Wednesday 20 March 2013

MFP Blog Hop Day #2 - Spring Things

March Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

 Featured March 19 - Garden Bunny
Featured March 20 - Spring Things
 Featured March 21 - Glad Glads
 Featured March 22 - Seed Packets

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!) All four winners will be announced on March 23,2013 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!) The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday March 22,2013.



 The special stamp set we have for you this month is:
"News From The Woods"



 The mini stamp set we have for you this month is
"Corn Ears"

 
Today's set is one of my favourites, called Spring things:


I must say I kind of got carried away with this one.  I started with an idea for a card set:







If you find the smaller pictures difficult to see, just click on it and you will see a larger image. You can look at all of the images on the post from that screen, or if you press the escape key you will return to the post.

I had a ton of fun making these, starting with the backgrounds. Each one was created with water colour paper, using the salt technique I learned from my Clean and Simple card class that I took last month.

With each colour I scribbled three shades on a craft mat, wet it with a water bottle, and pressed the paper down, making sure all of the white was covered.  When doing this the paper gets quite wet, so when you sprinkle the salt on (I used coarse kosher salt) it sticks to the paper and wicks away the colour in some spots making a really interesting pattern. Once the paper is completely dry the salt just brushes away.

Since I started with the backgrounds I wasn't sure where I was headed at first and I had used sheets of water colour paper close to the size of my card fronts.  Once I had embossed my images and trimmed them down I had a ton of leftovers.  So, I kept going!




I had a scrap from each piece that were the same all the same size so I just played around with them on a card front and came up with this layout.  I couldn't fit the green piece on so I decided to make the little inch worm green. :)

I still had a ton of scraps left so I made one more:




I hope you enjoyed viewing my cards as much as I enjoyed making them.  The rest of the DT had a great time with the stamps this month so don't forget to continue hopping and see what wonderful things they've done.  And you should also visit the Mark's Finest Papers store.  There you will find a lot more beautiful stamp sets and some wonderful crafty products!  :)



Supplies used for all of today's cards:

Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers Spring Things

Cardstock:  Gina K Designs, Neenah.

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black

Embossing Powder:  Recollections Clear

Markers:  Stampin' Up!

Embellishments:  May Arts twine, Recollections gemstones, Sakura gelly roll clear star

Tools:  Paper trimmer, bone folder scissors, Ranger craft sheet, water bottle, kosher salt, heat tool

23 comments:

  1. Very creative Cathy! You certainly brought Spring to life with an rainbow of colors! Good work!

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  2. Cathy - love how you just went with the creative flow, came up with some great cards and used all the scraps so well. Great work.

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  3. Great set of cards. Love the scrap technique.

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  4. WOW! so many beautiful cards.
    stamping sue
    http://stampingsueinconnecticut.blogspot.com/

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  5. Oh my! How pretty all your designs are. Those tulip cards are so cheery! TFS!

    kren@
    http://afourthlife.blogspot.com

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  6. Oh my! I did enjoy looking at all your art today! I did the closeup look at each one! Gorgeous! You are so talented! I have the hardest time getting strips straight but you did a fabulous job with it on the bunny card. They are all fabulous and I really want to try this technique!

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  7. You really rocked this set. Great technique. Love the colors you used. I am especially fond of the caterpillar creation with your scraps. So fresh and pretty.

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  8. I love all the tulips, but I think you did a great job on all the cards!

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  9. So very soft & pretty! What a wonderful way to use scraps.

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  10. Love how you used this technique to make so many cards.

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  11. I love the backgrounds you created with that salt technique. I think I may have done that once -- for a challenge. Your card set would make a wonderful gift.

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  12. Beautiful cards, I love all the pastel and springlike colors.

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  13. Your cards are truly little works of art! I really love the first one with the twine around the rose rectangle. It gives an almost Asian feel in its loveliness and simplicity!

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  14. A very creative and fun set of cards!!! I love all your creations and ideas. Great work!!!

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  15. I just have to say that I love it when you make sets! I don't know why I don't do that more often! I think the salt technique is very cool and forget to do that too!

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  16. Beautiful cards....I love the set of cards that you made...well done

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  17. Wow, Cathy, so very, very pretty! Your set of cards are really lovely and will make a great gift for someone. The rest of the cards are gorgeous too. I love all the pretty pastel colors - perfect for Spring and your salt technique turned out wonderful!

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  18. Beautiful cards. Can you explain what the salt techno is I am new at card making. Thanknyou for sharing.

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    1. Sure Sandi, the salt technique is a fun one.

      I start with water colour paper as its best with this technique and a craft sheet. If you don't have a craft sheet you could use a piece of plastic like a page protector.

      With water colour markers scribble on the plastic or craft sheet in a spot that is the same size or bigger than your water colour paper. If you don't have markers you could press water based ink pads to the craft sheet.

      Spray your spot of ink with a water bottle, then press your water colour paper into your wet puddle of ink. Smooth the paper down so it absorbs as much of the ink as possible, move it around in the puddle if you need to.

      When you flip over your inked paper, which should be really wet, sprinkle over some salt. You can use any kind of salt but I like kosher.

      Once the sheet drys brush off the salt and you will be left with a really pretty background! Hope this helps :)

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  19. Oh my Cathy!!! Have you been busy with this set!!!! I really think you like this set. TFS

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  20. I feel the Spring & Easter love. I love the all. TFS AJ-

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  21. Great lookingset with the cool embossing.

    marg0006 at Verizon dot net
    Loving Scrapper 101

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  22. Beautiful set of cards...love them all!

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Thanks so much for your comments! I read them all and appreciate every word! :)