Country Morning, Take Two

Here's another card from the Country Morning set - have I mentioned that I love this set?  Partly because it's so darned cute, and partly because it got  me out of a real dry spell in terms of stamping.  I hadn't picked up a stamp in longer than I care to say, except once a month at club.  This set really made me want to sit down and make some cards.

I started with a standard size card (4 1/2 x 5 1/2") made from Night of Navy CS.  Over that is a layer of patterned paper from the Pattern Pack DSP III - a Level One hostess set, also in Night of Navy.  I wanted a worn look for this card, so I crumpled the patterned paper and sanded the edges before applying it to the card base with my Two Way glue pen.

I stamped my image in black Staz-On ink on watercolor paper, and colored it with my markers and blender pen.  I cut it out with my circle cutter and layered it on a mega-sized scalloped circle (punch and circle cutter available at your LCS).  The scalloped circle is also from the Pattern Pack III - there are such great colors in this pack - I'm really glad I got it.

I mounted the scalloped circle onto textured Really Rust cardstock that I sponged with Chocolate Chip ink and distressed with my acrylic nails (available at your local manicurist).  You could use your distressing tool, but I like to use what I have on hand, so to speak!

The sentiment used here is part of the "Yummy" set, and I used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to make sure I got it in exactly the right place.  I framed it out with some of the vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware (a recent offering in my SUSHARES group), and added a ribbon in  Soft Suede Polka Dot grosgrain (also a SUSHARES featured item).  The rust panel is mounted with Stampin' Dimensionals to give it a little more interest.

Happy Stamping!

Country Morning

Hi, guys!  Welcome to my first post on the Everyday Stamper blog.  I'm hoping to get projects posted here more regularly and even to try to do some videos if you all can tolerate them.  First though, here's a card I whipped up the other day using the Stampin' Up! set "Country Morning".  It's a Level One hostess set and I absolutely love it, partly because it makes me think of my friend Heather.

The card base (folded) measures 4" high by 4 1/4" wide, which means I started out with a piece of cardstock measuring 8 1/2" x 4" in More Mustard.  The image is stamped in Staz On black on watercolor paper 2 1/4" wide by 2 3/8" high.   If you'd like to see a larger image, just click on the picture.

By the way, these crazy measurements are caused by me eyeballing everything and just whacking it down to size if I think it's too big.  This means that I never know exactly how big any given card will be until I'm done with it. (Wow - that's going to play well in my videos!) I tore this one apart several times, and the image that's on it actually started out on a completely different card that you will see in another post. You'll wonder why I ever thought this image might work on that card.  But, I digress.. back to the card.

The image was colored with my Stampin' Up! markers and the blender pen - boy, do I love those blender pens!  Colors used are:  Creamy Caramel, Bordering Blue, Old Olive, More Mustard, So Saffron and Pixie Pink.  After coloring, I layered the image on a piece of Cameo Coral cardstock, and then layered that onto a piece of Mellow Moss.  Behind the Mellow Moss, I used the scallop punch on a piece of paper from the Prints Sampler 6" x 6" pack (which is probably retired because I have had it forever, but you can substitute the patterned DSP of your choice).  I used the 1/16" punch to pierce each of the scallops.

Then I tried to find some ribbon to go on this card.  And I tried and tried.  Nothing looked right.  I liked the "feel" of the 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon, but none of the colors really worked.  SO, I took a length of the Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon and colored it with my More Mustard marker to make my very own custom-colored ribbon.  I did not heat set it; it dried pretty quickly and didn't seem to need it.  I tied it around the card with a simple knot, trimmed the edges, and hey, Bob's your Uncle - it was done.  (If you have never heard the phrase "Bob's your Uncle" (it just occurred to me that you might not have), go look it up on Wikipedia.)

So, to all of my SUSHARES ladies, and to Tamaya, who thinks I am a big ole hoarder, I certainly am using my stuff, and so should you!  No hoarding!