Thought Of You Today Card

My Stampin' Up! order arrived on Wednesday just before I had to head off to work.  I was on a day off on Thursday though so I got to play with some of my new pretties!  Oh my word, the 'Petal Promenade' Designer Series Paper is so beautiful, I just had to use it straight away!  I made this card for a lovely friend who is going through a tough time right now.

Here's the card and envelope together.

 

Here's the card.  I cut 1 1/8" off the right hand side of the Blushing Bride card front, added strips of Mossy Meadow CS and gorgeous floral paper.  I stamped and die cut the label shape and popped that up over a Mossy Meadow flagged banner.

 

Here's the card open on display.

 

Here's the card open so you can see how I decorated the inside of the card.  I adhered a panel of Blushing Bride patterned paper (from the 'Tropical Escape' DSP pack) and added the stamped and die cut sentiment oval.

 

The 'Petal Promenade' DSP comes with sheets that have frame style designs on them and I thought one of those cut out would make a lovely name and address label for the front of the envelope. Maybe the postie will appreciate a bit of eye candy!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! 'Climbing Roses' set
CS: SU! Blushing Bride, Mossy Meadow & Whisper White
Patterned paper: SU! 'Petal Promenade' DSP pack & 'Tropical Escape' 6" x 6" DSP pack
Ink: SU! Blushing Bride & Mossy Meadow
Tools: SU! 'Rose Trellis' Thinlits die set, 'Banner Triple' punch, 'Stitched Shapes' Framelits die set
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Dimensionals
Ruth

Inked Background & Silhouette Especially For You Card

I designed an inked background and silhouette card as one of my March card group projects and while the ink pads and duster brushes were still out on my desk I thought I'd make another card.

Using ink duster brushes I applied Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry and Salty Ocean distress inks onto a panel of Whisper White CS.  I then added a smidge of Dusty Concord ink right at the top of the panel.  The stripes reminded me of the colourful sticks of rock I used to get as a child on trips to the seaside!  I stamped the gorgeous Woodware 'Gone to Seed' image over the top in VersaFine Onyx Black ink and heat set it with my heat tool.  I die cut the black panel, added the ribbon and glued the panel to the front of an A6 white card base.  I spritzed the image panel with Champagne Mist spray so in real life it's lovely and sparkly, glued that in place and popped up the sentiment banner.

 

Here's a closer look.  The 'Gone to Seed' stamp is one of my favourite images for sure! 

Just some simple black ink stamping for the inside of the card and the envelope flap. 

Supplies:
Stamps: Woodware 'Gone to Seed', Clearly Besotted 'Message Me' set
CS: SU! Basic Black & Whisper White
Ink: Ranger Tim Holtz Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry, Salty Ocean & Dusty Concord Distress Inks, VersaFine Onyx Black
Tools: Concord & 9th 'Select A Size Edge' die set, Apple Blossom 'Banners' die set
Embellishments & accessories:Champagne Mist spray, SU! Sweet Sugarplum ribbon, Dimensionals
Ruth

Stripes & Leaves Thank You Card - RRCB#106

Hurrah, I'm back on the web after nearly two weeks without internet access!  Our new router arrived today and it's wonderful to be connected again!  I checked out the Retro Rubber Challenge Blog to see that this week's challenge is 'Mad About Stripes'.

A couple of weeks ago I was chuffed to bits to be voted the 'Biggest Loser' at my Slimming World group and during 2018 I won 'Woman of the Year' and 'Miss Slinky' too.  I know I wouldn't have been as successful on my weight loss journey without my hubby Owen's constant support and encouragement. I wanted to make a card for him to say huge thanks from the bottom of my heart and I think stripes are a good option for masculine cards.

I've used my Hero Arts 'Stripes and Frame' stamp and embossing folder set that has been in my stash since 2012 so that's 7 years old - and to my shame I think I've only used it once before!  I stamped the stripes and frame image using SU! Basic Gray ink and then embossed the stamped panel.  I added Coastal Cabana and Basic Gray CS layers to the 5 1/2" square card front, using a stitched square die I cut the stamped and embossed panel to 4" square and  popped it up on 3D foam tape.  I die cut a Coastal Cabana flagged banner and stamped the sentiment in Bermuda Bay ink.  I added silver nailheads and popped the banner up.  I stamped three leaves using the gorgeous skeleton leaf images from the SU! 'Rooted in Nature' set and I popped the leaves up as well. 

 

Here's a closer look at the main panel so you can see the embossing detail.

Here's the inside of the card and the envelope flap. 

 

Owen was very happy with his card and thanks to the Retro Rubber Challenge I was very happy to use my old neglected stash items to make the card!

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts 'Stripes & Frame' stamp & embossing folder combo set, SU! 'One Big Meaning' & 'Rooted In Nature' sets
CS: SU! Basic Gray, Coastal Cabana & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Basic Gray, Coastal Cabana & Bermuda Bay
Tools: folder from Hero Arts 'Stripes & Frame' stamp & embossing folder combo set, MFT Die-namics 'First Place Award' die set, Memory Box 'Stitched Square Layers' die set
Embellishments & accessories: silver nailheads, 3D foam tape, SU! Dimensionals
Ruth

March 2019 Card Group Projects

We got together this afternoon for our March card group meeting and a very happy afternoon it was!  This year seems to be hurtling along. I can't believe we're in March already - but that means Spring is almost here!

As usual I made three cards for the ladies to make and each card is a CASEd version of a card that I've made before.  The first card features Distress Inks and dandelions and is a version of this card I made back in 2013.  I applied Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry and Salty Ocean Distress Inks to the white panel with ink duster brushes, flicked water splashes on the panel and dried the panel with my heat tool.  I stamped the images and sentiment in VersaFine Onyx Black ink as that gives a rich, intense black and used the heat tool again to heat set the sentiment and dandelions.  I matted the stamped panel onto a black layer die cut using a die from the Concord & 9th 'Select a Size Edge' die set.  I added some silver ribbon, a silver shimmer dot and glued the panel to the front of a white A6 sized card base.  To complete the front I went over the centres of the dandelions with a black Gelly Roll Glaze pen to add glossy highlights.

 

Here's a closer look at the stamped panel, it's great how the Distress Inks react with water!

 

Here's the inside and the envelope with some simple stamped dandelions.

 

I'm trying really hard to de-stash but I find it difficult to let go of certain stamps.  I've been umming and aahing over the SU! 'Everything Eleanor' set and I thought making a card with the set might make the decision easier!  What I've realised is that I love the flourish and the distressed label shaped stamps but I'm not wild about the other stamps in the set.  After looking back on what I've made with the Everything Eleanor set I saw that I loved using flower stamps from the 'Flower Shop' and 'Petite Petals' sets with the flourish and label.  So I'm keeping the flourish and label and letting go of the rest of the stamps from the set - no point in keeping stamps I'm not using!  

This card is a version of a thank you card I made back in 2014.  The colour combo is Mint Macaron, Blackberry Bliss and Very Vanilla.  After stamping and punching the flowers I snipped between the petals and added some shaping.  I stamped the three small flowers after inking the stamp only once so that I got different shades of Blackberry Bliss ink. I've popped up the flowers and added a rhinestone jewel to each flower centre.  I just love that the label shape and the large flower have the same distressed design!

 

Here's the inside and the envelope.

 

Card three is a version of this 'Tropical Chic' gatefold card I made recently.  I really enjoyed creating that card and the colour combo for the 'Tropical Escape' suite is so happy I just had to include it as a card group project this month!  The colour combo is Blushing Bride, Granny Apple Green, Shaded Spruce and Whisper White.  I used first and second generation stamping for the leaves and I popped two of the flowers up. 

 

Here's the card open on display.

 

Here's the inside of the card.

 

I find this design really attractive but it occurred to me that the fun fold gatefold aspect of this card may not appeal to everyone.  I decided to make a simple version without a fun fold and then let the ladies choose which version they wanted to make.

 

Well, as I was making the simple version another option came to mind!  It was a wet and windy Sunday and I was very happy to be spending time in my craft room so I thought "what the heck, I'll make a third version!"  For this card I cut 1 1/2" off from the right hand side of the card and glued the image panel to the patterned paper piece.

 

I decorated the insides of the cards and the envelope flaps the same for all three versions.

 

Here are all three versions on display together.  It's always nice to have options, right?!  All the ladies loved the fun fold version and so they all chose to make that version today.  One lady suggested we make one of the alternative cards next month - what a great idea - so the group will be making the card on the right next time! 

Supplies for Dandelions Well Wishes card:
Stamps: SU! 'Dandelion Wishes' set
CS: SU! Basic Black & Whisper White (thick & regular)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, Ranger Tim Holtz Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry & Salty Ocean Distress Inks, black Gelly Roll Glaze pen
Tools: Concord & 9th 'Select a Size Edge' die set, Inkylicious ink duster brushes, heat tool
Embellishments & accessories: SU!silver ribbon, Papermania silver shimmer dome sticker

Supplies for floral Warmest Wishes birthday card :
Stamps: SU! 'Everything Eleanor', 'Flower Shop', 'Petite Petals', 'Blooming with Kindness' & 'Birthday Blossoms' sets
CS: SU! Mint Macaron, Blackberry Bliss & Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Mint Macaron, Mossy Meadow & Blackberry Bliss
Tools: SU! 'Pansy' & 'Petite Petals' punches, ball embossing tool for shaping flowers
Embellishments & accessories: SU! rhinestone jewels, Dimensionals

Supplies for Tropical Best Wishes card:
Stamps: SU! 'Tropical Chic' & 'Petal Palette' sets
CS: SU! Blushing Bride, Shaded Spruce & Whisper White
Patterned paper: SU! 'Tropical Escape' 6"x6" DSP pack
Ink: SU! Blushing Bride, Granny Apple Green & Shaded Spruce
Tools: SU! 'Tropical' Thinlits die set
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Dimensionals
Ruth