Many Thanks

Many Thanks!

 Sometimes you just need to say thank you! There are so any ways to say it, and with this idea you don't have to choose!

 This set of clear stamps from Inkadinkado called "Thanks" has so many ways to express gratitude!

 My first step was to cut panels for the front of my cards. My card bases are 4" x 5-1/2" and I wanted to frame the center panel, so I cut them 3-1/2" x 5". I prefer to have 1/4" between layers on my cards.

 

 

 With the MISTI open, I placed the paper where I wanted to set up the stamps. I chose the stamps for the card and arranged them on the card panel. Once the MISTI closed on the stamps, they clung to it and it was set up to make as many cards as I wanted.

A little black Archival ink by Ranger, and a firm pressing down, and there it is.

                                                  Next I used This Hero Arts Ombre pad.

I oriented the ink pad  with the blue side out, and the pink side in the middle. I wiggled it over the stamps on one side, then turned it around and did the same on the other side.

 This time I had to re-ink the stamps several times and press down before the words looked right. I love that you can do that with the MISTI. These cards can be made using an acrylic block, but if you have trouble with the ink like I did, it really helps to be able to repeat your stamping in exactly the same place.

 

      I decided to fill in some spots on the card front with some random little stamps I had. I think they were part of a $1 set I'd picked up at Michael's craft store. (I did the same with different stamps on the colored front.)

I used black and white washi tape to edge the card for a simple finished look.

 It may be difficult to see in the picture, but I edged the panel with the black ink by just running the paper over the ink pad. I cut foam and made a sandwich between the card base and the panel.

To complete it I added faux pearls and a little Wink of Stella. The fun part is I can turn this card and use it in either the portrait or landscape orientation depending on my mood when I use it!

 For the colorful Thank You card, I chose some colored paper from the Color Splash collection by Recollections. Michael's was selling it at 70% off and that was when it came home with me.

I added some bling by adding little rhinestones to the middle of the sequins. I fount these colorful little ones meant for manicures at Five Below (which is a "Dollar" store where, yup you guessed, everything is $5 or below). I always have my eye open for card making supplies, and sometimes it is cheaper to buy things outside the craft store.

 This time I did not raise the panel, but taped it all flat.
 This card will do, but I don't think the paper and ink like each other. The ink pad is new to me, so I'll just keep trying it out with different papers to see what works best.

   I hope you are inspired to put some stamps together to make a card. Have fun, and THANK YOU for visiting!



 

Stepping Stones Background Stamp from Simon Says Stamp

Hello!
 Today I made two different cards with the same background stamp.
                                                          

  I have a new stamp I had yet to use from SimonSaysStamp.com called "Stepping Stones."




 I am also using a Stampin' Up paper that I recently discovered, and I am in love with. The paper is called "Shimmery White." It is a little thicker than the usual card stock, and has a shimmer to it, you can't have too much shimmer! The best part? It takes watercolor well, yet it is smooth! I love this stuff!

  DISCLAIMER: I am a reformed "Stampin' Up Snob." For a time I didn't look outside their catalogs, except for a few trips to Michaels. I am a demonstrator for Stampin' Up, but I have never done a big business for them. I am not allowed to link Stampin' Up products here if I use competing brands, so there will not be any links to their products. Feel free to contact me if you would like to purchase from them, and I will be glad to help you out.

                                            Let's make the cards!

 First I cut my paper to 4" X 5-1/2" pieces which fit the front of the Recollections card/envelope sets I purchased at Michael's (craft store).


I inked up my stamp with my Versemark Stamp pad, stamped the card fronts.

Then I embossed with clear embossing powder.I forgot to rub with the anti-static tool on the first card front but brushed off the excess powder with a paintbrush.

This is why I just can't be exclusive...I have grown to love the many ways Tim Holtz Distress Inks can be used.
                                                           

 After rubbing the mini stamp pad on an acrylic block,


















I used my water-filled watercolor brush to pick up the color.

Then watercolor!

 Once these dried, I decided I wanted to get rid of the shiny embossing, for a more organic look.

 
I took a piece of scrap paper and placed it over the top of the card front, then ironed off the embossing until it was gone. The scrap paper lifts most of the embossing off. You can continue to iron with clean paper until you get the effect you want.

 You can still see a little shine, and the Versamark ink is quite visible on the blue and white card front.

 I finished off the first card with a sweet quote from the "Friendly Advice" stamp set from Inkadinkado, embossed in white on vellum paper.


 I used the fine tip glue pen from Stampin' Up to put a tiny bit of glue behind the white words and the rhinestones on the top, to adhere the banner onto the card.

For the second card I stamped an image from Cherished Teddies and colored it using a blender pen and the same Tim Holtz Distress Inks. I also reverted back to using the watercolor brush as well.

Once the image was fully colored, I fussy cut it out, put double stick tape on the back, and adhered it to an oval of velum that I cut out using a Spellbinders Nestabilities die.

 I felt the oval needed a little definition so I used my white Dylusions paint pen around the edge.

 I put some Stampin' Dimensionals (which are foam dots, but hexagon in shape and not too thick) on the back of the velum where they would be covered by the image.

 I hope you enjoyed these cards. If you haven't tried this technique, I encourage you to try it. I love the way the water coloring looks once the embossing is gone.

 Have a blessed day, and enjoy some color!

Below are links to some of the products I used, and others are similar products.
The distress ink sets can also be purchased separately.

First Post-Copycat

Hi! Welcome to Coloristherapy!

  I love color. I have always declared that Color is therapy! If there is a beautiful sunset, sunrise or rainbow I want to look at it until it fades.

 God's amazing creation screams out in the beauty of color. In New England, spring and summer give us such abundant variety of color, then we have such rich warm tones in fall that lead us to the diamonds in winter.  They in turn prepare us to appreciate the abundance of color that follows.


 We can not create as God has, but I believe He has put within us the desire to create. I have come to realize that for me, I have a part of me that just wants to splash color everywhere. As a mother/grandmother, there are limits to my time and supplies to do this, however. I have found that making cards fills my desire to be creative, and I can use a card to hopefully bless a recipient. My cards can be quick, or they can be elaborate and there are no rules. I make many mistakes, but perfection is not my goal.

 I recently made a list of prompts for myself to help get me started when I don't know where I want to begin making a card. I chose "COPYCAT" as my first prompt.

 I bought my daughter a shirt as you see above, and I thought it might make a cool card.

I cut out the heart using my Big Shot and my Sizzix Framelit Hearts Collection dies from Stampin' Up. I used a ruler and  pencil to mark the approximate direction I wanted the stripes to go on my heart.

Using a ruler and a set of Stabilo Fineliner markers, I made stripes as I felt inspired. I went back in some areas and added a thin grey stripe where I felt it belonged.

I then used a Wink of Stella clear pen over the whole heart to give it a little sparkle. I had waited until the heart was dry, but I found I needed to run the Wink of Stella brush along the stripes of color, then brush it slightly on a scrap to ensure the colors didn't bleed.

(I took these pictures before I decided to go ahead with this blog, so please forgive me that I don't have it all detailed.)
 I used foam dots to attach the heart to the card. I wanted a sentiment, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to make it the same grey as the card or to make it black. I cut both out and decided to go with the black. I used a fine tipped glue pen to glue the black over the grey, then gave it a good coating of Wink of Stella and glued it down. Gluing the two sentiments together gave it just a little more definition on the card.

I hope you get a chance to try it out! Maybe you can find some other item you want to copy and make a cool card from. Have fun!

 What have you copied? What would you like to copy? Leave a comment.

 Below are links to some of the items or similar items I used to create this card. I'll be figuring all this out as I go. If you want any specifics I haven't covered, please feel free to ask.