Happy - with watercolors MIM

Papertrey's Make It Monday was to create something with a watercolor effect.  I thought it would be a good opportunity to get out my new stamp set, "Embellished Elegance".  I "painted" my flowers an leaves first and then used my PTI "happy" die to create a layered effect. "Birthday" comes from "Everyday Happiness".  It needed a little something as an accent, so I added a bit of sparkle.

Cardstock:  PTI Hawaiian Shores

Inks:  Hawaiian Shores, Summer Sunshine, Limeade Ice

Spring really IS coming - despite these cold, icy, snowy days!

We are so close to the arrival of Spring ----But so far away, when a day full of blustery wind, sleet and  snain (snow/rain) arrives.  I love this card because it shows the contrast between an exceptionally long and bitter winter and the arrival of spring in all its colorful glory.  I double-stamped the trees in Memento Grey ink and added more branches with a Copic Mulitiliner .03 pen.  - Colored the letters with Copics and added some suggestion of daffodils.  I know spring is coming soon.  Can't wait!

Paper:  PTI Kraft cardstock, Select White

Stamps:  MFT "Happy Spring", PTI Polka Dot Parade #6

Ink:  Memento Grey Flannel

Pretty Colors

I always keep a few "get well" cards on hand as I am the one who sends prayer requests to the prayer team in my spiritual community - This time, instead of stamping the flowers and leaves in black or grey, I stamped their outlines in the colors I was planning on using and then filled them in with Copics.  With each card I make I discover more of my own sense of style.  For sure, one aspect is that I especially love to work with any outlined image that I can color in my own way with Copics or watercolor - or stamp with a "watercolor" effect.

Paper:  PTI Rasberry Fizz, New Leaf, White

Stamps:  PTI Garden Grace, Get Well Wishes
Ink: PTI Rasberry Fizz, New Leaf, Hawaiian Shores, Orange Zest

A Gentleman's Get Well Card

I'm not much of a fan of more somber colors such as the vintage or urban look, but sometimes they are the perfect choice for a masculine card. And it's that Doodlie Doo stamp set AGAIN!  It was just right stamped in the background and not too frou-frou for a gentleman's get well card.

Stamps:  Doodlie Doo, Get Well Wishes - PTI

Paper:  Rustic Cream, Kraft, Pinefeather - PTI

Ink:  Classic Kraft, Dark Chocolate -PTI

Weekly Cheer Card

My daughter recently started her own business in a distant city.  She's facing the highs and lows of being sales manager/president/cashflow manager/and recruiter at the same time!  So I am inspired to send her an encouraging card once a week.  This was pure stroke of happenstance.  I was flipping through a new seashore themed 8x8 paper pack from Graphic 45, saw some of these images and knew I had the perfect card for the week!  I made up my own sentiment for the inside and used a shark stamp that I found on RubberHedgehog Stamps.

MIM - Cherry Blossom "Confetti"

Today's Make It Monday PTI Challenge was to make "confetti" out of existing dies.  I don't have a bunch of coverplates to do this with but I got the idea of using my Mighty Bloom die to make a bunch of cherry blossoms and leaves.  If you are from the Baltimore/Washington area, you know that the surest sign of spring is the cherry blossoms blooming near the Jefferson Memorial!  If you stand under the trees, a blossom or two are sure to drift down past you.  

Blossoms: Cut from PTI Mighty Bloom and dabbed with Copics.

Frame:  Rasberry Fizz and Hibiscus Cardstock

Make It Monday

Love it when the PTI MMM challenge uses stuff I actually have!  This time the challenge was to make a single layer card, adding interest with embossing, multi-generational stamping, etc.  I first stamped the flowers with the back side of the PTI Circles stamp set, then stamped the front side with Versamark and heat embossed with white to add detail and texture --plus an accent here and there with Copics.  Stamped the sentiment from the new Bold Bouquet stamp set in in summer sunrise ink and heat embossed in clear.  The last step was leaves, my favorites!  The first layer was done watercolor style, dabbing a bit of water from a water brush on to the inked stamp.  Second layer was pure ink.  I so love this style!  It gives a transparent, sun dappled effect to the leaves!

Stamps: Circle Scribbles, Meadow Greens, Bold Bouquet

Inks:  Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Limeade Ice