Autumn Oak

The leaf and oak tree stamps are from the Lovely as a Tree set by Stampin' Up. I inked up both stamps first with Versamark, and then with Chocolate Chip ink. Stamped them onto fine grain water colour paper, and then embossed with detail clear powder. I coloured in using a blender pen, picking up colour from brown and green water colour markers. The background was done using make-up sponges and Stampin' Pastels. Trimmed the tree image to size, and slightly distressed the edges. Matted onto Chocolate Chip card, and then stuck onto the Old Olive card background. Cut out the leaf and mounted with foam pads to pop it up a little. The sentiment is from the Cheer and Wishes set, and is stamped with Chocolate Chip ink. All on a cream card base measuring 10.5 x 15 cm (approx 4 x 6")

Little Thank You Cards

Still playing with my new Stampin' Up toys . . . These little cards are just 3" square, and are quite sweet! The background is printed directly onto the card base, with the Petals Jumbo Wheel, which I just ran down the right side of the card, and the thank you disc is stamped using two stamps from the Seeing Spots set. Cut the card circle that the thank you is on with a Nestability circle die, and then cut a coloured Nestie scallop to go behind it, then popped it up on a foam pad at the bottom corner of the card. The 1/4" white grossgrain ribbon is knotted around a small strip of matching coloured card and then stuck on the hinge side of the card. Each card was made using a single colour of ink with the matching card - Garden Green, Chocolate Chip, Summer Sun and Not Quite Navy.
This was the first time I have used a stamping wheel, and before I got this one to try, wasn't really sure if I would like it or not. But it was lots of fun, and for the short runs used for cards, was easy to just use the ink pads to ink it up rather than a cartridge. Gave a really good result. The cards were very quick to make, and would have been even quicker if I had done them all in the same colour, therefore not had to clean the stamps between each one. Click for a better view.

Update on Punch Storage

In April, I posted a picture of my punch storage and said that I was wanting a drawer system. Originally when I looked at these Storage4Crafts drawers, I dismissed them, because the two drawer sizes available were too shallow to accomodate all of my punches. But on a return visit to the site, I discovered that they have added a new drawer size, and it perfectly accommodates my larger punches. So I now have a lovely tower of drawers, with three depth sizes. You can choose your own selection of sizes, and arrange the drawers in any order you wish.
I have put the punches at the bottom because of the weight. Stamps towards the top in the 1" drawers, and plenty of drawers left over for pads, powders, stickles pots, and other bits and pieces. Haven't finished filling them up yet. AT 14" wide they fit just nicely in a gap that wasn't much use for anything else. I will be putting labels on the tops of the handles - eventually. For now I use guesswork - sometimes more successfully than others!
Now to work on paper and card storage. . . . .

Touch of Nature Trio

After this one, I think I'll have to do something other than a group of 3 flowers!

For this card I have used the Touch of Nature set from Stampin' Up. Such lovely flowers, and so easy to get them to look good! I just inked up the stamp with red on the flower and green on the stem. I stamped the flower image twice on post it notes so that it was partly over the sticky part. Then cut them out and used to mask off each of the first two flowers so that I could layer them. Then used the blender pen to draw the colour off the stamped image and fill in the flower. Added a little yellow to the centre, which combined with the red ink already there has turned a little orange. Once the image was finished I cut it to size, then embossed with a Nestability square die. Chalked the edge and matted onto green card.
The background is stamped with red ink onto the red card using the fern leaf stamp. Used my 1/2" circle punch to shape the corners, and then matted onto more green card. The 'brads' are 1/4" circles punched from card stamped with the flower centre and coloured in using the blender pen. Then embossed a little from the back to make them cup slightly. You can see them better if you click on the image to enlarge. All mounted on to a pre-scored cream card base. The reason for not using real brads is that this card is for a challenge on In Love With Stamping which is to use only stamps and card - no embellishments are allowed.

Thank You Flowers

The background on this card was stamped using the Seeing Spots set from Stampin' Up. Stamped with Not Quite Navy ink onto the same colour of cardstock. I used a blender pen and ink from the pad to draw a dashed line around the edge and then lightly distressed with my scissor blade. The same treatment for the edges of the white backing behind the flowers. I stamped the flower head three times onto plain white card, and then cut out. Stuck onto stems made from narrow strips of the Not Quite Navy card. The leaves were cut freehand from scraps of white card, and then pressed onto the surface of the ink pad to colour.
1/4" Whisper White grossgrain ribbon around the bottom, finished with circles from the set stamped onto white card, and then punched out and stuck on top. Depending on the resolution of your monitor, you may need to click to enlarge in order to see the thank yous in the background!

Three more Butterflies

This is my second butterfly swap card. Used the same Penny Black Polka Wing stamp as yesterday.
The Lilac Bazzill Basics background is stamped randomly with the butterfly using Versamark, and embossed with clear powder. Slightly distressed the edges of this, and the apricot coloured Bazzill Bling. The dry embossing on the apricot is a Cuttlebug folder called Just My Type. The background is matted onto black Bazzill.
I stamped the three butterflies for the main images onto plain white card using Versafine Onyx Black, and coloured them with Whispers watercolour markers. The outside edges of the wings have a little Diamond Stickles on. Cut around the butterflies with scissors to make skewed squares, and matted onto the apricot Bazzill. Raised up with sticky foam pads.

Butterfly Trio

This is a card I made for a butterfly themed swap. I used a stamp by Penny Black called Polka Wings. Stamped onto plain white card with Versafine, and coloured in with Whispers watercolour markers. Then cut out the butterflies and pressed the wings onto a Versamark pad, and embossed with clear powder. Initially I left the wings attatched to the body and rough cut around to give me something to hold onto with the tweezers whilst embossing. Once that was done I cut out the wings only.
I used a square of lilac coloured Bazzill Basics, and coloured it with shimmery chalks using a sponge to streak on three different colours. Then stamped the flowers with Versamark using a Hero Arts stamp called Two Flourish Flowers, and embossed with white powder. Finally used tape to mask off the butterfly wings to ink up only the body with Color Box black pigment ink to stamp three bodies directly onto the card, then embossed with clear powder. Fixed the wings on with silicone to raise them up off the page.
Matted onto black Bazzill, and then Emerald Bazzill Bling. The card base is white card measuring 13.5cm square. (Approx. 5.25".)

Changuito Birthday

Revisiting the Changuitos for another male birthday. I stamped the image with my new Versafine Onyx Black pad, and used watercolour pencils and an aquabrush to colour them. Chalked a little green around the edge, and hand doodled over the top of that. Slightly distressed the edges with my scissor blade. Mounted on a strip of brown Bazzill card, also lightly distressed. Background is Pebbles Inc. Zoo Fun Animal/Wave.
The leaves are a 1" Woodware punch - Monstera - which I chalked with green at the edges, and scored a crease down the middle. Couple of brads to finish and echo the orange in the image.

Art Impressions Scene

This is my first attempt at a view/scenery picture from Art Impressions stamps. I got the idea for it from an example card displayed at my local craft shop.
Using watercolour paper, first I washed on the background hills and sky, then added a little church surrounded by trees, and the birds. To do this I scribbled colour from watercolour markers onto a plate, and used small paintbrushes and water. The plants in the foreground, and the overhanging tree are made up of various Art Impressions stamps, all inked with watercolour markers, and stamped on once the background was dry.
The matting is all done onto Bazzill Basics. Some of the layers have had the edges slightly distressed. I used my 1/2" punch to do the corners of the darker brown layer, and painted brads with a dark brown permanent marker to match. The twill tape is threaded through slits I cut by punching out 1/16" holes and then joining them with my craft knife. I anchored it at the back with a piece of tape to stop it slipping out. The greeting is from my Woodware Francoise Read Tiny Phrases set. The card base is hammered textured cream card, and the card measures 15 x 10.5cm (approx 4 x 6").
Click for a closer look.

Little Polka Dot Trio

Stuck on these little flowers still! Here's a cheerful little trio in pink polka dotted paper from Doodlebug called Cupcake Swiss Dot. They were made in just the same way as the flowers on yesterday's card. The flower centres, leaves and stems, and the mat are Bazzill Bling - Emerald. The sentiment is a Do Crafts Whispers Word Stamp. Hand doodling around the edge of the white backing with a fine pink marker, and finished with a narrow pink satin ribbon bow on the tag. The card is 12.5cm (5") square.