Celebrating Friendship Blog Hop - Julie's Blogoversary

Welcome to the "Celebrating Friendship" Blog Hop to celebrate the one year blogoversary of Julie Odil's Muddy Paws & Inky Fingers.

In case you just happened upon my blog post, please go back and start the hop at Julie's blog Muddy Paws & Inky Fingers. You should have arrived here from Miwa Lee (Chocolatier Miwa).

Here is the card I created. While I love the 3D embellishing that people are adding to their cards and layouts, I tend to keep my projects a little simpler. I mail most of my cards - even to family - because I think it is exciting to get something via the postal service other than junk mail and bills.

Here is a close-up of the flower:

Supplies used:

• Unity Stamp Company Life Becoming & Quiet Essence - 2010 {June} edition (SSK-011)
• card base and envelope - no label on box
• Close to My Heart (CTMH) Exclusive Inks® Stamp Pads: Bamboo, Goldrush, Twilight, Outdoor Denim, Sweet Leaf, New England Ivy, Archival Black
• VersaMark Watermark Stamp Pad
• CTMH Blending Pen
• CTMH Colonial White Cardstock
• Spellbinders Nestabilities Large Labels (S4-168) with the Grand Calibur
• Bazzill green card stock
• Jillibean Soup Mustard/Olive Baker's Twine
• foam (and flat) adhesive

I pressed the flower stamp into the Versamark stamp pad then immediately into the Archival Black pad and then stamped the cardstock. I did this for a little better ink coverage and to help avoid staining of the stamp. It also left extra ink on the stamp so I could get a nice second generation stamp (the blue flower; the first generation stamp is below). To color in the flower I used the technique where, while the stamp pad is closed, you gently press the cover of the stamp pad onto the ink pad surface to create a pallet. I then used the blending pen to pick up the ink and "paint" it onto the cardstock.

After this week (so far) of work and evening meetings, I have lost my crafting mojo and did not finish my second card, but I wanted to share the stamped image anyway.

 Supplies used:

• Unity Stamp Company Life Becoming & Quiet Essence - 2010 {June} edition (SSK-011)
• CTMH Colonial White Cardstock
• Close to My Heart (CTMH) Exclusive Inks® Stamp Pads: Archival Black
• VersaMark Watermark Stamp Pad
• Lyra Aquacolor water soluble wax crayons
• CTMH Waterbrush Medium

I am very happy with how the leaves look, but I think I need a little more practice after looking at the petals. I just colored a little with the wax crayons, darker on the veins and toward the center for the flower and lighter at the petal end then I went over the area with the waterbrush.

Your next stop on the hop is Gwen's at Windchimes and Lilacs.

Thank you so much for stopping by. I love comments (though I found I have to moderate them to avoid spam). If you have the time, please let me know what you think.

I will be awarding blog candy (TBD) to one visitor that becomes a follower (if you are not one already) and leaves a comment on this post. Please check back on Wednesday, March 6 to see if your name was drawn from the hat.

Finally, here's the entire hop list in case you get lost along the way:

Julie Odil Muddy Paws & Inky Fingers
Rebecca Daniels  BloomingPink
Polly Zastawnik Polly Zas - PaZasProductions
Rachel Anderson Kitchen Table Scraps
Mary Shriver Come Craft With Me
Angeline Scrappy Scrappy
Miwa Lee (Chocolatier Miwa) What's Up in 3MG World
Brenda (centralnyscrapper) Crafting for sanity? Or insanity?  --- You are here
Gwen Teerink Windchimes and Lilacs
Maria Levine Ria Creations
Christina McAdams Thrifty Sisters
Paula McClane Scrap Addict's Attic
Lucy Evans Littlescrapsoflucy
Karen Nofziger Karey2005 - Craftily Yours
Corrie Wagner Corrie's Crafts
Kary Lim Papercrafting & Travels
Erin (CelticCrafter) & Ruth Celtic Crafters
Laura Sanchez Laura Ann's Breakfast Pizza
Theresa Krout Inky Fingers

Thanks again for visiting.