Meanwhile, Back to Summer:

Here's a card using leftover scraps from my scrap drawer--once again, it pays to keep some handy! I even had some leftover purple-tinted gems to dress it up.

Variation on a Theme

Here's the same card recipe as the previous post in a different color scheme. I used the holly and berry peg stamps in place of the pine and pine cones, metallic gold paper in place of the brown and a different designer paper. Isn't it amazing how a change of color can make such a difference!!

Notice how the large button has the words "twenty-five" printed on it. How appropriate is that! (Unfortunately, it's the only like it in the whole assortment.)

I've done 10 of this design--90 cards to go--and working on a new design for the next batch of 10, so stay tuned!

1Down, 99 to go!

Christmas is coming! I'm late getting started this year because the SU catalog won't be coming out until Aug. 11; so in the meantime, I got started using my new Hero Arts postage set and my old Rubber Stamp Tapestry peg stamps for the pine and pine cones. This took awhile (too long for 100 cards) so I'll be switching to a simpler design later, say Aug. 12th??

Thank you, Anna Wight!

Just made my first card with my new Whipper Snapper Designs set, and I love what you can do with this one. The flowers and butterfly were painted with Twinkling H2O's. The leaves were stamped with Memories dye ink, Soft Leaf. I used gold Tw.H2O to highlight around the flowers to give them a sunny glow.

Looking for Depth...

...of color, that is. Even though I usually like to use pastel colors for summer, this poppy gave me the chance to make a summer card that has a little more punch, colorwise. Plus it brings back memories of the bright red poppies I saw growing wild in Tuscany.

(All stamps were from the Bloomin' Beautiful set by Stampin' Up with Icicle Stickles added to the bee's wings. Flower and leaves were painted with Twinkling H2O's.)

IT'S BEEN AWHILE

Now that we're getting a break from the heat and humidity, the Stamping Tower is comfortable for stamping again. (Even though we have central air, it doesn't keep up with the sun beating in the window upstairs on really hot days.)

Anyway, this card features some squares: the dp, the buttons and the brad. The flower was stamped twice so I could cut out the blossom portion and pop it out. The petals were watercolored with two shades of yellow/gold, with a little more contrast than shown here in the photo.

Speaking of dp, I love the Sizzix "Little Sizzles" pads of dp with matching cardstock sheets. Easy to coordinate, and takes up less storage space than full sheets. They have them at Michaels.

Stay cool!

New Hero Arts Stamp

Today, I took out my pad of "real" watercolor paper and tried out my new Hero Arts stamp. Using my watercolor crayons and an aqua painter brush (my favorite coloring medium) I chose to make this a vase of Peace roses. I started with yellow, then edged the petals with pink; next came the leaves in two tones of green.

...not sure if I like the bow where it is, or the rounded corners. What do you think?

P.S. I removed the floss and just re-mounted the bow in the same spot. It looks much better!