Garden In Bloom

Golden Garden in Bloom

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Distracted, distracted, distracted.  That would be my theme for the last several days. Sometimes we complain when we get stuck in a run, other times we stress out looking for that comfortable rut.  I think mine was on another planet all together.  Still looking, but getting closer for sure.  This lovely project has waited on my desk for four days to be shared. Worth it though, it is so pretty.

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I sat down, picked out five different colors and began a water color background. That has to be one of my favorite activities, just making soft blending colors.  Almost soothing. When it was dried I added the huge floral stamp from the garden in bloom set. Some images were stamped full strength and others stamped off once. I wasn’t quite happy there, so I took it up a notch. I have these awesome guilding flakes that give a really cool embossed look. You brush on glue from a pen, set them on the glue and swirl a stipple brush over that to get rid of the excess.  This time I brushed the glue directly on the stamp, stamped a glue image and then put the flakes on.  It worked out so great!  Can’t wait to do it again.

The tag was simply created with water color paper.  I stamped the image, rounded the corners and sponged the edges.  It was a bit stark so I took a light wash of color right over the top.  It blurred the sentiment a bit, but not too much.  A touch of ribbon on the side anchored with metallic thread and I was ready to go.

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The inside got a bit of echo stamping of course. I nearly always put that in place.  It just ties it all together so nicely.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Delightful Garden in Bloom

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

This project is a companion to yesterdays post.  Both card fronts were made with the same combination of distress inks, just in different sequences.  This one was actually done first which is why the colors are more distinct.  I certainly am enjoying this kind of painting.

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As I placed the water color paper into the smeared and spritzed inks I made sure to allow white spaces to remain.  I had to make myself stop adding color before some of that effect was lost.  I can’t wait to try it some more.

When I finished drying the piece it felt like something more was needed to tie it together. I found a great stamp from the Garden in Bloom set and did some random stamping. The ink was too dark full strength, so these flowers were stamped off once before being applied. Then a fun ribbon for a bit of interest to finish the front.  A little echo stamping was applied to the inside and the card was done.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Brushstrokes Through a Garden In Bloom

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

The ‘Brushstrokes’ background stamp finally made its way into my collection and I am wondering why I waited so long.  This project reminds me of a summer picnic.  The red checked table cloth, I think we have all had one at one time or another.

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I stamped vertically and then horizontally with real red on water color paper.  I did tape it off first to give me the extra border I love so much.  The flowers and butterflies were stamped in black stazon and followed with the second step stamps to fill them in. Additional painting was done to sharpen the color some and touches of silver got in as well.

I used half a sheet of cardstock for the card base and couldn’t leave the other half just sitting there, so I made a tiny box to go along.  The black butterflies were stamped with the same set and I scored each panel measuring 7/8″ and topped it with a baby bow.  Adorable. Now another set can be added to the donation collection for Saturdays scouting fundraiser.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

 

Garden In Bloom

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Taking a few days off is kind of nice, but it was not intended.  Getting ready for a huge workshop can be really exciting, but also very time consuming.  Put that with still working full time and you get a bit of a circus.  Not to mention the adventures of everyday life.  Time to get back on track and have some fun!

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There is a lot of attention right now with Sale-a-bration and the Spring Occasions catalogs, and they are very exciting to say the least.  However, the annual catalog is so full of beautiful product it is hard to ignore.

I have been waiting to use this stamp set for some now and it was worth the wait.  I took one of the left over kits from Saturday’s workshop and paired it with this lovely set.  There are a ton more stamps in the set, but I focused only on the large flowers.  I think I could get stuck on this set and not repeat myself for some time.  Exciting!

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The card front is 4 x 5 1/4″ with an 1/8″ background piece of watermelon wonder and then placed on a standard card base.  Not too tricky.  I put the tags & labels framelit set to work for this lovely sentiment.  It is so pretty.  Then I broke out the fabulous ribbon that has been teasing me from the shelf.  I love, love, love big pretty ribbon.  It is just delicious to me.  The ribbon is the only item from the occasions catalog.  I would love it if Stampin’Up! would bring back some huge satin ribbon in next years annual catalog.  I will have to just wait and see.

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Have a creative day!

Moana