Pretty Lilacs

Hi everyone :) How is your week going so far, mine is slow!!! I'm hoping the second half picks up a bit!!


 Today's card is a little different for me, I decided to try and switch things up a little...does a girl good to get out of her box once and a while ;)  I've used this layout before, but I changed up how I laid out the colors. I started out with a light colored card base in lavender then built the darker / richer colors onto that. Usually I would do just the opposite by starting out with the darker color for my base and brightening the card with layers of lighter colors. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out, I think the large area of eggplant cardstock lends a deep richness while the green adds just enough brightness and contrast balancing it all out.
 

I'm thinking I'll have to try this with a few more color palettes, I really like the overall result. See what stepping out of your comfort zone can achieve ;)

Happy Birthday to a friend

I got to thinking (I know, I'm still in shock myself) about a birthday card for a friend. I was thinking that all her cards are going to be alike and say happy birthday on the front, balloons or a cake or something birthday related. Well, I decided to make something that would stand out as different...kinda like myself lol. ;)

I decided on black and purples for my colors and pulled out some of my all time favorite stamps. I wrote the appropriate birthday greeting on the inside...but sometimes you have show your true "spots" and to dare to be different....

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think....good or bad....or even better - what would you have done differently??...crafty minds wanna know!

Learning a new technique....

So, there's this little trick I've seen some gals in the crafty world do and I've really been wanting to try it out....

I've seen the gals stamp distress inks onto a stamp block (for clear stamps), spritz it with water and use the special little tool with the felt pad to swirl them together onto the paper. I dry embossed white cardstock to give it a little texture then combined 2 shades of green and one blue...Not too bad for a first time, whatcha think? For the flower I used pencils and gamsol...I heart that effect!

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think....good or bad....or even better - what would you have done differently??...crafty minds wanna know!

Ahhh the smell of Lilacs

This one sort of speaks for itself - don't you think?



Come a little closer....



I used KOH-I-NOOR Hardtmuth pencils and odorless mineral spirits to color the flower. You can't see it in the pic - but there is a small shadow in between each flower and surrounding to bring out the color just a bit more. I thought about using Crystal Laquer but ultimately decided against it. The simplicity works I think.

A wee little peek inside....




Stamps used in this card - P75 Lilac (retired)


Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think....good or bad....or even better - what would you have done differently??...crafty minds wanna know!

classic black & white part 1

Have you ever thought that you can't use one of those beautiful large botanical stamps from DeNami because you don't have those "expensive markers" to color and shade with? Well, I'm going to show you today that you don't need them. DeNami stamps are so pretty that they can even stand on their own without coloring them.

The only color I have on this card is the blue ice paper that I have embossed. This design can be changed up with different colored cardstock, sentiments or even using a clear embossing power on the focal stamp. A subtle color like this could be used for a sympathy card or change out the blue ice paper for a bright color for a birthday or Mothers Day card.

Supplies:

• P75 Lilac stamp
• F172 Hello Friend Sentiment
• PC30  blue ice cardstock
• PC21 white cardstock
• PC23 black cardstock

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think....good or bad....or even better - what would you have done differently??...crafty minds wanna know!