Really Good Greetings Mojo Monday 300!

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Wow, 300 sketches at Mojo Monday – that’s quite an accomplishment over the past almost 6 years!  I thought my Mojo Monday 300 card deserved some Really Good Greetings for that.  Okay, a little pun intended on the words…lol!  That was almost too easy on an early Monday morning here in the Orlando, Florida area. 

I love the way this sketch turned out, my card feels crisp, light and bright.  Of course, I went straight to my, yup you guessed it – color coach for this awesome color combination – Coastal Cabana, Crushed Curry and Pumpkin Pie.  I knew I was going to use this greeting set, and set out to use my two other favorites – Gorgeous Grunge and Dictionary.  I hope you like it – thanks for the inspiration Julee Tilman, your sketch turned out lovely!

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Creative Tips –

  • I chose a color combination from the Coastal Cabana card in the Color Coach collection.  I wouldn’t have put these colors together myself, but they definitely work – that’s why I always use my coach – color is not my thing!
  • I knew I didn’t want to over power the card, so I chose two trusty background type stamp sets – Gorgeous Grunge and Dictionary.  I used the stripes on the 5” x 2 5/8” panel – it’s my absolute favorite stamp in my entire collection!
  • For contrast, I kept the Crushed Curry banner solid.  To make the banner end, I used my paper snipsView my video on how to make banner flags Really Good Greetings 002 Side
  • The Pumpkin Pie circle was cut using my new Circles Collection Framelits – it’s the #4 circle.  I stamped the dictionary background stamp using Pumpkin Pie for just that little something.
  • I struggled a bit with how to matte the greeting square.  I didn’t want to incorporate a new color and the other three colors didn’t quite work as a 1/16” border.  I finally decided to go with Whisper White on itself.  By popping it up on dimensionals, it gave it the break and shadow that I needed from a contrasting colored matte.  Really Good Greetings 002 Height
  • To color my greeting, I used the Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie and Coastal Cabana Stampin’ Write Markers.
  • For the flag, I used a scrap piece from the new Eastern Elegance Designer Series Paper along with my 1” Square punch
  • The flower was made by punching out two flowers using the new Pansy Punch.  I worked the edges a little of each petal and bent them in on itself.  I worked the Pumpkin Pie flower a bit more since it was in the center.  I created a flower center using the 1/2” circle punch and finished it off with three small Pearl Basic Jewels.Really Good Greetings 002 CU
  • For a finishing touch on this card, I incorporated some paper piercing.  Don’t think that your Paper Piercing always has to be the same all around your card.  If you’ll notice I have two large corners and two lines in addition to a smaller corner on the greeting.  It’s just the right amount without going overboard.

This is actually a great card for anyone who is going through something.  What I like about it the most is that it’s hopeful, bright and cheery.  It’s the perfect card to send to someone who needs a lift in life.  I hope you like it too! 

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Stamp Sets – Really Good Greetings (130333c, 130330w), Dictionary (130351c, 130348w),Gorgeous Grunge (130517c, 130514w) Ink – Coastal Cabana (131175), Pumpkin Pie (126945), Pumpkin Pie Stampin’ Write Marker (105115), Crushed Curry Stampin’ Write Marker (131901), 2013-2015 In Color Marker Collection (131260)  Paper – Whisper White (100730), Coastal Cabana (131297), Pumpkin Pie (105117), Crushed Curry (131199), Eastern Elegance DSP (130131) Cool Tools – Paper Snips (103579), 1/2” Circle Punch(119869), Circles Collection Framelits (130911), Pansy Punch (130698), 1” Square Punch (124094) Finishing Touch –Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430), Pearl Basic Jewels (119247), Paper Piercing Tool (126189), Stampin’ Pierce Mat (126199), Essentials Paper Piercing Pack (126187)

Gorgeous GrungeDictionary Background StampReally Good Greetings

Sassy Gorgeous Grunge Swallowtail

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It’s no secret that I love the Swallowtail and Gorgeous Grunge stamp sets.  So if you knew that – my title made sense, right?  Well today I added Sassy Salutations to the mix as well as the Dictionary Background stamp.  I love this mix of very different styles, it’s so wacky that it works.  You’ll have to be the judge after seeing how my mind worked to come up with it.Swallowtail 009 Side

Creative Tips –

  • I wanted that light, almost blush pink look mixed with chocolate.  I used the Soft Suede for my Swallowtail image stamped on an angle.  The rest of the image continues onto the back.  It’s a little surprise when you see the back. Swallowtail 009 002
  • I trimmed the edge using my paper snips keeping the top at a continuous angle so that it wasn’t too harsh a contrast.
  • I stamped the Dictionary on a whisper white panel in Blushing Bride.  For a little flecking, I used the small flecks stamp in Soft Suede – it’s truly becoming my #1 stamp to have this stamp along with the large plops of ink (we’ll call it) stamp in Baked Brown Sugar.  This set is a must have, for just this kind of stuff.  It looks like I did all that with a watercolor brush when in fact it’s a stamp!  Cool, huh?Swallowtail 009 CU
  • I wanted to add a banner to the front, so I used the Sassy Salutations Thank You stamp since it’s quirky and fun but at the same time, short.  I was able to get a banner onto the front without taking away from my card.  Did you know this stamp set is 25% off till June 30th?
  • I also added some light sponging in Blushing Bride to the Banner before sponging it in Soft Suede.  I decided against popping it up, it would have been too awkward without another layer I think, what do you think?  Let me know if the comment section if you think otherwise, I wasn’t so sure!Swallowtail 009 Banner
  • I then sponged around the edge of the card in Soft Suede and the lined my edge with a direct to paper technique as well to frame it. Swallowtail 009 003Swallowtail 009 004
  • For the inside of the card, I added a second Blushing Bride panel to hide the Whisper White.  You can’t even tell that I have another panel in there unless you flip the inside the wrong way like shown here.

The contrast of this card suits me quite well.  I like that the browns work together and the contemporary and classic looks go well together.  I hope you like it too!

Free Product Drawing

I had my open house yesterday and wanted to continue the celebration all weekend long until Sunday 10 pm!  Anyone who uses the hostess code QGTZ4ADP will get an entry into my drawing for $25 in free product for every $25 in product from my Stampin’ Up! store.

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Stamp Sets – Swallowtail (129216c, 129213w), Gorgeous Grunge (130517c, 130514w), Dictionary (130351c, 130348w), Sassy Salutations (126707c, 132070w)  Ink – Soft Suede (126978), Baked Brown Sugar (131174), Blushing Bride (131172)  Paper – Whisper White (100730), Blushing Bride (131198) Cool Tools – 1” Square Punch (124094), Stampin’ Sponges (101610)

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