Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge Blog Feb 1, 2011

Well, I've been keeping some very exciting new from my followers and subscribers.  I was invited to join the Hand Stamped Sentiments Design Team beginning February 1st.  The HSS Design Team members are passionate Stampin' Up! Demonstrators who love a good challenge & the creativity that this sparks.  


I hope you'll join in on this week's challenge using the romantic colors of red and black and as a neutral white or very vanilla.  These are some of my favorite colors.  And you can use any color or shade of red that I wanted.  Many of you that frequent my blog will know that I had to throw Cherry Cobbler in there somewhere. Did you  notice how I added detail to the Eiffel Tower (Artistic Etchings Stamp Set)?  I inked the tower in Real Red and then took my Cherry Cobbler Stampin' Write Marker and used it to add the deeper color to the edges of the stamp, creating the added detail and dimension.  Cool Huh?  I love doing stamps this way.  I used the same technique on the Amour sentiment from the same stamp set.  For the cool technique on the card background.  I used a brayer to coat the inside of the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder with black ink, then embossed it leaving the black ink in the de-bossed area (A technique I first saw on Diana Gibbs Blog.  Makes it really look old world.  Then I distressed the edges of all the white papers, added layers of Black CS and Red Glimmer Paper and finished it off with the luscious Stampin' Up! 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon. I hope you enjoyed my card this week.  Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Two Hearts

This is a classic Valentine card for that special someone.  The Real Red Cardstock base was embossed with the new Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (New Occasions Mini). The two hearts were punched with the heart punch out of Real Red CS and sponged with Cherry Cobbler ink around the edges to give definition.  I glued the hearts to a rectangle of Blushing Bride CS then embossed all together with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder (Idea Book and Catalog). Other layers are Red Glimmer Paper and Love Impressions DSP (New Occasions Mini).  It is topped off with a beautiful bow of white grosgrain ribbon.

Love is in the Air! Blog Candy up for grabs!!!

Can you tell I've been having fun.  I seem to be enjoying punch art more than ever.  Can you tell I spent the whole evening giggling while making this card?  I have often wondered how the people that are really good at punch art envision what they can do with a particular punch.  I've used several punches on this card...the most obvious the large heart and the gondola for the hot air balloon, the Cherry and Candle from the Build a Cupcake Punch.