Sending Sympathy

Well the new year is off to a very slow crafty start.  Like I said last week, it's been hard getting back into the routine of making cards, but seeing all the new products that everyone is posting from CHA has me feeling more inspired.  So with that being said, I thought I'd make a no-pressure-do-anything-you-want card today. 

So it turns out that I came up with a sympathy card.  The sentiment was an after-thought, but I thought it went nicely with the feel of the card.  A goal of mine is to have more cards like this ready to send out should the occasion arise, because I often find myself in need of a particular card (thank you, sympathy, etc.) but don't have any time to make one.  I can't bring myself to buy a store-bought card now, so often times the occasion comes and goes without a card in the mail (#fail)!  So hopefully you'll be seeing a lot more cards like this one on the blog in the coming months! 

I started by using Spun Sugar and Tumbled Glass distress inks to lightly ink around the edges.  I then stamped two flower images from Penny Black's Allegro stamp set.  The first one was the second-generation stamping to give the impression of being in the background and the other flower is stamped over with a crisp black ink.  After looking through my stamps, I thought the sympathy sentiment from Stampin' Up's Petite Pairs looked nicely with the images. I finished the card by mounting the panel on some pink cardstock and then mounted the whole thing on a black card base. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  

-Lizzy

Thank You

Happy Monday! 

I have another "thanks" card to share with you today.  It's in the same vein as my last card, but with some different stamps.  

I started by masking and inking an orange line using wild honey distress ink- I really love this color!  I then used two Penny Black stamps (verdant and social butterfly) to stamp within the colored line.  I did this by first stamping the image off onto scrap paper and then stamping the second generation onto the cardstock panel.  This creates a subtler look than stamping the image outright.  I then stamped my sentiment (Lawn Fawn) and the dragonfly from "social butterfly" in black ink and added a few pearls to finish the card. 

I'm also going to link this card up to this week's Simon Says Stamp Challenge: clean and simple. 

Thanks for popping in! 

-Lizzy

More Penny Black Fun

To continue the theme of "thanks" for November, I have another card to share today.  It's another simple one: 

I'm really loving Penny Black stamps these days and the "Verdant" stamp is no exception.  I started by doing a little masking and inking to create a line of color.  I then stamped the verdant stamp in black and added a few Memory Box butterflies (dancing butterflies die).  The sentiment is from PTI's Mini Blooms set- I just love the script writing.  

The theme is still "clean and simple" over at the Simon Says Stamp challenge blog, so I'll be linking the card up.  Thanks for stopping by today! 

-Lizzy

Thanks

As we continue into November, I thought it would be fun to feature a few more "thanks" cards in honor of Thanksgiving.  Today I have a clean and simple card that uses one of my favorite Penny Black stamp sets (delicate florals). 

This card was very simple to make.  I started by stamping the flower image and coloring it with copics.  I then distressed the edges of the cardstock panel with antique linen distress ink and stamped my sentiment (PTI Mini Blooms) in black ink.  I finished the card by drawing a frame with a copic multiliner and adding a few rhinestones. 

I'll be linking this card up to this week's Simon Says Stamp Challenge: clean and simple. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  And don't forget to come back this week-- I have a few more "thanks" cards to share! 

-Lizzy

Thank You Cards

I think I'm breaking a record this week with the number of blog postings!  I should really be posting more anyways, but the move to Hawaii has really thrown me for a loop.  I'm just starting to get organized again, so that's something to be thankful for.  And speaking of blessings, I have two cards to share today :)

I needed to make thank you cards for some special people in my life, so this is the first card I came up with: 

The background stamp is one of my favorite Hero Art's background stamps (Leaf and Floral background).  I inked the back panel with peacock feathers distress ink and then stamped the background in the same color.  The sweet flower stamp is from Penny Black (delicate florals), which I colored with copics.  The card is finished with a sentiment from Paper Smooches' Spiritual Sampler-- they really have the best sentiments! 

The next card is a little different, but I think it's still in the same vein: 

Sorry for the weird photograph-- the vellum actually is normal colored in real life!  Anyways, I stamped Penny Black's Glory of Modesty background stamp on a white cardstock panel and clear embossed it.  I then used Spun Sugar and Worn Lipstick distress inks to color in the flowers:

Ink the middle with the darker shade (Worn Lipstick)

Blend the darker shade out from the center with the lighter color (Spun Sugar)

I didn't have any daubers to do this, but the q-tips worked great!  The distress inks blend really nicely, so this is an easy technique for anyone to try.  I finished the card with the same sentiment that was embossed in black on vellum. 

That's all for me today.  Thanks for stopping by! 

-Lizzy

Sending Sunshine

Happy Wednesday! 

Today I just wanted to pop in and share a new card that I made.  It uses one of my favorite Penny Black stamps: 

I started by inking a cardstock panel with festive berries, wild honey, and mustard seed distress inks.  I then did some second-generation stamping with the flower in mustard seed ink before stamping the entire image in black.  The sentiment is selectively inked from Hero Arts Everyday Sayings set. 

I'll be linking up this card to this week's Simon Says Stamp Challenge: use products available in the Simon Says Stamp store.  I've included links to SSS for all the main supplies mentioned above. 

ETA: I'll also be linking up this card to the Color Media Challenge over at the Moxie Fab World blog.  It's a fun one! 

Thanks for visiting!  Hope to see you back soon :) 

-Lizzy