Well I should be back on schedule now to get something new posted each day.  Greg seems to be improving and actually went in to work today – he has been home for a week and a half – so I’m glad that he feels well and can drive today.  We will go back to the doctor on Thursday.  It seems that it is an infection and is now responding to the medication that he is on – it just took a while.  The steroid boost he got on Monday seems to have really helped. I think the worst is over now and maybe we can figure out what is causing these infections.  He had one last year too – not exactly the same situation but still….

Now on to some stamping……

Blooming with Love is the third main stamp set that I featured in my Stamp-a-Stack class last week.  We made two beautiful cards using this set and the Parisian Breeze Specialty Designer Series Paper.  I love this set and have had it since early this year and this was the first time I had a chance to use it.  Everything I have ever seen with this set is just beautiful.  Why did I wait so long to buy it and why did I wait so long to use it???  Now it is on the Last Chance List and it won’t be available for sale after the end of June.  But I do have mine, so if you want one too don’t forget to order it. And the Parisian Breeze paper is so pretty and it works well for both female and male cards – why – because every pattern that has flowers (girly) on the back side (it is double-sided paper) there is a more manly design like stripes.

So here are the two cards we made – the designs are slightly altered from cards created by a demonstrator named Becky Roberts. The greeting on this first card is actually a Rub-on from the Chit Chat Rub-ons – I love this collection of Rub-Ons you get over 200 different greetings – one sheet is White and the other is Chocolate Chip.  The pots are stamped on scraps of the Parisian Breeze paper and cut out – then adhered with Stampin’ Dimensionals ontop of the pots stamped on the Whisper White card stock.  Use an aquapainter and some Sahara Sand ink to add the shadows around the  plants and pots and on the ground.

This second card uses the “masking” technique.  Use this technique to make the pots sit inside the wheelbarrow and the flowers sit inside the pots.  You need to use post it notes when doing this technique.

First stamp the image you want in the foreground – in this case the wheelbarrow.  Stamp it again on a post it note and cut out exactly on the lines – or just inside the lines of the image – this is your “mask”. Then cover the image that you stamped on your card stock.

Next stamp the second layer – in this case the center pot inside the wheelbarrow.  Also stamp one on a post it note and cut it out – you may want more than one since we are working with multiple pots or you’ll have to move the one around.  Leave the mask on the wheel barrow and add a mask over the center pot.

Now stamp the third layer – which is the other two pots in the wheelbarrow – they appear behind the center pot and all appear to be sitting inside the wheelbarrow.  To add the flowers inside each pot you need to cover each one with a mask before stamping the flower.

Also stamp the pot behind the wheel before lifting the mask covering the wheel portion of the wheelbarrow.  Once you have stamped all the pieces then remove all the masks and color in the images.  When watercoloring with the Aquapainter use Stazon ink for all your stamping.  I used both classic ink and Watercolor Wonder Crayons to color these.

On this particular card I stamped the wheelbarrow image onto a piece of the Parisian Breeze paper (the chocolate chip print) and cut it out.  It was adhered to the original image with stampin’ dimensionals.  And a vintage brad is in the center of the wheel.

The circle image with the Thank You is from another stamp set that is on the Last Chance List – it is called Seeing Spots. For a complete list of Last Chance items click on the page on the right side bar under Helpful Information – you can see the stamp sets, Decor Elements and accessories that are on the last chance list.  It is your last chance to buy them….before they are gone.  You can email me or go to my website and order online by clicking the SHOP NOW button.

I hope you like these beautiful cards.  The masking technique is a real “Wow” technique and fun to use – so give it a try.

Have a Bloomin’ Beautiful Day!