Maple Leaf panel

This card could very easily be a one layer card but I created the leaf panel on a strip of white card stock then attached it. When I am making one layer cards there are usually a bunch of strips cut off the ones that didn’t work which are exactly the right length to make a panel like this one. I first stamped pale leaf images in three colours by stamping off on a piece of scrap before stamping on the panel. Then I sponged in three colours before stamping the leaves again and adding the sentiment.

The number of gratitude cards is growing.

Cards made for Gratitude challenge: 6
Cards mailed for Gratitude challenge: 1 (Woohoo, I made a start!)

Supplies:

Stamps: Maple Leaf,  So Blessed (Penny Black)
Inks:  Memento Rich Cocoa, Rhubarb Stalk, Morocco, Versafine Vintage Sepia (Tsukineko)


Autumn Leaf

Once again I have combined the One Layer Wednesday challenge with the Less is More challenge. Cheryl challenged us on Wednesday to make an Autumn themed card featuring what we love about the season. For me it is the colours of the leaves. My favourite season is summer but the beautiful colours of fall help me cope with summer’s departure.

The challenge at Less is More today is to incorporate an oval into your card. It only took me three attempts to get my card the way I envisioned it! I stamped the leaf first then positioned an oval mask over it and restamped it and added more colour both on the stamp and by painting on some ink picked up from the stamp pad lid with a small paintbrush and some water. Before lifting the mask again I sponged and restamped the leaf.

I realize that I did a leaf card last week for OLW and Less is More. The layout is identical. Sorry to be so repetitive. The leaves are turning here and so my mind turns to leaf images!

( I finally posted some pics of my daughter at the National Track & Field championships on my other blog)

Supplies:

Stamps: Maple Leaf, …Wishes (Penny Black)
Inks:  Memento Rich Cocoa, Rhubarb Stalk, Morocco (Tsukineko)


Harmony leaves

I am enjoying making Gratitude cards and had fun experimenting with patterns and colours for this one. I used the background stamp, Harmony, which I randomly inked in three colours and stamped on white cardstock. I then embossed the leaves in clear and sponged over the whole panel, in brown and orange.  Combining leaves with a tapestry style pattern is a bit unusual but I think it works here.

Cards made for Gratitude challenge: 4
Cards mailed for Gratitude challenge: 0 (Better get on that! I bought postage stamps today so that’s a step in the right direction.)

Supplies:

Stamps: Harmony, Foliage FancyGratitude (Penny Black)
Inks:  Memento Rhubarb stalk, Morocco, Rich Cocoa & Versamark (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Penny Black Mix & Match Papers Fall Festival


A bright tomorrow

Today the Penny Black blog is featuring cards using the new transparent set “A Bright Tomorrow”. It is a set of very pretty snowflakes, Christmas balls and a little wreath. I used the emboss resist method to create my swirling snow scene. All the images were stamped and embossed in clear before I sponged over the whole panel with a mix of blue and lilac Memento inks. I cut the panel in three then popped it up on the card base.

If you are looking for a challenge to participate in pop over to Cheryl’s blog for this week’s One Layer Wednesday challenge.

Supplies:

Stamps: A Bright Tomorrow, Hello Winter (PB)
Inks: Memento Summer Sky, Danube Blue, Lulu Lavender, Bahama Blue, Versafine Onyx Black, Versamark(Tsukineko)


Moonlit branch

Although this stamp is from one of Penny Black’s new Halloween sets I thought the delicate branches were too pretty to dedicate only to spooky scenes. I avoided inking the three bats and created a moonlit branch instead. To achieve the moonlit edge on the branches I used the same technique I have mentioned before when creating snow laden trees and branches. I stamp the branch twice, once in versamark and then ever so slightly lower in black, then emboss it all in clear  before sponging.

Thanks for dropping by. I hope you have a great week.

Supplies:

Stamps:   Wishes, Hoot of a Time (PB)
Inks: Memento  Danube Blue, Ladybug Red,Versafine Onyx Black, Versamark(Tsukineko)
Also: clear embossing powder


Simple Foliage

Susan is hosting the One Layer Wednesday challenge and has challenged us to join in her Gratitude Campaign for 2012. In her words:

The Gratitude Campaign is my annual attempt to save Thanksgiving from the commercial limbo between Halloween and Christmas. I resent that Thanksgiving only gets an end-cap at Target. Those of you who read my other blog know how important an attitude of gratitude is to me, and it’s just sad that Thanksgiving has become an excuse to over-eat rather than an opportunity to jump in a big pile of autumnal gratitude and roll around in it. 

I wholeheartedly agree with her so have created two gratitude cards today. The challenge for me is not creating them; it’s mailing them. I’ll keep you posted on my success rate!

The Less is More challenge this week is to create a one layer card featuring Foliage so I combined the two challenges and created the card above.

I used Memento dewdrop inkpads to apply ink directly to the stamp, first a pale orange, then a darker one around the edges of the stamp. I then added text to the leaf stamp by inking the letter background stamp and pressing the two stamps together (often called the ‘kissing’ technique).

I liked the look of the blended leaf so I stamped several more then cropped one out to make a single popped up strip on the two layer card below.

Supplies:

Stamps: Foliage Fancy (Penny Black)
Inks:  Memento Cantaloupe, Tangelo, Potter’s Clay (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Penny Black Mix & Match Papers Grand Canyon


Penny Black weekend challenge

There is a Mini card challenge going on this weekend over at the Penny Black Blog.  So, if you have some extra time, I hope you will get a chance to play along.  There is a prize package for one lucky participant.
Go HERE for all the details.
Hope to be back with a card soonish.

Les Petites

Yesterday I featured the lovely new patterned paper from Penny Black; today I have a little card to share. My card is made using Les Petites the sweet little pre-folded cards with coloured envelopes which are available from Penny Black.

The cards are  12 x 8.6cm (4¾”x3 3/8″) and are perfect for a little note.

I opted for petite stamps to create my little snow scene. The tiny spotted tree and the spotted swirl are from the transparent set ” A Wish for Peace”. The tree is embossed in clear embossing powder and all the sponging and stamping is done with Memento Teal Zeal ink.

One of my fellow PB designers, the talented Cathy Andronicou has a fabulous giveaway happening at her blog: The Bright Side of Life. Included in the giveaway are products by Faber Castell Design Memory Craft and Penny Black. Go and check out the giveaway and browse through Cathy’s lovely work at the same time. http://candronicoucardcraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/giveaway.html

Supplies:

Stamps:   Winter MagicA Wish for Peace(PB)
Inks: Memento  Teal Zeal, Versamark(Tsukineko)
Also: clear embossing powder


Madison Paper Pad

Penny Black has a new pad of designer paper with all sorts of designs perfect for fall, winter and more. I pulled out a red and white print to make a Christmas card and two leaf prints plus a check to create a fall wreath card. I used a recollections leaf punch to create the fall wreath. The red and white print reminds me of Scandinavian patterns. To create the square I cut four identical squares then used a corner rounder punch on two corners of each square.

Check out the Penny Black blog today to see more creativity with the Madison Paper Pad.

 

 

Supplies:

Stamps:  Hello WinterFoliage Fancy (PB)
Card stock: PB Mix & Match Rosegarden DarkFern Green Medium & Madison Paper Pad


Autumn Sky

Using the stamp “Winter Sky” and an autumn palette I created a scene I’m not quite ready for yet. I’m in no hurry for summer to end but the card making world seems to be in fall-winter-Christmas mode!

To create this scene I masked the lower section so I could sponge a cloudy sky then removed the mask and sponged autumn tones on the lower section. I initially just sponged the three colours without masks but finished by moving a hill shaped mask around to create the hillside. I then added the stamp in brown, trimmed, matted and popped the panel up on dimensional tape.

I must apologize to all who have left questions in the comment section in the last few weeks; I haven’t forgotten you and will try to respond soon.  Thank you for all the lovely encouragement you have left me lately; you are very kind.

Supplies:

Stamps: Winter Sky, Thinking of You (Penny Black)
Inks:  Memento Cantaloupe, Peanut Brittle, Morocco, Summer Sky, Bahama Blue & Versafine Vintage Sepia (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Penny Black Mix & Match Papers Grand Canyon