Winter Bouquet Flourishes and Imagine Crafts Blog Hop

This card has a lot of sparkle - perfect for the holidays. The stamps are by Flourishes, l.c. The sparkle comes from Imagine Crafts, as part of a blog hop! The card is simple to make but looks very elegant.

Be sure to leave a comment in order to win prizes!

Imagine Blog
Barbara Thompson
Toni Storie
Alison Heikkila
Beverly Cole
Kren Kurts
Neva Cole
Roni Johnson
Linda Lucas
Davi Long
Jennifer Vanderbeek
Naomi Gong
Vickie Yeakley
Nadine Carlier
Rebecca Ednie
Gloria Hayoung Lee
Mark Melnick
Shirley Qu
Martha Lucia Gomez
Terre Fry
Mary Prasad <- You are here!
Trisha Traxler
Monica Edwards
Flourishes L.C

Making the Card

1. Cut red cardstock to 5 1/2 x 8 1/2; inches. Fold in half to form a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card base.

2. Stamp large bouquet and tag with "Winter Cheer" greeting on white cardstock with StazOn Jet Black ink. Color bouquet with Memento Markers, going from dark to light, overlapping colors to shade and blend. Cut around bouquet and tag with detail scissors. Go around outside edges from the back side with Tuxedo Black Memento Marker (this hides the white edges and gives it a finished look). Spray bouquet with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Spritz. Spray tag with Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz.

3. Cut about a 6 inch long piece of seam binding. Spray with Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz.

4. Cut black cardstock 3 3/4 x 5 inches. Spray with Gold irRESISTible Texture Spray. Once dry, spray Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz over the entire piece. Wrap gold sprayed seam binding around middle where shown, adhering on backside. Adhere to card base.

5. Die cut 3rd smallest Dotted Scallop Oval from white cardstock. Spray with Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz. Add dots of Gold irRESISTible Pico Embellisher to outside scallops. Let dry. Adhere to center of card.

6. Adhere bouquet with dimensional tape as shown. Adhere tag where shown.

Supplies

• Memento Markers: Lady Bug, Love Letter, Rhubarb Stalk, Dandelion, New Sprout, Pear Tart, Bamboo Leaves, Cottage Ivy, Tuxedo Black
• StazOn Ink: Jet Black
• irRESISTible Texture Spray: Gold, Sparkle
• irRESISTible Pico Embellisher: Gold
• Sheer Shimmer Spritz: Gold
• Flourishes Stamps: Winter Bouquet SSBCA024
• Elizabeth Craft Designs 1173 Dotted Scallop Ovals
• Cardstock: White, Black, Red
• Seam Binding: White
• Dimensional Tape

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Radiant Neon Bird Crazy Belated Birthday Card

These super fun crazy birds are the perfect subjects to color with bright Radiant Neon inks. The inks look almost like they are glowing and show up really well on dark cardstock. I made this little scene with the pooped out balloon (string blowing in the breeze) to go with the belated birthday sentiment. I especially love the expressions on the birds' faces. The set of "things" to go with the bird stamps make them quite versatile.

Making the Card

1. Cut kraft cardstock to about 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches (a quarter of 8 1/2 x 11 sheet).

2. Cut coral cardstock to 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches; fold in half for a card base.

3. Watch this video for stamping, masking, and coloring:

4. Trim kraft cardstock (with birds) to 4 x 5 1/4 inches; adhere to card base as shown.

Supplies

• Radiant Neon Ink Pads or Inkers: Electric Yellow, Electric Orange, Electric Coral, Electric Pink, Electric Purple, Electric Blue, Electric Green
• StazOn Ink: Jet Black
• VersaFine Ink: Toffee, Onyx Black
• Fantastix
• Optional: Memento Markers Tuxedo Black, London Fog
• Cardstock: Kraft, Coral
• Stampers Anonymous Stamps: Cityscapes, Bird Crazy, Crazy Things, Mini Bird Crazy & Things
• Stamps of Life Stamps: Patterns4tshirts
• Post-it Removable Tape or Other Masking Material
• Optional: ECD Fine Pointed Scissors (Limited Edition Pink!)
• Optional: MISTI Stamping Tool or Other Stamp Press

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Brush Lettering with Memento Markers

Memento Markers have dual tips; one is a flexible brush tip and the other is a fine tip. The brush tip is great for learning brush lettering techniques. I've tried many brush tip pens and this was the easiest one to begin with. It's just stiff enough to get a fine line without too much effort but flexible enough to get a nice thick one on the downstrokes.

Video Tutorial

Watch the video below to see how I used Memento Markers for brush lettering.

Hints:

• Push down on the pen for down strokes (creating a thick line); pull up on the pen for all other strokes (creating a fine line).
• Every pen is different - draw a few strokes before writing each time you switch pens to get the pen's feel. Draw a series of lines, thin to thick, then draw some curves, up down up...
• Create your own alphabet - look around for alphabets that please you and alter letters as you see fit. For example, leave out the loop on the decender for the letter "p" or add a loop on the ascender on the letter "k".
• Practice, practice, practice!

Brush Lettering Sites

• Note: If you click over to my Pinterest site, you can find alphabets and other info under the Calligraphy section.
• Share Lettering has a brush drills worksheet download pdf that is great for beginners.
• Papel n Co. has brush pen worksheets, both upper case and lower, in pdf format.
• Pieces Calligraphy has a lot of downloads, scroll down to the Printable Worksheets section.
• Dawn Nicole has brush lettering sheets in a pdf as well as modern calligraphy practice sheets in a pdf.
• Katrina Alana had both a spacing guide sheet as well as a blank guide sheet in printable pdf form.
• The Postman's Knock has a lot of great freebies off these posts (you will have to use the cart but they are free) - click inside each post to get to the freebie links (search for "free" if you can't find it). Some of the style worksheets I downloaded included: Beth, Janet, Amy, and Kaitlin.
• If you want to get really fancy, Crystalizabeth Modern Hand Lettering and Design has a link to a free flourish practice worksheet pdf.

Beginning Brush Lettering Tutorials

• Surely Simple: Brush Lettering Tips + Practice Part 2.
• The Postman's Knock (TPK): Free Brush Pen Calligraphy Worksheet. The author, Lindsey, also posted a brush lettering tutorial, including a short video.
• Pieces Calligraphy: An entire Learn section with loads of information.

Supplies

• Memento Markers
• Pencil
• Eraser
• T-Square (or Ruler)
• Marker Friendly Cardstock (e.g. Copic X-Press It)
• Optional: Graph Paper
• Optional: Dies (in video: Spellbinders Labels Four S4-190 and Labels Four Small S4-309)

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Memento Marker Watercolor Stamping

This is a simple way to make a watercolored scene for your cards. As you will see in the video tutorial, I do a little painting to enhance the scene but you could easily skip it. (I didn't have a stamp for the small blue wild flowers so I added them by hand.)

Making the Card

1. Cut light pink cardstock 7x10 inches; fold in half for a card base.

2. Cut watercolor paper 4 1/2 x 6 inches. Tape to Craft Mat with painter's tape. Watch the video tutorial below.

Paper Sizes
Watercolor painting - cut to 4 x 5 5/8 inches
Dark pink cardstock - 4 1/8 x 5 3/4 inches, 4 5/8 x 6 1/8 inches
Patterned paper - 4 1/2 x 6 inches

3. Die cut leaves from green cardstock, shade and shape as desired. Adhere flowers, leaves, and enamel dots as shown.

Supplies

Imagine Crafts Supplies

• Memento Markers: New Sprout, Olive Grove, Danube Blue, Grape Jelly, Lulu Lavender, Lilac Posies, Rose Bud, Angel Pink
• Ink Potion No. 9
• Sheer Shimmer Spritz: Sparkle
• Craft Mat
• VersaFine Ink: Onyx Black

Other Supplies

• Rubber Stamps: Flower (solid - open design not recommended)
• Painter's Tape
• Watercolor Paper (e.g. Arches Hot Press)
• Watercolor Brushes
• Patterned Paper: Doodlebug Design Inc. Kraft in Color - Color 6x6 Pad
• Cardstock: Light Pink, Dark Pink, Green
• Petaloo DIY Paintables (Bulk Packs)
• Stamps: Close to My Heart Artistry
• Enamel Dots

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Coloring Flower Die Cuts with Memento

In the tutorial video below, I show how to color and shape flower die cuts for a realistic look. The dies are by Elizabeth Craft Designs and Susan Tierney-Cockburn.

Making the Card

Start by cutting the cardstock:

Kraft card base 7x10 inches
Dark brown cardstock  4 1/4 x 6 1/4 inches
Patterned cardstock 4x6 inches
From white cardstock:

• Die cut one copy of all petal layers except the small (cut two) for the Magnolia - make 1 flower
• Die cut two copies of each petal layer for each Chrysanthemum - make 2 flowers
• Die cut one copy of all petal layers for each tulip - make 4 flowers

Die cut three sets of Ivy, plus as many leaves as desired for the flowers from green cardstock
Die cut one grapevine wreath from brown cardstock

Here's the video tutorial step-by-step:

Supplies

ECD Supplies

• 1142 Garden Notes Southern Magnolia
• 1087 Garden Notes Chrysanthemum
• 1000 Garden Notes Tulip
• 1138 Garden Notes Grapevine Wreath Oval
• 1036 CountryScapes Mini Botanicals - Clematis, Ivy
• 808 Susan's Garden 4pcs. All metal Tool Set in Luxury Case
• 810 Large Molding Pad

Imagine Crafts Supplies

• Memento Markers: Dandelion, Love Letter, Angel Pink, Lulu Lavender, Morocco, New Sprout, Olive Grove
• Memento Ink (Dew Drops): Dandelion, Cantaloupe, Tangelo, Morocco, Lady Bug, Lulu Lavender, Grape Jelly, Bamboo Leaves, Cottage Ivy
• Ink Potion No. 9
• Fantastix
• Sponge Daubers

Other Supplies

• Cardstock: Green, Brown, Dark Brown White, Kraft
• Patterned Cardstock: DCWV The Mariposa Stack 6x6 Pad CP-002-00994
• Beacon Kids Choice Glue
• Optional: Petroleum Jelly

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Textured Watercolor Valentine's Day Card

Made as part of the Imagine Crafts Artist in Residence Team

I made this card for my husband for Valentine's day (which is why it posted after instead of before... he reads my posts!). Not only was the image fun to color, the flowers were fun to make too - and really easy. The only tricky part was drying them with the heat tool. Next time I think I will put them in a box so they won't blow around so much!

Making the Card

Card base: cream cardstock 5x7 inches (cut 7x10 inches, fold in half)
Brown paper: 3 15/16 x 5 3/16 inches, 4 1/2 x 6 1/4 inches, 4 1/2 x 5 3/4 inches
Striped paper: 4 1/4 x 6 inches
Newsprint paper: 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches

For a step-by-step, watch the video below!

Supplies

Imagine Crafts Supplies

• Memento Markers: Angel Pink, Summer Sky, Dandelion, Danube Blue, New Sprout, London Fog
• Memento Dew Drop Inks: Desert Sand, Toffee Crunch, Peanut Brittle, Dandelion, Rich Cocoa
• Ink Potion No. 9
• VersaFine: Onyx Black
• Embossing Powder: Black
• Sheer Shimmer Spritz: Sparkle
• irRESISTible Pico Embellisher: Shimmer

Other Supplies

• Cardstock: Cream, Brown
• Glossy Cardstock
• Stamp: Lili of the Valley Love Balloon
• Patterned Paper: 6x6 Pad Lost & Found Madison Avenue
• Lawn Fawn Small Stitched Rectangle Stackables
• Petaloo DIY Paintables (Bulk Packs)
• Optional: Half Pearls

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