Last Day Samples

I know this the last day to purchase May 2012's Stamp of the Month "Friendship Bouquet", but I like these samples and I'd hate to think I let another opportunity to share go by.  The flowers in these samples can be changed out with any flower and leaf (although I think these look especially good).

May Stamp of the Month Samples

The top card measures 3" x 4.75" and can be found in Originals on page 29.  I've rotated the Right Spotlight pattern 90 degrees clockwise.  The strip of paper is from the Stella paper packet.  The base color is Olive green and the focal mat is Brown Bag under Colonial White.  The background of the Olive paper is from directly rubbing the Olive stamp pad against the paper.  I looks even better in person!

I've colored both flowers with colored pencil and then went back in with a wet paintbrush to blend the colors.  The hat's flower was stamped using the Brown Stazon Ink Pad.  I was afraid our Chocolate water based ink would bleed with the water.  The top flower is stamped with Chocolate -- the leaves are stamped in Garden Green.  I must have waited long enough for the Chocolate and Garden Green ink to thoroughly dry (and not used a lot of water) because neither bled.  I didn't have to throw away a flower! :)

The hat is 3" x 8" and come from an old pattern I have.  The band is the other side of the Stella paper used in the top card.  The grid for the hat was accomplished by using my Martha Stewart Scoring board with the envelope maker piece fitted in.  The envelope maker allows for 45 degree angles to be scored.  The first direction was easy because the paper fit up against the envelope maker piece.  The second direction was a little more challenging because I couldn't figure out a way to fit my paper against the maker without repeating the same lines or flipping the paper over (and I couldn't do that or the score lines would be opposite the first set -- going down instead of up).

In the end, I  flipped the card over with the writing part dangling above. The fold of the card rested against the envelope maker.  Then I scored every 1/2" just like I did in the first direction.

The last things done to the card was sanding the lines and then direct to paper the edges of the card with Brown Bag ink (on the Brown Bag cardstock).  :)