More Georgia Peach

As you already have figured out, my daughter has far more talent than I both in creating cards and taking pictures of them. That said, I still have fun playing with paper. In a previous post I mentioned how much I love Georgia Peach paper even though I'm not so fond of pink. It must be that two of my favorite colors, So Saffron and Old Olive tone down the pink quite a bit and create a trio of colors that complement each other so well. I decided to cut the striped paper on the bias to add interest. I used the flower stamp from the Simply Said set--I've become quite fond of this delicate stamp--and backed it with DSP and Regal Rose, bordering it below with a scalloped piece of Old Olive. Three pearl brads in the upper right finished off the card. For the stamped piece I used Whisper White and stamped in Basic Black and then colored the blossoms using an Aqua Painter and stamp pad ink.

Becasue I Tried to Watercolor

Because I had such a delightful time watercoloring Grabby, I decided to try my hand at it again, only this time on something a little more challenging.

To say I'm underwhelmed by the results would be putting it mildly. :sigh: But, since I had the bloom colored, I decided it would be wasteful to toss it and decided to try to make something with it. This was the best I could come up with. Um, yeah...

I did however like the way I treated the ribbon. Since I've recently begun pairing ribbons, I decided to give the Marina Mist satin a go with the grosgrain Very Vanilla. I think it looks pretty nifty. :o)

I'm not sure if it needs more color, or what, but it's just not quite there... Oh, well. Now, if Lissie would just pick up the slack and post something better, we'd be set. :oP

This card uses (all SU! unless otherwise noted):
Stamp Set: "Because I Care"
Inks: Pear Pizazz, Marina Mist, Garden Green, Sahara Sand (all markers)
Paper: Watercolor, Very Vanilla, Marina Mist
Accessories: 5/8" Marina Mist satin ribbon, 5/8" Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, aqua painter

On a brighter note, I was once again a "Cut Above" over at Always Playing with Paper. Woo hoo! :o)

Happy Saturday, everyone!

--Rach

Birthday Grabby

I've been wanting to try a slider card for quite a while, and with Paul's birthday coming up (okay, past since it was Wednesday...), I knew it was time to give it a go and I knew Grabigail here was the one with which to do it.

This really was an easy card to put together, contrary to how it may look. The most time consuming part was cutting out Grabby and her friends. You can find a tutorial here on Splitcoast Stampers.

Now then, most slider cards are horizontal--for good reason. Grabby likes to hang out at the bottom of the card, but, well, the only way to get all the fun party accessories to show properly was for me to change the orientation.

There are a few things I would change if I were to do this again. I would move the slider to the right and the clam and shrimp to the left.


This card uses (all SU! unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set: "Crab and Company"
Paper: watercolor paper, Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze (thanks, Jaydee!)
Inks: Versamark, black Staz-On, and Poppy Parade, Marina Mist, Baja Breeze, Cameo Coral, Sahara Sand, Pretty in Pink, Daffodil Delight and Chocolate Chip markers
Accessories: googly eyes (non-SU!, obviously ;oP), penny, dime, dimensionals, aqua painter

Techniques: I Versamarked the Baja Breeze using the shell and starfish stamps. I watercolored using the markers and aqua painter. After using the Staz-On to stamp the images on the watercolor paper, I drew a couple of lines using the markers. I then went in with the aqua painter to pull the color into the rest of the image.

I know it's a very belated birthday card, but I hope Paul appreciates the effort nonetheless. :o)

--Rach

Inspired by Polish Pottery

Lesley over at Always Playing with Paper posted this as inspiration for this week's challenge. Well, I happen to love Polish pottery, and I was truly inspired by the geometric symmetry of that piece in the bottom photo and I was determined to try to capture that feeling with my card. Of course, there was no red in that bottom photo, but well, I have just fallen in LOVE with Poppy Parade, and well, there was some red in that top photo, so...:oP


And, the inside. :o)

This card uses (all SU! unless otherwise noted):
Inks: Brilliant Blue, Daffodil Delight, Poppy Parade, White Craft
Paper: Brilliant Blue, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White
Stamp Sets: "Baroque Motifs", PTI's "Signature Greetings"
Accessories: Daffodil Delight 5/8" grosgrain and 1/8" taffeta

A Note: Using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, I stamped the flowers on the blue using the white craft ink, let them dry, and then restamped in order to get a more defined, darker image. Then, I went in with the Daffodil Delight marker and hit the centers of the flowers.

AND, as an added bonus, card number two for the day:
Did I mention I'm now in LOVE with Poppy Parade? Well, I couldn't help it and needed to make a copy of the card in it as well. I was not certain which one I would like more. I think the blue one more closely meets the inspiration piece, but I sure do love that Poppy one. :o)


Happy Stampin'!

--Rach

Oh, I Loves Me Some Georgia Peach (Paper, That Is)

As I mentioned in a previous post, I love Georgia Peach DSP. Regal Rose, So Saffron, and Old Olive come together in a way that is most pleasing to my eye. I'm not a big a fan of pink, but I still love using this paper. This card is simple; it has no embellishments. The large scallop circle is cut from Regal Rose. I cut it using a Nestability. The smaller So Saffron circle I also cut using a Nestability. I did the same for the smallest circle cut from Georgia Peach. Eastern Bloom is a set I have come to love, so much so that I turn to it often. I used So Saffron and Regal Rose ink to stamp the images and then pierced the corners to add interest.

--Lissie

Happiness Happens

Ah, yet more "Cottage Wall" DSP. It just makes me happy. I know this is a simple layout, but I LOVED the image and the sentiment. I had a tire swing when I was little, and oh how I loved to climb on and go for a ride. Such a happy memory called for a happy sentiment. Anne Frank certainly captured that. :o)

This card uses:
Paper: Whisper White, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence, Cottage Wall DSP
Ink: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence
Stamp Sets: "Branch Out", "Hope Happens"
Accessories: 5/8" Old Olive grosgrain ribbon

I challenge you to go forth and pass the happiness on. It's contagious. :o)

--Rach

High Contrast

When I was an elementary schoolteacher, I enjoyed putting up bulletin boards. I changed them frequently and always made them interactive so that I could use them as teaching tools. During this time, I read about graphic design, and one thing I learned was that high contrast can create visual interest. One day, one a whim, I created a yellow and black bulletin board. My students loved it, and so did I. I've never forgotten this combination, and decided to use it to make a birthday card. Rachael and I recently talked about playing with the yellow/black combination, and it was fun to see how we each applied it.

For this card I used Crushed Curry and Basic Black . The layout is not unique, but I like how the card came together. The stamp is from a set called Pocket Silhouettes, and is often called "a beginner's set" because it is easy to use. I stamped the image in Crushed Curry four times. Underneath I stamped a very simple "happy birthday" in Basic Black. I punched the bottom of the yellow with a border punch to add interest, added black satin ribbon, and finished off the card with three black brads.

--Lissie

Bright and Cheerfully Fabulous

That's how this card makes me feel, bright and cheerful. :o) When I saw the new "Sunny Garden" DSP, I knew at once I loved it. I quickly realized it was "Cottage Wall" with new colors, and as much as I adore "Cottage Wall" my new obsession made sense. :oP

I was finally able to delve into the paper last night and put this together whilst Audrey Hepburn and Bogey played out the story of "Sabrina". Ahhh, I do so enjoy old movies. :o)

But, as is typical, I digress...

The sketch was provided by Lesley at Always Playing with Paper for this week's challenge. I couldn't wait to play around with it, but something always got in my way until last night. Let me tell you how much I'm LOVING Poppy Parade! What a rich, BOLD red-orange. It is absolutely fabulous. :o)


And, here's the inside. I've come to love doing a little something on the inside--it makes them just that much more special. I created the layers in here to match the image layers on the outside. Stamped with the corresponding sentiment makes it perfect. :o)

This card uses:

Inks: Poppy Parade, Pear Pizazz, Peach Parfait (A note: I have yet to purchase the In Color stamp pads and so far the markers have worked just fine for me.)
Paper: Whisper White, Poppy Parade, Pear Pizazz, Peach Parfait, Daffodil Delight
Stamp Sets: "Thoughts and Prayers", "Absolutely Fabulous"
Ribbon: 5/8" satin Daffodil Delight, 1/4" striped taffeta Daffodil Delight
Embellishments/Accessories: Beautiful Wings embosslit

I hope the person who receives this finds the card as fabulous as I. :oP

--Rach

Inspired by Rachael

Rachael's post inspired me to fess up that I also hoard paper. I got so desperate for some more Georgia Peach DSP that I recently bought five packs on Ebay. One of my other very favorite papers is Haiku from Fall 2009. I fell in love with the paper, probably because of the colors, so when it was on sale, I stocked up. I made this card using Haiku. Colors in Haiku include More Mustard, Old Olive, So Saffron, and Tangerine Tango. The base of the card is Tangerine Tango. I layered ribbon using Old Olive striped wide ribbon on the bottom and then Tangerine Tango ribbon on top. The Tangerine Tango flower was made using the Flower Burst Embosslits die, and is backed by a circle of so saffron. In the middle of the flower is a So Saffron brad.

Cottage Wall

When I first saw the 2009-2010 Idea Book and Catalog, I fell IN LOVE with the "Cottage Wall" DSP. What gorgeous paper. What rich colors. Oh, be still my heart. :happy sigh: I am embarrassed to admit this, but I purchased five packs and am now hoarding it. :oP

But, isn't the point of beautiful paper to use it? How am I to enjoy it if it is just tucked away in a cubby, never seeing the light of day?? Hm. This deserves some thought...;o)

This card uses not only my favorite DSP, but also one of the most versatile sets I own, "Trendy Trees". This is another go-to set for me. They are a clean, simple set. (Please ignore that wonky tree on the right, there. Oops!)

This card uses (all SU! unless otherwise noted):
Stamp set: "Trendy Trees"
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Orchid Opulence (retired), Whisper White
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Orchid Opulence, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: 5/8" Old Olive grosgrain, Eyelet Border punch, Stamp-A-Ma-Jig

Ahhh, if only I had used the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig with the tree trunks...

I'm hoping to get into the studio some time tomorrow--I have bunches of new goodies to play with...:o)

--Rach

... sigh ...

For a mostly retired person I am far too busy. Yesterday it was canning 42 jars of pickles; today it is tackling a new BIG job for my publisher. This means, of course, that I can't get into my studio. ARGH! I have in my head a lovely card using the colors Blushing Bride and Early Espresso. But, it will have to wait.

--Lissie

Lissie's First Post

I like to send cards to my grandchildren because I remember when I was a child how exciting it was to get mail addressed to me. With this in mind I made cards to send to Lily, Gabriel, and Ella. I'm posting Ella's card because it was so much fun to make. Ella loves pink, so much so that her bedroom is pink, pink, pink. This card reflects the colors of her walls.

I used these stamp sets: True Friend and Well Scripted. Colors: Melon Mambo and Pretty in Pink. DSP is Razzleberry Lemonade. Using Versamark I added a bit of background to the Melon Mambo paper. Rachael reminded me of the rock and roll method of stamping so I used that to get the two-toned effect on the part I stamped. I found ribbon in Melon Mambo and Pretty in Pink and some Pretty in Pink buttons. I love it when accessories are all in the right colors. This was a bit of a happy accident because I knew the card needed something to give it a bit of oomph, and I think the ribbon and buttons did that fairly well. Click on the card to read the sentiment.

First Post!

Because I couldn't stand having a naked blog, I thought I would get this party started by posting a card. :o) I plan on using this site to post any and all projects from now on and use Tales of a Monkey, a Bit, and a Bean for all other random thoughts I may have. ;o)

This card uses:
Ink: Staz-On Black, Daffodil Delight
Stamps: "Baroque Motifs", "Itty Bitty Birthday"
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight

--Rach