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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Many, many more days of colored images to show you! For today's cards I colored up an image of a bouguet of flowers in a vase with a large ribbon woven in.

I used a soft blue for the ribbon and a bit in the glass vase. Then I went bold in the colors of the flowers. In choosing papers for the background I brought out the softer colors of blue and green. As a final touch I used a toned-down version of the reds to create three little flags.

I hope it's not seen as a lack of imagination that I made these two cards identical.

Believe me, despite the little tricks the camera plays, these cards are made of exactly the same materials.

Ddd

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

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You probably expected butterflies with that entry title, but I'm actually presenting three cards with hummingbirds. They must be different kinds because the colors on the belly and wings are reversed on one bird. In all cases, after the throat was colored in red I added pink pearl pen over it. All of the birds are fussy cut with a split between the wings so the closer wing can be popped up on foam tape.

First, I placed the bird on a red scrap printed with text. This andboth  the background papers were bordered with a green to complement the wings.

The next bird got some distressed papers and coral borders.

And on this one I started with shimmer paper in a red and several strips of printed paper from a 6x6 pad. Love all these green prints. A very light printed paper backs the bird.

No sentiments on any of these so they can be used for any occastion notecards.

Ddd

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

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I pulled out my very favorite stamp for the caards today. The hydrangea is stamped on watercolor paper and used Distress Marker ink as paint for watercoloring. Each of the florettes got a small dot of yellow pearl paint.

First I used a dark dusty purple for bordering everything. The striped paper is a bit of stability in the sea of green matrix.

A brighter purple really livens up this card. The diagonal line between the two patterned papers creates a great dynamic.

When I diecut these two images I also embossed the edges. On one I sponged the distress ink around all the edges and on the other I left the die in place when sponging to create a white border.

Ddd

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

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Imagine that, I actually made two cards that are exactly alike. As every time I have ever done this, I did them at the same time step-by-step rather than making one all the way through and then the other all the way through.

The image was stamped on watercolor paper and watercolored using Distress Marker inks. When I pulled out a 6x6 pad it had the exact colors I needed to play with the colored images.

I cut out the image with a Spellbinders die and cut a larger scalloped oval from the backing paper. Then I popped up the image on foam tape and that was it.

The only difference in these two cards is where the colors appear on the patterned paper.

I guess one flower tilts more than the other, too.

Ddd 

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

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I love hibiscus! This is one of my favorite images in my stamp collection. It has great shading within the drawing which makes it easy to get the color shading in the right places. I stamped on plain cardstock and did the coloring with alcohol markers.

As soon as I trimmed out the fuschia bloom I knew I wanted a very graphic setting for it. I pulled out the black and white chevron paper and then my eye was pulled to the larger chevron in the pink paper. WOW! I broke it up with a darker band at the bottom and added a border to the flower. As a finish, I brought the green back in with the label sentiment at the top.

With an orange blossom I toned down the colors by using little of the color in the background - only around the edges and in a darker tone as well as three simple stripes of ribbon. I let the white border of the flower make it stand out from the background of greens.

I stamped the sentiment directly onto this background paper.

Ddd 

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

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