Perfect Pearl Dragonflies

Do you believe I have two cards to upload today? Well, me neither! But I did 

It was so very easy to do. Stamp flowers around the card in VersaMark. Leave a space for sentiment and dragonflies. Stamp your dragonflies and sentiment in VersaMark. Take your favorite two colors, possibly three, of Perfect Pearls and using a clean, dry paint brush, cover areas you want colored. When you are done, brush off excess. Spritz with a fine mist of water once or twice only. Let dry. The water 'sets' the Perfect Pearls (really)! Easy, huh? And very iridescent in real life! Took me about 5 minutes in total from start to finish!!!!

My boo boo? I used the bumpy side of the cardstock instead of the smooth (frowny face). But now you have a head's up if you decide to make one!

Hint: If you use any Perfect Pearls with the word "Interference" in the color, use a dark cardstock so that it shows up. On white card, interference colors fade out. Experiment first!

Stamp Set: The smaller Dragonfly stamp set in the Spring Parade Kit by Gina K. Designs.

Thank you everyone for your kind

and generous comments!

♥

Three Tropical Thank You Cards

Whooo. It's been a while since I've posted.

I made cards for friends that helped with a recent yard sale. Bruce gave one away before I could get a picture, but here are three more.

I do love emboss resist. These two cards use distress inks over either platinum or black embossing powders. I kept all three cards as simple as possible (for me) and added a bit of ink to the envelopes.

After distressing, I sprayed some shimmer made from plain water mixed with Perfect Pearls. It helps run the colors together and add some interesting dimension. I do love this technique. It's fast, simple, and colorful.

Stamps: SU Million and One; platinum embossing powder

Black embossing powder:

This last card is an image from Unity called Olivia Girl. I used some Copic markers and tried not to blend too much. Over the colors I used Sakura Glitter pen in clear as well as Prismacolor color pencils. There's more texture than I can show with the camera. 

Thank you for not forgetting about me. My engine is running even slower

but I still get to the destination lol, just LOOOONG after

the rest of the crowd does ♥ Aloha ♥

Countless Blessings

It's very hard to keep focused on the countless blessings the majority of us have. We are discouraged by what we see and hear on the news and often in our own parts of the world. But when we encounter someone who shines brighter than the rest, it helps us to re-focus on all we have.

Recently  the news highlighted on one young lady, Lauren Hill. She has terminal brain cancer and despite this, she fights on to play college basketball however her body will let her. When I saw her, her courage and her smile, facing down death, I felt impelled to create a small, humble, poured-out-of-my-heart card. It took me two days, but it is all I have to share with her and her family.

The beauty of a peacock.

But what kind of sentiment would be appropriate? Definitely not a sympathy because this gal is a light. a beacon of courage to others. All I could think of was that she is leaving a legacy. She's made a mark with her life.

Yes, she is and always will be, unforgettable.

Products used--

Stamp sets used: Stampin' Up "Perfect Peacock," and Gina K. Designs "Unforgettable," Inner flourishes by Hero Arts "Feathery Grass."
Cardstock: Gina K. Designs
Peacock painted with Gelatos and Perfect Pearls with paint brush and water.
Background painted with Gelatos and sprinkled with Epsom salt. 3D Crystal Lacquer over eye, beak, feather tips on head and "eyes" of the feathers. Rhinestones in flower centers. Liquid Pearls edge the peacock feathers and highlight flowers.

After drying overnight, I brushed the loose Epsom salts off, then dabbed Delicata Gold ink over some of the background.

The inside flourishes are stamped with Delicata Gold ink, Memento markers on the flower stamp, and VersaFine black for the sentiment.

Thank you for stopping by and taking a look! 

If you would like to send Lauren and her family a card, here

is the university she attends:

Lauren Hill

c/o Mount St. Joseph University, Women's Basketball 

5701 Delhi Road

Cincinnati OH 45233-1607

♥

Breast Cancer Awareness at StampTV

First time for a FLIP card. I purchased the circle and the label flip it dies from SU. This is the circle. I will say that when I make anymore of these, I will just pre-adhere the pattern papers to the card base because cutting out each custom layers is TOOOOO hard (slaps forehead)!

Cardstock, pattern papers and stamp set by Gina K. Designs, "Strength and Hope, designed by Theresa Momber.

It was a very fun card in that I combined different techniques that I don't use all the time --  RECIPE is a bit complex, but will explain the details and how to's:

The focal butterfly was stamped in VersaMark then brushed Perfect Pearls in Pink, Blue (which combined to purples), and gold for the ribbon in the middle of the butterfly. The colors are iridescent and change as you move the card!!! I covered the ribbon with 3D Crystal Lacquer for soft, epoxy like finish. There's a pink rhinestone hidden in the center of the lacquer ribbon.

Below the focal image is a Quilled Butterfly :) with 2 mini pink rhinestones for antennae.

In the top right of the front card you will see a pink glitter ribbon. That started out stamped in Tuxedo Black ink - the large ribbon stamp from the set, then fussy cut it out. I used a paint brush and covered the top with Mod Podge, sprinkled pink glitter and dried. Then I took a black marker and covered the edges of the ribbon to really pop the pink glitter up. I covered the entire pink glitter ribbon with 3D Crystal Lacquer so it's clear, shiny and raised up. It's EASY to make your own embellishments.

The sentiments are stamped in Delicatta Gold Ink. They stay gold and glittery. The back of the card has 3 pink rhinestones in the upper left corner and the word "HOPE", and another 3 tiny pink rhinestones beneath it.

I added white gel pen stitching and dots all around the margins.

Another difficult part of this card was to line the pattern papers up the right way because there is a right side up on both papers. I messed that up the first time - we can't have upside hearts or mis-matched patterns, can we?

I do love this card. When you pull or push the sides, the center circle with the butterfly and word "Hope" flip around. You can have up to four different scenes depending on how you fold and set the card down!!!

I don't want to lose any more friends to cancer, and this month we highlight and encourage everyone to keep checking - you never know when you might feel or see something not quite right. GET IT CHECKED! This includes MEN.

Front of card, with crease to stand up tall --

Close up of Perfect Pearl Shimmer on butterfly, and 3D Crystal Effects on ribbon --

Close up of BACK of card (the circle flips around) --

Final look at the front of the card :)

Many thanks for stopping by and leaving your ever sweet comments ♥

Grateful

Here is another CAS card. The bird is I don't know what, but I colored it with some Prismacolor Pencils with Perfect Pearls Blue and Green over that.

Stamp set "Spring Blessings" by Gina K. Designs
Perfect Pearls
Prismacolor Pencils
Rain Drops

Mahalo for stopping by and taking a look ♥

Silver Moon Ocean

I can't get enough of the ocean, or flowers, or animals :) But I do need to make a lot of ocean theme cards. This one is simple, black and white. I used water and Perfect Pearl (pearl) as a water paint and painted the moon through a negative die cut circle. I used the same Perfect pearls across the ocean for a silvery sheen on top of the blues of the ocean. White gel pen helped me make the waves. There are lots of aurora borealis color rhinestones, tiny rhinestones in the sky for stars, and rhinestone flourishes - lots of bling. I used some Crystal Lacquer on the palm branches for texture as well as on top of the breaking waves.

Thank you friends -- I appreciate you coming by!!!

Blue Summer

Donna Phelan is guest hostessing at Stamp TV - hurray Donna! She requested a shabby chic creation, including decorating the interior of a card and the envelope.

Hi there friends ♥ I'll be honest and just say this took me all week to work on, and I hope many of you know what that's like. I cannot complete a card as quickly as most people so just call me SNAIL lol. For anyone who may have questions how I completed any of the parts of this card, I will need to break the card explanation out into sections so please bear with me. Feel free to skip all this :D

First, the sentiment:
I stamped the label with brown ink, then cut it out with SB Nesties Labels #14. I sponged some blue ink on the inside of the oval, then used Copic blues and tans to create a shabby transition color on the flourished scroll at the top and bottom of the label design.

I stamped the sentiment with brown ink, cut and embossed it with SB Fancy Tags, then sponged around the sentiment with the same blue as the background behind it. Then I added deep blue Copic color to plain pearls, then placed around the sentiment.

Second, the cut outs:
I stamped Melanie's flower, masked it, then stamped the leaves on both sides. I colored it with Copic markers and left a little white space for highlights. I used a Basic Grey gold glitter "Candy" button for the center of the flower. {fussy cut out and pop dotted}

Then I stamped the hummingbird with brown ink but colored it with some Perfect Pearls blue, gold and green, mixed with plain water paint brushed on. It really shimmers!!! I placed a tiny micro black rhinestone for his eye. {fussy cut out and pop dotted}

Third, the background:
The double bow in deep blue satin is centered with a beautiful vintage button by Tim Holtz Idea-ology "Accoutrements Fanciful." (Doesn't it look totally VINTAGE!!!)

The rhinestone fleur de lis in two corners are by Nina Brackett for Want2Scrap, "Mardi Gras."

Card base by Gina K. Designs, 120# Pure Luxury white.
Polka dot background in pale blue is from a cardmaking magazine that included some very adorable papers in it.

The final touch:
I took the Wink of Stella clear glitter brush and covered the blue flower and leaves, the brown/blue scrolled areas on the label, the pearls, and then the hummingbird and flower center on the envelope back. LOL -- this card shimmers 360 degrees!

Thank you kindly for stopping by!!!

I appreciate each and every one of you ♥

Autumn Leaves - Using Perfect Pearls

Aloha,

This is a favorite time of year for many people. I love it. It was our mother's favorite time of year, too. I am playing the song while typing this. You can hear it to by right clicking on the link, and choose 'open in another tab.' Enjoy!

Nat King Cole sings Autumn Leaves 

I used Fall Foliage stamp set by GKD. Ink up the largest leaf with Perfect Pearls Perfect Medium, or VersaMark, stamp the leaf all over dark brown cardstock. I used one of the brushes from the Perfect Pearls set, then stippled/dabbed the colors (gold, red, green, copper) onto different portions of the leaves. Take the larger brush and gently brush the excess pearl powder away. I rounded the corners of two layers.

Carefully measure the focal image into thirds from both directions (I like to use millimeters for this part because it is easier). Cut the image into 9 pieces and carefully adhere to your cardstock layer. I used liquid MonoAdhesive for this project as it gives you more time to rearrange pieces before drying.

If using the Perfect Medium or VersaMark, no setting spray is required. I covered my ivory cardstock with Embossing buddy to get it nice and non-static-y :) then stamped the sentiment onto ivory using VersaMark, sprinkled gold embossing powder onto it, then heat set. I cut it with a SB Fancy Tags #2. Added gold pearls to sentiment and popped onto the card.

For a dear stamping friend in Oklahoma ♥

Darice "Falling Leaves" embossing folder
Perfect Pearls: bronze, gold, red, green
Perfect Medium
Spellbinders Fancy Tags 2
Stamp Set: Fall Foliage by Gina K. Designs

Entered into: StampTV Mix It Up Monday, Use Darker Colors
                    Through The Craft Room Door "Anything Goes"

Thank you for stopping by and taking a look!!!

Aloha