Just a post to share a card. No ranting today! This set of stamps is called ‘Adore You’. The feeling is mutual. There are so many differently sized flowers and leaves, and they are kind of retro, I think.
Last night I had an inkling to make a sort of ombre stamped effect, and also to have the flowers roughly decreasing in size as I stamped from bottom to top of the card. I found it easier to work this way to make sure I had the space to use the larger blooms. Knowing me, if I had stamped from top to bottom I would have run out of card before I got to the feature flowers. A bit like telling a joke but starting at the punch line…
Rather than using lots of small ink pads, which would have been a faff, I had a ‘I think I may have something in the back’ kind of moment. Like in an old shoe shop, not like a Brutus and Caesar showdown. And guess what? I found a very ancient Kaleidacolor Rainbow ink pad in shades from orange through to red, which was exactly what I wanted. And even though it is at least 14 years old, it still is totally fine and juicy with ink. Now that is a good product!! The various ink pads are separate when closed (to stop them mixing or contaminating each other) but you can slide them together to make one continuous ombre ink pad. Genius!
I used a dark grey mat as a contrast for all the red and orange. And although I know nobody in the industry reads this, could I still put out a plea for a decent multipack of grey card? Pretty please? It is so difficult to find, especially a really nice charcoal. Also, patterned, and self-patterned greys too, please, whilst you are not here anyway! If any other crafters know where I can get some please let me know in the comments?!
I used Altenew Lava Rock ink to stamp the sentiment (from Dahlia Blossoms stamp set) and a stitched rectangle popped up on 3D foam. Now I could well have finished here. It was a nice enough card, but I decided to take the sentiment rather literally. So, a bit more stamping and fussy cutting and I had some extra blooms. Then I decided I wanted one full-on coloured flower, but once that was on there I needed some balance, hence the green leaves. Initially they were just stamped outlines in pale green, but something jarred so they became full-on leafy. Luckily bed time came along to stop me from further fiddling!
Supplies: Altenew Adore you and Dahlia Blossoms stamp sets; Kaleidacolor Rainbow ink pad in Desert Heat; Altenew inks in Lava Rock, Frayed Leaf and Forest Glades; The Works stitched rectangle dies
I really love this colourful card 🙂 and the layering is wonderful with the one flower coloured in 🙂
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Thanks! I wasn’t sure, couldn’t decide, dithered… you know how it goes!
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oh yes it is so easy to dither and unsure. I spend time playing with my layouts then leave a layout and come back another time to stick it down only to change it yet more times before finally setteling for a layout as i begin to get frustrated with myself.
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What a beautiful card! I love the flower stamps and the colours you have picked are gorgeously bright and cheerful! 🙂
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Thanks Karen! Not my usual comfort zone but got to step out sometimes. Have a good weekend!
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You too Gill!
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Beautiful work honey!! You are so inspiring!
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This is really pretty, and I am very impressed that your ink pad was still alive after all that time. I struggle to find nice greys too, I’ve got some in the stash I inherited, but nothing was labelled so I don’t know how to replace it
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Thanks, and it the grey thing is maddening, isn’t it? Maybe grey ink costs too much…
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I just spotted a corals set of card on Create and Craft which includes a grey, but I’d like a full set of shades of grey
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Yes, me too.
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Great Card 🙂
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Thank you!
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Your cards are always so beautiful! The little extra touches are so cool!
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Oh good, thanks! I did wonder it I had gone a leaf too far!!
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It looks perfect. I totally understand the second guessing. I always stand and look at my cards and wonder…”Just a little more bling?”
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Amazing and gorgeous like always.
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Gorgeous, the flowers are a perfect background for the the coloured in one which pops beautifully! 😊
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Cheers! It was fun to make, although I did wonder if I should have fiddled less.
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Lovely card! The flowers – they remind me of wild roses, and I like the colour effect too 🌹🌹🐱
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Yes, you’re right. I knew them as dog roses. I hadn’t thought of that but now I can see a ‘vintage’ side to them too. Thank you!
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Beautiful card, and great message. I really like the gradated colours, and those flowers look so sweetly vintage. 🙂
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What a beautiful card, Gillian! Now you have me scrambling to see if the Kaleidacolor pad in Offspring3’s abandoned craft stash is still workable. 😉 And…just a suggestion for the future…if you wanted the big flowers at the top, you could have just rotated the stamped paper before mounting it on the grey.
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Haha! And maybe I didn’t explain it right! I definitely wanted the big flowers at the bottom, but figured if I started stamping at the top and worked down the card that I might stamp too many smaller flowers and not have space left for the larger ones. So I started at the bottom. Does that make better sense? I am not good at describing these things! Have a great weekend!
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My mistake! {insert blushing emoji} Have a great weekend!
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Nah, we are always all good, hopefully!
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Oh so lovely! I have a weak spot for ombre…but no such thing as ‘I think I have something in the back’ haha… Have considered to buy an ombre ink pad but just hasn’t happend yet… This sure makes me want at least one! 🙂
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Yes, I saw something similar on a website and remembered my old stash. Sometimes keeping stuff is good!
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Love this!!
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That is BEYOND a card. That is a wall hanging. I can’t get words around how artistic you are. SOOOOOOO amazingly talented. Do you have an Etsy shop, by any chance?
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Oh, thanks! And no, no shop. I am too chicken. Took me years just to use Pinterest and another couple of years to blog! Maybe one day.
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I understand. 😊😊
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I really love it! It’s perfectly balanced and ombre looks so good!
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Thank you! I thought I had gone a leaf too far.
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Stamped flowers look almost like patterned paper, so it doesn’t seem to be too much.
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Thanks!
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Nice! Grey is so underrated as a neutral for crafting, imo.
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Yes, absolutely.
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Love!
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Thank you!
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This card is gorgoeus. Its no secret that I love flowers but the coloring on these are fantabulous! =)
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Thank you. Fantabulous is pretty darn cool. Cheers!
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Beautiful card. I love the solid flower on the beautiful ombré. I am with you I would run out of room too. That was a good tip to start at the bottom. I struggle with finding the right shade of grey too. Another awesome post despite the non rant! 🙂
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Thanks! Although I might rant more often. Very cathartic!
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It is unhealthy to keep things bottled up.😁
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Such a great design, and pretty colours!
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Thank you. I was visiting the 1970s in my head, I think.
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Stunning card, I love the colours and contrast with the green leaves. Thanks so much for sharing, it’s great to read about your thinking process. Happy Saturday 😊
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Thank you! I have popped over to see you but I guess you are just getting started. I have followed – your name was enough for me! Have a good day!
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Beautiful!
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Beautiful!
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Thanks!
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Wow – among my favorite of your many cards. Must be the flowers and the coloring. The “Live Life In Bloom” made me think – what a great life that would entail. Thanks for sharing.
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Well thank you so much! And yes, you are right about the sentiment!
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I get so excited to read your posts Puff!! I love your stories and then BOOM!! There are these simply amazing cards that you so delightfully describe the creation and inspiration for them. I love the sentiment on this card. I would like to think that I would be like a dandelion – bright and sunny one day then going to seed and being blown away by a breeze the next day!! 😀
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Surely not going to seed? Noooooo! Although dandelion heads are pretty cool.
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This is so lovely!! ❤
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Thank you so much, and thanks for stopping by.
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You’re most welcome! ❤
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Gosh I love the colors you chose! I have some outline stamps that would look fab with this technique. Thanks for the inspiration! BTW, Club Scrap has fabulous card stock. Single sheets are available. The Paris Flea Market collection has plain and patterned grays. http://www.clubscrapshop.com/store/c/24-Paper.aspx?pi=11
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Thank you! And thanks for the link!
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You’re welcome!
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A really special card! I can see these flowers as wild roses or dogwood, but with the color you’ve used they remind me of poppies – and maybe a 1970’s retro style. I have some of those Kaleidacolor pads too, about as old as yours. I just pulled some them out and tried a couple – still inky!
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Yes, I was thinking of some old wallpaper we used to have when I made this one! Thank you! Sounds like quite a few of us have the ink pads still. A product with stamina!
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Oh so pretty! I love all the different colors you used! Lovely bright card! 🙂
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Thanks Nancee!
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Hello Puff. (still on catch-up hence the late comment on this fabulous card)
What a glorious design and colours. Really well made and stamped brilliantly.
Grey card:
Craft Essentials – Owl Grey Card (Hobbycraft have it if you can’t get it anywhere else).
Creative Expressions – 220gsm – in a pack of 25 sheets.
Also … try Amazon. I’ve just had a peep and they seem to have a plethora of grey card, but I didn’t actually click into any of the offerings so can’t tell you what gsm or size, or even how many in a pack. But … take a peep and you might find the very thing.
(Have you tried Ebay too?)
GREAT card missy. But then … you only make great cards. I’ve never found a duff one out of all your cards! 😀
Squidges ~ Cobs. x
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Thanks Cobs. Late comments are never a problem!! Cheers for the suggestions, I will check them out. Glad you like the card. I think I was channelling some 1970s wallpaper…..
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What a pretty card! I’ve been looking at those ink pads and may have to try one now.
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Thank you. I had almost forgotten about them!
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Papermill Direct do a nice slate grey card and a darker charcoal pearlised card.
Love the ombre – I’ve never tried the kaleidacolor ink pads – and the layers work really well.
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Thanks, and thanks for the tip-off.
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