Washi Notebooks

Remember the Washi tape notebooks I posted before? Well, here are two more! These are so simple to make! And with the wonderful Stampin' Up! Washi tape, you can't go wrong! Just cover  your notebook with plain white paper, then start adding your Washi! You can go horizontal, vertical, diagonal, or even herringbone! It's all up to you, and every pattern and combination of tapes will turn out differently. I added Simply Pressed Clay embellishments and a layer from Label Love. These make such cute gifts! Give it a try!

Here are the "holiday" ones I made before:


Link to older post

Watercolor Wednesday

 

First, a little background: I spent a few decades (ahem!) believing that I was not at all artistic. I was never any good at coloring anything in grade school, and I soon learned that "art" was not my thing.  Even a stint as production manager at a magazine could not persuade me that I was even adequate at "art." 

So when I started stamping, I could only copy things other people did. For a long time, even. :-) And then it turned out that all that layout and design stuff I learned (which was not part of my English degree!) while working on magazines had actually given me some ability to arrange stuff. Ha! I still am firmly entrenched in the belief that I cannot draw, but (and here's the reason for my life history in this post) I actually sketched much of the grass under the goose. I know!!! The card just lacked balance, and I am too impatient to mask the stamp to just get the grass and no second goose. So there you have it, my insane drawing gift--GRASS! 

The background (which is the best part of the card) is another "re-inker and aquapainter on a clear block" production. 

Stamps: Wetlands

Paper: Soft Sky, Basic Black, Naturals White
Ink: Black, Pistachio Pudding, So Saffron, Crisp Cantaloupe, Soft Sky
Accessories: Basic Gray stitched ribbon

Curry and Gray again

This is another card I made with the My Paper Pumpkin starter kit and a few extras. Medallions are still in. I think. :-) This is a pretty quick and easy card--just punching, making banner ends in paper and ribbon, and a quick birthday greeting. What have you done with your Paper Pumpkin???

Stamps: Banner Greetings (hostess)
Paper: Basic Gray, Eastern Elegance DSP, Crushed Curry
Ink: Basic Gray
Accessories: My Paper Pumpkin (DSP and card base), scallop circle punches, Curry Chevron ribbon

Chalk Talk in Curry and Gray

Another square card! And yellow because it makes me happy. I didn't intend to like Crushed Curry, but with whatever tweaks Stampin' Up! did, it's now one of my most used colors. The gray DSP is from the Eastern Elegance pack. I stamped the Thank You on Basic Gray cardstock and then cut it out with the Chalk Talk Framelits. I added the dots with my white gel pen. The narrow ribbon is Daffodil Delight, but I think it works with the Curry Chevron ribbon anyway.

Stamps: Chalk Talk
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Eastern Elegance
Ink: Whisper White Craft
Accessories: Big Shot, Chalk Talk Framelits, Daffodil Stitched Ribbon, Crushed Curry Chevron Ribbon, small heart punch, rhinestones, white gel pen

Wetlands Birthday

Here is another of the re-inker watercolor background cards I made. I quite like the way these colors turned out! The color combo came from Patsy Waggoner.

I said it before, but each background comes out so differently! I like the way this one sort of drifts off to the right side.

Stamps: Wetlands
Paper: Naturals White, Soft Sky
Ink: Black, re-inkers in Pistachio Pudding, So Saffron, Crisp Cantaloupe, Soft Sky
Accessories: Aquapainter, clear block

Label Flip for a Happy Big Day

Sometimes I just need to make a square card, you know? Maybe it's a cosmic symmetry thing, but whatever it is, this card fit the bill!

I made the regular Thinlit Label Flip card, then cut off the bottom to make it 4 1/4 square. I really like it! The paper is from the Eastern Elegance DSP--one of my favorites from this year's catalog. I cut a piece of Crushed Curry Chevron ribbon in half and adhered it so it met up on the front of the card. The arrow and banner are from the Thinlit Label set, as is the "i {heart} u" sentiment on the inside.

What size card do you usually make? Do you have a preference?

Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge, Chalk Talk
Paper: Coasatal Cabana, Eastern Elegance, In Color DSP Stack, Whisper White
Ink: Coastal Cabana
Accessories: Big Shot, Thinlit Label Flip Card and accessories, Chalk Talk Framelits, Crushed Curry Chevron Ribbon, Rhinestones, Linen Thread

Watercolor Wetlands

I ended up making --ahem-- quite a few cards with this technique, so I thought I'd better start sharing them! We'll all be sick of them by the time I'm done. :-)

We made this card last week at Stamp Club. We used the trendy technique of re-inkers on a clear block. Put a few drops down the middle of the block and spread the ink out with a wet aquapainter. I did find it worked better if I spritzed the cardstock too, before applying the ink to paper. Every card turns out differently and (almost always) beautifully, so give it a try!

This would make a lovely sympathy card or any occasion note. I sometimes struggle with manly cards, but I think this would work. Although it does have ribbon. My husband says it can't be manly with ribbon. At least the ribbon is black! The black layer is textured with the lovely Pretty Prints embossing folder from the Holiday Catalog. Also probably not very manly. Ha!

Stamps: Wetlands   
Paper: Baked Brown Sugar, Black, Naturals White  
Ink: Black, reinkers in Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Soft Sky, Pool Party   
Accessories: Big Shot, Pretty Prints emb folder, Black 1/8 Taffeta ribbon

Butterfly Swing Card

We'll make this card tonite at our club meeting. It features this month's special--15% off the Bitty Butterfly Punch and Papillon Potpourri bundle--and the fabulous Thinlit Label Flip Card!

Here's the inside:

I think these Thinlit Flip Cards are my favorite new thing in quite awhile! So much "show" for just a little work with the Big Shot. I made the "extended version" of this card by putting the right side of the cardstock on top of the die--it even makes the score line for you!

Stamps: Chalk Talk, Papillon Potpourri   
Paper: Whisper White, Soft Sky, Sweater Weather DSP   
Ink: Soft Sky
Accessories: Big Shot, Thinlit Label Card die set, Beautifully Baroque Embossing Folder, Soft Sky Taffeta Ribbon, Bitty Butterfly Punch, Large Oval Punch, Itty Bitty Punch Pack, sponge, dimensionals

Curry butterfly

I have an elderly lady from church whom I visit every month. She is very lonely, and so I like to send her cards between visits. This is one I have in my stash for Fern! You know I love yellows, and the revamped Crushed Curry is *lovely*! It didn't show in the picture very well, but I paper pierced around the butterfly to add a little something extra. Another simple card, but one I think she'll enjoy.

Stamps: Express Yourself (hostess), Best of Butterflies
Paper: Crushed Curry, Quatrefancy Specialty DSP, Whisper White
Ink: Crushed Curry
Accessories: Simply Pressed Clay and Blossoms Mold, Paper Piercer, Occasions Paper Piercing Pack, Curry Chevron Ribbon, White Baker's Twine, Elegant Butterfly Punch