Patriotic Inspiration + Freebie {Dies R Us}

Hello Sweet Blogging Friends!

I'm glad you could stop by for a little Dies R Us Inspiration!

Hopefully summer is settling in at your home, 

and that you are thawing out from the recent crazy winter and spring.

Today's cards utilize simple layering techniques to draw special attention to a focal image. 

My cards use the following Dies R Us Products:

Spellbinders - Grand Rectangles

Spellbinders - Matting Basics A and B 5x7

Sizzix - Branch with Leaves
Sue Wilson - Pierced Flags

The rectangles are different sizes in order to produce a little intrigue, while keeping the over-all design simple.

The first image was stamped in Memento Flannel Gray Ink. 

I chose turquoise and orange Prismacolor pencils to highlight the vivid colors in Old Glory.

After selecting several reds ranging from orange to burgundy, I chose

blues including navy, bold-true, and turquoise:

As the star section was completed, I pressed the turquoise pencil harder over the area, using it as a blender pencil, rather than a traditional Prismacolor Blending Pencil:

In the same manner, the orange pencil was used as the blending tool for the red stripes.

The white stripes were deepened using both grays and blues:

This beautiful Rubber Monger stamp has been in my stash for over 10 years and had never been used! In fact, the stamp woke me up one night, crying out for me to come color it, so I accommodated, getting up at 2AM and giving it my attention.

Do your stamps ever wake you up?

Finishing touches include Vellum and Vellum Cardstock. The Sue Wilson Pierced Flags set was used to feature the sentiment. Spellbinders Grands and Card Creator Matting Basics A and B (5x7) were used in creating layers.

In the next card, the image is stamped in Memento Cocoa on ivory for a sepia effect. Darker pencils were used in coloring. Tan, gold, and brown tones were used in shading, with a black layered panel. The Pierced banner is placed on the side:

Another Sepia tone card on ivory, this time layered with red and navy, and a touch of green for our beautiful country. Even though this was colored with a lot more browns, the blue matting highlights the cooler colors. Using different sizes of rectangles makes a pretty mat:

Lastly, a vintage rendition done in Gray Ink and gray-and-blue tones of pencils to create yet another flavor. This one is simply adorned with navy cardstock, and green branches:

In each case, a slight variation in the matting sizes and colors, 

and in the blending colors, 

has created a different effect.

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Products Used:

A few personal shares:
I've been gratefully enjoying a bit of a remission these past few months, and am now leaving the remission period. Therefore, it's a bit difficult making the blog rounds, and keeping up with my normal daily obligations. I only explain so you will understand why my comments may not be quite as descriptive as ordinarily.
In the meantime, I have some freebies for you!

INSPIRED BY ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE FOUGHT FOR (AND LONG FOR)
FREEDOM:

(from the United States' Declaration of Independence)

These are for personal use. They may not be used by companies or for profit:

It is the same sentiment - four styles available in jpg.

To download, click on the sentiment first to enlarge it, then download to your hard-drive.
Not sure why the original version looks great compared to Google's reduced size below.
Once this is published, I'll try downloading to be assured of the quality.

Hope you enjoy!

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Challenges I'd like to play in please:

Great Impressions (June) RWB Anything Goes 7/3

Simply Create Too #110 Red White Blue 6/21

Dream Valley Challenges #133 "Vintage"  6/18

hugs,