Hello everyone! I hope you all have an amazing time with your family and friends. I definitely enjoy these extra few days we get to spend together.
Today I’ve got for you beautiful yet clean and simple card using Good Tidings Photopolymer Stamp Set from Stampin’ Up!
This set is featured in Autumn Winter 2017 catalogue and now you can get it at discount during End-Year Sale. It’s truly stunning, 2-step stamp set.
I’ve used a slightly unusual colour combination for my card but I really like how the colours complement each other.
First, I cut and prepared all my layers and run the Whisper White panel with Polka Dot Basics embossing folder through my Big Shot.
Next, I stamped all my images. For the leaves, I’ve used Old Olive and Lemon Lime Twist ink pads. Holly berries are stamped in Real Red. For the first step image I stamped it off, the second image is at full strength. The branch is stamped in Soft Suede. And again for 1st image, it’s stamped off, and 2nd image at full strength.
The sentiment is stamped in Memento Black and die-cut using the largest circle from Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies.
I fussy-cut the holly berry branch and assembled my card. I’ve used snail adhesive for the layers/panels and stampin’ dimensionals for a circle with the sentiment.
I didn’t forget about the inside of my card.
I stamped the smaller sentiment from the same stamp set in the middle of my Whisper White panel in Memento Black.
To add some interest, I also stamped the smaller holly berry images in the left bottom corner of the sentiment. using same colours.
And that’s my card done. I really hope you like it.
If you wish to purchase any of products I have used, simply click the images below to go directly to my online store and don’t forget to enter the hostess code GK3G3AR3 to receive a gift from me
Just a reminder: Good Tidings Photopolymer Stamp Set is still available at a fraction of a price! But only until the 2 January. After 2 January 2018, it will no longer be available. So if you waited for a better moment to buy this set – this moment is now.
Anna’ Stampin’ Cave – Rustic Best Birds For Global Design Project #084 Challenge
Hello and welcome everyone! Today I’m back with my entry for Global Design Project. This week is Case The Designer Challenge over at GDP and we’re casing wonderful Michelle Last. I have to admit I absolutely love Michelle’s style. She’s an incredible artist and amazing person too (I had the privilege to meet her in person a few years back).
It’s a beautiful card to CASE: clean & simple with lots of yummy texture. But I didn’t really want to follow the colour combination or the layout of Michelle’s card (but as you will see I failed miserably as I ‘accidentally’ cased the layout anyway haha ). For my card, I decided to focus on a couple of products she used instead: Best Birds Stamp Set and coordinating Birds & Blooms Thinlits Dies.
Rustic Best Birds card dimensions:
Crumb Cake cardstock: 8-1/4″ x 5-7/8″ scored in half at 4-1/8″ (21cm x 14.8 cm scored in half at 10.5 cm)
Crumb Cake cardstock: 4-1/8″ x 5-6/8″ (10.2 cm x 14.6 cm)
Whisper White cardstock for stamping & die cutting
Pool Party cardstock: 3/8″ x 4-3/8″
Burlap Ribbon: approx 5-6/8″ (14.6 cm)
I don’t know about you, but when I first saw this stamp set it has called countryside to me. I only bought this bundle a few weeks ago and was really eager to have a play. So this week’s challenge was perfect for inking up my stamp for the first time.
First, I created the background for my ‘idyllic’ scene. I took Crumb Cake panel and stamped it with Hardwood background stamp in Soft Suede. I also sponged the edges of the panel with Soft Suede ink to add to the ‘rustic feel’.
Next, I stamped and die cut all the elements of my scene. The bird is stamped using Crumb Cake ink. Flowers – Pool Party. For little berries/fruits, I’ve used Pear Pizzazz. Branch is stamped in Soft Suede ink and coloured in with markers: Crumb Cake for the branch and Pear Pizzazz for leaves.
I love this sentiment “It’s a good day” from Best Birds Stamp Set. I stamped it in Soft Suede on a piece of Whisper White cardstock and die cut using an oval die from Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies. I think stitched edge suit rustic ‘feel’ of this card just perfectly.
Before I assembled my card I played a little with a placement of all the elements. To add some ‘natural’ texture I decided to use Burlap Ribbon as a banner. I also cut a thin strip of Pool Party cardstock to ‘break’ all the browns. When I was happy with the placement, I took a photo and started the assembly.
Tip: If you have a layout, either a card or a scrapbook page, that consist of lots of small elements, play with the placement first, before glueing things down. Once you’re happy, take a photo of your test layout with your phone ( we all have it on hand, don’t we?). Next, assemble your card/scrapbook page piece by piece by piece with a help of your reference photo. No more guessing ‘where was this or that element supposed to go.
I truly hope you like my little, rustic card. It reminds me of my childhood in Poland and summer holidays we spent in the countryside with our great-grandmother. Wonderful memories.
As always, I really want to encourage you to visit the Global Design Project challenge blog to see other beautiful projects from all around the world. Just click on their logo below to visit the website
Anna’ Stampin’ Cave – Stampin’ Up! Watercolour Wings – Good Things Come In Threes
Hello, everyone! I hope you have an amazing Saturday so far. We have such a beautiful weather today down here in Midlands – it doesn’t feel like I live in the UK at all ? And I really hope this weather will stay for a little while. Even just to cheer me up. This past week was one of the toughest in last few months, as the pain is back and it ain’t go anywhere in near future. It laughs at painkillers too. So my days are filled with enormous pain that truly makes my brain freeze and I find it hard to concentrate, let alone create. But I had such a great idea for this week’s challenge over at Global Design Project that I just HAD TO make it happen! Do you have it sometimes? An idea that feels that if you won’t try it you will POP!? hahaha So a couple of nights back, I hid in my cave, despite the pain, and … five hours later I came out not with one but three cards! How that even happen?! As I was creating my initial card, more ideas popped into my head and obviously, I HAD TO TRY them all, haha So just a warning: this post is long and picture (glitter) heavy ?
So I will start with my first card where it all started: lovely, clean & simple and … pink-ish. Not really something you’ve seen here often. But I actually like it:
Flirty Flamingo card dimensions:
Whisper White Thick cardstock card base: 11-6/8″ x 4-1/8″ scored in half at 5-7/8″ (29.7 x 10.5 cm scored in half at 14.8 cm)
Flirty Flamingo cardstock: 3-6/8″ x 4″ (9.6 cm x 10.2 cm)
Whisper White cardstock: 3-1/2″ x 3-6/8″ (9 cm x 9.6 cm)
Flirty Flamingo Ruched Ribbon: 12″ approx, to tie a bow
This beautiful butterfly from Watercolour Wings Stamp Set is a three step stamping image as you have three stamps to create the look. I’ve used three different shades of pink: Pink Pirouette for the base, Blushing Bride for the details on the wings and Flirty Flamingo for wings’ edges and the body of the butterfly.
Savvy tip: if you’re just starting your papercraft adventure and don’t have many ink colours (been there, done that) you can use the same ink pad to stamp all the layers. If it’s a light colour ink, you can stamp each layer on top on previous one and it will get slightly darker each time. You can repeat more detailed layers couple of times to get the shade you are happy with. If you have dark colour ink, you can use stamping off technique (also called ghost stamping or second/third generation stamping). You simply stamp off your image couple of times before stamp it on your piece. The rule is: the larger the image like the base here, the lighter the shade.
I also stamped this polka-dot-kind-of image in two opposed corners of my panel. You are probably wondering: OK, but where all that glitter come from? And no, I didn’t use glue for that.
When the image was stamped, I prepared the card with embossing buddy and I stamped the edges of the wings of the butterfly, the body and polka dots once again, but this time using Versamark ink. I sprinkled it with Heat & Stick Powder, heat it till it melts, add Dazzling Diamonds glitter and heat set it again. Heat & Stick Powder once re-heated it melts again, making all that glitter to soak in, so when I send this card out the recipient can enjoy beautiful card and won’t be covered in glitter.
I adhered my panel to a Flirty Flaming mat and next to the card base. Firstly, I wanted to create the banner or a strip of cardstock for a sentiment, but it didn’t look good. So using Stamp-A-Ma-Jig I decided where I want my sentiment to go and stamped it in Flirty Flamingo. Next, to jazz it up a little I stamped it twice more, without re-inking my stamp. It’s called ghost stamping or stampin’ off. A little, dinky bow finish off my card.
Card number 2 (Jazz it up babe ?)
Bermuda Bay & Crumb Cake card dimensions:
Crumb Cake cardstock card base: 11-6/8″ x 4-1/8″ scored in half at 5-7/8″ (29.7 x 10.5 cm scored in half at 14.8 cm)
Bermuda Bay cardstock: 3-6/8″ x 4″ (9.6 cm x 10.2 cm)
Crumb Cake cardstock: 3-1/2″ x 3-6/8″ (9 cm x 9.6 cm)
Bermuda Bay cardstock strip for a sentiment
Bermuda Bay Thick Baker’s Twine two lengths: 16″ and 4″ (approx)
I this card for the butterfly I’ve used Soft Sky for the base, Pool Party for all the details on the wings and Bermuda Bay for the body and edges of its wings. And again I stamped polka dots in the corners. I’ve added gold glitter to my images same way as with my first card, using Heat & Stick Powder.
Using two lengths of Bermuda Bay Thick Baker’s Twine I created simple sailor knot. I added mini glue dot behind the knot and adhered it to the Crumb Cake panel. I secured the twine at the back using Fast Fuse. Next, I mounted my panel to the Bermuda Bay mat using thin (1 mm) foam adhesive tape and adhered them both to the card base.
The sentiment is stamped on a strip of Bermuda Bay cardstock and in Bermuda Bay ink for the subtle, tone on tone effect. I also added a strip of DIY gold glimmer paper behind it. I popped it up with dimensionals but before I adhered it to the card base I stamped few rows of polka dot piece on the card base in Versamark.
Card number 3 (the more the fancier ?)
Elegant Eggplant & Basic Black card dimensions:
Basic Black cardstock card base: 11-6/8″ x 4-1/8″ scored in half at 5-7/8″ (29.7 x 10.5 cm scored in half at 14.8 cm)
White Vellum cardstock: 3″ x 3-6/8″ (7.7 cm x 9.6 cm) + extra for die-cutting
Elegant Eggplant Paper From Regals Designer Series Paper Stack: 5-1/2″ x 3-6/8″ (14 cm x 9.6 cm)
Basic Black cardstock for butterfly
Whisper White cardstock for sentiment
Gold Metallic Thread
To be able to stamp the butterfly in various colours on black cardstock I stamped the base of my butterfly in Whisper White Craft Ink first. When it dried I stamped the base again, but this time in Perfect Plum. For the details on the centre of the wings, I’ve used Rich Razzleberry. The edges of the wings and body of the butterfly are stamped with Elegant Eggplant ink – I could totally skip this step as honestly, you can’t see that even in person, not only on photos. I added glitter as before and die-cut my butterfly using a coordinating die from Bold Butterfly Framelits Dies.
I took a piece of Elegant Eggplant DSP and I tore two strips of paper from the top and from the bottom. I didn’t measure it, just eyeball it, briefly about 1″. I also tore in half the strip of White Vellum cardstock. I adhered both strips of torn DSP behind the main piece, but showing the reverse design and so the torn edges were showing. I also
I adhered both strips of torn DSP behind the main piece with reverse design up and both strips of vellum behind it with jagged edges showing for extra dimension. I rolled up the edges of my DSP slightly and adhered the whole panel to the card base.
I die-cut a circle from White Vellum using the largest circle die from Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies. Before I added my butterfly on top I stamped the butterfly antenna in Basic Black on the vellum. I adhered few lengths of Gold Metallic Thread behind the butterfly, glued it to the vellum circle with Fast Fuse and next add it to the card base. The sentiment is stamped in Elegant Eggplant n piece of Whisper White cardstock and adhered to the base with glue dots.
And here are all of the cards together:
I hope you like my cards and that I didn’t bore you with my mouthful-sort-of-directions, haha But this is me: love it or hate it ? Please let me know in comments below which one, which style is your favourite. I would love to hear from you!
As always, I really want to encourage you to visit the Global Design Project challenge blog to see other beautiful projects from all around the world. Just click on their logo below to visit the website.
Anna’ Stampin’ Cave – The Creative Flow Blog Hop – Hello Spring
Thank you for joining us on our Creative Flow Blog Hop. Each month we are set a challenge to creatively stretch our imaginations. The products we have used are all available in the current Annual and/or seasonal Stampin’ Up!® catalogues. To hop along, please use the buttons at the bottom of the post to keep hopping. And this month’s theme is ‘Spring is sprung’.
I don’t know about you, but for me, nothing says ‘spring’ more than flowers. So today I’ve got for you a set of super cute, 4 x 4″ notecards.
Spring notecards dimensions:
In Colour cardstock: five pieces, one of each colour, 4″ x 8 ” scored in half at 4″ (20,3cm x 10,1cm scored in half at 10,1cm) + scraps for die cutting
Whisper White cardstock: five panels 3″ x 3″ (7cm x 7cm)
Linen Thread five pieces, 20″ length each
Pearls: 15 mini pearls, 3 for each notecard
For the base of my little notecards I decided to use, soon retiring, 2015-2017 In Colours. I stamped each card base with a ‘dotty’ stamp from Number Of Years Stamp Set in Versamark.
I stamped each 3 x3″ Whisper White panel using Writing Notes background stamp. I’ve used Cucumber Crush, Mint Macaron, Blushing Bride and So Saffron x2. Next, in the middle of each panel, I stamped a little bouquet of flowers, from Number Of Years Stamp Set. This is a two-step stamping set, so I first stamped the foliage using Pear Pizzazz and Wild Wasabi ink pads, and next I added the flowers in So Saffron, Pool Party, Watermelon Wonder, Blushing Bride and Wisteria Wonder.
I die-cut my bouquets with stitched circle die and adhered a leftover piece to the card base. I also die-cut five scalloped circles: one in each In Colour. Next, I layered each bouquet with a scalloped circle and adhered them to the card base with dimensionals.
Sentiments come from Crazy About You Stamp Set and I stamped them in coordinating colours once my cards were assembled. For the final touch, I added mini pearls to some of the flowers. I also created cute little bows using Linen Thread and added them to the cards using glue dots.
I’m really pleased with my little notecards and I think they fit the theme perfectly. But just a little reminder that In Colours 2015-2017 will retire soon (end of May) so if you love them I would really advise you to stock up on cardstock, Designer Series Paper, and ink refills as they surely will be sold out way before the end of May. Click the picture below to check the entire collection.
Now be sure to hop along to see more inspiring projects. Your next stop is lovely and talented Jerim.
Anna’ Stampin’ Cave – You Are Amazing – Kylie Bertucci’s International Stampin’ Up! Blog Highlights
Thanks for coming to my blog today! We are being highlighted internationally by Kylie Bertucci and you are able to VOTE on my project. The top ten winners will get to be part of an international blog hop so please vote for my project. You can do it hereor use button at the end of my post.
Our theme for this highlight is using the stamp set All Things Thanks! This is a Wonderful stamp set with so many gorgeous sentiments. We wanted to highlight how versatile it really is.
This is my first time taking part in Kylie Bertucci’s International Stampin’ Up! Blog Highlight so I’m a little bit nervous. For my card, I went with monochromatic clean and simple design.
You Are Amazing Card dimensions:
Whisper White cardstock: 11-6/8″ x 4-1/8″ scored in half at 5-7/8″ (29.7 x 10.5 cm scored in half at 14.8 cm)
Basic Grey DSP from Neutrals DSP Stack: two pieces 3″x 3″ each (7.6 cm x 7.6 cm)
Basic Grey cardstock: 1/2″ x 3-3/6″ (1.2 cm x 9.5 cm)
for sentiment piece of Whisper White cardstock
Whisper White Thick Baker’s Twine: 12″
First, I stamped my sentiment in Basic Grey on a piece of Whisper White cardstock and die cut it using 2nd smallest oval from Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies. Next, I took my card base and adhered my squares of Designer Series Paper in the middle, offsetting them slightly.
I took Basic Gray strip of cardstock and created a fun banner using a dotted strip die from Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies.
I adhered the banner in in the centre of my card front and popped up the sentiment on top using dimensionals. I wrapped bakers twine around my card and tied a simple knot on the front. For the final touch, I added a rhinestone to the ‘i’ in the sentiment.
Thanks for visiting my blog today and make sure you head over to Kylie’s blog to check all lovely projects and vote for your favourites. Hope my project will be among them as I would love to be chosen to do an international blog hop.
I stamped the smaller sentiment from the same stamp set in the middle of my Whisper White panel in Memento Black.
