I Hope You Feel Appreciated

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I don’t think I will ever find too many places to stamp this awesome chicken, ever.  There are two other adorable chickens and a little egg too, but this guy rocks!  So here he is peepin’ in a little window to say hello.  Too adorable.

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For a very simple card, I sure did use a lot of different products.  Really though, it went together quite fast.  The card base became a one layer card.  I stamped with white stazon onto the card base using the hardwood stamp.  So cool.  It gave me a subtle woodgrain look that was just right.  I die cut the window out of the card base and again out of whisper white. I glued those two windows together so when I nested them back into the opening, the white one would layer up just ever so slightly.

I backed the window with velum to create the ‘glass’.  I traced the window pane openings on my inside piece of cardstock so I knew where to stamp the trees and chicken.  They got a little ink and a little water color pencil activity and then I glued them in place.  I could have left them on the inside back of the card, but I knew I wanted to cover up the back of the window and have plenty of space to write to my friend.  So I adhered it to the inside top flap of the card and put another blank piece down on the inside back.  Then I had double the space to write and my window stuff all covered up.  Total win!

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Fiesta Like There’s No Manana

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I haven’t made a card and bag set for a while, but today called for it.  A special birthday for a special someone.  When a birthday isn’t looked forward to what do you do?  Find an adorable llama stamp set and put it to work.  Mission accomplished.

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This bag was made in a particular size for a special gift.  It only needed one piece of cardstock, but I fiddled with the measurements until it was just the right size.  There are two bars of home made soap inside and they fit perfectly.  It also had to be made from card stock instead of designer series paper, which might have been a bit more festive, but I needed it to be stronger for the weight of the soap.

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I mixed my coloring a bit here to put color to the llama image. He was stamped on the heavy weight whisper white card stock so I could have a smooth stamp and water color a bit too.  The stamping was done in black stazon, accented in emerald envy with the rope and blanket.  I colored some with the water color pencils and brushed the color around.

Where did that little hat come from?  I dug into the No Bones About It set, the ones with the dinosaurs and so funny sentiments, and there it was.  The perfect size for the perfect llama. And now he is ready to party, as much as a llama can.  How adorable, right?

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Thanks For Being You

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What a perfect way to say thank you, for just being you.  A great compliment anyone would love to receive, I know I would.  Mixing a project with butterflies and flowers are one of my favorites.  Interesting how even when creating my moods show through.

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I have dipped into the falling in love designer series paper pack so many times since I got it. It really is a lot of fun.  I had put off using this pattern, feeling like I use too many butterflies in my work. When I was a bit fussy though, I went right for it.  The flower stamp and these tiny butterflies and a perfect pairing.

The flower and sentiment come from the Avant-Garden stamp set which is another free one available during this springs Sale-a-bration.  If you are going to buy fun product to work with, you might as well get something free too, right?

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There isn’t anything too complicated here today.  Just a little extra layering.  I even refrained from sponging, but looking at it again I think I would have liked it sponged up. I might have to try it again.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Thanks For the Smile

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I love using stamps and paper in a way that creates a new vision.  This background paper comes from a lovely set of paper called Falling in Love.  This particular sheet is actually an artistic view of glitter.  When paired with this amazing dragon fly stamp, from Dragonfly Dreams, is looks like a shimmery pond and sunset.  Wonderful.

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The dragonfly was stamped three times on the front and once on the inside.  That is it.  I used basic black archival ink to give this strong, rich look.  Awesome!  The same ink was used on velum cardstock for the sentiment.  I used the triple banner punch to make this layered tag and wrapped it with some of the free ribbon I earned from my last Sale-a-bration purchase.  Love that stuff!  I hid my adhesive on the ribbon.  I used glue dots, small, strong and easy to hide.  And there you go!

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Have a creative day!

Moana

First Time I Saw You

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Too adorable for words.  How can you make a masculine card adorable?  Just like this.  The catalog shows this product more in line with Father’s Day, but I seriously couldn’t wait.  I felt like making the die cut pieces and just playing with them, how silly.

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The background paper was stamped with the saw image in delightful dijon in a random but still kind of organized way.  I then layered that piece on a slightly larger piece of coordinating card stock.

The saw and sentiment were stamped on water color paper so I could paint on them without warping.  I used the same delightful dijon on the saw blade and went with a wash of early espresso for the handle.  I did go over the screws on both the saw and the sentiment with gold wink of stella.  Subtle, yet just enough.  You can’t do too much on a masculine card, kind of defeats the purpose.

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I touched each side of the sentiment tag in the ink to give a strong edge and still washed the rest of it in yellow.  It worked out nicely.  I tried to stamp the sentiment in early espresso, but my water coloring over made it too light.  I went back to my standby of black stazon. That is just my favorite!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Yummy in My Tummy

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What a busy day yesterday!  I started this set early yesterday morning, but couldn’t finish before I had to leave for the day.  So I finished them this morning and shared them together instead of different days.  They come from the same stamp set, and they look adorable together, so why not!

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These were stamped in black stazon on water color paper then colored with water color pencils.  After I put the color down I wanted I moved it around with the aqua painter.  That has got to be the easiest way to water color ever, outside of having someone else do it for you. Seriously, it is shockingly easy.

I had to add some hearts around this little green guy.  The clean and simple look really appeals to me, but  I had to have something.  Green hearts seemed to work nicely, but stamped alone they looked to different from the painting.  I went over each stamped heart with the aqua painter and it instantly made it look like I had somehow painted all these perfect hearts.  No way!

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Big red just had to be alone.  Seriously, how adorable.  I couldn’t add anything else around him.  Little rosy cheeks and a stamp on his belly.  Giggles and grins all day!  I wanted a little sentiment to go with my green guy, but decided to put my own on.  My marker choice was a bit too stark for my taste, but live and learn, right?

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Suite Sentiments

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Mornings don’t always go as planned, and that is okay.  This set of cards was ready to go, but I had to choose to be on time for my carpool, or blog.  Blogging in the afternoon can be good too, just not my favorite.

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I wanted to use the cupcakes and carousel dsp stack for the focus on these cards.  The colors are so great.  They make me feel like having sherbet or frozen yogurt.  Yummy.  So I used two pieces of paper, trimmed them to size and used the extra pieces to accent the other.  Great way to use up the paper and get two cards done at once.

Suite Sentiments is an awesome stamp set.  So many great sentiments ready to be used, and all occasions covered too.  I went with a little more groovy ones to go with these odd colors and liked it.  I simply stamped with black stazon on velum cardstock and layered everything together.  All good and pretty darn easy.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

You Are a Fabulous Work of Art

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This project is actually an invitation, but could easily be a lovely card to share.  In a moment of forgetfulness we found ourselves needing to pump out 25 invitations in an hour.  It took a bit longer than that, but it was managed.  That is how easy this card it.

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I used wisteria wonder stamped four times at an angle, slightly tilting it as I went.  That gave me the simple background I needed for the sentiment.  That was then stamped in elegant eggplant and I loved the look.  I was in a great hurry, but wanted a bit more diversity, so I brought in this variegated crochet thread with colors that would coordinate. This gave me a green to go with, so in came the old olive.  I stamped three hearts and called the front finished.

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My husband and daughter worked to get the inside information card while I did the fronts. I wanted to connect them a bit, so I added one more stamp there.  I used the long stripe to stamp under the title of the event.  It was super quick, but worked out wonderfully.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Thank You, Friend

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Simple and sweet, just like any true friendship worth having.  Sometimes we get so caught up in the day to day demands of life that we set aside those we really care about.  But, since they don’t judge us, and they truly understand, we can get away with it for a time.  That doesn’t mean they don’t hold a special place all of the time.  Good friends are the best!

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This little number was painted with the new water color pencils and an aqua painter.  The hedgehogs I should say.  The bit of background was done using classic inks with the aqua painter as well.  I stamped the guys in the center with the sentiments to the top left and bottom right.  I colored in the hedgehogs first, left them alone and painted the background, and dried the card well before continuing.

They were pretty easy to finish, I didn’t have too many problems.  I did several of these cards for gifts so I got a bit careless.  Good thing water color can be more loose.  They turned out adorable though.  I mounted the card front on a base of crumb cake and layered those on top of a crumb cake card base.  The inside was given two panels, one on the top and bottom of the inside for extra writing space.  Can’t wait to send it!

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Here’s to Another Year Full of Adventures!

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That sounds like a perfect theme for the year, doesn’t it?  Well, it also makes one great statement for a birthday card.  I made this card along with yesterday’s project so they definitely go together.

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I wanted to use both sides of the designer series paper just to see the differences.  The polka dots were a bit more whimsy with this side definitely leaning towards the masculine side. This new candle border punch could keep me busy for days!  Doesn’t it give such a great look both inside and out?  I had to restrain myself from keeping all of the punched pieces to build little candles on other things.  Another time perhaps.

I kept the stamping light as well as the water coloring.  Just one color here, delightful dijon, and I love the simplicity of it.  I did have to tie some metallic thread though, it needed it.  When I looked at the stamping I wanted a bit more with some of the words, so I had a couple of ideas.  I colored in the ‘another year’ portion with the daffodil delight water color pencil, it matched great!  I also went over the ‘full’ portion with the gold wink of stella brush pen and loved it.

I did distress the water coloring a bit with water drops, just can’t help myself sometimes.  I do what I love and I love what I do.  Can’t wait to try this one again.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

No One Deserves a Happier Birthday

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

No one deserves a happier birthday than you.  Wouldn’t you feel special getting a birthday card that said that?  Absolutely!  I tend to make a bigger deal out of other people’s birthday than my own, but don’t we all?  I am trying to build up my birthday card stash, it has seriously been neglected.

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What a great way to get going again though, right?  This stamp and thinlit bundle is just the best.  I love how it also coordinates with the balloon bouquet punch, perfectly.  It is awesome to have new product work with old, especially punches.  I didn’t mind my inside work very well and had a couple of learning opportunities, several actually.  I made creative decisions after I had adhered the pop-up to the card base.  Not my best idea, but I wanted to make changes.  I also didn’t get the thinlit totally straight on the paper, so my card doesn’t fold as flat as I would like, but I don’t think I will get judged for it.

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All kinds of layers here and a touch of painting.  The background paper is from a designer series paper pack that is quite masculine.  I love using product as intended, and then trying it out totally different.  These lovely dots work either way.  It made a fun card with the ability to be for a man or woman, even a really cool teenager would like it.  Win win!

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I couldn’t get this blog done this morning, I just ran out of time before work!  No biggie, afternoons are a great time to share too, right?

Have a creative day!

Moana

Lift Me Up

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Sometimes when there are too many choices it is best to keep it simple.  While this card may not look simple, it still gives that feeling with just two colors used.  The background paper comes from a set that is full of vibrant color.  I couldn’t decide, so I chose a more subdued pattern and I love it.

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This little set is going to go to my sweet daughter tucked away in a frozen university town in southeast Idaho, poor little ice cube.  Paper crafting is something we share a great love of, and I know she will be over the moon for this.

The balloon was die cut from night of navy and backed in whisper white.  The balloon can actually be backed in several colors with the framlits available.  There are five sections laid in order across the back, mine being all white.  But if I had chosen, each section could have been a different color and they would match up perfectly, looking amazing.  Next time.

I wanted a bit of separation in tone, so I layered a bit of velum cardstock over the background paper to soften the color a bit.  It totally went along with the cloud kind of feel. I thought it was perfect.  My sentiment also came from the same set and was die cut with the layering oval framelits.  It may be a bit crooked, but I let it stay that way.

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I couldn’t resist stamping more from that wonderful set.  It is full of so many wonderful images.  Two hot air balloons, four clouds, a few decorative elements and six sentiments. How great is that!  I had to sneak a little treat bag in to match.  I knew I was sending it in a box with other gifts, so I could make a simple 3-D sour cream container.  I think chocolate for sure.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Crazy Cake with Balloon Adventures

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Birthday cards are just the best!  This totally adorable stamp set builds one great cake, don’t you think?  And this card only shows about half of the stamps.  I love, love, love it!

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The three bottom layers were done with two stamps.  Good thing they are photopolymer, or totally clear, for super easy placement.  There is no way I would be this patient or exact without great stamps like that.  And yes, the top stamp is a set of three candles that I stamped a little flame for each one.  Normally I don’t go for all the extra work, but I loved it and it was so easy!  Easy enough that I included this project in the lineup for this weekends workshop.

The embossing folder is another new product from the spring catalog.  It is shown with a bunch of manly stuff, and it is manly of course, but I loved it here too.  My daughter thought I should be stamping bees because it reminded her of a honeycomb.  Cute idea!

The sentiment is from another great birthday stamp set called Balloon Adventures.  Also from the spring catalog, but it has a great trick of its own.  That will be for another blog project for sure.  I stamped on a strip of cardstock and put the triple banner punch to work. Of course I had to layer it as well.  What is with me and layers these days?  Oh well!

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I couldn’t resist.  I had to stamp all along the inside with those darn candles again.  And I didn’t even mind stamping all of the little flames.  I am telling you, it really was fun!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Hello Love

~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

If you know me well, you know I absolutely adore tiny things.  This little number took longer to finish because I was having so much fun playing with the tiny elements.  Seriously, they are so adorable!

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The card base was done in flirty flamingo along with the card front matte, the die cut envelopes and the coordinating ribbon.  The tiny little cards were cut in blushing bride surrounding tiny precious stamps stamped in the same color.  I added a second stamp to two of the tiny cards in flirty flamingo as well as accent stamping and sponging .  The heart stamping on the card front was done in pink pirouette with the main sentiment in flirty flamingo.

I wasn’t sure if this was too much of a card to do for my workshop ladies, but it is was so much fun we just might need to.  I can’t wait!  I almost forgot the edge of the card.  All of the die cutting done on this card came from the same set of framelits.  This edge of dimensional hearts is so fantastic.  It totally works for Valentine’s Day, but I can see wedding cards and then some going on here.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Thank You Very Much

~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

Holiday weekends offer a lot if you are willing to enjoy.  I love the extra time to sort through all of life’s adventures and endless “to do” lists.  But it is also a time to pace yourself and reflect.  This project offered me that time.

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I started with the idea of more precise painting, but quickly learned that it had other things in mind.  Since I have such a hard time waiting for much of anything, my colors couldn’t stay still.  So I went with it and created a much more fluid and dreamy look.  You can tell from the warp of the side of the paper just how much water went into this project.  I had fun though, and it was truly relaxing.

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The sentiment was stamped on very vanilla and cut out using one of the dies from the Bunch of Banners framelits set.  I love the crisp edges of a die cut.  The inside stamp was another image from the same stamp set.  This particular set isn’t available for regular purchase, but at a reduced price when you host a workshop.  Sounds like a win win to me!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Blooms & Wishes

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

This stamp set sat in the annual catalog and teased me often.  I would try to pass by it saying that I surely did not need yet another floral stamp set.  Well, I broke down and bought it.  So very glad I did.  What a beautiful watercolor piece, right?  Great stamps make all of the difference.

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I chose a few spring colors to work with, focusing on daffodil delight.  With all of the rainy, cloudy days we have had I wanted something bright and cheery. Mission accomplished for sure!  I stamped the large flowers from the set in different colors, stamping off as I went along.  The centers were all daffodil delight and more of an idea than a detailed center.  I sponged more yellow ink all around the flowers filling in most of the white areas before moving on to spritzing with water.  It was just a matter of managing the water spritzing to allow some ink movement, but not blurring too much.  It didn’t take long before I was satisfied.  A quick drying moment or two with my heat tool and it was ready for the sentiment.

That was stamped on a strip of velum cardstock and then wrapped around the bottom of the card front.  I used a lovely mint macaron satin ribbon to accent the bottom and layered it up with dimensionals.  Such a lovely spring card.  Of course I had to stamp a bit inside with a few yellow daisy images and one for the back too.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

So In Love With You

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It isn’t very often I purchase an entire suite of products, but this time I just couldn’t resist. Honestly, I have never purchase a whole set.  There is always an item or two that just don’t suit me, but not this time.  There is also a framelit set that coordinates that is just as beautiful as the rest.  So wonderful.

I made this card for a demonstrator event I was able to attend today.  Which is why I am just sharing this tonight when I managed a few moments to myself.  The rest of the cards I was able to make sure are beautiful.  We all focused on product from the spring catalog and boy did we have fun doing it.

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This card is actually quite simple.  It has a lot of layers, which I love, but no new technique to speak of.  Simple elegance is sometimes all you need.  Each time I think I have the focus of the card it changes.  All of it works so well together, hence a suite of product.  Take a little time and put some of your favorites together, you might just be surprised.

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I hope you had a creative day, I sure did!

Moana

Rainy Sky or Under Water, Yes

~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

This lovely water color started as a fun project with my daughter-in-love.  We sat down together with a bunch of blue ink and totally different ideas.  I can’t wait to see what her card ends up looking like.  I wanted to create dimension in a single layer water color.  I love how it turned out.

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I started with a wet brush and paper.  I put different colors in all four corners and the lightest blue in the center.  The wet ink blooms did a lot of blending, but I moved the paper around to control the rest.  My patience runs thin often, which ends up in me drying my projects along the way to speed them up.  This time was different.  I only dried the paper enough to apply some stamped images here and there.  Then, I spritzed the entire piece to soften the images and allow more blending to happen.

After a few hours I came back to see how it ended up.  Just like this.  I even controlled myself and didn’t add anything else.  No more color, or blending or water droplets.  It was accented with copper foil paper and copper metallic thread.  What a great all occasion card to have on hand.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Hey, Chick, I’m Back!

~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

Well, I guess that kind of sums it up!  With two children’s weddings within six months, and a heavy dose of regular life, I just found myself taking a few things out of my day to help get through it all.  I have so missed this, it really does help keep me sane and happy.  I have still created, but not at the same volume and just haven’t taken the time to share.  Enough of that, so I am back to stay.

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What better way than to be greeted by this adorable chicken, right?  Last year during sale-a-bration there was a different chick stamp set.  Here is the new one, and it has taken my number one favorite spot once again.  There are others in the set, but this guy is the best! What makes it better than that?  The set is free with a $50 product order.  Free is cool, but I would have bought this one in a heartbeat.

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I stamped the chicken in black stazon ink on water color paper.  I knew I wanted the feathers on top red and decided to make the tail feathers match.  It really was a painting process here.  That is usually how my water coloring goes, layer upon layer.  I put out my colors, real red, pumpkin pie, and daffodil delight, and painted until I was happy.  I used a black marker to add some wild feathers and then hi-lighted with gold wink of stella.  His little eyes were a bit tiny, so I used my marker to make them a bit larger.

The tag was stamped on a scrap of water color and punched with the classic label punch. The stamped area was smaller than the punch, so I punched it again on one side to shorted it up a bit.  One quick hole punch and a double wrap of gold and black metallic thread and I called it done.  The water color is adhered down with a heavy dose of fast fuse while the tag got layered up a bit with dimensionals.  I forgot to include a photo of the inside.  I tipped the chicken a bit sideways and stamped him as if he was peeking around a corner.  I lightly water colored him to match the front and just giggled.

It feels good to be back.  Now, to make sure I give myself time to enjoy this lovely process every day once again.  It will be tricky, but worth it.

Have a creative day!

Moana

For You

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This was the third project we created at workshop last weekend.  I know this stamp and framelit set are about a whole lot more, but as yet I still haven’t gotten past the hydrangea. I think with fall and the holiday seasons coming I will enjoy more of the trees, but not yet.

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I used the heavy weight whisper white card stock for the background.  I handles the deep impressions of the embossing folders much better.  Also, I had plans for spritzing some color and that would have made some warping sadness otherwise.  It isn’t easy to see, but there is a light tan speckling going on there.  Such an easy technique to employ.

I stamped on wisteria wonder with elegant eggplant for the different tones and accented with more elegant eggplant.  The ink, thick bakers twine, and border piece were all done in elegant eggplant.  It is a dark color, so I kept it under control.  I didn’t sponge anything, that was a challenge to be honest.  The die cutting was simple and then layered in place. The stamping was done last. It did give a bit of a crease line in the sentiment, but worth it.  I worried if I stamped and then spritzed the wording would bleed and I wanted it crisp.  Done.

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Have a creative day!

Moana