Summer Send Off Stamp Camp - Birthday Sunflowers

When I think of sunflowers, I think of beautiful bright yellow-orange happy flowers.  Somewhere along the line, I spotted pink sunflowers!  OMG - I absolutely adore the Powder Pink layers along with Smokey Slate giving shadow in this 2-step stamped card.  

Look at my imperfect centers!  That's right, imperfection does not matter with this stamp set, Painted Harvest.  It welcomes imperfection.  

Don't like the first stamp impression?  Stamp it again!  These stamps practically beg you to do just that.  Each layer of stamp impression, gives this flower more depth and watercolor-y dreaminess.

So, go ahead and be imperfect.  Stamp and repeat.  The result is ideal.

Thank you for your visit.

Luci

P.S.  My next stamp camp is scheduled for October 13, 2017.  Pencil it in on your calendar and RSVP here.

Summer Send Off Stamp Camp - You Warm My Heart

I am beyond lucky that in the Fall, I can look out my studio window to see a spectacular show of vibrant and lavish colors so gracefully gifted to me by nature.  I can already see some of the early color-loving leaves presenting a dramatic brushstroke of red within a sea of a still-green forest.

OK… well enough about my view.  This card is the vision of what my view is to become.  There has been so much inspiration on the web for this type of design, so I will try to add what I think might be my personal touch, within the directions:

• Using the Woodland Textured embossing folder, ink and stamp the embossing folder.  (I used the tree spots from the Sheltering Tree stamp set.  The inks that I stamped progressed from light to darker rich Autumn color inks - cleaning in between each color.)

• When all the inks are randomly stamped on the folder, lightly spritz the embossing folder with water.  (To add more drama, outline the tree section of the folder in brown marker).

• Run a piece of Whisper White through the Big Shot to be "dry" embossed.  (Don't worry if the ink did not covering the entire background.  White areas make the colors pop.)

• Sponge around the sides with Night of Navy to add more shadow and depth.

• Layer the sentiment strip, doily and vellum as part of the card top embellishment.  Then add everything to the base of the card.

• Add sparkle with 3 rhinestones, or in this case sequins.  HINT:  Apply a tiny drop of glue onto the woodland scene - where you want the sequins to go.  THEN, add the sequins on top of the glue.  It seems to work better that way, rather than adding glue to the sequins and then the card.

• Want more shimmer?  I added additional twinkle with Wink of Stella on the birch tree trunks.

Thank you to all who generously offer inspiration and challenges on the web!  Feeling like Autumn, too?  Try the Autumn Colors challenge.

Have a beautiful day.

Luci

P.S.  My next stamp camp is scheduled for October 13, 2017.  Pencil it in on your calendar. 

Summer Send-Off Stamp Camp - Gold Congrats

Here's another stamp camp design.  The 2017-18 SU catalog has a bevy of layout ideas.  This card was for the most part, cased for the shine and beautiful watercolor papers.  I liked the idea of using the snow folder as "confetti" in this happy card.

Feathers, being so trendy right now, seemed to fit perfectly on the left.  The best part of 2 step stamping the feather (which by the way has more than just 2 layers - so you can go crazy with the combinations of colors) is the 3 dimensionality and realistic shading of a feather image, which seems to mimic the watercolored style of the designer paper.

HINT:  I recommend that you put the washi tape on the card first, then run the card through the embossing folder.  That will adhere the tape firmly to the base of the card.

Thank you for stopping by.  

Luci

P.S.  My next stamp camp is scheduled for October 13, 2017.  Pencil it in on your calendar. 

Summer Send Off Stamp Camp - The Light

Goodbye Summer 

Welcome Autumn

Happy first day of Fall 2017.  I've been wanting to post our farewell to summer cards from stamp camp, so here we go…

This has to be one of my favorite 2 step stamps (just to be clear, I have many favorites, and I really like this one). The light house is stamped with a darker shade to show the dramatic shadow of late summer sun on the other side.  

I cut out the lighthouse to add dimension to the layers, plus it provides a forgiving approach to hiding my non-perfect 2-step-stamp line-up.  Beneath the lighthouse are the lime-light beams stamped on a circle shape of seagulls and waves.

What else are my favorites?

• I think the Lemon Lime Twist In-Color is such a wonderfully trendy color that updates whatever other color combos are used.  

• I cannot get enough of the delicate rhinestones.  Here it is used as the "light" in the lighthouse.

• The sponge brayered inks on the glossy can't be beat. 

• Did I mention glossy cardstock is back?!  YAY!

Lastly, I adore the sentiment.  I am so grateful to have people in my life that shine beautiful light… so grateful.


Wishing you a peaceful day,
Luci

P.S.  My next stamp camp is scheduled for October 13, 2017.  Pencil it in on your calendar. 

When Words Are Not Enough to Say Thank You

I was honored to be asked to make a special thank you card.  After listening to the request, I realized this card had to be something more than special - it had to be full of love, because of the kindness that was offered in the aid that contributed to my friend's long recovery.  Words, I felt, could not be enough.

So, with that in mind, I set to work and here is the result:

You can see there is a combination of of stamped sentiment, sponged edges, layered florals, and thinlit die cuts.  

While I wanted the colors to be subdued and soft, I found the perfect shade of pop (Watermelon Wonder - In Color '16), and made a layered flower.  To make this flower, I punched 4 layers of card stock, fastened them together with a tiny SU brad, then rolled each petal up until I liked the look.  This took a bit of time and fuss… and love.

The butterfly on top of the note tag is a layered with multiple punches to repeat the shape, adding dimension, texture and even a little flutter.  The gold die cut center adds the shine.  The personal note tag can be pulled out from the pocket by the burlap ribbon.

My favorite little accent is this detail in the corner.  I cut, rolled and sponged a layer of the designer paper to create a curl that I purposely made to reveal a subtle bird in flight… freedom.

Above the curl, I added a rhinestone accent and a piece of a doily.  Did I mention that I love texture?

This card helped me to slow down and enjoy each layer as I built it, loving each piece.  Maybe I achieved the goal for making this thank you card after all - it had to be filled with love.

NOTE:  There are some ideas that made this card in the "flying spirit of birds" from Time Out Challenges.  Were you able to find my winged friends - and their spirit - in this card?  Thank you Steph for recommending!

May your day be filled with creative joy.

Luci

Easel Twist & Glow Card for Making Spirits Bright

Here's a twist on an easel card.  This card appears to bend to the side as it folds back!  A small, raised star keeps the card open with a pocket for the LED candle.

Battery operated LED candles make a safe and bright glow in the back.  I thought it would be perfect to use the Star of Light thinlet die cut to create a silhouette as it sits upon the vellum.

Here's the view from the back.

Now, I just need to find a way to enclose this all in an "envelope."

Thanks for stopping by.  Please leave a comment if you have questions or comments.

Wishing you a warm and cozy season.

Luci

Watercoloring Some Christmas Magic

Stampin Up's Christmas Magic set brings a sense of calming scenery and magic your way.  So, that's why I thought some soft watercolors would be the perfect way to color this image.

What I love about watercoloring is that it is perfectly imperfect.  Not one stamped design and watercolor image will ever look exactly the same.  The colors blend into one another as the water allows, and each sunset can be unique and beautiful.

In addition to the watercoloring, I added a snowflake from the Starlight Thinlits.  Yes, the stars can become snowflakes when the points are trimmed!

AND... where can you use those lace-y points that you cut off?

I took mine and adhered them to another piece of Whisper White cardstock, then punched them out to make small ornaments on the side of the card:

And, that little bow?  That came from the Cookie Cutter Builder Punch... Love that punch... and its tiny accessories.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I appreciate your comments, so if you have a moment... do leave a note.  Have a great day stamping!

Wishing you some magic today,

Luci

Gingerbread Cookie Love

I'm a little addicted to this cute Cookie Cutter stamp and punch set.  I added googley eyes and a red glitter heart for more gingerbread cuteness.

Can you believe the icing is simply Whisper White cardstock?  Whisper White is so smooth that the full stamp comes out so crisp and vibrant.

Do you notice a slight burnt edge?  Try rocking a little bit of darker ink on the edges of the stamp.  It's subtle, but kinda' gives him a little texture, no?

Here he is clipped to the card (...attached to a paper clip, which is then attached to the card on gold glimmer paper and tear & tape adhesive).

Thanks for visiting.  Please add comments when you have a moment.

I always appreciate them!

Have a sweet day!

Festive Flurry Love

What I love about these snowflakes are the dies that coordinate!  Continuing along, I coordinated the inks and papers as well.  Here I took Baha Breeze ink and stamped on Whisper White for the top snowflake.  Then, I took Whisper White ink and stamped it on Baha Breeze for the next layer of snowflake.

Of course there is a little gray in Winter - but I added shimmer with a touch of silver metallic ink in the background.  How pretty are those grays?

And, how much do I love the love?  Don't you think it's just lovely!

Thanks for stopping by.  Would love to hear your comments!

Have a warm season!

Dictionary Snowman

How happy is this snowman (or woman)?  Can you see the shading behind the snowman?  I took the ink pad and swiped it across the folder to give the background increased depth.

And, isn't it wonderful when snow sparkles (maybe why he's so happy).  At the top of the hill, I applied Dazzling Diamonds to give that extra shimmery detail.  Corner punch on the right and sponge the edges for a completed look:

Have a wonderful season!

If you have a comment, please feel free to leave one.  I appreciate them very much!



UPDATE 11/5/15:  I just started adding cards (well, one card so far... lol) to my new Etsy shop (well, not exactly a new shop ... but this baby card is my first listing).  I will be adding other items as time & interest allows.  Here's the blog post for the baby slider.  Thanks for stopping by my blog and the shop.   

Baby Slider

Want to know what I did for 2 days?  I worked on figuring out the size and internal workings of this card from a photo.  Well, not 2 solid days...

So how does the card work?  A cute little duck starts on the left side of the pouch.  

(Now in my Etsy shop)

Then, with a slight pull of the ribbon on the right, causes the duck to slide across the window, revealing the sentiment on the left side of the card.


This is one of those cards that may be a little bit of work at first (definitely not 2 days worth), but once you have the measurements and get the hang of it, it goes quicker and provides a cute little surprise to the recipient.

UPDATE 11/5/15:  I added this card to my new Etsy shop (well, not exactly a new shop ... but this is my first listing).  I will be adding other items as time & interest allows.  Thanks for stopping by the shop!  

Thanks for visiting!  I love hearing your comments.  

Have a great day!

How much do I love that swallowtail ginormous stamp?  Here it is embossed with Chocolate Chip craft ink and clear embossing powder on Soft Suede cardstock.  The shine and tone on tone coloring made a great background on this card. 

The sentiment and decorative elements are also embossed, giving the whole card a glossy effect.  The smaller butterfly is stamped with gold ink.

How blessed am I to feel that I have people in my life to send this card!

Thanks for visiting.  I appreciate your comments!  Have a great day.

Wedding Couple Card

I found a similar design for this type of wedding card in blog-land.  I decided to add a few features of my own.  Rhinestones became the buttons on the man's shirt, along with the diamond necklace that she dons.  Her lace dress is created by using an embossing folder, while his suit uses the striped embossing folder.

Fun and easy to make (one you get the template sized just right).  Make lots.  These are the kind of cards that when done ahead of time, you will appreciate so much.  After all, how many times have you gone to a wedding - running out the door... putting on your heals... throwing on lipstick... realizing that the wedding is an hour away, and you only have 45 minutes to get there... And, oh yeah, there might be a card store on the way?  Getting a glimpse of my life?

Have a great day!  Would love to hear your comments!  Thanks for visiting.

Hugs and Kisses in Yellow

I had but a quick moment to pull out some virtual stamps and give this a whirl.  So, in the time that it would take me to clean up after dinner, I'm back using My Digital Studio (MDS) for a quick, fun and super-simple card (so easy, that I almost feel guilty... LOL).

I found this quick challenge on Less is More and using a color that I don't easily make friends, I put yellow into my greeting.  If you have a loving dog, you know that their hugs and kisses... and yes, even a wet nose - mean everything.  I thought I would color his nose yellow along with the inside of the o's in the xoxo (hugs & kisses) to match.

If only cleaning up after dinner was this fun!

Thanks for stopping by.
Hope you have a great day!
Luci

Wedding Card Prototype 1

Well, it's been a while since my last blog post... sigh.  Too much always seems to be going on.  

Since I was asked to help design wedding invitations, thoughts of pretty, lacy vintage-y cards have been filling my brain.  Here is one prototype.  I do love the lace on this vanilla colored card.  The couple is planning to use red in their wedding, so I thought a cherry cobbler flower would add a little punch, here.

Off to make another prototype...

Say Hello to My Little Friend

How fun is this "Red Carpet" challenge from the Girl Fridays at CFC38?  I know it's just really simple - but, I have a ton of things to do today - and oh, where is the time?  But, what a tickle to the imagination to think of a line from a movie and use that in a card.  I never expected Scarface to be inspiration for this cute Stampin Up set:  Furry Folk.


When I saw this challenge at SCS:  CFC38  I had to quickly put them together.  So, next to my proverbial plate (you know the one that seems to fill up so quickly), I decided to put these towels (the IC from SCS).

Gotta wren. 
Later I hope to post the projects from the latest stamp camp. 

Have a cheery day,
Luci

Sunny Gerbera Daisy

Tucked behind a few things, my daisy die cut sat lonely and abandoned.  I'm not sure why... sometimes I get stuck on using one thing and forget about my cherished other tools.

Anyway I saw a challenge to celebrate Gerbera daisies - what a perfect die cut for this.  I made the center a little darker than the larger petals and included a vintage-y looking button for the center.  Here's the challenge at Stampin Celebration #52. 





 

I found the layout from Clean and Simple Challenge Blog #154 so I thought I'd use this bold daisy in this design.  Easy and fun!

Now the colors - I just love how these gals can put together colors at CR84FN #36.  Yellows are simply not my thing, but look how pretty their challenge picture is?!  I think I was attracted to the cake and the rest is history... 

Thank you for your visit.
Have a Sunny Day!
Luci

If You Zoom In - It's One Layer!

Stamping time yesterday was such a gift.  Thanks to some sweet friends, a stamping get-together was simply delightful.  Events in this year have been nothing short of continuous challenge, but in everything, I am grateful for the blessings that have come about through every struggle.  So, who am I to complain?  Instead, let me share a comforting quote for anyone who is feeling burdened - certainly something I have reflected on over and over:

Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous fall.

Psalm 55:22 

So, if casting my cares is what I am to do - then cast away I shall.

And, here I am.

Ready to stamp.   

I turned to the Less is More Challenge (LIM #28) to find that there is a one-layer challenge going on there.  WOW.  I cannot be a one layer gal.  I've tried.  

I give you... my attempt of simplicity.  I was so excited to try this technique from this gorgeous card, that my sweet friend, Stephanie posted.  What fun!  

The background is made of a glorious blend of colors and shimmer spray.  I inked up my acrylic block with Certainly Celery and Pacific Point.  In the corner I spritzed some Log-cabin smooch spray, followed with spritzes of water to make the inks a beautiful wash of color.  Onto Whisper White cardstock did the block go.  If you try this, I guarantee that you will hardly contain your excitement, as the inks blend together before your very eyes.

Now, as for the one layer... I tried, really.  It started off that way, but ribbons, embellishments and punches were all looking at me with those puppy-dog eyes.  Naturally, I caved.  Here is my result.  I did try to keep it simple... I did not even add a ribbon!  (But, isn't that vintage brad simply something?!)

Thank you for visiting.

Wishing you a moment to cast away your cares.

Luci

Heaven Must Be Shades of Lavender

Though, looking a little blue, the project here highlights shades of lavender.  This dreamy color, comes courtesy of this challenge - CR84FN35:




I enjoyed adding all of the little shapes together with this one.  I added a small scalloped border to the sides of my ribbon-like banner.  Then used 2 sides of the Top Note to accent the sides some more.  What a great way to use up scraps!

I wanted to use a delicate image with these colors.  I thought the beautiful swirls of the butterfly from Stampin Up's Hope and Strength campaign, along with the sentiment tag on the bottom would add to the gentle theme I was looking for.

To get just the words I wanted, I used a marker to color the stamp and used one of my millions of white paper strips on which to stamp.  Clipped the corners (there must be a punch for that shape, already?!) and popped everything on dimensionals.

Thanks for visiting!
Hope you find your slice of heaven today.
Luci

It's OK to Stop

Today I had but a moment to create a clean and simple card - and with my tendency to keep adding, I had to remind myself that it really is OK to stop.  I have to say, I loved making this card.  I think the little flower at the top is my favorite.  It's for my sweet niece who is just beginning her teenage years... oh, the ride so begins (again) for her parents!

I found these wonderful challenges to guide me in picking colors, choosing the layout and designing the image:

At the Creative Corner, I tried their red and aqua challenge - and I loved how they suggested to use the pink, 'cause I could not find a color for the base of the card.  I think I like how the Pink Pirrhouette surrounds the focal image.

 

The super-fun layout was lifted from the folks at Clean and Simple.  What a great sketch challenge!  I will be sure to try this simple and sweet sketch again!

And, since I keep using the same stamp set over and over (not like I don't have a few more...LOL), I needed to find an image inspiration.  Over at SCS, the Saturday Challenge - IC295 was just the right amount of inspiration I needed to get these cute little stem stamps in my hands.  I found this pretty image on the site, L'Affiche Moderne.

And isn't this a cute little flower (if I say so myself)?  I created it with the Boho punch and a black paper fastener for the center.  

Thanks for visiting!
Hope you have a sweet and simple day!
Luci