Sunday, March 30, 2014

Retro Sketches and a ColourQ Card Set





Happy Sunday.  I hope everyone is having a nice weekend.  Things are pretty sunny and quiet here, as college testing and research project dates loom.

I have a card for this week's Retro Sketches rs#108 challenge--and I am using a brand new to me Hero Arts baby set called New Baby.



I chose a gender-neutral color scheme of Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores and SU Baked Brown Sugar.  I paper pieced one of my favorite images from this set--the little elephant, and started with Happy Spots paper.  The colors look off in this photo, but the elephant is actually Aqua Mist, Dark Chocolate, and White.  I made my own plaid paper for the bottom layer using WMS Offbeat Backgrounds.  The heart on the elephant's ear is Hawaiian Shores coated with lots of Glossy Accents.




I guess you could say that I really loved this week's ColourQ cQc #234 colors, since I am back again with an entire card set made with those colors.  I used one of the masking techniques taught by Kara in the most recent on line card class.


I was able to create one mask and use it three ways to make three cards.  I did this twice--once with butterflies, and once with mini flowers.


The following three cards use the smallest butterflies from Beautiful Butterflies.  First, I used the negative piece and stamped around the inside border.




Then, I used the die cut butterfly as a mask, and stamped around the outer edge.



Last, I used the negative mask again, and stamped in the entire space.  I started out by stamping around the outer edge, because it is important that the entire outer border is stamped--that is what will give your stamped shape its definition.  Then, I just randomly filled in the center.



Here are the three butterfly cards together.  I also made lined envelopes for the set.  Thanks to this post by Joan, I was inspired to use Distressed Stripes to make matching envelope liners.  I don't know why I never thought of it before, but I love the idea of stripes in matching colors, rather than trying to replicate the pattern on the card.  I embossed all three cards first with the largest Lil Inkers Stitched Rectangle die and then with the Burlap Impression Plate. Impossible to see in the photos, but all the butterflies are coated with Wink of Stella.  



Edited to add:  I am also linking up to a new challenge:  Time Out Challenge #2 where my butterflies fit in with this gorgeous inspiration picture.  (Thanks, Lynn).




Same concept as above for the other three cards in the set, but this grouping uses some of the smaller flower images from Embellished Elegance.













All three of these cards were also embossed with the largest Lil Inkers Stitched Rectangle die and then with the Woodgrain Impression Plate, then coated with Wink of Stella. The sentiments are from a variety of sets.  

I knew which types of sentiments I wanted to include in this set, and just flipped through my sentiment binder looking for versions that would fit in the space and that I thought would look good.  Occasions like this make me really appreciate the time I have invested in my Sentiment Binder.

I used kraft packaging paper, some twine and a die cut butterfly (dolled up with Wink of Stella and Stickles) to create a very simple packaging.




Thanks for Visiting

22 comments :

  1. Joyce, I really like what you did with that butterfly masking. It's so pretty. Such a lovely set of cards.

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  2. Fantastic card Joyce! Love that cute paper pieced ele and those yummy butterflies! Great designs!

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  3. Joyce, the baby card is absolutely adorable and the butterfly cards are jaw dropping gorgeous. You should enter those over at the Time Out Challenge. Beautiful masking!

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  4. Such fun cards. I love the baby card with the elephant -- just too cute. And your butterfly card set? Amazing. I love the texture and the lined envelopes.

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  5. Oh, what a sweet elephant, Joyce ... what fabulous colours and such a cute glossy heart! Your card set ... wow! The embossing is wonderful, just the perfect amount of depth and texture ... and the butterflies are so delicious! Love to see your sets and how you package them so beautifully! Anita :)

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  6. that baby card is adorable and the set is just joyful!!! thanks for the shoutout...

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  7. Love the butterfly sets, Joyce, and that plaid background paper you made? Stupendous. Just curious about your sentiment binder. Did you stamp all your sentiments by category, then label by brand, so you could find them? I used to remember all my stamps but as my collection grows, it's getting more difficult.

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  8. Wow love the butterfly set, beautiful colors n variations and that baby elephant is sooooo cute :) love the paper piecing!!

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  9. What a sweet baby card Joyce, love the polka dot elephant! And those butter fly cards are simply divine! Thanks for joining us at the ColourQ!

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  10. Adorable elephant & terrific plaid on the first card. Stunning card sets with the masking technique - the butterfly set is especially beautiful!

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  11. I am sure you can guess why I love that baby card so much Joyce...love the plaid pattern and the cute elephant, but what really wowed me were those butterfly cards! Love that you also made coordinating envelopes with the stripes. So smart of you!

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  12. I love this idea, so creative with stunning effect! Thanks for taking time out to play along with is at TIME OUT x

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  13. Aww....how CUTE is this elephant card!!! Love it :)

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  14. Wow,love these! I love the sentiment on your first card as it is just perfect .......!
    Oh my gosh I love everything you have done with the butterfly stamp. Love the colors at the Q this week.

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  15. You are the masking queen Joyce! Those butterfly cards are amazing. And how cute is that elephant card. Nicely done with nontraditional colors.

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  16. Oh my goodness Joyce! Your butterfly cards are just genius and so stinkin' creative! I have never really been a butterfly person but you have changed my mind. I still need to give this masking technique a try, may need to make a trip down your way for a personal lesson, you are amazing! Your sweet baby card is just too cute too, I love your sweet little elephant over your perfectly stamped plaid background...so fun!

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  17. Such a FABulous collection of cards. Your creativity with the set of butterfly cards is beautiful. Thank you for taking the TIME OUT and joining in on the challenge :) Hugs Bev x

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  18. I love that HA elephant! I bought that set purely for him - he's so adorable and he looks great against the plaid. As for your card sets? Um. WOW! These are awesome! Such a simple idea she you break it down but each design is so effective. I lot the colours you used too. :)

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  19. SO many wonderful things in this post. I just love the cute blue patterned elephant. I love baby sets for their cute animals in them. Those card sets you made are so inspired! I love your thinking inside and outside the box... err... mask as the case may be.

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  20. Wow, so very clever with those butterflies and so inspiring! It may look simple but what an awesome technique :) Thanks so much for sharing at Time Out.

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  21. Gorgeous cards, Joyce! I was a little disappointed when I got to the end of the post -- I couldn't get enough of your butterfly cards!

    ~Shery

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