"One Stamp, Five Ways" - Simon Says Stamp Bouquet of Thanks

Dudettes - I'm back and it hasn't even been a week! I have a good excuse though for doing two "one stamp, five ways" posts in one week. I don't want you to think I don't have a life! Both my girls had their wisdom teeth out last week, so I have been a home nurse (full time cook, cleaner, medicine giver, gauze folder, dish washer, waiter, etc...). But the good news is all this time at home gave me more creating time! So today I am going to share with you five cards using a new Simon Says Stamp stamp and die set called Bouquet of Thanks. I'll also be using a Thanks stand alone die that was designed to go with it. Here is the stamp set:

It's a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a few different sentiments - all very standard and useful for every day card topics. And I LOVE that font! I'll be using the sentiments a lot as I often buy stamp sets that don't have sentiments I need for a specific occasion, so these general ones are always useful. The standalone Thanks die that has an outline is so useful with this stamp set and I used it on three of my cards I'll be sharing. You can purchase the stamp and die set with the thanks die as a bundle, but it is currently out of stock. The stamp and die set are also sold together and are also currently out of stock. Right now, only the stamp set alone and the Thanks stand alone die are in stock, but I'm sure they will be restocking the rest as this has been a very popular set! Ok, it is time to share with you the five cards I made.

 Card 1: 

For this card, I wanted to use the stamp bouquet only partially on the top and bottom so it looked like individual blooms rather than a bouquet. I started with a stitched rectangle from Fabriano watercolor paper (I use Fabriano for the ones I want to watercolor the entire paper as I prefer the Ranger white paper if parts are showing). I stamped the images on the top and bottom of the card with Versamark Ink and embossed them with Ranger white embossing powder. Now for the fun part.

I painted the images in with my Daniel Smith watercolors mixing shades of blue, pink, and purple. I used my glitter pens to add some shading to the images. I painted the stems and background with a green shade. I used a wet on wet technique so the colors would blend into the background without any harsh edges. I die-cut the banner using MFT Blueprints 12 and white cardstock. I stamped the sentiment from the stamp set using SSS Intense black ink. I attached all to a white card base. I used some PPP sequins - the Amethyst mix and the Tutti Frutti mix as well as some clear Nuvo Drops around the sentiment banner.

Card 2:

I gotta be honest. This card was SO over worked. I tried to fix so many mistakes that I'm surprised I even posted it. But the end result did end up ok - or I'll let you be the judge of that! I started with a die-cut rectangle (using MFT Blueprints 2) from Fabriano Watercolor Paper again (nice cream color and great cold press texture). I then stamped the image with SSS Intense Black ink in the center of the paper. Next, I painted in the images with my watercolors using very intense shades of pink and green and giving them a few coats so the paint would be more opaque. Then I went a little crazy and decided to outline them all in white dots using my White Uniball marker. I decided that was over-kill, so I drew black outlines over the white dots and used my glitter pens to try and hide them all and give me some shading. To make the center things yellow, I first outlined them with a white uniball and then went over them with a yellow glitter pen and then outlined them with a fine tip black marker!

I flicked paint all over the background too after adding paint around the images using a wet on wet technique. I then stamped the sentiment on the top right using Intense Black Ink and gave it a shadow with a glitter pen. I added some PPP Aquamarine sequins around the flowers as well as some Blue Crush Nuvo Drops. (over-kill here perhaps as well, but I can't stop using those drops!). I attached it to a bright pink card base.

Card 3:

Now THIS card I am proud of. Not because it is so spectacular - rather it is kind of plain, BUT because I used my brand new Ranger Distress Oxide Inks on it. I only have (had) two colors that both came in SSS monthly card kits - Worn Lipstick was in the June Kit and Cracked Pistachio was in the August Kit. I've gotta be honest - I was really on the fence about these new inks. I keep seeing everyone using them and hearing how awesome they are, but I didn't want to purchase ANOTHER crafting supply and I figured they were just a new type of ink so we would spend more money. But did I really need them? After playing with those two colors, I ordered all 24 colors so there is your answer. Even a skeptic fell in love! The first 12 are sold as a set HERE and the second set are sold as a set HERE. I wanted to just order a few colors that were my favorites, but all of those were out of stock (I guess they were everyone's favs!). So because I now wanted them so bad, I ordered the whole sets!

This card was experimentation for me, so it definitely isn't perfect! I started with a stitched rectangle using Ranger watercolor paper. I stamped the image on the left side of the rectangle using the two new inks on it - Worn Lipstick on the top part and Cracked Pistachio on the lower part where the stems were. These inks stamp WAY BETTER than distress inks (part 1 of my decision to want / need them all). Next, I used my Ranger Blending Tools to rub the inks over the background (this is where i can get much better). They are very intense and so chalky and pretty when rubbed - I have borders that you shouldn't be able to see if you perfect your ink blending skills! Next, I pressed the two ink pads on a slick surface and used them to watercolor in the images adding additional color to them (part 2 of my decision to want them all - they watercolor beautifully). Next. I used my paintbrush to add water to the parts of the petals I wanted to be lighter and the water oxidized the color giving me a soft light shade (part 3 of why I had to have them!). I then restamped the image using my Misti so it was lined up just the way it was the first time I stamped it. 

So all of these images and the background are just those two colors of Distress Oxide Inks. I love how you can use them to intensify the colors and to blend backgrounds and with water and remove part of the color and layer and etc.... (ALL the reasons I had to have them). Last, I outlined the images with a black fine tip marker as I felt they needed to be outlined even though that wasn't my original plan. I die-cut the Thanks with both black and pink cardstock and layered them on the top right. I added some Tonic Nuvo Drops in Ebony Black, Key Lime, and Rose Water. All of my inks arrived today and I cannot wait to play with them!!!!!

Card 4:

For this card, I stared with a stitched rectangle using Ranger watercolor paper. I created a background with watercolors and a flat paintbrush. I painted the entire piece with water first and then I did stripes in oranges, yellows, and peach with the flat brush. The colors all bending into each other because I started with wet paper. I then stamped the images on Ranger watercolor paper with MFT Natural Ink so I could paint it in with no-outlines. I painted it with watercolors and then I ended up outlining it with my glitter pens because the colors were so soft. I love how this gave them a soft peach outline.

I die-cut the flowers and attached them to the center of the background. I then die-cut the Thanks die from pink and white cardstock and attached them layered on the top right. I added some Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear Sequins around the image as well as some Tonic Drops in Rose Water and Strawberry Coulis. 

Card 5:

I saved the worst for last. My daughters do NOT like this card - they said it looks like Halloween! Oooooops. I started it by painting a background with little black polka-dots using watercolor. I thought it would look cool with the flowers on top. Apparently to my critics, it does not...

I die-cut the Ranger Watercolor Paper with a stitched rectangle from MFT blueprints 13. I then painted the dots on it with black watercolor. I die-cut the flowers from Neenah White cardstock and then colored them in with Copic markers. I attached them to the left side of the front and cut the bottom off. I wanted to try a horizontal card with this bouquet. 

I die-cut the word Thanks again and placed that on the top right. Then I added Nuvo drops in several colors all over the card and decided they were too much (or my girls did). So they all got removed with photoshop hahaha!

Done! Off to the beach for a walk. How is your summer going? I hope you enjoyed this very long post and thanks so much for visiting me!!! Suzy

LinkDeli.com

Comments

[Laurie]

I love them all, Suzy!! I would've loved to see Card #2 with the dots!! As for card #5, I actually think it's awesome!! Thanks for sharing your awesomeness!!

Laurie (@crazycardlady)

[Rosy Newlun]

Glorious, all of them are glorious! Thank you for so much inspiration!

[Stef Perry]

They are all gorgeous and simply stunning, however, if I had to pick, my favorite would be the first one. I appreciate that you shared your challenges as well as what worked well while you made these lovely cards.

[Karen Gerek]

Oh my gosh Suzy!, card #5 is spectacular! I plan on CASing it! All five of your designs are incredible, so thank you for sharing your very special talents. I actually just got this exact stamp today in the mail. Can't wait to play tomorrow!!!

[Jeanne]

These cards are fantastic, Suzy! That first one is stunning. Thank you so very much for sharing all these different ways to use a single set. It is so helpful and you are so kind to give all the tips and details. I know it's a lot of work to do that and I want to be sure you know how much I appreciate it and you! Hugs! :)

[Karen Page]

I like card #5 the best, so I guess there is no accounting for taste!!! I love the pop of color against the start contrast of the black and white pattern. I am curious though what it looked like with the Nuvo drops! I too had to have the Oxides once I saw for myself what I could do with them. However, I don't craft as often as I would like so they have sat in my drawer mocking me since my purchase. I need to pull them out soon and play. This was a good reminder of their versatility. Love how card 1 uses the stamp in a creative way... would not have thought it would have looked right with this set. Glad it does!! Thanks for the inspiration!

[Bette Manning]

I like the polka dot card the best!

[Debra Peterson]

My favorite? Number 3! I can't stop looking at it. The colors are so soft and beautiful. I love how the pink and green colors blend to create a soft lavender at the base of the flowers and the top of the stems. Absolutely gorgeous!