Flooring Project - Thank You cards

I made a few Thank You cards for those who helped in this big flooring project. 

This was for the sister and her husband who came to the city to help me remove the carpet from the living room and dining room and expose the cement floor on a very hot and sweaty day.

I chose Stampin Up Rich Razzleberry card base in A2 size. I dipped into my commercially made handmade paper and cut a piece of this wax resist in teals, rich purples with swishes of gold.

I left the beautiful deckle edge on the bottom and taped it to the card front.

I stitched 3 small gold beads in the top right hand corner.

A white insert and envelope.

This card has an Old Olive card base.

I chose an origami paper front layer which was taped on.

I added a gold star sequin in the left hand corner.  To balance I added 2 square brads in the bottom right hand corner with a green one in the middle.

This paper has beautiful gold details.

This card is for the folks from whom I bought the flooring which answered all my questions during the process.

I chose a SU Kraft A2 card base for this card.

The front of the this card is a piece of botanical pressed wax paper.  A nice little flower and a piece of green leaf.  It needed to be mechanically adhered as it resisted taping.  

I wrapped a length of gold thread around the top a few times and then knotted it.  I then place the gold mini brad over the knot and pressed it through the card front. I added a gold bulb pin in the bottom right hand corner which went through the wax paper and card stock front.

A white half sheet insert to hide the metal pieces which have gone through the card stock.

A white envelope to finish it off.

This is for the flooring company which recommended the underlay which saved the project.

This card is for my niece who dropped everything on the Monday morning to pick up the 2 large rolls of underlay and deliver them to my brother in law who was going to install the floor.  Saved me a round trip to the south.

The card base is SU Always Artichoke.  I found this piece of lacy handmade paper in the stash.  Lightly glued to a piece of white card stock.  Trimmed to fit across the card front and taped in place.

I added a coordinating button with gold thread held in place with a Zot. White insert and envelope.

Started with a piece of Not Quite Navy card stock.  

Layered a piece of marbled paper in blue tones with copper accents on the card front.  I added a copper star sequin held in place with a Zot.  Then I added a coordinating bead held in place with a star copper tiny brad.

White insert and envelope. 

This is for my brother in law who installed the floor and my sister who hosted me at her house.  We did a few fun things while he was working at my place. There was a bottle of scotch delivered with the card.

I am loving the lacy curtains casting a wonderful shadow on the vinyl floor!

Card - Slow Stitching - Vine

Another slow stitch card. This fabric has a coarse weave so it was interesting stitching on it.

I started with the blue and added texture to the indigo areas with corresponding thread. 

I then did a couple of purple areas.

It still needed something so I started to add leaves and stems which became a vine.

I mounted the piece to a card base of Rich Razzleberry textured cardstock. I have started adding a piece of heavy duty double sided tape in the center.

A white quarter sheet insert and an envelope and there's another card in my box.

Belated Birthday

I made this card for a friend whose birthday was in April but I just lost track of it.  

She is here visiting so I will give it to her at supper tonight.

Card base is A2 in Rich Razzleberry with a top fold.

I cut another piece from my larger watercolor paper piece and chose this blue purple section. I cut a Stampin Up Top Note die.

I added a length of Elegant Eggplant grosgrain ribbon wrapped top to bottom on Top Note die and held it in place with a crystal large brad.

I cut large flower in Elegant Eggplant and smaller one in Not Quite Navy and added a small silk all held with a silver mini brad.  The flowers are Tim Holtz - Tattered Flowers.

White insert quarter sheet on the inside.

Card - Watercolor - Echinacea

I watercolored another flower for a birthday card.

I wanted to find another flower so I searched for an image.  This is an Echinacea or Cone Flower.  After making a light pencil tracing I used my Stampin Up Watercolor Wonder Crayons.  

I wet the paper very well then dabbed a bit of Night of Navy and Not Quite Navy at the top of the paper and Always Artichoke and Old Olive on the bottom half.

I used Rich Razzleberry in several different intensities from light to more intense at the bottom of the petals. The petals have 3 to five layers on them. The centers are Daffodil Delight and More Mustard with a brown created.  Then, I used Always Artichoke and some Old Olive on the stems. I used an ultra fine Micron 005 black permanent marker to outline the flowers and stems.

Once it was dry, I adhered it to a A2 Rich Razzleberry card base with the fold at the top. I added a narrow strip of Always Artichoke card stock across the stems on the bottom. I then added a circle greeting with pink words and brushed the edges with the Always Artichoke ink pad.  It was placed just off center. I used a wet brush and clear water to soften the color.   I added a quarter sheet insert. 

Christmas Card Challenge - Watercolor - Ornaments

Another set of watercolor Christmas Cards. 

I wanted a branch with an ornament.  I put a wash of Old Olive green in the top right hand corner blended softly to the center and left hand side to suggested more tree.  

Once that was completely dry I drew my line for the branch with a pencil.  I worked with Always Artichoke, Old Olive and More Mustard. It was really hard to be loose and let the needles go willy nilly but it worked. 

Then, when the branch was dry I drew the ornament by hand with a pencil. I filled the ornament with Tempting Turquoise and Night of Navy. Card is Marina Mist. I added another layer of wash on the right hand side to suggest light from the left. 

I did the hanger with a very thin brush and Payne's Gray also lining the outside of the ornament.

On this card I used Elegant Eggplant purple color on the ornament with the same general steps for the branch.

I ended up with a harder high light spot on the left hand side which works better.  The darker side on the right hand side does not seem to be as dark as I intended.  Watercolor is sometimes hard to judge as it dries lighter.

I have used the color of the ornament to add spatter to the layer.

The card stock used for these ornaments is the back side of the Foil Joy cards I did last month.  It was a textured linen card stock.  I think it worked with the watercolor pretty well.

On this card I used Rich Razzleberry pinky purple for the ornament.

The pieces of card stock were trimmed to 3.75 x 5 inches before I started painting. They warped a little so needed to be steamed and pressed to flatten.

The ornament layer was adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape in the corners and a bit in the center.

I did add my signature on the original art after I photographed them for blogging.

Seasonal inserts and white envelopes have been added to the mix and they are sitting in the box for December 1st.

The color is Stampin Up Watercolor Wonder crayons and coordinating SU card stock.

Christmas Card Challenge - Watercolor - July - Holy Family

I chose the Holy Family for my July Christmas cards.

I selected certain elements from the Gentle Peace digital stamp set.  The set is stained glass but I just used the arch background, the star and the family. 

I first trimmed the 140lb watercolor paper to 3.5 wide and just applied watercolor from the Stampin Up Watercolor Wonder Crayons.

I let that dry overnight so that it would remain flat.  I trimmed the long strip into pieces 4.75 inches tall.

I placed the watercolor paper over the black printed image and traced the pieces I wanted.  Let the black ink dry then watercolored the pieces I wanted.  Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus with the star. The background changed some of the colors but that is okay.

I traced the greeting as well which I printed in black.  Card one is Not Quite Navy card base, card two is Baked Brown Sugar base, card three is Always Artichoke and card four is Rich Razzleberry. I mixed and matched greens for Joseph`s garment, blues for Mary`s and purple for royal Jesus.

I adhered the watercolor accent to the card front with double sided tape and pressed them under a stack of books over night.

I added a quarter sheet insert with a seasonal appropriate sentiment and a white A2 envelope.

 
I  have lost count of the number but I am happy with my progres

Christmas Card Challenge - Watercolor - Bethlehem

I was going to use salt to create the stars in the sky but when I looked for the coarse salt it was no where to be found.  I had to settle for Pearl White Acrylic paint.

This is the first one which I used Silver Sharpie for the star which did not do what I wanted.  I did the others in a fine tip Black Sharpie.

I added a tiny silver star brad in the center of the star to adhere to the card stock and repeat the star shape.

I used several colors of watercolor - a deep blue and a blue red so I achieved some purple backgrounds as well. I taped down the watercolor paper to the board to ensure they would dry flat.

Once dry, I placed them on the light table and traced my Bethlehem drawing in black marker.   They were spattered with the white paint and allowed to dry overnight.

I had cut the water color paper with extra so I could  could trim them to the 4.00 x 5.25 inches I needed. 

I chose card stock color to coordinate with the background.  I adhered them to the card front with double sided tape and the brad and pressed them over night.  I then added a seasonal insert and white envelopes.

I used 

Brilliant Blue,

Night of Navy,

Rich Razzleberry and 

another purple which was not Stampin Up for the card bases.

I still would like to try the salt technique so I will pursue the supplies for that.

Happy with cards.

Miniature Watercolors into Cards

I was inspired by a photography challenge to produce some art and I chose watercolor.  

I opened a pad of water color paper bought at a scrapbook store. There is no indication of the weight of the paper so I was not getting my hopes up.  

I cut down a sheet about letter sized into 4 smaller pieces.  Some square and others not.  I pulled out my Stampin Up Watercolor Wonder Crayons so I can match it will card stock later.

This one is a bit of a landscape with a tree, flowers, the sun and a few birds flying in the sky.  The paper worked really well in this small size.

I paired it with a piece of Bashful Blue leaving a tiny border and ripped the bottom edge.  I mounted that onto a piece of Passion Pink card base.  Stamped a greeting with Old Olive with a set of small clear stamps. I spattered the card once it was finished.

This next card features just a little watercolor using the wet in wet technique.  I sprayed the entire paper with clean water.  I then dropped spots of color - Rich Razzleberry, Regal Rose, Marina Mist and Old Olive. You can see where the colors mixed in place to produce a purple.  

I was going to define the pinks as flowers but I was happy with the composition so chose to stop.  I dried it with my heat gun and signed the bottom.  It was spattered with a bit of green.

I cut a banner of Bashful Blue and mounted it across an Elegant Eggplant card base.  Stamped the greeting again in the Old Olive color.  The watercolor was adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

I started the composition with flowers in mind. I dropped the Regal Rose pink with a bit of Daffodil Yellow and the soft green of Old Olive in the background.  It was dried with the heat gun.

I then used a black Micron Permanent Black Marker and drew my flower petals and leaves.  I chose to add a bit more color to the leaves and petals.

I mounted it to a piece of Regal Rose and ripped the left hand edge.  I stamped a several butterflies on the left hand side.

This layer was adhered to a Garden Green card base.

Each card has a white quarter sheet insert on the inside.

Sunflowers are in full bloom around here these days.  I love them. 

This is my attempt on a sunflower against a pale blue sky.  I used some More Mustard and Daffodil Delight in the flower and Always Artichoke with Old Olive in the leaves. I mixed the brown for the center.

It was spattered with much watered down Old Olive once it has been dried with the heat gun.

Again layered on a piece of Bashful Blue ripped on the right hand side. Stamped the greeting in Old Olive. 

The thank you ones will be donated to Compassion House and the others will be added to my card box. 

It was a lot of fun!

Card Box - HB and Thank You

 Another couple of cards for the box.

I started with designer paper from Echo Park called Hello Spring.  I paired it with a purplish Rich Razzleberry card base.

I added a length of Island Indigo 1/4" satin ribbon along the right hand side.  Taped the ends to the back. I added three deep teal and yellow handmade paper flowers on the left side adhered with tiny yellow brads.

This layer was adhered to the front of the card with double sided tape.  This ensures nothing showing on inside of the card. 

The greeting is a Stampin Up Modern Label punchie color printed.  I added the deep purple punch split in half and adhered to the back offset a bit for it to show up.  This layer was adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

Ready for an August birthday.

The same paper was paired with a Rose Red card base this time.

I added a white grosgrain ribbon across the bottom third of a landscape oriented card.  Then ends taped to the back and then adhered to the card front.

I added an oval color printed greeting in Rose Red and chalked with the same color around the edges.  It was adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

Is resting in the Compassion House box for delivery a little later.

Decorative Paper Cards

We had a good day on Saturday. Today, more cards for the Gallery.

I created these sentiment layers which have the words in the middle of the frame line.  I printed them on a white quarter sheet then trimmed it. I chose a piece of blue acrylic paper and ripped the bottom edge.  Trimmed it to leave a border inside the border.  Adhere to the sentiment layer then that layer to the card front on a textured navy card.  Punched a navy star from the same card stock as the card and adhered it to the card front with 3D foam tape.

This card features ink applied with a sponge onto Whisper White card stock.  Colors are Melon Mambo, Crushed Curry and Rich Razzleberry.  I printed the greeting in RR directly onto the decorative paper.  I punched a large daisy flower from the Crushed Curry card stock to match the card.  I glued the decorative layer to the card front. Placing the large daisy going with the movement in the pattern I drew a stem and leaves with a black marker.  I then adhered the daisy punchie and the black centre to coordinate with the stem. 

This card features spattered dots of liquid purple ink which has silver mixed into it. You can see the silver pooled to the center. 
I printed the sentiment directly onto the decorative paper.  It was trimmed to fit the card front leaving a border. It was then adhered to the purple card front.
I die cut the candle with the QuikKutz die which cuts the solid and decorative one.  The decorative one and the flame is silver foil.  Adhered the candle layers together then glued the candle to the card front.

Round Thank You

I started with a Stampin Up Always Artichoke card and I selected the In the Spotlight stamp set.  I cut the large circle from the Painted Blooms DSP with a Spellbinder Smooth Circle Nestabilities thin die.  I then stamped the circle from the set with Purely Pomegranate ink on Rich Razzleberry card stock.  I cut it with a Nestabilities die.  I then stamped the circle greeting with Pacific Point on white which I punched with a 5/8" punch.  I punched a .75" circle in the same blue. I layered them together. I stamped the dotted border in the same blue on white.  I trimmed it evenly on both top and bottom and flagged it's right hand end.  I stamped the same dotted border in Always Artichoke onto the card front creating a working space for my trio of circles.  I then adhered the largest circle in the top left hand corner then the medium Rich Razzleberry next to the right of the first one.  I glued the blue dotted banner parallel to the green one.  I glued the blue greeting over the left hand end of the banner.

I'm submitting to the following challenges:
Come and Get It - Round Things

CAS Colors & Sketches

 - #137 Sketch

Pals Paper Arts
- Color PPA263