Gone Fishing

So this summer must be the wettest summer on record. I really can't remember a summer as wet as this. It's really getting me down now. It has stopped me doing all the jobs I have wanted to catch up on this holiday.

I shouldn't be surprised really, there is always something to mess to up my plans. Usually it's something involving me injuring myself and being incapacitated for several weeks.

                                 

I guess the wet weather is a good excuse to stay in a craft, and that's exactly what I have been doing.
For these cards,  I purchased digital stamps from

www.liliofthevalley.co.uk  
(Click on the  link to go to the website.)

You can buy the images as rubber stamps as well as in digital form from the website. 
I usually buy the rubber version when I go to craft shows, but I was in  hurry and the craft show isn't until next year and I wanted something I could colour RIGHT NOW,  so I chose digital stamps. 

The plus side to digital stamps is delivery is almost instant and I didn't have to leave the house to get them, saving me time, postal costs and hubby's fuel. lol. 
If you have never tried digital stamps yet, I recommend you give them a go at least once. The bonus to having digital stamps is you can re size the images to fit any card.
The down side to digital stamps is if you don't back up your pc (like Me) and your pc goes kaput,  you've lost your entire collect of images. 

The background for the two cards above were created by sponging three different coloured inks randomly over the card stock until the card was covered and the colour was quite intense, then I over stamped used a seaweed stamp and the darkest ink of my three. 

I used  Stampin' Up s:  Marina Mist,  Night of Navy and tempting turquoise on the top card.... Bashful Blue , Almost Amethyst and Night of Navy inks on the card card in the middle. I over stamped the sponging using the seaweed stamp from the by the tide stamp set.
The last card I used  printed paper in  masculine colours. I won't add the sentiments until I know who the card is going to and what the occasion  is.

By the Tide

This card  turned out a little darker than I wanted . I think I was expecting the inks to lighten up a little when it dried, but it didn't, So I am a little disappointed with the final result.

To create this card  I cut a 3 1/2 inch  square of whisper white car stock.
 I took two wide post it notes and stuck them  across the top and bottom of the card, leaving a gap of  about 2 inches between the post it notes.








I use the lines on my cutting mat when adhering the the post it notes to ensure they are straight, thus ensuring my art work will be straight.



See the photo below for the three colours I chose for this card.

 I started by applying Marina Mist ink with a sponge dauber.  I always start  sponging on the post it note to remove the excess ink before I start working on the card stock. It doesn't need to be even coverage, In fact patchy is better.           Repeat with the Coastal Cabana  leaving some patches of  the M.M showing through.




Finally I sponged some Night of Navy around the edges and overlapping the other colours slightly.

 I began stamping over the sponged background using Night of Navy ink.
The stamp set I used is called  "By the Tide," It's a retired set now.



Once I had filled the area with stamped images,  I removed  the Post it notes.

I stamped the sentiment and rounded off the corners with a corner punch. After adding some twine round the top layer, I mounted the piece on to  a piece of  Night of Navy card stock.










For the second layer I stamped around the edged of the card stock then sponged over the edges i the same colours.  Obviously  I didn't need to stamp and sponge the middle of the card stock  as it will be covered by the top layer.
Then mounted onto a white  5x5 base card.

I added a metal fish charm
before sticking all the layers together and mounting onto the base card.














To go with this card I made an envelope with the Envelope punch board. I  decorated the back flap of the envelope to co ordinate the two.

Another version of this card is the Father's day card below.  This time I have not used a second layer of background paper  and I only used Night of Navy ink.

Nautical 21st Card in a Box

 This card in a box has been done with a Nautical theme for a young man that will be 21 years old at beginning of next week.
It only seems like yesterday I was making his 18th card.... where does the time go.


This Box is much larger than the previous card in boxes I have done before.
This means it needs more stuff sprouting out of it. So this box has 5 bridges inside to hold all the lollipops  (so to speak)

 The stamps sets I used to fill this box were "Open Sea"
 "By the tide", "Banner Blast",  "Cheers to you", Hello Sailor,"  all from Stampin up although some are now retired. They were all heat embossed using black embossing powder, then sponged over with three different inks.
bashful blue,so saffron,  and lucky limeade.

 I think I used Stampin' ups whole range of circle punches plus the bigz circles die to cut out all the designs and backing  circles.  The corresponding banner blast punch was used to cut the banners.

Glimmer paper was used along with the number dies to make the 21 a little more glimmer paper touches in the form of a banner and a little heart as the card will be from his mum,  who obviously loves him so the tiny heart seemed a subtle way of adding some love.


Mum also chose the words I typed up and added to the back section of the box, leaving her plenty of room to add some extra messages if she so wishes.
I used the "The World" stamp  by Stampin' Up to decorated the side panels of the box. Heat embossed in black and again sponged with the above mentioned colours.
The base of the box was stamped  using the new "hardwood" background stamp from S.U.

The lighthouse is just a small section of a stamp I have owned for many years and only ever used once. I thought this was the perfect opportunity to get it out again. 

I have to get it in post now or it won't arrive in time for his birthday.