Vintage Collage Card

It's so interesting how the mind works. For example, the creative process of this card. Can you guess where this card started?

Believe it or not, it all started with the striped piece of cardstock that I had die cut a month ago to use on a project and then didn't end up using. I have a drawer that I put things in that have been stamped, die cut, inked, etc. then not used, or projects that I just couldn't finish to my satisfaction, so they got put away for a later time. Anyway, this was in my drawer, and I love it, so I decided I'd better put it to use. This paper is "Sisters" Stripe Paper (Wild Asparagus) from My Mind's Eye. I absolutely LOVE their Wild Asparagus papers...love, love, love. Anyway...

My next step was to choose color that went with it, then go through all of my embellishments, stamps, and other items to find things that fit the mood I was going for with this card. I just pull a bunch of stuff out, then as the idea starts to form, things that don't fit get put back away and pared down until I like what I've got left.

This card, however, didn't really start to come together until I started looking through my collage images. The flower image on the side is what made it all start to turn into something in my mind. The collage images are from the Vintage School Days Collage Pack by Tweety Jill. This was my first time using them, and they are great. Really nice, useable images.

For those who are interested, here is the complete list of
Supplies:
Labels One (Nestabilities Dies) Spellbinders
Vintage School Days Collage Pack (Tweety Jill)
"Sisters" Stripe Paper (Wild Asparagus) My Mind's Eye
Cardstock: Gulf (Bazzill), Textured Cayenne (Paper Accents), Cocoa
Ink: Walnut Stain Distress Ink (Ranger), VersaMark (Tsukineko)
Stamps: Foliate Quad Cube (Stampendous),
Flourishes set and Card Sentiments set (Crafty Secrets)
Dark Brown Marvy Memories Marker
Self-Adhesive Paper Lace (Narratives by Karen Russell) Creative Imaginations
Antique Silver Paper Fastener (7 Gypsies)
Claudine Hellmuth Sticky-Back Canvas (Ranger)
Velvet Flower (Maya Road)
Antique Silver Brad

Another Mini

I'm loving the mini valentine cards right now. This card has many of my favorite companies represented.

Stamps:

Cherish sentiment - Faith Collection - Kodomo Inc.

Polka Dot background - Tiny Textures set - Tim Holtz Collection - Stampers Anonymous

Flourish (stamped on background and on the butterfly) - Reindeer Flight set - Tim Holtz Collection - Stampers Anonymous

Ink:
Alabaster Fluid Chalk Ink - ColorBox
Pearlescent Poppy Brilliance Ink - Tsukineko
Jet Black Archival Ink - Ranger Industries

Die:
small butterfly - Nested Butterfly set - Spellbinders

Embellishments:
Clear Jewel Trinket Pin and White Velvet Blossom - Maya Road
Rhinestones - Hero Arts

I might have to photograph this again tomorrow when there is light though. The colors are not true in this picture. I'll try to fix it, because you really need to see how beautiful that Pearlescent Poppy Brilliance ink is.

This laid back Valentine card is going to be a part of the Be My Valentine card class to be held at Scrap-a-Latte next month.

This card began with the LOVE squares in the center. These are from a stamp set by Magenta called Floral Love. I've chosen to do one of my favorite techniques for vintage style stamps, the Shabby Chic technique. I started with dark brown paper, stamped and embossed with clear ink and powder, painted with the Pebble Adirondack Paint Dabber, then wiped the paint off of the embossed areas with a damp paper towel.

The background was created with the Butterfly Bliss stamp set by Impression Obsession. I stamped the swirly pattern with VersaMark Ink then stamped the butterflies with paint.
When I had finally done that much I was stumped. I just sat there and stared at it waiting for inspiration to come. I finally ended up coming back to my favorite standby embellishments...Maya Roads Metal Blossoms and Kaisercraft pearls. With my love for classic and vintagy (is that a word???) things it seems like those embellishments show up alot.

Speaking of loving Maya Road, check out some of the new items that will be coming out soon!
www.mayaroad.typepad.com/mayaroad
Wow! Loving it...can't wait to get my hands on some of those vintage leaf pins!

Check back tomorrow for more Valentine designs.
(Yes, I'm actually going to post two days in a row.)

Crafty Secrets Bird Lovers Class

This is a brand new class that will be held for the first time at Stampin' Cat Studio, June 28th. This little birdhouse is made mostly with products from Crafty Secrets (thus the name of the class, LOL). Embellished with a few products from Maya Road, including my favorite metal blossoms. And of course, we will be using Ranger Industries Distress Products also. It's adorable from the outside, but the inside is where the fun really begins. The inside houses some great tags we will make, complete with interchangeable sentiments. Cute and functional, you can't get any better than that. If you live in the area, go check out the sample in person, at Stampin' Cat.

On top of making a really fun project, you get tons of great product to take home with you. Including the Bird Lovers Large Clear Stamp set, a set of Birds & Botanicals Images and Journal Notes, half a pad of the beautiful double-sided cardstock in the Earthy Paper Pad, the great Chipboard Folding House set, and a sheet of Feathered Friends Cotton Scraps. You will have TONS of product left over for future projects.

Paintable Fun

I finally got around to playing with the Prima Clear Paintables, using Blending Solution in a water brush to paint on the alcohol ink, as shown on the Prima video. It is so much fun. So easy to work with, and they turn out great. After I was finished with this one, I layered it over a tag, stamped a sentiment on the front using a gold Paint Dabber, and added a couple of Maya Roads metal blossoms. The little one is painted with Wild Plum Alcohol Ink, and I stamped on the larger one with a stamp from my Nottinghill set by 7 Gypsies. If you live in the area and would like to see this in person just stop by Stampin' Cat Studio on Wednesday. Between 3-7pm, I will be there doing a demo of this technique. If you can't make it to Stampin' Cat but are interested in learning more about this technique, just click here and go watch Primas video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwaY8ipF3MM
Until next time...