Give Thanks with Three Decoys

Hi Friends!

I am sharing another card this morning that I designed using some of my unloved stamp sets.  This card features the Three Decoys (Impression Obsession) stamp along with a verse sentiment from Scripture Medley 3 stamp set (retired Verve Stamps). 

I have owned both of these stamps for years and have not inked the I/O Three Decoys in a several years (I love the artwork in this stamp, don't you?).  While I had the stamp out, I heat embossed several images so I could create a few cards :-).

I decided to use the Color My Heart Color Dare #403 “Browns + 2 Colors of Your Choice “ Challenge (I used light blue and a tiny bit of red) and incorporated the Splitcoaststampers SC236 Sketch Challenge for the layout. 

I am also participating with the Cardz 4 Guyz #249 “No Patterned Paper” Challenge and the Word Art Wednesday #448-#449 “Anything Goes” Challenge.

If you have not had a chance to visit the above challenge sites yet, I hope you will do so- gorgeous inspiration from all!

This card was easy to create- stamp both the decoy image and sentiment with archival black ink onto white cardstock and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. 

Watercolor the decoy image with ink from distress and distress oxide pads along with water-based markers and watercolor pencils.  Once dry, trim the panel and mount onto black cardstock. 

Die cut the embossed sentiment with a stitched rectangle die and mount onto black cardstock, trim close to the edge.

Emboss a piece of suede cardstock with a script embossing folder, mount onto black cardstock, trim and adhere to a white background panel, trim and mount onto a black card front before adhering to the white card base.

Mount the decoy image and sentiment onto the card front with chipboard and add a few rhinestones to the edges of the sentiment.

Using a water brush, dilute a bit of pearl texture paste and watercolor the moon.

Stamp Sets: Three Decoys (Impression Obsession),  Scripture Medley 3 (Verve Stamps)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black, Tim Holtz® Broken China Distress Oxide;  Tim Holz® Brushed Corduroy Distress, Stampin’ Write Soft Suede and Poppy Parade Markers; Stampin’ Up Black Watercolor Pencil; Faber-Castell® Texture Luxe™ Pearl

Paper/Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Soft Suede

Accessories/Tools: Gemini, Jr™, My Favorite Things™ Stitched Rectangle STAX A2 Set 1, Tim Holtz™ French Script Embossing Folder, AquaPainter™, Embossing Buddy®, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Rhinestones

Thanks again for visiting- I hope you have a chance to check back again soon! 

Land of the Free, Home of the Brave

Hi Friends!

I am still celebrating Independence Day!  This card was another one that I designed using the Stamp Simply Patriotic Bundle Trio (stamps sets- Old Glory, Patriotic Sentiments along with the coordinating Patriotic Stars & Stripes Die).

I decided to go Clean and Layered for this card and am participating with the Cardz 4 Guyz #248 “Red,White and Blue” Challenge, The Male Room #139 “Use Die Cuts” Challenge and the Make My Monday #126 “Stars and/or Stripes” Challenge.

To create this card:

Using Versafine™ Onyx Black Ink, stamp the USA image and sentiment onto white cardstock.

Color the images with watercolor pencils and water-based markers. 

FYI- My coloring on the sentiment went a bit outside of the lines due to frayed marker tips- oops! So I used an extra fine black marker to create a slight shadow to cover up the mistake....the actual sentiment from the set stamps so well- time to buy new markers, lol!

Use the coordinating die to die cut the USA image and cut an additional two more dies from white cardstock.  Layer behind the colored image and add dimensional foam (or, use chipboard), set aside.

Create the sentiment banner by trimming and cutting flag ends by hand.  Mount the sentiment onto red cardstock, trimming to match the banner ends.

Emboss a piece of white cardstock with the swirled embossing folder, trim and mount onto red cardstock.

Add the 1” red satin ribbon strip, wrapping the ends behind the panel.  Mount the layered sentiment with dimensional foam or chipboard.

Die cut stars from red and navy cardstock along with silver foil.  Adhere the sentiment to the card front and add the stars around using dimensional foam/chipboard.

Mount the USA image to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Old Glory, Patriotic Sentiments (Stamp Simply)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black, Derwent™ and Stampin’ Up! Watercolor Pencils- Reds and Dark Blue/Navy; Stampin’ Write Markers- Real Red, Night of Navy

Cardstock/Paper:  Whisper White, Real Red, Night of Navy, Silver Foil

Accessories: Gemini, Jr.™, Swirls and Stars Embossing Folder (Darice™), Patriotic Stars and Stripes (Old Glory) Dies,  AquaPainter™, 1” Red Satin Ribbon

Thanks again for stopping by- I will be sharing one more patriotic card soon! Hugs and I hope all of you have a fabulous week!

TCC137 Fun at the Lake

Hi Friends!

Welcome to The Card Concept #137 {Fun at the Lake} Challenge!

I love all of the textures, colors along with the fishing gear in our inspiration photo- perfect for a masculine card so I thought it would be great for Father’s Day!

I am still making an effort to ink up some stamps that I have not used in a while and this image reminded me of the retired Angler set from Stampin’ Up!.  I decided to pair it with a sentiment from the retired Verve stamp set, Strong Anchor (I never had a chance to ink up this sentiment before :-)).

The main image took a while to watercolor but the rest of the card was fairly quick.

I am also participating with the Simon Says Monday “It’s A Man Thing” Challenge along with the Cardz 4 Guyz #246 “Father’s Day” Challenge and the Sparkles Monthly #128 “Use A Real Stamp” Challenge.

To create this card:

Ink the main image along with the fishing fly image from the retired Stampin’ Up! set, Angler using Versafine™ Onyx Black ink, stamp onto white cardstock and heat set with a heat tool.

Watercolor the images using watercolor pencils and water-based markers (it took several layers of color before I was satisfied).  Watercolor a bit of antique linen distress oxide ink to “antique” the paper and add texture using vintage photo distress ink with a splatter stamp.

Die cut the main image with a stitched  square die and the fishing fly image with a stitched circle die.  Mount the die-cut square onto espresso cardstock, trim close to the edge of the square.  Die cut a larger circle from espresso cardstock, mount the stitched circle image onto the espresso circle.

Stamp the sentiment from the retired Verve stamp set, Strong Anchor onto white cardstock, heat set with a heat tool and add a bit of color with antique linen distress oxide ink along with the spatter image using vintage tea distress ink.  

Die cut the sentiment with a stitched circle die and mount onto an espresso die cut circle. Add the sentiment behind the main focal image and adhere the stitched circle with the fishing fly to the top corner.

Trim a piece of designer paper (this was from the retired Wood Textures paper stack from Stampin’ Up! pack), distress the edges and mount onto a piece of espresso cardstock.

Emboss a piece of dark green cardstock with a diamond embossing folder (I thought this folder would look a bit like a fish net:-)), mount onto espresso cardstock and distress the outside edges.  Adhere to the card front and mount the entire background panel onto a white card base.

Knot a piece of hemp twine and add to the card front (I left the center free of knots so I could mount the focal image panel onto the card).

Create the small photo corners (I created these by hand), add to the opposite corners and insert the pewter brads.

Mount the layered main image panel to the card front using dimensional foam to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Angler, Timeless Textures (both retired Stampin’ Up!), Strong Anchor (retired Verve Stamps)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black, Derwent™ Watercolor Pencils and Water-Soluble Graphite Pencils- oranges, greens, reds, grays, black), Stampin’ Write Markers-Crushed Curry, Granny Apple Green, Island Indigo, Poppy Parade, Tangerine Tango, Wild Wasabi;, Tim Holtz™ - Antique Linen Distress Oxide, Vintage Tea Distress

Cardstock/Paper: Whisper White, Early Espresso, Mossy Meadow; retired Stampin’ Up! Wood Textures designer series paper

Tools/Accessories: Gemini, Jr™, My Favorite Things Stitched Square and Circle STAX Dies, Sizzix™ Circles Dies; Sizzix™ Diamond Embossing Folder, Heat Tool, AquaPainter™, Pewter Brads, Natural Hemp Twine, Distressing Tool

Thanks again for taking the time to visit!  I hope I have inspired you to create your own card based on our {Fun at the Lake} photo and link up to our gallery at The Card Concept- we would love to see what inspired you! The challenge is open until June 22^nd  at noon EST.

TCC135 God Bless the USA

Hi Friends!

Welcome to The Card Concept #135 {Red, White and Blue} Challenge! 

I just love patriotic décor and was inspired by all of the stars and stripes to create a Shabby and Vintage Memorial Day card!

I decided to pull out of my favorite retired stamp sets from Stampin’ Up!. Courage and used the main Armed Forces image for the focal image panel.

I paired the Courage image with paper and a sentiment from Divinity Designs- the sentiment is from Heat & Soul and the papers are from the Patriotic Collection Paper Pad.

I decided to use the Splitcoaststampers SC792 Sketch Challenge for the layout and am also participating in the Cardz for Guyz #244 “Vintage” Challenge.

To create this card:

Ink the Courage image with Versafine™ Onyx Black ink and stamp onto white cardstock. Heat set the ink with a heat tool before coloring with water-based markers and distress ink (see colors listed below).

Die cut the panel with a stitched square die, mount onto navy cardstock, trim and mount onto red cardstock.

Emboss a piece of the navy paper from the Patriotic Collection Paper Pad with a 3D Star Embossing Folder, lightly sand the embossing. 

Using a water brush, dilute and add a bit of brushed corduroy distress ink around the edge of a piece of white cardstock trim and mount the embossed blue background onto the panel.  Mount the entire panel onto a piece of red cardstock, trim and adhere to a white card base.

Dilute brushed corduroy distress ink and apply to the patriotic paper to “antique” the paper, die cut into a banner and mount onto red cardstock.

Adhere the banner to the card front and mount the layered focal image using dimensional foam or chipboard.

Stamp the sentiment from Heart & Soul with Versafine™ Onyx Black ink onto white cardstock, heat set with a heat tool and use diluted brushed corduroy paper to “antique”.  

Trim and mount onto navy cardstock, trim and mount onto red cardstock.

Add the sentiment to the card front to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Courage (retired Stampin’ Up!), Heart & Soul (Divinity Designs)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black, Stampin’ Write Markers-Night of Navy, Real Red, Soft Suede; Tim Holtz™ Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink

Cardstock/Paper: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Real Red; Patriotic Collection (Divinity Designs)

Tools/Accessories: Gemini, Jr™, My Favorite Things Dies- Stitched Square STAX, retired Jumbo Fishtail Banners; Darice™ 3D Stars Embossing Folder, AquaPainter™, Heat Tool

Thanks again for taking the time to visit!  I hope I have inspired you to create your own card based on our {Red, White and Blue} photo and link up to our gallery at The Card Concept- we would love to see what inspired you! The challenge is open until May 25^th at noon EST.