Hello my stampin’ peeps! I am back in town and was SO happy to be able to perch on my stool in my craft space and MAKE SOMETHING! I’ve been away TOO long! And I have just enough time to squeeze in the latest Freshly Made Sketches challenge! So let’s get to it!

Measurements:

• Mossy Meadow Card Base 4 1/4″ x 11″ scored at 5 1/2″
• Pear Pizzazz Card Stock 4″ x 5 1/4″
• Strip of Garden Lane DSP 2″ x 5 1/4″
• White Die Cut Card Stock 2 3/8″ x 4 5/16″

Details:

• In my search for an image that would fit within the layout parameters, I quickly came across the retired stamp set An Open Heart and decided that it would be perfect. It’s a set that I acquired secondhand and have never stamped up. I have FAR too many of those so was very happy to get it inky! I knew I would be coloring with alcohol markers so I stamped the main image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.
• Four colors of Stampin’ Blends were used here (you could easily just use one or two): Light & Dark Soft Sea Foam; Light Old Olive and Light Mossy Meadow. I needed a very fine tip pen to color in the branch stem so I pulled out my Mossy Meadow Stampin’ Write Marker for that.
• I wasn’t sure what type of foliage I was working with and had no idea what the buds and berries really were so I went with the first image that popped into my head and that was – citrus! So I reached for more Stampin’ Blends in Light So Saffron (may I add that this is a FABULOUS addition to the Stampin’ Blends color variety – if you don’t have it, order it!) and Light Mango Melody. I love the brightness of Mango Melody!

• Once the image was colored I searched through my stand alone dies for a rectangle shape narrow and tall enough to use with my stamped image and found the right size in the MFT stamps Pierced Traditional Tags die set. It fit perfectly and I like the added interest the tag shape adds to the card 🙂
• I layered the tag over a pattern from the gorgeous Garden Lane DSP and then layered them both over a piece of Pear Pizzazz card stock which has been embossed with the Subtle 3D Embossing Folder.
• I added this darling bird image from the same stamp set, again stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black (always use this ink when using alcohol markers), and wondered what color to color it. I am hopelessly illiterate when it comes to birds, but I found inspiration in the yellows of the buds and berries and then added darker shades as I went. When I was finished I had used a total of SIX colors! Light So Saffron, Light Mango Melody on the face, Light and Dark Crumb Cake on the body and Light and Dark Soft Suede on the wing and tail feathers. I’m pretty impressed with how he turned out. I have no idea if any such bird exists in nature but decided that it really doesn’t matter, and that knowledge is SO liberating! I just like the colors!! I fussy cut this little guy out and popped him up with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
• I found a perfectly small sentiment to add to my card in the Itty Bitty Greetings stamp set. This set is the replacement for Teeny Tiny Wishes.
• The layout called for some of ribbon or twine so I reached for (as I often do) my Linen Thread and make a quick bow. I just love (insert audible sigh) these linen bows and add them to projects frequently.
• Added some Wink of Stella to the the leaves and called it good – at least for the card front!

• I chose a simple white insert for the card and added a darling sentiment from the Forever Lovely stamp set. The sentiment was inked up with Versamark Onyx Black for a vivid stamp and then I added a tiny leaf spring from the same set, colored in Light Soft Sea Foam with just a touch of color from my Mossy Meadow Stampin’ Write Marker. I left it at that for the card interior and proceeded to add matching DSP to the envelope flap and a partial stamp of the main image on the front of the envelope.

It can be sometimes a scary feeling for me when I start a project without a fixed image of the final result in my mind, but I worked through the twists and turns of the creative process and am super happy with how it turned out. Thank you again to the Freshly Made Sketches design team for their inspiration!! Make sure to visit the Freshly Made Sketches website to see all of their beautiful designs!!

Thank you for stopping by today and I hope you have a wonderful week!

Supplies (all Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise noted):

Card Stock: Mossy Meadow and Pear Pizzazz; and Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White (80 lb)

DSP: Garden Lane

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Versamark Onyx Black

Stamps: An Open Heart, Itty Bitty Greetings and Forever Lovely

Coloring Tools: Light & Dark Soft Sea Foam, Light Old Olive, Light Mossy Meadow, Light So Saffron, Light Mango Melody, Light & Dark Crumb Cake and Light & Dark Soft Suede Stampin’ Blends; Mossy Meadow Stampin’ Write Marker

Dies: MFT Stamps Pierced Traditional Tags & SU’s Envelope Die (retired) 

Tools: Big Shot; Subtle 3D Embossing Folder

Embellishments: Linen Thread Wink of Stella

Other: Whisper White Envelope