Sail Away

Hello!
Our hot Florida weather makes me want to spend an afternoon or evening sailing away over calm waters with soft breezes blowing gently.  Doesn't that sound wonderful?  Well, I can dream, can't I?

I recently purchased this pretty Sail Away stamp.  I think it will make some wonderful masculine cards, as well as all occasion cards.  

I chose a piece of  Marina Mist card stock for the base. The next layer is So Saffron, which was embossed with the Framed Tulips embossing folder and the Big Shot.  Additional layers of Basic Black and Marina Mist card stock were added to create a base for the focal image, the sail boat.

A 1 3/4" circle punch was used to create a mask for the sun using a post-it note.  It was placed on a  piece of Glossy Card stock.  Next, I brayered Marina Mist ink over the card stock, letting the color fade out at the top, and deepening the color at the bottom.  

The post-it note was removed and So Saffron ink was sponged in the circle.  Some Perfect Plum ink was also sponged across the center of the card to add some color variaion and interest.

For the main image, the sail boat was stamped in position with black ink.  It was stamped a second time on Vellum card stock, and the sails were cut out of the vellum piece. The sails were attached over the image on the glossy card with two mini  glue dots.

A white gel pen was used to color the tiny flag on top of the mast as well as to accent the waves in the water.
I enjoy using the brayer to create smooth and blended backgrounds.  Glossy card stock is very forgiving when brayering and the lines tend to blend more easily than on other types of papers.

This card ended up as a birthday card for my son.  He doesn't have a sailboat but I know he will appreciate the card.

Happy stamping,

Build-A-Blossom fish

This adorable card idea came from the Orlando Regional Seminar last week.
It uses the Build a Blossom stamp set and the Blossom petals punch.  I brayered the bottom of the Whisper White card before stamping the fish in Tempting Turquoise.  The big fish was stamped in Melon Mambo ink.  The grass from the Inspired by Nature stamp set was inked in Certainly Celery ink.
This was really a quick and fun card to make!
My brayering tip: Put a magazine under your work mat before brayering to get a smoother look.  Start your brayer off the paper and gradually roll harder as you mover over the card stock.

To order your Build a Blossom stamp set, and coordinating punch, click the Order Online button on my sidebar.
121923 (wood) $24.95
121994(clear mount) $18.95
121808 Blossom Petals Extra-Large Punch
Other supplies: 
Inspired by Nature stamp set #111656
Basic Black card stock #121045
Whisper White card stock #100730
Melon Mambo card stock # 115320
Brayer # 102395
Tempting Turquoise ink pad # 100814
Melon Mambo ink pad #115656
Certainly Celery ink pad #105217

Thanks for looking!

Just Surfing

I needed a birthday card for my grandson this week. He definitely prefers "boy cards"!
I thought about the many sports he enjoys and wanted something different this time. I had seen Michelle Zindorf's beautiful brayered cards and thought about trying one of her tutorials. Here's what I came up with!
I added the surf board from the Just Surfing stamp set. I embossed it by first inking my stamp with VersaMark, then going into the color before stamping on the paper. Then I applied the clear embossing powder.


The inside of the card has waves and the greeting from the Just Surfing set. I used some Champane Mist ink on my Aqua Painter when I filled in the color for the waves. It is so pretty and glistens just like the sun is shining on the water!
I really hope he'll like his card.




Supplies:
Stamps: Just Surfing, Bare Tree (unknown)
Paper: Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Glossy card stock
Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Pacific Point, Basic Gray, Basic Black
Accessories: Brayer, white gel pen, Champagne Mist shimmer ink

Punched Tropical Fish

I saw some fish in the Stampin' Success (Demonstrator's magazine) made from the Delightful Decorations stamp set. I had to give it a try with my variation. I hope you like it as much as I did when made it!
Supplies: Delightful Decorations and Inspired by Nature stamp sets.
Bermuda Bay, Green Galore, Whisper White, Basic Black and Glossy White card stock.
Carribean Sea Kaleidacolor and Taken with Teal ink pads.
Ornament punch, scalloped oval punch, 3/4" circle punch and slot punch, 1/4 " circle punch.
Bermuda Bay polka dot ribbon, brayer,"Wiggle eyes" and sponges.
Tip: I used the 3/4" circle punch to shape the fins.

Garden Silhouettes

After my post yesterday I decided I wanted to try another card using the same sketch challenge.

This time I chose Garden Silhouettes (retired) as my main image. I started the background by brayering Barely Banana ink over the top third of the card. Then I added a mask for the sun over the brayered section.

Next I began sponging color around the mask, gradually moving to the bottom of the card. Colors I used, from light to dark, were apricot, orange, pumpkin pie, mustard, chocolate chip, and a very small amount of basic gray.

I stamped the stems in basic black, then cut the card into the four panels and layered it over a black piece. The little birds were added with a fine-lined marker.

The sentiment is from Reason to Smile retired stamp set.

I like the way the sponged colors fade into each other, giving the card strong colors and a feeling of brightness. I thought the sentiment fit it nicely. Hope this day has given you a reason to smile! Thanks for stopping by.

Circle Cards

These cute circle cards were made with the Nestabilities standard and scalloped circle dies.

Stamp sets: Carte Postale, God's Beauty, Inspired by Nature.

The images were stamped in black StazOn ink and the butterfly was colored a sponge brayer. I love the soft look the sponge brayer gives. No streaks when you use that one! The red shades are made with chalk and a Q-tip or your finger. Hope you enjoy these Spring cards! Thanks for visiting!

Butterbean and Carrots Bunny

With Easter approaching I decided to start some cards for my grandchildren. I love this little bunny that has been in my stamp collection for several years.

I began by stamping the rabbit in black craft ink and embossing with clear embossing powder. I colored him in with markers and an Aqua Painter. Next, I made a mask to cover him up while I brayered the card with Cool Carribean, Gable Green, shaded with Green Galore, and then Garden Green along the bottom edge.

I layered the card with a thin edge of Basic Black card stock. That is layered on Pink Pirouette (it doesn't look pink in the photo), and then adhered to a Green Galore card base.

This card was lots of fun to make! I haven't brayered backgrounds in a while, so it was a challenge for me. I am happy with the result!

Botanical Blooms and butterfly die cut

Here's another card using the Botanical Blooms Sale-a-bration set. This is a card made by Cindy Rigel last week when we were all using the same set and came up with our own ideas.

The background was brayered with a sponge brayer on whisper white card stock. Colors that were brayerd were Regal Red and Certainly Celery. The ink was also sponged to blend the colors. The flowers were stamped in Rose Red. The butterfly was cut with the new Beaautiful Butterflies die cut using Pretty in Pink card stock and Bella Rose designer paper. Ink was sponged on the butterfly to give it shading and highlights. Three little rhinestones decorate the body of the butterfly.

Cindy loves to brayer and makes the most beautiful cards with this technique! I know you must love it too! Thanks for stopping by.

True Friend card

I've had this True Friend stamp set a long time and rarely use it. I love the blossoms and wanted to use them in the background. The card base is So Saffron, layered up with More Mustard, then the glossy background. The technique on the background is called emboss resist. Here's how it was done:

I brayered the glossy card stock with So Saffron ink. Then I stamped the large blossoms in VersaMark and embossed them with clear E.P. I stamped a few other flowers in More Mustard ink, then brayered again with the So Saffron ink over it all. I rubbed the excess ink off the embossed flowers, then I took a sponge dauber and added More Mustard ink in the large flower centers to make them darker.

The focal point flower is stamped in So Saffron ink and the edges of the card are sponged with More Mustard. It is layered on a More Mustard card. I used the scallop edge punch to make a little border at the bottom. I also used some paper piercing at the top of the flower and on the scallop edge. The flower center was accented with a half pearl from the Pretties Kit. I finished the card with a piece of creamy 7/8" organdy ribbon. Inspiration for this card came from one I saw here.

Upsy Daisy brayered card

I've been wanting to share this technique with you! This is so much fun to do, and very easy also. To make the sun, I punched a 1" circle on a post-it-note and positioned it where the sky would be. The glossy card was then brayered with a sponge brayer (although the regular rubber brayer works fine, too), using a spectrum pad. I removed the post-it-note and sponged Apricot Appeal ink with a dauber to give the sun it's color. Next, I stamped the floral silhouette in classic black ink. I let it dry a few minutes, and layered it on a piece of basic black card stock.

The backgkround paper at the bottom is some of the Bella Rose designer paper. The Birthday Celebrations sentiment was stamped on More Mustard paper, then punched using the large oval punch. I punched out a green designer label and layered them together. The ribbon is from a retired Ribbon Originals Jersey collection. I love how it matches! The card base is More Mustard. Hope you'll try this fun technique soon!

Brayered Thank You

The background on this card was done with the brayer and sponges. I used the regular rubber brayer, but a sponge brayer gives even a softer look. You might like to try both to see which you like better. Brayering has become a very popular technique since Michelle Zindorf has been posting lots of tutorials on the Splitcoast Stampers website. I've implemented several of her techniques on this card.

I began by brayering about 2/3 of a glossy card with Apricot Appeal ink. Then I turned the card around and brayered Bashful Blue on the top portion. I sponged More Mustard in the center and around the paper circle. Next, Old Olive ink was sponged on the lower 1/4 of the card over the Apricot color. I then removed the paper circle and sponged

More Mustard ink lightly over the circle. I sponged black ink lightly over the top edge and also in the bottom left corner and along the bottom edge to give depth and some shadow to the color.

Using Embrace Life stamp set, I stamped the leaves using classic black ink. I added the Thank You sentiment at the top. The card is layered onto an Apricot Appeal layer, then an Always Artichoke card. A black brad in the top right corner completes the card. This photo is a little dark so you don't see the all the beauty of the colors. It really looks better in real life! Hope you will give brayering backgrounds a try! Thanks for visiting today.