Dream On

Today I'm sharing two cards made with Graciellie Design's new "Dream On" digital stamp set. This set features a large peacock feather and no less than eight sentiments!

For my first card I:

• tapped out Ultramarine Blue and Lime Green Colorburst powders (Ken Oliver) onto a piece of watercolor paper
• spritzed with water, soaked up some of the color with baby wipes, and heat set
• printed my feather/sentiment over top 
• (So happy I finally figured out how to change the color of digital images in my Photoscape program -- I even managed to make this one variegated!)
• added a couple sequins

For my second card I:

• Printed a large peacock feather and one of the sentiments on white card stock  
• colored the feather with Prismacolor Pencils
• distressed the edges of my card front and the sentiment 
• added stenciling around the edges with the Watercolor stencil from Tim Holtz and Mermaid Lagoon/Mowed Lawn Distress Ink (Ranger)
• added three sequins

This post linked to:
Simon Says - Sprinkles and Spatters
Paper Craft Crew - Sketch Challenge
Time Out - Bright 

Galaxy Background

It's time for our Wednesday challenge over at The House That Stamps Built. This week we have an inspiration board for you. This challenge is a fun cross between a photo challenge and a color challenge. You can choose to be inspired by the colors, the photograph, or both!

I loved this challenge board as soon as Wendy posted it in on our private facebook page. I  used both sides of the board as inspiration for my card.....that lovely night sky and the color scheme!  To create my card I started by making a galaxy background....

• I mask off the moon using a white piece of card stock cut with circle nestabilities (Spellbinders)
• Using Peeled Paint, Faded Jeans, and Walnut Stain Distress Oxide along with  Mermaid Lagoon and Black Soot Distress Ink -- I inked up my water color paper being sure to leave some lighter ink around the moon to create a glowing effect
• Next, I spritzed it with water and heat set it
• To finish off the sky, I added some splashes of diluted white acrylic paint

• I removed the moon mask and using the 2708-M, Pine Branch stamp and Tuxedo Black Ink I added branches all around my card front to create the illusion of looking up at the moon through a forest of trees
• I stamped the 1905-I, Be strong . . . sentiment in black ink and added the 2709-I, Large Pine Forest image over top in Mowed Lawn and Cracked Pistachio Distress Ink 
• After die cutting with a rectangle die I matted it on a piece of dark blue card stock

• For my blog readers: Enjoy the 10% discount code to the Repeat Impressions Store posted on the sidebar
• There's a new challenge every week over at  The House That Stamps Built 
• you don't have to use Repeat Impressions stamps to link or win
• One lucky person will win a $25 Repeat Impressions Gift Certificate on the first Wednesday of every month

Check out what the other design team members created: 

Cheri  ~ Shirley ~ Heather ~ Laurie ~ Donna ~ Joy

This post linked to:

Double D - The Moon and Stars

Simon Says - Sprinkles and Spatters

Allsorts - From Boys to Men

Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes 

Cross Stitch Card

Today I have something different to share with you -- it's a card that has a large cross stitch design as it's main feature.  I was inspired to make this card by a pin I saw from Stitches in Paper and followed the directions outlined in her post. I love the finished look - simple, yet elegant. This very special card will be for my Mom's 76th birthday next week!

To create my card I:

1. Printed the free rose cross stitch pattern from Roland - Designs on  thin paper
2. Laid my pattern over a piece of kraft card stock and poked out the design with a tack (a paper piercer works too, but mine has a bit of a blunt tip)
3. Stitched my design with DMC thread
4. Created my card by adding a the die cut sentiment and a few sequins

I love that this is something you can easily take with you to work on when you can't be paper crafting, and it combines two hobbies in one (cross stitch and card making!). I'm certain you'll be seeing more stitched cards on my blog in the future!

This post linked to:
Use Your Stuff - Summer Fun (working in my flower beds)
Shopping Our Stash - Leaf It To Me
heARTful Stamping - Dog Days of Summer
Wordart Wednesday - Anything Goes
Dare2Bartzy - Anything Goes
a2x Scrapbooking - Anything Goes
Stamplorations - Anything Goes

Sponged Embossing

Today's card features a very easy technique for using your embossing folders to create backgrounds for your cards. Cropstop sells a wide variety of Embossing Folders for you to try this technique on - why not stop by the store and check them out!

 To create this card I:

• Embossed a piece of white card stock with the Floral Whimsical Embossing Folder (Darice)
• Using Sponge Daubers I applied four different color combos of Distress Ink (Ranger) over the raised design
• Mowed Lawn/Pine Needles
• Blueprint Sketch/Chipped Sapphire
• Fossilized  Amber/Spiced Marmalade
• Abandoned Coral/Picked Raspberry
• I die cut a sentiment from black card stock using the Sentiment Words Thinlit Dies from Tim Holtz (Sizzix)

 I'd love to see your take on this quick and easy way to create colorful backgrounds  so stop by the current link party and link up!