Tuesday, 16 April 2013

MFP Blog Hop Day #2 - Be a Showoff


April Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

 Featured April 16
Columns & Topiaries

Featured April 17
Be a Showoff
Featured April 18

Honor & Glory
Featured April 19

Birds & Trees

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 April 20,2013 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 April 19,2013.



 The special stamp set we have for you this month is:
"Zoo Friends"



The mini stamp set we have for you this month is:
"You May Bow"
                                                         

Today's set is beautiful:


I love this set, so pretty. Pretty as a peacock even! (Feel free to groan, that was pretty bad, lol). The images are so pretty I wanted to keep the cards clean and simple.










I must admit I had a bit of trouble with these cards.  I heat embossed the images and then coloured with water based markers.  I thought it would be great because the embossing would resist the marker and keep the image looking crisp.  What I didn't consider is that the image resisting the marker would mean that the ink on the embossing wouldn't dry, and would be easily smudged.  This isn't good on a white card.  It also doesn't work to wipe the image after colouring as the same thing happens, blue ink on white where it isn't supposed to be.  I ended up making the first card three times and the second one twice.  It wasn't successful until I stopped being impatient and left the image to dry overnight before trying to work with it.  Clean and simple certainly doesn't mean easy!  Oh well, now I know and I'm happy with the results. :)

I hope you enjoyed my cards, but don't stop here.  This is a blog hop after all, and all of the amazing design team members are listed below. Don't forget to visit them and let them know how much you enjoyed their hard work!

Please don't forget to visit the Mark's Finest Papers store! In addition to the lovely April sets you will find even more beautiful sets along with lots of quality card making supplies to add to your stash.  See you tomorrow :)

Pam 
Cathy C - you are here
Toni 
Posted by at

27 comments:

  1. Ravengirl17 April 2013 at 01:22

    Lovely work Cathy! I wish I could send you the sketches I made with this set before I changed up my plans. You'll have to trust me when I say great minds think alike.

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  2. An'Jenic G.17 April 2013 at 02:00

    How cute!! Love the clean and simple look and the add gems are perfect on each card. Just beautiful. TFS AJ-

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  3. Bonnie Lynn17 April 2013 at 02:11

    Cathy, you did an awesome job with these cards!!!

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  4. LindaS17 April 2013 at 05:40

    Love the bling so perfect toghether with the beautiful colored peacock and feathers.

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  5. Janine17 April 2013 at 06:35

    Cathy - I feel for you. I made a card earlier this week, tried to fix it and then tossed it! Your cards really worked though and are beautiful.

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  6. kReN17 April 2013 at 09:11

    Lovely way to focus on the images. TFS!

    kren@
    http://afourlife.blogspot.com

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  7. Anonymous17 April 2013 at 10:19

    Patience isn't a virtue of mine, either!!!! These cards are clean and lovely!

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  8. Karen (TLgirl353)17 April 2013 at 10:26

    Ahhh- my kind of card! Gorgeous!

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  9. stampingbowd17 April 2013 at 10:37

    I always hate to tell someone that their card is "simple elegance" or anything with the word "simple" in it because in my experience some of the designs that have taken me forever have looked simple. These are absolutely stunning!!! I started off with my large fancy Peacock on just the rectangle matted with black but I couldn't make it work out right, YOU on the other hand know how to do CAS!!!!! I was fiddling with gems trying to get them in the scattered pattern you do so well, and thought, I wish Cathy was here to show me how to do this!!! Your cards are so gorgeous! TFS the heat embossing works if it dries all night. I have run into the same problem!

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  10. wannabcre8tive17 April 2013 at 10:43

    Both cards are so very pretty. I like how you cut the peacock out on the first one and it is colored beautifully. I like how you used the jewels with the second one to add to the sentiment. Great job with the feather, too.

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  11. Davi17 April 2013 at 11:20

    Well Cathy is was well worth the wait to let them dry because both are gorgeous cas cards, very elegant :)

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  12. Lois17 April 2013 at 12:07

    I'm so glad you persevered with your creations because the final results were stunning!

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  13. terrie17 April 2013 at 12:26

    Both of your cards turned out so nice...well done

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  14. Michelle N.17 April 2013 at 12:36

    Doesn't it always seem that the cards you struggle with the most are always the most stunning? Your cards are just gorgeous!

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  15. Unknown17 April 2013 at 13:35

    Oh my goodness I love your cards!!! Beautiful!!! This would be perfect to link up over at Tara's linky party!!! Come link up for great prizes.http://craftindesertdivas.com/.


    Robin
    http://cutonedesignsbyrobin.blogspot.com/

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  16. Kathy Bradley17 April 2013 at 14:31

    Cathy,
    Wow, two very, very gorgeous and elegant cards. I really like how you've popped up the pretty peacock on the first card and added the little jewels. And, your second card is just as awesome!

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  17. itzamitzi17 April 2013 at 16:23

    All the extra work was worth it because your cards are gorgeous! I am a fan of clean and [simple?]. LOL

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  18. Golda17 April 2013 at 19:08

    I love how you popped the first one up and the shimmer on the other. Great work!

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  19. stamping sue17 April 2013 at 20:14

    Practice makes perfect!!!
    stamping sue
    http://stampingsueinconnecticut.blogspot.com/

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  20. Pat 17 April 2013 at 20:39

    Both cards are awesome.

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  21. Winnie and Patty17 April 2013 at 20:42

    Absolutely beautiful Cathy! TFS

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  22. Jane17 April 2013 at 21:02

    Very elegant!!!!

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  23. mariko17 April 2013 at 21:07

    Wow! Beautiful treatment of the peacock! Such an elegant card!!

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  24. Cindy Groh18 April 2013 at 12:45

    Love the CAS look with these two images. Fabulous creativity.

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  25. Pam18 April 2013 at 14:26

    Beautiful! I love that you cut out the peacock!
    Pam
    scrap-n-sewgranny.blogspot.com

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  26. MariLynn18 April 2013 at 17:21

    Gorgeous cards. Worth the wait!!

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  27. marg000620 April 2013 at 06:43

    Love that shiny pearl on the feather.

    marg0006 at verizon dot net

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

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