Aqua Stems with Scalloped Edge

More pastel than my typical card, but I like the soft two-toned colors, and the curves of the stems and the bow against the scalloped edge.  My design is based on the current sketch (fall to layout #82) on the Palmtrees & Pogosticks blog.  I always enjoy using Natasha's inspiration when I need a challenge!

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) aqua mist and rustic white.
• Embroidery floss is DMC #964.
• Die is from PTI edgers #3.
• The sentiment "just a note to say hello" is from PTI banner sentiments (retired), and the stems are from PTI life (retired), stamped with PTI aqua mist and tropical teal ink cubes.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(931)

Flower Trio on Pink

My card is for last Sunday's challenge (fall to layout #81) on the Palm Trees & Pogosticks blog.  I enjoyed stamping a flower trio with a few different red and pink inks, and I like how Natasha's sketch places the sentiment in with the images.  Thank you, Natasha, for the challenge and the inspiration!

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) pale peony (pink), simply chartreuse (green), and stamper's select white.
• The sentiment "for you" is from PTI friendship jar flowers, stamped with PTI simply chartreuse ink cube.
• The flowers are from PTI corner adorner: February, and the leaves are from PTI gathered garden, stamped with PTI pure poppy (red), berry sorbet (pink), terra cotta tile (rusty red), bright buttercup (yellow), and simply chartreuse ink cubes.
• I added a white dot in each flower center with Dr. Ph. Martin's bleedproof white opaque watercolor.

(929)

Red Birds with Heart Background on Blue

A happy card for a happy occasion.  I like the pair of red birds perched on a line of hearts.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) pure poppy (red) and new leaf (green).
• Patterned papers are a heart print from Avery Elle everyday collection 6 x 6" paper and a bitty dot print from PTI spring rain (light blue) pattern pack (tone-on-tone prints - retired).  I cut my banner from the Avery Elle paper so it matches the slightly-off white of the print.
• Dies are Impression Obsession birds and PTI sketched shapes (long narrow banner). 
• I added the birds' eyes with a black 0.3 Copic multiliner.
• The sentiment "happy anniversary" is from Hero Arts many everyday messages, stamped with PTI pure poppy ink cube.

(928)

Sunshine with Stitched Border

A few simple stamped sun rays, dressed up with a hand-stitched border and some rounded corners.  I like all the dotted lines in the yellow-orange stitching and the yellow-orange rays.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) spring rain (light blue) and stamper's select white.
• Patterned paper is the bitty dot print from PTI blueberry sky (medium blue) pattern pack (tone-on-tone prints - retired).
• The stitching holes are cut with a die from PTI stitching lines.
• Embroidery floss is DMC #742.
• The upper and lower right corners of the card base and stamped panel are rounded with Crop-a-Dile 1/2" corner chomper.
• The images and sentiment "sending you sunshine" are from PTI hello sunshine (retiring), stamped with PTI blueberry sky, summer sunrise (yellow-orange), and orange zest ink cubes.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(926)

Textile Effects - Teal, Cream, and Browns

Textile effects from a mix of woven and stitched-looking patterns and textures, plus the real thing: a strip of twill ribbon.  The teal and cream contrast well with the deep brown and orangey brown colors.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) tropical teal, canyon clay (orangey brown), and vintage cream.
• Patterned paper is from Basic Grey PB&J 6x6" pad (retired).
• The canyon clay card stock is embossed with the Dreamweaver faux cross-stitch stencil screen, as explained in this post.
• Ribbon is PTI dark chocolate (brown) 3/8" twill.
• Die is from PTI keep it simple frames.
• The sentiment "thank you" is from PTI keep it simple: thank you II, stamped with PTI cocoa bean (brown) ink cube.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(925)

Brown Bird and Branch with Green Leaves

A bird on a leafy branch makes a sweet stamped scene for this very simple card.  The branch forms a strong horizontal dividing line between the upper and lower sections, which are connected by green and rustic red colors above and below the branch.  

Normally when using two colors on a stamp, as with the leaves, I'd want to avoid the sharp lines and edges of deeper green - but in this case, I really like the effect, a bit like a printed fabric.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) stamper's select white.
• Patterned paper is bitty dot print from PTI new leaf (green) pattern pack (tone-on-tone prints - retired).
• The bird, branch, and sentiment "hello" are from PTI winter woods, and the leaves are from PTI turning a new leaf, stamped with PTI classic kraft (branch), Americana (rustic red - bird and branch details), fine linen (light tan - bird body), limeade ice (bright yellow green), and new leaf ink cubes.  The Americana details on the branch and the new leaf coloring on the "hello" and leaves are added with the edge of the ink cube and with a sponge finger dauber.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(924)

Turquoise and Green with Yellow Butterflies

Interesting pattern and texture, with a crisp white banner as focal point.  The butterflies add some bright movement.  

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) Hawaiian shores (turquoise), ripe avocado (dark green), spring moss (light green), lemon tart (yellow), and stamper's select white. 
• The pattern is stamped with shelf liner, as explained in this post, except this time I used my MISTI with the shelf liner taped to the lid.  Since the shelf liner is thinner than a stamp, I closed the gap with a piece of 2 mm. craft foam under the card stock while stamping. 
• The turquoise card stock is embossed with the Dreamweaver faux cross-stitch stencil screen, as explained in this post.  I used the back of the embossed card stock. 
• Dies are from Impression Obsession butterfly set and PTI double-ended banners.
• The sentiment "just a note" is from PTI keep it simple: just a note, stamped with PTI Hawaiian shores ink cube. 
• The shelf liner pattern is stamped with PTI spring moss and Hawaiian shores ink cubes.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(923)

Leaf Stem with Butterfly - Green and Navy

Beautifully delicate dies make a simple scene.  I tried several background colors, all looking too drab or too bright, before choosing the mint green.  It's soft and serene while showcasing my navy silhouettes and patterns.

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source cobalt (navy - retired) and Papertrey Ink (PTI) mint julep (green).
• Dies are PTI bold borders: wave, Impression Obsession butterfly set, Elizabeth Craft "with sympathy" (retired), and Paper Smooches silhouette flowers.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(922)

Red, White, and Blue with Gray Print

A very simple note card in red, white, and blue.  The gray patterned paper and knotted twine add some texture and detail.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) dark indigo (navy), pure poppy (red), and stamper's select white.
• Patterned paper is from PTI argyle socks 8x8" patterned paper (retired).
• Twine is red stripe from We R Memory Keepers.
• Die is from PTI double-ended banners.
• The sentiment "thank you so very much" is from PTI banner sentiments (retired), stamped with PTI pure poppy ink cube.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(921)

Blue Flowers with White

Today's card was inspired by Papertrey Ink's recent design team tips: using die cuts to create negative designs in stamped images.  I was very pleased with the beautiful results on my first attempt.  Thank you, Lizzie, for your tutorial and examples! 

After placing my "hugs" mask, cut from Avery removable label paper, I sponged on a light blue ink.  (In real life, the sponged color looks more even.)  Then I stamped a few outline flowers and leaves, which I filled in with colored pencils.  The pencils made it easy to color right up against the mask edges.

Note: the gray border is background, not part of the card. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source cobalt (navy - retired), Hero Arts cerulean (medium blue), and Papertrey Ink (PTI) stamper's select white.
• The background is sponged with PTI spring rain (light blue) ink cube, using the round Ranger ink blending tool to apply the ink.
• Dies are from PTI stitched rectangles and big hugs.  I double cut the stitched rectangle to shorten it for my stamped panel.
• The images are from PTI in bloom, stamped with PTI dark indigo (navy) ink cube and colored with two blues and two greens from my very old set of Venus Spectracolor pencils.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(920)

Yellow Star and Thanks on Red, Blue, and Gray

A simple "thanks" note card with a star, stripes, and dots.  

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) blueberry sky and harvest gold.
• Patterned papers are the stripe and bitty dot prints from PTI pure poppy (red) and soft stone (light gray) pattern packs (tone-on-tone prints - retired).
• Dies are PTI coffee cozy details (star), PTI huge thanks, and My Favorite Things vertical stitched strips.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(919)

Black and White Hello with Rusty Red

Strong contrasts and a very simple layout.  When I was designing this card, I asked my husband if he liked it better with the black or the white "hello" word.  He said, "I like it with both" and so that's how I made it.  The double sentiment echos the double border layers for the patterned paper. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Neenah solar white and Papertrey Ink (PTI) terra cotta tile (rusty red) and true black.
• Patterned paper is from PTI black & white basics 8x8" patterned paper (retired).
• Die is Birch Press sugar script hello.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(918)

Multi Colored Triangles on Black and White

Bright multicolored triangles on crisp black and white.  It's a very simple and effective design.

Note: the gray border is background, not part of the card.

Card details:

• Card stock is My Favorite Things red hot and Papertrey Ink (PTI) limeade ice (light yellow-green), Hawaiian shores (turquoise), bright buttercup (yellow), new leaf (green), orange zest, true black, and stamper's select white. 
• Die is from Altenew trigonometry.
• The sentiment "thank you" is from Stampabilities card phrases, stamped with Versafine onyx black ink.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(917)