PPCCS #100 Challenge and Blog Candy

I had big intentions of participating in the Paper Craft Crew's 100th card sketch challenge today, but missed the close off time by a few hours because of the time change.  

Regardless, I loved the sketch so went ahead and finished my card and want to share it with you.  

Here's the sketch:

Here's my card: 

As soon as I saw the sketch I knew I wanted to do a card using the Decorative Dots Embossing folder as a background for the layers in this sketch and the Stippled Blossom stamp set for my image. 

I think my concept worked really well.  I flipped the layout so the tag and ribbon were on the left hand side of the card and the small flower was on the lower right hand side.  This allowed me more room to work with my stamped image. 

Supplies: 

Ink:  Crumb Cake and Early Espresso Classic Inks

Card Stock:  Early Espresso, Very Vanilla and Crumb Cake

Stamp Sets:  Stippled Blossoms #126747 and Blooming With Kindness #126422

Accessories:  Big Shot Machine, Trimmer, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Basic Pearls, 3/8" Crumb Cake Taffeta Ribbon (retired), Scalloped Tag Topper Punch (#133324), Large Delicate Doilies Die Cut (retired), Decorative Dots Embossing Folder (#133520), Corner Rounder, Scissors, Adhesive, Dimensionals.

Using the Stamp-a-ma-jig allowed me to line up the flower images cleanly when using a two-step stamp set like Stippled Blossoms.  Here you can see I was able to accurately layer the rose image from the tag with the image stamped on the Very Vanilla layer.

I added the smallest of the basic pearls to the centers of the two large rose images and a medium sized pearl to the smaller flower image.  Even though the taffeta ribbon is retired I'm still in love with the texture and the way you can tie the small bow so beautifully.  I also love the sentiment "I'm here for you" from the Blooming With Kindness Stamp set. Because this is such a caring sentiment this card could be used for either a friendship or a sympathy card. 

The Blooming With Kindness Stamp set a detailed flower image and five greetings that will carry you through lots of card-giving situations. 

The inside of the card has a Very Vanilla layer that measures 5 x 3 3/4" and is simply stamped with the rose image. 

Thanks for stopping by and checking out this latest post.  I'd love to hear your comments on my interpretation of the PPC Sketch.  

Happy Stamping!
Penny

Saying Good Bye - Sympathy Cards

It's been a sad time for me over the past few weeks as I've lost another two friends and an aunt to cancer, heart disease and old age.  I'm glad to have had these wonderful people in my life and to have shared in their journey.  I'm so sad for their loss and my heart goes out to their families. 

These occasions always necessitate making sympathy cards, which I find as difficult to make as masculine cards.  One is never sure what level of comfort a card will bring. 

For my cards, I try to keep the design and messaging simple, yet comforting.  I want the family to know they are in my thoughts and to have enough space on the interior of the card to share a memory or two.  

Here is the latest sympathy card's I've made:

Supplies:
Stamp Set:

The Two Kind item #130447 (Wood Mount) or #130450 (Clear Mount) is a very reasonably priced stamp set featuring 7 stamps including two lovely sentiments.  This is what's called a two-step stamp set.  The fist image is stamped in a light colour and then the second bolder image in stamped in a darker colour.

 

I love the sentiments in the Wetlands stamp set and use them often.  For this card I used the "Thinking of You" rather than a sympathy sentiment, to express my feelings. 

Cardstock:  

• Perfect Plum for card base 8 1/2 x 5 12"
• Whisper White - 5 1/4 x 4 for first layer
• Pear Pizzazz - 5 x 3 3/4" for second layer
• Whisper White - 4 3/4" x 3" for stamped layer and 5 x 3 3/4" for inside layer.

Ink:

• Perfect Plum
• Blackberry Bliss (NEW 2014/15 InColour)
• Pear Pizzazz 

Accessories:Decorative Dots Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Gold cord (enough to wrap around Pear Pizzazz card stock 3 times and knot), adhesive and trimmer.

The Pear Pizzazz layer is embossed with the Decorative Dots Embossing Folder (Sale-a-bration cattie).  I used enough gold cord (retired SU product) to wrap the green layer three times and tie a knot. 

 Penny