March 2015 Card Group Projects

Yesterday was our March card group get together and we all had a lovely afternoon!  The year seems to be speeding along with spring just around the corner, it's so lovely to see crocuses and primroses and I saw my first butterfly, a Red Admiral, in the garden on Wednesday!

Having recently rediscovered the fab triple time stamping technique for myself I reckoned it was time to introduce it to my card group ladies.  I chose Wild Wasabi, Melon Mambo and Very Vanilla as my colour scheme - such a bright and fresh combo!  I made an A6 sized Melon Mambo card base and trimmed it a smidgen so it was 5 3/4" wide.  Stamping and mat layers were cut as detailed below.

Very Vanilla stamping layers were cut to:
5 1/2" x 3 7/8"
4 1/2" x 2 7/8"
3 1/2" x 1 7/8"

Melon Mambo mat layers were cut to:
4 3/4" x 3 1/8"
3 3/4" x 2 1/8" 

I stacked the Very Vanilla layers together (held in place with removable tape), stamped the sentiment first and then stamped the leaves.  I glued the largest vanilla panel to the card front, matted and layered the remaining panels and glued those in place.  I stamped the smaller leaf image from the stamp set twice onto Wild Wasabi CS using Old Olive ink, fussy cut them and added them to the card along with pretty die cut flowers.  I placed a clear gem in the centre of each flower to complete the card front.

For inside the card and the envelope I simply stamped the large leaf image.

For card two I started off by making a Coastal Cabana A6 sized card base.  I embossed a piece of Whisper White CS with a frame folder, trimmed the piece to size and cut a piece of white CS to fit inside the frame.  Using a brayer, I applied Coastal Cabana ink to the inside of the 'Butterfly Kisses' folder and embossed the piece of white CS so that the background picked up the ink colour but the embossed butterflies remained white.  I glued the butterfly piece inside the embossed frame, added a strip of Early Espresso ribbon and glued the panel to the card front.  I stamped and punched the circle sentiment element and popped that up.

Sweet stamped and punched butterflies decorate the inside and envelope.

During the year we're making a number of one layer inked background and silhouette stamped cards which will form a set of cards that we'll then make a box for.  Last month we didn't add a card to our set of cards so I designed two cards for this month.  For the first card I used a circle die to cut an aperture and I applied Peacock Feathers and Peeled Paint Distress Inks through the aperture onto the card front using Inkylicious ink duster brushes.  I then stamped the maple image, the birds and the sentiment.  I'm very happy how the ink dusting turned out here, it gives a lovely cool and tranquil effect I think.  The ink duster brushes allow you to start with really soft and subtle colour and then you can keep to a soft and subtle look or build up the intensity of colour if you wish to - I LOVE the ink duster brushes for sure!

Here's the inside and envelope.

For the next card set card I used a rectangle shape and applied Seedless Preserves and Dusty Concord Distress Inks.  I stamped the Agapanthus Cluster image, followed by the sentiment - deliberately choosing a one line sentiment as I thought that would give better balance to the design.

Here's the inside and envelope.

Supplies for Best Wishes card:
Stamps: Woodware 'Geometric Leaves' set, Personal Impressions 'Large Everyday Messages' set
CS: SU! Melon Mambo, Wild Wasabi & Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Melon Mambo, Wild Wasabi & Old Olive
Tools: First Edition 'Flowers' die set, shaping tool & moulding mat
Embellishments & accessories: PaperMania clear gems, removable tape, SU! Dimensionals

Supplies for to you from me card:
Stamps: 'to you from me' from SU! 'Best Yet' set
CS: SU! Coastal Cabana & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Coastal Cabana & Early Espresso
Tools: Crafts Too 'Scrollwork Frame' embossing folder, Crafts Concepts 'Butterfly Kisses' embossing folder, brayer, 1 1/4" & 1 1/2" circle punches
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Early Espresso stitched ribbon, SU! Dimensionals

Supplies for Happy Birthday card:
Stamps: Inkylicious 'Oriental Awakening' set, WaltzingMouse Stamps 'Say it with Style' set
CS: PaperMania white A6 card blank
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Peacock Feathers & Peeled Paint Distress Inks
Tools: circle Nestabilities die, Inkylicious Ink Duster Brushes
Supplies for Thank You card:
Stamps: Stampendous 'Agapanthus Cluster' cling stamp, WaltzingMouse Stamps 'Say it with Style' set
CS: PaperMania white A6 card blank
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Seedless Preserves & Dusty Concord Distress Inks
Tools: Memory Box 'Cross Stitched Frame Border' rectangle die, Inkylicious Ink Duster Brush