Mash-Up Monday

Hi there!  I'll bet you want to know just what is a Mash-Up Monday is.  Well, it happens when I can't decide totally on what I want to make, keep changing my mind, use all kinds of products - current and retired, and it just all comes together.  And I'm happy with the results - that's the most important part of the idea.  I just couldn't get my act together today and started putzin' around with some old retired Designer Paper.   I'm not even sure of the name of it anymore - maybe Color Theory (?) something to do with the Colorful Seasons set we had a few years ago.  (but I won't bet on that!)  The paper is a pretty ombre blue that I thought would be pretty with a splash of white and yellow flowers.  This is what I came up with...

First I embossed this Designer Paper piece with the Painted Texture 3D Embossing Folder.  I loved how this really made the ombre colors become even more prominent.  This was attached to a folded Basic White card base using Tombow Multi-Adhesive Liquid Glue.  I find this glue really helps the embossed layers stay firmly attached to the card base.

Next come the flowers.  I am so enchanted with the Pierced Blooms Dies lately.  I keep going back to it repeatedly.  Then pairing it with blushes of color with the Blending Brushes and boy, I'm in stamp heaven!  This is a large die set and has 25 dies.  I only used 9 different dies from this set for this card.  Is it an awesome set?  You bet!  The largest flower was cut from Balmy Blue.  The 4 different leaves I used were all cut from Pear Pizzazz.   The 2 different flower centers were cut from So Saffron.  And the tiny flowers and sentiment layer were cut from Basic White.

I changed the pace a little when I decided I'd like a white daisy for one of the flowers.  I used the Medium Daisy Punch to cut 2 layers for the daisy.

Now for the magic.  I used the Blending Brushes to put a darker blush of Pear Pizzazz on each of the leaves at the base.  The two flower centers had a blush of Mango Melody added to them.  The Balmy Blue flower had some Balmy Blue added, but it was too faint so I went over it again with some Pacific Point.  The daisy had some So Saffron blushed in the center.  Now, no matter how I took the pictures of the card, take my word for it - the photos just do not do it justice!  

The flowers were attached using a Dimensional behind each.  The flower centers were attached with Mini Glue Dots.  The leaves have a bit of MonoAdhesive behind them  The tiny white flowers were shaped with the Take Your Pick Tool and attached with Mini Glue Dots.

The 'Smile' sentiment comes from the Daisy Lane stamp set.  It was stamped with Night of Navy ink.  Oh yeah, there was a tiny smudge on it after stamping this, so...  I found a bitty butterfly in the Nature's Thoughts Die set and die-cut it from Night of Navy ink to match.  It was attached to the label with a rolled up Mini Glue Dot.

For all the fits and starts with making this card, I'm happy with the end results.  Sometimes you just have to rummage through a bunch of stamps and dies to come up with exactly what you needed.  And my hubby always wants to know why I have so much "stuff"!!  Because I never know when I'll need it!  Right?

Hmmm, I just realized there is absolutely no bling on this card!  I'll have to think about this a bit longer to see if I want to add any or just let it be.  I think I'm leaning more to the plainer side so it doesn't compete with the pretty flowers.  What do you think?  Bling or no bling??  We'll see.

If you're still planning to place an order yet this month, please use the Host Code shown here.  My thanks to all who have already ordered this month.  I've been working on getting goodies ready to mail out to you.  *big grin*   Love you ladies!

Thanks so much for stopping by to see what I've been up to lately.  Please leave a comment so I know you've been here.  It warms my heart just reading your comments.  Thanks for taking the time!

Happy stamping and good luck with the creating!

Sharon

Happy Mother's Day!

 I hope all of you that are mothers out there are spending some time today with your families and enjoying the many benefits that motherhood can bring.  I know all of you aren't mothers, and that's all right.  You can still celebrate the memories and good times you've had with your own mother.  Today brings me lots of memories of my own mom and reminds me of what a loving and wonderful God-fearing woman she was.  I still am trying to live up to the legacy she left with us as a guide to how we should live too.  And that's the legacy I'd like to leave with my own grown-up kids someday.  (Hopefully just not too soon!)  Today's card is the one I made for my own daughter.  She's on a black & white kick lately, so I had to use that for a starting place.  Of course, you know me and pastels, so...

This is it.  I have to say, using the Blending Brushes and then die-cutting flowers and leaves with the Pierced Blooms Dies is totally addicting.  I had trouble stopping myself from making a bazillion flowers in multiple colors.  I ended up with two cards finished and enough layered flowers leftover for another 3-4 cards.  Like I said - truly addicting!

To make the flowers, just blend your favorite colors onto Basic White cardstock using a light touch with the Blending Brushes.  Love, love, love those Blending Brushes!  Make sure the colors touch each other and sometimes blend together to make even more soft colors.  I was using many of my smallish scraps of white to play around finding colors I liked and seeing how dark I wanted to make them.  Here's the list of ink colors I used:  Daffodil Delight, Pale Papaya, Polished Pink, Fresh Freesia, and Just Jade.

If you look closely you can see that many of the flowers are more than one color with the edges or even different petals a blended color.  This is really, really fun to do.  Even the leaves have some of the other colors blended on them, especially the pink and yellow.  

The card base is the Basic White with a smaller layer of Basic Black.  Then I added a triangle of white with black polka dots from the True Love Designer Series Paper.  Unfortunately, that has been retired now and makes me sad, but I will still be using this until I can find something to replace it!

The die-cut for the sentiment is also part of the Pierced Blooms Die set.  Isn't the shape pretty?  And I love the stitching accents too.  The sentiment comes from the Welcoming Window set.  It was just what was needed.  I stamped it using Memento Tuxedo Black ink to stay with the crisp black and white look.  This was attached to the card front using a few Dimensionals.

The different flower sizes were layered together using just a bit of MultiPurpose Liquid Glue.  It was fun playing around with all the different sizes,  shapes, and colors to get the look I wanted for each flower - that's why it makes sense to make a bazillion different flowers to choose from!  Don't you agree?   Some flowers are only two layers and the largest one on the card has three.  Just keep playing until you get the look you want.  After all the flowers were made, I arranged them on the card front then attached some with Dimensionals and some with MultiPurpose Liquid Glue.  I added just a few sequins from the Woven Threads collection.  Yes, they are retired, but just the right colors!

I hope you like this idea using the look of soft pastels to offset the bold black and white of the card.  And definitely give those Blending Brushes a try if you haven't already.  They are a definite must-have item in my stamping world!  Have fun making your world bloom in lovely flowers using these ideas.

If you are planning on ordering this month, please choose me as your demonstrator and use this Host Code for the month of May.  I really appreciate your order and love to send out little goodies as a thank you.  Will I be sending you something at the end of this month too?

Blessings to you and enjoy the day!

Sharon
  

Easter Wreath

Here it is just before Easter and I don't even have a pretty wreath on my door.  Things sure are different this year.  So instead of a wreath on my door, I made Easter cards with a lovely spring wreath on each one of them.  I've got to admit though, I didn't get them finished or out in the mail in a timely fashion.  Oh well, for those of you looking for an Easter card from me, enjoy this until your card finally comes in the mail.  <giggle>

Don't they all look like a bunch of pretty spring flowers?  I'm so ready to see flowers in bloom outside my windows.  Oh yes, back to the cards...  Oh bummer, I still haven't found all my cardstock yet.  (I think some of it's still in Michigan!)  So these cards were made from a mixture of retired 12 x 12 Subtles cardstock cut to make the cards and die-cut flowers.  If you've been with Stampin'Up! for awhile, you may recognize colors like Pale Plum, So Saffron, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, Lavender Lace and Bashful Blue.  Yes, I know.  I never get rid of anything!  But this time it was a life-saver.  Otherwise I would have had an even greater struggle trying to make my Easter cards!  In fact, after I finished making this batch of cards, I realized that the only current items on them were some of the dies I used.  Oh well, it's the thought that counts.  I guess this is a great opportunity to make the claim that you need to look at what you own already and put it to use.  Not saying that you can't buy something new, but don't forget the older goodies that you have lying around and give them some love and attention!

This card is a representation of all the cards I made.  Each was a little different depending on what cardstock made the card base.  All the cards used a layer of the Golden Honey Specialty Designer Paper (retired).  I liked the geometric design against the wreath and flowers as a contrast.

The wreaths were all cut with the Wreath Builder Dies using the Oh So Ombre DSP (retired, SAB).  I love the varigated greens and print to add interest to the wreath greenery.  It was attached to the cardfront using Tombow Liquid Adhesive behind the main circular shape and leaving many of the leaves unattached.

The flowers were all die-cut with the Pierced Blooms dies.  I had thought to sponge color on the edges of each petal, but I ran out of time.  I'm still happy with the look.  All the stitching on the petals, centers, and leaves give them enough interest without it.  Here's a closer look to give you a better idea of the texture.

I die-cut the tiny cross using the Cross of Hope Framelits (retired).  I used a pearlized cardstock to make them, but couldn't get a good picture showing the different look of this.  It really is pretty though.

The tiny butterflies were cut from Lavender Lace cardstock using the Butterfly Beauty Thinlits.  Aren't these lacy little butterflies just adorable?

Oh yes, the the sentiment is also from Stampin'Up! just a few years back.  It fit just what I wanted to say.  I stamped it in Gorgeous Grape ink - oh my - that's actually something that's in the current catalog!

I apologize that I'm always showing you ideas using retired products.  When I started this blog up again I had no idea that all my supplies wouldn't be available for such a long time.  It's really frustrating me, so I'm guessing it's probably frustrating you too.   For that I'm very sorry!  Here's hoping that my supplies will be sorted out and available to use soon!!

One last item here.  If you're thinking of ordering in April, please consider ordering with me as your demonstrator.  And please use the April Host Code as well.  I love my customers and want to spoil you with goodies when you order from me.  

Well, that's it for now.  I wish you and your family a very blessed and sacred Easter.  I hope you're able to spend it with your family and really appreciate the day.

Love and blessings to you,

Sharon