Teal and Green Stems on Aqua Shimmer

Lovely and serene, with a textured shimmer background, die cut stems, and a pierced sentiment panel.  The offset layout gives some sense of movement to the design.

 Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source spruce (dark green), PS peacock (bluish teal), Papertrey Ink (PTI) sea (aqua) shimmer, and PTI stamper's select white. 
• Dies are from PTI stitched rectangles, PTI bold borders: wave (for the embossed card base), Memory Box floral vine (peacock stems), and Savvy Stamps tall branches with leaves (spruce stems).
• The sentiment "sending sincere" is from PTI never enough: thanks (retired), and "sympathy" is from PTI botanical silhouettes (retired), stamped with PTI blueberry sky (medium blue) and tropical teal inks to match the card stock.

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Red, White, and Blue Stripes with Star Circle

Textures and patterns give energy to the simple layout in red, white, and blue on kraft.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) pure poppy (red), enchanted evening (dark blue), classic kraft, and stamper's select white.
• I made the striped paper in PowerPoint and computer-printed it on Neenah solar white.
• Dies are PTI cover plate: angles (for the embossed kraft card base), PTI limitless layers: 1-3/4" circles (plain and pinked circles - retired), PTI seeing stars (retired), and Birch Press sugar script thanks.
  
• The starry pattern and layered circle image are from PTI military stars (retiring), stamped with PTI pure poppy and enchanted evening inks.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Dotted Leaves on Circle Embossed Aqua

Softly serene, with the embossed background and the dotted applique-like leaves creating a quilted look.  A wrap of metallic silver thread balances the off-center sentiment.

Card details:

• Card stock is Stampin' Up soft sky (aqua) and Papertrey Ink (PTI) stamper's select white.
• Patterned paper is the bitty dot print from PTI ocean tides (muted teal) pattern pack (tone-on-tone prints - retired).
• Thread is DMC argent (silver) metallic.
• Dies are from PTI cover plate: circles (for the background embossing), photo finish strips (retired), and branching out.
• The sentiment "thinking of you" is from Hero Arts everyday sayings, stamped with PTI aqua mist (aqua) and ocean tides inks, to make a color in between the card base and the leaf colors.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Sunshine with Orange and Yellow Stripes

A bright sun shape with die-embossed details and a contrasting circle center, set against an orange and yellow striped panel with a turquoise card base.  Texture and patterns in cheerful colors to catch the eye. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) bright buttercup (yellow) and Hawaiian shores (turquoise).
• Patterned papers are the bitty dot print from PTI orange zest pattern pack (tone-on-tone prints - retired) and and an orange and yellow striped paper that I created using PowerPoint.
• Dies are from PTI what the doodle: sun.  I used a 1" circle punch for the sun center.
• The sentiment "sending you sunshine" is from PTI hello sunshine (retired), stamped with PTI Hawaiian shores and tropical teal inks.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Yellow Stars with Brown and Rusty Red

Bright yellow stars with some deep brown and rusty red accents.  The stenciled airbrushing (with two shades of yellow) makes a softly variegated look, while the embossed star outlines are crisp and clear. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) dark chocolate (brown), terra cotta tile (rusty red), and stamper's select white.
• The white card stock is embossed with the PTI cover plate: stars die, and I used the same die to cut a stencil from Neenah solar white.  After embossing, I stenciled my stars in yellow, airbrushing with Copic markers Y19 andY26.
• In addition to the cover plate, the dies are PTI double-ended banners and My Favorite Things vertical stitched strips.
• The sentiment "thank you" is from PTI keep it simple: thank you, and the tiny stars are from PTI land that I love, stamped with PTI dark chocolate ink cube.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Two Red, White, and Blue Thank You Cards

I started to make one card design with both the stamped tag and the chevron patterned paper, but it just wasn't working for me.  So I split up my pieces and made two designs.  Not what I was aiming for, but I do like the tag and also the embossed lines on the gray card, and I'll use those ideas again sometime.

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

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) weathervane (gray), pure poppy (red), dark indigo (navy), and stamper's select white. 
• Patterned paper is from Doodlebug patriotic picnic 6x6" paper pad.
• Dies are from PTI tag sale #7, PTI noted: simply stitched A2 vertical (I used the long sides of the second-largest frame for my pair of embossed lines), and My Favorite Things many thanks (retired).   
• The narrow striped ribbon is by Offray.
• On the tag, the sentiments "thank you" and "ever so much" are from PTI thank you kindly (retired), stamped with PTI pure poppy ink cube.  The lines are Shabby Green Door farmer's market - journal block, stamped with PTI blueberry sky (blue) ink cube.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Yellow and Turquoise Sun with Yellow Ribbon

I needed a sunshine card, and a friend gave me some yellow ribbon, making it easy to plan my design for this week's challenge (fall to layout #70) on the Clean & Simple Stamping blog.  The sketch measurements were easily adjusted for a bit more space for my die cut sun and a center gap to frame my ribbon.  The result is very bright and lively.  Thanks, Natasha, for your weekly inspiration! 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) bright buttercup (yellow), Hawaiian shores (medium turquoise), aqua mist, and tropical teal. 
• Patterned paper is the stripe print from PTI Hawaiian shores pattern pack (tone-on-tone prints - retired) and the bitty dot print from PTI bright buttercup "+ white basics" patterned paper (retired).
• Dies are PTI garden garland and what the doodle: sun.  After die cutting the plain sun, I embossed it with the fancy sun die.
• Ribbon is 3/8" grosgrain.
• The sentiment "sending sunshine" is from PTI keep it simple: encouragement, stamped with PTI tropical teal ink cube.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Kraft Tree Bark with Speckled Vine

A simple woodsy scene with an embossed forest background, a panel of tree bark, and a speckle-stamped vine.  I love how the multicolored speckles help pull the color scheme together.

Card details:

• Card stock is My Favorite Things chocolate brown and Papertrey Ink (PTI) classic kraft, prairie grass (green), and rustic cream. 
• Dies are PTI cover plate: winter woods (for the background embossing), garden garland, and double-ended banner.
• The tree bark is PTI background basics: birch, stamped with PTI cocoa bean (brown) ink cube, then turned and stamped from the other end with PTI Americana (rustic red) ink cube. 
• The vine speckles are from PTI gathered garden, stamped with PTI classic kraft, cocoa bean, prairie grass, and Americana ink cubes.
• The sentiment "hello" is from Stampabilities everyday expressions.  For the varied color effect, I stamped it lightly three times, once each with PTI classic kraft, Americana, and cocoa bean ink cubes.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Quilt on Tan with Blue

I enjoyed using these patterned paper colors to select the colors for my quilt block.  The embossed textures in the tan background and the sentiment strip add to the overall quilted effect.  

Also this card with another color scheme.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) blueberry sky (blue), fine linen (tan), honey nut (golden brown), summer sunrise (yellow-orange), pure poppy (red), and stamper's select white.
• Patterned paper is from Pink Paislee pen pals 6 x 6" pad.
• Dies are PTI county fair quilt block (no longer available) and photo finish strips.  The tan card stock is embossed with the PTI infinity frames die.
• I used an old 1/4" hole punch for the center dot.
• The sentiment "thanks" is from PTI limitless layers: labels (retired), stamped with PTI enchanted evening (dark blue) ink cube.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Twist Pattern with Vine - Green and Cream

Two shades of green with cream.  Rich texture and crisp details.  I like the repeating twist pattern with the twisting lines of the sentiment and vine.  For an earlier version, with hearts and shades of pink, see this card.

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source leaf (medium green - retired), Papertrey Ink (PTI) pinefeather (dark green), and rustic cream. 
• Dies are PTI cover plate: twist (also used for the cream embossing), Memory Box floral vine (with a few leaves trimmed off), and Elizabeth Craft thanks.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Gray, Navy, and Aqua with Circles

A handsome card with circles (embossed and printed) and a diagonal panel for the sentiment.  The touches of aqua add some brightness to the gray and navy.

Card details:

• Card stock is Stampin' Up soft sky (aqua), Papertrey Ink (PTI) dark indigo (navy) and stormy sea (medium gray), and a print from Carta Bella 12 x 12" all bundled up/ snowflake swirl.
• The gray is embossed with PTI cover plate: circles.
• The "thanks" word is cut with Silhouette Cameo, the same as this card.  

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Blue with Lavender and Green

A quick and simple card using some patterned paper and a large die cut sentiment, with a dotted embossed edge adding more texture to the design.

I like the printed floral panel in the A1 size (3-1/2 x 5") for a layer on my A2 card (4-1/4 x 5-1/2").   The background strip of green emphasizes the start of the sentiment as a focal point.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) blueberry sky (blue), ripe avocado (green), winter wisteria (lavender), and a floral print from PTI don't forget to write A1 paper refill.
• Dies are PTI big basics: thinking of you and the largest size from stitched rectangles.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Blue and White with Wreath

A lovely blue and white background, like an old ceramic tile.  The crisp embossing works beautifully with the airbrushed color.  It's finished with a royal blue banner and wreath, a soft blue ribbon and sentiment, and a thin line of royal blue embroidery floss. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source royal blue and Papertrey Ink (PTI) rustic white.
• Dies are PTI rustic wreath and cover plate: twist.  
• Technique:  I used the stencil from this card to airbrush with Copic marker B45, then embossed with the same die. Making sure to have my edges straight, I positioned the die as best I could over the airbrushed pattern.  Even with my imperfect alignment, it looks good.   
• Banners are notched with scissors. 
• Embroidery floss is DMC 825.
• Ribbon is 3/8" sheer-and-satin, colored with Copic marker B41.
• The sentiment "thinking of you" is from PTI keep it simple: thinking of you, stamped with PTI blueberry sky (medium blue) ink cube.

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Green Twist with Airbrush

An elegant monochromatic green design.  The "twist" design, airbrushed and embossed, gives a sense of movement.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) ripe avocado (dark green) and spring moss (light green).
• The card front is embossed with PTI cover plate: twist.   
• The sentiment panel is airbrushed with Copic marker YG95.  
• Technique: I die cut a stencil using this art magnetic masking material from Ellen Hutson.  The detailed PTI cover plate: twist design cut beautifully and cleanly.  (I left the tiny ovals in place on my stencil, but I could have removed them with no problem.)  Airbrushing was so much easier with the Ellen Hutson craft assistant securing the magnetic stencil on my card stock. 
• Twine is honeydew stripe from The Twinery.
• The sentiment "thinking of you" is from PTI keep it simple: thinking of you, stamped with PTI ripe avocado ink cube.

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Hello with Gingham and Calico Swatches

Something different for me - gingham and calico print swatches with dotted accents.  A cozy "country" feeling.  I like it.

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source night (dark navy blue), Papertrey Ink (PTI) harvest gold (yellow), gingham  prints from PTI aqua mist and canyon clay (orangey brown) pattern packs, and a floral calico print from Echo Park pb&j 6x6" paper pad.
• Note: In real life, the brown gingham color goes well with the brown dots in the calico.
• Dies are Savvy Stamps hello, My Favorite Things mini double dot border - retiring, and PTI stitched rectangles (for the A2 edge embossing).
• Gingham is cut with Fiskars paper edger scissors - deckle, then edged with Copic markers YR14 (brown) and BG72+G12 (aqua).

Created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (445)

Textured Thanks - Terra Cotta with Tan and Brown

A simple strong "thanks" with lots of embossed texture.

Card details:

• Papertrey Ink (PTI) terra cotta tile (a deep rusty orange, less red than this image), fine linen (tan), and dark chocolate (brown).
• Dies are My Favorite Things many thanks and retro squares border.  I cut the word twice (tan and brown) and offset the layers for a shadow effect. 
• The word and squares are embossed with Stampin' Up square lattice embossing folder (retired).  The card base is embossed with PTI cover plate: twist die.
• Embroidery floss is DMC #839, 3862, and 3047.

Created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (396)

Teal with Brown and Cream Wreath

For today's Operation Write Home "teal or turquoise" color challenge.   My card started with the beautiful new Tropical Teal card stock color from Papertrey Ink.  It's more of a green color than my other teal, the also-beautiful Paper Source peacock.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) tropical teal, aqua mist (light aqua), dark chocolate (brown),  Dearest Jane script and book prints, and the gingham print from PTI dark chocolate pattern pack.
• Dies are PTI heart-2-heart #9 (bird), wonderful words: love, and rustic wreath (cut twice and layered).  I snipped one wreath between its leaves, and then I could interweave the layers. 
• The bird's eye is cut with a 1/16" hole punch.
• I used another die, PTI cover plate: stripes diagonal, to emboss the teal and aqua.  The aqua piece is layered on top of the teal A2, with the stripes lined up to look continuous. 

Created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (360)

Embossed Leaves with Copic Coloring

An elegant card with the look of an old book illustration.  The leaf outline is embossed (impressed) into the cream panel with a die, then outlined in brown and colored with Copics.  (Note: the gray is background, not part of the card.)

Embossing with the die gives a beautiful detail and texture.  It also makes the outline and coloring easy to do!  See below for the image before and after coloring.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) rustic cream, dark chocolate (dark brown), simply chartreuse (medium green),  script print from PTI Dearest Jane, and the bitty dots print from PTI ripe avocado (dark green) pattern pack.
• Dies are Elizabeth Craft thanks (die cut from brown) and Savvy Stamps tall branches with leaves (embossed into cream panel). 
• I notched the banner ends with scissors. 
• With a 0.3 Copic multiliner in the new brown color, I outlined the leaves and stems, added some short lines where the leaves join the stems, and drew a few sketchy horizontal ground lines.  
• Technique: For the outlining, simply trace along the "valley" of the impressed line, moving the pen at an even speed from one "corner" to the next.  Any fine-tip Micron-style pen can be used for this technique. 
• Copic markers are E23 (stems and panel edging), YG91 (base color for leaves), YG63, YG23, and E21 (some blending on the leaves). 
• The bitty dot paper is edged with Copic E29. 

Created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (340)

Pastel Flower with Doily Background

Soft pastels for a flower card.  The embossed doily detail adds a background texture.  I like the layered flower shapes together - similar but not identical in their eight-petal curves.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) sweet blush (pink), aqua mist (light aqua), Hawaiian shores (medium aqua), and vintage cream.
• Dies are Lifestyle Crafts nesting petals (I used the 5 smallest dies), PTI double-ended banners, and Elizabeth Craft love.   Also PTI Parisian lace doily die is embossed into the base layer.
• The flower center is made with a 1/4" hole punch.

Created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (344)

Blue Dots Hello

Two blues with lots of dots.  The light blue baker's twine adds a non-dotty accent.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) spring rain (light blue) and blueberry sky (medium blue). 
• Dies are My Favorite Things peek-a-boo dots, which I used for embossing instead of cutting, and PTI wonderful words: hello. 
• Using B32 Copic marker, I colored some dots and edged the light blue panels.  I edged and added a few "marbled" lines on the "hello" and dots.  Then I used "0" colorless blender to mottle everything.
• Using Copic sky blue 0.3 multiliner, I outlined some dots that were not colored with B32.  
• The three dots next to "hello" were cut with the peek-a-boo dots die. 
• Twine is The Twinery shore.

Created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (345)