Masculine Flourish

The Fine Flourish stamp is a single stamp that is ideal for masculine cards. I've used it in Father's Day and Birthday cards in which I've kept to a clean, simple and masculine theme. Here are 2 variations to show you that a simple style can have different looks - and all with just using one stamp.

project recipe
stamps: Fine Flourish (WM 121833), Teeny Tiny Sentiments (WM 119185, CM120024, Heard from the Heart (WM 119167, CM 120006)
ink: Classic Stampin' Pad - Night of Navy (102977)

card stock: Crumb Cake (121685), Night of Navy (106577), Very Vanilla (106550)

tools: 1-1/4" (3.2mm) Circle Punch (119861), 1-3/8" (3.5mm) Circle Punch (119860), 1-3/4" (4.4mm) Circle Punch (119850), Circle Scissor Plus (112530)

the added pizzaz: Hodgepodge Brads (retired), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

 cardessence tips

• ink up your stamp in Night of Navy and stamp on 2 pieces of Very Vanilla card stock;
• trim one of the images as closely as you can to the perimeter of the image then proceed with quartering the trimmed VV cardstock image; punch out the other piece with the 1-1/4" Circle Punch;
• I used the Circle Scissor Plus to cut out my 1-1/2" Crumb Cake piece before adhereing to the 1-3/4" Night of Navy circle piece.
• mat all your pieces in 2 layers and adhere every matted piece to the card piece with dimensionals.
• I adhered the mats for the sentiments directly on to the card piece however, you may wish to add dimensionals to the smaller matted sentiment eg. "Happy Father's Day".

Thanks for stopping by

Stampin' Up! Convention 2011

In mid-May, I attended my first Stampin' Up! Convention in Melbourne. I learnt a lot and met some very lovely people. Approximately 450 demonstrators from all over Australia and NZ were there. As part of the Convention culture, people make swap card samples (just the card face) and swap their ideas with each other at Convention. I really like this form of idea exchange and it's really mind blowing how much effort the other demonstrators put into their swaps - particularly when some of them make 100 - 300 swaps! I only managed to get 50 made. Here's a variation of what I made - only a very slight change.

project recipe
stamps: Fine Flourish (WM 121833), Well Scripted (retired), Season of Joy (WM 113023)
ink: Classic Stampin' Pad - Garden Green (102272)

card stock: Garden Green (108605), Very Vanilla (106550

tools: Beautiful Wings Embosslit Die (118138), Blender Pen (2102845), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Stampin' Sponges (101610)

the added pizzaz: Antique Brads (117273) 

 cardessence tips

• to achieve the shading when colouring any part of the stamped image, I pick up the GG ink with my blender pen and scribbled lightly on a piece of scratch paper first to get the washed out colour;
• remember to not keep going over your card stock as this will saturate the card stock and the fibres will start to come off - ensure your coloured sections are dry before going over with a stronger shade of GG (don't scribble off ink uptake);
• it is completely your choice where you want to have the darker shading - whether you want to shade the tapered ends darker or vice-versa or randomly but always remember to feather your strokes to avoid harsh lines;
• I stamped the background with the swirly stamp from Season of Joy but any image will work - don't worry that it looks messy as the primary layer will cover it up;
• in my Convention swaps, I stuck a rhinestone on a small punched out circle in GG card stock and popped it in the middle of the image with a dimensional - a cheaper option than 50 Antique Brads; and I omitted the butterflies as well.

Thanks for stopping by, TTFN