This is such a fun card - fun stamp set, fun technique, and really fun bling. And, with the redbud trees just bursting out in Central Texas, it's a great card to welcome Spring.
My card is a CASE (copy and share everything) of Becky Roberts' card over at Inking Idaho. Becky has an absolutely amazing blog, you'll want to check out. She's been the source of a lot of inspiration for me.
Giving Becky's card my own little twist, I added some Kiwi Kiss accents and used the Poppin' Pastels technique to make the redbud blossoms. Here's how this technique works:
- Stamp the bare tree image in Chocolate Chip classic ink.
-
Ink up the leaf image with Kiwi Kiss classic ink, but stamp once on scrap paper before stamping it onto the bare tree limbs. This will just soften the green.
-
Clean the leaf image stamp well with your Stampin' Mist/scrubber and then stamp the leaf image again multiple times on the branches with VersaMark ink.
-
Now the fun begins. Using daubers, gently sponge Pretty in Pink chalk/pastels over the VersaMark ink leaf images. The VersaMark will hug the chalk and make it Pop! You'll also get a soft pink pastel background.
-
I also sponged just a little Old Olive pastels around the tree trunk.
-
Anytime you work with pastels, you may want to spray your chalked image with an acrylic sealer (you can find at Hobby Lobby or Michaels). You can also use hairspray in a pinch. (Hairspray may give you a nice perfume, but probably isn't archival safe.)
Even though I've done it several times, I'm still Wow'ed by this technique. Need more help or inspiration with the Poppin' Pastels technique? Check out Beate Johns' tutorial over at Splitcoast Stampers, here.
Here's the rest of the recipe:
- Cardstock - Chocolate Chip, Robin Hood Red, Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss
- Designer paper - Bella Rose
- Embellishments - Crocheted posy appliques/Fluerettes,
- Fibers - linen thread, Robbin Hood Red taffeta ribbon
- Ink - Chocolate Chip, Old Olive (for the bird house)
- Pastels - Pretty in Pink, Old Olive
- Punches - Scallop Circle, Scallop Edge, 1-3/8" Circle Punch
- Stamps - Branch Out, two-step stamping set.
- Tools - sponge daubers, paper piercing tool
To the ladies in my Hostess Club - yes, stampers, this is one of our projects for this weekend! I can't wait for you to be play with this Poppin' Pastels technique.
