Heartfelt Sympathy - WWYS #61

This weeks What Will You Stamp Challenge set is Heartfelt Sympathy. I decided to use one of the more simpler sentiments from the set so I could add a bunch of details around it. I fussy cut a bunch of flowers from Wildflower Fields designer paper. I'll still using up my Sale-a-bration paper freebies! Stop by the WWYS blog to see more fabulous creations with this set.

Grateful Bunch Cards

It has been a couple of weeks since I have participated in a card challenge other than WWYS. Taxes and chores have gotten in the way.  Taxes! Ug. I am almost done but am cutting it pretty close to the deadline. Just a few tiny items to track down and verify and then I can submit them. What a relief that will be!

I needed a creative break, I don't know about you but this is how I relax and unwind. I sat down this weekend and created two cards for two different card challenges: The Global Design Project and Color Throwdown. Anyone participate in card challenges like these? I'm always looking for others. It's like a game! I challenged myself to use a single stamp set from the Occasions catalog that I have not stamped with yet. I choose Grateful Bunch.

Grateful Bunch is a rather eclectic stamp set. The primary reason I purchased it was for the lace border and the 'You are Totally Awesome' phrase (which I say all the time). I wasn't initially a fan of the flowers (the shape) but after stamping with them I am totally swayed. Stamp, color and punch!

Grateful Bunch - Stampin' Up! GDP030

Grateful Bunch - Stampin' Up! GDP030

Global Design Project - Sketch Challenge #30

I love a sketch challenge. It takes all the hard work out of starting a project. For this card I started with all of the elements needed to replicate the sketch almost exactly. Then I start to play and remove or move things around to make it more of my own. This card ended up being fairly simple and almost one layer. I embossed the white lace piece with white embossing powder directly to the card front and then added little pearls to the lace for dimension.

I recently purchased a Mini Misti. Do you use one of these in your stamping? AMAZING! I needed to be sure my greeting ended up straight & exactly where I wanted it and this was the perfect tool! So much easier and faster than the Stamp-a-ma-jig. Boom.

Grateful Bunch CTD387

Grateful Bunch CTD387

Color Throwdown - #387 CTD387

The Stampin' Up! Colors I used to achieve this challenge are: Coastal Cabana (retired), Real Red, Tangelo Twist and Daffodil Delight.

I embossed the verse and the leaf stamp in white embossing powder on white watercolor paper and then added a bit of watercolor over the top to make the stamping pop. I love this technique.

Thanks for stopping by and continue to have a great weekend!

Wild About Flowers - WWYS #57

Another fun filled week of card making challenges are ahead! Wild About Flowers is this week's What Will You Stamp challenge stamp set. This is a classic and elegant set with many different end uses. I created two cards for this challenge. Both using black as a primary color.

The 'retirement' card is all about angles. I basically threw down a bunch of paper at various angles until I came up with the composition I liked best.  I like how the It's My Party washi tape adds just the right pop of color to this high contrast card.

I call this next card my Congratulations ... you just got out of Jail Card! After I made this card I couldn't get past the black and white stripes. I really like them but it feels a little jailbird to me. Oh well. Can't win them all.

Don't forget to check out all of the other fantastic creations at the WWYS blog. Play along - we'd love to see what you come up with.