Penny Black - Blooming Garden

Good afternoon - welcome! Today there are several cards to share...so let's get to it.

- image is PBlack Blooming Garden (Transparent stamps). Stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black, die cut with the matching PB die, 51-030 (Field of Dreams). Colored with copics. Flowers on dimensional foam, stems glued down.

- Background is Anna Griffin Poppy EF, sponged with DI Scattered Straw, Shabby Shutters, and Marigold, very lightly - with the TH sponging tool after embossing.

- Impression Obsession grass die DI096-D.

- M.Box lady bug die - using white c/s, colored with copics.

- Natural color twine was colored with a copic green. Didn't like the bow, so put the ladybug on it instead.

While deciding whether I liked the way the flowers had turned out, (also had misplaced the image momentarily)..diecut a 2nd flower. This time did the die cut first, then stamping. Colored with the same copic colors.  Decided I would use the negative and try to sponge, see how that looked.

- small snippet of white cardstock trimmed to form a square base. Used a slightly smaller square piece of packaging acetate to form a center mask. Sponged DI Scattered straw around the edges to form a frame.(used small piece of removable double side tape in the center of the acetate to try to hold it firmly in place).  Then embossed using the Poppy EF. Sponged through the negative flower stencil, using DI Scattered Straw, Marigold and Shabby Shutters. Wasn't sure that I really liked this; then I saw on a PBlack post where someone else had done this same technique using the red family. That one looked good to me, so decided I would keep my yellow effort!!! Some yellow cotton ribbon added for trim.  Popped this piece on dimensional foam, adhered to the framed card base.

This is the cardstock negative used for the stenciling. Did not tape it down, just held it firmly. It's lightweight c/s, so I  had to be gentle with the sponging. Taping down is a good idea. I was just experimenting to see what would result, so wasn't particularly careful- just sponging colors in the spaces to see the effects.

I've been seeing so many pretty watercolor cards done lately. The stamp was still needed  to be cleaned, so I hunted up the THoltz DI watercolor markers. Using the same Distress Ink marker colors as in the sponging effort, I colored directly onto the stamp, spritzed it, and stamped on 140wt watercolor paper.

Not totally delighted with the effect, but decided it was ok (all the folks who have done such pretty w/color cards always advise: "It won't be perfect".) So was trying not to be too obsessive with it.

First time, I spritzed the paper, then the stamp. My spritzing tends to be too heavy, and that experiment was just too runny for me. (It's on the opposite side of this stamping). Flipped the paper over, re-inked the stamp with markers, held it further away to spritz, and stamped on the dry surface of the paper. Liked this effect better. Used a water brush to pull the color around. It's a filled water brush; dried the bristles with a paper towel after wetting the 'non-inked' area in each flower just a bit. Then touching a drier brush into the wet space of the flower, moved towards the inked area and back out. After this dried - went back over some lines with the fine point marker nib. Smoothed those lines again with a barely damp water brush. Background was done by dabbing DI Tumbled Glass onto an acrylic block, wetting that and using the water brush to dab some lines along the flower stems. Wet the non colored background areas (in small segments), and pulled from the white into the color and back out again. Let the paper dry overnight. Die cut with S/B Label 11. (Thanks to Miss Bonnie for her inspiration water color card earlier in the week)

- card front die cut with a smaller size of Label 11 to create the window. Paper was textured Bazzill. MS lacey punch for the trim, scor buddy and some tiny pearls to trim. (There are 2 scored lines at the card bottom, but it doesn't show in the photo.)

That's it - 3 different ways to use this pretty stamp & die. I need a lot more work on the water color front. It's a technique that does not come easy to me at all! Hope you enjoy these cards.

I was very entertained by reading all the comments received on the clothes line post. It was so interesting to read that some of you have specific color clothes pins for specific clothing. And that you group certain items together. We just had plain old wooden pins (and I can remember when the pins were 'pegs' too!), and some things were hung together. Sheets, pillowcases, towels, but I don't think we hung by colors or anything of that sort. I'm so glad the post brought back some happy memories for you. It did for me as well. Come again when you have time to visit. Love to read your thoughts on what I'm posting. Always enjoy suggestions and  ideas for improvement too! In the meantime, have a wonderful afternoon, and Hugs.