Make It Monday #210

This Monday' challenge involved using vellum.  I'm really glad I gave it a try!  Often I make cards where the visual image is the most important and while I want to add a sentiment, I don't want it 

compete with my artwork.  After watching the video I realized that vellum could be the perfect answer for these situations!  Even better, I had a roll of vellum adhesive that has been sitting one of my drawers for a good year or more-- unused.  And it really works!  Doesn't show through the vellum, which I heat-embossed with silver embossing powder.

Cardstock:  PTI Select White, Hibiscus Burst, Vellum 

Sentiment:  PTI Get Well Wishes

Die: PTI  Peony Coverplate
Thermoweb vellum adhesive 

PTI April Blog Hop - Inlaid Peony

Inlaid Peony

This month's theme was pink and navy.  I love this PTI coverplate of a peony.  I've used it several times with watercolor, but this time I thought I would use navy cardstock as the background, then add the white cutout from the coverplace and then inlay two shades of pink cardstock.  I love the dramatic design!  It seemed anti-climatic to add a sentiment, though maybe a tiny one in the left corner would work.  My friend Betty has more than 30 peony bushes in her yard, and when they come into bloom, I get to take home the most wonderous and fragrant bunches of these luscious flowers!

Die:  PTI Peony coverplate

Cardstock:  Enchanted Evening, Hibiscus Burst, Raspberry Fizz, Select White (all PTI)

Embellishments:  PTI rainstones

Make It MONDAY #206

Today's challenge was to create a mix and match series of stamped papers and use them on a card.  This challenge really lends itself well to having some abstract stamps like dots and border stamps which I don't have many of --but I decided to give it a try.  My dotted paper came from two sets of stamps and so did the bold print.  The little flowers come from Petite Pots, and the  banner dies came from Bakers Dozen.  Quite a hodge podge of stuff.  all I can say is thank God my card-making pal and great friend Barb taught me to keep an inventory notebook of stamps!

Inks: Hawaiian Shores, lemon Zest and Hibiscus Pink

Images: Songbird, Meadow Greens, Petite Pots, Brushed Blooms, Funky Florals

Various Copic pens for flowers

Make it Monday: Watercolor Smooshing

OK so "watercolor smooshing"  is a technique where you apply ink to a clear acrylic block that usually holds a polymer stamp.  No stamp this time; instead you spray the color with water and apply to your paper, "smooshing" it a bit to blend the color.  I did a couple of try-sies and found that it really works best when the paper is also a bit damp.  I make a lot of motivational cards and thought "Leap Of Faith" with gold embossing would be great for this one with a vellum butterfly.

A few well-placed sequins to pick up these lovely pastels, and done!

Ink:  Summer Sunrise, Hibiscus Burst, Aqua Mist (all PTI)

Paper:  PTI Aqua Mist, Vintage Cream, Lemon Tart

Butterfly Die Cut:  Life Is Beautuful (PTI)

An Asian inspired Birthday Card.

Last year I was at a papercrafting convention and came across a single packet of Asian rice paper that looked a lot like silk brocade -  I only recognized it because I spent part of my childhood in China, and I saved it for special projects.  This photo doesn't do it justice, because there are bits of gold accents sprinkled among the flowers.

My sister Penny was born in China and is celebrating her birthday - a perfect occasion to get out this unique paper and turn it into an Asian-inspired birthday card.  In China, gold and red are the colors of good luck and prosperity, so in addition to the gold accents on the paper, I added the gold sequins and a gold-embossed "happy birthday" tune.  My sister has a great bird feeder on her porch and whenver I come for a visit we have a great time bird-watching from the kitchen table as well as on our walks in the woods.  So of course I added this bluebird, a symbol of happiness.  It picks up the bits of blue in the rice paper too!  And when we were growing up, the color pink was assigned to Penny by our Mum.  Pink sheets, Pink dressess, Pink bedroom!

Happy Birthday, Penny

Make It Monday #203

I happened to be playing with the new Anniversary set from PTI yesterday and it turned out to be today's challenge:  adding a "sketchy" quality to images with a black multiliner pen.  I do this often on cards where I've spritzed the color with water to create a watercolor effect.  It gives a lovely and casual hand-painted look.  Natural twine finshes off these pots of flowers.

Cardstock:  PTI White Select, Classic Kraft and Dark Chocolate
Image:  PTI Petite Pots
Inks:  New Leaf, Simply Chartreuse, and Ripe Avocado with Hibiscus Pink, Blueberry Sky and Winter Wisteria
Various Copic pens and a Copic Black Multiliner pen

PTI Anniversary Challenge - Metallics

Oh all these challenges have been so much fun!  Today's was to use neutrals and metallics, so I used Cream, black and Kraft cardstock.  I know that one of my kids will be celebrating some sort of achievement or another, so the idea for the card was a no-brainer!  I had some leftover metallic gold paper from Christmas - I bet this card would be even better with the new metallic cardstock that PTI is coming out with this month.  The garland comes from "Rustic Wreath" which I chopped in half, reminiscent of a crown of victory.   

  I love the boldness of this design- could be for a guy as well as for a triumphant gal.

Cardstock:  PTI Vintage Cream, Clasic Kraft, True Blac

Die: PTI Rustic Wreath, Un-Corked

Sentiment:  PTI Hip Hip Hooray