Needed a couple of sympathy cards, and found I didn't have any left.  Made several very similar cards, the only difference being the colors.

I cut out the shape with a die, then used distress ink to add some color to the die cut.  Stamped with a tree stamp, then attached to a coordinating background mat, which was then adhered to the white card front.  Besides this blue, I made green and purple. 

Shaped Cards

Taking an online card class called Wild Card, and learning about different types of cards to make.  Lesson one included shaped cards, gate-fold cards, box cards and wobble cards.

I started with the shaped card idea, and made two of them, both the same shape, but used a different stamp on each.

I used my dies to cut out four large labels, and following directions attached the backs to the fronts.  I left the die in place while blending distress inks over card front (mowed lawn on one, and peacock feathers on the other).

I stamped the green one with a trees stamp (Stampin' Up) to make a sympathy card.  I haven't decided whether or not to stamp the front with a "with sympathy stamp", or leave it as is.  For now I'm leaving it.

The second one I blended with Peacock Feathers ink, and thought it came out pretty nicely.  I then stamped it with a bird (Stampin' Up) to fulfill one the World Card Making Day challenges on The Stamp Nation.








Fairly happy with how these came out, although I messed up a little on the blending as I hadn't done it much recently.

Entered this at the World Card Making Challenge at KatScrappiness Blog.

Thinking of you

There were some constellation type stars in the kit (stamped in Chipped Sapphire), so I used two of them, plus a few smaller solid star stamps (stamped in Festive Berries), along with the sentiment thinking of you stamped in Momento Tuxedo Black. I matted it in the dark blue card stock included, and attached with foam tape to the striped paper I used for the card front.  Another card that can be sent to either man or woman.

July 2016 Stamp of Approval box arrived!

My SOA Lovely Notes arrived yesterday, and I made a few cards.  I love the Concentric Circles die!
And the stamps are pretty neat, too.


I started out by using some Distress Inks in a rainbow pattern on some white card stock, then cut out the Concentric Circles.  For my first card I centered the rainbow die cut on a 4 x 5.25 inch piece of black card stock, then attached to the front of my card base.  Using a scrap strip of black card stock, I wrote with a white Signo pen my sentiment.  After rounding the corners, I used dimensional tape to give it some height.  I am really pleased with this card.

 
I also cut out the die on a piece of black card stock. I heat embossed in white my sentiment on the black die cut.  I attached the leftover piece of rainbow card stock to the front of my card base, then inserted the black die cut in the opening.  I then attached all the leftover rainbow pieces in the appropriate places in the black die cut.  A little time consuming, but not hard to do.  And I think the card turned out pretty nice!

For my third card I blended some Distress Inks on white card stock, then cut out as panel using the outline die that comes with the Concentric Circles die.  I stamped it using the Fill in the Blanks stamp in black.  After cutting a 4.25 x 5.5 inches rectangle from black card stock, I attached it to the front of my card, then centered the stamped piece and attached that.  I used the included word stamps to personalize it for my son-in-law, whose birthday is in a few weeks.  I think it turned out pretty masculine looking, although maybe a little bright.  But then again, I really like bright.

My last card for today was the leftover frame from cutting out another of the Concentric Circles.  Unfortunately, the circles did not make it out of the die in one piece (my fault, not the die's, I was rushing).  After attaching the frame to the front of the card, I stamped several sprays of leaves from the Lovely Notes stamps on the left side of the opening. I also stamped the sentiment in black on the right hand side of the opening. I stamped and die cut several of the large flowers, and a couple of the branches of leaves, and attached them to the left side of the card, using dimensional tape on a couple of them (and very handily covered up someone's black fingerprint).

I'm not sure why the yellow flowers seem so dull, in real life they are bright and really pop!





I'm really loving this kit!  I will be making more cards over the next couple of weeks from it!

More masking paper lessons

Well, this didn't go as well as I had hoped.  I die cut a hello from my masking paper, and then tried stamping with little tiny flowers and leaves in the negative area.  Apparently, my hello was too small, and you couldn't tell there were flowers and leaves.  It was more like green and blue blobs.  Then, while removing the mask, I somehow managed to smear blue all over everything.  That card took a quick trip to the waste basket, and I tried again with some little dots.  That didn't work, as they didn't define the edges enough to see what the word was.  That was it for the negative mask, it didn't survive the effort.

I then just put the positive die cut on the front of a card, then just used some Distress Inks to blend around it.  That actually turned out fairly well. 

I'm going to try this technique in the future with a larger die, like the distressed rectangle I used for day one, as soon as I get a little more time.  I'm a little behind on homework for this class, and I want to try some of the other masking techniques before I go back to this one. I'm sure the next time will be much better, as I now know what "not" to do!

Stretch Your Stamps 2, Day 9

For my card today I followed Julie's video almost exactly, with the exception of the colors.  I was in more of a blue mood, rather than a pink mood, thus the change.

I drew my circle, and added first the small leaf cluster (Hero Arts Field Greens), then the blue flowers (Distress Salty Ocean), followed by the smaller flowers (Hero Arts Pool), lastly stamping the single leaves in Hero Arts Green Fields.   After the stamping, I started to use my Atyou Spica pen in lemon to add some sparkle to the center of the flowers, but didn't think it added enough bling, so I ended up using Stickles in Scattered Straw for the smaller flowers, and Silver Stickles for the larger flowers, which I liked much better.

  

I didn't have a die to cut a sentiment available to use, so I cut a circle in the card base front and stamped a sentiment on the inside. The card stock with the wreath was popped up on the card front.

Stretch Your Stamps 2, Day 8

More great ways to use graphic stamps in today's lesson!  I really like Kelly's idea of using graphic stamps for a border, so combined that with Nichol's idea of a window card.  This is what I came up with--I used Distress Ink Squeezed Lemonade and stamped my graphic rounded diamond on to a strip of white card stock, and also used the ink to color a strip of white card stock.  I then over-stamped the rounded diamond with a heart in Momento Tuxedo Black.

I die cut a window on a separate piece of white card stock a little narrower than the card front.  I attached the stamped strip to the left hand side of the card base, then centered my colored strip under the die cut window and attached the strip to the card front.  I stamped my sentiment in Momento Tuxedo Black.  I then popped up the card stock with the window, and called it good--for now.

 

I think the front needs a little something more, but I'm not sure what.  Maybe a ribbon and bow?  Black or yellow?  Or maybe I should do some yellow and black spatters?  Or maybe stamp some of the hearts in yellow and black randomly on the card front?  Maybe I'll just leave it the way it is.  I'm going to spend a few days thinking about it before I make up my mind. 

Stretch Your Stamps 2, Day 7

I thought I'd try the random background stamping from Debby's video today.  I'm not really sure I like what I did, but I tried a smaller stamp that wasn't so bold for the background.  I might try it again later with a larger, bolder stamp.

I stamped the background with Hero Arts Soft Pool and Pale Tomato (I also did a second stamping with this without re-inking my stamp), and Momento London Fog (also did a second stamping with this ink).  I used Momento Tuxedo Black for my over-stamping of the sentiment. 

I added a black and white polka dot ribbon for interest.  I first added the ribbon at the top of the stamping (first photo), but it just didn't seem to look right.  I removed it, and was just going to go with the plain stamping, but decided to try it first on the bottom of the card (second photo).  I liked this so better.  I will be adding a few embellishments--as soon as I find my little box of embellies that has gone missing! 

I then popped it up on a slightly larger piece of red card stock, off center.  The whole thing was then attached to the white card base. 

Stretch Your Stamps 2, Day 6

Wow, I've learned so much in this class!  Although I'm not surprised, as I've also learned a lot in each of the other onlinecardclasses.com classes I've taken!

When I watched the video by Laura, I really liked the idea of stamping a little off center, and while I loved her tags, I wanted to do a card, so I combined these two ideas in a way.

I die cut a piece of white card stock, and I stamped the floral design off center with black Momento ink.  My original plan was to color the flowers with Copic markers like Laura had done on her tag, but decided instead to just blend some ink around the edges (after putting the die cut back in the die) with Salty Ocean Distress Ink.  I then mounted it offset to another die cut, this time in black card stock.

A small sentiment stamped in black Momento ink on white, then mounted on black card stock, was popped up for a little dimension.

I added the whole thing to a white card base, also popped up.  I really liked how this one turned out, which is completely different then my original plan! 

Update:  A few days after posting this, I added a little color by dotting Atyou Spica  Sky Blue in the little circles in th middle of each flower, then used my brand new, just arrived Zig Wink of Stella brush to highlight all of the petals  Love it!

Stretch Your Stamps 2 Day 5

Today's lesson was about using outline stamps.  I decided to try the technique from Jennifer Rzasa's video, using Distress Ink and watercoloring with them.

I used Distress Ink to stamp the floral design on watercolor paper, then used a waterbrush to spread the color out.  I matted the watercolor paper on tan cardstock, tied tan organza ribbon around it, then popped it up on the green card base.  I stamped the inside with a sympathy sentiment, but decided not to add anything else to the front.

Another Fall Note Card

Still playing with my new stamp.  I used my Kaleidacolor Stamp Pads in Tomato Vine, using a brayer on the ink pad and transferring the ink to my stamp.  I blended the edges with my Distress Inks in Dried Marigold and Vintage Photo.

I added some red rhinestones for a little bling, and matted the stamp with a yellow paper.
I like how this turned out!  Sorry about the glare in the photo, had to use my flash.

Fall Note Card

Finally getting a chance to play with my new background stamps.  This one is from Stampendous, I believe it is called Autumn Words.  I love the words on it!
                                                         

I used Distress inks in Scattered Straw and Vintage Photo for shading and stamping, a burgundy ribbon to accent the stamping, and a brown card stock card base, with an off white card stock for the liner and the stamping.  I left the inside unstamped, thinking it could be used for a Fall Birthday, Thanksgiving, or even thinking of you occasion.