Christmas In August (CIA) Part 3 (And An Extra)

I started my morning with yet another Christmas card.

Stamps: Snowflake Soiree, Festive Flurry, Greetings of the Season, More Merry Messages
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Smoky Slate
Paper: Whisper White, Bermuda Bay
Embossing Folder: Unknown (Lifestyle Crafts)
Accents: Rhinestones, Ribbon dyed with Bermuda Bay ink

Then I decided to try my hand at the CAS Challenge. I don't really like how this one turned out, so I'm not entering it, but it's still cute.

 

I used the Bokeh effect that I sort of love, but I didn't wait long enough for the white pigment ink to dry, so when I went to emboss my sentiment, the powder stuck everywhere (even with the embossing buddy!). Oops.

Stamps: Fabulous Four
Ink: Strawberry Slush, Bermuda Bay, Wisteria Wonder, White (Colorbox)
Paper: Whisper White

Christmas in August Part 2

Continuing with my Christmas theme today...

Stamps: Festive Flurry, Greetings of the Season
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Silver (Colorbox)
Paper: Whisper White, Bermuda Bay
Embossing Folder: Snowflakes (Paper Studio)

Stamps: Snowflake Soiree
Ink: Lost Lagoon, Soft Suede
Paper: Whisper White, Soft Suede
Accents: White Organza Ribbon (dyed with Soft Suede), snowflake brad

Stamps: Snowflake Soiree, Endless Wishes
Ink: Basic Gray, StazOn Jet Black
Paper: Kraft, Whisper White, Real Red, Basic Black
Accents: Ribbon, Rhinestones

Then because I absolutely loved it, I decided to steal CASE Heather's card.

Isn't it absolutely gorgeous?! I just fell in love with the beautiful colors and the simple design. (Enough that I had to steal it!)

Stamps: Bright & Beautiful
Ink: Soft Sky, Pear Pizazz, Smoky Slate
Paper: Whisper White
Accents: Silver ribbon, rhinestones

Christmas in August!

I'm starting to work on my Christmas cards for my online store. It takes a while to build up the stock I need, so I start early. I won't just be making Christmas cards (I'd get burnt out really fast!), but you'll see some occasionally.

 

 

I started simple...and you know me, I love white space!

 

 

 

 

Stamps: Endless Wishes

Ink: Pool Party, Lost Lagoon, Marina Mist, StazOn Jet Back

Accents: Rhinestones, Baker's Twine

Bokeh Wedding

One of my best friends is getting married at the end of next month and her wedding is very country chic. Lots of burlap and lace. I can't wait! In her honor, I made this card today.

I LOVE the way this one turned out! It's just so whimsical and really fits her personality. I used Strawberry Slush and Baked Brown Sugar in a watercolor wash for the background. Then, like yesterday, I used my homemade stencil to daub on the white circles. This time I skipped the marker and added a few sequins for some shine.

And because I loved that card so much, I made a couple more in different colors!

Here they all are together!

Stamps: Just Married Quotes (Fiskars)
Ink: Strawberry Slush and Baked Brown Sugar (Card 1), Blackberry Bliss and Island Indigo (Card 2), Island Indigo and Daffodil Delight (Card 3) with Early Espresso for the sentiment
Paper: Whisper White
Accents: Sequins

Bokeh Effect

I got a little ambitious today and decided to try out a new technique that I've never tried before. I still have a little fine-tuning to do, but I like it! The Bokeh effect recreates a light effect that you can get in photography.

I used a watercolor wash for the background (Pool Party and Pear Pizazz). Then I created a homemade stencil with vellum by punching out a couple different sizes of circles. Using this stencil, I randomly inked in the white circles on the background. The smaller the circle, the more intense the white ink should be. I finished up by adding little "dust motes" with a distress marker in white. (Looking back, I probably wouldn't do that again.) I finished it off by trimming up my panel and then stamping my sentiment in Early Espresso and attaching it to my card base with dimensionals. (I used a heat tool to completely dry my background and my white circles before finishing it.)

A couple closer shots of the Bokeh effect.

Ink: Pear Pizazz, Pool Party, Early Espresso, Craft White
Paper: Whisper White
Tools: Homemade Stencil, Sponge Dauber, Heat Tool

Beautiful Birthday

I was playing around with my sponges today and decided to get out an old favorite of mine: Blooming with Kindness. I just love this large flower!

I stamped once in Calypso Coral and then stamped partial images surrounding it in Versamark. I embossed the partials using white embossing powder and then finished it off by sponging with Calypso Coral. So pretty!

Stamp: Blooming with Kindness
Ink: Calypso Coral, Early Espresso, Versamark
Paper: Whisper White
Embossing Powder: Snow (Recollections)

Then I decided to make a quick card with my Flower Patch set.

Stamps: Flower Patch
Ink: Wisteria Wonder, Elegant Eggplant, Coastal Cabana, Bermuda Bay, Old Olive, Hello Honey, Strawberry Slush
Paper: Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White, Perfect Plum (ran out of Elegant Eggplant!)
Dies: Flower Fair

Flower Patch Again

Back to my new favorite stamp set! I'm still getting the hang of getting crisp images with the larger photopolymer stamps. I don't know if I'm the only one who has this issue, but I tend to get weird bubbly looking parts in my stamped image sometimes. I'm sure it's just operator error though.

Stamps: Flower Patch
Dies: Flower Fair
Ink: Lost Lagoon, Pool Party, Old Olive, Pistachio Pudding
Paper: Whisper White, Pool Party
Accents: Rhinestones