Thinking Of You

I'm having so much fun playing around with different watercolor techniques!  There are so many ideas to choose from.

For this card I started with a piece of watercolor paper and picked out two colors of distress inks:  Ripe Persimmon and Festive Berries.  I placed some of the ink on a clear stamping block, picked up the ink with a brush and a little water and stroked the ink onto the paper.  I applied it to the paper until I got the look I wanted, leaving some of the edges lighter than the rest of the card.

I stamped the sentiment in Versamark ink, sprinkled it with white Zing embossing powder and heated it with my heat tool.  The image is mounted onto a white card base, with a little bit of white showing on the left side.  I also rounded the bottom right hand corner.

To finish the card, I added butterflies, cut in a pattern paper, placing clear gems in the centers.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Mini Blooms
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select; Watercolor
• Ink:  Tim Holtz Ripe Persimmon, Festive Berries Distress; Versamark
• Tools:  Memory Box Dancing Butterflies; Corner Rounder
• Other:  Zing Embossing Powder; Heat Tool; Gems; Brush
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Hello My Friend (CAS #10)

Here's another CAS card for today.  I'm certainly getting a lot of use from this stamp set!  And to think I wasn't going to buy it because I thought, do I really need a scribbled circles stamp set?  YES!!!!  I got the idea for this card from Cristina K, one of the PTI Design Team members.

I started with a white cardstock card base and stamped the scribbles on it in 3 different ink colors.  I added additional circles from Sketched Shapes in Aqua Mist ink

I stamped the sentiment in black ink and added the sequins.  The sequins really add to the card!  I rounded the one corner on the bottom right to finish it.  Simple!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Circle Scribbles, Sketched Shapes
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select
• Ink:  PTI Aqua Mist, Melon Berry; Memento Cantaloupe, Tuxedo Black; Brilliance Pearlescent Orchid
• Tools:  Corner Rounder
• Other:  Sequins
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Happy Birthday (CAS #9)

Sketched Shapes is such a fun stamp set!  So many ways to use it.  I saw this card on Nichole's blog, and basically repeated what she did.  I'm sure I changed it up a bit, maybe with the sentiment?

I stamped the banners on white cardstock, overlapping them, using two different blue inks.   I stamped the sentiment in black ink to fit right in the corner of the two intersecting banners.

I die-cut a circle in  white, stamped "HB" (for happy birthday) on it and placed it on foam tape.  I rounded the bottom right hand corner and adhered it to a Hawaiian Shores card base.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Sketched Shapes, Bountiful Banners
• Paper:  PTI Hawaiian Shores, White Stampers Select
• Ink:  VersaMagic Turquoise Gem, Aquatic Splash; Memento Tuxedo Black
• Tools:  PTI Bountiful Banners Die; Corner Rounder; Standard Circle Nestabilities Die
• Other:  Foam Tape
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

PTI Make It Monday #159: No-Sew Quilted Cards

This technique was so easy to do and is a good way to use up some of those scraps we don't like to throw away!  Here's the link to the video, this week hosted by Dawn McVey.

I needed to make an Easter card and went through my scraps and pulled out 4 different patterns to use.  I cut the pattern paper into 1.5" squares and placed them on a Spring Moss card front, following the design Dawn used.  For my first attempt, I eyeballed the line of squares going from the top left to the bottom right, but they weren't centered.  Since I'm a perfectionist, I had to correct that issue!  Here's a tip on how I fixed it:

Tip:  In pencil, I drew a light line diagonally from the upper left corner to the bottom right corner.  On the first square I wanted to use for the card, I made a small pencil mark at the bottom of the square in the center at 3/4" (the squares are 1.5"). Then I matched the mark on the square to the diagonal line on the card and the square was perfectly angled and centered. You don't have to mark any other squares, once you have the first one lined up the rest will fall into place.  Perfection!

After all the squares were in place, I impressed the design with my Twist Cover Plate --- it really does give the illusion the card is quilted!  I made the sentiment on the computer and layered it on a piece of light purple paper, both cut with circle nestabilities and placed on foam tape.  To complete the card, I added a sheer, light purple ribbon at the top.

Card Details:

• Paper:  PTI Spring Moss, Egg Hunt, 2008 Bitty Dot Basics, White Stampers Select
• Tools:  PTI Cover Plate:  Twist Die; Standard & Scalloped Circle Nestabilities
• Other:  Ribbon; Foam Tape
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5" 

For A Gracious Hostess

Okay, funny story about this card.  I needed to make a bunch of thank you cards and stamped "gracious" on the card.  I thought it said "gracias"......not gracious!  Luckily I had room to stamp a few more words to make it say "for a gracious hostess".  I should have realized it was "gracious" since the stamp set is called Gracious Vases!  lol

I drew a line in pencil on white cardstock so my vases would be lined up straight, and stamped them in three different ink colors:  Spring Moss, Lemon Tart and cantaloupe.  I added the contents of the vases in Spring Moss ink.

For the shelf, I cut a piece of Spring Moss stripe pattern paper and placed it under the vases.  I used a punch to create the half circle and tied Buttercream twine around the card.  The sentiment is stamped in black ink.

To add a little sparkle to the card, I put glitter on the items in the vases.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Gracious Vases
• Paper:  PTI Spring Moss, White Stampers Select, Spring Moss Pattern
• Ink:  PTI Spring Moss, Lemon Tart; Memento Cantaloupe, Tuxedo Black
• Tools:  Circle Punch
• Other:  Twine; Glitter
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Happy Anniversary

I'm still trying to add to my anniversary card stash!

I started stamping flowers on white cardstock, using a color combination Nichole used on her blog which  convinced me to buy this set!  The flowers are stamped twice, once is a lighter color ink, and then again in a coordinating darker color, slightly off image to give the flowers a more dimensional look.  I stamped the flower centers in black ink.  To fill in some of the spaces, I used a dot cluster, stamped in light green ink.

I stamped the sentiment in black ink, rounded the right corners and placed the image on a Tropical Teal cardstock card base.  I wasn't sure which color I wanted to highlight - the teal is just so pretty I really wanted it to pop!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Embellished Elegance
• Paper:  PTI Tropical Teal, White Stampers Select
• Ink:  PTI Pure Poppy; Memento Cantaloupe, Tangelo, Rosebud, Teal Zeal; VersaMagic Turquoise Gem, Tuxedo Black, Pear Tart
• Tools:  Corner Rounder
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Thank You

Well, I'm going to enter PTI's Make It Monday #158 again (see April 2 post for details).  Now I have two chances of winning!  haha

I've been looking at my Leave It Be stamp set sitting on my desk and decided to use it for this card.  I started with Rustic Cream cardstock and stamped the leaf images onto it.  The leaves are stamped in Spring Moss ink and spritzed with water, noticeable by the "watercolor" marks in the leaves.  I stamped the leaf veins in Kraft ink.  To fill in some of the spaces on the card, I stamped the fern from Lovely Layers, also in Kraft ink.

Using Sketched Shapes, I die-cut the banner in Spring Moss cardstock and stamped the sentiment in Kraft ink.  I wrapped a little bit of jute around the edge of the banner and adhered it to the card with foam tape.  I rounded the corners and placed it on a Kraft cardstock card base.

This will make a nice masculine thank you card!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Leave It Be, Keep It Simple: Thank You, Lovely Layers
• Paper:  PTI Kraft, Rustic Cream, Spring Moss
• Ink:  PTI Kraft, Spring Moss
• Tools:  PTI Sketched Shapes Die; Corner Rounder
• Other:  Jute; Foam Tape
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Baby (CAS #8)

And another girl card!  I had to make more girl cards because two of my friends had their granddaughters born on the same day!  At least I won't have any trouble remembering both birthdays!

I started with a white cardstock card base and added a layer of light pink and this sweet shoe pattern paper, using Card Edgers #4 to shape the bottom.

I die-cut "baby" in the same pink paper and in coaster for support.  I didn't want to put "baby" on foam tape so the coaster helped add a little dimension.  To add a little sparkle, I put coarse glitter on "baby".  This was really quick to make but looks like it wasn't.

Card Details:

• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select; DCWV; Me & My Big Ideas
• Tools:  PTI Card Edgers #4 Die, Wonderful Words: Baby Die
• Other:  PTI Coaster; Glitter
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Happy Birthday

After I dug out my watercolor markers the other day, I also found a spritzer tool (another ancient QVC purchase).  I can remember using it a few times, but now see it's trendy!  I guess it pays not to get rid of craft items because eventually, like fashion, they'll be back in style!  haha

I started with a piece of white cardstock, and using the spritzer tool, sprayed 3 different colors of pink on the background.   I stamped the sentiment in black ink and added the border around the card.

I die-cut the balloon and stamped it in rosebud ink.  While it was still wet, I sprinkled it with clear embossing powder and heat embossed it to give it a shiny look (which can't be seen in the picture).

I added a piece of Charcoal twine and attached the twine to the card with mini glue dots to create the swirled look.  The balloon is on foam tape for dimension.  The image is adhered on a Raspberry Fizz cardstock card base.  Very festive looking!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Wet Paint, Birthday Style
• Paper:  PTI Raspberry Fizz, White Stampers Select
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Rosebud; Watercolor Markers
• Tools:  PTI Birthday Style Die
• Other:  Color Spritzer; Twine; Foam Tape; Filigree Embossing Powder; Heat Tool; Glue Dots
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Happy Birthday

Has it been long enough since I posted a card using the Be Happy set?  haha  I'm so happy I'm getting so much use out of this set!

I started with a piece of white cardstock and stamped the box in the center in light brown ink, delighted it was straight and centered!  Next, I stamped the butterflies in turquoise ink, adding the antenna in black ink.  I die-cut the butterfly bodies and stamped them in rosebud ink, attaching them on foam tape for dimension.

I wanted more of the rosebud ink on the card and stamped the stripe at the bottom.  The sentiment is stamped in black ink.  I rounded the corners and adhered it to a Hawaiian Shores card base.  It is a happy looking card!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Be Happy
• Paper:  PTI Hawaiian Shores, White Stampers Select
• Ink:  Memento Toffee Crunch, Rosebud, Tuxedo Black; VersaMagic Turquoise Gem
• Tools:  Be Happy Dies; Corner Rounder
• Other:  Foam Tape
• Card Size:   4.25" x 5.5"

With Sympathy (MIM #158)

PTI's Make It Monday #158 this week is "Stamping With Watercolor Mediums", and since I've been playing with watercolor techniques recently, I thought I'd enter my card. 

I started with the stems, inking the stamps with two different green watercolor markers.  I bought these markers about 10 years ago from QVC and I was shocked they still worked!  After I inked up the stems, I added a bit of water on the stamps with a water filled brush and stamped them onto watercolor paper.

For the flowers, I inked up the stamps with red and orange distress inks and spritzed them with water.  I used this same technique for the butterfly, and after it was dry, added the flying trail, antenna and little dots to the butterfly body.

I stamped the sentiment in black ink and adhered the image to a Pure Poppy cardstock card base, leaving a bit of the red showing on the left side.  My last step was rounding just one corner on the bottom right.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Botanical Silhouettes, Places Please, Embellished Elegance, Be Happy
• Paper:  PTI Pure Poppy; Watercolor
• Ink:  Tim Holtz Ripe Persimmon, Festive Berries Distress Ink; Memento Tuxedo Black
• Tools:  Corner Rounder
• Other:  Water Brush; Watercolor Markers
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Happy Birthday (Scraps)

Happy April!  We are finally supposed to get some Spring-like weather this week.  It's been a long time coming!

Isn't this a clever, but simple card?  I saw this card on Pinterest via Judy's Card Corner - this is the link to the home page of her blog.  Unfortunately, whoever originally pinned the card didn't do it correctly and I couldn't find the actual card on her blog, but wanted to give her credit for the idea.

I took a piece of white cardstock and made two score lines (hard to see in the picture) around the edges - the first line is 1/4" from the edge and the second is 1/8" next to the first line.  I stamped the sentiment on the bottom in purple ink.

The boxes are made from scraps - I cut one box 1-5/8" x 2" and the other 1.25" x 2.5.  I die-cut the bows in coordinating cardstock (also scraps), placed them on the boxes and adhered them to white cardstock. For a little dimension and bling I added the little silver gems to the bow centers.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Birthday Bash Sentiments
• Paper:  PTI Plum Pudding, Spring Moss, Happy Spots, Polka Dot Parade
• Ink:  Memento Sweet Plum
• Tools:  Memento Crisp Bows Dies; Scor-Pal
• Other:  Gems
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"