Triple the Celebration

Even though I used the same stamp for the focal point, I created three different card types/styles.  The SAB set Feeling Sentimental is a fun and actually very versatile set.

Here is a group photo.

The feminine version was done in a vintage/shabby style.

I'm not a huge pink fan, but I do like it with a dark brown.  Here I used Early Espresso and Pink Pirouette.  The DSP is from the Fan Fair pack. It has the most wonderful patterns and color combos.  I simply distressed the edges and then sponged them with both colors.  I also sponged over the paper with some of the pink.

For the embellishment I took a strip of Pink Pirouette and created a banner using the technique found in THIS post.  The sentiment is from Something to Celebrate(retired).  I tied a piece of linen thread around the Victoria crochet trim and then inked it up to age it a bit.  I placed a small Antique brad inside the largest of the Vintage Faceted Designer buttons.  The brad "legs" will just barely fit inside the button holes, but it was enough to bend them and secure it to the button.  I secured the lace and the button to the card with mini glue dots.

Stamps: Feeling Sentimental, Something to Celebrate
Paper: Early Espresso, Pink Pirouette, Fan Fair DSP
Ink: Early Espresso, Pink Pirouette
Misc.: Victoria Crochet Trim. Linen Thread, Vintage Faceted designer buttons, Antique brads, Basic Pearls, Square Punch, Sponges, Glue Dots, Distressing Tool



The middle card is clean and simple.

The black and white color scheme is elegant, yet still fun.  This could be given to either a female or male and could be used for a birthday, wedding or anniversary; or, simply just because you want to celebrate a child's accomplishment, a friend's promotion or any other life event.

Stamps: Feeling Sentimental
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Pitch Black (Adirondack/Ranger)




The final card is geared with a masculine slant and is kind of a combination of the two other styles.  Clean and shabby? :)

It is also a CASE of the card posted HERE.  I LOVE Sandi's addition of the French Foliage stamp images, but for mine I wanted to keep it a little "cleaner".  Instead of linen thread I used Basic Black Taffeta ribbon to help highlight the sentiment and I used a black and tan (Crumb Cake) color scheme.  To ink the edges I used the ink pad directly on the paper to give it a little crisper edge than sponging would have.

Stamps: Feeling Sentimental
Paper: Crumb Cake, First Edition Specialty paper
Ink: Pitch Black (Adirondack/Ranger)
Misc.:Basic Black Taffeta ribbon


In all, I think it took me roughly half an hour to make all three cards, so time well spent in my opinion.  Even though the feminine card is really more my usual style, that is actually my least favorite of the three.  Go figure... 

Which do you like the best?

Adrift at Sea

I really like this set for masculine projects, however I always seem to struggle with how to make all the pieces work together on a card.  Basically feeling a little lost and adrift.:) 

The base of the card is a new In-Color called Midnight Muse which will be available for purchase on June 1st!  I stamped the globe and compass randomly on the Cherry Cobbler piece using it's respective ink.  The ledger was stamped with Early Espresso and then "aged" by rubbing So Saffron over the piece and sponging the edges with Early Espresso.

I stamped the anchor on Very Vanilla using Midnight Muse.  After cutting it out, I sponged it with Early Espresso.  To give the card a little more texture and depth, I wrapped the Hemp twine around the anchor and adhered it to the card using mini glue dots.  The Cherry Cobbler and Bashful Blue pieces were also distressed and sponged with their respective inks.

Stamps: The Open Sea, Pennant Parade
Paper:Midnight Muse (new In-Color), Bashful Blue, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Midnight Muse, So Saffron
Misc.: Natural Hemp Twine (retiring), Distress Tool from Cutter Kit (retiring), Sponges, Mini Glue Dots

 Have a great day!

Masculine Thanks

I'm finding that I am not having as difficult a time doing quick and simple cards as much as I used to. Even my daughter noticed it. When I showed her the card for this post she said, "Wow, what happened? You did a simple card!" (LOL)

I needed a thank you card for a male friend, so going with vintage, frills or collage wasn't an option anyway. I also needed to get it done quickly, which always aids in the decision to use less product.

I adore Bonsai trees which is the main reason I bought the Plant Hope set. Having only used the palm tree in the set so far, I figured it was time to get more use out of it. I colored the Bonsai stamp with markers, misted it with water, and then stamped it on watercolor paper. I then misted the paper to get the colors to bleed a little bit.

Be careful when doing this, start with just one or two light mists to see what the colors do. You can always add more water, but there's not much you can do once the colors have all bled into a muddy blob because the paper is soaked. :)

I then layered the image on a distressed piece of soft suede. The ribbon is Pear Pizzazz seam binding with Hemp Twine layered on top of that. I only put adhesive in the middle of the image mat so that the corners and edges stayed "loose" for some added dimension. The card base is textured Early Espresso cardstock.

Stamps: Plant Hope
Ink: Early Espresso, Old Olive and Soft Suede Markers
Paper: Early Espresso Textured, Soft Suede, Watercolor Paper
Misc.: Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding, Natural Hemp Twine


Make it a great day!!

Masculine Stars

This was one of the swaps I made for the Milwaukee Regional a couple of months ago. Yeah, I'm a bit behind on posting. :)

I don't make a lot of masculine cards, so I struggled with this a bit. I think this was like the 4th or 5th version of the card, but I like the way it turned out. I sponged all the layers and stars with coordinating inks. I even sponged the twill tape with some Sahara Sand.

One of the flowers in Little Flowers looks kind of like a star, so I colored that with the Artichoke and Chocolate Markers and then stamped it on Very Vanilla cardstock. I punched it out and added it to the build a brad and then put it through the large star and around the twill tape to help create a focal point.

Stamps: Little Flowers, Smarty Pants
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow (retiring), Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, To The Nines DSP (most likely retiring).
Ink: Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow, Sahara Sand, Always Artichoke and Chocolate Chip Markers
Accessories: Small and Large Star Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, Twill Tape, Build-a-Brad, Sponges, Dimensionals


Enjoy!