Secret Garden Watercolor

I am still playing with the Secret Garden stamp set and the coordinating framelits and I'm having a blast!  My initial reaction to this bundle was not enthusiastic since I already have so many floral sets.  BUT I won a free stamp set of my choice from one of the contest my generous upline, Patty Bennett, had last month and I decided to get this set anyway.

I saw Tim Holtz do a similar technique with distressed inks and I wanted to try it with Stampin' Up's classic ink.  I swiped the ink pad directly on my craft mat and sprayed the ink with water.  And I used that as my "ink pad" to ink the stamp.  I love the variation you get and it's much quicker than traditional water coloring.

I used primrose petal ink and water on flowers on the right side, which was original plan.  The group on the left side were stamped using a mixture leftover from another project that I found on my work table.  That mixture was alcohol, shimmer paint and cherry cobbler ink (I think!) from the look of the spray bottle.  As you can see, they turned out light pink but real pretty IRL.  I haven't figured out what to do with those.  All the flowers were die cut with the coordinating framelit die.

I wanted a good contrast with the primrose petal flowers so I chose island indigo to be the base card.  This is so striking in person.  The border on the bottom was heat embossed in clear embossing powder, to add just a subtle texture.  The stamp is from the Border Banter set which was in the 2012 Holiday Catalog and alas, didn't make it into the 2013-2014 Catalog.  The sentiment is from the Itty Bitty Banners set, stamped in island indigo ink.  The ribbon is island indigo from SAB.

I love, love how this turned out!  Did you notice I didn't sponged anything?  LOL, don't worry the next project will have some sponging and more techniques.

Thanks for stopping by today and don't forget to check out tomorrow's post which will include picture tutorial.

Cheers!!!

irene

Secret Garden - Mother Day's Day Card

For me, yellow flowers signal warm weather ahead.  Spring is here and right around the corner is summer.  That's what I had in mind when I made today's card, yellow flowers that evoke warm feelings.  It's simple and easy, especially with all the tools available nowadays.

I started with a white card stock for my base card.  The panel is also in white but sponged with daffodil delight ink around the edges.  I stamped several flowers in daffodil delight ink using the Secret Garden stamp set.  Then I brushed Crystal Effects on the surface of the flowers.  I die cut the flowers and leaves with the coordinating Secret Garden Framelits.   I colored clear rhinestones with brown permanent markers and placed them on the center of the flowers.  I had the flowers and leaves cascade from the top left corner of the panel.

I stamped the sentiment in gumball green ink and punched a piece of scrap cherry cobbler card stock using the bitty butterfly punch.  I added pearls to the punched butterfly.  And as a last step, I mounted the panel on the front of the card with dimensionals. 

That's my second Mother's Day card and it won't be the last!  Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you enjoy my "springy" card.

Cheers!!!

irene

Secret Garden - Congratulations

I hope you're not sick of Print Poetry Designer Paper Stack and Top Note die cuts yet.  I promise this is the last one.  I just really love the patterns in that stack.  The frame on this patterned paper fits the Top Note die perfectly, I had to use them together!

My card base is river rock card stock, so sad this color is retiring at the end of May.  It's one of my favorite Stampin'Up color, although I must admit I haven't use it much lately.  I wrapped the midnight muse 3/8 stitched satin ribbon around the front of the card.  I stamped the sentiment in raspberry ripple and added the three pearls to the die cut frame.  I sponged crumb cake ink all around the frame and mounted it on the center of the card..

I stamped four flowers from the Secret Garden stamp set in Versamark ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  Then I die cut the stamped images with the matching framelits.  I colored the two large flowers with raspberry ripple ink.  I used a blender pen to apply the color as shown above.  I fussy cut the colored center of the second flower and mounted it on the center of the other large flower.

I colored the center of the two smaller flowers and carefully fussy cut them.  When I finished cutting, I arranged all the flowers on the frame.  I made sure the cut areas of the vanilla flowers were tucked under the big flower and I mounted the colored and cut portion back in the center with dimensionals.  Just want to add that all the flowers were stamped on vanilla card stock not white.

That's my card for today.  Thank you for stopping by.  Next post will feature another Mother's Day card.  Until then............

Cheers!!!


irene

Secret Garden - Mother's Day Card

Today's card is the first of many Mother's Day cards I'm planning to make.  It's simple and relatively easy to put together.  I'm using one more mix patterned paper die cut but this one is matted with a vanilla card stock.  If you want to see the cards made with the other mix patterned paper die cuts click HERE.

I cut a gumball green card stock for my base card.  Then I glued the mix patterned paper die cut in the center and tied the crochet trim Victoria ribbon around the front of the card.  I stamped the sentiment on vanilla card stock with raspberry ripple ink.  I sponged the edges with the same color ink.  So far, quick and easy right?  Now onto the flower ..............

I stamped three flowers from the Secret Garden stamp set on vanilla card stock using Versamark and heat embossed them with clear embossing powder.  Then I die cut the flowers using the coordinating Secret Garden Framelit dies.  I used a blender pen to apply raspberry ripple ink to the three areas of the flowers as shown above.  I fussy cut the two smaller colored flowers and, using dimensionals, I layered  them onto the third die cut flower. Love the 3-D effect!  Here's a close-up.

If you don't like coloring and want to achieve the same look, try heat embossing with white or vanilla embossing powder on a colored card stock of your choice.  Die cut and fussy cut like I did and layer them together.  With colored card stock, you'll get even tones so you might want to sponge additional colors here and there to vary the color intensity and even create shadows.

There you have it.  Now if you're not a fan of fussing cutting, you can just layer multiple die cuts of whole flowers.

Thank you for stopping by today.  Until the next post ................

Cheers!!!

irene

A Round Array

Hello everyone!!  I'm finally back after an extended Spring Break.  I wanted to do simple cards using the new A Round Array stamp set and die cut designer papers from the Print Poetry Designer Paper Stack.  Using the Top Note Bigz die, I cut several pieces of patterned paper and group them into two coordinating sets.  I cut one die cut into two pieces and mix and match the patterns. Below are two of the mixed patterned paper die cuts I put together which will be the starting point of my cards.

   

I stamped the sentiment and two medallions, using the A Round Array stamp set, with raspberry ripple ink on vanilla card stock.  I punched the three stamped images with the 7/8" scallop circle punch.  I also punched, from blank vanilla card stock, additional scallop circles to layer with the stamped scallop circles so I can make "faux" buttons.  I stacked four scallop circles with the stamped one on top to form a "faux" button and sponged raspberry ripple ink all around.  Using my crop-a-dile, I punched two holes on the medallions so I can tie the linen thread.

 

I used raspberry ripple card stock for my card base.  I dry embossed a 4" x 5.25" vanilla panel using the Fancy Fan Folder.  I used one of the mixed paper pattern die cut and centered it on the panel and added the "faux" buttons  in a straight line down the middle of the die cut.  Update:  I added the crumb cake ribbon because the first card looked flat!

The other card was made with midnight muse card stock.  I dry embossed a piece of baja breeze card stock using the Woodgrain embossing folder.  I centered the die cut mixed patterned paper and tied the linen thread in the middle.  I stamped the medallions and sentiment with daffodil delight ink and punch with 1/2" circle punch.  I also punched coordinating patterned paper with the 7/8" scallop circle and used dimensionals to attached the stamped images.  How simple is that?  I love that floral patterned paper!

I only used a couple of the images on the A Round Array stamp set.  Here's the full set.

That's all for today.  I'll finish the other mixed patterned paper die cut card and share that tomorrow.

Until then..........

Cheers!!!


irene