April Twofer Challenge- Flowers

One of my favorite monthly challenges is called "Twofer Card Challenge" which requires the use of the exact same stamp or die to make two cards with distinctly different designs for two different occasions. The April Challenge is named "Flowers." As soon as the challenge theme was posted I knew just which stamps I wanted to use. Beccy Muir, the artist/owner of Beccy’s Place had gifted me with one of her clear sets several months ago. (I love being one of Beccy’s “Contributors”, often called DT’s, because she is talented, generous and kind!  I had fun playing with several of the stamps from “Nancy’s Garden” to come up with my entries into the April Twofer Challenge.

Entered into:  

Twofer Card Challenge- #27 Flowers  

Beccy’s Place Challenge- May      

For the friendship card, I used the watering can and several of the floral images to make my card. I stamped the watering can with two shades of blue on glossy paper. To get a mottled/weathered look, I then spritzed the stamped image with a light mist of water, sprinkled regular table salt over the still wet image, and set it aside to dry. I stamped the roses and leaves onto scraps of white card stock and added some depth with markers and a white gel pen. When finished, I fussy cut the items and set them aside. On an oval of tan parchment, I stamped the leaf stalk in deep blue ink, stamping the image twice before reinking to get the lighter image (to add interest and depth.) I then stamped the little white flowers on top of this blue foliage, but they hardly showed up. After a bit of experimenting, I discovered that they looked lovely on vellum. So I stamped them into a circular shape, and fussy cut the edge into a scallop. When the watering can was dry I brushed off the salt (loving the result!) and then layered all the pieces together. I used the front of an upcycled note card as the base because it gave the card a Victorian feeling. A small sentiment tag and a bit of sheer ribbon finished the card. (I left the inside of the card blank as I’m trying to send out lots of actual [gasp] letters/handwritten notes these days to stay in touch with friends and family through more than just social media and texts. It’s fun to surprise them with mail!)

I’m entering this card into several challenges including Bugaboo Stamps BINGO [top row- three layers (I have three+ layers), ribbon and dots/stripes (the ribbon has dots)] and NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff)! [I was so happy to recently learn that my blog friend Darnell restarted this fun challenge which encourages us to use one of those many items in our stash that have never been used. I’d been planning to play with this new set before COVID hit. Am glad the Twofer Challenge (which, btw, is also hosted by Darnell) encouraged me to finally use this fun set.

Supplies: 

·    Images- Beccy’s Place clear stamp set (Nancy’s Garden)

·    Front sentiment- “To my Friend” tag- Lili of the Valley set (Everyday Sentiment Tags)

·    Colored with dye ink pads and a white craft ink pad from my stash

·    Shading and highlighting added with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·    Assorted background papers, upcycled embossed notecard and scrap of vellum from my stash

·    Sheer black dotted swiss ribbon- JoAnne’s

Entered into:  

Di’s Digi Stamps- Load on the Flowers                                                  

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #438-439 Anything Goes                   

NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff!)-  Challenge # 14

Bugaboo Stamps- BINGO (Photo)

A card on Pinterest that featured a retired Stampin’ Up set named Dandelion Wishes (HERE) inspired my second card. The little white flowers from a Beccy’s stamp set worked beautifully to make a trio of dandelions that are sportin’ some pretty robust fluff. (Is that an oxymoron? Can fluff be robust?! Ha!) I first very lightly sketched varying sized circles onto black cardstock with a pencil, then added the “spokes” and stems of the dandelions with a white gel pen. (I figured that the white gel pen would get gunked up if I drew atop these details after I stamped with the craft ink… which is thick and takes a while to dry.) I cut one of the little white flowers from a flowering clump (there are two in the set) to create the single dandelion seeds that are flying off in the breeze. After stamping these seeds I drew short little stems with the white gel pen. (And, as I feared, the ink did gunk up the pen. Next time I’ll do all the gel pen work BEFORE stamping as I fear I have permanently ruined that nearly new pen. Acck!) I left the stamped image set overnight to prevent smearing.. then finished the card with a sentiment from one of Beccy’s digi sets (Old Well) and added a bit of color with a scrap of wine-colored paper and ribbon from my stash. (As with the other card, I left the inside of this card blank. Actually, I will be sending it to a friend with a Caribou Coffee gift card inside and a note that my wish is that we can go out for coffee again soon!)

Supplies: 

·    Images- Beccy’s Place clear stamp set (Nancy’s Garden)

·    Front sentiment- “Make a Wish” from Beccy’s Place digi stamp set (Old Well)

·    Colored with a white craft ink pad from my stash

·    Assorted background papers and a scrap of ribbon from my stash

Entered into:  

Bugaboo Stamp- Stella Says Sketch Challenge #810                              

Crafty Catz Challenge- Anything Goes #506 (Optional twist- Outdoors) 

Polkadoodles Challenge-Week #20 Anything Goes                                

Pattie's Creations Challenge- #170 Anything Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft 2020-Anything Goes- Challenge #5-2020

A few weeks ago one of my favorite free vintage digi websites, named Graphics Fairy, provided a tutorial for making Faux Vellum Scented labels.

It required copy paper, cooking oil and essential oils. I’d recently found a handful of little packets of essential so I reviewed the instructions and got to work. The results are wonderful mainly because the images do have a lovely muted vellum look to them. And they also have a wonderful lavender fragrance.  The scent is not overwhelming… but lovely. You can find links to three vintage digis (freebies) and the easy-to-follow instructions in the supplies list below. SO fun!

PS- I made this card for my gig as a Guest DT for Outlawz current Sunday Songs and Rhymes Challenge named “Sing a Song of Flowers.”

 

 

 

Supplies: 

·    Digis- Graphics Fairy Freebies (Hydrangeas),  (Vintage Label) and (Vintage Key)

·    Instructions- Graphics Fairy (DIY Faux Vellum Scented Labels)

·    Inside  sentiment-“Happy Mothers Day”  Imagine That (Frog Pansies Boot Planter)

·    Assorted background paper, sheer ribbon, transparent enamel dots, and a square paper doily from my stash

Entered into:  

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends- #132 Anything Goes

Outlawz Challenge- Twisted Thursday- Anything Goes (Optional TWIST: Vintage)

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                                       

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- May