Christmas in Mind by Doreen

  Christmas in Mind

Hello, today I would like to share some simple but effective cards for Christmas (yes I realise it is only July but it is almost August and I find this is when the months until December usually just fly by with me ending up in panic mode realising how little time I have to make cards for Christmas)

These stamps all come from the really useful Christmas Flourish set just using a variety of techniques.

In this first card I chose a background printed paper and I am sure we all have plenty of those in our stash. Then I took 2 blue shades of inkpads stamping alternatively.

So simple to add a subtle amount of colour with a sparkle gel pen, mount and your card is done.

This second card is even simpler if that is at all possible. Again I have used a background paper. Use an anti static pad over the paper and then a Versamark Inkpad stamp the image and sprinkle the whole of  the image with White Embossing Powder, heat emboss. Mount onto card and your card is complete.

This third card has a little more work than the previous cards. Take a piece of watercolour card sprinkle with Brushos I have used Prussian Blue and Orange, not too much a little goes a long way, spritz with water or a clear sparkle if you have one it is for Christmas after all.

Leave to dry naturally for the best results, when it is dry use an antistatic pad over the brushos then stamp with Versamark and sprinkle with embossing powder of choice, I used White as it seems to be my go to powder at the moment for some reason. I stamped little sprigs in black in the corners and mounted on black card for the best contrast to the colours I used.

My fourth and final card for today is simply using Gold Embossing on Black Card which gives a striking contrast, I also used a Gold Posca Pen to give a frame just around the inside edge of this card.

There ends a month of a variety of card using our wonderful Retired Selection of Stamps.

Mine will certainly still get an airing as once they are in your head I think they just pop in when you are trying to think of the perfect stamp for someone.

Thanks for Looking in again Today

Love Doreen

Monochrome Beauties by Doreen

 Monochrome Beauties 

Hello, well here I am with my second post of our retired sets of stamps, I have to say I absolutely love Monochrome Cards.

The only things to remember when making them I find is check your hands for traces of ink regularly. Use a fairly new Inkpad or reink it but not to liberally and let the ink settle into the pad before use.  I find the best inkpad to use is the Versafine Clair Nocturne it is a really nice inkpad to use and does the job well. A good quality smooth card is essential for a perfect finish. Luxury Smooth Card by Chocolate Baroque is my choice of card for this type of card. The only other advice I can give is to practice your ideas on a piece of copy paper until you are happy with your result.

Here are two of my cards using Fly Away With Me in the first card and the second card contains stamps from the Baroque Corners set and The Dawn Chorus set.

Many Thanks for Looking in Today

Love Doreen

Spring Flowers by Doreen

 Spring Flowers

Hello everyone, now here we are into July can you believe how quickly the months are flying by this year ? My Mum always used to say the older you get the faster time goes and I would laugh at her and say it can't possibly go any faster but maybe there was something in what she said after all.

Today I would like to share one of my favourite stamps 

the Snowdrop Script which has been retired and as you are no doubt aware so were many others and all blogs during July are focused on giving some inspiration on your bargain purchases last month.

Such an easy card to make using only a few products ;

Chocolate Baroque Luxury Smooth Card, Versafine Clair Nocturne Inkpad and Derwent Chromaflow Pencils although any medium of choice will be fine.

I chose to stamp and mount the text in the stamp set separately after finishing the colouring which does not need to much fuss.

Such a classic and useful stamp set with many uses open to it, if you managed to get one yourself you will find it is a go to set especially during the spring months.

Thank you for looking in Today

Love Doreen