Ornate Flower and Sparkly Snowflakes

I'm quite shocked to see how long it is since I've managed to post to my blog! I knew it had been a while, but even so . . . Hopefully now the busy-ness is behind me, and I can get back to putting up cards regularly. I have a few in the wings, and am starting with the projects for last month's make and takes for my stampers ten members.



This first one has sparkle from the Dazzling Diamonds on the blue flakes, and silvery shine from the Platinum Shimmer Paint I used to ink up the silver snowflakes. Hard to catch it in the photo though - it may show up better if you click to enlarge.

I started by cutting a rectangular mask in a thin piece of card the same size as the image panel. I cut it in the position, and at the angle I wanted so that when I placed the mask over the image panel, the mask covered the whole of the image panel and I wouldn't get any stray ink where it wasn't wanted. I used 2-way glue to temporarily fix the mask to the image panel, then sponged Bashful Blue through the mask, putting more around the edges of the rectangle than in the middle. After removing the mask, I stamped the swirl stamp from Season of Joy three times. I stamped off the image first on scrap paper to lighten it.

The next step was to rub the whole image with an Embossing Buddy, before stamping the blue flakes. SU classic ink is fast drying, which is not suitable for embossing. However, if you ink up your stamp first with Versamark, and then straight to the coloured ink pad - in this case Marina Mist - and then stamp on the card, the Versamark will enable you to add embossing powder to the image. In this case, I used Heat'n'Stick, and when it was melted and hot, sprinkled over the Dazzling Diamonds. This is a very good way of getting the sparkle of glitter on an intricate image like these snowflakes. I did each blue snowflake individually so that the ink didn't dry on the first one, before I had chance to emboss it.

Finished off by applying the shimmer paint to the small snowflake stamp with a sponge dauber and stamping between the blue snowflakes.

Card/Paper: Marina Mist, Whisper White

Ink: Marina Mist, Bashful Blue, Platinum Shimmer Paint, Versamark

Stamps: Serene Snowflakes, Season of Joy

Other: Dazzling Diamonds

Card Size: 15cm x 10.5cm (approx 4" x 6")

This second card uses a stamp set from the new catalogue called Ornate Flowers. I love the shape of this particular stamp from the set. Here I have used my markers to apply three different colours before stamping once to create the image. Simply finished off with a bit of piercing and a little piece of knotted ribbon over the corner before matting onto Cherry Cobbler - one of the gorgeous new colours from Stampin' Up!

The designer paper is Greenhouse Gala, which co-ordinates beautifully with all of the stamps in the Ornate Flowers Stamp set. Just a little bit of piercing and a punched strip of Cherry Cobbler behind to decorate. Used markers again to ink up the greeting in two colours to match the flower. A quick and easy card.

Card/Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White, Greenhouse Gala DP

Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Cherry Cobbler, Pear Pizzazz

Stamps: Ornate Flowers, Sincere Salutations

Other: 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon Pumpkin Pie

Card Size: 15cm x 10.5cm (approx 4" x 6")

Icy Blue

I love the blue on this backing paper, especially when combined with Stickles Diamond glitter glue. The paper is another designed by Carol. The snowflake is folded using 6 diamond shaped pieces, and uses a tile that I designed in Photoshop with colours picked off the backing paper. The fold is the May Challenge fold on Circle of Crafters designed by Carolyn (Carolyninoz), and the instructions can be found here.
I outlined the backing paper with Stickles, added the organza ribbon and sentiment sticker, and then matted it onto a darker blue to create a narrow frame. The medallion is finished off with a tiny brad to pull it down in the centre which is hidden by the punched and Stickled snowflake. It looks really pretty sitting here, twinkling in the sunlight! I tried to capture the twinkle on the photo, but wasn't too successful - the enlargement shows it a bit better.