5 Days of Emerald Envy, Day Five

Let's wrap up our 5 Emerald Envy days with a really green card.  I just love this one.  The white embossed image against the vivid green really makes for an elegant card.  

This card is really simple and has a lot of elegance.  

The large open image is perfect for this type of card.

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Five Days of Dapper Denim, Day One

Let's take a few days to enjoy some delightful Dapper Denim.  This is truly a gorgeous shade of blue.  Today's card demonstrates the elegance of simple white flowers against the blue background.   

I've used dry embossing on the inside and heat embossing on the front of the card.  The envelope shows off some emboss resist, with sponging over white (heat embossed) flowers.

This is a favorite, for sure.

I still have an opening for Saturday's class:

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Meet the New In Colors!

Are you ready to meet this year's gorgeous new In Colors?  I've been so excited to show you!  I still am not sure which one is my favorite.  Maybe you can help me decide.  I'll start out by sharing a card with you that features all 5 of the new In Colors.  Then, in my next posts, we'll spend more time getting to know each one of the new colors. 

From top to bottom, the new In Colors are:
Peekaboo Peach
Dapper Denim
Flirty Flamingo
Emerald Envy
Sweet Sugarplum

I cut my strips of each of the colors and attached them to a CS base and then embossed that entire piece.  It is then attached to the other layers of the card using dimensionals.  I sponged the punched piece with the sentiment, added a 'sprig' of our new ribbon and then finished my card with a sprinkling of rhinestones.  I'm still not sure which one will be my top favorite, but I love how they all work together.

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Botanicals Birthday Cards

I made 2 batches of birthday cards using our new Botanicals products.  Today, I'll share two female versions of my cards.

I used two color stories, with 2 different DSP designs.

As always, all my supplies are listed at the end of each blog post.

Using Wink of Stella for the flower center, keeps it easier to mail.  Since I made these for our church to send out for our birthdays this month, I didn't want them to have to pay extra postage for mailing them.

I absolutely love the new Botanical Builder Framelits Dies.  They are at the top of my list of favorites!

These will surely be a day brightener for the lucky recipients.

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Ferns and Botanicals ... a Super Soft Version ... and a Surprise

Sometimes, it's fun to design a card that is super soft and pretty.  That's what I have for you today.  This one holds a little surprise for you, too! 

The ferns are from one of my most favorite stamp sets ever ... Butterfly Basics.

The leaves are cut from our Botanical Builder Framelits Dies.  I cut them from watercolor paper and then 'painted' them with various shades of reinkers.  They are attached with dimensionals.  I used the same DSP for the card and the envelope liner.

Did you figure out the surprise yet?  I used our Filter Paper for the stamped ferns layer!  It's artistically rumpled and then attached to a piece of white CS.  It gives the look of tissue paper but it's even easier to work with it on a project.  Please do give this a try.  Filter paper is good for more than you may realize.

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Vintage Frame Project

My husband gave me a beautiful vintage looking frame for our anniversary this year and I promised to share with you how I used it.  Today, we'll look at that, along with some reminders about next Saturday's OSW class.  Here's my framed project.

Isn't this a pretty frame?  I just love it.  Unfortunately, it's one of those frames that doesn't open up completely in the back, so you can't put the glass in the back and create something really dimensional over it.  So, I just stepped up to the challenge and used some of our beautiful DSP and stamped onto the DSP.  I cut out some extra flowers from another DSP sheet of the same design and attached them over my first piece, so it has some dimension contained within the frame.  The butterfly was stamped, cut out, and attached to the DSP, as well.

I think the frame and the DSP compliment each other.  I love how it turned out.  I can always open it up, remove the decorated DSP and create a new setting to go into the frame, or use it for a vintage photo.  Actually, it now has the same paper, minus the butterfly, and I added some of our Vintage Leaves onto the outside of the frame.  They are gently attached with glue dots, so nothing will be damaged and I can change it again whenever I want.  I think I can envision a vintage Christmas project next:)

Before you go, don't forget that my OSW (One Sheet Wonder) cards class is this coming Saturday (Sept. 19th / 1:00-4:00).  I'll teach you how to create your own background papers, teach you how to create your own templates and give you many tips on how to get the biggest bang for your buck from your CS and beautiful DSP sheets.  You'll go home with 5 beautiful cards, along with several templates and lots of ideas.  It's well worth the class fee of $20.  I hope, if you live in the area, that you'll join us.  If not, I'll be sharing more throughout this next week on working with OSW projects, so be sure to come back and check it out.

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- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

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Acrylic Block Technique Cards, Part 4... and a Little Laugh... On Me

I have a really pretty card for you today and, perhaps, a little laugh... on me.  I went back to our Lovely as a Tree stamp set and used the solitary tree stamp.  This is a beautiful stamp and can be adapted for quite a few techniques. 

I really like how the blues and greens worked together on the Acrylic Block Technique for this one.

And now for the laugh...
 
As always, I stamped the inside of the card and the envelope to coordinate.  However, I was distracted a bit by my boys and the puppies and attached the inside of the card to the wrong side of the card.  I attached it to the top of the inside.  Not to worry.  I just stamped another piece and attached it where it belongs.  I think it works ok.  I certainly wouldn't want to throw away any of it.  I could have just cut off the front and reattached it to a new card base, but I just didn't think it was necessary.

My BFF did this with a card inside at my last card class and started to take it apart to reattach it.  I told her to just leave it (and not risk tearing it) and do what I ended up doing on this card.  See, BFF, it's ok to zone out once in a while.  I taught you well:)  Love ya, BFF!

I really like how this one turned out.  This is so much fun!  
Come back for more Acrylic Block Technique cards.  

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Super Fun Background for Birthday Card

I have another sneak peek for you today for my upcoming Saturday Stampers class.  This one features a super fun background technique that is also super easy.  My color story is Pool Party, Pear Pizzazz, Lost Lagoon and Island Indigo.  I can't wait to teach this fun technique!

I love the look of blues and greens together.  The background is stamped onto watercolor paper, so it can take the extra water involved in this technique.

The greeting, along with a few ferns, is stamped onto vellum and then embossed with Clear EP.  After it cooled, I tore the vellum.  It is attached by wrapping it around the back of the watercolor paper and then adhered onto the back.

I die cut 2 butterflies and attached them in just the middle of each.  I added a few pearls onto the top butterfly.  All in all, it's a pretty simple card to create and it's loads of fun.

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Silhouette Style Stamps and A Sneak Peek

I love creating beautiful backgrounds.  Today, I have a new card for you, along with a couple of old favorites, to revisit some techniques.  The new card is one we'll be making at my Saturday card class on August 15.  The class is full of unique cards, each with something special about it!

After making this, I noticed that several other designers have made very similar cards.  Was I copying?  Not really.  It's just that this is a very good stamp to grab when you want a good silhouette stamp.

This card and the page from my technique book use the same technique but with only 2 colors.

For my new card, I wanted to try using 3 colors.  You color onto an acrylic block and then spritz the block before stamping.  It's a really quick and easy card to make and yet the end result is gorgeous.   I used Shimmery White CS because it's better at taking on a little water.  My marker colors are Pool Party, Marina Mist and Night of Navy.  I let it dry completely before stamping the silhouette stamp.

Here's one more old favorite with this same stamp.  For this one, I lightly watercolored in the background, using my Aqua Painter.

One thing I did on my new card was to use 2 separate layers for the focal piece, as well as attaching them with dimensionals.  This really steps up the card.

If you live in the area, I hope you can come and join us this coming Saturday.  It's going to be a super fun class.  At the end of each of my card classes, I always ask them to tell me their favorite.  This will certainly get some votes.  I love it.

Are you looking forward to our new Holiday Catalog?  It will be here soon and you're going to love it!

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

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I've Got the Butterfly Blues

... playing with blues, that is.  Take some Lost Lagoon and Island Indigo and pair them with Mint Macaron and you get an interesting combo.  Just don't forget to add a little bling. 

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.