty photographing gold embossing. It must be the camera’s fault. LOL!

I hope you have a wonderful day and I appreciate you stopping by.

Paper: Aqua Mist, Vanilla
Ink: Broken China, Antique Linen, Versa
Accessories: Martha Stewart Flower Punch and Deco Flowers PATP Set, MFT Leafy Flourish, Cuttlebug Textile Folder, Gold Embossing Powder, Pearls, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents

Nature Babies

Happy Monday!  I have a sweet project to share with you today using Angels Landing Nature Babies 2.  These forest animals are so adorable and fun to work with.

I printed the digital fox, squirrel and raccoon image on plain white cardstock and heat set well so the ink wouldn’t fun when I painted.  I watercolored the images with reinkers and cut them to put in my scene.

I die cut three sections of Grassland Border and attached two them together and attached to the card base. I attached the fox in front of the two grass sections and then attached the third section in front of the fox. I attached the squirrel and raccoon over the grass in front of the fox.  I really liked the grass showing between the animals.

I placed the clouds in the sky area and then attached the tree in behind the grass. I finished the project  by tucking several springs of punched branch and attached tiny little flowers to create a field of wild flowers, I love how this turned out.  The animals are so adorable. You can check out the wonderful Copic Coloring Guide at Angels Landing if you would like help knowing how to color these forest babies.  I don’t use Copic markers but I found the guide very helpful. You can see the complete set of images below.

I hope you have a great week.  Thanks for stopping by.

Image: Angels Landing Nature Babies 2
Paper: Blue, Spring Moss, White, Watercolor, Regal Rose
Ink: Peeled Paint, Rusty Hinge, Antique Linen, Pumice Stone, Brushed Corduroy
Accessories: Memory Box and Poppy Stamps Dies-Grassland Border, Arboscello Tree, Puffy Clouds, Martha Stewart Branch Punch, 1/8" Hole Punch, Glossy Accents

Craft a Moonlight Scene

Good Sunday morning.  The March Craft a Scene theme is moonlight. My first project at the beginning of the month was a snowy winter night scene. My project today was made with a big moon shining through evergreens.

I cut a circle out of a post it note and used it as a mask to create the moon in the sky.  I placed the mask in the sky area and then sponged blue around the moon to create the night sky.  I removed the mask and placed the negative of the circle over the moon area to protect the blue ink and then sponged in in the circle of the moon with yellow.

I brushed a dry paint brush across the green pad to lightly gather ink. 

Using a stipple motion I started applying ink to the trees. This technique allows the ink to look more like it has been sponged rather than the look of full watercoloring. You will continuously need to go back to the ink pad to gather more ink on the brush. Fill in all the green areas of the tree, heat dry well.

Go back and lightly fill in the tree trunks with brown. Heat dry again so ink does not smudge in later steps. I borrowed a couple of pictures from my Winter Snow Scene tutorial to show how I paint the evergreen trees. 

I sponged in a little more yellow ink around the moon and trees to create the appearance of light coming through the trees. I finished by creating a double matted frame in blue and yellow.

Thanks for stopping in today.  I hope you have a great week.

Stamps:  Rubbernecker Evergreen Tree Set 689 690 694 SO

Paper:  Not Quite Navy, Barely Banana, Watercolor

Ink:  Broken China, Lemonade, Peeled Paint, Vintage Photo

Accessories:  Brush, Sponge, Nestabilities Oval Dies, Circle Punch, Post It for Mask, Mounting Tape

Rubbernecker Mother’s Day Blog Hop

Good Saturday morning.  Welcome to the Rubbernecker Design Team Happy Mother's Day hop.  Rubbernecker has a wide variety of stamps for your Mother’s Day projects! The Stampin’ Sisterhood has created wonderful projects to share with you today and give you a glimpse at some of the beautiful  images.

I have listed the hop route below my project for you to follow. You will find it listed at every stop along the way. As always you will want to leave a comment at every blog post and then return to the Stampin’ Sisterhood Blog and comment that you have completed the hop. You will have a chance to win any Rubbernecker stamp set of your choice. The winner will be announced on the Stampin’ Sisterhood Blog Friday, March 30th.

An EXTRA winner winner will be chosen to win a stamp set of their choice for sharing our Team Hop on your Facebook Page or Blog. After you have SHARED, just go back to the Stampin' Sisterhood Blog and let us know where you have SHARED our HOP.

For my project today I combined the lovely Rose Silhouette image with punched and die cut roses and foliage.  I loved how the paper rose mimics the silhouette image.

I used a Regal Rose and Old Olive marker to apply color directly on the stamp, spritzed with a little water and stamped on white cardstock. I used a small wet brush to go over each section of flower and leaf to smooth out and fill in the color of the image.

I used a round Nestabilities die to cut the image layer into a circle and mounted over a round scalloped layer. I attached this to an all white base layer because I wanted the image, flower and foliage to be the main focus.

I used the McGill rose punches and Spellbinder foliage dies to create the flower spray.  I added sprigs of Martha Stewart Branch punch to fill in and soften the spray.

I like how pretty the image and dimensional flower look together.  I hope to create more projects like this in the future.

My mother was a florist so when I think of Mother’s Day I think of flowers. Check on the links below if you would like to see more of the floral images Rubbernecker has available.

Florals, Florals 2, Florals 2010, Garden, Wildflowers 2010, Floral Sets, Bold Florals, Brush Florals, Flourishes, Panels, Ornaments and Frames, Wild Garden

Hop Path

• Charlene Driggs
• Charlene Merrick
• Ellen Taylor
• Jacquie Peifer
• Jen Charboneau
• Jennifer Cuthbertson
• Joan Ervin
• Judy Rozema
• Julia Aston
• Juliana Swanson
• Karen Hunsaker
• Kecia Waters
• Kittie Caracciolo
• Stampin' Sisterhood

 

Stamps: Rubbernecker Rose Silhouette 537-01
Paper: White, Regal Rose
Ink: Regal Rose, Peeled Paint
Accessories: McGill Garden Rose Punches, Martha Stewart Branch Punch, Spellbinders Foliage, Circle and Scalloped Circle Punches, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, SU Regal Rose and Old Olive Markers 

Long-Time Friend

My project today was made for the Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge and I have included a picture of the sketch below.

I turned the sketch on it’s side so I could use another of my favorite Stampin’ Up! sets Long-Time Friend. I stamped the image on watercolor paper and painted with reinker mixed with water.

I added dimension to the image by applying tiny punched flowers and a couple of extra stems to the simple basket scene.  I also cut out a second basket handle and popped it up on small glue dots.

I had this paper left on my desk from the card I made for the color challenge and decided it would be perfect for this image as well. I created a double matted frame to add depth to the project and repeat the blue and brown again over the background layers. Click on the photos if you would like to see a closer view.

Have a great day and I appreciate you checking in today.

I’m sorry that I forgot to take a picture of the flower punches.

Stamps: Long-Time Friend
Paper: Chocolate, Baja Breeze, Watercolor
Ink: Peeled Paint, Rust, Baja, Yellow, Brushed Corduroy
Accessories: 1/4" Flower Punch, 1/8" Circle Punch, Martha Stewart Hydrangea Punch, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Stickles, Liquid Pearls, Nestabilities Oval Dies

Touch of Nature

The Splitcoaststampers Color Challenge this week was to use Chocolate Chip, River Rock and Baja Breeze. I didn’t think I would like this color combination as much as I do.  The River Rock has just enough green in it to work well as foliage combined with the brown and blue.

  

I browsed through some of my Stampin’ Up! sets that I haven’t used in a while and came across Touch of Nature.  This is one of my favorite SU images and I will never let the set go. I stamped the image on plain white cardstock and painted using reinkers mixed with water. I created a double matted frame and popped it up over the stamped image.

I wanted to add dimension to the bird and branch image so I created additional branches and leaves using the Memory Box Twigs and Berries branch and cut leaves off (the leaves that comes with the die set are a little too large to march the leaves in the image)of the Martha Stewart frond punch. I sketched leaf lines with an artist pen on the punched leaves and sponged lightly with River Rock to add a little depth to the cardstock. I formed the leaves lightly with a stylus and then attached the branches using Glossy Accents and tucked the branches under the popped up frame.

I didn’t want to leave the lower right corner empty where I had attached the branches so I punched a few more fronds, sponged with color and arranged them with the punched flowers to create a small floral spray.

I really love how the addition of the branches adds softness to the image.  And what a lovely color combination this turned out to be.  I will definitely use these colors together again. Click on the photos if you would like to get a closer view.

Thanks for stopping in and happy Wednesday.

Stamps: Touch of Nature
Paper: Chocolate, Baja Breeze and River Rock
Ink: River Rock, Brushed Corduroy, Baja Breeze
Accessories: Memory Box Twigs and Berries, Martha Stewart Frond and Flower Punch, Spellbinders Small and Large Labels Die Set, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Mounting Tape, Artist Pen

Flowers Out of the Box

My project today was made for a double challenge on Splitcoaststampers.  The Technique Lovers Challenge was to Crop It.  I stamped my long stem flowers from Rubbernecker’s Wildflower Set on a die cut scalloped rectangle too small for the image.  I stamped the image on the base of the card and mounted the rectangle directly over it allowing the bottom stems and upper flowers to show.  The layout of my card was suggested by the sketch in the Clean and Simple challenge.

I covered up lots of the fun image with my paper punched flowers so I thought I would show a picture of the complete set below.  They are such cute flowers and long stems and the set has some nice sentiments.

I made the flowers with four punches and combined different petal types for a fun garden patch kind of look.  I love the pink, blue and yellow together.

The sentiment says “May your day bloom with happiness”. This is definitely clean and simple with a touch of spring.

Thanks for dropping in today.  Have a great week.

Stamps: Rubbernecker Wildflower Set 465
Paper: White, Pink, Blue, Yellow
Ink: Forest Moss
Accessories: Martha Stewart Flower Punch, EK Success Mini Daisy and Petunia Punch Set and Medium Daisy Set, Spellbinders Long Classic Scalloped Rectangles. (I forgot to put the die in my photo) Glossy Accents, Stylus, Mat, Pearls

Baroque Inspired

Happy Monday morning.  I have another project to share with you today that I made for the Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge.  The inspiration was a piece of vintage Baroque wallpaper see in the picture below.

I was instantly drawn to use the Textile embossing folder and the Belleek Inspired Technique that I have fallen in love with.

I brayered Adirondack Lake Mist ink on the embossing folder and embossed white cardstock.  I love how soft the light gray ink looks with the raised white embossing.

The white frame what punched using a Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page set and then the center was cut with a rectangle Nestabilities die.  I mounted the frame with mounting tape and then popped up the Thinking of You sentiment with mounting tape as well.  I finished by adding two pieces of white flourish and a simple pure white flower with a gray pearl in the center.  This is simple and elegant and didn’t really take very long to make.

I hope you have a great week and once again let me say how much I appreciate all of your supportive comments.

Stamps: Rubbernecker Thinking of you 565-10
Ink: Adirondack Lake Mist, Distress Pumice Stone
Paper: White
Accessories: Cuttlebug Textile Embossing Folder, Martha Stewart Deco Flowers PATP Set and Flower Punch, Spellbinder Floral Flourishes Die Set, Pearl, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents,

Victorian Damask

My project today was made for the Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge.  The site was Johnny-Tapete Vintage Wallpaper.  I was inspired by the Alberta Baroque pattern shown below.

The pattern of the wallpaper reminded me of the Victorian Damask Panel by Rubbernecker.  I stamped the panel image on vanilla cardstock and die cut an oval frame opening. I die cut a vanilla mat layer to double mat the framed opening. I attached mounting tape to the back of the frame and then attached it to the section of the die cut section of damask frame layer that had been cut out of the main layer. I mounted the whole main frame layer to the vanilla card base with mounting tape.

I punched out several daisy flowers, formed the flowers with a stylus and mat and attached them to create the large main flower. I die cut several leafy flourishes, distressed, sponged with green ink and attached to the base of the card around the frame. I attached the main flower at the top of the design. I created several smaller flowers to attach to the leafy flourish sections and then filled all the flowers with a tiny pearl center.

I sponged a little yellow ink on all the flowers after I got them attached as they looked a little dead and I waned to bring a little life to them.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend.  Have a great Sunday.

 

Stamps: Rubbernecker Victorian Damask Panel 498
Paper: Vanilla, Spring Moss
Ink: Shabby Shutters
Accessories: EK Success Daisy Punches, My Favorite Things Leafy Flourish, Spellbinders Oval Dies, Pearls, Glossy Accents, Stylus, Mat

Buttery Yellow Belleek

The Free For All challenge on Splitcoaststampers this week was to create a monochromatic card.  I saw this as another chance to use the Belleek Inspired Technique because it works so well with monochromatic themes.

I brayered  ink on the inside front of the embossing folder, inserted the cardstock and ran through the Big Shot with the front side down. This technique creates such an elegant background allowing the vanilla cardstock to show the raised pattern.

I die cut the rectangle Fleur De Lis layer and then cut out the center to create the frame. I attached to the card base with mounting tape.  I attached the flourishes to the frame and then attached the flowers.  I finished the flower centers with tiny white pearls.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend with lots of rest, relaxation and stamping fun.  Thanks for stopping by.

Paper: Barely Banana, Vanilla
Ink: Scattered Straw
Accessories: Martha Stewart Flower Punch, Spellbinders Rectangle Fleur De Lis, Floral Flourishes and Rectangle Die, Cuttlebug Textile Embossing Folder, Mounting Tape, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Pearls, Brayer

Hot Diggity Dog

My project today was made for the Splitcoaststampers Ways To Use It challenge “ Who Let The Dogs Out”.  I looked at this challenge when I was drinking my first cup of coffee Thursday morning before getting ready for work. I instantly thought of the dog and sentiment in the Rubbernecker Animal collection.

I stamped the dog on watercolor paper, colored and cut out to pop up in front of my little die cut scene. I attached the frame and grass to the blue base card and then mounted the frame over top of it.

I cut the tree die so I could use the little leaf sections for the branches. I die cut the branch and then attached the leaf sections. I attached the clouds in the sky and then attached the branches popping out of the frame and over the clouds. I attached tiny flowers to the grasses and popped the doggy up in front. The sentiment was stamped and cut out with my deckle scissors and attached for the finishing touch.

I  think this would be a fun card to give to a little boy or girl. There's lots going on in the scene but it was sure fun to create.

Stamps: Rubbernecker Animal Collection Dog-569-18 and Hot Diggity 568-11
Paper: Bashful Blue, Barely Banana, White, Watercolor
Ink: Black, Stormy Sky, Brushed Corduroy
Accessories: Memory Box Arboscello Tree Die, Twigs and Berries Die, Puffy Clouds, Poppy Stamps Picket Fence and Grassland Border, Nestabilities Small and Large Label Dies, Fiskars 1/4 Flower Punch, Glossy Accents, Stylus, Mat, Snips

Walk In My Garden

Happy Thursday!  I have a fast and simple project to share with you today.  I have had a pretty hectic work week and came home last night needing a little stress relief but wanted to do something easy and fun. 

I had a piece of blue card stock on my work table that had already been embossed using the Cuttlebug Grace’s Frame folder so I used that as my jumping off point.  I thought little blue flowers and soft green foliage would be pretty designed around an oval sentiment layer.

Rubbernecker’s Wild Flower Set has many perfect sentiments that are fun to use with flowers.  I especially love this one.  “If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever”.  I think the embossed rectangle sets off the oval sentiment layer.  The Memory Box Fancy Blossom flowers and the Poppy Stamps Gentle Leaf foliage are sweet arranged around the sentiment.

I  hope your week is going well.  We’re on the down hill slide to the weekend.

Stamps:  Rubbernecker Wild Flower Set 465  

Paper:  Bashful Blue, White, Spring Moss

Ink:  Bashful Blue (sponged on flowers) Black

Accessories:  Memory Box Fancy Blossoms Dies, Poppy Stamps Gentle Leaf Die, Nestabilities Oval Dies, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Pearl, Mounting Tape

White With Shades Of Blue

The Splitcoaststampers Clean and Simple challenge this week was to create a white project with shades of blue. Here is what I came up with.

I think the Martha Stewart Deco Fan PATP set creates such a delicate punched border. It creates the perfect background for the simple flourish and flowers.  I used the color wash technique to add a touch of blue ink in the center of each white flower. I heat dried and then formed with a stylus on a mat.

I attached the Fanciful Flourish to the punched base layer and then arranged the flowers around it for a delicate design.  Clean, simple yet elegant and soft.

I hope your week is going well so far.  Thanks for all of your supportive comments and for stopping in.

Paper: White
Ink: Stormy Sky
Accessories: Martha Stewart Flower Punch and Deco Fan PATP set, Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish, Mounting Tape, Brush, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents

Perched Bird, Flowers and Flourishes

Happy Monday!  I have another Belleek Inspired technique project to share with you today.  And yes….I seem to keep using the soft blues with this technique.  For some reason they just go perfectly together.

I love the soft contrast and elegance of the leafy flourish against the vanilla eyelet oval layer along with the the tiny color washed flowers. 

I added a few sprigs of vanilla pine branch for the bird to use as a perch or nest. The little pearl for the bird’s eye and flower centers were a soft finishing touch.  You can click on the photos to get a closer view.

Have a great week and thanks for checking in today.  I really appreciate it.

Paper: Soft Sky, Vanilla
Ink: Soft Sky
Accessories: Memory Box Perched Reed Bird, MFT Dainty Doily, Cheery Lynn Design Fanciful Flourish, EK Success Mini Daisy, Martha Stewart Branch Punch, Pearls, Brush, Mounting Tape, Glue Dots, Cuttlebug Swirl Folder

Cool Breeze Inspired

I had fun playing in the Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge this week.  The inspiration site was A Cool Breeze Fashionable Hand Fan. I was inspired by a beautiful black fan with a picket fence scene full of colorful flowers.

Here’s what I came up with.

I attached the window and shutters on the black base.  I die cut several pieces of the grassy border and the picket fence.  I attached two layers of grass border to the front of the fence and two layers on the back of the fence so it would be plenty full like the fan scene.  I attached one grass borders high on the back of the fence to create higher sprigs and then attached the fence to the base..

I created several kinds of flowers with punches to resemble the flowers on the fan.  I especially love the tiny little flowers made with the 1/8” circle punch.  Here is a closer look. You can click on the photos to go to a larger view.

I attached a border of pine branch punched sprigs to soften and added tiny little flowers to finish. There is really lots going on in this card but I really like how it turned out. You can check out my punched flower tutorial and flower spray tutorial if you would like to see how I shape my flowers and arrange my flowers with foliage,

I hope you are enjoying your weekend.  I sure am.  Thanks for looking in today.

 

Ooop!  I forgot to put the Grassland Border in my photo so I pasted it from Ellen’s site.

Paper: Black, Yellow, Pink, Lavender, Wasabi, White
Ink: Wasabi
Accessories: Poppy Stamps Grassland Border, Picket Fence, Small Madison Window and matching Shutter, EK Success Mini Daisy Punch, Martha Stewart Hydrangea Punch, 1/4" Flower Punch, 1/8" Circle Punch, Glossy Accents

Color Washed Flowers and Foliage

The Splitcoaststampers Color Challenge this week was to use Vanilla, Blushing Bride and Wild Wasabi.

   

I decided to try my color wash technique on  both the flowers and foliage.  I was very pleased with how soft and pretty both the pink and green looked on the washed vanilla cardstock.

I wanted to create a soft background for the flowers and scalloped frame so I used the Belleek Inspired Technique using a brayer and embossing folder presented on Splitcoaststampers Technique Lovers Challenge. I think the ribbon pattern in the embossed background looks beautiful with the light pink highlight.

I die cut the eyelet frame and then die cut the center out to expose more of the background pattern.  I mounted the frame with mounting tape and arranged the foliage and flowers into floral sprays. 

I think this is so soft and pretty and would be perfect for so many occasions.  I hope your week is going well.  We are on the downhill slide to the weekend.

Paper: Vanilla
Ink: Blushing Bride, Wild Wasabi
Accessories: Brayer, Sizzix Flourish, Dots and Ribbon Embossing Folder Set, My Favorite Things Oval Dainty Doily Die, Nestabilities Oval Die, EK Success Medium Daisy Punch and Medium Rick Fern, Glossy Accents, Stylus, Mat, Pearls, Brush

Cheerful Spring Thanks

I had so much fun creating my springy yellow birdhouse card over the weekend that I tried my hand again using the yellow theme.  This time I created a floral covered frame to highlight the Thanks sentiment.

I punched the frame border and then cut the center out to create the frame.  I mounted it to the card base with mounting tape for dimension. You can click on the pictures to get a closer view.

I made the flowers using the Memory Box Petal Party die set along with the Mini Petunia from EK Success. I cut the flowers, distressed them to form the petals, attached the petals together using Glossy Accents and sponged them with peach ink lightly to add definition and added texture to the petals. I die cut several leafy flourishes, distressed  them and  then designed the flowers and foliage into a floral spray around two corners of the frame.

I finished by adding the  sentiment tag inside the frame with the foliage tendrils. This card design reminds me of the old fashioned floral design of years ago. Check out my Packaging and Mailing tutorial if you would like to see how I mail my dimensional flower cards.

Happy Wednesday. I hope you can check back tomorrow.  I have another Belleek inspired floral card to share with you.

Stamps:  Rubbernecker Thanks so Much 565-18   Paper:  White, Barely Banana, Old Olive    Ink:  Peach Bellini, Old Olive Craft,    Accessories:  Memory Box Petal Party, EK Success Mini Petunia from Mini Daisy and Petunia Set, Martha Stewart Deco Fan PATP Set, Oval Punch, 1/4” Flower Punch,  (not shown in picture Martha Stewart Branch Punch and 1/4” Fiskars Flower Punch for flower and foliage on sentiment tag), Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Sponge  PS….if you wonder why you see my name on some of my tools it’s because I used to share them at my monthly stamp camps.

Time Together Is Sweetest Of All

I have a fairly clean and simple project to share with you today that I made for the Splitcoaststampers Technique Lovers Challenge. We were to use an open style image stamped with one color and not colored in.  I love the butterflies in the Rubbernecker Butterflies Are Free  and Butterfly Inchies set and thought they were the perfect image to use. I didn’t actually use ink but instead stamped with versa and embossed with gold powder.

I’ve used the gold embossing with white on white many times before and I never tire of it.  I stamped the butterfly images and sentiment and heat embossed with gold power. I created  double layered Fleur De Lis rectangle frames and popped them both up on mounting tape for dimension.

I cut the butterflies out with my snips and then popped them up using rolled up glue dots and Glossy Accents. I the the double layer Fleur De Lis is such a perfect elegant design to be paired with the delicate butterfly images.

Happy Tuesday and I hope you are having a good week.  Thanks for stopping by.

PS….I forgot to make a picture of my Fleur De Lis dies.  Sorry. I copied and pasted the picture from Spellbinders.

Stamps: Rubbernecker Butterflies are Free 427 and Butterfly Inchies 538      Paper: White      Ink: Versa
Accessories: Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Rectangle Die Set, Mounting Tape, Gold Embossing Powder, Glue Dots, Glossy Accents

Inspired Homespun

My project today was made for the Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge. Superfine Bakery provided tons of gorgeous cakes to choose from and I was inspired by the hand painted birds and marzipan berries on the cake below.

Here is what I came up with.

I die cut the branch  and the leaves, distressed to give dimension and sponged with ink. I die cut the birdhouse and embossed to give texture but left the white roof and base plain for contrast. I created a punched border frame and attached to the card base with mounting tape. I attached mounting tape to the birdhouse and placed inside the frame. I attached the leaves to the branch and placed in the frame so some of the branches would actually hang over the roof of the house.

I punched several tiny yellow flowers, sponged lightly with peach ink and distressed to shape. I punched several rock fern to use around the perch for the bird to be nested in. The bird was die cut and sponged lightly with the same peach ink as the flowers and attached attached to the base of the house.

I attached the tiny flowers around on the branch and the fern to finish the cheerful spring scene. 

I hope you have a wonderful week.  Thanks for stopping by and thank you for all your lovely supportive comments.

Paper: Barely Banana, White, Kraft
Ink: Peach Bellini, Shabby Shutters, Vintage Photo
Accessories: My Favorite Things Homespun Die Set and Branch with Leaves Die Set, EK Success Rock Fern and Mini Daisy Punch, Spellbinder Labels One Small Die, Martha Stewart Flower Box PATP, Sponge, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Mounting Tape, SU Sizzix Lattice EF

Craft A Moonlight Scene

Good Sunday morning!  The Craft a Scene theme for March is moonlight. I love creating winter night scenes with the moonlight creating dark shadows of the trees on the snowy ground. Here is what I came up with.

I punched a circle out of Post-it and placed on the cardstock to mask the moon. I cut a strip of scrap paper to create a mask for the ground area, held it in place and sponged in the blue night sky.  Check out my Winter Moonlight tutorial if you would like to see step by step pictures of how I made this scene.

I stamped the truck on watercolor paper, painted with reinker and cut out and using a small brush I lightly painted on the snowy areas with white watercolor paint.

I finished the card with a punched snowflake frame popped up with mounting tape.  I attached the truck with on the outside of the frame for a little added dimension. Click on the photos if you would like to see a little closer view.

Please check out the Craft a Scene blog to see what the other design team members have created for the challenge.  I hope you are having a great weekend.

stamps:  Rubbernecker Kittie Kits Fall Harvest and The Moose Is Loose    Paper: Watercolor, Vanilla    Ink:  Stormy Sky, Black    Accessories:  Martha Stewart Snowflake PATP, Nestabilities Labels One Large and Small, Sponge, Circle Punch, White Watercolor Paint, Brush, Snips, Craft Knife

True Blue Soft Sky Flower

The Free For All Challenge at Splitcoaststampers this week was True Blue Flowers. Our challenge was to create a project with lots of blue and blue flowers.  Lately I have been enjoying using Stampin’ Up!’s Soft Sky ink on everything. Today I combined it with a Rubbernecker frame image and Vanilla and Soft Sky cardstock. Here is my True Blue card.

I stamped the frame image and then die cut out the oval double matted frame. I attached the frame over the dotted embossed background with mounting tape.

I punched several of each size of the three daisy punches, distressed and attached together with Glossy Accents.  I thought the flower was a little small to be used as a single blossom on a card front so I cut the petals apart from two additional flowers and attached to the bottom of the flower alternating all the way around to extend it out a little larger.

I finished by creating a flower spray around the flower with foliage.  I added a tiny pearl in the center of the flower to finish.  I like the soft blue and vanilla with the boldness of the flower and fronds.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and have lots of time for paper crafting. 

Stamps: Rubbernecker Morning Glory Frame 523
Paper: Cream, Soft Sky
Ink: Soft Sky
Accessories: EK Success daisy Punches, Spellbinders Foliage Die, Poppy Stamps Gentle Leaf Die, C.C. Designs Leafy Branch, Nestabilities Oval Dies, Mounting Tape, Glossy Accents, Stylus, Mat, Pearl

Color Wash Victorian Rose and Mailing Dimensional Cards Tutorial

OK!  I have gone a little crazy about applying water and reinker to flowers. I seem to get on kicks and can’t stop until something else comes along that grabs my attention.  For my project today I have used the color wash technique on the two smallest layers of rose petals and I lightly sponged the two larger layers.  Here is what I came up with.

I stamped the Rubbernecker Victorian Damask Panel on white cardstock using Pink Pirouette ink. I punched the corners and created a frame with the same corner design. The frame was attached to the card front using mounting tape.

I punched out six sets of the four rose petals.  I color washed the two smaller sets and heat set to dry.  I sponged ink on the two out layers and then formed the petals with a stylus.  I followed the rose assembly instructions share on the McGill web site. I was happy that I was able to accomplish making the rose have deeper color in the center of the flower and less color on the out petals.

I paired the rose with flourish style foliage and butterflies.  I really love the Victorian feel to this project.

I have people write every day asking how I manage to pack and ship these dimensional floral cards.  I posted a tutorial on my home page last weekend but decided I would publish it on my regular post as well.  Scroll down past the photo and supply list if you would like to see my suggestions.  So far I have had no one say their package arrived in poor condition.

Stamps:  Rubbernecker Victorian Damask Panel 498     Paper:  Pink Pirouette, White    Ink:  Pink Pirouette   Accessories:  McGill Alpine and Floral Petals Punches, Nestabilities Large and Small Label Sets and Floral Flourishes, SU Corner Punch, Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Pearls, Mounting Tape

Packaging and Mailing Card Tutorial

I thought it would be helpful to show a few step by step photos of what I do to protect the dimension of the flower.

1. Cut a strip of cardstock about 1/4” to 1/2” wide and long enough to wrap around your flower.

2. Attach the ends together with adhesive or staple to create a circle. You may need to create various shapes for different sizes or styles of cards and flowers.

3. Lay the circle over your flower. The strip only needs to be as wide as the height of your flower.

4. Lay a piece of cardstock over the barrier and hold in place while tucking it into a padded envelope.

5. The padded envelope does a good job holding the cardstock in place but if you wish you can wrap the whole thing in a little bit of tissue paper before tucking into the envelope.

More Color Wash and Belleek

I have fallen in love with the color wash flowers.  It is such a simple technique yet adds so much to the appearance of the blossom.  The softness of the flower color mixed with the soft embossed background color is a new favorite combination for me. You can check out the Belleek Inspired technique here and my step by step color wash flower tutorial here.

I inked up my brayer with Soft Sky ink and applied it to the embossing folder. I love the soft blue on the vanilla cardstock. I cut a frame using two different Nestabilities dies and attached it to the embossed background using mounting tape. 

I punched several flowers, brushed each flower with water and then lightly touched the center of the flower with a brush filled with a touch of reinker.  The color runs across the center of the flower and up the petals.

I attached the die cut foliage to the card base with Glossy Accents and then arranged the flowers. I added creamed colored half pearls to the center of each flower for a delicate finish. 

I hope your week is going well.  I want to thank you for checking in with my post and giving such sweet and supportive comments.

Paper:  Vanilla   Ink:   Soft Sky   Accessories:  Martha Stewart Flower Punch, Stampin’ Up! Triple Flower Punch, Nestabilities Large and Small Labels One, Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish, Sizzix Textile Embossing Folder Stylus, Mat, Needle Nose Pliers, Half Pearls

Raspberry Fizz

Check out the clearance prices on the cards remaining in my Card Sale! Thanks for all of your purchases and for helping me clear out my stamping area!

I got home in time from work last night and was able  to play in the Clean and Simple Challenge over at Splitcoaststampers.  The challenge was to create a project using Stampin’ Up! Rich Razzleberry and White.  I don’t have Razzleberry so I substituted with Papertrey Raspberry Fizz.  I’d say they are the same color.

 

I punched a white strip of card stock to be popped up on the plain white background with mounting tape.  The decorative punch is so pretty and adds interest to the design. 

I die cut several pieces of flourish and distressed with a stylus to create a little dimension and shape to the leaves. I attached the foliage to the card front using Glossy Accents.

I punched the flowers and curled the leaves with a pair of needle nose pliers. I then pushed down in the center of each flower with the stylus against a mat to form the center flower. I attached the flowers around the foliage with Glossy accents and placed a tiny white pearl into the center of each flower to finish. I love the bright pop of color against the all white background.

I hope you are having a good week.  Thanks for stopping by.

Paper: White, Raspberry Fizz
Accessories: Martha Stewart Flower Punch and Deco Fan PATP Border Punch,. My Favorite Things Leafy Flourish, Needle Nose Pliers (to shape leaves), Glossy Accents, Stylus, Mat, Mounting Tape   Card Size:  5.5” x 4.25”

Lavender Butterflies and Color Wash Flowers

Please check out my Cards For Sale.

Good Monday morning!  I hope you had a restful and relaxing weekend. I am sharing another flower card using the Belleek inspired embossing technique. It creates such a lovely background for florals.  I also used my color wash technique on the little flowers for this project.

I stamped the butterflies with versa on the lavender cardstock,  embossed with gold embossing powder and cut out to pop up on the card front.  I punched several flowers out of plain white cardstock, wet then well with a brush and lightly dotted lavender ink into the centers and let it run up the petals.  I used a wet brush to help the process along.  The trick is to be sure you have plenty of water on the flower so it can easily run.  

I heat set the flowers and then formed the petals with needle nose pliers and then pushed down on the flower center on a mat with a stylus to form the center flower.  I die cut foliage and attached it to the lattice layer with Glossy Accents.  I attached the flowers to the foliage and lattice and then applied tiny white pearls in the flower centers. The butterflies were the final finishing touch to complete the card.  I really love how this turned out.  I may have like it better with white butterflies.  Next time!

I hope you have a great week. Thanks for looking in today.  Thanks to those of you who shopped and purchased at my card sale.

Stamps: Rubbernecker Butterflies are Free 538 and Butterfly Inchies 427 (Inchies match several butterflies in the larger Butterflies are Free set)
Paper: Lavender Lace, White
Ink: Lavender Lace, Versa
Accessories: Martha Stewart Lattice Punch, EK Success Mini Daisy Punch, My Favorite Things Leafy Flourish Die, Gold Embossing Powder, Sizzix Corner and Lattice 2 Pack Embossing Folder , Mounting Tape, Glue Dots, Glossy Accents, Snips, Pearls, Needle Nose Pliers

Craft A Scene Winter Project and Card For Sale

Good Sunday morning.  I would like to invite you to check out my newly posted CARD SALE.

The February Craft A Scene challenge is to make a winter scene. I created window looking out at a snowy barn scene using the small barn image from my Kittie Kits Farm Life Set. 

I stamped the image on watercolor paper and a second time on scrap paper to create a mask.  I masked the barn and stamped small evergreens around to create a forest background.  I watercolored the barn and heat set. I painted the roof top  and tiny icicles with white craft ink and embossed with white embossing powder. I sponged a brown path up to the barn door and then painted white and embossed the ground area.  I sponged blue ink to create the sky.

I created the brick wall using the Tim Holtz brick embossing folder.  I used the red ink pad directly on the raised embossed bricks to color.  I sponged brown ink around the mortar areas.  I die cut the window and attached mounting tape to the back edges and layered it over the barn scene.

I embellished the window with a tiny pine bough and red ribbon for the perfect finishing touch.  I have a few winter scene tutorials  if you would like to see how I create my scenes.  Winter Scene Tutorial and Winter Scene with Masking

Stamps:  Rubbernecker Kittie Kits Farm Life and The Moose is Loose      Ink:  Black Brilliance, Peeled Paint, Fired Brick, Vintage Photo, Broken China     Paper:  Vanilla, Watercolor, Ruby Red     Accessories:  Poppy Stamps Grand Madison Window, White Embossing Powder, Brushes, Martha Stewart Branch Punch, Satin, Glossy Accents

Rubbernecker Design Team Spring Hop

Welcome to the Rubbernecker Design Team Spring Blog Hop. Rubbernecker  has a wide variety of stamps for your Spring and Easter projects!
The Stampin’ Sisterhood has created wonderful projects to share with you today and give you a glimpse at some of the beautiful spring images.

I have listed the hop route below my project for you to follow.  You will find it listed at every stop along the way. As always you will want to leave a comment at every blog post to have a chance to win any Rubbernecker stamp set of your choice. The winner will be announced on the Stampin’ Sisterhood Blog Friday, March 3.

My project today was made using the darling Chick with Chicklettes image from the Friend Collection.  I stamped the image on watercolor paper with Black Brilliance and heat set.  I watercolored the image with reinkers mixed with water and cut out each individual chick to pop up in front of the fence.

I die cut the fence and clouds using white cardstock and the tree using watercolor paper.  I watercolored the tree trunk and branches with brown ink and the leaves with green. I attached the tree to the card base using rolled up glue dots so it would stand out a little from the card base  to add dimension.  I added tiny flower blooms for an extra touch of spring.  I attached the clouds in behind the tree limbs.

I attached the fence to the card base and then added sprigs of foliage to the ground area.  I attached the chicks in behind the grass and then added more colorful spring flowers.  I thought they were the perfect finishing touch to this project.

Who wouldn’t love the sweet face on that big chick!!

• Bev Gerard
• Charlene Driggs
• Charlene Merrick
• Ellen Taylor
• Jacquie Peifer
• Jen Charboneau
• Jennifer Cuthbertson
• Joan Ervin

        Julia Aston

• Juliana Swanson
• Karen Hunsaker
• Kecia Waters
• Kittie Caracciolo (that's me)
• Stampin' Sisterhood

 

Stamps:  Rubbernecker Friends Collection Chick with Chicklettes      Paper:  White, Pink, Watercolor, Aqua, Yellow     Ink:  Black Brilliance, Vintage Photo, Shabby Shutters, Lemonade     Accessories:  Memory Box Arboscello Tree and Puffy Clouds Dies, My Favorite Things Woodgrain Fence, Martha Stewart Branch Punch, Fiskars 1/4” Flower Punch, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Glue Dots, Brush

Floral Just Because

The Sketch Challenge over at Splitcoaststampers this week was fairly clean and simple.  I picked coordinating  designer paper by Papertrey that added a bit of colorful interest to the clean design.

My original plan was to make the flower out of the Soft Sky cardstock to match the card base but it just blended into the background.  I like how the white flower turned out much better. I cut a 1/4” green circle to fit in the center of the flower. 

The sentiment is one of my favorite by Rubbernecker and it fits perfectly on the oval punched background.

It’s Thursday and we are on the downhill slide to the weekend. I hope your week is going well.

Stamps: Rubbernecker Just Because 565-22
Paper: Soft Sky, Spring Moss, White, Papertrey DP
Ink: Shabby Shutters
Accessories: EK Success Daisy Punches, Spellbinders Foliage Die set, Stampin’ Up! Oval Punches, Fiskars 1/4 Circle Punch, Martha Stewart Eyelet PATP Border Punch, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents

If I Had A Flower

I love playing in the Splitcoaststampers daily challenges. The Color Challenge is one of my favorites because you never know where the colors will take you.  This week the color we were challenged with was Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink and Pink Pirouette.

   

This particular gray is not my favorite as it is reminds me of a battleship.  But it made a great background base for the pinks with the addition of white and green. 

I attached the fence on to the card base using mounting tape and added foliage all the way across the fence line.  I created flowers with both colors of pink and attached to the heads of each piece of foliage.  It was sort of plain so I punched little sections of foliage with the branch punch and added tiny flowers along the border.

I attached the sentiment layer above the fence and designed matching flower sprays for embellishments and to add another element of softness.  I really love the tiny flower garden with this fence.

Have a great day and thanks for checking in. 

Stamps: Rubbernecker Garden Phrase Set 508
Paper: Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, White Spring Moss
Ink: Basic Gray
Accessories: My Favorite Things Woodgrain Fence Die, McGill Leafy Spray Punch, Stampin’ Up! Triple Flower Punch, Martha Stewart Branch Punch Fiskars 1/4" Flower Punch, Glossy Accents, Mat, Stylus, Liquid Pearls, Mounting Tape  Card Size 5.5" x 4.25"

Clean and Simple Umbrellas

I didn’t stamp anything last evening as I have been a little under the weather nursing a cold so I thought I would share a quick and fun project that I made last week for the Splitcoaststampers Clean and Simple Challenge.

I scored lines on the card front to create a little visual texture for the all white back.

I loved these little umbrellas made using Memory Box Petite Umbrella die. I cut the handles off so I could pop the umbrella up with rolled up glue dots and then attached the handles flat on the cardstock. I added tiny little white bows for embellishment.

This would be a perfect baby shower card and even a great get well card.

I hope your week started off well.  Thanks for stopping by and for all your supportive comments.

Paper: Yellow, Aqua, Pink, White
Accessories: Memory Box Petite Umbrella, Score Pal, Glue Dots, Glossy Accents, Satin    Card Size:  5.5” x 4.25”

Floral Thank You

Happy Monday morning!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  We have had gorgeous weather here in Florida this weekend with temps about forty degrees warmer than last.  I have another floral card to share with you today.  I pulled out my Spellbinders Daisy Head die set to play with.  I was not really sure I was going to like this set as there isn’t much division between the petals and I was afraid the flower would turn out looking too flat and uninteresting.

 

After I working to distress the cardstock I liked how the flower turned out. I added two additional smaller punched flowers to fill in the center.  I thought the white pearl was pretty and would match nicely with the white frame background.

I love the punched pattern on the frame and the  lower border.  It is so crisp, elegant and decorative. It is my latest Martha Stewart purchase.

Check out my tutorial section on my home page if you would like to see how I distress and form flower petals. 

Check out my Kittie’s Korner post on the Rubbernecker blog if you would like a closer look at my soft Wild Flower project.  I hope you have a great week. 

Stamps: Rubbernecker Thinking of You 565-18
Paper: White, Regal Rose ,Spring Moss
Ink: Shabby Shutters, Regal Rose
Accessories: Spellbinders Daisy Heads and Foliage Die Sets, Martha Stewart Flower Punch and Deco Fan PATP Set, EK Success Mini Daisy Punch, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Deckle Scissors, Oval Punch, Pearl, Grosgain

Reflecting Bouquet Inspired

I had fun playing in the Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge and the inspiration site was Creative Wall Covering.  I was inspired by Reflecting Bouquet in the picture below.

Here is what I came up with.

I punched out several white flowers and formed the petals using needle nose pliers.

I color washed the flowers with a light mixture of water and reinker.  While the flowers were still very wet I brushed a tiny dots of full reinker into the flower centers, quickly washed the brush and lightly moved the reinker around the center and up the lower part of the petals.

I heat dried the flower and then formed the center of the flower using a stylus on a mat.

I really like how the washed flowers look against the all white.  I think the little white pearls are the perfect finish for them.  If you would like to see a few photos on how I accomplished the wash on the flowers check out my Color Wash Flower tutorial.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Paper: White, Spring Moss
Ink: Faded Jeans
Accessories: Martha Stewart Flower Punch, My Favorite Things Leafy Flourish, Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Rectangle die and Regular Rectangle Die, Mounting Tape, Glossy Accents, Stylus, Mat, Needle Nose Pliers, Pearls

Garden Rose

Happy Saturday. I have another rose project to share with you today using the McGill Paper Blossoms punches. This is the garden rose version that uses the pear shaped punches.

I followed McGill online garden rose tutorial that provides step by step photos of how to assemble the rose. There is also a great video that shows all the steps.

I used light pink cardstock for the rose petals, distressed and shaped them and then lightly sponged pink and yellow ink on them.  After the rose was assembled I lightly washed the petals with a wet paint brush to blend the inks to add a depth of color. I die cut the foliage, distressed the leaves, and sponged with olive ink.  I attached the Fleur De Lis layer to the card base with mounting tape and then attached the foliage and flower with Glossy Accents.

This rose looks like it was picked right off the bush.  I love the bright pop of color on the all white background.

I hope you have a wonderful and relaxing weekend.  I sure plan to.

Paper:  Pink, White, Olive    Ink:  Shell Pink, Cranberry, Scattered Straw, Peeled Paint     Accessories:  McGill Garden Petals, Pear and Alpine Snowflake Punches, Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Square Die and Foliage Sets, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Sponge, Brush, Mounting Tape      Card Size:  5.25" Square

Fancy Blossoms

Happy Friday!  I got to play in the Splitcoaststampers Ways To Use It Challenge to use border punches on our project.  I pulled out my Martha Stewart Flower Bunch Large PATP set to create a white on white punched frame for my Memory Box Fancy Blossoms die cut flowers.  Here is what I came up with.

I cut a 4” square piece of white cardstock and punched the corners and sides using the PATP set. I attached the frame to the card base using mounting tape to add a bit of dimension behind the flowers.

I cut three sets of Fancy Blossoms and distressed and shaped them using a stylus and mat and glued them together with Glossy Accents. I hand punched several tiny 1/4” flowers and several pieces of foliage and distressed and shaped them.,

I started creating the flower spray by attaching frond foliage to the frame to create a base for the flowers. I glued the flowers in place and then added sprigs from the branch punch and tiny flowers around the spray to soften the arrangement.  I don’t have ribbon to match this cardstock but thought the spray needed something else.  I cut strips of cardstock to make faux ribbon that would match the flowers perfectly.

Lavender Lace cardstock is difficult to photograph and show the real color.  This looks much bluer than it really is.  It’s really soft lavender.

If you are like me and have a difficult time getting the corners and sides to punch correctly with the MS PATP sets you may want to take a look at my step by step tutorial.  Once I finally figured out the correct measurements to use for both the large and regular sets I took  photos and put them on the tutorial section of my home page.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.  Take time to do something wonderful for yourself.  You know…..like stamping and paper crafting!!!!!!!!!!!!  LOL!

Paper: White, Lavender Lace
Accessories: Memory Box Fancy Blossoms, Martha Stewart Flower Bunch Large PATP set, Martha Stewart Frond and Branch Punch, Fiskars 1/4" Flower Punch, Glossy Accents, Stylus, Mat, Pearls.  Card Size 5.5" x 4.25"

Spring Nature Babies

Spring is just around the corner and I thought I would rush it along a little with a sweet project made using Nature Babies by Angels Landing.

I printed the digital images on white cardstock, heat set and painted with reinkers. I cut them out so pop up in the scene. I hand painted the garden of tulips for the background scenery, attached the fence to the back of the oval frame and attached to the base with mounting tape.

I distressed the tulips, created the little floral bouquet on the the lower frame and attached the chick and duckling. I slipped the sweet lamb in behind the fence and attached with glue dots.

You should check definitely check out the whole line of Nature Babies. They are adorable.  I hope you are having a great week.

Stamps: Angels Landing Nature Babies Lamb, Ducking and Chick Digital Stamps
Paper: Regal Rose, White, Kiwi Kiss
Ink: Shell Pink, Rose Red, Morning Marigold, Pumpkin Pie, Pumice Stone
Accessories: My Favorite Things Wood Grain Fence Die, Memory Box Dancing Tulips Die, Nestabilities Oval Die, Brush, Sponge, Handmade Cloud Template, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents

Another Rose

I have another pretty rose to share with you today.  I wanted the rose to be the main focus of this project so I framed it with a very clean and simple background.

I made this rose by following the step by step tutorial found here on McGill. I die cut the oval opening in the frame and then embossed to get the frame design pattern. I cut a second mat to add another touch of dimension and mounted the frame layer with mounting tape.

I attached the rose to the center of the opening and arranged the leaves and foliage to create the flower spray. This is a very simple card layout but I love how it puts the rose in center stage.

I hope you are having a great week and I really appreciate you stopping by and all of your supportive comments.

Paper: Vanilla Ink: Antique Linen ( touched the petal edges)
Accessories: McGill Rose Set, Martha Stewart Branch Punch, Nestabilities Oval Dies, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Sponge, Cuttlebug Grace’s Frame Embossing Folder

Imagine

I am sharing a project today that is not my norm.  I rarely make tag of any kind except at Christmas.  I played in the Splitcoaststampers Technique Lovers Challenge to create wrinkle free distressing and made a tag as shown in the tutorial. I have tried this technique a few times and have never been very successful so I made myself step up to the plate and try again. 

I cut a piece of waxed paper, swiped ink across it by dragging a pink and then green ink pad directly across the paper. I misted until the ink bubbled up on the paper and then laid the manila tag directly down onto the paper.  I lifted, heated with the heat gun and repeated the steps a couple more times until I got the mix of green and pink that I wanted.  After the final stage of drying I stamped the sentiment with Black Brilliance and embossed with black embossing powder.

I punched several of each size flower and distressed using a stylus and mat. I sponged Antique Linen ink on all the edges of the petals and then lightly sponged pink inside the flower petals to match the pink background of the tag. I wanted the flower to have a vintage aged look.

I die cut foliage, distressed with the stylus, sponged with green ink and attached to the tag base.  I attached the flower and the two tiny buds and finished by adding taupe pearls to the flower centers.  The final touch was to add the pink organdy bow.  I heated the ribbon with the heat fun to shrivel and then sponged on a little Antique Linen ink to give a more vintage appearance.  I am pretty happy with the outcome.

You can check out the wrinkle free distress tutorial on SCS if you would like to see step by step photos of how to achieve this type of background. Please feel free to check out my punched flower tutorial to see how I create my flowers.  I hope you are having a great week.

Stamps: Rubbernecker Imagine With All 582-23
Paper: Vanilla, Kiwi Kiss, Manila Tag
Ink: Peeled Paint, Shell Pink, Antique Linen, Black
Accessories: EK Success Daisy Punches, Spellbinders Foliage Die, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Sponge, Black Embossing Powder

Tag Size”  6.25” x 3.25”                     

Vintage Floral Rose

Happy Monday morning!  I hope you had a wonderful relaxing weekend.  I sure did but can I just say….brrrrrrrrrrr!  It has really chilled down here in Florida and we are under freeze warnings in my area.  I am not complaining as I know how very cold it gets for so many of you in other parts of the country.

Hobby Lobby has just moved into the Orlando area and I took a little shopping trip there this weekend to see what it was like.  I found the McGill Rose Blossom set there on a 40% off sale and had to bring it home to try.  Here is what I came up with.

   I started by stamping the Morning Glory Panel image on vanilla cardstock, sponging with Antique Linen ink for aging and attaching to the card base.  I sponged ink on the scalloped die background frame edges and attached to the base with mounting tape to pop it up for a little extra dimension.

This is the Floral Rose. I watched the video tutorial on the McGill site and followed the steps to make my rose using vanilla cardstock and then lightly sponged Antique Linen on the edges of the petals. I die cut two foliage sections, distressed the leaves with a stylus and mat and then attached to the scalloped frame.  I finished by attaching the rose over the foliage.

I hope you have a wonderful week.  Thanks for stopping by.

Edited:  I received several questions about how the snowflake punch is used since you don't see it on the card.  Check out this step by step photo tutorial on the McGill page to see the snowflake being used as the base of the rose.

Stamps: Rubbernecker Morning Glory Panel 518
Paper: Artichoke, Vanilla
Ink: Peeled Paint, Antique Linen
Accessories: McGill Floral Petals and Alpine Snowflake Punches, Spellbinders Foliage Die, My Favorite Things Oval Dainty Doily, Sponge, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Mounting Tape    Card Size:  5.5” x 4.25”

There is also a Birch Leaf Punch that comes with the set but I didn’t use it today.

Pink and Frilly Belleek Inspired

I have a pink and frilly project to share with you today. I wanted to create another floral card layered over an embossed and brayered background.  I love the texture it adds to the card. It looks like a frilly wedding cake. You can find instructions on how to perform this technique here.

I started by brayering pink ink on to the top side of the embossing folder, inserted white paper and embossed. I punched the frame, die cut the oval center and attached to the card base using mounting tape.

I punched several white flowers from each of the three different size daisy punches, distressed each flower using a stylus and mat and then sponged on pink ink lightly to add a touch of color.  I added heavier shades of ink to the smaller layers to build up the color in the center of the flower. I added die cut floral flourishes to both corners of the frame and attached the flowers.  I added several stems of rock fern foliage around the flowers to soften the flower spray.

I applied tiny pearls to the flower centers and around on the flourishes. They are hard to see in the photos so I took a close up to show how they add to the elegance of the arrangement. You can click on any of the photos for a closer view.

I love how this turned out.  It can definitely work as a wedding card or for your best friend’s birthday.

I hope you are having a great weekend.  I appreciate you stopping by.

Paper: White          Ink: Spun Sugar
Accessories: Martha Stewart Deco Flowers PATP, EK Success Daisy Punches- Size 1 1/2", 1", 1/2", Spellbinders Floral Flourishes, Mounting Tape, Sponge, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Pearls, Cuttlebug Textile Embossing Folder, Brayer

Valentine Tulips

Woo Hoo!  It’s the weekend!!!  This has been a very long work week and I am so glad the weekend is here.  Whew!  I’m sure you can all relate.  I have a floral project to share with you today made with some new toys I just received in the mail.

I cut a piece of white cardstock 5” x 3.25” and used my new Martha Stewart Deco Fan Punch Around The Page set to create the frame. The  center was cut with a Nestabilities oval die. I attached the frame to the card base using mounting tape.

The tulips were made using Memory Box Dancing Tulips die set. I cut several sets of the tulips in pink, distressed then with a stylus and mat and then sponged some of them with pink and some with cranberry red. I cut several full sets of tulips in green, trimmed off a little of the flower head so it wouldn’t show and attached the pink and red flower heads over the green stem.

I distressed the foliage and sponged on a little dab of green ink just to add a little life to the leaves. I glued the flowers down at the bottom of the stems and then attached the foliage over top of the stems. I finished the bouquet with a red multi loop bow.

I hope you have a wonderful and restful weekend.  I hope to spend some fun time stamping and playing with some of my newest toys.

Paper: White, Pink, Kiwi Kiss     Ink: Pink, Cranberry
Accessories: Memory Box Dancing Tulips Die, Martha Stewart Deco Fan PATP Set, Mounting Tape, Sponge, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Satin    Card Size:  5.5” x 4.25” 

Soft and Creamy Floral

I’m sorry I missed posting for a few days but I have a soft and creamy project to share with you today. The Splitcoaststampers Ways To Use It challenge this week was to create a Valentine project without using pink or red.  I knew I wanted to make something with flowers and chose a soft aqua and cream color combination to work with.

 

I stamped the Morning Glory frame image on vanilla cardstock using Adirondack aqua ink and then die cut the oval double matted frame opening using Nestabilities dies. I embossed the base layer inside the frame using the Stampin’ Up! Lattice folder to add texture. 

I made the flowers using three different size daisy punches.  I added a pearl the the flower centers and arranged with the leafy flourishes.  I would normally not use only two flowers on a project because things always look better in odd numbers.  I actually created two smaller flowers to accompany the larger one but it just didn’t seem to work out so I left the second one off. You can see step by step photos of how I create my flowers by checking out my punched flower tutorial.

I really love how this turned out and think it would be the perfect frame for a wedding photo.

I have been asked often to show pictures of the punches or dies that I use to create the flowers on my project.  These are EK Success Daisy Paper Shapers.

Stamps: Rubbernecker Morning Glory Frame 523
Paper: Soft Sky, Vanilla
Ink: Ranger Adirondack Aqua
Accessories: EK Success Paper Shapers Daisy Punches, My Favorite Things Leafy Flourish, Stampin’ Up! Lattice Embossing Folder, Pearls, Stylus, Mat, Glossy Accents, Oval Nestabilities Dies

Shabby Thinking Of You

Happy Monday!  I have a shabby floral  project to share with you today.

The background was stamped with Antique Linen ink using the Rubbernecker Victorian Damask background panel.  The frame was cut using the Spellbinders Fleur De Lis rectangle die, sponged with antique linen and then mounted with mounting tape.

The flourishes were cut using the Spellbinders Floral Flourishes die set.  The flowers were made using a Martha Stewart Flower Punch and EK Success Mini Daisy punch and Fiskars 1/4” flower punch.  I put taupe pearls in the flower centers as well as on the flourishes. The foliage was punched with EK Success Rock Fern punch.  The sentiment is Rubbernecker’s Thinking of You 565-10.

Check out my punched flower tutorial and flower spray tutorial if you would like to see step by step photos of how I create my projects.

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: Rubbernecker Thinking of You 565-10, Rubbernecker Victorian Damask Panel 498
Paper: Vanilla
Ink: Antique Linen
Accessories: Spellbinders Fleur De Lis, Flourish and Rectangle Dies, EK Success Mini Daisy Punch and Rock Fern Punch, Fiskars 1/4" Flower Punch, Mat, Stylus, Glossy Accents, Mounting Tape, Sponge, Gold Embossing Powder, Versa, Pearls

Craft A Winter Scene

Good Sunday morning.  I was recently chosen to be a  member of the Craft a Scene design team. My project today was made for the February challenge to create a winter scene.

Instead of creating a card for the winter scene challenge I chose to create a tea light shade that fits over a wine glass.  I designed the scene on vellum which really reflects the flame from the candle inside the glass.

I printed the shade template and cut out using deckle scissors. I don’t know about you but I am not really a good straight line cutter with regular scissors and using deckle scissors allows for a more relaxed cut.  LOL!  I used the Kittie Kits The Moose is Loose cabin and trees images to create my scene.  I stamped the trees all the way around the shade using olive craft ink, leaving a space open to stamp the cabin, and embossed with clear embossing powder. When stamping the tree images I had to keep turning the shade template slightly and keep the trees in line following the curve of the shade. If not the tree line would have been crooked. I masked the trees on  both side of the opening for the cabin and then stamped the cabin with chocolate chip craft ink and embossed with clear embossing powder.  I lightly painted the cabin with close to cocoa craft ink and the windows with summer sun craft ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. I painted a thin layer of white craft ink on the roof of the cabin and along the ground area and embossed with white embossing powder.  The final step was to create the falling snow using a tiny brush and dotting the sky area white craft ink and embossing with white embossing powder.

I used ATG adhesive to attach the shade together and then added a strip of artichoke cardstock cut out with my deckle scissors around the top of the shape.

If you would like to make this shade you can find the template on the Technique Lovers Challenge 198. Don’t forget to hop over and check out all the Craft a Scene design team projects.

Stamps:  Rubbernecker Kittie Kits The Moose is Loose     Paper:  Vellum, Artichoke     Ink:  Stampin’ Up! Olive, Chocolate chip, Close to Cocoa, White and Summer Sun Craft Ink    Accessories:  Deckle Scissors, Shade Template, Brushes, White Embossing Powder, Clear Embossing Powder,  Wine Glass, Tea Light Candle,

Home Sweet Home Birdhouse

Happy Saturday.  I have a very sweet wooden birdhouse to share with you today.

I started by painting the birdhouse with white and green crackle paint.  I love the appearance of the aged paint that the crackle paint produces. Some of the paint actually flaked off while I was decorating it but I didn’t mind as it added to the aged look.

I created a flower spray on the roof with a few different kinds of die cut and punched foliage and punched flowers.

I attached foliage and flowers to the front and used the perch as the base.  This allowed me to design the foliage out away from the front rather than flat against the front wall. The bird is mounting to the wall.

I attached the picket fence to the base of the birdhouse and then applied the tiny scrolling ivy and flowers.  I love the fence and I think it add such a sweet touch to the creation.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and that you can take time to do something fun and creative. 

Supplies:  Wood Birdhouse, Stampin’ Up! Bird Punch, Our Daily Bread Fence Die, My Favorite Things Leafy Flourish, Poppy Stamps Gentle Leaf and Ivy Tendrils, EK Success Mini Daisy Punch, Fiskars 1/4” Flower Punchy, Fiskars 1/8” Circle Punch, Shabby Shutters and White Crackle Paint, Glossy Accents, Mat Stylus, Paper Piercer, Martha Stewart Branch Punch

Clean and Simple “Just Because”

I woke up way before the alarm went off this morning (2:30 a.m.) so after browsing online for a while and reading email I decided to make a quick card for the Splitcoaststampers Friday challenge. Fast, clean and Simple!

Well….this was pretty fast with the exception of stamping the sentiment directly on the pink striped paper and getting it crooked.  LOL!  So I had to stamp a tag to cover up the big boo boo.  I guess stamping at 4:30 in the morning isn’t so productive.

I had the flower made from a week or so ago and it  was made using  Papertrey Bloom Builders #3 die. The foliage is Stampin’ Up Bird punch. The sentiment is Rubbernecker’s Just Because. 565-22

OK.  I guess I need to run hop in the shower so I won’t be late for work.  I am sleep deprived so I’m sure it is going to be a long Friday.  Have a great weekend and I hope to be back with something special tomorrow.  I want to let you know how much I appreciate all of your wonderful and supportive comments.

Lattice Fence and Flower Garden

I have a quick post today.  I had fun playing in the Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge.  I thought it was another perfect opportunity to use my Madison Window Die. You can see the sketch below.

Here is what I came up with.

I love to layer the white window over the pink background.  This time I added a lattice fence and a fun little flower garden.  I especially love the eyelet curtains.

I cut two sets of the Poppy Stamps Wildflower Patch die and cut the flower heads off.  I created several tiny punched flowers using multiple colors for a springy garden feel and attached where the original flower heads were with Glossy Accents. The lattice fence was attached to the card front with mounting tape and the flower garden was attached directly over the fence area.   

This card screams spring to me.  I love the white and pink.  Oh wait….I think I already said that.

Have a great day.

Paper: Pink White, Saffron, Bashful Blue, Dark Pink
Accessories: 1/4" Fiskars Flower Punch, Martha Stewart Hydrangea Punch, Poppy Stamps Madison Window and Wildflower Patch, Martha Stewart Branch Punch and Lattice Punch, Glossy Accents, Stylus, Mat