Baby Oh Baby!

This tiny patterned paper is perfect to support a larger stamped image such as this. Colours were drawn from the paper to paint the mice and choose the layering papers.

Natalie

Card Recipe:
Stamps: image (House Mouse), sentiment (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Staz On black
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), brown cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (Basic Grey)
Accessories: Liquid Shimmers, Spellbinders

All Tied Up

Since this image didn't have leaves, I thought it a great idea to mimic them with green bows.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: image (Savvy Stamps), sentiment (Stampin' Up)
Inks: Colorbox
Papers: blue cardstock (stash), orange cardstock (Canon), patterned paper (Daisy D's)
Accessories: ribbon (Stampin' Up), EK Success border punch, Spellbinders

Rusted Lilies

Though a simple card, the starkness of the cardstock on which the image was stamped needed to be softened. This was achieved with Glimmer Mist. The scan does not do the card justice, but the shimmer in the mist coordinated with the sheen of the satin ribbon.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: PSX
Ink: Colorbox
Papers: off white cardstock (stash), orange paper (Canon)
Accessories: Glimmer Mist, ribbon (stash), Spellbinders

Bunny Love

I thought this image would make an appropriate Get Well card. It was coloured with pigment ink, applied with a water brush. The wider border not only complimented the image, but also worked well with the width of ribbon chosen. Inking the edges of the stamped image softened the lines.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: image (Uptown Rubber Stamps), sentiment (Papertrey Ink)
Papers: white cardstock (unknown), pink cardstock (Bazzill)
Inks: black (Staz On), all others (Colorbox pigment)
Accessories: ribbon (stash)

On the Job

Not to worry! I'm working quickly to upload more cards.
They're made, just not posted. In the meantime,
enjoy the beautiful weather!

Natalie

Working with Mice is Nice

I searched for patterned paper that had the same colours I used on the stamped images. They made a suitable "wallpaper" for my cards.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: images (Stampabilities), sentiment (Amuse)
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), floral patterned paper (Basic Grey), teal patterned paper (Paper Patch)
Ink: Versafine black, Colorbox grey
Accessories: rectangular die (Spellbinders)

Triple Decker

On this card I layered three different papers to add interest: white cardstock, red vellum, embossed yellow cardstock. Just another way to make a different card with a large stamped image.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: image (Stampabilities), sentiment (Papertrey Ink)
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), red vellum & yellow embossed cardstock (stash)
Ink: Versafine black
Accessories: rectangular die (Spellbinders)

Think Seasonal

Sometimes it's nice to send a card that's "in season". I plan to use this birthday card for a June birthday, when the strawberries are a plenty. Though I often find large, detailed images limiting, I was happy with the resulting image when I cut it to fit my card front.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: image (Stampabilities), sentiment (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Versafine black
Papers: white cardstock (stash & Georgia Pacific), red (stash), patterned (Paper Patch)
Accessories: Liquid Shimmers, brads (stash), ribbon (stash), border punch (Martha Stewart)

A Simple Sympathy Card

When I saw the single tree in this paper, I thought it would be perfect for a sympathy card--pretty, yet elegant and enough space for me to add a sentiment. I simply layered with colour coordinating papers.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Stampin' Up
Papers: blue card base, brown cardstock and patterned paper (Memorybox)
Ink: Staz On Timber

Coloured Vellum

Coloured vellum was another product I feel in love with, but seem to forget to use. Here I took advantage of the softness of it to put an appropriate frame around my focal point of my card. In this case, there is no need to worry about how to adhere the vellum as the majority of it is not seen.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: image & sentiment (Stampin' Up)
Papers: vellum (stash), green cardstock (Bazzill), white cardstock (Georgia Pacific)
Ink: green (Memories), brown (Staz On)
Accessories: pearls (Kaiser)

On the Flip Side

I can't take credit for this idea as I saw it on another card online. The stamped image is actually a tree that I have stamped sideways.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: image (Stampin' Up), sentiment (Stampin' Up)
Ink: green (Memories), brown (Staz On Timber)
Papers: green & brown cardstocks (Bazzill), white (Georgia Pacific)
Accessories: pearls (Kaiser)

Add a String of Bling

I updated an older image with new products. I painted the image with Liquid Shimmers and added some rhinestones to the card, to balance "ROSA".

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: PSX
Inks: black & grey (Colorbox)
Papers: green & white cardstock (stash), pink patterned (Creative Memories)
Accessories: rhinestones (Kaiser), velvet ribbon (stash)

An Older Model for an Older Model

Always having difficult finding images suitable for masculine cards, especially Father's Day, I jumped at the opportunity to purchase this stamp. I prefer to stamp detailed images in a colour that matches my cardstock, since colouring the image wouldn't do it any justice.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Class Act (this is a Canadian manufacturer with an online web site)
Ink: Stampin' Up
Papers: white & navy cardstock (stash)
Accessories: rectangular die (Spellbinders), embossing folder (Cuttlebug), ribbon (Fabricland)

A Folk Art Christmas

For a change from country to folk art, I replaced white cardstock for kraft. This background stamp also suits the theme as it replicates fabric with ticking.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: image (PSX), sentiment (Papertrey Ink), background (Stampin' Up)
Paper: kraft cardstock (Bazzill)
Inks: green (Memories), brown (Staz On Timber), red (Colorbox Queue Chalk)
Accessories: ribbon (stash), rectangular die (Spellbinders)

A Country Christmas

Though this is a large bow for a large image, I compensated for space with a tiny sentiment. The ribbon matched the plaid patterned paper that I wanted to use to achieve a country themed card.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: image (PSX), sentiment (Papertrey Ink)
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), patterned paper (stash)
Ink: Memories green, Colorbox Queue Chalk brown
Accessories: ribbon (stash), rectangular die (Spellbinders)

The Bigger the Bow the Better

To balance the stamped, die cut image on the right I used the "weight" of a wider bow. It's smoothness does not distract the eye from the beautiful texture of the embossed, blue cardstock layer. The image was coloured with coloured pencils.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: CTMH
Papers: white, red & blue cardstocks (stash)
Ink: Versaink black
Accessories: ribbon (stash), rectangular die (Spellbinders), watercolour pencils (Staedler)

Glamorous Grad

Looking at this image, I never planned on using it on a grad card, but along with this sentiment, I thought it worked well. I guess I should follow the same advice!

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: image (Inkadinkado), sentiment (Stampin' Up)
Papers: white & black cardstocks (stash), pink cardstock (stash)
Ink: Versafine black, Colorbox pink
Accessories: ribbon (stash), scalloped square die (Spellbinders)

Good, Better, Best

The third of three cards made with the same stamped image is my favourite. The small pattern in the paper worked well with the larger pattern in the ribbon. This border punch put holes the perfect size in the paper to insert mini brads, with no need to measure.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: PSX
(Papers: white & black cardstock (stash), pink cardstockBazzill), black velour paper, patterned paper (CTMH)
Ink: Versaink black
Accessories: ribbon (stash), scalloped oval die (Spellbinders), brads (stash), border punch (Martha Stewart)

Who Would Have Thought?

Lace seam binding was used to embellish this card.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: PSX?
Papers: white cardstock (stash), black velour paper, pink cardstock (Bazzill)
Ink: Versaink black
Accessories: lace seam binding (stash), metal corner embellishments (stash), watercolour pencils (Staedler)

The Wider the Ribbon...

In this case the smaller stamped image left too much "white space". To solve this problem I chose a wider ribbon. The sheer ribbon complimented the style of the stamped image.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: PSX
Papers: white cardstock (stash), black velour paper, pink cardstock (Bazzill)
Ink: Versaink black
Accessories: ribbon (stash), oval & scalloped oval dies (Spellbinders), watercolour pencils (Staedler)

A Can of Tulips

This image was one I received in an image swap many years ago. At that time, someone in my online stamp group would host the swap and each participant would send 10 of each of the same image stamped in black on white cardstock, along with an envelope with postage. Each participant would receive one of each of the different stamped images. In this case, the participant watercoloured this image and sent me a blank one for me to colour on my own. I added my own sentiment.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: image (PSX?), sentiment (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: ?
Papers: white, green & yellow embossed cardstock (stash)
Accessories: ribbon (stash), watercolour pencils, label die (Spellbinders)

Cleaning House

The next dozen cards will be an assortment using things that I have had for sometime. I hope to finally finish "cleaning house" so I can start making a variety of cards with one theme or using one stamp or stamp set.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: PSX
Papers: white & green cardstocks (stash)
Ink: gold (Colorbox)
Accessories: gold embossing powder (PSX), watercolour pencils (Staedler), butterfly embossing plate & label die (Spellbinders)

Embellish with a Flourish

Along with using stamped flourish images on cards, die cuts can also be used as a fancy accent.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: pink & beige cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (stash), gold cardstock (stash)
Accessories: corduroy brad (Making Memories), fabric leaf (stash), flower (Bazzill), flourish die (Quickutz)

Hippo Hooray

The hippo die cut on the outside of this card introduces the sentiment on the inside, "Hip hip hooray".

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: beige & blue cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (Basic Grey)
Accessories: hippo die (Cuttlebug), rhinestones (Kaiser), brads (Bazzill), circle & scalloped circle dies (Spellbinders)

A Little Bird Told Me

This card could also be used in congratulations of a special event. The smaller pattern in the ribbon worked with the larger patterned paper.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Michaels
Ink: Colorbox Queue Chalk
Papers: blue & brown (Bazzill)
Accessories: square & scalloped square dies (Spellbinders), ribbon (Michaels), paper distresser

Using a Dark Card Base

Writing inside a dark card may be difficult to read. I often line the inside of such a card with white text paper. The edges of the stamped and watercoloured image were distressed with a distressing tool.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Hero Arts
Papers: blue & pink cardstock (stash), watercolour paper
Ink: Staz On Black
Accessories: ribbon & brads (stash), Staedler watercolour pencils

Bigger Birthday

To give the cake a "frosted" look, I heat embossed the stamped image with chocolate embossing powder.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Stampin' Up
Papers: beige, brown & blue cardstocks (Bazzill), patterned paper (stash)
Accessories: embossing powder (stash), brads (Bazzill)

Cornered

I used some of the patterned paper to cut corners for the top of the card to balance the layout.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Penny Black
Papers: cream, blue & rust cardstocks (Bazzill)
Ink: Colorbox Queue Chalk
Accessories: brads (stash)