Faux Patina

Today’s card challenge is a technique! I choose to attempt my hand at the faux patina technique. While this technique is more involved than some others, it's really not that hard to accomplish. I found a great tutorial here.

I ended up with a more colorful background than the card in the tutorial, but I love the peeks of color I get with this card. As I wanted the technique to be the focus of the card, I kept my embellishments to a minimum. I added a simple banner sentiment with coordinating cardstock banner put together with a brad. (Side note: Why did I stop using brads? I love how they look on cards. I need to make a mental note to use them more often...) I ended up sending this to my father-in-law for Father's Day last month. The ladies of stamp club made this in June and I loved seeing the varied results. Some chose a different metal (pewter, copper, or silver), some changed up the background color, and some changed the sentiment. I love when they made the cards their own!

Detail of the heat embossing

Stamps: Pieces and Patterns
Inks: Tranquil Tide; Crumb Cake; Early Espresso; Marina Mist; Wild Wasabi; Pumpkin Pie
Cardstock: Tranquil Tide; Very Vanilla; Kraft
Accessories: random brad
Tools: Hexagons Embossing Folder; Gold Embossing Powder

Work of Hearts

Another fun and simple $2 card for July's classes. I pulled out my much neglected Work of Art Stamp Set and created this two layer card featuring some retired colors. I loved the 2013-2015 In Colors and every once in a while I pull them out to use again!

Stamps: Work of Art; Four You (retired)
Inks: Sweet Sugarplum; Strawberry Slush (retired); Crisp Cantaloupe (retired); Pistachio Pudding (retired); Coastal Cabana (retired)
Cardstock: Strawberry Slush (retired); Whisper White
Accessories:
Tools:

PP352: A Purple Celebration

As part of my monthly challenge, I want to participate in other card challenges I find out in blogland. For today's card, I found this great color challenge at The Paper Players:

I started with this fun piece of ombre DSP out of the Color Theory Stack. I love this design! From there, I pulled out the Cool Treats Stamp Set to make a fun little ice cream cone and sentiment. After laying out my ice cream and sentiment banner, I needed some shine or shimmer. Metallic foil doilies to the rescue! The big gold doily was perfect to layer behind the sentiment banner. And yet, I was still missing something. I finished off my card with some gold enamel shapes. Perfect!

Stamps: Cool Treats
Inks: Sweet Sugarplum; Berry Burst; Rich Razzleberry; Crumb Cake
Cardstock: Color Theory DSP; Berry Burst; Whisper White
Accessories: Metallic Doilies; Metallic Enamel Shapes
Tools: Frozen Treats Framelits

Feathers and Flowers

Today’s card challenge is to feature one of the great hostess stamps! Hostess stamp sets are those sets that can only be purchased with a $150 order and/or party. They are usually priced below the normal cost and are a great bargain if you love the sets. Here's the 6 stamp sets you can choose from:

Currently, I own two (Feathery Friends and In the City). For today's card, I focused on Feathery Friends. I love stamp sets that I can color, so of course, I had to get this set first! I made a simple grid background of stamped and colored flowers. I added the focal point image of a stamped and colored bird. The focal point really pops due to the stitching around the edge (yeah for the Stitched Shapes Framelits) and being physically popped out using dimensionals. From there I added a simple coordinating bow to tie everything together.

Stamps: Feathery Friends
Inks: Basic Gray; PowderPink; Tranquil Tide; Berry Burst; Lemon Lime Twist
Cardstock: Tranquil Tide; Whisper White
Accessories: Berry Burst Ribbon
Tools: Squares Framelits; Stitched Shapes Framelits

A Powder Pink Bloom

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create an all occasions card. I don't often use the Blooms and Wishes Stamp Set, but it does make a wonderful background. I random stamped the large flower and then filled in the gaps with the smaller pieces. Fom there I added a simple sentiment backed by a doily. As a finishing touch, I added a few pearls as flower centers.

Stamps: Blooms and Wishes
Inks: Sweet Sugarplum; Powder Pink; Soft Sky; Pear Pizzazz
Cardstock: Powder Pink; Sweet Sugarplum; Whisper White
Accessories: Pearls; Doilies
Tools: Stitched Shapes Framelits; Ovals Framelits

SSINKIC46: Under the Waves

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the image below as inspiration.

I pulled out my trusty Seaside Shore stamp set and started layering on some pieces. I stamped the seaweed and fish separately, colored them, and cut them out. I was going to adhere them to an embossed piece of white or Pool Party paper but it just wasn't right. After staring at the card for a while, I finally figured out how to make the background piece: watercolor it! I did a simple watercolor wash using Pool Party ink before stamping on some bubbles, starfish, and a sentiment. I layered it on a piece of Pool Party to repeat the color and them adhere it to a Lemon Lime Twist card base to repeat the seaweed color. Such a fun card!

Stamps: Seaside Shoer
Inks: Lemon Lime Twist; Flirty Flamingo; Powder Pink; Pool Party; Dapper Denim
Cardstock: Pool Party; Lemon Lime Twist
Accessories:
Tools:

A Flock of Feathers

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using a favorite new stamp set. I had to have the new Hostess Stamp Set Feathery Friends. I love to color and these little birds are so much fun to color! I love this set so much that I ended up making 12 of these babies for a swap.

Stamps: Feathery Friends
Inks: Berry Burst, Fresh Fig, Lemon Lime Twist, Powder Pink, Tranquil Tide
Cardstock: Fresh Fig; Lemon Lime Twist; Whisper White
Accessories: Berry Burst Ribbon
Tools:

A Tranquil Father's Day

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card for Father's Day. I don't like traditional Father's Day cards, but I thought the Paisleys and Posies Stamp Set with the right colors would be perfect. Tranquil Tide is the perfect color for a more masculine card. Pairing it with Basic Gray makes it look more green than blue. After stamping a random pattern, I added a ayer of Basic Gray and an embossed piece of Tranquil Tide. I love repeating layers on my cards. I chose a simple sentiment and embellished it with a silver doily.

Stamps: Paisleys and Posies; Better Together
Inks: Tranquil Tide
Cardstock: Tranquil Tide; Basic Gray; Whisper White
Accessories: Metallic Doilies
Tools: Oh My Stars Emboss; Lots of Labels Framelits

SSINKCS46: Abstract Crackle

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the card sketch below:

I decided to feature the new Color Theory DSP stack. I love this crackle look paper so I made it the focus. I simply picked two complimentary colors and repeated them throughout the simple card. The card gave me a chance to use my new Thoughtful Banners Stamp Set and Duet Banner Punch.

Stamps: Thoughtful Banners
Inks: Crushed Curry; Dapper Denim
Cardstock: Color Theory DSP; Dapper Denim; Crushed Curry; Whisper White
Accessories:
Tools: Duet Banners Punch

A Burst of Berry!

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our favorite 2017-2019 In Color. Hands down my favorite new In Color is Berry Burst! I love love love this gorgeous pink-purple color. To highlight this awesome color, I made a monochromatic card. The new Color Theory DSP has these gorgeous ombre sheets that really set off the stamped sentiment, ribbon, and butterflies. It's hard to tell in the first photo, but I Wink of Stella-ed the cut out butterfly.

Detail of the shimmery butterfly:

Stamps: Better Together
Inks: Berry Burst
Cardstock: Color Theory DSP; Berry Burst; Whisper White
Accessories: Wink of Stella; Berry Burst Ribbon
Tools: Bold Butterfly Thinlits