Dreaming - Flower Collection

Hi everyone.  Back with another two cards using Penny Black's new Dreaming release.  Today I used a different image from the Flower Collection stamp set (30-575).  I tried something a little different (for me) and I hope you like it ...

I wanted to use this image on a watercoloured (smooshed) background and practise more with the Bleaching Technique I learned at my recent retreat (thanks again, Susan!)  I started by smooshing Salty Ocean and Wilted Violet with a piece of mixed media paper.  I used lots of water so the colours are soft and well blended.

The image is stamped with Versamark and heat embossed in white.  A small paint brush and bleach was used to remove the background colour from the leaves and flowers.  I find I had to do one small part at a time (say, one leaf) with the bleach and then quickly blot with paper towel.  Otherwise the bleach would continue to spread and go outside of the white embossed lines.  Even though I was careful, it happened quite a few times, but I figured out how to quickly fix the problem ... add some diluted Salty Ocean ink. :)  Once the image was bleached, I then watercoloured with more distress inks (Peeled Paint, Wilted Violet).  The smile sentiment (Happy Snippets 30-358) was stamped and heat embossed in white to match the image.  To finish the card I added an antique frame (51-397).  I'm happy how this turned out.

Here's a close-up ...

Here's a second card using the same basic layout, but changing up the design with keeping the background white, and changing up the colours of the flowers.  The sentiment stamp is from Happy Heights (30-548).

A Leaf Stitched Frame (51-552) was popped up on top for added dimension.  Told you I knew I would use these A LOT! :)  This time I added just a little Twisted Citron green distress ink to the leaves to add something special to the frame.

I'm sending the first card over to Penny Black Saturday July Challenge - Anything Goes (2nd entry).

And I'm sending the second card to Penny Black & More July Challenge, where they are looking for summer colours.  I think the second card is very summery and fresh with the red and bright green. :)

******Summer Colours******

I hope you enjoyed my cards.  Thanks for visiting!

Card #1:  Smile
Stamps:  Flower Collection (Penny Black); Happy Snippets (Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet, Peeled Paint, Shabby Shutters (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  White embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, water brush, water mister, bleach, paint brush for bleach, Leaf Stitched Frames die (Penny Black)

Card #2:  Hello
Stamps:  Flower Collection (Penny Black); Happy Heights (Penny Black
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Grey Shadow Archival Ink (Ranger); Distress Inks:  Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Abandoned Coral, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water brush, Leaf Stitched Frames die (Penny Black)


Challenges:
Penny Black Saturday July Challenge - Anything Goes
Penny Black and More July Challenge - Summer Colours

Twofer Challenge #18

Hi everyone.  Today I'm playing along for fun with the Twofer Challenge #18!   I am no longer on the Design Team, but am still part of the team working with Darnell on the Admin side of things. :)

I will miss being on the DT with the other team members ... they are all so lovely!  A special thanks to Darnell for giving me this opportunty to be one of the Twofer Designers for 1 1/2 years.

You know how much I love flowers, so had to play along! :)

The challenge is to create two different garden cards for two different occasions, using the same stamp, die, or stencil.  Please make sure to take a photo of your two cards together and use that as your entry to the gallery.

I was way out of my comfort zone for my first card ... hardly any white space!  I started with a magicals background I had in my stash.  I stamped the garden image in black and clear embossed.  I then used bleach to remove the colour from the flowers, birdhouses, birds, and leaves.  Once finished, I went back and watercoloured those same images with distress inks.

I cut up the panels, one thicker for the sentiment and two thinner ones at the top, just to give more interest to the card. :)  Honestly, that took me the most time with making this card. :)

Here's a close-up ...

For my second card I used the same image and stamped onto mixed media paper.  Figured out where I wanted to crop it for framing and cut it down to size.  Watercoloured using watercolour pencils, taking the colour from the tip of the pencil with my paint brush (Darnell shared this great tip with us at our retreat --- thanks Dolly!).  Easy, peasy and done quicky.  Framed and added sentiment.

Here's the close-up ...

As always, the Design Team and wonderful Guest Designers, Kathy and Robyn, have provided lots of amazing inspiration.  Come play along!  The challenge is open until end of day, July 24th.

Stamps:  Good Neighbors (Penny Black); Happy Snippets (Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base and stitched frame (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Magicals; Black (Memento); Distress Inks: Brushed Cordoroy, Gathered Twigs, Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon, Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Salty Ocean, Twisted Cirton, Mowed Lawn, Wilted Violet, Picked Raspberry, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, water brush, clear embossing powder, heat tool, Stitched Frame die (Lil' Inkers)

Challenges:
Twofer Card Challenge #18 - Garden

Dreaming - Bliss

Hi everyone.  Back with another new stamp from Penny Black's latest release - Dreaming.  This beautiful flower is call Bliss (40-667).

For the card above, I started with a paper towel transfer background.  After using Lindy's magicals for another project, I wiped up the leftover ink and then transferred it to this card front of mixed media paper.  Not only does it make a pretty background, but there is sparkle from the magicals.

I stamped the image in gray Archival ink and watercoloured using more magicals.  Simple sentiment (Huggable 30-588) was stamped to finish the card.

Here's a close-up ... (camera didn't pick up the shimmer --- it's so pretty!)

While I had this beautiful stamp on my desk, I made a second card.  This time I stamped Bliss (40-667) in very light green ink several times to create the look of flowers in the background.  The stamp was inked with Old Paper Distress Ink, blotted off once, and then stamped onto the main panel before inking up again and repeating the process (second generation stamping).

I decided to go with a monochromatic look of all green, stamping the image in a dark green and watercolouring the petals and leaves with a lighter green.  I cut the panel down and added the pretty Leaf Stitched Frame (51-552) which is also part of the new release.  A simple sentiment was stamped from one of the stamp sets in the Dreaming release called Happy Heights (30-548).  I thought the main image was a little dark, so added some dots with a white paint pen to lighten.

Here's the close-up ...

I hope you've enjoyed my two cards using the Bliss image.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Stamps:  Bliss (Penny Black); Huggable (Penny Black); Happy Heights (Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Grey Shadow (Archival ink by Ranger); Lindy's Magicals (Hydrangea blue; Freaky Franken Lime; Yellow Rose of Texas); Distress Inks: Salty Ocean, Old Paper, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Water brush, Leaf Stitched Frames die

Penny Black New Release - Dreaming

Hi everyone.  Sharing three cards made with one image from a set of flowers stamps (Flower Collection - 30-575), part of the new release by Penny Black - Dreaming.  As you all know ... I love flowers and I love to make flower cards.  :)

I have used the same liquid platinum embossing powder for the first two cards, black ink for the last card.  And I have watercoloured all three cards with distress inks.  The difference between the cards is layout, colours, sentiments, and frame (third card).

The first card is watercoloured using Seedless Preserves and Shabby Shutters.  Have just used the two colours, shading by using a paper towel and then water brush to smooth out the blends.  I used a white paint pen to colour the stamens.  For the sentiment, I wanted it to look watercoloured, so added ink to the stamp, blotted once to lighten the colour, spritzed lightly once and then stamped.  Happy with how it turned out. :)

Here's a close-up ...

Even though I'm working with flowers, I went with a different colour combination for the second card.  These colours give more of a masculine feel ... or perhaps would make a good sympathy card.  The combination is Crushed Olive for the flowers, Forest Moss for the leaves.  Stamped the image three times near the bottom of my card.  Watercoloured and then added a green card stock strip at the bottom for the white heat embossed sentiment.

I fussy cut along the top of the flowers and only taped the strip at the bottom, so the flowers are free flowering at the top.

Here's a close-up ...

For the last card I made a super feminine card using pink for the flowers.  I LOVE PINK!  I used just one image of the flowers (fussy-cut) and framed it with a pretty leaf frame that is also new to this release (Leaf Stitched Frames 51-552).

The flowers and leaves are coloured with Picked Raspberry and Twisted Citron Distress inks.  I think this colour combo is so fresh and summery, especially with all the white space on the card.  And I LOVE that sweet little frame. I see myself using this A LOT! :)  The sentiment is also from the same stamp set (Flower Collection 30-575).

Here's a close-up ...

I hope you've enjoyed the different versions using this one image.  I have lots more cards using the new release to share in the coming days. :)

I'll share the first card (Enjoy every Moment) over to PB Saturday Challenge where "Anything Goes" Penny Black.

I'm adding the third card (Thank you in pink and green) to the Penny Black and More July Challenge - Summer Colours.

******Summer Colours******

Stamps: Flower Collection (30-575); Enjoy every Moments - Special Sentiments (30-574); Big Hugs - Family Sentiments (30-555) - all Penny Black stamps
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Green card stock (Always Artichoke - Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress Inks:  Seedless Preserves, Shabby Shutters, Crushed Olive, Forest Moss, Picked Raspberry, Twisted Cirton
Accessories & Tools:  water brush, water mister, Liquid Platinum embossing powder (Ranger); heat tool

Challenges:
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - July - Anything Goes
Penny Black and More July Challenge - Summer Colours