1 Card / 2 Versions

I have 2 versions of a very bright and pretty card for you today ... again, we're still using framelits dies to help create the cards.  Check these out and let me know which one you like the best.  

My color story is a beautiful one, based on the Designer Series Papers (DSP):
Pacific Point
Wild Wasabi
Daffodil Delight 

In real life, you can see a beautiful shimmer and sparkle to the flower petals.  My ink pad was nice and juicy so, while the ink was still wet from stamping, I sprinkled Iridescent Ice EP over it and heat embossed it.  I did not emboss the center of the flower, to give it contrasting textures.

I've coordinated the inside of each card as well as the envelopes, using DSP.  So... which one do you like the best?

- 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.

Painted Blooms Thank You Card with a Clever Technique

Here's a fun post for you today for how to make a really great card that is quick, cute, easy ... and fun to send.  Start out with a Crushed Curry card base, add a Project Life Journaling Card, punch the top edge of it (Spiral Border Punch) to add creative interest, stamp your sentiment,  add a strip of DSP and some punched flowers, put it all together ... and sit back and admire.

I tried something different on the envelope this time.  I used a strip of DSP right across the front of the envelope.  I also added some rhinestones to the flowers and some sponging to the edges of my journaling card.

Have you spotted my clever technique yet?  After stamping the 'thank you' in Memento Ink, I cleaned my stamp, inked it up again with Crushed Curry ink and stamped the 'thank you' again, off-setting it from the black text.  I think it really adds a lot to the card.

- 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. 

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

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

Nature's Perfection Meets Painted Blooms... and the Retired List

Here's another card for you today featuring Blackberry Bliss.  The more I play with this color, the more I love it.

I embossed my flower with Gold EP and then watercolored it with reinker and my Aqua Painter.

I used embossing on the inside of the card and the envelope and then used some sponging to add color to it.  I've used pieces of our jute ribbon, to get just the right size for my card.  I colored the ribbon with spritzing and then frayed the ends of it after I tied it, to give a fringed texture to it.

TODAY'S BIG NEWS:
It's that time of year... a bittersweet time of year when we find out what will be retiring.  Are you wondering what will be leaving us?

Click here to see the retired list.
Please note --- If you are planning on getting something from the retired list, do not wait.  I cannot begin to tell you how many times I've had customers regret waiting and then, when they tried to order, it was too late.
     When supplies are gone ... that's it.
Now, click here for a quick review.

Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world.  Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

Watercolor, Vellum And a Unique Envelope Liner

Today, let's play with watercolor and vellum... and let's do it in Blackberry Bliss... and don't forget a butterfly.  

The oval frame for the top layer on the card was actually left over from cutting an oval piece for another card.  I cut a smaller oval opening for the layer beneath it, to give a nice contrast and added dimension.  I watercolored the top layer, using BlackBerry Bliss reinker.

I used our markers to color the butterflies on the back of the vellum piece.  I did something unique for the envelope liner.  I added DSP under the cut vellum piece!  I like how the color and design of the DSP shows through the vellum.

- 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. 

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

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

Sparkles and Flowers

I just finished putting 14 --- yes 14 --- cards into the mail to go out today.  How fun to be able to send a little joy to that many people at once.  I promised myself this year that I'd start sending more cards than ever.  Here's a look at one of the pretty cards I sent out today.  It has some unusual and very pretty features.  

First of all, I used DSP for the outside and the inside.  The outside top layer of DSP is covered with sparkle, even though I can't seem to get it to show in the photo.  I covered it with VersaMark Ink and then embossed it with Iridescent Ice EP.  It's so easy and makes it look soooooo pretty.

Even the envelope has a special surprise.  After sponging on some Blackberry Bliss, I sprinkled on my Iridescent Ice EP (while the ink was still wet) and embossed part of the envelope edges and corners.

Of course, the most beautiful finishing touch is by adding the gorgeous butterfly.  I love my butterflies!  Now... it's time for you to stamp up some beautiful Spring cards and get them into the mail.  Let's spread a little joy!

Before you go...
Click here to enjoy a short video that shares some really fun ideas for stamping with embossing folders.

- 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. 

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

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

Blackberry Bliss Card and a Little Surprise

Today's card features the last of my 5 In Colors cards... in Blackberry Bliss.  I've used embossing, punches and embellishments from our Artisan Embellishment Kit to pull together the elegant look.  Be sure to keep scrolling down to see a little surprise I made to go with this card.

The circle punches help make the card a pretty quick and easy one to assemble.

Adding the embossed layer always bumps a card up to a new level of elegance. 

Whew!  That's all 5 of our In Colors.  So, how about a little surprise to go with this one?

Wouldn't this make a super fun gift for a special someone?  They'd have a beautiful card and their own Artisan Embellishment Kit. 

I've simply wrapped the paper around the box from the kit.  They can actually slide everything out and save the wrapping.  Perhaps they could use the kit, save the box, put a new treat in the box, place it back into the wrapping and pass on the joy to another special someone.

- 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. 

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

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

Crushed Curry Thank You

This beautiful card has a lot going on with it and it's all pretty, including a bit of water coloring.  I have painted the flowers with an Aqua Painter and I've added some water coloring to the Thank You tag, as well.  The most gorgeous thing of all about it is almost impossible to catch in a photo.  The top layer is covered with a gorgeous shimmer.

I stamped the flowers onto water color paper and embossed them with Gold EP.  I then painted them with an Aqua Painter, dipping it directly into puddles of ink right in the lids of the ink pads.  I used Crushed Curry and Calypso Coral inks for this.  This is my all-time favorite way to color images.  You can do a lot with shading, it's quick and super easy, and you use the inks you already have on hand.  You don't have to do it strictly on water color papers.  You can use Whisper White or Shimmery White CS.  Just don't overdo it with the water (which wouldn't look good, anyway).  I chose to use the water color papers here to add more texture to the card.

After embossing the Thank You onto a scrap of water color paper, I just added bits of color from the Calypso Coral ink pad, using the Aqua Painter.  The top, embossed layer of the card is covered with a gorgeous shimmer spritz.  I used a mixture of White Frost Shimmer Paint and alcohol, in a spritzer.  I got the paint from our Clearance Rack.

Lining the envelope just adds the final touch of elegance.  I really like how it all turned out.  I've enjoyed a lot of extra time in my studio this week and have really been having fun working on all kinds of projects.  Be sure to keep coming back to see what I'm up to next.

- 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. 

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

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

Blackberry Butterfly Layout #1

I waited on posting my layout to be sure I had everything the way I wanted it.  Since then, I've actually completed 2 versions of this layout.  I'll post one today and the second one in my next post.  After that, I'd love it if you'd tell me which one you like the best.  Here's today's version of Blackberry Butterfly Layout #1.

This layout features a lot of wonderful products from our Spring Occasions Catalog.

Here are close-ups of the butterflies.  They are double layered.

The butterflies are cut from Blushing Bride and Blackberry Bliss CS.  My colors are right out of the color story from the designer papers.

The beautiful fabric rosettes are attached with Liquid Tombow.

- 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. 

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

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