Weekend RAK Winner and Water Color Peony Bookmarks

I've been creating cards, these last few days

for a sampler that I am putting together for a local book shop 

and wanted to include some water color book marks with the assortment of cards that I'll be sharing with the book shop owners.

It's been a long long time since I've created books marks...

so this was a nice change of pace for me.

If you follow my blog

you already know that my first love when creating a card is....

water coloring.

and so...

I decided to create a little assortment of water colored books marks 

using the very fabulous Loose Peonies stamp set from

The Ton (Stamps)

The Ton has a magnificent collection of beautiful stamps

 as well as a terrific assortment of detailed 6x6 background stamps.

Peonies and hydrangeas are my favorite garden flowers...

and for me...

The Ton is the equivalent of hitting the Peony jackpot!

Their peony stamps are beyond beautiful...

and yes...

I DO own every single one!

and yes

I have water colored every single one...

and have also used the layering stamp set that features peonies.

They are absolutely beautiful!

For the bookmarks...

I chose to work with Loose Peonies

because I like the assortment of stamps...

their size...and the ability to arrange them on the book mark as I wanted to.

I got out my MISTI...

the Loose Peonies stamp set...

my Marsupial Layering tool (aka the "JIG")

some LCI Metallic card stock

an assortment inks from The Ton and Altenew...along with ZIG Clean Color Brush Tip Markers

my favorite paint brushes..

 Crafter's Companion Water Colour Card Stock

(another fave of mine)

Versamark Ink... some fine detail gold embossing powder...

and my trusty heat gun.

...some Stampin Up Red Liner Tape

Oh!!..I almost forgot...

I also got out this great little Scalloped tag Topper Punch from Stampin Up

(I have both of their Tag Topper Punches...but preferred this one for this project because of the more detailed edge.

Then...

I got busy cutting the water color card stock into book mark sized strips 

measuring 1 3/4 x 8

and the Metallic card stock mats to 2 x 8

I painted the enter background of each strip in an assortment of beautiful ink colors.

I always let my water colored pieces are dry...I am to a fan of how water coloring dries if rushed with a heat gun

But...that's just my preference..

If you give this a try...and time is of the essence....a eat gun will be your friend!

Then....

when the strips were dry

I positioned an arrangement of stamps on the first strip...

using the MISTI

and then stamped all 4 strips using Versamark

I Heat embossed...

I water colored...

I Matted

I punched

I added a little piece of sheer shimmery ribbon

and wha-la!

This is what I wound up with

and a close up...

aren't those stamped images gorgeous?

(wish you could see the shimmer on the violet colored metallic card stock)

This was a nice relaxing little project to work on...

My "wheels" are already running about other book marks that I'd like to create...

But...

that's a discussion for another day...

because now it's time to let you know who the little RAK winner is!

Congratulations Barbara Mackasill!

Barbara...the bits and pieces for the Spring Bouquet card

will soon be yours to create a card with!

 

Please send your mailing info to:

tobellissimacards@gmail.com

and I'll send the envelope out to you this week.

and... 

when you create your Spring Bouquet card...

be sure to send a photo to the same email address (above)

so that I can share it here on the Bellissima Cards blog!

Thanks for visiting!

Wishing you a beautiful Sunday...

Michelle.

A Crafty Little RAK and a Spring Bouquet

Today..

I've got a little dose of Spring for you...

and a crafty little RAK..

one that will bring a speck of Spring to you as well!

Lately, I've been creating lots of monochromatic cards...

and lots of "almost" monochromatic cards.

I love the monochromatic look...

but I also love color..

So I got out this great little die set

and made a short stack of this sweet and colorful card.

And to satisfy my craving for color...

I created the stack in an assortment of background colors.

This little Impression Obsession Bouquet Die Set

has lots of pieces...

everything that you see here...

the stems..

an assortment of flowers...

and even the little ribbon piece that is placed at the bottom of the bouquet.

The die pieces...

all cut beautifully..

even the tiniest pieces cut nicely on the very hefty card stock that I use

One pass through he Big Shot...

and done!

The shimmery Ovals were cut with a Deckled Edge Spellbinders die

(LCI has THE BEST shimmery metallic card stock!)

All of the Bouquet die cut pieces are cut with LCI metallic card stock as well...

so they all have a nice little shimmer

Purple and yellow together always remind me of Spring....

and Easter...

You can see a little bit of the shimmer on the oval, in this photo

and also on the yellow, pink and orange flowers...

and especially on the yellow bouquet ribbon piece

(not so much on the purple..but it's there...I promise!)

 I didn't include sentiments on this little stack of cards......YET

I'll customize them with a sentiment for whichever occasion is needed...

in the future 

I have to say....

I was falling more in love with this sweet little die set

 as I made each card in this stack...

It was a fun set to create cards with

(there's that shimmer again!)

Green and purple...

always a nice combo...

and the Swiss Dots embossing on the background card stock pieces 

add some nice texture to each card...

(gotta have some texture!)

So now...

I have done my little share of injecting some Spring into my life here in the chilly Northeast

(Where the heck is Spring?)

Let's hope that Mother Nature takes my cue and catches up!

It's mid April!

C'mon Spring!

It's time for you to make your grand appearance here on Long Island!

and finally...

Remember when I posted here about doing a little crafty RAK every so often?

well...

it's time for a little RAK...

I cut an extra set of this die...

and a shimmery oval to share with a crafty friend...

so...

if you like this sweet little Spring bouquet...

and would like to create a card of your own...

leave a comment below...

I'll choose a RAK winner this weekend...

and will send the bits and pieces to you 

so that you can add your own card and background paper...

to create a Spring Bouquet card of your own 

(*RAKs are opened to US mailing addresses only....sorry international friends...)

Card loving friends...this sweet little Spring Bouquet is now available in limited quantities at The Bellissima Card Shop......HERE

Card making friends.....a brief supply list of key supplies for this card are posted below

Have a great Friday, my friends!

and thanks for visiting!

Michelle.

Supply List:

Dies: Impression Obsession BOUQUET DIE SET #400-S and Spellbinders Deckled Edge Ovals

Card stock: PTI, assorted prints and LCI Metallic Card Stock