Just a quick Hello!

A quick hello....How often I start an e-mail or text this way, especially when the hello is overdue. Don't know how I missed posting this week as I had some cards ready to go. 

I recently pulled out some designer papers to use and today's card was planned around the pretty floral pattern from the Beau Jardin paper pack from Penny Black. I rarely use black as a background but decided it was about time to! Love the dramatic effect. 

Using the My Whole Life stamps and dies and the Welcome dies from WPlus9 made it easy to create the focal point.

I stamped a few black dots - meant to be flower centers - to anchor the sentiment die. The sentiment continues at the bottom of the card with "I just miss you" from the Hello and Thanks set. 

That's it for me today, hope your summer is going wonderfully! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Framing Summer Citrus

Do you love lemons? In your tea, in water, in a pretty bowl on your table? I do!

I bought the Summer Citrus set when it first came out last year. I googled lemon illustrations and although I found amazing ideas, I never got around to using them. You could say the card with this set and color combo has been steeping on the back burner of my mind for a year. 

Turns out I really like how it turned out. I call it SWEET when that happens!

I've been focusing on appreciating and using what I have. The result?  I've never had more fun creating projects.

Achieving the right mix of Hero Arts inks was important for the lemons to look real and bright enough. I stamped each image repeatedly to add more color and detail.

I took a second photo in better light today so you can see the tone on tone background stamped on the Night of Navy card stock. Thanks for your visit! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: WPlus9Designs - Summer Citrus, Tropic Fever, Welcome Wreath

Paper: Neenah Solar White, SU - Night of Navy

INK:Simon Says Stamp - Intense Black, SU - Night of Navy; Hero Arts - Butterbar, Lemon; Plus 9 - Wild Mango

Accessories:  WPlus9 - Welcome Die 

 

Papertrey Tuesday: Harvest Gold

Hello, I am glad to be back to posting. How's your week going?

I didn't stamp for almost a week. That's OK, I was having a fabulous time with my friend, Susan and her husband who visited us in NC from Chicago. We enjoyed good meals, exploring the area and our lake together, and long conversations! It was wonderful to talk and to spend time talking STAMPING in my craft studio, in the car, over breakfast.  Well, you get the idea! 

Whenever I've not stamped for a few days, I find limiting my choice of supplies helps to re-start my mojo. I only knew I wanted to make a card using the BOLD striped pattern of the Harvest Gold Bitty Big DSP. I adore yellow and this color rocks it! Happens that I had a few scraps on my desk from last week's card and voila! Here's my new card. 

I used the stamps and dies from Stitch In Time Borders and Fresh Bouquet. 

The Penned Elegance sentiments are my newest go-to and here's a tip for making it easier to use them. 

First and most important, I DID NOT SEPARATE the dies. I die cut all the sentiments at once, then created a template to use for stamping the images. I tuck the die cut into place and use the MISTI to line up the stamp, then ink it and stamp. 

Here's what the template looks like, with the wonderful friend sentiment tucked in.  In ten minutes I had all the sentiments die cut and stamped, ready to use. The template will help me identify the words and hold the die cut in place for stamping. 

I'll be back tomorrow. For now, here's a cheer for stamping friends! Hugs to you all. 

Susan and me on my back porch