Painted Cosmos Backdrop

 The Cosmos Backdrop was probably the 2nd press plate that I owned, and it is still my favourite one.

I pressed with Betterpress Black ink onto Canson XL Watercolour Paper, then pulled out my Gansai Tambei paints.

I need to paint more to improve my skills!  But am still pretty happy with this one.  I used a rectangle die to cut out the middle, then matted it with a slightly larger piece of black cardstock that I adhered back down with some thin foam adhesive.  

The sentiment is from the One Word Greetings Dies by Kristina Werner.

Wish Upon a Dandelion

The 'Wish Upon a Dandelion' stamp set is one of many by Pigment Craft Co. that I bought last summer after the company had gone out of business.  Still love everything they did, and will be using my sets for a long time.

I started by stamping the Script all-over background stamp from Hero Arts on my white cardstock using Tattered Rose Distress Oxide ink.  I stamped and layered the images using Oxide inks, leaving a spot for the sentiment included in the set.

I used the Nordic Frames dies from The Greetery to cut out my panel, and attached it to some green cardstock using 3D foam adhesive.

Jumbo Berry

I circled back to an set that I've had for a while, since it's berry season!  This is the Jumbo Berry set from Pigment Craft Co.

After stamping and fussy cutting the images, I used a slimline die to cut the green plaid paper, adhered them down and then tied a gingham bow around it all.

The sentiment set is called Berry Sentiments, also from Pigment Craft Co.  I tied one onto the ribbon, and popped the other up with 3D foam dots.

Pattern Play in Blues

I really love the Pattern Play die set from Concord & 9th - and it's done exactly what I hoped - given me a bunch of cards that are gender neutral.

Both of today's card designs are ones that I've done before, but if it ain't broke, and all that.  I just try out a new colour combo, and it all looks new.

I used sentiments from the You Are Everything press plate set, that were hot foiled in gold on black cardstock.  Four more for my stash!

Brighten Foliage

Yes... I do think this is an odd name for a Betterpress plate??  The May Betterpress Society plate is called 'Brighten Foliage'.  Not really sure what it means... but it is lovely!

My first project with the plate was a simple one.  I pressed it in Betterpress Black ink on a Porcelain Cotton Card panel, so it has wonderful texture!  I used an Art Impressions font set to cut out Happy from some Concord & 9th cardstock, then glued them together, overlapping slightly.  I wrapped some metallic gold thread around my panel several times, then added a gold foiled sentiment and some gold pearls.

You can get a Betterpress Society subscription from The Papercrafter's Workshop!

Cards 4 Cancer Patients

There is a new Facebook group called 'Cards 4 Cancer Patients', for Canadian card makers to create cards that will be given to patients in hospitals.  *I believe there is an American group as well if you search for it.  I've started to prep a package of cards to send off later this summer, or whenever my envelope is full.

I pulled out some (ANCIENT!) papers from my craft room to make up some bright, encouraging cards using the Awareness Ribbon & Sentiments set designed by Sheri Ballantyne for Spellbinders.

This is the perfect set to cheer people on, and comes with a whole bunch of different sentiments.  I have four done so far, and I love being able to use up some pretty older papers.

If you're interested in the die set, you can find it at The Papercrafter's Workshop.

Quilted Cards

 I adore making sewing themed cards!  I pulled out the gorgeous October Afternoon 'Farmhouse' papers (from many moons ago...), and got busy die cutting.

The frames and squares are the Quilted Frames Dies from Waffle Flower - a little finicky to assemble (don't look too close!), but the result is so lovely.

I used the Needleworker Tool Kit dies from Spellbinders to cut out all the notions - using some brushed silver cardstock for the metallic items.

I had some already pressed sentiments using the You Are Everything Betterpress plate, done on cream cardstock with black ink, and added them with some foam adhesive.