Step It Up Swallowtail

This first card is a quick & easy card that I featured at a workshop a while back.

The Swallowtail image is so pretty and detailed that even a quick card like this looks like it was more complicated than it is. While this first card is perfect just like it is, if you wanted to spend a little more time you can easily create something like this step it up version.

All I did here was mask the image and sponge on some color. I also changed the color of ribbon and added a bow. Now this butterfly really makes an impact, don't you think? You cannot really tell from the photo but both of the butterfly panels are spritzed with homemade shimmer spray. Here's a closer look.

Here's a side by side comparison.

Thanks for visiting today!

Primrose Bouquet

This pretty bouquet image is from the Best of Flowers set. It originally appeared in the set Gentler Times. The Best of Flowers set was the "Best Of" set for the month of March, but it will be available until next March, 2014. To see all of the "Best Of" sets click here.

I paired the Primrose Petals card stock and a pretty floral DSP from the Print Poetry Stack to get my color combo of Primrose Petals, Midnight Muse, Crumb Cake & Very Vanilla. I love how this image fits inside the embossed Designer Frame.

Stamps:  Best of Flowers
Card stock: Primrose Petals, Midnight Muse, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla,  Print Poetry DSP
Ink: Black Stazon & various Classic Ink for water coloring
Accessories: Aqua Painter, Designer Frames & Fancy Fan Embossing Folders, Extra Large Oval Punch & Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon

Thanks for visiting today!

Farewell Colored Swallowtail

As you have probably already heard, Stampin' Up! is doing another color refresh. While it's always fun to have new colors to play with, the down side is saying goodbye to some colors we already love. In my case, I will miss Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Certainly Celery, Regal Rose & More Mustard the most. I decided to create a card in honor of my favorite departing colors...minus the Mustard because it just wouldn't have looked too good with the other four colors.

You cannot see so much from the photo but the main panel just shimmers when the light hits it. After stamping the butterfly & background I spritzed it with my homemade shimmer mist. To make this all you have to do is combine 70% alcohol & several drops of Frost White Shimmer Paint in a Stampin' Spritzer.

Stamps: Swallowtail, En Francais, Creative Elements & Teeny Tiny Wishes
Inks: Certainly Celery & Not Quite Navy
Card stock: Certainly Celery, Not Quite Navy, Regal Rose & Baja Breeze
Accessories: Basic Rhinestones, Frost White Shimmer Paint, Stampin' Spritzer, Needle Point Border Embossing Folder, Modern label Punch & Word Window Punch

Today is the last day to take advantage of the FREE shipping promo, so I'd recommend stocking up on your favorite colors before they are no longer available. I know that several different colors of the re-inkers have already sold out...so place your order soon!

What colors will you miss the most?

Secret Garden Flower Pot Pocket Card

I've made several of these flower pot cards in the past and couldn't wait to try another one using the Secret Garden set & matching Framelits.

Each flower was embossed using Pool Party Embossing Powder & then water colored using the Aqua Painter & Classic Inks. Here's a look at the flower tag pulled out from the flower pot pocket base. The oval "happy birthday" tag was created using the Oval All set (retired) and Teeny Tiny Wishes.

The flower pot base was embossed using the Fancy Fan Embossing Folder which compliments the scalloped rim nicely...that was cut using the Large Scallop Edgelit and embossed with the Delicate Designs Embossing Folder. To give it a little more definition, I used a sponge dauber & Wisteria Wonder Ink to highlight the embossing. Here's a closer look.

I created this card to match a cute little cardboard container I found at the Dollar Tree. Since I wanted it to fit inside the box & appear to be part of the wrap, I wasn't worried about this card fitting into an envelope...which was rather nice when designing.

I chose my colors of Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder, Regal Rose, Lucky Limeade & So Saffron to coordinate with the gift box. Here's how it looks when it is in the box.

Doesn't this make a cute gift set for a Spring Birthday or Easter? Here's the link to another simpler version of the flower pot pocket card that I created in the past.

Thanks for visiting me today...have a great weekend!

Textured Secret Garden

For this card I stamped a background using several of the images found in the Secret Garden stamp set. Then I ran it through the Big Shot using the Square Lattice Embossing Folder.

The focal point flower at the bottom was embossed using Pool Party Embossing Powder on Vellum Card stock. I then used my Aqua Painter & Classic inks to add a little color. Then I sprayed it with a little homemade shimmer spritz to give it a little sparkle. (70% alcohol mixed with several drops of Frost Shimmer Paint) Here's a closer look...

The little embossed strip at the bottom was created using the new Needlepoint Border Embossing Folder. (it comes in a pair & this is one of the designs) The Needlepoint Border Embossing Folders and Secret Garden stamp set are both available in the Spring Catalog. The Itty Bitty Banner stamp set and the Island Indigo Satin Ribbon are FREE selections during SAB.

Thanks for visiting me today.

Henry Says It's Yo Birthday!

Hope you had a nice weekend! Here it is Monday morning and Henry is ready to party!

With this particular sheet of Floral District paper, I thought it was a better match with So Saffron than Daffodil Delight so I went with it. Rich Razzleberry & Lucky Limeade were pulled from this fun print and just for good measure I added some Pool Party to round out the color combo. I don't think I've ever used these colors together before...but I like it. Hope you do as well!

Bloomin' Marvelous Birthday

By the looks of it outside today, it seems like it will be a long while before we see any pretty flowers blooming or cute little hummingbirds here in Michigan! Luckily until then there's the Bloomin' Marvelous stamp set to play with. It's a great little set and it's a FREE selection during Sale-a-Bration.

The color combo I used is: Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals, Gumball Green & Very Vanilla which is picked up from the Print Poetry DSP Stack. The Itty Bitty Banners set is also a FREE selection during SAB.

Have marvelous weekend!

My First Creation With Secret Garden

For me trying to resist a pretty floral set is difficult...BUT trying to resist one that also has a matching set of framelits, well that's pretty much futile! I tried to resist...REALLY! Here is my first creation with this set.

We got quite a bit of snow over night and it's still coming down out there...so these pretty, spring like colors are a welcome sight! The other day while working on another project, I happened upon an unusual color combo which I really liked, so I'm using it again here...Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party & Elegant Eggplant.

I stamped each flower in VersaMark and then embossed them using Pool Party Embossing Powder. The larger flower, was stamped on Elegant Eggplant card stock and then I used bleach in my Aqua Painter to bleach out the card stock. It made it look kind of like Rich Razzleberry, didn't it? After I had it bleached, I added some shadows with Eggplant ink & my Aqua Painter (one that wasn't filled with bleach). The two smaller flowers were just stamped on Wisteria, embossed, and water colored. When I was done I sprayed them with a little home made shimmer spritz. (mix alcohol with a few drops of Frost Shimmer Paint in Stampin' Spritzer container). Here's a closer look.

The sentiment, stamped in Elegant Eggplant, is from the Sale-a-Bration set Vintage Verses. I really like this set a lot too.

I'm glad that I'm so weak because I think I'm going to have a lot of fun with the Secret Garden set! Have a good weekend...to those that are being hit by this blizzard...stay safe!

Two Unforgettable Valentines

Today I have two Valentines created with the adorable set, Henry Says. The first one in traditional pinks & red is perfect for a girl, the second one is a twist on the first card but more boyish. See for yourself...

I guess this one looks more like "Henrietta Says"! Just couldn't resist water coloring him pink, and I think it's perfect for this girly Valentine, don't you? The little tag and stamped heart images from the Tiny Tags set make the perfect little accents. Here's the more masculine version.

I eliminated the more feminine bow created with the Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon above, and went with the Pool Party Satin Ribbon & Button instead. (ribbon & button available as part of the Sycamore Street Ribbon & Button Pack which is available for FREE during SAB) I think I'll send the cute boyish version to my sweet little Great-Nephew for his 1st Valentine's Day.

Henry & Henrietta make a cute pair...

See how easy it is to change a color scheme and accessories to have a totally different look? Henry Says is a fun set to work with because you can create cute cards for so many different occasions. He's available until May 31st from the Spring Catalog.

Thanks for stopping by today...hope your weekend is unforgettable!

Swallowtail Duo

I love this large, beautiful butterfly image and I couldn't wait to try it with a purple color combo. I love purple! So today I have two cards to show you...they are pretty much the same, yet with a few slight changes, you'll see that they look quite different.

The first card is monochromatic using light & dark shades of purple...Elegant Eggplant & Wisteria Wonder ink & card stock were used. I love the rich, deep texture created by applying ink directly to the Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder before running it through the Big Shot.  Here is the same card with a few small changes.

I had the Pool Party Ribbon & buttons sitting on my desk (part of the Sycamore Street Button & Ribbon Pack - FREE during SAB) and thought it would add a nice pop of color to the design. I also spritzed the image with some shimmer spray as well. (Sorry that it photographed more speckley than shimmery, but I didn't feel like going back down to try and get a better photo.) So you'll have to trust me when I say that in real life it has a pretty, subtle shimmer to it. Here are the two cards for a side by side comparison.

Which one do you like?

Dazzling Swallowtail

Isn't this huge butterfly image gorgeous?! I love butterflies, so this Swallowtail image from the Spring Catalog caught my eye right away...and I just couldn't wait to get it! I originally planned to use it at an angle on my card, cutting off parts of the wings to have it fit my panel. But...it is so much fun to color and looked so pretty when I was done that I didn't have the heart to cut any off! So for my first card using this image, I made an over-sized square card that frames the entire image.

I used my Aquapainter along with Classic Inks to color the butterfly and then I went back and applied Dazzling Details over the entire image...again using my Aquapainter. Applying it in this manner helps to thin it out and gives more control. Here's a closer look to kinda see the sparkle on the wings. Unfortunately, it's so hard to capture how much it shimmers with just a photo.

I used the Very Vintage wheel to create the Rich Razzleberry background paper and the SAB set Vintage Verses for the sentiment. (Vintage Verses will be available for FREE with a $50 order after January 22nd.)

Other colors used: Pool Party, Island Indigo, Summer Starfruit & Tangerine Tango

I have lots of other plans for this pretty image and look forward to sharing them with you. Enjoy your weekend!

Henry Says Happy New Year!

I just couldn't pass up this whimsical elephant stamp set, Henry Says, available in the upcoming Spring Catalog. I love all the accessories included...like the banner which can hang from his outstretched trunk.

I stamped Henry on new Sycamore Street DSP, which is available as a FREE selection during Sale-A-Bration 2013! I love the bright colors and fun patterns in this paper pack. After stamping Henry on the DSP and cutting him out, I added a little shading using my Aqua Painter and some Island Indigo Ink. His little eye got lost in all that pattern of the paper so I colored a small Basic Pearl black using a sharpie marker and gave him a new eye.

Isn't the Pool Party Satin Ribbon pretty? It's part of the Sycamore Street Ribbon & Button Pack, also  available as a FREE selection during Sale-A-Bration! You can get these items starting January 22nd...so contact me to host a party or to attend one of my events! While SAB items aren't available for a few weeks yet, Henry is available starting January 3rd from the Spring Catalog.

Like Henry, I would also like to wish you a very happy, healthy & creative New Year!!! If you are going out tonight to celebrate...be safe!