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Favorites Challenge - Framing Sentiments

It's Wednesday!  Yay!  Time for the Favorites Challenge!  Every Wednesday there is a new Favorites Challenge posted over at the Ink to Paper blog.  You can play along and be entered to win a $100 gift certificate.  For more details, check out the Ink to Paper blog.

This week we are challenging you to create a new card using your favorite way to frame a sentiment!  There are so many different ways to do this:  stamps, die cuts, frames, or coloring/ink blending.  Bonus if you tie in some summer colors or images!  :-)

 

For those that know me are probably not surprised to know that adding stamped and die cut flowers is by far my favorite way to frame a sentiment!  I decided to add even more with a die cut frame and some ink blending.

 

The flowers and sentiment are from the new You Are My Happy stamp set.  The shaped die cut is from the Shape Shifters: Circle 3 die set from Papertrey Ink.

 

For the background, I stamped the new Loosely Woven stamp set using Harvest Gold ink.  I then layered that onto a piece of Bitty Big: Harvest Gold patterned paper.

 

 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by,
Laurie

 

Saturday Showcase - Many Anemones

Happy Saturday!  Today the Ink to Paper design team is sharing projects created with the new Many Anemones stamp set.
This versatile floral set is perfect for so many different stamping styles:  bold & graphic, soft & pretty, CAS, and even elegant.  Just  by changing up the stamping technique, you can create so many different looks! 

 

I used one of my favorite stamping techniques on my card.  Ink blending s a perfect technique to create added depth, especially when used with solid images. 

 

I started by stamping the bolder inside images and then later added the outlines. 

To stamp the bolder images, I started by inking up the larger solid image with my lightest ink color.  I then sponged on some of the darker ink color towards the bottom of the image.  I used my MISTI to repeat this until I had achieved the level of ink saturation that I wanted.  I then inked up the smaller bold image using the lightest color of ink.

For the sentiment, I stamped the Missing You (from the Essential Sentiments stamp set) onto a piece of white cardstock.  To carry over the ink sponging that I did on the flowers, I sponged on some Harvest Gold ink onto the bottom of the sentiment strip.

It's hard to see in the photos, but I added some white glitter around the edge of the background floral layer.  I then embellished with some string and wooden pieces.

 

 

 

 

 

You can see more Many Anemones projects over at the Ink to Paper blog!

Thanks so much for stopping by!
~Laurie

 

Ink to Paper Design Team Tips - Mixing Textures

TGIF!!  :-)  It's my turn to post for Design Team Tips!  Just a heads up, the Design Team Tips feature has now moved to the Ink to Paper blog.

Today I'm sharing tips on how I like to add texture to cards.  On my card today I added both visual and tactile texture.  I love to mix different kinds...sort of like a texture buffet!  :-)

 

I started by Layering on a piece of patterned paper (from the Bitty Big: True Black pack).  I used the bold polka dots (visual texture) to really set off the softer colors.

 

I think adding some color behind a sentiment of image can also add some visual texture.  Here, I stamped one of the images from the Watercolor Textures: Brush Strokes set in Aqua Mist before stamping the Hello sentiment (from the Essential Sentiments set).

I decorated the frame with some flowers and leaves from the Nature's Background Essentials set.

To add both color and more texture, I layered several strips of trim and cardstock strips.  I chose a white burlap trim which has fabulous texture!

To tie in the polka dots from the paper (as well as add even more texture) I scattered on a few clear dew drop embellishments.

One of my favorite ways of adding texture is to incorporate some sort of fabric.  Here, I die cut a few layered circles (from the Nature's Background Essentials die set) from felt.  I stitched them together using black thread, tying in the background a bit more.

I used one of the Pierced Feature Frames dies to create more visual texture.  One thing that I have found helpful when working with several different types of texture is to leave quite a bit of white space.  Without the white breaking up all the patterns, textures, and colors it can overwhelm the whole card making it feel too busy. 

How about you?  What kinds of textures do you like to add to your creations?  Do you tend to stick to one kind or (like me) do you like to mix it up?

 

 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!
~Laurie

 

Favorites Challenge - Favorite Summer Colors

Hi friends!  It's time for another Favorites Challenge!  With the warmer weather and longer days, I find myself drawn to brighter colors when creating.  Do you do that?  Do you have favorite or go-to colors for each season?  Well, this year I have definitely been using orange, green, and teal together quite a bit.  Not only are they fun and bright colors, but they work really well together as well! 

This week, I'm challenging you to create a new card using your favorite summer color combo!  I am really excited about this challenge because I am looking forward to all the inspiration you post...and finding new to me color combos!  You can read more about the challenge over at the Ink to Paper blog!

 

I started by embossing one of the stamps from the Rustic Brick set onto watercolor paper.  Using my three chosen colors, I painted on a quick watercolor wash.

I stamped and die cut three balloons from the Celebrating You stamp set (and coordinating Celebrating You die set).  I embossed the sentiment (also from the Celebrating You stamp set) onto vellum cardstock.

I embellished each balloon with images from the Nature's Background Essentials stamp set. 

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for joining me here today!

~Laurie

 

 

Saturday Showcase - Rustic Brick

 

Happy Saturday!  :-)  Today we are showcasing projects created with the new Rustic Brick set from Ink to Paper! 

I am SO smitten with this stamp set!  Seriously, I would stamp a brick background on ALL the things if I thought I could get away with it!  :-)

 

There are quite a few ideas that I want to try out with the Rustic Brick set, but embossing it in white on black cardstock was definitely at the top of my list!

I lightly sponged some diamonds on the tag before layering on the sentiment (from the Just Sentiments stamp set).

The leaves and flowers are from the new Tag Creations: Blooming Indulgence die set.

 

 

 

 

Want to see more Rustic Brick?  Check out the Ink to Paper blog!

Thanks for stopping by,
Laurie