Thoughts & Prayers

My Favorite Things has been celebrating the Olympic Games by having their own set of "games." This is my entry for the "Stamping Slalom" challenge, which is to use at least 3 MFT stamp sets to create a card. I used "Get Well Wishes," (discontinued) "Watercolor Flowers," (apparently also discontinued) & the "Romantic Script" background stamp. (I trust a background stamp counts as a "set"!) I also used the "Blueprints 20" die set (also discontinued).

To create my "patterned paper" background panel, I first die cut a piece of white cardstock with the stitched rectangle die from "Blueprints 20." I masked off the edges outside the stitching lines with blue painter's tape, to maintain a clean border while I stamped. I stamped several flowers, using "Watercolor Flowers," on my panel. For the yellow flowers, I used Memento Cantaloupe, Hero Arts Butter Bar, & Simon Says Stamp Sunshine inks. I chose Altenew Frosty Pink and Hero Arts Bubble Gum & Pale Tomato for the pink flowers. The purple inks are Memento Lulu Lavender, Lawn Fawn Fresh Lavender, & Hero Arts Orchid. I used Memento Danube Blue for the flower centers, and Altenew Frayed Leaf & Forest Glades with Hero Arts Moss ink for the leaves.

Detail of script stamping over/behind the flowers

After I had finished stamping the flowers & leaves, with the tape still in place, I inked up a portion of the "Romantic Script" background stamp with Memento Desert Sand ink. I didn't mount the stamp on a block, but just curved it to stamp partial impressions on my background. I wanted a subtle texture--nothing "in your face." Once I had finished that, I removed the tape from around the edges.

For the quilt-like panel, I first die cut the frame from lavender cardstock with the "Blueprints 20" die. I die cut 6 of the heart squares with the same die from a paler lilac cardstock; and finally cut hearts (again with the same die) from pink, green, & yellow cardstocks. I glued the frame to my background, then glued the squares (minus hearts) in place, and finally glued the hearts in the squares.

I used Lawn Fawn Yeti ink to stamp one of the greetings from "Get Well Wishes" on a banner I'd die cut with another "Blueprints 20" die, then heat embossed it with Recollections Snow embossing powder. I had heard the tip about using white pigment ink for white heat embossing--that it can give better results--from another card maker on YouTube. Unfortunately, I found my results were rather less-than-ideal. So, since I had used my MISTI, I just put the banner back in place, inked up the (clean) stamp with Versamark, stamped it, and heat embossed with the same powder. Much better results. I guess I'll be sticking with my old standby, Versamark! :)

Before I adhered my greeting, I die cut a scalloped rectangle (again, from a "Blueprints 20" die), and matted my background panel. I adhered that to a white A2 card base, and adhered my greeting banner. I like this particular greeting, because even though it comes from a "get well" set, it works equally well as a sympathy greeting.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge: "Add a Die Cut"
Through the Craft Room Door: "Anything Goes"
613 Avenue Create #206: "Anything Goes"