Thanks

Starting off the New Year (hope 2015 is happy and healthy for all of us) with a soft thank you card.  Love the stripes combined with a swirly sentiment.

How I Made This Card:

1.  Stamped striped background with pale gray ink (MFT's Grout Gray ink is fabulous) onto white    cardstock.
2.  Stamped small flower in Versamagic Pink Grapefruit ink.
3.  Stamped sentiment in black, making sure that the twirl of the "t" ended on the center of the flower.
4.  Rubbed the Grapefruit ink on a piece of white cardstock, trimmed.
5.  Adhered Grapefruit strip to striped panel.
6.  Adhered tiny pearl.
7.  Adhered panel to white card, trimmed to 5.25" x 4" (slightly less than an A2 card).

MOOD WHEN DONE = pleased
HUSBAND'S COMMENT = "Ooh, like that little dot thing." [we call them pearls, dear....]

Stamps:  Impression Obsession Diagonal Stripes and Impress Rubber (set appears to be retired)
Cardstock:  Neenah White Solar
Ink:  Versamagic Pink Grapefruit (I use the dew drop size), My Favorite Things Grout Gray, and Ranger Archival Black
Other:  MISTI, paper trimmer, pearl, adhesive

Deer in the Headlights

I think this guy has had one too many party nights.

Really, what more do you want?  Cute deer, wreath, candy cane stripes, awesome sentiment.....Ranger's Glossy Accents, Copics, White Gel Pen, Gold, Wink of Stella glitter antleers...  I've thrown the kitchen sink into this card, trying to keep it fresh and not too crowded. 

Deer stamp from Savvy and sentiment from Technique Tuesday.  Stripes from Impression Obsession

MOOD WHEN DONE = Smiling
HUSBAND'S COMMENT = "Oh, I like that card."  Whew. 

Monogrammed

A summery lime,  just to give a bow to the soon departing summer. . .

How I Made This Card:

1.  Cut and scored A Muse Studio card stock into an A2 card, setting aside the remaining half sheet to cut the monogram letters and the envelope liner.  This cardstock is white on the other side, so no need to line the inside of the card with white.

2.  Stamped white stripes and embossed in white.

3.  Cut out initials with Silhouette.

4.  Adhered initials to form my monogram on card.

5.  Stamped screen image onto card stock with white ink.  Because I did not emboss, however, the white ink is more pale and the look more subtle.

6.  Die cut envelope liner and adhered to white envelope.

Tips:

1.  Stamp the stripes so your eye goes from the top left to the bottom right.  This is consistent with the way we read.
2.  You'll get a crisper set of stripes if you use Versamark, rather than a white ink, before you emboss.

And since I liked the first card ....

MOOD WHEN DONE = Freaking Out.  After 36 years, Friday was my last day as a lawyer. I start a new job on Monday.  (Same agency, different office).  Apparently, I like change!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Impression Obsession Diagonal Lines and Screen Cover a Card
Ink:  Hero Arts Unicorn and Versamark (Versamark on the lime)
Card Stock:  A Muse Studio
Other:  Silhouette, paper trimmer, glue pen, Paper Source White embossing powder, heat gun, Clear and Simple Stamps A2 envelope liner, Paper Source envelope, double sided tape

Gift Set

Here's a pretty set of 8 monogrammed flat note cards and coordinating envelopes.

I love how these came out -- the scalloped base and the large lower case embossed monogram look great together.

And here's a few pictures and "talk" to describe the process I used.

1.  Opened up a Blossom Paper Source envelope so that I would have thinner paper for the monograms. 
2.  Stamped the "n" monogram in Versamark, embossed with Paper Source white embossing powder and die cut.  Found this wood mounted stamp at Paper Source (yes, I am a 5 minute walk away....).
3.  Stamped typing paper with Impression Obsession Diagonal Stripes in Versamagic Pixie Dust (perfect match with the Blossom line).
4.  Put it all together using these Blossom A2scalloped flat note cards from Paper Source and matching envelopes.  Those pre cut scalloped flat cards come in a lot of beautiful colors.
5.  Thinking about how to package these....

MOOD WHEN DONE = Stylish

Supplies:

Stamps:  Paper Source Old Claude "n", Impression Obsession Diagonal Lines Cover a Card
Paper:  Paper Source White and Blossom
Ink:  Versamagic Pixie Dust, Versamark
Other:  Paper Source White Embossing Powder, Sizzix Circle Die, Clear and Simple Stamps A2 envelope liner die, adhesive, paper trimmer

A Bouquet of Thanks

Blog break is over!  I won't be posting every day, but should be able to post at least weekly.  At least I hope so.

Love this bouquet of flowers from Impression Obsession. 

How I Made This Card:

1.  Stamped image in waterproof black ink and water colored with Ranger Distress Inks.

2.  Selected a sentiment with a delicate font that coordinated with the hand drawn image.

3.  Measured sentiment and cut banner with Silhouette to fit the sentiment.

4.  Cut a mask of the bouquet and flicked ink with a wet paint brush over the card -- this added some interest and some dimension.

5.  Adhered dimensional strip to back of sentiment and water colored the banner with a quick swipe of the brush; adhered to card.

6.  Stamped the Screen pattern with black ink on typing paper and die cut for the envelope liner.  

MOOD WHEN DONE = Happy!

Tips:

1.  With watercolors, less is always better.  Let the first swirl of inky paint sit for a few minutes and then go back with one more layer.

2.  I only have one red/pink Distress ink pad (Barn Door).  The first layer on the flower looks pink because I used more water -- rubbed the ink pad on a craft sheet and spritzed with a water bottle.  For the second, smaller layer, used more ink and less water and got a deeper red.  Why buy 2 - 17 shades of red distress ink when one will do?

3.  Leaves almost always look better with a bit of yellow.

And since I loved the card and need a bunch (wink) of thank you cards, I made a few more (assembly line fashion):

Supplies:

Stamps:  Impression Obsession Sunny Flower Bouquet and Screen Cover a Card (used on the envelope), and My Favorite Things Pretty Poppies (sentiment)
Ink:  Ranger Archival Jet Black and Ranger Distress Inks:  Peeled Paint, Barn Door and Mustard Seed 
Cardstock:  Smooth Bristol
Other:  Claudine Hellmuth paint brush, water, paper towel, paper trimmer, Silhouette, dimensionals, Clear and Simple A2 envelope liner die, Paper Source envelope, double sided tape (for the envelope liner), typing paper (for the envelope liner); $$; time; mojo