Flowerbug's Inkspot

Pansies or Butterflies? It's another Punch Art Wednesday!

Want to create some super easy yet beautiful pansies? 

 

Do you have SU's Butterfly punch?  Some markers or watercolor crayons & white card stock?  Then you're ready to make these gorgeous flowers!  Here's how:

1. Punch out two butterflies from Whisper White card stock.
2. Color the butterflies with your crayons or markers.  I colored the centers yellow & the outsides in two shades of purple blending them together.  Crayons are easier to blend than markers.
   
3. Spritz the colored butterflies with water, fold in half & pleat-fold the petals.
4. Open up & curve the petals slightly.  Set aside to dry.
5. Add black or dark purple highlights in the center & a few lines on the outer petals.
6. Adhere one butterfly over the other.
7. Add punched leaves peaking out from behind the flowers. 
   

When you look at my three pansies, the left one is done with markers & the other two with watercolor crayons.

I used these markers - Lavender Lace, Orchid Opulence, YoYo Yellow & Black.  And these Crayons - Elegant Eggplant, Lovely Lilac & finished with YoYo Yellow & black markers.

Supplies:

• Stamps - All Holidays
• Ink - Black
• Card stock - Orchid Opulence, Whisper White, Old Olive
• Accessories - Butterfly punch, 5 Petal flower punch, Elegant Bouquet embossing folder, Big Shot, markers, water spritzer bottle, Crushed Curry polka dot ribbon, mini glue dots

This idea was cased from Tina Sieben here:

Uh oh..... SAB is almost over!

I truly love Sale-a-Bration time.  It's so awesome to be able to ask 'What do you want as your free item?'  Who doesn't like free?!  The fact that we have over 80 items to choose from besides the 6 choices in the SAB catalog has been amazing!  Thank you SU!  You're brilliant!  

If you have anything left on your wish list for Spring, I'd get it now.  It's the perfect time to get some of those bigger items on your list since you get something free for ordering over $50.  Many of the choices are valued at around $14.95 or more. 

  

This is one of the cards we made at my March workshops.  A neat layout you could use for almost any stamp set.  Punch out 4 of your favorite colors of card stock using the Scallop square punch.  Adhere them to a neutral card stock rectangle & add a circular image over the center.  Ribbon & border punch completes it!   

Measurements:

• white layer is 3 1/8" X 4" 
  
• black layer is 3 5/16" X 3 7/8"
• card base - 4 1/4 X 11"
• black strip - 3/4" X 4 1/4"
  

I used Happy Moments for the main images (it's free during SAB!) & Well Scripted for the curvy verses at the bottom of the card.  See list of supplies below. 

*****I'll be placing my last SAB order tomorrow night at 8:30 pm Central time, so let me know what you'd like to get free!  

• Stamps - Happy Moments, Well Scripted (in the Occasions Mini catalog)
  
• Ink - Black Stazon
• Card stock - Gable Green, Black, Whisper White, Real Red, Bashful Blue & Pretty in Pink
• Accessories - Square scallop punch, 1 3/4" circle punch, scallop border punch, black gingham ribbon, Perfect Polka dot embossing folder, Big Shot, Circles die #2, black gingham ribbon, markers, mat pack & paper piercing tool, 2-way glue & Dazzling Diamonds glitter
  

Nature's Nest

I was able to borrow this stamp set from my friend Annette a few weeks ago & fell in love with it!  I think she sold me on it! 

It's called Nature's Nest & has such beautiful images.

 

I stamped the images in Black Stazon & used an aqua-painter to add some Not Quite Navy ink here & there over the images.  A very simple & serene card for any occasion.

• Stamps - Natures Nest
• Ink - Not Quite Navy, Black Stazon
• Card stock - Very Vanilla, Not Quite Navy, Black
• Accessories - Aqua-painter, Mat pack, paper piercing tool, Earth Elements brads
  

Does the sketch/layout & color combo above look just a bit familiar to you?  It might if you remember this card below.  I had a few pieces left over from making these for the Founder's Circle swap last fall & it worked beautifully with Nature's Nest stamp set.  

Just goes to show you that if you like a layout or color combo, you can use it again to create a totally unique & different card.

Click here for details on how you can make this adorable little geisha girl. 

How could I forget?

Wow - I made this card month's ago for a Control Freak's swap & I still haven't shown it to you! 

I just love the fun, bright color combo - Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Brilliant Blue & Only Orange.  

You cannot see it, but there is Crystal Effects applied to each gum ball.  Love this effect! 

It might look like a quick card to create, but look at all the parts & pieces it took to make 30 of these!

• Stamps - Something Sweet (Occasions mini)
• Ink & Card stock - Only Orange, Bermuda Bay, Brilliant Blue, Melon Mambo, Whisper White
• Accessories - SU square scallop die, Perfect Polka dot embossing folder, Big Shot, Melon Mambo striped ribbon, Crystal Effects (applied over the bubble gum images), silver brads, mini glue dots, 1 3/4" circle punch

Punch Art Sheep

Sometimes a project just doesn't turn out like you'd like it to.  Today is one of those days -where's my mojo?!  These cards are not my favorites.....

Recipes:

Large Sheep:

• Scallop die #2, scallop oval punch for the head, small & large oval punches for the face & feet.
• Olive cs for the background & Cottage Wall dsp for the hill.  Pink gingham ribbon tied around the top of the 4 1/4" square card, SU cutter kit for the curved hill, Googly eyes, sponge, Sahara Sand ink & dimensionals.
  

Small sheep:

• Scallop circle punch - body, scallop oval punch - head (punched twice to make it small & round), small oval - face (punched twice to make it narrower), 1/2" circle punch cut in half for ears, horizontal slot punch - feet
• SU cutter kit to make the curved hills, Rich Razzleberry ribbon for her bow, Finial Press embossing folder, white gel pen, dimensionals, Artichoke marker, Black ink, Sahara Sand ink for sponging the sheep
  
• Assorted Old Olive & Artichoke dsp for hills, Neighborhood paper pack for cloud paper, Whisper white & Black card stock
  

March Scrapbook Club Layout

Here is what we did at my Scrapbook Clubs in March - a baby layout! 

I really did have fun creating this one.  I used an old punch art baby carriage I'd done previously, added vellum, circles & scallop borders. 

 

This is my daughter Jenilee when she was 6 months.  She was such a doll!  I remember when she was just a few weeks old, someone actually thought she was a doll while she was sleeping in the stroller.  She moved a tiny bit & a lady near me jumped & said, "Oh! I thought she was a doll!' 

Anyway....!  I used the Blossom Party die to cut out the vellum flowers & also vellum for the emboss resist multi-colored areas.  Emboss your image using clear embossing powder & then sponge Classic ink over the embossed vellum.  The ink resists the embossed areas so when you place the vellum onto White card stock, the images show up as white with a soft multi-colored background.  

You may want to click on the image to see it larger. 

And here is the layout my Club member Karen made:

 

I just love the colors Karen used to coordinate with her adorable grandson's photos! 

Supplies:

• Stamps - Monogram 'B' (retired), Nursery Letters jumbo wheel
• Card stock - Pretty in Pink, Sage Shadow, Bashful Blue, Vellum paper & card stock, YoYo Yellow, Whisper White, Barely Banana
• Ink - Versamark, (Barely Banana, Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue, Sage Shadow for sponging)
• Accessories - Jumbo wheel handle, Clear embossing powder, heat gun, sponges, scallop edge punch, Blossom Party Originals die, Stars #2 die, Big Shot, Scallop circle punch, narrow grosgrain ribbon
  

For the Baby Carriage - Swirls & Scribbles sizzlit, Scallop Circle #2 die, 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" circle punches, eyelet border punch, Heart to Heart punch

Punch Art Wednesday may be a bit late today - I am off to a nursing conference.  I had a big workshop yesterday & didn't get it done - yet! 

Abundant Hope

When I saw this card on the new Stampin' Connection website (the new place for Demo's to get ideas & talk about SU) I knew I'd have to share it with you. She used the stamp set Abundant Hope.

I do not own it (yet), and I knew that some of my customers have ordered it already & would LOVE this card too.  So I asked Rachael if I could share it with you.  Isn't it just gorgeous?  And so simple too!  Here's a link to her blog to check out the details.

Stamping with Rachael

We have through April to order the Abundant Hope stamp set.  But the Scallop trim border punch is only available through March - it's Free during SAB (Sale-a-Bration).  They say it will be in the next Idea Book & Catalog coming out in July.  However, we do not know how much it will cost .... so get it now FREE with a $50 order! 

Thank you Rachael for sharing this card with us all! 

Border & Corner Punches

I am loving our new Border & Corner punches.  Including a punched frame adds awesome detail to a project or card.

Remember there is just 9 days left to get the Scallop Trim border punch FREE during Sale-a-Bration! 

 

I've created a document that includes this photo along with the measurements to make squares or rectangles using either the Scallop Trim or Pinking Hearts Border & Corner punches. 

Download SU Border & Corner Punches

You can view it or download it to save or print out.  I am also adding it to the Documents & Templates section at the top of my blog tool bar.  

And here's SU's Border & Corner punches Video Tutorial on how to use these punches in case you missed it last time.

Find more videos like this on Stampin' Up!

Spring Hop for the Freaks!

Don't you love the 20th of each month?  I sure do!  Why?  The Control Freaks strut their stuff to amaze us with incredible ideas on their monthly Control Freaks blog hop.  

You may have just arrived from Melanie's blog - Pockets of Inspiration.  She has such unique & creative ideas that make me say..... 'how does she think of that?' 

This month's theme is Springtime.  I know you'll see tons of wonderful ideas you can case for yourself as you travel on the tour.

 

This is one of the cards we did at my Card Clubs this month.  I just love the little kisses! 

What 'kisses' you ask?  The curvy white die-cuts we stamped the tulip baskets on are called kisses.  You can find them in your Occasions mini catalog on page 19 (US).  You get 20 for just $3.95.  And they have the cutest little Glassine envelopes to fit them too.

The stamped kisses are popped up onto a 3" circle cut out with the Circle Scissors Plus.  Here's a close-up to see the details:

  

• Stamps - Flowers for All Seasons (a Free SAB choice!), Well Scripted
• Ink - Versamark, Black Stazon
• Card stock - So Saffron, Almost Amethyst, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Tea Party dsp
  
• Accessories - Perfect Details Texturz plate, Big Shot, Circle Scissors Plus, Kisses, SS brads, Dimensionals, Extra Large two-step Bird Punch for the leaves, White embossing powder, heat gun, piercing tool, mat pack, Crystal Effects, markers for coloring

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I changed a plain white gift bag into this beauty!

 

How did I do the flowers....?  I found multiple colors of tissue paper in my gift wrap box & punched out 8-10 flowers using the Extra Large Fancy Flower punch - new in the Occasions Mini catalog on page 10 (US).  And I stamped some of them using the coordinating stamp set 'With All my Heart'.

I folded a piece of tissue paper up about 4", stamped the flowers & punched two out at once using the Fancy Flower punch.  Each one does not need to be stamped. Then layer them over one another turning slightly so the petals on each successive flower are off a bit. Poke a hole in the center & add a brad.  I used many colors of our Corduroy brads on mine.  Tightly scrunch up each flower layer one at a time, starting with the top layer.  Then open them up & you get these adorable 3-d tissue flowers.  Do they remind you of carnations too? 

Here's a close-up of the tag for the gift bag.

• Stamps - With All My Heart, All Holidays
• Ink - Bermuda Bay, YoYo Yellow, Sage Shadow, Cameo Coral
• Card stock - Whisper White, Bermuda Bay textured, Sweet Pea DSP
• Accessories - Perfect Polka Dot embossing folder, Two-Tags die, Extra Large Fancy Flower punch, Scallop Trim border punch, small oval punch, tissue paper, corduroy buttons, mini glue dots, gift bag

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And now you'll continue to be wowed by the talent in this group when you check out what Wendy Weixler has for you!

 

March Tour de Freaks Blog Roll

 

1) Cindy Major

2) Wendy Janson

3) Connie Babbert

4) Mary Brown

5) Janine Tinklenberg

6) Brandi Wiggins

7) Robin Spinner

8) Dawn Olchefske

9) Lisa Martz

10) Melanie Schulenberg

11) LeeAnn Greff

12) Wendy Weixler

13) Julie Buhler

14) Erin Blair

15) Katy Clark

16) Dannie Graves

17) Patty Bennett