Brayer Sunset Technique

Since I have several orders that I need to complete this week, I decided to get started on one of them tonight. One of my best friends wanted a birthday card for her nephew and he loves hunting so this card fits perfectly.  After deciding on a theme, I wanted to try the sunset brayer technique and I thought it would fit the card them nicely.  Since I am new to the brayer and the different things it can do, I found this video on Pinterest (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-zHZQISoaw) which helped me create a sunset background with yellow and orange ink.  Once the sunset was finished, I added grass to the bottom where it was still white with the brayer as well.  I feel that it give it a hill like look when it was completed.  I then went ahead and stamped the trees from the Lovely As A Tree stamp set on the overlay.  Using my Silhouette, I cut out a buck to be adhered to the card as well.  To finish this card, I stamped "Happy Birthday" in the right-hand corner.  This card turned out great and my best friend loved it.  I am always a little bit scared to try out a new technique when making cards for my customers since I never know if it will turn out or not, but I have to say that it turned out nicely.  I can't wait to hear how her nephew liked this card when he opens it on his birthday!  Until next time, happy carding everyone!

Lovely As a Tree

Tonight's creation didn't take me very long to create.  I just had to experiment a little bit to make the image come out just right.  To get the two shades of trees, I stamped the image twice on a scrap piece of paper and then stamped it onto the white overlay.  Once that was dry. I inked the stamp up again and lined it up with the previous stamped and stamped the image.  It created a nice shadow effect. After the trees were done, I stamped "With Sympathy" in the right-hand corner.  Even though this card was clean and simple, it shows the person that you care and that you are thinking about them.  Until next time, happy carding everyone.

Sympathy Card

Tonight's card was a bit of a struggle since I had to make a sympathy card.  Sympathy cards are never easy and when you know the person it makes it that much harder.  One of my fiance's cousin dad passed away last night.  Unfortunately, I only got to meet him once, but he seemed like a great guy just from the one meeting.  He will be greatly missed by friends and family that had the honor of knowing him.  As a dedication to him, I plan on giving his family this card to them out of our condolences for their loss.

Tonight's creation was created using my Silhouette as well as my paper trimmer.  First, I used my Silhouette to cut out the different layers of the fall tree.  While my Silhouette was taking its time cutting out the tree, I used my trimmer to custom cut the base as well as the white overlay.  Once the Silhouette was finished, I assembled the tree together.  I think that every Silhouette file should come with a set of instructions since this tree was not the easiest to put together.  There may not have been may pieces, but trying to figure out the order was a challenge all by itself.  After the tree was assembled, I used stamping sponges to make the background.  I love using new techniques and this technique came out quite well.  Even though this card is to show our condolences I hope that the family enjoys the peaceful tranquility, and can remember the positives of the loss of Bill.  Until next time, happy carding everyone.

My Deepest Sympathy

In time of sympathy words sometimes escape us, and so this is why we give sappy cards. Not to speak ill of those who have lost or those who have passed but I find that a sympathy card is one of the hardest cards to make.  Thankfully I have not lost many people in my life, but as a matter of fact it happens and cards are required.  Upon returning to school I was informed that one of the teachers I taught with during my first year lost her son in a motorcycle accident, a terrible tragedy and loss for her as he was still quite young.  As a dedication to her, I am planning on giving this card to her out of my condolences for her loss.

Tonight's card was cut out with the Silhouette it really looks bare, without any leaves (very similar to what we will see around these parts soon enough) but to add a bit of flavor I added butterflies.  They were punched with my Bitty Butterfly Punch, and then using my Simply Scored Board (an early birthday present from mom) I scored lines on both sides of the torso of the butterflies.  This helped give them a more 3-D appearance when I attached them to the card with glue dots, glue dots are best for something this small as adhesive requires a lot of attention to detail and a simple dot of glue really makes it easy.  When it comes to sympathy cards, as explained in previous blogs it's best to use softer colors.  This is very much like painting a baby room light blue or an off shade of pink, as a creative individual I choose these colors to please ones eyes.  Keeping a calm mood through out the card, to keep the viewer at ease with the situation that is being acknowledged through this card.  Thus why I chose a light pink base with a white overlay, I also made my butterflies a variety of shades including; light green, light blue, and light purple.  I topped this card with my "with sympathy" stamp in a light pink to match the underlay.

So even though a somber mood is associated with this card I hope that the recipient enjoys the peaceful tranquility, and can remember the positives of the loss of her son.  Until next time, happy carding everyone.

Sympathy Card

Family friends are always hard to lose but as with the blog a few days ago sympathy cards are a fact of life.  Today I used a design that was to be put on the back burner with the hopes that I wouldn't have to create another sympathy card for a while.  But as it so happens, I needed to make one for a family friend who recently had a bit of a heartbreak.  Using my Silhouette I cut out the "butterfly tree" and place it on white card stock with a purple backing card.  Soothing colors are a must for sympathy cards, to relax the mood of those receiving.  Using my Sketch Pen, I wrote With Sympathy on the bottom of the card.  Over complicating a card for an event such as this is not a good idea, as the card is to offer condolences.

Sympathy Card

Sympathy cards are always a hard card to give, because whether you knew the person directly or they were just an acquaintance there will be emotions regardless.  Soft colors often are best for emotional times as they are easy on the eyes and overwhelming, so I went with a pre-made card that was purple in color.  While the purple was okay, as a stand alone it was a bit obtrusive so I added in a white inlay to create a thin purple border.  I found the floral design online from the Silhouette Studio Online Store, keeping again with the subtle hues with just enough green to give it life.  I placed the tip of the flower in the upper right hand corner allowing the natural curve of the stem to draw a line of site through the card.  Ending at the letter S, the natural choice for a fond on this card was one with a nice curvature to keep with the theme.  Using a clear mount stamp, the letters were placed on the bottom of the card leaving enough of a gap to keep the white and purple in check.