Hello Bluebird | Memorial Banner

Hello friends!  I have a card to share with you today that I created for Memorial Day this past Monday.  We are a military family.  Service to country runs deep on both sides.  From WWII through the war in the Middle East our family members have served proudly.   While crafting this card I thought about the fields of crosses in Verdun, France that seemed to go on forever, and the graves of Arlington, Virginia where friends and colleagues lay.   I don't think there is a family in our country that doesn't have a story of service in their family.  So today I honor them.  Those who put the comforts of home and love of family aside to protect the freedoms we hold so dear.

A Memorial Banner of Red, White, and Blue

This new card uses a number of different Hello Bluebird sets.  I began by scoring the foundation panel of Neenah Solar White card stock (80lb) on the diagonal.  This is nice way to provide interest to a CAS design.   For the base of the floral spray I used the very popular, Vertical Banner die from the Banner Buddies release.  Flowers and leaves were both stamped and die cut using the following sets:  Flower Garden and Wildflower Bouquet and the Wildflower Bouquet companion die,   The large leaves were die cut using Gallery Frame #2 and the stars were die cut from Gallery Frame #1   I trimmed the foundation panel with a gold leaf pen, and both panel and the floral banner were adhered to the card base with fun foam.

I hope you've been inspired by my card and words today.   It is a small offering from heart and hand.    The stamp and die sets I've shared today can be found on the Hello Bluebird web site and are waiting for you!

On Monday I posted these words from Thomas Pain:

"These are the times that try men's souls."    Written during the darkest hours of our nations struggle for liberty.    A struggle that brought Gen. George Washington humbly to his knees in prayer.   Surely a country had never paid such a high cost for freedom as this...   Our founding fathers knew the cost.   The struggle against tyranny and oppression will always cause suffering and pain - this we know. 

But the desire for freedom is greater.

Remembering

  

Penny Black | Full Bloom

Hello Penny Black friends!

I have been a busy gal lately but never to busy to sit for a while on the front porch and talk with friends!   I have several cards to share with you today from the newest Penny Black release, Full Bloom.   So, let's get a glass of sweet tea and take a look!

I am besotted with the mini transparent sets.  I teasingly refer to them as only 100 calories so you can indulge to your hearts content - no additional weight gain with these adorable sets.   Some of the mini transparent sets have companion cut out dies available so don't miss out on those - such a big help!

When my children were young I read children's poetry to them (as well as classic stories).  One of their favorites to this day is: The Jumblies by Edward Lear.   I loved the mini set, Friendship #30-566 because it reminded me of the Edward Lear poem.  

This is a mini set that has a companion die to match - yay!   I sponged some clouds with Ranger Distress Inks and used my Copics to create some sea green waves by just swiping across a panel of 80 lb Neenah Solar White card stock the same dimensions as my focal panel.   Then I took my trusty scissors and snipped 5 sets of waves.  The wonderful thing about these mini sets -- sentiments are included!  I call that, "value added!"  The sentiment is stamped on the first wave and adhered with a little adhesive being careful to leave room to slip in the main focal image.   All images were colored with Copic marker.   The companion die set, Friendship Cut Out #51-540  includes the sunshine die.

How cute are these guys?!  A boat full of friends indeed!

My second card is just as sweet.  Another mini transparent set called, Beautiful Day  #30-576  This little fairy can be used to create so many card themes, Birthday, Mother's Day, Hello friend.   She comes with a sentiment too!  Enjoy your Special Day  How perfect is that sentiment?! 

For my card, I decided to use the sentiment from one of my favorite sets, Forever and Always #30-401   Do you like the look of the new, trendy slimline card style?   I think they're perfect for scene building and lengthier sentiments.  Today I masked off a section of watercolor card stock with blue painters tape and dropped in some blues and lavender watercolor for the background.   My little fairy is colored with Copic marker, hand trimmed, and popped up with dimensional adhesive tape.  The focal panel is 3 x 8 which gives a nice quarter inch space once it's placed on the 3.5 x 8.5 card base.

Hey, what’s the buzz?! It’s this darling mini transparent set from the @pennyblackstamps Full Bloom Release called, A Secret - item 30-568 I’ve paired this sweet missy with Hearts Galore, item 51-492; Elegant Stitching, item 51-440 and a nice little sentiment from Nature’s Wishes, item 30-109.   This sweet missy is darling and a dream to color!

My next cards are more classic and feminine in style.  I can't go to long before the need to watercolor calls my name.  And, Tombow Dual Brush Markers and Ranger Distress Inks are a prefect match with Penny Black stamp sets.   Another beautiful mini set, Bunches for You #30-570, brings back the romance of love letters filled with pressed flowers and lavender *sigh* 

I stamped the image with Ranger Distress Ink (Antique Linen) and watercolored with my Tombow Dual Brush Markers.  Before hand trimming and edging with a gold leaf pen, I stamped with my favorite background stamp, Script #40-470 over the envelope to add some vintage interest.   The image is ready to adhere to a dark navy blue panel of card stock, which was die-cut with the lovely Elegant Stitching nested frames #51-440  The focal panel was then raised on a lavender card base.  The sentiment, So Very Much #30-269, is embossed in white.  Sliver thread and small iridescent lavender jewels finish the card.

My next and last card for this post uses a beautiful Slapstick set, Youthful #40-684, Script #40-470, Eloquence #30-162, and Whisper #80-008

Whimsical, Elegant and Classic - Penny Black Stamps has it all in the Full Bloom release.   I hope you've seen something that speaks to your creative heart!

Thank you so much for visiting and I'll you soon