Airmail - Decorated Envelope

Today I have a decorated envelope using the new transparent set called “Air Mail” from Penny Black.  It is perfect for creating decorative envelopes to mail your handmade cards! 

Plus, with all the wonderful images, you have endless possibilities of mixing them into card designs.

The framed address block was stamp with black ink omitting the bird in the lower, left corner.  Then the houses and the “to” salutation were added.

A little bit of Summer Sky Memento ink was rubbed in and around the houses and Copics were used for coloring. 

Coloring Tip:  Slide a piece of clean white cardstock into the envelope while coloring to prevent the ink from bleeding through the back of the envelope.  When finished coloring, remove the cardstock.

For the decorative border along the right side, stamp the bar code with black ink letting the “house portion” fall off the side of the envelope. 

For additional inspiration and ideas using Air Mail, stop by the Penny Black Blog today to see all of the design team’s work and join in the reader challenge to decorate an envelope. 

Tomorrow I have a special event to share with you and on Friday I will have a greeting card that combines the new Airmail set with Penny Black stickers.

Have a great day,
Elizabeth  

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Air Mail 30-072

White Envelope

Summer Sky Memento Ink (shading inside address block)

Copic Markers

A Wonderful Day With A Hug

Throughout the week I have been using different coloring mediums and today I decided to do a bit of water coloring - and some "fussy" cutting.  

I exchanged the gifts on top of the Gift Sedan with the flowers from Scented Garden and created multiple layers of the car image.  The design on the rose cardstock was made with the little star burst image from the transparent Trims set.  

Instructions:

• Create a 3 ½ x 4-inch top-fold card from white cardstock.  Stamp the sentiment near the bottom of the front flap with black ink and heat emboss with clear powder.  Set aside.
• Stamp the star burst around the perimeter of a 3 ½-inch square piece of medium rose cardstock with Rhubarb Stalk ink.  Rub Worn Lipstick over the stamped border.  Adhere to the front of the prepared card with adhesive.
• Ink a 3-inch square piece of white cardstock with Scattered Straw, Spiced Marmalade and Peeled Paint to create a background.  Mat with black cardstock and attach to the card with dimensional foam.
• Stamp Gift Sedan three times (omitting the gift portion) with black ink on watercolor paper and heat emboss with clear powder.  This sample uses one full image for the base, the car with the windows removed for the second layer and the two tires for the final layer.
• Watercolor the images, trim and layer with dimensional foam. 
• Stamp the flowers from Scented Garden with black ink on watercolor paper and heat emboss with clear powder.  Color, trim and attach to the top of the car.
• Stamp “hugs” on watercolor paper with black ink and heat emboss with clear powder.  Add watercolors and trim to form a tag.  Attach the tag to the potted flowers with white thread.
• The layered embellishment is attached to the card with dimensional foam.  Note:  Two layers of foam will be needed under the flowers so it will be at the same dimensional level as the car.
• Accent flowers with stickles and the head/tail lights with Glossy Accents.

Thank you for stopping by.

Wishing everyone a wonderful day and weekend,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps:  Gift Sedan 4135K, Trims 30-068, Scented Garden 4133J, Wonderful 30-029, Hugs 30-020

Penny Black “Mix & Match” Cardstock:  Storm 01-001, 01-003; Rose Garden 14-002

Canson:  Watercolor Paper

Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Rhubarb Stalk Memento

Tombow: Dual Brush Pens, Stamp Runner Permanent Adhesive

Ranger: Scattered Straw, Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Paint, Worn Lipstick; Crystal Stickles, Glossy Accents, Detail Fine Embossing Powder

3M Scotch:  Dimensional Foam Tape

Antique Flowers

Today I am using Staedtler Ergosoft Colored Pencils for my coloring medium.  The triangular structure makes holding these pencils very comfortable and the lead is creamy and easy to blend.



All stamps by Penny Black



Included in the instructions below are the inks and techniques used to makes these patterned backgrounds.

This is the mask that was used to protect the image while the background was distressed and stamped.  It was made from Eclipse Tape by JudiKins.  It is like having a giant "sticky note" and enables me to create repositionable masks in various sizes.

Card Instructions:

• Create a 3 ¾ x 4 ¾ top-fold card from cream cardstock.  Ink the edges with Antique Linen and paper pierce around the perimeter.
• Stamp Majestic Composition on a 1 ½ x 4 ¾-inch piece of light Spring Meadow cardstock with Spanish Moss ink.  Distress with Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain and Spiced Marmalade.  Re-ink and stamp the background a second time in Spanish Moss over the inks.  Spray with Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz.
• Mat the right-hand edge with black cardstock and adhere to the front of the card.
• Stamp Pin-Striped on a 3 ¼ x 3 ¾-inch piece of white cardstock.  Trim the width down to 2 ¾ inches allowing the petals to overhand the edges.
• Color with Staedtler Ergosoft Pencils.  Use the white pencil to help blend the colors as well as a dry blending stump.
• Stamp Pin-Striped on Eclipse Tape and trim to create a mask.  (See photo above)  Place over the colored image.
• Distress the edges with Antique Linen, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain inks.
• Stamp Letter Background with Vintage Photo ink.  Remove the mask.
• Mat with light Grand Canyon and Black cardstocks. 
• Attach the matted artwork to the front of the card with dimensional foam.
• Accent the stamens with a white gel pen and crystal stickles.

 

Button Embellishment:

• Stamp Cute as a Button on white cardstock with black ink and heat emboss with clear powder.
• Color button with a light tan pencil and add copper and ruby metallic rub-ons.
• Pierce holes and coat with Sepia Accents.
• When dry, lightly add Stone Grey StazOn to mute the shine and add thread through the holes.
• Attach with glue dots.

Today I would like to send hugs to Cathy Fong and Virginia Lu for their continuous RAK's (Random Acts of Kindness).  They are extremely talented women who generously share their inspiration and highlight fellow artists.  Thank you Cathy and Virginia!!

More special thanks to friends and readers who visit my blog.  I appreciate the time that you spend with me and your thoughtful comments!

With appreciation,

Elizabeth 

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps:  Pin-Striped 4161K, Majestic Composition 40-049, Cute As A Button 40-052, Letter Background 1999L

Penny Black “Mix & Match” Cardstock:  Sticks & Stones 01-003, Grand Canyon 03-001, Fern Green 05-001

Staedtler: Ergosoft Colored Pencils

Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz, Stone Grey StazOn, Jumbo Daubers

Ranger:  Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain, Spiced Marmalade, Crystal Stickles, Sepia Accents

3M Scotch:  Dimensional Foam Tape

Tombow: Stamp Runner Permanent Adhesive

Sakura: White Gel Pen

Craf-T Products:  Metallic Rub-Ons

Friendship

Frogs and snails and puppy dog tails - that's what little boys are made of.....



Finished Size:  4" Square


All of the stamps used for this card are from Penny Black's new Touch of Whimsy catalog.  

I “borrowed” the soccer ball from the hedgie stamp called “Game On” to add to this cute boy and his best friend.  To transform the ball from whimsical to well-loved, I scuffed it with Antique Linen ink.

I love the versatility of breaking sentiments up when stamping.  It allows me to use the remaining portion on the inside of the card or mix and match with other phrases.  Here a portion of the Friendship sentiment was used along with the Zen background on Mix & Match cardstocks.  To soften the pieces, I distressed them with inks. 

The stitching was added with a black pen and there is dimensional foam between the base of the card and matted cardstocks and under the boy and ball.

Thank you for visiting,
Elizabeth

Supplies:
Penny Black Stamps:  Nose to Nose 40-057, Zen 40-051, Friendship 4176H, Game On 4129J

Penny Black “Mix & Match” Cardstock:  Storm 01-001, Fern Green 05-003, Clear Skies 10-003

Tsukineko:  Onyx Black VersaFine, Spanish Moss VersaFine, Jumbo Sponge Daubers

Ranger:  Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain, Mustard Seed, Detail Fine Embossing Powder

Copic Markers

3M Scotch:  Dimensional Foam

Sakura:  Black Micron Pen

Monochromatic Thank You

It’s National Scrapbooking Day and the Penny Black Design Team is celebrating the occasion with a wonderful selection of monochromatic cards and a twenty-four hour challenge with spectacular prize packages! 

These gorgeous stamps are from their new Touch of Whimsy catalog.

Instructions:

• Create a 3 ¼ x 5 ½-inch top-folded card base from white cardstock.
• Stamp dots in orchid pearlescent on a 1 7/8 x 3 ¼-inch piece of white cardstock and a 4 x 3 ¼-inch piece of light rose cardstock.
• Dry emboss the stamped white cardstock with Swiss Dots.
• Adhere the pieces to the prepared card base letting the light rose overlap the embossed white.
• Glue a 1/8 x 3 ¼-inch strip of medium rose cardstock across the top edge of the light rose mat.
• On a separate piece of white cardstock, stamp the flower three times with black pigment ink and heat emboss with clear powder.
• Color the flowers and trim.
• Layer the flowers with dimensional foam and accent the center with beads dyed with alcohol inks.  (Place a drop of wild plum and three or four drops of the pearl in a small plastic bag, add beads and “smoosch” together.  Place the beads on a non-stick craft sheet to dry.)
• After the beads are glued to the flower with Glossy Accents, fill in the remaining areas with crystal stickles.
• Stamp the sentiment in black pigment ink and heat emboss with clear powder in the lower portion of a die-cut circle.  Ink the edges with the R85 Copic marker.
• Trim a small portion from the top of the circle so it can be nestled between the layers of the petals on the flower.
• Attach the decorative embellishment to the front of the card with dimensional foam.

Whether your day is filled with scrapbooking, rubber stamping, card making or maybe little a little of each, have a spectacular day!

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps:  Cheerful 4160K, Design Spotter 40-050, Flourish Thank You 4175F

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock:  Rose Garden 14-001, 14-002

Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Orchid Pearlescent Brilliance

Copic Markers: R0000, R83, R85

Ranger: Wild Plum Alcohol Ink, Pearl Mixatives Alcohol Ink, Glossy Accents, Crystal Stickles

Provo Craft:  Swiss Dots Embossing Folder

Tombow:  Stamp Runner Permanent Adhesive

3M Scotch: Dimensional Foam

Spellbinders: 2 ½” Circle Nestability

White Seed Beads

A Lion Thank You

These new stamps from Penny Black called His Majesty and Circular Design make me smile.  I couldn't resist "fussy" cutting this cute lion and adding a few additional layers.



Side view of layers.



Instructions: 

• Create a 3 5/8 x 5-inch top-fold card from dark olive cardstock.
• Stamp Circular Design in Spanish Moss on a 3 3/8 x 4 ¾-inch pieces of light olive cardstock.  Attach to the front of the prepared card.
• Stamp sentiment and grass on a 2 1/8 x 3 5/8-inch piece of white cardstock with black ink and heat emboss with clear powder.  Mat with a 2 ¼ x 3 ½-inch piece of black cardstock. (Note: Round the upper right corners of both pieces before matting together.)
• Stamp lion several times on white cardstock with black ink and heat emboss with clear powder.  Color and trim desired layers.  Assemble with dimensional foam. (Design Option: Use one fully trimmed image and eliminate layers.)
• Attach the lion to the matted sentiment with adhesive.
• Attach the artwork to the front of the prepared card with dimensional foam.

I have a special card that I will be posting on Saturday for National Scrapbook Day with more images from the new Touch of Whimsy catalog.

Hope to see you then,
Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps:  His Majesty 4153H, Circular Design 40-046, Sweet Home 40-054, For All You Do 3854D

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock:  Olive Grove 04-001, 04-003

Tsukineko:  Onyx Black VersaFine, Spanish Moss VersaFine

Ranger:  Detail Clear Embossing Powder

3M Scotch:  Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Nature's Day

For this card, I decided to mix things up and create a bit of a collage.

I think this new stamp from Penny Black’s Touch of Whimsy catalog is beautiful.  It is called “Nature’s Day” and reminds me of when the birds return north and the spring blossoms start to appear. 

I added a couple special embellishments one of which was tissue paper overlays to the flowers.

I thought I would share a couple of different views of the card first and toward the bottom of the post share my step-by-step instructions. 



Tissue paper overlays with pearl white interference paint.



Paisley Outline stamped in gold ink adds a rich background design.



Watermarks created by spritzed water over Distress inks.



Instructions:

• Create 3 ¾ x 4 ¾-inch top-fold card from dark olive cardstock.  Ink the edges with Walnut Stain and set aside.
• Randomly ink a 2 7/8 x 3 7/8-inch piece of white cardstock with Broken China, Scattered Straw and Old Paper.  Stamp Paisley Outline in gold over the distress inks.  Mat with black cardstock.
• Die-cut and emboss a Curved Rectangle (#5) Nestability from a piece of watercolor paper and trim ¾-inch from the top.  Ink the edges in gold. 
• Layer the matted distressed cardstock on top of the die-cut and wrap twine around the two pieces and secure on the back.  Attach to the front of the prepared card with dimensional foam.
• Stamp Nature’s Day on water color paper with black ink and heat emboss with clear powder.  Water color and trim the entire image.  (I cut down the back of the bird so I could slip the tissue paper flowers underneath and elevate the bird higher than the flowers.) 
• Stamp Nature’s Day on white tissue paper with black ink and heat emboss with clear powder.  Add a hint of pink watercolors to the flowers then paint with Pearl White Pigmented Watercolors.  Carefully heat the tissue with a heat tool to dry the paint.  Trim the flower images, crinkle and then adhere to the main image by securing them with a dot of Glossy Accents at the centers.  This will allow the petals to have more dimension and depth. Accent the centers with white seed beads that have been colored with a coordinating Copic marker.  Set aside.
• Stamp small letter on white cardstock with black ink and heat emboss with clear powder.  Add Scattered Straw, Aged Mahogany, Walnut Stain and Peeled Paint inks.  Spritz with water to create watermarks.
• Using the bird artwork as a guide, trace the curve of the branch on the distressed letter and trim away the excess.  Glue the two pieces together.
• Attach the artwork to the front of the card with dimensional foam.  I used two layers beneath the bird to create another visual level.
• Stamp sentiment on white cardstock with black ink and distress with Worn Lipstick and Peeled Paint.  Trim in the shape of a banner and tuck behind the flowers.

Thank you to all my friends, followers and fellow artists for your daily visits, continuous support and heart-warming comments!  They are greatly appreciated.

A special hug for Bonnie at Bonnidee for inviting me to teach at her store in Montreal this past weekend.  I had a wonderful time and met an amazing group of talented women!!

Enjoy the wonder of spring –

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps:  Nature’s Day 4157K, Paisley Outline 40-048, Flowers & Wishes 30-047, Garden Friends 30-021

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock:  Storm 01-001, 01-003; Olive Grove 04-003

USArtQuest:  Jewelz Watercolor Palette (Pearl White)

Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Gold Metallic StazOn

Tombow: Dual Brush Pens

Copic: RV23

Ranger: Broken China, Scattered Straw, Peeled Paint, Worn Lipstick, Aged Mahogany, Old Paper, Walnut Stain; Detail Clear Embossing Powder

3M Scotch: Dimensional Foam Tape

Other: White Tissue Paper, White Seed Beads, Twine