I Am Loved and We Are Free!

Hi Friends!  

Today it is my turn to post on the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps blog and I designed a card that reflects a bit of patriotism, summer flowers and the freedom that we have here in the United States.

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends".  John 15:13  NKJV

Today is Memorial Day here in the United States and may we never forget the men and women who laid down their lives to defend our country and the families that they left behind....we are free because they were faithful. 

This card was designed using Grunge Elements, Grunge Elements 2, I Am Loved and Prim Blessings Clear Stamp Sets all from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.

I also incorporated the Splitcoaststampers' WT585 "May Flowers" Challenge and the Alphabet Challenge Week 19 "S" Challenge (Sunflowers, Stripes, String) into the design :-)

I hope you will take the time to visit the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Blog- my Creative Design Team "Sisters" post frequently and there is so much inspiration in their designs as well as those at the Splitcoaststampers' galleries.

To create this card:

Using sticky note paper, create a masked area in the upper left hand corner of a piece of Whisper White cardstock.

Ink the heart image from Grunge Elements 2 with Versamark™ Ink, stamp onto the masked area, apply white embossing powder and heat set with the Heat Tool.

Allow the embossing powder to cool for a few minutes and use a sponge applicator to apply Ranger® Tim Holtz® Faded Denim Distress Ink, wipe off the excess ink from the embossed areas, remove the mask and re-mask over the “heart-star” area.

Ink the strip image from Grunge Elements using Ranger® Tim Holtz® Fired Brick Distress Ink and stamp onto the card front createing the stripes (overlapping the images in a row for the length of the paper).

To tone down the brightness of the background , apply Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tea Dye Distress Ink and a light layer of Gesso®.

Use the Big Shot™ with the woodgrain embossing folder to emboss the panel, trim the panel and add a piece of knotted hemp twine.

Mount the panel onto the black card base.

Ink the sunflower images from Prim Blessings with Staz-On Jet Black Ink and stamp onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock.

Cut out the flowers, color using a water brush with distress ink and markers and sponge a bit of Ranger® Tim Holtz® Antique Linen Distress Ink over the images.

Add Clear Wink of Stella® over all of the flowers and mount onto the card front (I used Hot Glue).

Ink the girl image from I Am Loved using Versamark™ Ink, stamp onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock, apply black embossing powder and heat set with the Heat Tool.

Carefully fussy cut the image and mount to the card front with dimensional foam.

Heat emboss the sentiment from Prim Blessings with black embossing powder, trim and create the banner points with a punch, mount onto black carstock and distress with Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tea Dye Distress Ink and the Grunge Elements small splatter stamp.

I Am Loved

Color the hearts in the sentiment with a red marker and mount onto the card front with dimensional foam to finish off the card.

Prim Blessings

Grunge Elements

Grunge Elements 2

Stamp Sets:  I Am Loved, Prim Blessings, Grunge Elements, Grunge Elements 2 (all Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps)

Ink: Versamark™, Staz-On Jet Black, Ranger® Tim Holtz®  Distress Ink- Tea Dye, Faded Denim, Fired

Brick, Antique Linen, Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed, Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo; Stampin' Write Markers- Crushed Curry, Cherry Cobbler; Gesso®; Clear Wink of Stella®

Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black

Accessories: Big Shot™, Woodgrain Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, Embossing Buddy™, Stampin' Emboss® White and Black Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Hemp Twine, Hexagon Punch, sticky note paper for masking, Sponge Applicator

Thanks again for stopping by- I hope you have a blessed Memorial Day :-)