Sunset Sail

Inspiration

I usually have to cast around to find ideas for a masculine theme for cards. Here’s one that came to me as I searched through seldom-used stamps for ideas to use on the several March birthdays that require a masculine touch. 

Of course, the technique is from Michelle Zindorf – on this one, I used a sponge instead of the brayer to create a color gradient across the card. I also came across a technique on Splitcoast Stampers that incorporates COPICs and colored pencils (2 of my favorite ways to color images) on the same image.

 

 

 

Ingredients

Note: Finished card size is 4 1/4” x 5 1/2”

Paper

Bashful Blue (SU!):  5 1/2” x 8 1/2”, scored at 4 1/4”

Whisper White (SU!):  4 1/8” x 5 3/8”

Stamper’s Select White (Paper Trey):  4 1/8” x 5 3/8”

Inks

Versamark (Tsukineko)	Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Apricot Appeal (SU!)	Bashful Blue (SU!)
Pumpkin Pie (SU!)	Brilliant Blue (SU!)
Dusty Durango (SU!)

Stamps

Medallion (SU!)	On Your Birthday (SU!)
Seagull (CC Rubber Stamps)	Sailboat (PSX)
Sand (CC Rubber Stamps)

Accessories

Colored Pencils (Prisma Color)	Gamsol and paper stubs
COPIC markers (Imagination International)	Clear embossing powder
Sponge	Heat Gun
Scor-Pal	Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch)
Rotary trimmer with deckle and straight blades (Fiskars)

Instructions

Sunset and Sea 

Step 1: Stamp the medallion sun in embossing ink on the left side of the white panel and emboss with clear powder.

Step 2: Sponge the sunset colors starting with the lightest orange color over the upper left 2/3 of the card.  Add the darker orange colors to create a gradual darkening in color as you move away from the sun.  After sponging on the color, you may want to “polish” the sun with a paper towel – this will remove some of the orange color from the embossed image, but still leaves a glow.

Step 3: Sponge the sea using the blue inks, again going from lighter near the sun to darker in the lower right corner of the card.

Step 4: Stamp the sand dots over the sea with the darkest blue color to add a little texture and movement to the water.

Step 5: Stamp the sentiment and the bird in black to the right of the sun.

Sailboat

Step 1: Stamp the sailboat on the heavier white cardstock using the black ink.  My sailboat image also has clouds and water – when I cut the image out, I eliminated the clouds – nothing to “block out” the sun!  I left the water around the boat as part of the image.

Step 2: Color the image with COPICs.  I used these colors:

• Sails: BG0000
• Boat: E30, E31, E37

Step 3: Add color shading using the colored pencils, and blend with mineral spirits and a paper stub.  I did all of the color for the water with pencils, but you could easily pick a blue shade of marker to lay the base color for the water.

Assembly

Step 1: Mount the sunset panel to the front of the card.

Step 2: Add the sailboat, using foam tape for a little bit of dimension.

Thanks for stopping by!

Hb Birthday Wishes

Inspiration

I’ve been playing with paint and chipboard ever since I created the framed greeting in my last post.  Here’s another quick frame – this one painted with glossy black.  This card uses embossing, too.

Ingredients

Paper

Note: finished card size is 4 1/4” x 5 12”

Basic Black (SU!)	4 1/4” x 11”, score at 5 1/2”, and 2 1/2” x 1 1/2”
Taffy (CTMH)	4” x 5 1/4”
Urban Garden DSP (SU!)	4” x 5 1/4”
Whisper White (SU!)	2 1/2” x 2 1/2” and 2 1/2” x 1 1/2”

Ink

Basic Black (SU!), Versamark (Tsukineko)

Stamps

Party Punch (SU!); Kokopelli (PSX)

Accessories

Designer Label punch (SU!); Chipboard Frame (SU!); Glossy Acrylic Craft Paint – Black (Anita’s); Foam brush (Hobby Lobby); Terra Cotta Tapestry Embossing powder (PSX); Clear Embossing powder (Stampendous); Heat gun; Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch); Glue dots; Rotary trimmer with straight blade (Fiskars); Scissors

Instructions

Image

Paint the chipboard frame in black, and let it dry.

Using the embossing ink pad, stamp the kokopelli image on the larger white cardstock panel, and emboss with the terra cotta embossing powder.  Using glue dots, mount the image centered in the chipboard frame.

Prepare the Hb greeting by first inking the stamp with the embossing ink, then black.  Stamp on the remaining white cardstock.  Emboss with clear embossing powder. Trim the greeting closely. Punch a label tag from black cardstock, and mount the greeting in the center of the punched label.

Assembly

Mount the taffy paper on the black card base.

The designer paper is cut at angles – I wanted the right angle of the paper to form the point at the top of the card.  I rotated the paper until I like the pattern of the paper, the cut the paper to fit.  Use the pattern of your chosen pattern to help you determine where you cut the paper, and mount it on the taffy mat layer.

Add the kokopelli image in the upper right corner, and the Hb greeting in the lower left area.

Final Notes

Inside

I cut a taffy layer for the inside (4” x 5 1/4”), stamped my sentiment directly on the taffy in black.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy 50th!

 

Inspiration

I made this card for a friend whose parents are celebrating their 50^th wedding anniversary the weekend of Thanksgiving. I love the easel card technique – it looks elegant, and makes it easy to display. I was inspired by the card I found on Splitcoast – click here to see the original by “SoSherry”.

A couple of video tutorials helped me out – you can learn to make an easel card (any size) in the resources section on Splitcoast – click here.  And to tie a bow, Becca Feeken has a video tutorial too – click here.

Ingredients

Paper

Note: finished card size is 5” x 5”

Champagne Pearl Metallic (Wassau): 5” x 10”, score at 5” and 7 1/2”; 5” x 5”, 3” x 4”, small scrap.  Gold Metallic (Wassau): 4 3/4” x 4 3/4” – 2 pieces, 3” x 4”, small scrap.  Victorian Elegance Supplemental Paper (CTMH): 4 1/2” x 4 1/2” – 2 pieces

Ink

Versamark (Tsukineko)

Stamps

A Word for You (SU!), Happy Anniversary (PSX)

Accessories

Ribbon (Michaels); Gold number stickers (unknown); Pearl stickers (Prima); Detail Gold Embossing Powder (Stampendous); Heat Gun; Modern Label Punch (SU!); Movers & Shapers Punch Windows Die (SU!); Label 4 Nestabilities Die (Spellbinders); Cuttlebug (Provo Craft); Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with straight blade (Fiskars); Scissor

Instructions

Sentiments

I used Wassau Royal Metallics paper for this card – this is really nice metallic paper, with a coordinating reverse side that’s very smooth.

Stamp Happy Anniversary in Versamark ink on the smooth, back side of the pearl paper, and emboss with gold powder.  Align the greeting inside the Label 4 die, and cut it out with the die cut machine – run it through twice – once to cut, and once to emboss.  Cut a gold label with the next larger size of Label 4 die, and mount the sentiment label on the gold label.

For the Congratulations, use the Versamark marker to ink just the word “Congratulations”.  Stamp on the smaller scrap of pearl paper, again on the smooth reverse side.  Punch it out with the Modern label punch.  Run the smaller scrap of gold through the die cut machine using the Modern label punch window die, and mount the sentiment on the gold label.

Assembly

Mount a square of the patterned paper on a gold square.  Wrap a ribbon vertically around the square you just created.  Tie a bow close onto the ribbon, near the top of the square.  Mount the Happy Anniversary label below the ribbon.  Apply the pearl stickers around the sentiment.  Mount this onto the 5” x 5” pearl square.

The 5” x 10” base card is scored at 5” and 7 1/2”, and folded accordion style.  Attach the card stack with the bow to the top-most 2 1/2” section of the base card.  You just formed the easel!

Now, mount the remaining gold square and patterned paper on the bottom section of the card.  Add the pearls, the congratulations sentiment, and the number stickers.

When you stand the card up, the pearls on the base will be the thing that causes the front to stand upright.

Final Thoughts

Finding a place to hand-write your message on this card might be a little tricky, but there is space above the pearls on the base, or you can use the back.

For this card, an envelope was impossible with the bow, so I made a little 5 1/2” x 5 1/2” x 2 1/2” box to hold it.

Thanks for stopping by.

Easter Daffodils

Inspiration

Daffodils are one of my favorite spring flowers – they bloom early here in Dallas.  When I travel home to Tennessee in a couple of weeks, I’m hoping I’ll get to enjoy them all over again!

This is the first of my Easter cards for you to see – I’ve made quite a few, so I’m hoping to post more than once this weekend.  Hope you’ll come back to check out the various cards.

This card is a simple one, and uses one the very first stamps I ever bought (the flowers) – a classic quality wood mounted stamp, and one from my newest set from Verve – a sentiment in clear un-mounted acrylic.  I love the chance to use stamps that continue to provide such beauty.

Ingredients

CARDSTOCK: Old Olive (SU!), light yellow handmade paper (unknown), Whisper White (SU!)

STAMPS: Narcissus (PSX), sentiment (Verve)

INK: Adirondack Pitch Black (Ranger), Old Olive (SU!)

ACCESSORIES: COPIC markers; Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch), Rotary trimmer with straight blade (Fiskars)

Instructions

BASE CARD:  Cut a green sheet of cardstock measuring 11” x 4 1/4”, and score in the middle at 5 1/2”. 

MAT LAYER:  Tear a mat layer from the handmade paper just smaller than the card, approximately  5” x  3 3/4”.  If the paper is hard to tear, use a paintbrush and dampen the lines you will tear.

Mount the mat on the front of the card, and stamp the sentiment in the lower right corner using green ink.

IMAGE:  Stamp the flowers on the white cardstock.  When the ink dries, color the image with the markers, and trim it closely.

Mount the image onto the yellow mat, and you’re all done!

Thanks for stopping by!

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!

Happy Valentine’s Day, Everyone!  Thanks to all who stopped by during the countdown to check out my creations, and to all for the kind comments you’ve left during the first 14 days of February.

Today there are TWO projects – a scrapbook page and a card, so this post is a little long.  Hope you enjoy both!

++++++++++++++++++++++CARD+++++++++++++++++++++++

Inspiration  This is the Valentine card I created for my husband.  This technique is called a crimped envelope card, and comes from the technique in the “Weekly Inkling” newsletter from SplitcoastStampers (subscribe).  The directions for the card from their website can be found here. It’s a quick and EASY card that really looks like a lot of effort.  And my DH loved it!

 

Ingredients

CARDSTOCK: Whisper White (SU!), Real Red (SU!)

STAMPS: Always (SU!), Fun Fillers (SU!), I Love You (PSX)            

INK: Basic Black (SU!), Real Red (SU!)

ACCESSORIES:  A2 White envelope, make up sponges, Heart to Heart punch (SU!), Gelly Roll clear star sparkle pen (Sakura), 1 1/4” and 1 3/8” circle punches (SU!), 1/4” red organza ribbon, paper crimper (Fiskars), Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch), Clear tape, Rotary trimmer with scalloped and straight blades (Fiskars)

Instructions

STEP 1:  Seal the envelope. Then use the trimmer to cut 1 1/4” from one end of the envelope.  The piece you’ve cut off will become the “lid” of the new envelope.

STEP 2:  Use a make up sponge, and lightly dab black ink around each both parts of the the envelope – it forms kind of a frame around each piece.

Punch some hearts from the red paper.  and outline them with the sparkle pen.

Wrap the ribbon around the lid, and tie it in a knot.  You can anchor it in the back with a piece of clear tape.  Attach the hearts around the knot on the lid.

Stamp the bottom piece all over with the hearts filler stamp in red ink.

STEP 3:  Place the larger piece into the crimping tool with the opening to the side, and crimp. 

Stamp the always sentiment in red ink on white paper, and punch it out with the 1 1/4” punch.  Punch a red circle with the 1 3/8” punch.  Mount the sentiment on the red circle, and the red circle on the lower left of the envelope.

STEP 4:  Cut a piece of white card stock measuring 4 1/4” x 4”.  Create a frame using black ink on the sponge, and stamp the images and sentiments in red ink.

Insert the decorated card into the envelope, and slip the lid on the top.

++++++++++++++++SCRAPBOOK PAGE++++++++++++++++++

Inspiration  Recently, I entered the Spellbinder’s design team contest.  I wasn’t chosen for the team, but I sure had fun designing in some new areas.  I don’t often scrapbook, and one challenge was to create a 12” x 12” layout. 

As I mentioned yesterday, the page I created was inspired as I worked on a Valentine card for a friend who wanted something “over the top” for her husband. The sentiment made me think about the almost 30 years I’ve been married and what a fairytale life we’ve led. I pulled out the photo album, and found 3 pictures from our lifetime together – A kiss from our dating days, our hands together on our wedding day, and a picture at a friend’s wedding about a year ago. I scanned them in, converted them to black and white to match the color theme and this is the result.   I put it in a 12” x 12” scrapbook frame and wrapped it up for him as his special gift.

Ingredients

CARDSTOCK: 1 sheet textured Real Red red cardstock (SU!) 12”x 12”, plus a small scrap (2” x 6”); 1 sheet textured Basic Black cardstock (SU!) 12” x 12”; 1 sheet metallic gold cardstock (Wassau) 12” x 12”; 1 sheet Whisper White cardstock (SU!) 8 ½” x 5 ½”; 1 sheet adhesive vellum (Generations)

STAMPS: Full of Life (SU!)                  INK: Basic Black (SU!)

ACCESSORIES: Large Scalloped Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Large Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Small Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Large Rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Small Rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Hearts & Stamps Die (Provo Craft), Hearts Ribbon (Michael’s), Cuttlebug (Provo Craft), Black and Red markers (Stampin’ Up!), Stamp Positioner (Stamp-a-ma-jig), Word window punch (Stampin’ Up!), Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch), DimensionSquares foam mount (Generations), Clear tape, Rotary trimmer with scalloped and straight blades (Fiskars), Computer / Inkjet Printer

PICTURES: Your favorite photos of a couple who are celebrating a happy life together

Instructions

SENTIMENT: Using the Cuttlebug, create the mat layers using the Nestabilities. All three layers are run through the machine twice – first to cut, then to emboss. The black and gold layers are made using the Large Rectangle, and the white layer uses the Small Rectangle die. Mount the layers together using the ATG. Apply black dye ink to the stamp, and stamp it on the stamp positioner clear sheet using the Stamp-a-ma-jig. Clean the stamp; then ink the word “LOVE” using the red dye ink marker, and the remaining words using the black marker. Position the clear sheet with the Stamp-a-ma-jig over the white layer to center the sentiment, then remove the sheet, and stamp the image.

HEARTS: Using the Cuttlebug and the Hearts die, cut a set of hearts from the black, gold and red cardstocks.

PICTURES: Print the photos in black and white on glossy white cardstock. The ones in the sample are printed at 4 ½” x 3”. Using the Cuttlebug, create the mat layers using the Nestabilities. Each mat layer is cut; then embossed. The black mat is made using the Large Scalloped Oval, and the gold mat uses the Large Oval. Using the Small Oval, carefully position the opening to capture the picture to be displayed and use a small piece of clear tape to hold it in place. Run the picture through the Cuttlebug only once to cut it out. Mount the 3 layers together using the ATG.

PICTURE CAPTIONS: Print the words “a Kiss…”, “a Pledge…”, and “a Lifetime.” on the adhesive vellum paper using the inkjet printer, then punch them out using the Word Window punch.

RIBBON: Cut a 1 ½” x 12” strip of the black card stock using the scalloped blade. (Hint: You need to turn the paper around for a second cut to get the scallops on both sides of the strip.) Cut a ¾” x 12” strip of the gold paper using the straight blade. Using the ATG, mount the gold onto the black, centering it carefully. Then mount a 12” strip of the ribbon down the center of the gold strip.

ASSEMBLY: Using the ATG, mount the ribbon stack on the left of the red cardstock sheet, about 1” from the edge. Mount the pictures diagonally down the page, leaving enough space below each one for the caption. Peel the backing from each caption and mount it below each picture. Mount the sentiment in the lower left corner. Using the ATG mount a gold and black heart on the paper, then mount the remaining ones using the foam squares.

+++++++++++++++ COME BACK SOON! ++++++++++++++++

Thanks again for stopping by during the Valentine Countdown!  I’ll be posting once a week until another idea comes up for a lot of cards.  It’s time to think about birthdays and Easter and SPRING – time for more colors that pink, red, brown, and white.