Lovely Blossoming Buds

Aaaaaaand...I'm back, with another card for another challenge! This week on the  Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge Blog, the theme is *drum roll please*Woo hoo!!! I've wanted to play along for quite some time now but I didn't own any Paper Smooches Stamps....until now! I've been eyeing their lovely set, Blossoming Buds for some time now and finally "took the plunge". Here's a (nearly) one layer, fairly clean and simple card I made with my NBUS:

 I  started off with some 110# cardstock as my base. Then I cut in two different sizes the stitched mats, using my much loved and much used Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Rectangles. Then using my Tuxedo black ink, I inked up one of the large floral stamps in the set and stamps once on each corner of the smaller stitched rectangle. I then colored them with an assortment of Copics, Promarkers, Spectrum Noirs and the no longer available Pantone Letraset Markers (which I believe was the "forefather" to the Promarkers). I then went in with my white gel pen to add some detail. I then proceeded to line the back with some dimensional adhesive and mounted it on the larger stitched rectangle mat. All was mounted onto my card base and then finished off with some scattered Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear sequins! And I'm done and off to bed now but before I do, here's a closeup of some of my coloring:

Thanks for spending a portion of your day with me, I'll catch you next time. And until then...Craft on!

-O

So recently I've been on a shabby chic style kick inspired by Mellisa Phillips-- I just love how romantic and soft her cards are and wanted to step outside my comfort zone. Also, as mentioned I've really been enjoying coloring with my Spectrum Noirs and Copic markers. Here are a few card projects:

This first one is shabby but still a bit cleaner, not too much fuss. Rustic Cream cardstock from PTI for the base, layered with patterned papers from Echo Park and then topped with Spellbinders' Labels 1 & Decorative Labels 8. The stamp set used is Ruby Reprise from PTI, such a charming and beautiful set! Embellished with some flowers, pearls and ruffled satin. I love the combination of cream and various shades of green.

 This anniversary card was quite a bit of fun to create-- It was actually inspired by the large flower. I took apart petals from a fabric flower and took a strip of Blush colored felt, created a 'lolly' flower and topped with various sized pearls. I knew I wanted to use it in a card project and when I came across my stash of Prima Almanac collection papers, I knewI was in business! The base is Cream from PaperAndMore.com (a wonderful source for cardstock!!) , topped with the Prima patterned papers, glued down Flora Lace from The Ribbon Retreat and then I once again used Spellbinders' Decorative Labels 8. I first cutout the largest size and then took the next to largest one and solely embossed it into the first cut. I then layed a tag from Spellbinders' Decorative Tags and topped it off with another die cut from Decorative Labels 8. Finally stamped the sentiment in Memento ink, added pearls et voila!

This card is most likely either appropriate for a baby card or for the special little girl in your life! The stamp is from a set I purchased from Michaels, though I cannot recall the name. I then went ahead and colored it in using my Spectrum Noirs. I backed it with Decorative Labels 1 and a larger sized mat of Labels 1. I slightly distressed the edges with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink . Then to add a bit more interest, I tucked another Decorative tag at the back. The base is a cream cardstock bu layered with 3 different patterned papers all from the Easter 2013 Doodlebug collection. Between each layer, I applied ribbon-- the bottom is ruffled organza, in the middle a ruffled sation and finally at the top crochet lace. Topped it all off with some blush colored pearls and it was done! 

Hope you enjoyed these cards and I will be back with more soon!

Craft on!

-O

Bookmarks...

I recently received a new stamp set "All Booked Up" from PaperTrey Ink and just absolutely love it! I'm an avid reader and jumped at the opportunity to make adorable bookmarks that could be distributed as gifts to all! Here are a few:

 For this first one, I was going with a Shabby Chic look and what I love is that it allowed me to use a bunch of scraps-- I had a cream card base and then pieced together various scraps I had left over from other projects, added some distressing to each corner, lace between the different patters to break it up a bit and add interest, a sentiment on a Spellbinders label et voila!
 

Close up 

Here is another shabby chic bookmark-- similar color scheme and design but different colors and patterned paper. I just love the rustic look using distress inks with a stamp gives!

This one I wanted a cleaner and simpler look, though there still is quite a bit of "oomph". I used the brand new, lovely and FREE stamp set from Papertrey Ink called Ruby Reprise. Just a beautiful stamp set that allows for spectacular shadowing and dimension by layering the flowers. 

This bookmark is similar to the previous in that it is not quite as 'frilly' as the more vintage looking ones but still has plenty of interest. I used a stamp set from Penny Black for the florals and then colored them in with my Spectrum Noirs. I just really started getting in to coloring with alcohol markers so you will be seeing quite a bit of it from here on out

This final bookmark resembles the first two a bit more as it does have some of the same elements-- differing patterned papers, distressing, lace etc though the focal is this beautiful stamp from PTI that I of course colored in with my Spectrum Noirs again. As you are sure to notice, I absolutely love any color remotely close to aqua/teal so I implement it quite a bit into all of my artwork and cards!

Hope you enjoyed these and that it inspires you to make some of your own!


Craft on!

-O