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
