Make a Wish

Quick birthday card share today. I hope you're all having a fabulous Monday.

Thanks for reading,
~Elle~

Dainty Congrats

I don't really make vintage cards, but there's something about that soft and dainty look that I just can't resist. So, I thought I'd try with this sweet little cup and some pretty patterned paper. I really like the sage green and the bright pop of pink with cream as a palette and plan to use it again. I'm also digging this textured cardstock from Bazzill. It's not heavy enough to use as a base, but it's really fun as a layering piece.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Pink Hugs

In contrast to yesterday's masculine card, today's card is very pink and feminine. I may save it as a Mother's Day creation.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Rose of Thanks

I'm definitely pushing outside my comfort zone again, this time with a chic floral card. I used a layering stamp set from Altenew that intimidates me a little, but I do like the colors I chose for the layers. I think it turned out pretty and I like the color palette on this card.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Stamp Trio Challenge: Lotus Birthday

Waffle Flower - Lotus stamp

For the final card in my Stamp Trio challenge, I decided to make something a bit clean-and-simple. I combined the elements from the first two cards, using a grab and aqua palette, along with some dotted vellum to tie the background to the images.

I really enjoyed this challenge and by limiting my coloring to an unusual palette, I ended up with 3 very lovely creations. I may push myself to do something like this with all of my floral stamps (and I've got a bunch of them...).

Thank you for taking a look.
~Elle~

Stamp Trio Challenge: Lotus Thoughts

Waffle Flower - Lotus stamp

For the second card in the challenge, I decided to use some patterned paper I've had in my stash for ages. I liked the small splatters in the pattern - they reminded me of a night sky. But the soft desaturated blue palette worked very well for the soft coloring I had on the lotus.

I embossed a sentiment in vanilla embossing powder. As it's softer than white and a warmer tone, I think  it worked much better than plain white (which would have had too much contrast).

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Stamp Trio Challenge: Lotus Thanks

Waffle Flower - Lotus stamp

I've been enjoying my trio series so much that I decided to give it another try- this time, using one stamp on 3 different cards. The stamp I chose to use has been in my stash since 2015. I absolutely fell in love with the design, but - as it goes with flower stamps - I felt kind of intimidated to use it.

As I've been working to step outside my comfort zone, I jumped straight in and stamped several of the lotus images to color with my Copics. I chose softer, less saturated palettes and took some time to add extra depth and shading.

For the first card, I blended a water background using some blue dye ink. I thought it contrasted great with the soft flowers, but still gave me a chance to stamp a greeting in soft gray. I kept the embellishments to a minimum, adding just a few clear droplets. I think it turned out wonderful.

Thanks for reading.
~Elle~

Suns(hi)ne

It just wouldn't be a unicorn card if I didn't try for a pink creation. With the scalloped border and plentiful hearts, this turned into a very girly and cute little card.

Thanks for reading,
~Elle~

Mermazing Birthday Wishes!

The first thing that drew me in with Neat and Tangled's Mermazing stamp set was the name. As you may already know, I love puns and plays-on-words. They can be awfully clever at times, or just plain silly - and they make me giggle. So, with a name like Mermazing, this set was already a winner in my eyes. But after taking a closer look, I really liked the size of the mermaid and how she was designed - she's wearing a cute top that isn't too revealing - so she can be a modern everyday girl. She also has lovely flowing hair and a few accessories that would be great for making scenes.

I opted to keep my card very simple, pairing the mermaid (that I, of course, colored in Ariel colors) and fishes with a cute patterned paper from Echo Park. Since the pattern was flow-y and detailed, I chose not to add too much else -- just a few enamel dots and a birthday sentiment stamped in purple.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

SCS: Love of Mythology

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps - Athena (retired)

Continuing on with the SCS theme of literature...

Ever since I was really young, I've had a tremendous interest and passion for mythology. I started reading when I was very young (I could read by myself when I was 3) and some of the first books my mom bought me were encyclopedias of Greek and Roman mythology. I fell in love with the stories and continued to read about mythology from then on.

For this card, I used a stamp of Athena - goddess of wisdom, courage, justice and art. I set her against a patterned paper that had hand-written text on it. I kept everything clean and simple - to echo the ancient Greek architecture that featured a lot of pristine white.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

SCS: Art of Writing

Another fun card from the SCS September DT - Literally.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to see a museum exhibition that centered around books and writing. It featured early printing presses, ink making tools and displayed several old manuscripts. One of my favorite parts was an old practice book where the owner was practicing calligraphy that had ink splotches and sketches in the margins. It looked so playful and was in such contrast with the rest of the manuscripts.

I have to confess that the main reason why I bought the Music Hall stamp was the inky sketch of a Victorian lady. Ink being associated with writing and books made me think it was a perfect stamp to use for this month's theme.

I challenged myself to add a touch of mixed media flair, so I blended some distress ink across the panel. A sticker sentiment finished the card off perfectly. :)

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Cheri Love

 My Favorite Things - BB Mon Chéri, Papertrey Ink - Wet Paint Cuts (die)

One of my early childhood memories was drawing a fox pupped on construction paper. It was one of those accidental moments of greatness, as the fox turned out amazing and was featured prominently on the classroom wall. Yet, when I tried to draw that same fox again at home, I just couldn't do it. I think I remember trying a good dozen times without success.

If I think really hard, I can think of a dozen other occasions where those great awesome pieces came accidentally. And they're met with both frustration and joy. Making that great something is an incredible motivation and a nod from the universe that I can do this creative endeavor I'm trying. But it's also frustrating because I can't replicate it effortlessly.

That idea of being great effortlessly has been on my mind a lot lately. Watching videos of artists and crafters creating makes it seem like that's how they do it - effortlessly. All the details come together, all the techniques seem simple and even the mistakes turn into something charming. It seems effortless until you stop and think about how long it took to get there...

For every perfect drawing, that artist has a sketchbook filled with sketches and details that didn't work. For every perfect card video, that crafter has another 5 that didn't make the cut. Those achievements aren't because the individual got lucky - they spent work on developing their skills. And it's that practice work that ensures their greatness.

So, I don't want effortless anymore. I don't want accidental greatness. I want skills born out of work and practice, and all the big and little things learned along the way.

Like today's card... Another attempt at the mystifying clustered layer style I've seen on Pintrest. It still seems impossible to me, and I need heck of a lot more practice... But I'll get there in time.

Thanks for reading,
~Elle~

SB- Follow Your Dreams

Today's card features another Tiny Townies stamp set from Stamping Bella -- Dorothy the Dreamer. Out of all the stamps I got from this line, Dorothy is the one that echoed with me the most. The minute I saw it, I felt that happy feeling. This is how the universe ought to be, with an abundance of book universes we can get lost in, and a dreamy and clever companion to help us navigate it.

I wanted my card to reflect this feeling that seems so simple, yet is impossible to put into words. I stamped out Dorothy in brown hybrid ink and colored her with Copics. I did a bit of messy coloring on her puffy skirt, tying for a loose coloring method I've seen a couple of crafters use with Stamping Bella stamps. I don't know that I was very successful, but I left it as it was. When I was done, I carefully cut the image out, leaving a small white border.

I wanted the image to stand out, so I chose two patterned papers with simple and neutral colors. Going too bright or complicated with the background wold have taken away from the image, so I went with more subdued tones. I layered the two papers together, going for a slightly different layout, then adhered everything onto a white A2 card base (4¼x5½").

For the sentiment, I used Clearly Besotted's Say It In Style stamp set. It had a lovely dream sentiment that seemed just perfect for the card. I stamped it onto a piece of white cardstock, which I cut at an angle and added to the card with foam squares.

I wanted some embellishments on the card, so I adhered 3 wood veneer stars and 3 purple enamel dots.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Gorjuss: Tea

Today, I'm sharing a card with another Gorjuss stamp I recently got -- Sweet Tea. This time, I decided to pair up the coloring-I-have-figured-out with a more modern background print, and I like how it turned out!

I stamped the girl in brown hybrid ink, then colored her in with Copics. I went with happy tones, keeping the image pretty light. I carefully cut around the image, leaving a small white border. I grabbed a kraft card base and adhered a piece of patterned paper to it. I added the girl on some foam squares, then scattered a few enamel dots as decoration.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Hush Little Bunny

If you've read my blog for a while, you might have seen a few Gorjuss cards here and there. I've tried using Copics, watercolor and Prismacolor pencils. I've done simple background, complicated layers and a ton of different embellishments. And I was not too happy with any of them. I actually only shared a very small portion of the Gorjuss cards I've created because the rest of them just fell short of decent, even.

But I have a pretty hefty collection of Gorjuss stamps now (including a couple from the newest release), and I really want to use them. They've got a lovely style and the stamp quality and price is awesome. So, I just had to find a way to make the stamps work with my existing supplies and my current style.

And I think this card is it. It's the first card that I'm completely happy with -- from the coloring on the girl, to the background and the embellishments. I'm happy, and that makes me feel even more motivated to keep going with other Gorjuss stamps (yes, expect to see a few more cards!).

For this card, I used Hush Little Bunny, which is one of the newest Gorjuss releases. I colored her in with Copics, going for lighter and more desaturated colors (RV00, V91, V95 for the dress, for example), then I added a darker hair and bright red accessories. After I finished coloring her in, I carefully fussy-cut her with a pair of scissors and set her aside.

For my background, I wanted to go completely neutral, so I went with a gray patterned paper. This paper had a very subtle texture to it, which gave it a slightly distressed look. I stamped a few lines for some extra interest in light gray, then created a ground for the girl to stand on. I adhered the girl with my standard adhesive.

I kept the sentiment simple, stamping it in black onto a small ribbon-shaped strip. I used my Copcis to color in the strip a little, so it would better match the texture on the patterned paper.

I added lots of embellishments - some sequins, enamel dots and 3 resin roses I recently purchased.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Color Monday -- SSC Rose

It's Monday, and that means it's time for another color creation! I'm not veering too var from my usual style this week - a cute stamp, Copics and some pretty patterned paper - but I did go for an unusual (and fun!) hair color.

The stamp I'm using is SSC Rose - a stamp I received as a part of The Greeting Farm's Secret Stamp Club. I've had Rose for some time now, but I just hadn't found the right time to color her in. Being on a crafty inspired kick got me rolling, though, so I stamped her out and got to work.

For her colors, I was inspired by her name - so, I went with a bubbly pink with some darker purplish undertones. I used several colors on her hair, including both R and RV families. I did a lot of layering to build up the depth, while still sticking with the lighter-colored markers. Her outfit was really simple. I kept the same pinks and added dark (black) with BV25 and BV29.

Since the coloring and the adorable skull made her look a bit Gothic, I went with my Gothic-inspired patterned paper. A few enamel dots later and the card was complete. :)

Thanks so much for reading!
~Elle~

Sunset (Some Odd Girl)

I was in the mood to color yesterday, but to color something different and unique. See, I'd come across this pretty palette picture of a sunset:

And I just loved the color combination. I even found a patterned paper that had similar tones.

So, I stamped out Some Odd Girl's Miss You Mae and grabbed my Copics. I could have colored her in lots of different ways - a sunset dress, or sunset ruffles. But I decided to be bold and give her sunset hair.

I just grabbed markers in the similar colors as my inspiration photo and played around - minimal blending and just layering color here and there where it looked good. After her hair was done, I colored in her skin and dress, keeping them relatively simple. I added some white polkadots to the black ruffles for fun, and carefully cut her out.

I kept the rest of the card simple, adding a sentiment from Flirty Mae and scattering some Baby Mix sequins around the page. I matted everything onto some light blue cardstock, and the card was done.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

OHC - 18 - Purple

Today's card is another card in the One Hundred Cards challenge (read more about the challenge here). When I pulled the theme "Purple", I knew I wanted to make something soft and airy, while at the same time keeping it from becoming too monotone.

I used WPus9's Fanciful Feathers, which is a lovely feather set you might be familiar with from this card. For the feathers, I used two of WPlus9 dye inks - Cockleshell and Bloomsberry. I also used a sugarplum note-card from Avery Elle -- these note-cards are quickly becoming my favorite go-to for card bases.

I paired this card with  piece of warm gray polkadot paper. I chose to go with a warm gray background for two reasons. The first is because it's a great neutral that really makes the soft purples of the feathers pop. And the second is because I brought in some gold embossing to one of the feathers, and the warmth of the gray really tied in. I blended in some purple distress ink around the edges to add softness.

And that's pretty much it for this card. I kept it super simple, but the distressed edges and gold embossing add a little something special.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~

Pink Wedding

 One of the things that really pushed me into card-making is that ability to tailor the card to their recipient. From their favorite color and current hobby to inside jokes and personalized sentiment, you're practically guaranteed to make a one-of-a-kind card they'll never get elsewhere. I, personally, take great joy in making the card fit their person. And those little details do get noticed (much to my surprise and delight)!

I suppose even before getting into card-making, I was that one girl standing in the card aisle, mentally agonizing over which of those two cards would be just perfect. So, suddenly having the freedom to just make it perfect is awesome!

And then last week, a dear friend requested I make a card for a couple I'd never met. This was one of those... I'm making a card for my friend's co-worker's sister, who in turn is giving it to one of her client's grand-daughters for her wedding (talk about complicated!). And it needed to be made that day because the wedding was over the weekend...

After my mini-panic-attack, I asked for any info they had about the happy couple. They had the wedding invitation, which was very lovely and featured an engagement picture. That was enough to get some creative wheels turning, and I came up with the card you see above.

I used Some Odd Girl's First Dance Mae stamp set, because it has a beautiful couple dancing. I colored them in with my Copics, making sure they matched the engagement picture. I was really happy with it, and then got stumped again. What kind of background do I use?!

So, I drew on the wedding invitation again and pulled the colors - pinks, creams, reds and a touch of black. The invitation had a more modern (even artistic) feel, so I chose a pretty watercolor paper and a scripty love die. A few paper flowers and pearls later, I had a finished card.

The card was very well-received, as a thank-you card from the bride confirms. And as scary as it was to make a card for someone I didn't know, it was also very fulfilling. Maybe I will challenge myself to make a few more "anyone" cards...

~Elle~

Vibrant Flower

 Today's card features a technique I've been meaning to try out for a while - coloring on Kraft cardstock, using an embossed white outline. I really like the way embossed white looks against kraft, and I thought it would look great with the addition of some vibrant color.

For this technique, I needed to use a stamp that has both intricate detail and lots of room where I could lay down color. So, I chose Altenew's Persian Motifs stamp set. I grabbed a couple of stamps from the set and stamped them in Versamark ink. I then embossed them in white. Now, I could have stopped right there and had a lovely and subtle design, but I really wanted to add a lot of rich color. And I decided to do so with my Prismacolor pencils.

The reason I chose Prismacolors in particular is because they're a very soft, very pigmented pencil. This would ensure that the colors would stand out against the Kraft cardstock - something you don't get wit pencils that have a harder lead. It's very similar to pigment ink vs dye ink when stamping on kraft paper. Dye ink soaks into the paper and doesn't give you the same vibrant look you get with pigment ink. Likewise, hard lead doesn't put much pigment down and the result is a very subtle or faded look. So, if you want to try this technique and have a very vibrant color, go with a soft-core pigmented color pencil.

You'll want to test your color on a piece of cardstock first. Since kraft cardstock fives you a darker background, your color choices will need to be adjusted. Take the red, for example. It is a perfect rich red on the card, but the color I actually used looks a bit more light and orange on white paper. 

Soft pencils like Prismacolors tend to layer very well. I only used 7 colors on this card -- yellow, red, green, orange, blue, white and dark brown. I was able to layer the colors on top of each other to create depth and shading, and I didn't have to do any extra blending with solutions - just working lighter to darker and back again to blend the colors in.. So, don't feel like you need to own a million colors. Just the basics can give you a really great result.

After my piece was colored in, I built the rest of the card around it. I used a neutral gray for the base, as it makes the panel seem even warmer in tone, and I added some patterned paper that uses the same tones as the flower.