Hello, welcome to the Stampin’ Pretty Pals’ Blog Hop! This month our Design Team is showcasing “Gifts From the Garden.” We hope you enjoy and will be inspired by them! Don’t forget to leave comments! We love hearing from you. At the end of my post, you will find the full line-up to help you “hop” along from Pal to Pal.

The garden colors are alive after all our rain. Lots of pinks, purples, yellows, and blues. Today I am using the Positive Thoughts stamp set and Nature’s Thoughts dies. The background was created using patterned masks with both ink and embossing paste. Here is my card illustrating the Gifts from the Garden theme.

• Thick Whisper White cardstock: 4-1/4″ x 11″ scored at 5-1/2″
• Thick Whisper White cardstock: 4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ for card front will be cut down to 3-3/4″ x 5″ after stenciling
• Whisper White cardstock: 4″ x 5-1/4″ for card insert
• Whisper White cardstock: scraps for flowers
• Soft Sea Foam Pizzazz cardstock: 4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ for leaf clusters
• Vellum: 1″ x 4″ for sentiment

CREATING THE BACKGROUND

• This background was created with the residue from my earlier stenciled card post. See that post HERE. After stenciling my background on that card, I spritzed the mask pressed it onto a piece of Thick Whisper White cardstock. TIP: Anytime you stencil you can get several additional backgrounds with this method.
• Using the dot patterned mask and white embossing paste, add some randomly raised embossing. I angled my embossing from lower left to upper right.

Stamp the Good Morning Magnolia image onto the vellum panel using Basic Gray ink. The lines will be blurred by the Stampin’ Blends and the alcohol to create a faux watercolor effect.

Color the image starting with the lightest color. Use Dark Daffodil Delight for the center. Dip a fine-tip paintbrush into the rubbing alcohol and gently move the color. I added Champagne Shimmer Paint to my rubbing alcohol.

Next, color non-adjacent petals with Dark Flirty Flamingo. Gently blur the stamped line. Let dry and repeat on other petals. Do the same for the leaves. TIP: Blow into a straw to gently direct the ink flow in the desired direction.

Add a second layer of color after the image is dry. Repeat the process of alcohol painting and gently blowing the ink.

OPTIONAL: Pick up some clean rubbing alcohol with the paintbrush and flick it over the image. This will create small droplets that will lighten some areas by moving the color outward.

Adhere the vellum panel to the Basic White cardstock panel using Stampin’ Seal or a light amount of Multipurpose Liquid Glue. Add to Basic Black card base.

Stamp the sentiment in White Craft ink and heat emboss with with embossing powder. Trim to you liking. Add to card panel with small black Dimensionals.

Customize the message insert and the envelope with some flicks of color from the brush end of the Stampin’ Blends.

THE LEAVES

• Take your Old Olive Stampin’ Marker (or ink pad) and wipe it on a craft mat.
• Spritz the ink with water and swirl it in a ‘Z’ motion to break up the really dark areas. TIP: I use my finger but it does make it a little messy. LOL!
• Smoosh your Soft Sea Foam cardstock into the ink.
• Dry and repeat until you like the splotchy look.
• Die-cut 7 leaf clusters using the Natures’ Thoughts dies from the splotchy Soft Sea Foam cardstock.

THE FLOWERS

• Ink the flower from Positive Thoughts stamp set with Stampin’ Write Markers. I used Daffodil Delight on centers and Poppy Parade, Magenta Madness, and Calypso Coral on the petals. Tap the brush end of the marker around the Daffodil Delight inked centers with the petal color then come back and tap the Daffodil Delight. TIP: When blending markers, make sure you clean off marker by coloring on a scrap of paper. 
• Die-cut flowers using Nature’s Thoughts dies.

THE SENTIMENT

• Stamp the sentiment from Bloom & Grow stamp set using Versamark ink.
• Heat emboss the sentiment with white embossing powder.

ASSEMBLY

• Trim the card panel down to 3-3/4″ x 5″.
• Adhere one flower to the background with Stampin’ Seal in the center of the flower.
• Using a Dimensional behind remaining 2 flowers cluster them as shown.
• Add liquid glue to the leaves and tuck them into the flower cluster. TIP: I use tweezers to help me place the leaves.
• Add liquid glue to the embossed vellum sentiment banner and layer on the card panel as shown. TIP: I put a thin line of glue behind the thicker embossed areas. For instance, on the left side of the ‘O’, the diagonal line in the ‘N’, the verticle line of the ‘D’, ‘E’, ‘R’, and ‘F’. Let dry.
• Trim sentiment flush with card panel.
• Layer card panel onto the card base with Dimensionals or Foam Adhesive.

More inspiration awaits! Use the Blog Hop Line-up below to visit the rest of this month’s Design Team. My fellow Pals are excited to show you what they’ve created! Mark your calendars for our next blog hop, which will be August 12th when our theme is “My Happiest Season.” The Design Team will showcase projects inspired by their favorite seasonal time of the year. Don’t miss the fun! Until then, please stay safe and have fun in your craft room.

PALS BLOG HOP LINE-UP

1. Mary Fish at Stampin’ Pretty
2. Lisa Ann Bernard at Queen B Creations
3. Jackie Beers at Blue Line Stamping
4. Rosanne Mulhern at Heartfelt Stamping
5. Lynn Kolcun at Avery’s Owlery
6. Ann Murray at Murray Stamps, Ink ** YOU ARE HERE
7. Stesha Bloodhart at Stampin’ Hoot!
8. Katy McGloin at Just Fun Stamping
9. Wendy Klein at Doggone Delightful Stampin’
10. Rae Harper Burnet at Wild West Paper Arts
11. Su Mohr at Aromas And Art
12. Mary Hanson at Up North Stampin’
13. Debbie Mageed at Secrets to Stamping
14. Jen Roque at Stamp Camp with Jen
15. Deb Walker at Deb Stamps Life
16. Amanda Merrill at Inkflair
17. Pamela Sadler at Stampin Pink Rose
18. Beth McCullough at Stamping Mom
19. Melissa Seplowitz at The Stamping Ninja
20. Karen Hallam at Karen’s Stamping Habit
21. Tricia Chuba at ButterDish Designs
22. Jeanie Stark at Just Stampin’
23. Leah O’Brien at Honey Bee Stamping & More!
24. Peggy Noe at Pretty Paper Cards
25. Sue Jackson at Just Peachy Stamping

SUPPLY LIST

Positive Thoughts Cling Stamp Set – 151490

Price: $21.00

Nature’s Thoughts Dies – 153586

Price: $29.00

Bloom & Grow Photopolymer Stamp Set – 149229

Price: $26.00

Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock – 140272

Price: $8.25

Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock – 100730

Price: $9.75

Soft Sea Foam 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock – 146988

Price: $8.75

Vellum 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock – 101856

Price: $10.00

Versamark Pad – 102283

Price: $9.50

Old Olive Classic Stampin’ Pad – 147090

Price: $7.50

2019-2021 In Color Stampin’ Write Markers – 150079

Price: $15.00

Brights Stampin’ Write Markers – 147157

Price: $30.00

Subtles Stampin’ Write Markers – 147156

Price: $30.00

Basic Pattern Decorative Masks – 150697

Price: $6.00

Stampin’ Spritzer – 126185

Price: $3.00

Embossing Paste – 141979

Price: $8.00

Palette Knives – 142808

Price: $5.00

Heat Tool (Us And Canada) – 129053

Price: $30.00

White Stampin’ Emboss Powder – 109132

Price: $6.00

Whisper White Medium Envelopes – 107301

Price: $7.50

Supply List

BASIC TOOLS