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Manhattan Flower

I made up a bunch of different colors with the Brayered Debossing technique that Patty Bennett revived using my Manhattan Flower Textured Impressions Die.  Having these on hand is nice when I need to make a card quickly.  My husband asked for a birthday card for his assistant the night before (of course!) he needed it.  I love lavender roses and thought these looked pretty close to the real thing! 

The base card is Perfect Plum.  I used the Brayered Debossed roses in Perfect Plum, Pale Plum and Regal Rose, cut it out around the outlines and adhered to a layer of Whisper White.  I wrapped some Plum Wide Organdy Ribbon (retired) around and added a Birthday Wishes tag using the Key Tag Punch and Sincere Salutations stamp set..  Then I adhered it to the Perfect Plum base card.  I added 1/4 circles in the upper left and lower right to add some interest to the blank areas.  Pretty simple and it came together quickly!

Have you ever had those kind of days where it takes FOREVER to do one or two cards?  Yesterday was that day while I was working on my Tour de Freaks Blog Hop items for Saturday!  I hope to have my mojo back today and can get more things done than I did yesterday!

Have a great day!

Fifth Avenue Floral – Reinker watercolor

Last week, I demonstrated the Reinker Watercolor technique to a couple people who missed my class so they would know how to make up their card samples.  Since I had the Fifth Avenue Floral rose on my table, I decided to finish it off into a card!  I used Pixie Pink and Pretty in Pink reinkers for this one…I love the combination!  I tried to leave a little more white space on this, too! 

My base card is Pixie Pink and I added a strip of Sweet Always Designer Paper on the left side.  Then I stamped "Life is what happens…" from Full of Life** on Whisper White, using my markers to color it Pixie Pink and Chocolate Chip.  I layered it onto Chocolate Chip and then placed the Rose on dimensionals over the top edge.  I cut two Little Leaves Sizzlets with my Big Shot  from Certainly Celery and placed them under the Rose.  This is a pretty simple card that packs a lot of WOW, I think!  I still have several Rose samples sitting on my desk…I’m sure you’ll be seeing them in the future!

Remember…my VACATION SPECIAL is going on NOW!

**Full of Life is still available on the Dormant List.

Bloggers Challenge – Mom cards

Today’s Bloggers’ Challenge is to create a Mother’s Day card for mom or any other special person. Well…silly me.  I mailed off my Mother’s Day cards without taking a picture and realizing what the challenge was this week!  So…I quickly made up another one, but  changed the greeting on this one since I didn’t need another Mom card…just pretend it says Happy Mother’s Day…ok?  lol!

I showed you a card the other day made with the Reinker Watercolor technique and this uses the same.  I stamped the Soft Summer set Dogwood branch in White Craft Ink, then applied Clear Embossing Powder and heat set it.  I used my AquaPainter to watercolor with Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink and Mellow Moss reinkers.  I cut it out and mounted it with dimensionals on a square of Whisper White, then layered it on Chocolate Chip.  I added some length to the Chocolate Chip layer so I could wrap some Pretty in Pink taffeta ribbon around it.  I also used a scrap piece of Pink Pirouette cardstock and my Eyelet Border punch along one side.  The background is Juntos Designer Paper in a soft Mellow Moss swirl pattern (Juntos is in the Spanish catalog…but YOU can order it, too!  One of the designer paper patterns that is on sale this month…buy 3, get the 4th one FREE!)  Finally, I layered the Juntos DSP on Chocolate Chip cardstock and added a greeting from Soft Summer in Basic Brown, then punched it with the Scallop Oval Punch.  I loved how this turned out and I know my mom will LOVE it!  She’s in Florida for a couple weeks on their 50th Anniversary trip, so won’t get it until she comes back.

I’m going to be doing a Punch Class today with my friends about 2 hours away.  I love getting together with them.  I hope everyone has a great weekend!  My upline is having a downline meeting tomorrow, so I’m looking forward to that, too!

Set:  Soft Summer
C/S:  Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Juntos DSP
Inks:  Basic Brown, White Craft ink, Pink Pirouette reinker, Pretty in Pink reinker, Mellow Moss reinker
Other:  AquaPainter, Clear embossing Powder, Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon, Eyelet Border Punch, Scallop Oval punch

Manhattan Flower Impressions

Feeling MUCH better today.  I think sometimes the changes in weather bring on my migraines!  I had 3 people call off sick for last night’s class, so I wasn’t the only one feeling under the weather.

I showed you the square Riding Hood Red roses card I did HERE.  At the same time, I made another unusual sized card…this one is 4 x 9 to fit in a legal sized #10 envelope.

 I love the softness of the Pretty in Pink and Pink Pirouette colors on this card!  I used the Brayered Debossing techinque on the Manhattan Flower Impressions folder with Shimmer paper, cut it out and layered it on Whisper White.  Since I had a lot of extra space at the top, I added some Tea Party Designer Paper at the top, used the Eyelet Border Punch for a strip under the DSP and tied some Pink Pirouette striped ribbon around it to hide the seam.  I also had room for my favorite greeting in On Your Birthday, "Live, Laugh & Love…happy birthday", stamped in Pretty in Pink.  The base of the card is Pink Pirouette cut 8 x 9 and folded in half to 4 x 9.  On the envelope (not shown), I stamped the coordinating stamp set Fifth Avenue Floral several times in the botton left corner with Pretty in Pink.

Note:  Although I like the Shimmer paper (used here) with this technique, I found that I LOVE this done with Glossy Paper.  I used a damp paper towel and wiped across the debossed side before I started brayering the color on…I thought it blended MUCH easier…so experiment!  I’ll show the difference on tomorrow’s card!

Need to go get ready…I have a couple friends coming over to play today. 

And, can you believe it?  The car deal fell through…it was a demo car instead of a new car.  So aggravating…now we are looking again.  You’d think in today’s economy, these dealerships would be JUMPING at the thought of selling a car!  Not so!

Have a GREAT day!

Set:  On Your Birthday
C/S:  Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Shimmer White, Pretty in Pink, Tea Party DSP
Inks:  Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette
Other:  Pink Pirouette Striped Ribbon, Manhattan Flower Impressions Die, Eyelet Border Punch, Brayer

Soft Summer

I think this set, Soft Summer, in the Occasions Mini is SO pretty!  Since it is on the first inside page, I do believe it gets overlooked!  I purchased it mainly because my mom loves Dogwood flowers (and because Mary Brown twisted my arm!  lol).  Ours in this area are in FULL bloom and the flowers are so soft and delicate looking!

I used the watercolor resist technique that is SO popular with the Fifth Avenue Floral set right now…I wanted to see if it worked as well with other stamps.  Although not as dramatic as the Rose, I thought it worked very well with this set, too!  My Technique Class will be doing this technique tonight, too!

I used Pink Pirouette, Mellow Moss and Regal Rose reinkers to watercolor the flowers and cut them out.  The base card is Mellow Moss cut to 4 1/4 x 11, folded in half, then trimmed 3/4" off the front.  I went back over the trimmed area with my Eyelet Border punch to give it a lacy look.  I layered Whisper White over Pink Pirouette and wrapped some Pretty in Pink Striped Ribbon around it before I layered it on the Mellow Moss, right above the Eyelet Border.  I added the cut out Dogwood flower over top.  Then I trimmed a piece of Pink Pirouette Patterns Designer Paper 1 1/2 by 4 1/2 to place on the inside of the card.  I stamped Thanks So Much (from Soft Summer, too) in Basic Brown on Whisper White and punched with my Word Window Punch and place it over the designer paper.

I LOVE how this turned out…the layout was really fun to do!  What do you think?

I woke up with a killer migraine…upset tummy and all.  Feeling better now and finally able to eat a little cereal.  Ugh…  I need to finish prepping for my Technique Class tonight!  A couple have called to say they are sick…lots of bugs going around.  Stay safe!

Manhattan Flower Impressions Die

This Manhattan Flower Impressions Die is wonderful!  I love the crisp embossed image it places on cardstock.  I’m HOPING that Stampin’ Up! comes out with a whole line of Impressions that coordinate with our stamps…would that be great?

One of my Blog friends, Patty Bennett, reminded me of a technique I used to do with brass templates and dry embossing called "debossing".  She used this Manhattan Flower Impressions Die to make her samples, and I immediately followed her call to action and made some myself!  (Technique Class members…we will be doing this technique in class next week!)  Here is the first one I did!

For some reason, I’m hooked on doing square cards.  Sometimes I like to give larger cards…they have a little more presence.  The finished size on this is 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 so it fits in our Medium Square envelopes.  I started with a base of Riding Hood Red.  The next layer is Kiwi Kiss and I used the Eyelet Edge Punch along the side.  The Manhattan Flower Impressions die I ran thru the Big Shot using Shimmer paper.  Then I  added Real Red and Bravo Burgundy colors, cut away the background and left just the debossed flowers.  I layered that onto Whisper White cardstock and adhered to the Kiwi Kiss layer.  I added three Square Red Rhinestone Brads to the upper left and used my piercing tool and mat on the bottom right for a little interest.  I really like the darker flowers on the Whisper White background!  It is SO hard to see the real colors of this on the monitor…it washes out the red color.  In person, the Shimmer Paper makes it look sheer.

Christy has claimed her Blog Candy!  Yeah!

Sympathy card – Watercolor resist

It always seems like we have a sad period during the holidays.  We found out that our best friends lost their cousin to a freak farm accident right before the holidays.  Very sad.  She had only become a grandmother a couple weeks earlier, she was 48 years old.

But I made up this card to send to the family using the Technique Junkies Watercolor Resist technique again.  Love it because it is so quick and easy to make, but gives a really WOW presentation!

The background is embossed with the Pretty Petals background stamp (it is on the Dormant List right now, so you can still purchase it!)  With Heartfelt Sympathy is from Close as a Memory stamp set.  The base card is Perfect Plum, with Mellow Moss behind the White Simmer paper.  I also added two mini gold brads along the left side of the greeting.

I’m going to try to set up some posts to appear during the week.  I received a new laptop for Christmas, but I’m having trouble connecting the new wireless router to run my laptop and desktop at the same time.  Right now, I’m unplugging it to run one or the other.  Pain.  I haven’t decided if my laptop will become my dominant computer, or if I will remain with the desktop.  Decisions…decisions. 

Have a great week!

Brocade Basics – Watercolor Resist

This is a technique from the latest issue of Technique Junkies Newsletter called Watercolor Resist.  I used the stamp set, Brocade Basics…one of the sets that will be retiring.  Bummer  because it is a great one to use with technique backgrounds.  Since this technique is in the Newsletter, I can’t tell you how it is done…however, if you are attending my Technique Classes, we will be doing this technique next time!    Doesn’t it give you a pretty background?  And it isn’t hard at all! 

It is hard to read, but the tag says Season’s Greetings from the To You and Yours stamp set…I love the little greetings in there! 

I’m finishing up some last minute details preparing dinner for 12 tomorrow…there always is that "one more thing" for me.  

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Winter Post – Burnished Embossing

My technique classes did this card at their classes this past month.  A pretty simple background technique with lots of wow!  I think it looks best when done with more of an open type stamp…something that allows the darker color to pop through…like on this lacy snowflake from Winter Post Stamp Set!  I used White embossing powder, but you could use clear or even Iridescent Ice for a more subtle look.

The strip of designer paper is from Ski Slope in the mini catalog.  I still LOVE that paper!  I’ve used up all this stripe, I think.  The set, Winter Post, is one of my favorites, as you can tell by the number of times I posted cards done with it!  I stamped the skaters in Basic Brown and used my Blender Pen to color in their clothes with Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss and Riding Hood Red.  The Santa Post medallion is in that same set, however I punched out just the 1" circle, instead of using the entire image.  This card really came together quickly!  It is not too late to order your supplies to make your Christmas cards!  Just give me a call for some personal help with your order, or use the fast and quick Online Ordering Shop Now button on my website! 

Inspired by Nature

Sorry I didn’t post earlier…I’ve been fighting a headache all day.  It comes and goes.  Probably weather related as it is supposed to get COLD this weekend…they are saying the "S" word.  NOOOOOOOOOOOO!  I’m not ready!

I made this card a couple weeks ago and was going to use it for one of my Technique Classes.  I ended up doing something else, but you may see this technique, Spectrum Roll, at a future class…just not the card!  I think it looks really cool and very vibrant!  Spectrum Roll is a August 2005 Technique Junkies Newsletter technique.  I really can’t believe it has been that long since I first learned this technique!  Oh my…  Colors I used were Glorious Green and Not Quite Navy.  I also used the new Designer Label punch and On Your Birthday set.

Don’t forget…tomorrow is Blogger’s Challenge day.  I’m better get working on my project!