VINTAGE VOGUE RESIST

Emboss resist constantly calls to me. I think I might have to admit that it is probably my favorite technique to use. The variations you can achieve are almost endless.

For example, in this card, I began with Naturals White card stock. (Please note that both sides of the card are of equal color intensity. The sun was just shining more strongly on the right side.)

By embossing the vine-like flowers in Clear Embossing Powder and then sponging ink over them, the only way you can tell that I didn't start with Soft Suede paper is that the white of the paper shows through the embossing. If you wanted more of the white card stock to show, you could sponge more lightly and sporadically. I chose to sponge with a fairly heavy hand, especially on 

the edges. By sponging heavily, it allows the flowers to show up in more stark contrast. Sponging the edge of the oval unites the look of the sponging overall. 

Making this into a gatefold card introduces more interest in that the central oval of flowers becomes even a bit more important and somewhat interactive.

And, by cutting out two of the flowers and popping them up over their flat-stamped counterparts, it adds more dimension. A little more interest comes through in the centers of the flowers via stamping, rather than just leaving the circles a flat brown. Read on to discover how this can be accomplished.

I am saddened that this exquisite stamp set, Vintage Vogue, is another one that has taken off 

to the Retirement Kingdom of Stampin' Up! beauties. But as always, Stampin' Up! has replaced it with a plethora of other gorgeous sets that would work admirably as a substitute in making this card. Some examples are Tea Shoppe (page 57), Betsy's Blossoms (page 72), Fruit and Flowers (page 82), Everything Eleanor (page 112), Bordering on Romance (page 120), Creative Elements (page 126), or Secret Garden (page 17 in the Spring Catalog). Take my ideas as your jumping-off point. I am just attempting to plant those little paper seedlings! Use your imagination!

Supplies:

Vintage Vogue stamp set (retired)

Teeny Tiny Wishes (page 133)

Naturals White card stock

Soft Suede card stock

Soft Suede ink

Dusty Durango (or Cajun Craze) ink

Old Olive ink

VersaMark ink

1/4" Circle Punch

1/2" Circle Punch

Paper Snips

Stampin' Sponge

Heat Tool

Embossing Buddy

Clear Embossing Powder

Stampin' Dimensionals

Simply Scored

Tissue

Instructions:

Score a 4 1/4" x 11" piece of Naturals White card stock at 2 3/4" and 8 1/4" on the Simply Scored. Crease on the score lines to create a gatefold card.

After rubbing the paper well with the Embossing Buddy, stamp vines around the edges of both sides of the gatefold in VersaMark. Sprinkle with Clear Embossing Powder and emboss with the Heat Tool.

With a Stamping Sponge in Soft Suede ink, sponge around the flowers until it is the darkness you desire. Wipe any excess ink off the flowers with tissue. Sponge the edges of the card with extra ink.

On an oval created from Naturals White card stock, stamp the flower images in Dusty Durango 

(or Cajun Craze). Add leaves as desired in Old Olive ink. On a scrap of Naturals White paper, stamp the large flower and one small flower. Carefully cut them out. With a Stampin' Dimensional in the center of the large flower, adhere it directly on top of the flat stamped flower. Repeat with the smaller flower, except use just a piece of Stampin' Dimensional from the edge of the sheet.

On a scrap of Soft Suede paper, use Soft Suede ink to stamp a large flower. Randomly from this stamped portion, punch one 1/2" circle and two 1/4" circles. With small drips of Tombow Multipurpose Adhesive on the dots, adhere them to the centers of the flowers.

Sponge edges of the oval in Soft Suede ink.

Use two Stampin' Dimensionals to adhere the oval to the left side of the gatefold.

Smiles.

I NEED A HOME

I created this card for my Stamp-In workshop attendees to make last month. It features one of my all-time favorite Stampin' Up! sets, Apothecary Art.

Island Indigo and Tempting Turquoise mesh together so well, and slipping in touches of Whisper White  make for a crisp and winning color combination.

Rather than forming the front of the card in a more traditional way where the focal point is mounted to the card front itself, I wanted to make the focal point alone serve as the card front.
I thought that by doing it this way would not only make it different, but also a bit more exquisite and feminine. And by having the solid Tempting Turquoise behind it provided the perfect backdrop.

My Big Shot proved to be very valuable to achieve this goal. Using two sizes of the Labels Collection Framelits (page 191) provided the basis. Placing the largest die from the Delicate Doilies Sizzlits L (page 191) and allowing only a bit of it to show below the point of the frame added the perfect lacy look. And by finishing the edge of the Whisper White at the top with
the Finishing Touches Edgelits (page 190) balanced the look of the lace on the bottom.

To paint the roses, I used an Aqua Painter (page 178) to pick up color directly from my ink pads to act as the "paint". If your hands are strong enough, you can also squeeze the closed ink pad 

to transfer a puddle of color to the top inside of the lid to use with your Aqua Painter. My hands are weak from arthritis, so I am unable to exert enough pressure to do this, so I simply use the ink pad itself as my paint palette. Doing this does not seem to affect the ink pad whatsoever. 

The Thinking of You sentiment comes from the Curly Cute set (page 138). It's perfect on this card, don't you think?

N O W . . . . . .

To explain the title of this blog post, I Need a Home.

I would like to send this card to one of my readers. At this writing, I am at 62 Followers on 

my blog. It makes me so happy each time I find another Follower has been added! BIG SMILES. 

I am honored.

As soon as I achieve 75 Followers, I will randomly draw the writer of one of the comments made 

on this card post as the recipient of my Thinking of You card. 

To get 13 more Followers may take a bit of time (or not!), so be patient. As I said, the moment 

I reach 75 Followers, the drawing will be done. And this little card will have a new home!

So, comment away. I LOVE hearing from you! 

Smiles.

TWO BY TWO

Have you noticed the darling stamp, Two by Two, found on page 60 of the big Stampin' Up! catalog? I did -- right away! This ark full of cute animals was just begging to be put on a baby card.

Because the image is so adorable, I decided to give it top billing, so to speak. A tent topper
card was called for.

In a tent topper card, the focal image extends beyond the top of the card. In creating a 

tent topper card, you must be careful to make the main portion of the card a bit smaller 

to accommodate the extension on the top. This way, the total size of the front of the card 

does not exceed the traditional 5 and 1/2" in height, in order for it to fit inside an A2 envelope, 

the size that is used for a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card.

The animals show up in all their cuteness a little better in this closeup of the ark. The image 

was colored in lightly with Stampin' Write Markers. To echo the blue of the ocean waves and 

the edges of the circle, I also sponged the edges of the "congratulations" label.

Here's how to recreate this Two by Two card:

Supplies:

Two by Two stamp set

Whisper White card stock

Daffodil Delight card stock

Pumpkin Pie card stock

Pumpkin Pie ink

Baja Breeze ink

Basic Black ink

Stampin' Write Markers in choice of colors

Big Shot

Delicate Doily Sizzlits

Apothecary Accents Framelits

Circles #2 Originals die

Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder

Small Heart Punch

Paper Piercing Tool

Instructions:

Fold a 8" x 4" of Daffodil Delight card stock in half, creasing well with a bone folder.

You will have several tasks to do with the Big Shot:

1. Run a 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" piece of Pumpkin Pie card stock through using the Delicate Doily
    Sizzlet die;

2. Run a 2" x 4" piece of Daffodil Delight paper through with the appropriate Apothecary
    Accents Framelit;

3. Run a 3 3/4" x 3 3/4" piece of Whisper White card stock through the Big Shot inside
    the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder;

4. On the Circles #2 Originals die, lay a 3" x 3" piece of Whisper White card stock over
    the largest of the circles and run through the Big Shot.

Use the Paper Piercing Tool to poke out the little pieces in the orange doily.

In Basic Black ink, stamp the Noah's Ark image on the white circle. Use your choice of Stampin' Write Markers to color the image as you wish. Sponge Baja Breeze ink all around the edges of the circle. Adhere the colored circle to the orange doily.

Stamp sentiment in Pumpkin Pie ink in the center of a 1 1/4" x 2 3/4" piece of Whisper White card stock. Sponge the edges with Baja Breeze ink. Adhere this piece to the Daffodil Delight tag.

Use the Small Heart punch to punch out two orange hearts, and adhere these to the sides of the sentiment piece.

Adhere dotted piece to card front, and do the same with the sentiment piece.

Put three Stampin' Dimensionals only on the LOWER HALF of the colored image, and attach to card front, with the top half of the image extending above the fold of the card.

Smiles.

O "FISH" ALLY

Just wanted to send you all a special Valentine -- from me to YOU!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Smiles.

CUT FLOWERS

I just added another item to my Etsy shop, an all-occasion card that is suitable for either a man or a woman.

You can see the handcut edges of the flowers in this photo, but this one showcases the unique look of the card better:

If you are interested in looking at additional views of the card, you can see them in my shop: https://www.etsy.com/listing/123524350/handcut-woodland-flower-all-occasion#variations-section

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I also want to remind you that Stampin' Up!'s Sale-A-Bration is in full swing. For every $50 

you spend (before shipping and taxes) you choose one free item from the special Sale-A-

Bration flyer. There are 19 selections in this flyer for you to choose from!

Access the flyer by clicking on the photo to the right on my blog. You can shop the current Stampin' Up! catalogs by clicking on the My Stampin' Up! Website icon or any of the catalogs shown.

Sale-A-Bration only comes once a year and will end on March 22, 2013.

Smiles.