Sending Love Flowers and Mailbox & Wall are two of the latest stamps from Dreamerland Crafts. The latter is from their Mix & Match collection - great for creating backgrounds and scenes. I colored this image with Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencils and blended it with Zest-It Pencil Blend on Canson Artist Series Drawing paper (250g/153.6lb cotton bright white) - this is the first time I'm using all three of these products. This combination isn't for the faint of heart. It was pretty challenging to get the color to blend and layer. I think this combination would work better on a larger piece, using a brush to apply the Zest-It Pencil Blend. On this small scale, I had to constantly dip the blending stump to keep the color moving to fill the paper texture.
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Making the Card
1. Cut Blue/Green cardstock 7x10 inches; fold in half to form a 5x7 inch card base. Cut cloud paper (Spring Things) 4 3/4 x 4 3/4 inches and 1 1/4 x 4 3/4 inches. Adhere smaller one at top of card and larger at bottom as shown, leaving a gap for the paper ribbon. Cut a strip of light pink grid paper (Dot-Grid-Daisy-Stripe Rainbow Petite Prints) 1/2 x 5 inches. Adhere where shown. Die cut small bow (Fold Up Bows) in same paper, trim off tails, and assemble (hint: use the end of a paintbrush or other small round item to curve paper before assembly). Set aside bow.
2. Stamp Sending Love Flowers in Jet Black StazOn ink on masking paper. Cut around outside. Cut a piece of Canson Drawing Paper* to about 5x5 inches. I recommend using a Stamp Platform or stamp positioner for the next part. Stamp in the following order using Desert Sand Memento ink (I recommend stamping off first and doing a 2nd generation stamp of this - mine was too dark, making it very difficult to cover with pencil). Stamp Sending Love Flowers main image; mind placement - leaving room for sky and walls. Place mask over image then stamp walls to either side. Use Post-It Tape or other mask over walls (mostly to mask the top of the wall where the bush stamps may overlap). Stamp bushes so they are peeking above walls. Stamp bird where shown.
*Upon coloring (Step 3), I discovered that it is a bit difficult to work with this paper due to its light texture - coloring with pencils over it shows a lot of white, even with a highly sharpened tip and working in small circles. The Zest-It Pencil Blend I used to blend the pencil isn't wet enough on the blending stumps to fill the specks of white easily - some pressure and a lot of patience is needed. For beginners, I would recommend using a smoother cardstock, like 80lb Neenah Classic Crest Solar White.
3. Color image with Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencils. Blend using Zest-It Pencil Blend and blending stumps as necessary. I left some areas unblended, for example, in the rocks, to give it a rougher look. Hint: color in layers for best results, for example, lightly color an area, use the blending solution and stumps, then add more color; repeat. My favorite pencil sharpener is the KUM Long Point to get a really fine point.
4. Die cut image using largest Nested Square Small Stitch Die. Cut blue/green cardstock 1/4 inch bigger than the die cut image (i.e. leaving 1/8 inch all the way around). Adhere to card where shown then use dimensional/mounting tape to adhere image.
5. Cut out "hello sunshine" (Spring Things) 2x2 inches. Cut blue/green cardstock 2 1/8 x 2 1/8 inches; adhere "hello sunshine" using dimensional/mounting tape. Adhere to card where shown. Adhere bow.
6. Finish card with crystal sequins where shown (the first photo shows their locations best).
Supplies
- Dreamerland Crafts Stamps: Sending Love Flowers (D18002), Mail Box & Wall (M18301)
- Cardstock: Blue/Green
- Doodlebug Designs 6x6 Paper Pads: Spring Things (5531), Dot-Grid-Daisy-Stripe Rainbow Petite Prints (5448)
- Canson Drawing Paper Artist Series 250g Bright White or Neenah Classic Crest Solar White
- Masking Paper
- Optional: Post-It Tape
- StazOn Ink: Jet Black
- Memento Ink: Desert Sand
- Stamp Platform or Stamp Positioner
- Colored Pencils: Caran d'Ache Luminance
- Blending Solution: Zest-It Pencil Blend
- Blending Stumps
- KUM Long Point Pencil Sharpener
- Rubbernecker Stamps Dies: Nested Square Small Stitch Die (5011D)
- Dimensional/Mounting Tape
- Sizzix Dies: Fold Up Bows (662415)
- Darice Crystal Sequins