Botanical Blooms and Triptych Blue cards

We are having a crazy wind storm right now.  It started last night and has continued on this morning.  The winds were predicted to gusts of up to 100km in the Vancouver area (stronger gusts on the island), but I think it didn't quite get up to that speed - thank goodness!!  Luckily, no power outages at our place, but I'm sure there are many, many households in the Lower Mainland that didn't fair so well.  I'm happy to be inside, warm and dry ... and, of course, playing in my art studio! :)

Today I wanted to make a masculine card.  For some reason, I frequently turn to the Botanical Blooms stamp set when making a masculine card.  I LOVE the look of the 2-step leaf stamp!  I recently purchased the Little Leaves die-cut from Sizzix and thought the two complimented each other nicely.  Hope you like.

"Botanical Blooms"

 

 

Stamps:  Botanical Blooms (Stampin' Up!)

Paper:  Elegant Soiree Designer Series Paper, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Cajun Craze (Stampin' Up!)

Ink:  Early Espresso, Cajun Craze

Accessories & Tools:  Little Leaves die-cut, Stamp-a-ma-jig, medium oval punch, 1/4" Early Espresso grosgrain ribbon (approx. 7 1/2"), sticky strips, adhesives and dimensionals, 1 1/4" punch (optional)
 

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I stamped the three leaf outlines in Early Espresso ink onto Very Vanilla cardstock, stamped the second part of the leaf with Cajun Craze ink and punched out the images using a 1 1/4" square punch (or you can just use your cutter).  You really need to have a Stamp-a-ma-jig in order to line up the 2-step stamps ... or you can use a t-square and a piece of acetate.  I sponged the edges of the three images and then framed them with Early Espresso.  I adhered the ribbon about 1" from the top of the Elegant Soiree Designer series paper and then popped up the three leaf images using dimensionals.

I ran Cajun Crazy cardstock through my Big Shot with the Little Leaves die-cut and sponged the edges with Early Espresso ink, just so it mimics the stamped images that have the dark outline.  I adhered it below the stamped images, basically in the center.

I stamped the sentiment onto a scrap of Very Vanilla, used the medium oval to punch it out and then sponged the edges.  I don't have a plain oval that is larger than the medium, so I punched out two medium ovals of Early Espresso and offset them in-behind the sentiment to create a frame.

I stamped the 2-part leaf again on the inside panel of Very Vanilla in the top right-hand corner and then adhered the panel inside the card.
 

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Here's another quick and easy card.  It's clean and simple, but so pretty.  I love the idea of using just white and one other color.  Today, I'm celebrating "Marina Mist" ... just a gorgeous blue.  Hope you like.

"Triptych Blue"

 

 

Stamps:  Echoes of Kindness, Vintage Labels (sentiment) (Stampin' Up!)

Paper:  Marina Mist, Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)

Ink:  Marina Mist, Versamark (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  Cuttlebug embossing folder, white embossing powder, heat tool, 1/4" Marina Mist grosgrain ribbon (approx. 12 " - divided), small oval punch, medium oval punch, sticky strips, adhesives and dimensionals
 

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I ran the large piece of Whisper White through my Big Shot with the Cuttlebug embossing folder.  Using sticky strips, I adhered 7" of ribbon to the embossed panel, approximately 1" from the right-hand side, tucking the excess ribbon to the back.  I then used sticky strips to attach the panel to the card base.  It's important to use a strong adhesive whenever attaching something with dimension (ribbon, embossed cardstock, etc.), and I find the sticky strips work the best.

I inked my image with Versamark and stamped onto the piece of Marina Mist.  I then embossed the image in white.  I trimmed the piece to measure 4 1/2" x 1 1/2", centering the image.  I then cut the pieces into three equal 1 1/2" squares and attached them to the card front. 

I stamped the "For You" from the Vintage Labels stamp set (my favorite sentiment - so versatile!) onto a small oval of Whisper White and framed it with a medium oval of Marina Mist.  I took the remaining piece of ribbon (approx. 5 "), looped it, attached it to the ovals using a glue dot, and glued it the card front, popping up the sentiment with dimensionals.  I attached the remaining Whisper White panel to the inside of the card.