Winter Pink Birthday Card

Hello, everyone! It is my sincerest hope you are doing well this holiday season. 

Today's birthday card is for a very dear friend. Birthdays in December often mean "seasonal" themed cards, and this one is no different! Being a rather new stamper, my friend enjoys challenges with new techniques and products. It's fun seeing stamping "anew" through her eyes. I've always enjoyed making dimensional cards with flowers, embellishments and other themes. Like many of you, once the post office changed the "thickness" rules, I altered my style. But since this is being delivered in person, I took advantage of that by creating a "thick" card!

After taking over 20 shots, I gave up! The pure white feathers show up as a drab gray. I think maybe the tininess of each feather barb, and the thinness of the "afterfeathers" created a shadow beneath, making the white appear gray. Has that happened to you when photographing white feathers? 

Taking a cue from Leslie Miller, I've produced an "off-size" skinny (slimline) card 4.25" x 7.25". With several layers, lots of sparkle was added to match the sparkle of Ana's personality. I sure do wish the sparkle showed up better. From my "pieces box", I put together lots of odds 'n' ends. The poinsettia petals all have a thick coating of clear glue mixed with highly textured glitter and mylar glitter. The center is comprised of Prills (I have a ton of those in my stash from some 8-9 years ago in a host of colors!). The luster balls have florist wire and were purchased at least 10 years ago from Hobby Lobby's bridal section. There is a paper raffia piece which was inked in pumice stone, and metallic silver netting from a wire ribbon. 

The French background script is from a virginal SU 5x6 wood mount stamp at least 20 years old. This card was SO MUCH FUN to make, using stuff from my "unfinished box" stuff, and old crafting goodies crying to be used!

Inside:

On the inside is a pocket for a gift card, adorned with the same MS punch as used on the card front and on the borders of the interior sentiment. I really do love the old MS punches. To make the simple pocket, I cut cardstock one inch wider than necessary, scored the two sides at 1/2 inch, and the bottom at 1/2 inch. Niche the corners for the fold to fit neatly. Adhere the back so that the niched places are glued to one another rather than to the pocket itself, so the gift card can slide in and out easily. Wish I had taken a photo of that for posterity (giggle).

Products:   Dies: Sue Wilson Noble Dies Double Pierced Bkgrnd CED5512, SW Dandelion CED1434, IO Pine Branch DIE021, IO Pine Sprig DIE319, MS Floral Crochet PAP Punch, MS Holly Punch, Stamps: Freebie Sentiment (shared below), SU En Francais script background stamp, SU birthday Warmest Regards stamp, Cardstock: SU pink & Green, white, old designer paper, Vellum,  Inks: Pumice Stone, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Worn Lipstick, Spun Sugar, VersaMark, Other: Feathers, Chunky Clear Glitter, Clear Mylar Glitter, Silver ultra fine glitter, Green EP with Glitter, Lime Prills, embellishments from the bridal section of Hobby Lobby, Silver Metallic Ribbon Netting, Paper Netting inked with pumice stone.

My gift to you - Arrangements of the same sentiment - one for any day and one for birthday - for use on the inside or outside of your projects. Please do not sell these Sentiments. Use on any of your projects, including projects involving any design teams you might be on.

Click on the image to bring it to full size. Because of the changes Google Made with Blogger (June 2020), your image will appear to be solid black. Don’t panic. Right click and do a SAVE AS PNG. Once it is saved on your hard drive, you can open it and it will have a transparent background. I create PNGs instead of JPGs so they can be placed anywhere on a scene or project, and so backgrounds can be made using them. Please let me know if you have any problems. I hope they serve you well!

Enjoy!

   

Thanks for stopping by.

I'd like to support the following challenges by playing in them please:

1. Fab 'n' Funky #626 All That Glitters 11/2 (sep post week later) (silver, clear, chunky, mylar glitters (inside and out).
2. As You Like It Challenge Nov 27 "Gold, Silver or Glitter and Why" 12/11 If it is glittery, it's for me! This birthday card is made for Ana who LOVES glitter and glitzy things. Although the mylar and chunky clear glitters are not showing up very well in photography of the poinsettia flower layers, the sparkly silver glitter is merry sparkle for the season inside and out. Glitter is amazing in its many uses. Thanks for the fun challenge!
3. Elliebelle's Garden Party #9 Anything from a Garden 12/8 (poinsettia flower) (FU #11)
4. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2547 AG 11/30
5. Creations in Pink #87 AG in Mainly Pink 12/13 (sep post)
6. Tic Tac Toe Challenge #284 (Using left to right diagonal - Embellishment, Free, Flowers) Several embellies feather, paper raffia, metallic net ribbon, prills, pearls. 12/11 sep post week later
   
   
   
   
   
   

Mica WaterColors on Dark Card Stock

Hello, my dear blogging friends! I hope the recent weather upheavals were not too harsh for your areas.  

I was inspired by the mood board over at Beautiful Blossoms this month, showing bright flowers atop a dark background in the photo. To accomplish this in my card, mica watercolors were painted on turquoise card stock, after heat embossing my image. With a VERY finely-sharpened white colored pencil, the image was outlined to make the dark outlines stand out a little more:

The card base was dry embossed with Craft Essentials Basket Weave EF and distressed with Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink. 

A FUN EXPERIMENT:

Using a product we all have in our stash: a stencil was placed atop the image panel, and randomly colored with WINK OF STELLA for a bit of sparkly background. 

Colored With:

Products Used: Mica Watercolors, Wink of Stella, VersaFine Clair Warm Breeze, Mermaid Lagoon DI, Clear Detail EP, Waffle Flower Stamps (310321 Bouquet Builder 5), background stencil, white prismacolor pencil; Craft Essentials Basket Weave EF

Challenges:

1. Beautiful Blossoms #28 mood board (see above) 05-12.

Left Over Pieces + New Pieces = Finally-Finished Cards

Welcome, Blogging friends! I have missed you!

Still plugging along in my "unfinished stuff" boxes, these creations have been in the works for the last 6 weeks. I came across some pink and white Spellbinders decorative squares elements already cut out - probably 15 years ago - they were crying out to put put on a project! So I added some Impression Obsession butterflies and Tattered Lace flowers, enjoying designing The Old dies with The Virginal dies. The designing was fun, too - especially with the addition of sparkle in one of my favorite colors PINK!

Here are some of the pieces I started with before adding the whimsy:

Because the bottom layers overlapped in some places, shims were needed:

With the shims prepared and glued in place, the diagonal square in the middle could be added:

Next... to adhere the fun die cuts:

To shade some of the pink areas (included the pink glitter paper), Worn Lipstick DI was applied. See the difference?

The vellum "butterfly shadow" is pearly, so it picked up the pink tones without coloring. The other butterflies with pink frames around them were "inked" with Worn Lipstick atop pale pink cardstock. The die cut sentiments were cut from pink glitter paper, darkened with Copic Marker RV32, and shadowed with a pale slate blue cardstock:

Two more cards, one using Ana Griffin's sentiment set:

Upon finishing the cards, I decided some pop up elements on the inside would be fun. It sure would have been easier had that been done before adhering all the layers! Front facing:

Top facing - notice the notched element under the butterfly to minimize the popup feature:

Thanks for visiting my little blog! Your encouragement and friendship means so much. I am permanently homebound, leaving only for medical appointments. Each excursion takes tremendous toll on my body, but I'm still able to do "small things with great love".  I'm so grateful to still be living in this wonderful world, surrounded by beautiful people!

Products: Anna Griffin "You Are" sentiment stamps (set of 9), Inks: VersaFine Clair Nocturne, Distress Worn Lipstick, Dies: Tattered Lace Michaelmas Daisy, Imp Obs Butterfly DIE059-N, SB Marvelous Squares, SB Adorning Squares, LifeStyle Nesting Frames 7, MS Floral Crochet PAP, MS lace heart edge punch, Die-Versions Express Banners "Happy Day" and "Make a Wish", Cardstock: pink glitter, pink, white, white glitter, slate blue (shadow on sentiment) Other: Gold Detail EP, Copic RV32, 

May I please play in the following challenges?

1. Seize the Birthday #303 Layer it Up Birthday 4/2 (each card has multiple layers inside and out)
2. Triple B Challenge (April 3) inspiration board for birds butterflies blooms 5-1
3. Crafting A Cut Above (April 7) Spring Time with Dies 5/1 (Dies used: Tattered Lace Michaelmas Daisy, Imp Obs Butterfly DIE059-N, SB Marvelous Squares, SB Adorning Squares, LifeStyle Nesting Frames 7, MS Floral Crochet PAP, MS lace heart edge punch, Die-Versions Express Banners "Happy Day" and "Make a Wish")
4. Colorful Options (April 1) choose color(s) from the inspiration photo. I chose pink. 5/1
5. The Four Seasons Challenge (April 1) Anything Goes Spring 5/1
6. Craft Rocket Challenges #124 "Layer it Up" 4/28 (each card has multiple layers inside and out)
7. As You Like It Challenge (April 17) Fussy & Fancy and Why 4/30 (while CAS are amazing, I have trouble keeping it simple. It's always satisfying to add more layers, more sparkle, unexpected details, and products to cards, and see the faces of the recipients - or to hear their sweet voices - exclaiming "how did you do that?" giggle)

Thanks for stopping by!

House Mouse Reminder to watch where we're going! (smiles)

Hello, sweet friends!

One of my friends severely broke her foot in March. She has not been able to put any weight on it since the surgery, and is finally able to go to physical therapy for strengthening. She will be so happy when once again the she's behind the steering wheel and able to get out and about. Done in her favorite color purple, "New Proverb" seemed perfect at this stage of her recovery. The House Mouse image was colored with Copics and Distress Inks:

I noticed House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge is sponsoring a fancy fold card challenge this time, so I decided on an easel card:

The oldie stuff is the image, dies and those old old OLD flowers from long ago (before Postal Regulations were altered regarding dimensional cards)

Always brimming with jam-packed stories and sweetness, House Mouse images bring out the happiness factor for any occasion.  Full photo:

Products Used: House Mouse "New Proverb", Computer Generated sentiment, Dies: Sizzix TH Garden Greens, Spellbinders Labels 25, Labels 25 Majestic Elements, Copic Markers, Distress Wilted Violet ink, old flowers from a decade ago (giggle)

Challenges I would like to play in please:

1. House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge #416 AG with Fancy Fold 6-8.
2. Critter Crazy Challenge #87 AG with critters (bird and mouse) 6-28 (7-1)
3. Triple B Challenges (June) AG with birds and blooms 7-1
4. Passion for Markers #742 Add a Sentiment (used Copic Markers 13 Copic Markers, a few Prismacolor Markers, one Copic on white glitter cardstock for the leaves) 06-11
5. Make My Monday Challenges #227 "B is for BROKEN, BIRD, BLOOMS" 6-16
6. Crafty Animals #84 AG with animals (bird and mouse)  6-26

On A Personal Note:

Thank you for your kind messages and cards. The procedures on my spine and legs last year have helped tremendously, and I am able to walk about the house and do minimal chores. SO GRATEFUL to my cardiologist and neurologist. The not so good news is I have been moved from "moderate-to-severe" to "severe" in my ME/CFS diagnosis. The other diseases are affected by the ME, but they are manageable. Thank you for being such understanding friends. My diminishing abilities is why I've been unable to leave many comments on your blogs.

Lots of Love,

de

PSX Botanical Iris {Beautiful Blossoms Challenges} and freebies

 Hello, blogging friends! Thanks so much for visiting! I have an invitation for you -- to join us at the Beautiful Blossoms Challenge beginning today!

We are a fun "mood-board-inspired" monthly challenge which features Flowers as the main focus.  

 The Mood Board is a starting point, and your artwork is where your imagination takes you! 

 I was inspired by: 

1. The colors purple, pink and green.
2. The Iris flower.
3. The vintage feel of the Bouquet in a Vase.

Both cards feature the same colors with the exception of the shading around the frame, and the shadows around the image. Just that little bit of refinement changes the appearance of both cards!

I'll start off with the backs of the cards. The sentiment below is also being offered to you as a freebie gift in three versions. Just scroll down for it.

I have only made one other Z-fold card. But seeing so many Double-Z Fold fun fold cards recently, I felt inspired to make these simple creations. They are 5x7 size. Here is the front of the dark purple:

It was colored in Copic Markers after being stamped in VersaFine Clair Monarch Purple and heat set in Clear Detail embossing powder. This version is highlighted in the jade colors. On the left side of the card are three torn strips from Coordinations cardstock, which have been dry embossed, sanded and distressed. The image basically hides the details, unfortunately.

I am ashamed to admit this stamp is well over 20 years old and has never been inked. The interior has room for a handwritten message in a frame I doodled:

Next is the same image, colored in the same theme colors, but a lighter card stock, and purples around the edges rather than the jade greens. It completely changes the look of the colored image:

The horizontal green lines are ribbons. The "Double" part of the card has been dry embossed, as has the front left:

These were really fun to color and assemble, AND I learned a lot about coloring, embossing, and testing adhesives prior to using "unused" stash! (giggle)

QUESTION TIME!

When you color an image with any medium, or make a background, or add color to any project...  

do you often wait for several hours or even overnight to see how the colors set? I do that to determine if a strong enough tint was achieved (not that I'm a colorist), or if a few additional touches are needed. But then, I am a very slow crafter, and also have to correct boo-boos the next day (giggle), so I tend to start out too light, and progress to darker hues or tones after. What about you?

Thanks for stopping by. Hoping to see your amazing floral creations in the challenge!

Products: both cards use: PSX K-3131 Botanical Iris Stamp, VersaFine Clair Monarch Purple, Clear Detail embossing powder, Copic Markers, EKSuccess Dragonfly Punch, Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Rectangles S4-317 (one of my first ever SB dies!)       Dark Purple card - Cracked Pistachio Distress ink, Craft Concepts Secret Garden EF, Coordinations Dark Purple "Sandable" cardstock, Dies: Impression Obsession Grass DIE038-J,     Lavender & Green card - Seedless Preserves Oxide, Tattered Lace Victorian Rose EF, Ocean Mist Really Reasonable Ribbon

Freebies - A little late for Spring this year:

My gift to you - Arrangements of the same sentiment for use on the inside or outside of your projects. Please do not sell these Sentiments. Use on any of your projects, including projects involving any design teams you might be on.

Click on the image to bring it to full size. Because of the changes Google Made with Blogger (June 2020), your image will appear to be solid black. Don’t panic. Right click and do a SAVE AS PNG. Once it is saved on your hard drive, you can open it and it will have a transparent background. I create PNGs instead of JPGs so they can be placed anywhere on a scene or project, and so backgrounds can be made using them. Please let me know if you have any problems. I hope they serve you well!

Enjoy!

I would love to paraphrase this to say: Spring Flowers are Winter's Dreams revealed. Do you think that is acceptable, or do you prefer Khalil Gibran's exact and more beautifully poetic words?

this one is for a vertical setup:

Playing in the following fine challenges please!

1. Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #6 AG (entry 1 of 3) 7/12

2. A Perfect Time to Craft #6 AG (check 8/1)

3. Classic Design Challenge #6 AG 7/1

4. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2323 AG 7/19

5. Craft Rocket Challenges #104 Use Dies 7/1 (Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Rectangles S4-317, Impression Obsession Grass DIE038-J multiple times)
6. 
   
   Creative Creases #59 Anything Goes with a Fun Fold 6/22
7. Dragonfly Dreams Challenges (June 4 "June") Fancy Folds Challenge 7/1 (both cards are double Z fold cards)
8. Ally's Angels #71 Anything Goes 7/10
9. Bastel-Traum Challenges #124 Flowers-Plants 7/15
10. Craft Rocket Challenges #104 Use Dies (Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Rectangles S4-317 - one of my first ever SB dies! - Impression Obsession Grass DIE038-J)  6/29

hugs,