Today we’ve got the second version of this lovely rose as a focal point.

This card required a few scraps with smaller scaled prints, and a lot of fussy cutting.

First, stamp the rose bud with a coordinating ink on multiple scraps of paper that could be considered flower colors. Here I used a reddish ink, with scraps in the red to pink range. There were five distinct sections of the rose bud, so I used five different  red scraps.

The next step is to stamp the leaves multiple times on green scraps with green ink. (Although, I suppose, the leaves don’t have to be green.)

After you’ve done your stamping and let the ink dry, start trimming out the pieces you want to use. Stamp the main image in green and whatever color you’re using for the rosebud on white paper, and then use a detail glue applicator to adhere the cut out pieces to your stamped image.

To tie it all together, Use more pieces of the scraps you used to make the flower to create color blocks that help fill in the front of the card. Add a sentiment, and your card is all set!

If you’d like to get a card in the mail from me, make sure you’ve joined my mailing list!

Supplies used: (affiliate links)

Before we get started with today’s card, I want to wish everyone in the US a Happy Thanksgiving! And to everyone out there, may your day be filled with love and laughter!

Then next three days we’ll be looking at using one stamp in three different ways. Each day will have slightly different techniques, but the focal stamp will be the same: this lovely rose.

Today’s focal image was stamped with memento ink, and then colored with copic markers. Which brings us to our first thought for the day. Just because you want to color with copics doesn’t mean you have to use black ink. Try using some other colors and see how they work for you.

The rose was then cut out and adhered on a lovely handmade marbled paper. (Another Skycraft design I believe.) For the sentiment, a frame was stamped with metallic ink, and then a rub on sentiment was added to the center of the frame, which was then cut out and adhered as well.

I think we’ve established this month that I like to keep things simple. Cards that let stamped images shine have worked so much better than the incredibly complicated ones. Plus, they are much cheaper to mail!

As always, if you’d like to receive a card in the mail from me, make sure you’re on my mailing list. Sign up is on the top righthand side of the page.

Supplies used: (affiliate links)

copic sketch markers

You know that ginkgo stamp I used last week? Was it last week? I can’t remember– this month has been a blur!

Any hoo…

I love that ginkgo stamp, and wanted to use it again. This time I stamped it on gold mirror cardstock.

No alcohol inks this time. Instead, I used the Smooch inks to paint the center leaf and really make it stand out. A coordinating stamp on the card base, and the card was finished. Hardest part? Not smearing any of the ink. A heat tool helped set everything quickly.

I love how simple and elegant this card is! Here’s a little bit closer so you can see the details:

As always, make sure you’re on my email list so you can get a card in the mail. Thanks for visiting!

Supplies used: (affiliate links)

It’s gotten a bit cold here in the northeast, and we’ve had a few snowflakes. Nothing like Buffalo, but still, you can tell winter is on its way! It seemed appropriate to throw a wintry card into the mix.

This started out with a watercolor wash as a background, with a few drips of spray ink. Then some small snowflakes stamped repeatedly filled out the rest of the background. A few larger snow themed stamps from the same set were stamped in a slightly darker ink, edged with a silver paint pen, and adhered with pop dots.

This card background was originally intended for another card, but when it didn’t work with the already completed focal point, I created a new theme for the watercolor background.

Which brings us to the most important idea for today: flexibility. Be willing to change your plans as you go. You might end up with something you like more as a result!

Don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so you can get a card from me! Top right hand side of the page!

Supplies used: (affiliate links)

You know how some cards come out just the way you envision them? This is not one of those cards. All the pieces are fine on their own, but they don’t quite come together on the end product.

This started with the four squares– it’s a fun little stamp designed to be used as a window or as part of a stamp collage. To get nice crisp edges, you need to mask off and protect the stamped frame with either post it notes, or crafter’s masking tape. The background was filled with distress inks in yellow and orange, and then little flowers and dots were stamped with CTMH stamps in versamagic ink.

I could not get a square trim around the outside of the frame, so I hand cut it. Then it was layered on top of some lovely paper from Authentique and washi paper from We R Memory Keepers. It needed a sentiment though.

To create the sentiment flower I stamped a larger flower from the same Close to My Heart stamp set, with the same ink used for the little framed stamps. The sentiment was then stamped in a coordinating color on top of it.

Notice anything? Like maybe how the sentiment flower is much pinker than the little framed flowers? Yep. Color mixing at work! If it weren’t for the fact that this is already adhered in place, I’d go back and re-do the sentiment flower.

There’s nothing hugely wrong with this, but it just didn’t come close to matching my mental image.

I should probably hesitate to mention this, but YOU could get a card from me in the mail. Just sign up for my mailing list, and when I send out my last reminder for the month, respond with your mailing address. You probably won’t be getting this card. This one will probably be hidden somewhere dark and mysterious.

Supplies used: (affiliate links)