I have a set of clear stamps that is strictly text - individual words. These can be mounted on a single acrylic block to form sentiments and phrases. I had an idea to use multiple words to make a frame for joyous occasions.

I placed the words with three corners being made of two word phrases. After I stamped this it wasn't clear that it was not one big run-on sentence so I used markers to color block them. I also used marker to frame the center sentiment which is from a different set entirely.

On two of the cards I used two clock images to do second generation stamping in brown ink to create a background, rounded the corners and distressed the edges with old paper distress ink. The last card has no distressing or background stamping.

After that it was just the mounting. I cut a 6" paper apart so I could spread it to go to the ends of my 5x7 card base (with a thin border exposed). Then I cut and bordered an accent strip to cover this gap. I tied colored twine (on two of them), mounted the bordered sentiment on foam tape and added some bling to finish it off.

This first one I sent as a graduation card for a young lady:

And the second one was a birthday card for a man

The third one was also a birthday card but for a woman. I used a different center sentiment on this one, too.

I think this makes a good mix of masculine/feminine, non-specific celebration occasions, and vintage/modern.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

Updated: Friday, 28 June 2013 1:51 PM PDT

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Well, this has been a looooo-o-o-n-g stretch of coloring images. But today marks the end of those so we will move on to something else after today.

For this last round I stamped and colored with alcohol markers some little green frogs. I have no idea why they are wearing crowns. I think they might be companions to some other stamps with a castle, a carriage and something else I've forgotten. If so, they would represent fairy tales and this must be the frog prince.

On the first I used some distressed papers and green ribbons over a taupecard base. The sentiment suits the 'kiss the frog' under-message.

More busy papers on this one with embellishments of crocheted trim, ribbon and twine. I stamped the sentiment words onto separate strips of striped paper.

I love this fine blue dot paper and decided to add just a bit of zing with the green chevron paper. A little green twine ties into the frog and a sentiment stamped on white echoes the border on him.

I used the same papers as before but with a different balance. the same sentiment was used and this, again, uses a blue card base.

Actually, I am more than ready to move on to a new focus.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

Updated: Monday, 5 August 2013 8:58 AM PDT

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The stamp I used for today was one I got in a grab bag at Goodwill. There were few useable stamps in there as many of them were damages, poor quality foam stamps or ones with the rubber hardened on them.

I colored this up twice on plain white cardstock using alcohol markers. IFor both cards I used denim prints from a 6x6 pad, green bordering and the same sentiment stamp.

Due to the variety of papers in the 6x6 pad the cards come out looking toad-ally different! (hee hee hee)

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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This is another image that was sent to me in a swap. It was a very light impression which worked OK in the image itself but the bold border on the round image looked lame. So, after watercoloring the image, I glued three rounds of twine around the edge.

I chose a base card to pull out the colors in the sky, the dotted background that echoes the circle element, and the bottom border which picks up the green from the bamboo.

I stamped the sentiment directly onto the background paper and used one with a casual feel to suit the theme.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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The images colored today were sent to me in a swap. I took a chance on the ink they might be stamped with and did the coloring with alcohol inks. Both of the images were colored identically.

The first little guy was trimmed out and got the corners rounded. Both bordering layers also got rounded corners. I pulled soft colors into the background and added three square rhinestone brads. The sentiment was cut into a flag and bordered with the same color as the image panel.

Little Mr. Hedgehoggot trimmed with a white border this time. He got some love added in the form of strips of heart papers and a 'love' text background.

I used Stickles on the flower centers. Then I added Glossy Accents to the ladybug and the four large hearts in the center strip.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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The image I used today is small, simple and elegant. I made three color choices and trimmed each of them with a thin white border.

For the orange tulips I chose burnt orange as the bordering color and added a stripe with that as well as green and ogange. I brought the blue of the vase in with a patterned background. I used one of the wide stripes in the signature color to stamp the sentiment.

I do love me some yellow and grey. So when I pulled out the yellow tulips it seemed natural to back them with three grey elements. I used yellow for the borders and added some blue and white twine to pick up the color from the vase.

The final tulips got colored up in pink. I went with a soft pallette in vintage papers for a romantic feel. A tie of thin coral ribbon on the left provides some balance.

I think these tulips need to come out to play more often.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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A friend stamped and sent me this panel of roses to which I added rhinestone centers. I wanted them to take center stage so I bordered them and added complementary papers in a diagonal background.

A simple sentiment is bordered in the same color and popped up on foam tape.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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Other than the stamp artist's signature in the center front (which I think looks like a hairball) I like this image. I used alcohol markers for coloring and cut them out square.

the first one got a border of bling on the floral backing panel. These pull color from the colored image. The red of the floral panel is repeated in the backing papers and all elements are bordered in navy.

I used the same floral panel behind the cat but toned down the red background. The addition of a stamped tab picks up the color from the cat.

On both cards the cat image is popped up on foam tape.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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Every time I try to use this image I have a big FAIL! The image is kind of indistinct and comes out looking like it is just poorly stamped. I chose to stamp with a brown ink for a more country feel. Then I used alcohol markers to color them in bright colors.

For the first card I cut down the image, rounded the corners and distressed the edges with Distress Ink. A red patterned paper with a country lookgoes behind the rooster and is tied with some blue twine. I created a background with strips of country papers and used red bordering to tie it all together.

One of my 6x6 pads had some paper with little images printed on them in subdued line art. I used one of these as a background and colored some of the elements to match the rooster. I added a couple of patterned papers for contrast and mounted the chicken with foam tape.

This is another paper from the 6x6 pad with an element imprinted. I used a craft knife around the edge of that label and tucked the rooster image behind it. The dotted paper was just plain white dots on blue paper. I used markers to randomly color the dots to pick up colors from the rooster image.

I MAY use this rooster again sometime... maybe.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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I colored up this doll a while back and decided to have another go at it. I used alcohol inks on plain cardstock again.

I decided to whack off her topknot which I think makes her cuter. The coloring covered so many hues that it was difficult to put together a card that didn't look too busy. I accomplished this by using some colors only in bordering and letting the red become the focus.

By stamping the sentiment directly on the background I was able to eliminate one layer of detail.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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Here is another of my hand carved stamps that I found in the drawer. Simple coloring with alcohol markers gives them real impact.

I didn't want to detract from that so I played it up with graphic papers for the background. The grey lace and grey dots allow the eye to rest shile the black and white chevron and the red dot echo the colors in the image.

I decided to use the green of the leaves in the bordering for the other elements.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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Some time ago I stamped up every one of my hand carved images for a display. Then I just threw them in a drawer. When I pulled out this lighthouse I decided to use alcohol markers in very pastel colors to not overwhelm the blue ink of the impression.

I went with a taupe card base and bordering. Color blocking with squares of patterned paper provide a base for the image which is popped up on foam tape.

I stamped the sentiment ona piece of the backing color and then bordered it with the same color as the stamping in the image.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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These tea elements are from different sets so the only way to make them look like they were the right scale was to set the cup way out in front. I used the bands of bordering as anchor points for the china and used backing papers to echo the colors in them.

So, what's with the title of the blog entry today? Look at the backing paper. At the top edge is the word 'Boston'. Planned? Not at all! In fact I didn't notice it until I was editing the photo. LOL!

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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Cupcakes make me happy. Not necessarily REAL cupcakes, either. Just cupcakes in general. I have several images of them and this is my favorite.

For a single image I pulled green borders and card base from the cupcake paper. Combining these with pastel patterned papers keeps them the focus. I added a gold peel-off sticker and three gold brads for accents.

I used the three remaining cupcakes like they are sitting on the table with a wallpaper background.The blue version is popped up on foam tape. I mounted a birthday peel-off sticker onto cardstock to match the card base and trimmed it out. This is up on foam tape, too.

All the cherries on both cards have Glossy Accents for a little shine.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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This is another flower that I am at a loss to identify. But it looks tropical to me so I gave it vibrant colors.

I cut the flower with a narrow white border and echoed that  with deep purple. The purple was carried on to the borders on the patterned papers and as the card base.

I stamped the sentiment repeatedly in a staggered pattern on the largest strip to create a text background.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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I am really so-so on this image. Trying to remind myself why I even bought it. It can technically be colored up as a Stellar Jay as well as a Cardinal. In fact, I tried the jay but it turned out horribly so I trashed it.

So, here is the cardinal. I backed it with many layers of patterned papers and color borders. The black scalloped papers are a perpared journaling block that I cut apart to fit this space.

This image was colored with alcohol markers on plain white cardstock.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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I watercolored two sunflower images using Distress Marker inks and fussy cut them for mounting on two very different cards.

I combined papers from a 'denim' 6x6 pad for the first treatment. I used some denim blue for the card base and some buttery yellow to back three accent strips. the image is popped up on foam tape and the sentiment is stamped directly on the background.

From girly to masculine with a change in papers. I used three papers from Tim Holtz and bordered them with chocolate brown. The image is adhered directly to the background. I stamped the sentiment on green paper to match the stem and cut the top into 'grass' as an anchor for the flower.

Now THAT is a difference in treatment.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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This is an image that I've had around forever and never used. It came in a large set and just never seemed to speak to me. I colored it up three times in Distress Marker ink treated as watercolors.

With the first image I cut it out with an oval die and backed it with a large scalloped die. Three strips of patterned paper are laid out in a formal arrangement and I have tied a bow on three strands of purple twine.

With the second image I went with a bold yellow card base and added four squares of patterned paper as a backing for the scalloped focal piece. a little faux stitching on the blocks and a black tracing on the image help the pieces stand out. Then I found some awesome border stickers and applied those to either end before rounding the corners.

Finally, I used a fancy die to cut out the colored image and backed it with a deep purple paper. A green patterned paper underlies this with a base background of a diamond stripe. Borders of the dark purple at every layer ties it all together.

You certainly can't say they all look the same!

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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Sometimes you just have to break out a stamp you've had forever that has never been inked. Such is the case with this chubby chick. I stamped and colored it identically four times using Copic markers. Each image got it's own treatment, though.

First is a cheery little Hello backed with greens and bordered in yellows. I used die cuts for the image and the scalloped circle. I combined patterns in the papers with the yellow chevron and the green houndstooth. The style of the sentiment is casual enough to suit this layout.

Using the same colors I made the chevron paper more of a focus on this card by stamping a sentiment directly on it. I cut the chick and the backing with scalloped dies.

The next two are very similar to one another. I used some bold red to set the stage and added a strip of black and white chevron to jazz it up. A little snip of yellow chevron contains the sentiment nicely and ties in with the color of the chick. 

For this one I used a prepared journaling card and cut the chick in a rectangle to fit the open area.

With the same materials and layout I used a round die to cut the chick for the journaling tag.

What a cute chick!

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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Anyone know what kind of flowers these are, or what color they occur in naturally? I sure don't.

I thought they looked good in blue with a yellow center so in MY world that's the color they come in. I colored them in Copics.

For the first I bordered everything with yellow and used backing papers in blues and greens that are greyed versions of the flower. I popped the image up on foam tape. When I tried to stamp the sentiment directly on the panel I smeared it. Drat! So I stamped it again on the yellow chevron paper and cut a little heart from it. With the addition of the faux stitching to define the edges it really came together.

For this version I selected a background with beige tone-on-tone text. I added a scalloped edge to the yellow bordering piece to draw attention to it. This time I stamped the sentiment on a prepared journaling tag and popped it up on foam the same level as the image.

The color in this looks a little pink that is not there in real life.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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