I have been so busy since my last post on Thursday. Over the weekend I attended the Creating Keepsake Scrapbooking Convention in Des Moines, where I learned a few new techniques which I will be pleased to share with you in the upcoming weeks. And I also put the finishing touches on my Dirty Dozen cards for this month, which goes live Thursday…the same day as our latest Pals Paper Arts challenge. My six cards for this month showcase several new Stampin‘ Up! sets, including Uncharted Territory, Wicked Cool, Fur-Ever Friends and Greeting Card Kids. So in case you have been wondering where all of my latest cards are, they will be right there waiting for you in the Splitcoaststampers Fan Club. (You can learn more about the Fan Club by clicking Here.) As for my PPA card, it is loaded with texture! I just love the new Elegant Lines Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. Plus, the new Basic Pearls are wonderful! Remember that challenges are great tools for helping us grow artistically. I hope that you will play @ the PPA this week. Who knows…you may be selected as a Pals Paper Artists Pick, just like the latest talented recipients of the PPA badge!
As I finish up today’s post, I would like to share another card from my first Dirty Dozen gallery, “All Creatures Great and Small”. How appropriate that this retirement card features the newly retired Close to Cocoa card stock! For an updated look, I would substitute Soft Suede or Crumb Cake. Either would look beautiful with More Mustard and Always Artichoke, which form the accent colors.
The Stampin‘ Schach Design Tips:
- Have a plan! Mine was to simulate the look of a barn. To do this, I inked up the Woodgrain background stamp with Basic Brown and stamped it onto Close to Cocoa. Looking through the oval at the farm animals was to simulate looking through the knot-hole of the barn siding.
- Bring out the texture! After dampening with a spritz of water, More Mustard card stock was zipped through the Big Shot with the “Distressed” Texturz Plate from Kit #4. (Dampening the paper slightly provides a crisper image.) Bring out the texture even more with a little Chocolate Chip ink!
- Layer your labels! Both the Modern Label and Designer Label Punches were layered for interest.
- Watercolor with Blender Pen and Inks! I just touch the tip of the Blender Pen directly to the corner of the selected stamp pad in order to load it with color. For these critters, I used Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Not Quite Navy, More Mustard, Really Rust, Ruby Red, and Blush Blossom. Sahara Sand provides the shadowing.
This retirement card was especially made for a dear friend of mine, who also retired from teaching this year. Although the card has a distinct masculine feel, Joan grew up on a farm. I knew that she would appreciate the barn board siding and the farm animals, and her reaction when she received the card did not disappoint me. Happy retirement!
In closing today, don’t forget that your comments are important to me! I do read all of them, and respond to those I can. In fact, here are a few clarifications about my last card, Live with Passion for the PPA!: For Kim, who wanted to know if I cut down the oval sentiment by hand…I actually punched out two Basic Gray 2″ x 1-3/8″ Ovals, and adhered them behind the sentiment. For Terri, the edges of the snipped out flowers and leaves were distressed using Chocolate Chip ink and a Sponge Dauber. Remember, if you ever have any questions about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use, I am only an email away! Until next time…
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Stamp Sets: Farm Life, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Woodgrain ; Card Stock: Always Artichoke, Creamy Caramel, More Mustard, Very Vanilla
Inks: Basic Brown, Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Not Quite Navy, More Mustard, Really Rust, Ruby Red, Blush Blossom, Sahara Sand; Tools: Designer Label Punch, Modern Label Punch, Big Shot, Texturz Plate Kit #4 “Distressed”, Linen Thread, Vintage Brads, Color Spritzer Tool, Chocolate Chip Stampin‘ Write Marker, Sponge Dauber; Nestabilities Oval Die
This is such a great barnyard card…had to laugh when I read what it was for…are you insinuating she’s being ‘put out to pasture?’ lol.. Great coloring job! 🙂
Ann, sounds like you had a wonderful weekened. Can’t wait to see what you have to reach us. I love this card – amazing coloring job. the background stamp, the string, everything about it says retirement to the country.
thanks for inspiring us
hugs
jaydee
wow! this card is amazing! I can’t believe you created all of this from scratch – you are truly talented. thank you for the great descriptions, I love to learn new techniques and will surely give these a try!
So is Sahara Sand surrounding your bovine friend? Beautiful work! Hugs, M
Great blog! Your projects are wonderful, I enjoyed browsing around. I just dropped by from Stampin Connection and became a follower.
Take care,
Wendy
http://kingstonskreations.blogspot.com/
WOW!!!! I just love your work…. I really have a hard time with masculine cards. And you make it look so easy. Why didn’t I think of that sort of thing!!!! Thank you!
This is so cute! Love the texture, the wood stamp, and the twine and brads. Just an all around cute and clever card.
I love your retirement card. The coloring is great! I can’t wait to see your PPA card. I am trying to add more texture to my cards so they don’t look plain. Thanks for sharing.
Another great card. I wouldn’t have put this image with this sentiment but it is perfect. Especially for those of us with farming sensibilities. I like the idea…being put out to pasture! I could have used one of these a few months ago.
I am anxious to see your new techniques. I caught wind of the Des Moines event a little late. It would have been fun to go.
I love all the cards you make and this retirement card is no exception! I LOVE IT! You can almost “feel” the textures when you look at it. T4S Hugs!!
Love the farm animals and your coloring is superb! They almost come to life. I got hooked on chicken stamps about a year ago and this card reminds me I haven’t used them lately. Thanks for the tip about dampening the CS before texturizing. I haven’t tried that … yet. 😎
I love your sneak peak already…lol And your barnyard card is so beautiful.. all the colors and textures make it so real…I can’t wait for you to show us the new techniques you learned…
hugs
Darlene-Joy
Oh I cannot wait to see your card… I love that embossing folder and those colors you used. I was wondering where you went. Glad to know all is good. Hugs,