Floral Thanks

Love this Curly Label set from Clear and Simple Stamps -- makes a nice little background. 



MOOD WHEN DONE:  No complaints!


Supplies:

Stamps:  Clear and Simple Build a Flower and Curly Label
Paper:  Neenah Solar White (the better to hand cut)
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo, Mama Elephant Sunshine, Versamagic Tea Leaves, Hero Arts Cantaloupe
Other:  detail scissors, Glossy Accents, adhesive, paper trimmer, sleep

ReDesign on a Dime: Julie Ebersole

I've been a huge fan of Julie Ebersole for many years.  Her Hello Monday videos for Ellen Hutson are hands down my favorite papercrafting videos.  Professional, useful tips, and a dynamite project -- her videos are fabulous.   Plus her personality shines through. 

I'm thrilled to see her working in the industry.  Hugely deserved.

Every card she makes has a light and airy feel that I would LOVE to be able to emulate.  I don't think of Julie as the Queen of Clear and Simple.  Rather, Julie is the Queen. 

The hardest part of ReDesigning a Julie creation was to select one, since I love everything she makes.  So I decided to just go with the last thing she made at the time I was looking,  which was this Flower Gard card for Hero Arts. 

Here is Julie's card, with mine, ReDesigned without spending a dime.  Thanks, Julie, for letting me post a copy of your card.

I encourage you to check out Julie's card on the Hero Arts blog (link above), where she's done a great video on how to make it.  Watch her cover the frame with glossy accents -- smooth as butter.  I cannot do that, so mine is lumpy...and this isn't the first one I made.  

Wish I had some small solid flowers with stems, because the flowers with stems in different directions provide the illusion that the flowers are falling down the card.  But, I didn't, so I went with what I had -- that's the whole idea!  I also switched up the color palette 'cause I'm in a bright mood.

MOOD WHEN DONE = Happy!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Impression Obsession Hydrangea and PTI Mini Blooms
Paper:  Neenah Solar
Ink:  Hero Arts Tomato, Butter Bar and Green Hills (they bleed through on Neenah)
Other:  Silhouette (to make frame), Copics -- red and black -- to color the paper, Glossy Accents, rhinestones, adhesive, paper trimmer

Hello Friend -- Simplicity One Layer Challenge #5 Fabulous Flowers

 Saw this challenge and decided to play.  The only requirement was to make a one layer card with flowers.  I can do that...and then Ardyth recommended that I post this in the CASology challenge as well.  So I did.

Done!

MOOD WHEN DONE = Happy to soak in the glorious spring weather (by keeping open the door while I'm up in the stamping cave).

Supplies: 

Stamps:  Clear and Simple Build a Flower and Curly Label, Waltzingmouse Two Step Sprig (little black dots), and Technique Tuesday Jingle All the Way (used the back of a stripe to make the solid line)
Paper:  White Recollections (from Michaels)
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo and Rose Red and Versamagic Key Lime

Bright Bold Birthday

The burst of water colored cards in my feedly inspired me to take out my supplies, and this was the result.  I'd forgotten how much fun, and how frustrating at times, water coloring can be (this is the second attempt).

Using Tombow markers on watercolor paper is a great way to get bright colors -- the markers just melt when I add water.  It can be mesmerizing!   Apply the marker to dry watercolor paper and watch the magic!  SU markers do not  melt with water the way Tombow markers do.

I love this huge flower, which was drawn by Claudine Hellmuth.  Unfortunately, she is no longer designing stamps.  I love her hand drawn, loose, designs and will miss them.  I treated this one like it was almost the sun. 

And now the gloriously sunny weekend is over and time to return to work.  Hope your week is a good one.


MOOD WHEN DONE:  Bright!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Claudine Hellmuth Big Bloom (no longer made) and Neat and Tangled Just for You
Ink:  Ranger Archival black for the flower, and Memento Tuxedo Luxe for the sentiment (not a fan of that ink), Versamark
Paper:  Strathmore Watercolor, SU Real Red
Other:  Tombow Markers, Detail White Embossing Powder, water, paper towels, adhesive, paper trimmer, time

Baby Gift Package and Tag

I needed a gift tag to go along with a gift for a sweet new baby.  And I wanted to personalize it with his name.  Here's the gift:

I started with the wrapping paper and went from there.  Haven't made a baby anything in quite some time.  Fun!

MOOD WHEN DONE = Awwwww

Supplies:

Stamps:  Hero Arts Precious Baby Boy, Lawn Fawn Harold's ABC's
Ink:  Versamark
Paper:  Paper Source wrapping paper, random orange, SU daffodil and old olive
Other:  Paper Source ribbon, gold embossing powder, SU border die, Sizzix circle dies, SU circle punch, random twine

ReDesign on a Dime: Dawn McVey

Happy to be back with another creation inspired by a terrific stamper -- this time, it's Dawn McVey. A visit to Dawn's blog (hello Winston, a cute dog) is truly an opportunity to soak up the sun.  Her life isn't perfect, but her cards and posts speak happy.  Even her color choices are happy.

I saw this card by Dawn featuring a No Sew Quilt technique and noticed that Dawn used an impression plate to get the quilted effect.  I don't have any impression plates or embossing folders (AACK!) but I loved the look, so I decided to ReDesign without spending a dime.

Dawn's technique results in a deeper impression, but if you don't have an impression plate, mine works as well.

My ReDesign on a Dime process

1.  Watched Dawn's video and followed the directions to make the card.

2.  Selected patterned papers from a set (these are from Simple Stories patterned paper that Kristi Lockart sent to me.  We are both in an informal supply sharing club.)

3.  Cut a honeycomb image with the Silhouette using Neenah Solar cardstock.  Order:  Big Shot multipurpose platform opened to Tab 1.  Cover Plate.  Tan Mat.  Quilt Card, Honeycomb, Cover Plate.

Here's a picture of the honeycomb on top of the card and a tan impression mat.

Suspect if I added a piece of typing paper to the sandwich the impression may have been deeper.

Thank you Dawn for agreeing to let me post a picture of your card here and for being such a great stamper.

Supplies:  

Stamps:  Avery Elle Handwritten Sentiments
Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Simple Stories
Ink:  Versamark
Other:  Silhouette, Big Shot, Paper Source White Embossing Powder, Embossing Buddy and Gun, adhesive

MOOD WHEN DONE = Happy!

ReDesign on a Dime: Laura Bassen

First, the card and then the talk!

Thanks so much for the comments on my last post, where I expressed frustration with my stamping.  Read them, pondered, and eventually settled on a new-for-now approach.  I'm calling is ReDesign on a Dime (sounds like a HGTV show, doesn't it?).

It marries my limited design skills and budget with my desire to stamp.  I take something another stamper has made and make it with my own supplies. 

Today I took this card made by the so fun and talented superstar Laura Bassen.  It is intimidating to put her card next to mine, but Laura graciously agreed so here goes!

Isn't Laura's card gorgeous?  Loved the colors and the gray triangles on the background.  If you look closely, you'll see that Laura wrapped some white twine under the popped up flowers.

My ReDesign on a Dime Process:

1.  I have one floral outline set with single flowers big enough for this design.  (How did that happen??)  Colored the flowers with Copics, hand cut, and edged with Ranger Distress inks.

2.  Since I did not have a background like Laura's and don't have pale gray ink, I substituted some patterned paper.

3.  I did not wrap any twine under my flowers because I would have made a hot mess. 

4.  Added the exclamation point by hand because the sentiment was not centered.  Looks better in person!

Thanks to Laura for her talent!  Laura's card is better and here's why -- the green leaves are darker and provide more contrast.   She clustered her flowers closer together, which works to form a better focal point. Plus, her flowers have same colored centers to pull them together.   And, the gray and white background is lighter and trendy.

But, I didn't spend any money buying new things to make this card and it was much easier to have Laura's card as a model and I learned a few things.  A win!

MOOD WHEN DONE = Intimidated but Happy!  

Supplies:

Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp  Best Mom Ever!
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo, Ranger Distress
Paper:  Base card is white Recollections; patterned paper is unknown
Other: Copics, adhesive, dimensionals