Pink Vellum Rose

Woke up to a bit of snow today.  Forecaster said we were going to have rain, rain, rain for the next week ... but I guess it was a little colder overnight than they expected and we got just a dusting of snow.  Enough to cover the ground and make everything look pretty and bright.  Sadly, the rain has just started, so the snow will be gone shortly.  Good day to stay inside and play in the art studio - at least for the morning.  The skills competition for the NHL is this afternoon and hubby and I will be watching that ... along with the All-Star game tomorrow - we LOVE hockey!

On to the card for today.  I just loved the Technique Lover's Challenge this week - (TLC361 - Inspired by Belleek Pottery)  ... that I had to make one more card using this technique of inking an embossing folder with a very subtle color.  I was inspired by Roxie's card (Rox71) on SCS this week.  She used vellum layers to make a delicate flower and I used her idea to create the rose for my card.  See Roxie's gorgeous card by clicking here.

"Pink Vellum Rose"

Stamps:  Happiest Birthday Wishes (sentiment) (SU!)

Paper:  Whisper White, Wild Wasabi (SU!); pink and green vellum

Ink:  Crumb Cake, Regal Rose, Garden Green (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  Spellbinder's Rose Creations die-cut, Sizzix Little Leaves die-cut, Cuttlebug "Textile" embossing folder, Big Shot, 5/8" Sheer White ribbon, small brad, Crystal Effects, sponges, bone folder, brayer, sticky strips, glue dots and adhesives

* * * * *

I started with the rose ... I cut out several layers of pink vellum in varying sizes.  I sponged all around the outside of the petals and also in the very middle of the flowers with Regal Rose ink.  I used my bone folder to curl the edges of each petal downward (with the exception of the smallest flower to be used for the center).  I layered all the flowers together and threaded a brad through and secured the flower together.  I bent the petals from the top (smallest) flower up, overlapping them and used a few drops of Crystal Effects to hold them together (center bud of flower).  I they bent each flower upwards and then moved the layers around until I was happy with how it looked.

I used the Little Leaves die-cut with the green vellum to cut out two sprigs.  I sponged the edges of the leaves and up the stem with Garden Green ink.

I used my brayer to add a light layer of Crumb Cake ink to the inside of my embossing folder, added a layer of Whisper White cardstock and ran it through my Big Shot.  I trimmed it to size and then wrapped the sheer ribbon around the top, making a bow at the top, and off to one side (opposite side that the rose will be on).

I stamped the sentiment in Crumb Cake ink onto Whisper White cardstock and trimmed to size.  I wanted the sentiment to be very subtle and not take away from the rose focal point of the card.

I assembled all the layers onto a Whisper White card front, using glue dots to secure the rose and leaf sprigs.

I mounted the card front onto a card base of Wild Wasabi (doesn't show when looking at the front of the card - just for stability).

Out on a Limb

A beautiful day here on the Westcoast.  Nice and dry ... the rain has finally stopped and the sun is shining.  Hubby and I decided to take full advantage of the nice day and headed out for a walk along Crescent Beach (about 20 min. drive from our house).  We got some exercise, enjoyed the beautiful ocean views and then stopped in Ocean Park (next to Crescent Beach) for a delicious lunch at the Village Pub (our first time there).  It was a great way to spend some time together!

Once back home, I headed into the art studio to work on a card for today's Ways To Use It Challenge (WT359 - Looking back ... use at least two WT challenges from the past year on your card).  Well, I managed to fit in four previous challenges (WT312 - Seeing spots; WT322 - Terrific Trees; WT346 - Leaves; WT358 - Sew Beautiful).  I used the paper piecing technique on today's card (one of my favorite techniques!).  Hope you like.

"I'd go out on a limb for you"



Stamps:  Tree Swing, sentiment (Stampendous)

Paper:  Early Espresso, Whisper White, Soft Suede DP (SU!)

Ink:  Early Espresso; Stampin' Write marker:  Old Olive (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  Cappuccino Twine (The Twinery), embroidery needle, 1/4" Early Espresso grosgrain ribbon, Tombow glue, and adhesives

* * * * *

I stamped the tree in Early Espresso ink onto Whisper White cardstock.  I stamped it a second time onto the Soft Suede polka-dot DP.  I cut out the tree trunk from the polka-dot paper and used Tombow glue to glue it on top of my image on the Whisper White cardstock.  I also cut out the base of the swing and glued it on top of the main panel.  I used my Old Olive Stampin' Write marker to color in the leaves on the tree.

I threaded a piece of Cappuccino Twine onto my embroidery needle and tied a knot at the end (this will be the knot that sits under the base of the tree swing).  I sewed the twine through my main panel, adding a little Tombow glue to hold it in place.  I repeated with a second piece of twine to finish the swing.

I mounted a large piece of the Soft Suede polka-dot DP onto a card base of Early Espresso.

I mounted the main panel onto a frame of Early Espresso cardstock and then mounted it to the card.  In hindsight I could have just used the card base to mount the main panel, along with a smaller piece of the polka-dot DP, but I originally had made a horizontal card and then changed my mind about the layout.

I stamped the sentiment in Early Espresso ink, mounted it on a frame of the same color and adhered it to the front of the card.

I wrapped the 1/4" grosgrain ribbon around the top of the card, tying a knot off-center.

Artistic Fern Sketch

Today's SCS Sketch Challenge was a little difficult for me ... I guess that's why they call it a challenge :)

I'm not great with diagonal shapes on cards and struggled a little putting this card together.  First I started with the main image (as it is now), but included patterned paper for the background and diagonal stripe.  It just didn't work for me ... so I ended up with a CAS (clean and simple) version for this sketch ... just using plain cardstock (along with one strip being dry embossed) so that the focus was all on the main image ... a beautiful stamp by Hero Arts called Artistic Fern.

SCS Sketch 369:

 Here's my version of the sketch above.  Hope you like.

 "Artistic Fern"

Stamp: Artistic Fern (Hero Arts)

Paper:  Always Artichoke, River Rock, Whisper White (SU!)

Ink:  River Rock; Stampin' Write markers: Old Olive, Always Artichoke (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  sponge, Sizzix "Square Lattice" embossing folder, Big Shot, three More Mustard brads, pencil, paper piercing tool, sticky strips, adhesives and dimensionals

* * * * * 

I inked the stamp with the Stampin' Write markers and stamped onto Whisper White cardstock.  I trimmed the image to size and mounted on a thin frame of Always Artichoke cardstock.  I sponged River Rock ink to soft the contrast.

I ran a strip of River Rock and a strip of Always Artichoke through my Big Shot with the Square Lattice embossing folder.  I trimmed them to size and mounted them on a card front of Always Artichoke.

I dry fit the main image and then used a pencil to mark where I wanted the three brads.  I pierced holes over my pencil marks and threaded through the brads.  Using sticky strips, I mounted the card front onto a card base of Always Artichoke (I used a separate card front so that the back of the brads would be sandwiched between layers.

I mounted the main image onto the card, popping it up with dimensionals to add depth.

Luck of the Irish and Irish Rose cards

Quick update ... I received an email that the link to the paper tole tutorial included with the rose card from yesterday, wasn't working.  Sorry about that ... I have now fixed the problem and the link is working.  Thanks Susan for letting me know ... I appreciate you taking the time to email me!!

Also I had to make another card for TLC361 - Inspired by Belleek Pottery :)

I used the same technique as the card earlier today for creating the "Belleek" background.  I've included in the photo below, the two lovely Belleek vases that my SIL has given me over the years (she's originally from Ireland), along with the card they inspired.  Hope you like.  

"Luck of the Irish"

Stamps:  Sincere Salutations (SU!)

Paper:  Garden Green, River Rock, watercolor (SU!)

Ink:  River Rock, Wild Wasabi, Garden Green (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  Cuttlebug "Floral Screen" embossing folder, Big Shot, brayer, water mister, sponges, heart-to-heart punch, 2-step bird punch, Aqua Painter, 1/4" Garden Green grosgrain ribbon, 1/4" hole punch, sticky strips, glue dots, Tombow glue, and dimensionals

* * * * *

I made my background paper by lightly misting watercolor paper with water, wiping off excess (leaving paper damp) and placing it in the embossing folder that was inked on one side with River Rock ink (using the brayer to get it even).

I punched several small hearts from watercolor paper, misted with water and added Wild Wasabi re-inker with my Aqua Painter so that the ink "bled" into the paper.  Once dry, I sponged all the edges with more Wild Wasabi ink and used the Stampin' Write marker to add the details.

I punch the leaf sprig from the 2-step owl punch three times from River Rock cardstock.  I cut off all the leaves to make the "stem" as long as possible.  I also punched three 1/4" circles and glued them onto the tips of the stems (used as a base to glue on the hearts).  I glued three hearts onto each stem and let them dry.

I inked the sentiment in Garden Green ink and misted lightly with water before stamping onto watercolor paper.  I trimmed to size, sponged the edges with River Rock ink and then mounted on a River Rock frame (also with the edges sponged with more River Rock ink).

I wrapped two pieces of Garden Green grosgrain ribbon around the embossed panel and tied knots (offsetting them).  I used sticky strips to adhere the embossed panel to the card base of Garden Green cardstock. 

I added the shamrocks (adhering them with glue dots) and the sentiment (popped up with dimensionals) to the front of the card.

____________________

Today is the Technique Lover's Challenge (TLC361) - Inspired by Belleek Pottery.  Besides being inspired by the pottery itself, there is another part of the challenge, that is to make your background of your card look by porcelain by inking an embossing folder with a very subtle color and running it through with white cardstock.  Not sure what the name is for that particular technique ... but love the results I got using my new Cuttlebug "Textiles" embossing folder that I got for Christmas from my dear friend, Kelly.  It's hard to tell in the photo, but the background is a soft version of Crumb Cake and really makes the white raised embossing stand out.

  

I was inspired by the colors of the Belleek roses that were shown in the examples for the challenge, so I used my Spellbinder's Rose Creation die-cut and Razzleberry ink to make a purple rose.  I actually have two pieces of Belleek, given to me by my dear SIL, Moe ... I may have to make another card using them for inspiration.

"Irish Rose"



Stamps:  On the Grow (sentiment) (SU!)

Paper:  Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, watercolor paper (SU!)

Ink:  Crumb Cake, Rich Razzleberry, Certainly Celery (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  Cuttlebug "Textiles" embossing folder, Big Shot, brayer, water mister, ornament punch, sponges, Spellbinder's Rose Creation Die-cut, Sizzix Little Leaves die-cut, small oval punch, medium oval punch, 1/4" Rich Razzleberry grosgrain ribbon, Scor-Pal, stylus, clear stickles, brad, sticky strips, glue dots, Tombow glue, and dimensionals

* * * * *

I used watercolor paper for the background.  Just had an idea that if I used damp watercolor paper, the ink color for the background would be very soft ... it worked.  I misted the watercolor paper with water, used a brayer to add ink to the front inside panel of my embossing paper, wiped the excess water off the paper (leaving it damp, not wet) and then ran it through with the folder in my Big Shot ...I just love the look!).

I took a second piece of watercolor paper and used my Scor-Pal to create a grid.  I punched out an ornament and trimmed off the bottom.  I added just a little drop of stickle at each intersection of the grid to give the vase bling.  I sponged the edges with Crumb Cake ink so that it would stand out from the background.  I used the leftover grid cardstock for the sentiment and also sponged the edges of the small oval with Crumb Cake ink.  I mounted it on a medium oval frame of Rich Razzleberry cardstock.

I sponged Whisper White cardstock with Razzleberry ink and then die-cut four of the smallest roses from the Rose Creation Nestabilities.  I sponged more Rich Razzleberry around each petal of the four roses ... for the one I used in the middle, I sponged the underside just in case some if it would show.  I used my stylus to curl the petals on each flower and then layered them together and secured them with a brad (doesn't show).  I gathered up the first layer and pinched it together to created the middle of the flower, using Tombow glue to secure.  I then moved the other petals around until I was happy with the look.

I cut out the Little Leaves from Certainly Celery cardstock and then sponged the edges with more Certainly Celery ink to give them dimension.

I assembled the card front, adding 1/4" grosgrain ribbon about 3/4" from the bottom of the edge and tying a knot off center.  I used the ribbon as if it were a ledge to hold my vase.  I added the vase, popping it up with dimensionals to add depth.  I attached the leaf sprig and rose using glue dots.

I mounted the card front onto the card base of Rich Razzleberry and also attached the sentiment with sticky strips.