Lotus Encouragement Card

 

     Thanks for joining me today! I made these two cards using the LOVELY LOTUS stamp and die collection from Gina K Designs.   

     To create the background on my pink card, I used the "stem" stamp from the collection. I did not set out to make any particular design, and I did not measure anything. Kind of like a little miracle for me because my perfectionist side really wanted to measure everything. It felt kind of nice to just willy-nilly stamp the design. I digress. The cardstock is Bubblegum Pink from Gina K Designs.

     The background of my ivory card was a sheet of  patterned-cardstock (Ivory & Black -Canvas Home Basics). I picked the plaid background thinking I might use this card for a man.

     I stamped the lotus onto white cardstock. I did a bit of ink blending using two inks on each image (Bubblegum Pink and Blue Lagoon- Gina K Designs). I used a very light hand when inking to keep the color more subtle. 

     

     DESIGNER TIP: If you ever have trouble with your black images smearing, you should try "amalgam" ink. It is not supposed to smear when you use alcohol markers, watercolor paints, etc. I've not had any smearing at all when using black amalgam. I got mine from Gina K Designs. Others may sell it.

     One of the other sentiment stamps in the collection says -

Be like the lotus.

Trust the light.

    Grow through the dirt.

Believe in new beginnings.

      Isn't that beautiful!?!

          Hope you find a few peaceful moments in this beautiful day. May the Lord be glorified by the work of my hands,

Pamela

Die Cut Sentiment Challenge 3 - Gina K Designs

     I created this card for the monthly challenge over at Gina K Designs. The challenge this month is to use die cut sentiments. I used stamps and dies from the FOREVER FLOWERS collection. 

     First, I stamped and heat embossed the flower in white onto a white cardstock panel. Next, I blended blue and purple pigment inks across the panel including the stamped area. Then, I wiped away the ink from the embossed area with a paper towel and adhered the sentiment. Being the bit of a rebel that I am 😉, I stamped an added sentiment to run up the side of the card instead of across like everyone else. 

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     Designer Tip: Because I can't seem to part with even the smallest scraps, I had little bits to add between the stamped panel and the matting panel where I might have put sequins or gems.    

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     Thanks so much for joining me today. There is still plenty of time to play along if you want to add your card to the list. Here is the link to the rules.

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     Hope you are having a great day. May the Lord be glorified by the work of my hands, Pamela

Die Cut Sentiment Challenge - 2 Gina K Designs

     Looking forward to summer, I decided to create a bikini card (my own hand cut design). One of my favorite things to do is to find new, unexpected ways to use my stamps. To create a printed-fabric look, I used a lotus stamp upside down (Gina K Designs Lovely Lotus). 

     Designer Tip: My perfectionist side, which I don't always enjoy insists on my design being perfectly centered. So, first I stamped my lotus onto cardstock (Passionate Pink and matching ink Gina K Designs). Then, I cut out the top and bottom of the bikini as you see here.

          I stamped a bow in black and die cut the sentiment. 

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I'm entering this card in the monthly card challenge over at Gina K Designs. There is still plenty of time to enter your own card. Here is the link to the rules. At least go look at all the cards. Some amazing artists there.

          Inside sentiment is from Forever Flowers collection (Gina K Designs). 

     Thanks so much for stopping by today. Hope you have a great day.

     May the Lord be glorified by the work of my hands,

Pamela

 

Die-Cut Sentiment Challenge - Gina K Designs

     Today, I have a card for the monthly challenge at Gina K Designs. The challenge here is to use a die cut sentiment. I used the sentiment and flower stamps and dies from the FOREVER FLOWERS collection. 

     This is also my take on using vellum panels that Gina demonstrated recently. I cut an oval "window" in my card base. Then using a scoring board, I scored lines every 1/4" across the vellum. I cut another matching windowed-panel to adhere inside the card to cover the edges of the vellum (although I think it would look fine with the edges showing).

     I stamped the flowers on Gina K cardstock in Bubblegum Pink. I made my card base from Gina K heavyweight white cardstock and blended a little pink pigment around the edges with a sponge. (I really need those new brushes of hers! Guess I better do a little shopping this afternoon.)

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     There is still time to join in the fun. Here's a link to the Gina K Designs blog where you can see the rules.

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     Thanks so much for stopping in today. May the Lord be glorified by the work of my hands.

     Pamela 

Fairy Tale Castle Easel Card

 

     Today, I have a card to share that I made using a die-cut collection from Anna Griffin. I discovered it one day when HSN was having an all-day-crafting event. They sold out so quickly that I didn't get one. They re-ordered,  and now I've got one of them. I love Anna Griffin dies! They are always the best quality. This large collection (and another I have of Anna's) came with it's own magnetic sheet.

     No sentiments came with it, so I used one of my faves from My Sentiments Exactly. 

Designer Tip: 

         This card did take quiet a long time for me to die-cut. I knew it would, so I die-cut enough pieces to make several cards. That turned out to be a great idea. I tucked each card away with enough matching scraps of cardstock so that I could stamp whatever sentiment I want to use when I'm ready to send one of them out.

     Thanks so much for stopping by again today. Hope you have a beautiful, sunshiny day! May the Lord be glorified by the work of my hands.

Pamela