Couple of Cards

The Caffeinated Christmas Card Snowflake challenge is about to close and I did finally come up with a card.  I messed up stamping the Sweet 'n Sassy Knit Background using white pigment ink on gray cardstock.  Luckily, it was just one spot near the bottom of the panel, so I cut it into a smaller rectangle.  I love the look of wider margins on cards, especially when using smaller images. 

I've had Hero Arts metallic watercolors for a very long time and decided to play around with them.  No luck with trying an artist's technique I saw, so I just painted the red watercolor onto a white scrap.  I'd call it a burgundy red and it has a beautiful shimmer.  My scrap was big enough to die cut Trinity Stamps little cup (a freebie) twice, as well as the Impression Obsession snowflake.  

Luckily there was one edge of the scrap that worked to mat the PTI sentiment.  An old Darice snowflake embossing folder was used for the cups and I added a dot of Shimmer Pico Embellisher to the snowflake centers.  Yay for a nearly flat card ready to mail this Christmas.  I'm also entering Snippets Playground.

Next is a card inspired by a recent one made by my in real life friend, Lin.  She reminded me of the Gina K Video I saved to my favorites two years ago. 

I white embossed a very old wood mounted French script stamp.   It doesn't completely cover the panel, but I actually like the look.   I used Uniko's Flower Power #8 stencil with Distress Oxides Abandoned Coral and Saltwater Taffy.

The sentiment is from Uniko's Simply Said blocks.   Love that enamel dots are flat enough to not need extra postage.   I'm entering Inkspirational and Just Us Girls.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Floral, Snowflakes and a Valentine

I have three very different cards to share today.  First is the card I made for the January Altenew Inspiration Challenge.  Have to admit, I tend to reach for products I find easier to use.  But this time I wanted to see what I could do with my neglected Altenew's Handpicked Bouquet. 

It has an outline image with solid images to "color" it in.  The solid stamps are actually fairly easy to line up when you use a dark ink for the outline.  I pulled out inks as close as I could get to the inspiration colors: Brilliance Pearlescent Sky Blue, PTI Blueberry Sky, CN9 Sprout and PTI New Leaf.  I added white gouache splatters to the bouquet and attached it to another diecut for stability.  The background was made with a brown scrap and Altenew Deck Planks embossing folder.  I carefully added some random areas of white pigment ink and wiped with a paper towel.  Really love how it changed the look, just a bit.  I die cut Altenew Fancy Hello diecut from Blueberry Sky cardstock and attached it slightly offset to a white diecut.  Hero Arts sequins were just the right shade.  I may use this for a birthday card.  I'm also entering Inspired By...Blue. 

Next is a white on white Christmas card with a touch of gold for Christmas Kickstart.  I used 2 of my newest products which I really love.  

SSS Fanciful Flurries embossing folder was used on a white panel which I then mounted to a white card.  A drop of Goldenrod Stickles was added to each snowflake center.  Birch Press Handwritten Merry Christmas and Outline die was cut from the same white cardstock and stacked 2 high.  I used vellum for the shadow diecut.

I know some of you may have seen more snowflakes than you wanted to, but hopefully you can enjoy seeing paper ones. 

My long-time friend, Lisa, has a beautiful mood board for inspiration at Just Us Girls.  I was immediately drawn to the gray heart pillow in the top center photo.  I thought I had gray felt, but turns out I have just about every other color--haha! 

Instead I used a very old slightly textured gray cardstock to die cut Memory Box Grand Heart.  In the same container of old paper, I found white velvet.  You can't tell in a photo, but in person the Memory Box Bingham Heart diecut has that wonderful soft texture.  I used the same gray paper for the background which I made by stamping Sweet 'n Sassy Knit Background lightly in white pigment ink.  The gray panel was added to a scalloped Elizabeth Crafts rectangle as a nod to the edging of the pillow in the photo.  Plus, I love scalloped edges!  I stamped my old wood mounted Savvy Stamps sentiment in Versafine Clair Nocturne, added PRS splatters with white pigment ink and attached tiny pearls to some of the flower centers.  The heart was backed with heavy weight cardstock to raise it slightly off the background.  I'm going to need a wedding card soon, so may use this design in the wedding colors.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.