Garden Letter

Lots of elegant flowers and collages in Penny Black's new Happy Everything catalog.  This one is called "Garden Letter".

The image was stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento and colored with PITT Pastel pencils.  Edging with a die cut scroll (Penny Black) adds a decorative embellishment to the card base.

A little something to remind us that spring is on its way.

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Garden Letter 40-277, Letter Background 1999L

Penny Black Creative Dies: Scrolls 51-013

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Faber-Castell: PITT Pastel Pencils

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Tuxedo Black Memento, Espresso Truffle Memento

Spring Is In The Air - Day 4 of 4

Hopping down the bunny trail for the last day of the spring celebration.  

Lots of fun layers and paper piecing.

Penny Black's new release "Garden Critters" has many 

spring delights and smiles for the whole year.

Make-It-Quick Instructions 

1. Die cut a Label Twenty-two from white cardstock and trim the top and bottom to remove the half circles.  Die cut an oval from the center and set aside to use later.
2. Using sponge daubers apply Aquatic Splash VersaMagic to the outer portion of the die cut and Mango Madness VersaMagic around the center die cut oval as shown.  Stamp the decorative branches in Teal Zeal Memento and the sentiment in Onyx Black VersaFine.  Attach with dimensional foam to a narrow card base with a top fold created from Fuchsia Fantasies cardstock.
3. Apply Morocco Memento ink to the edges of the oval die cut set aside in Step 1 and attached to the front of the prepared card with dimensional foam.
4. Stamp the bunny on white cardstock in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat emboss with clear powder.  Color and trim. (Create additional paper pieced layers for the bunny as desired.)
5. Attach the bunny to the card with dimensional foam.

Thank you for joining me these past four days to celebrate the upcoming arrival of spring! 

If you would like to see the previous three spring posts, please scroll down or click "here", "here" and "here".

Smiles,
Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps:  Garden Critters 30-152, Tweet Tweet 30-156, Every Happiness 40-198

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Storm 01-001, Fuchsia Fantasies 13-001

3M Scotch: Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Aquatic Splash VersaMagic, Teal Zeal Memento, Morocco Memento, Mango Madness, Sponge Daubers

Spellbinders: Classic Ovals, Labels Twenty-Two


For questions and/or comments, please feel free to e-mail me at:  elizabeth.a.allan@gmail.com

Spring Is In The Air - Day 3 of 4

For the 3^rd day of my spring celebration, a happy bird takes flight in an interactive card.  

(For Days 1 and 2, please scroll down or click "here" and "here")

 

This small element is a removable magnet!

 

Here's a look at all the wonderful images in this new 

Penny Black spring set called Nature's Wishes!

Make-It-Quick Instructions 

1. Create a 3 ¾” square top-fold card from white cardstock and wrap a green ribbon around the front flap and secure the ends on the front.  Set aside.
2. On a 3 ¼” square of white cardstock, stamp the image and sentiment in Onyx Black VersaFine and then color.  (Tip/Hint:  Glue a small piece of metal behind the bird on the reverse side of the cardstock.  This will hold the magnet in place.)  Round the top right and bottom left corners.  Attach to the front of the prepared card with dimensional foam.
3. Stamp the image a second time on white cardstock.  Use a circle punch to trim the image and then punch a second circle from cardboard.  Color the image and adhere it to the cardboard.
4. Attach a magnet to the back and apply a coat of gloss varnish to the front.  Let dry.  Place the magnet on the card overlapping the corresponding image.

You can also see additional interactive inspiration today on the Penny Black Blog.

I'll be "hoppin" by tomorrow with another spring card for Day 4.

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Nature’s Wishes 30-109

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Storm 01-001

3M Scotch: Dimensional Foam Tape

American Crafts: Ribbon

Copic Markers

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Clear Embossing Powder

Other: Liquitex Gloss Varnish, Corner Rounder, Circle Punch, Magnet, Cardboard 

For questions and/or comments, please feel free to e-mail me at:  elizabeth.a.allan@gmail.com

Spring Is In The Air - Day 2 of 4

Welcome to Day 2 of "Spring is in the Air".  (For Day 1, please scroll down or click "here".)

Today’s featured Penny Black spring transparent set is Chick to Chick.

You can’t help “awwwing” over these cuties.

A soft spring background was made from Indian Wheel accented with 3-D paint dots. 

Look at all the cute “peeps” in this set.....

Make-It-Quick Instructions

1. Stamp the sentiment in Onyx Black VersaFine 3/8” from the bottom edge of a white Les Petite card blank.  Dry emboss a horizontal line on either side of the sentiment.  Set aside.
2. Stamp Indian Wheel in Sea Breeze VersaMagic on a 2 3/8 x 4 3/8 piece of white cardstock and round off the bottom two corners.  Accent with dimensional paint and let dry.  Tie a sheer ribbon around the piece and then attach to the front of the prepared card with dimensional foam.
3. Stamp the chicks on a 1 ¼ x 3 piece of white cardstock in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat emboss with clear powder.  Color and mat the image with Fuchsia Fantasies cardstock.  Attach to the front of the card with dimensional foam.

See you tomorrow with another new spring transparent set for Day 3 and a card featuring an interactive element.

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Chick to Chick 30-150, Indian Wheel 40-202

Penny Black Les Petites 90-001

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Storm 01-001, Fuchsia Fantasies 13-002

3M Scotch: Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Duncan: 3D Paint - Iridescent White Mist

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Sea Breeze VersaMagic, Clear Embossing Powder

Offray: Sheer Ribbon

For questions and/or comments, please feel free to e-mail me at:  elizabeth.a.allan@gmail.com

Spring Is In The Air - Day 1 of 4

Penny Black has just released four new transparent sets for spring!  They are sooo cute!  

Over the next four days, I am excited to share a new stamp set each day with a card created from the set along with instructions.

For Day 1, Lulu skips in with a happy entrance.     

 

  

A view from the corner shows the texture from the Swiss Dots embossing folder and the sparkle from the Crystal Stickles. 

 

Here is a look at the whole set (Lulu Spring) and all the fun images.  Lulu is definitely a “funny bunny”!

Make-It-Quick Instructions 

1. Dry emboss the front of a white Les Petites card blank with Swiss Dots.  Highlight the raised dots with a Copic marker (B000).  Set aside.
2. Stamp Lulu and friends on a 2 ¾ x 3 ½ piece of white cardstock in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat emboss with clear powder.  Color images.
3. Mat the stamped piece with a 2 7/8 x 3 5/8 piece of Summer Sun cardstock and then attach to the front of the prepared card with dimensional foam.
4. Accent with a small bow and stickles.

See you tomorrow with more spring thoughts!

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Lulu Spring 30-166, Chick to Chick 30-150 (sentiment)

Penny Black Les Petites 90-001

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Storm 01-001, Summer Sun 17-003

3M Scotch: Dimensional Foam Tape

American Crafts: Ribbon

Copic Markers

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Clear Embossing Powder
Provo Craft: Swiss Dots Embossing Folder

Ranger: Crystal Stickles

For questions and/or comments, please feel free to e-mail me at:  elizabeth.a.allan@gmail.com

   

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