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5.26.2010

Thank You


Hey Everyone! Happy Hump Day! Today, I have a card inspired by The Shabby Tea Room's challenge. I used polka dots and the tea theme to create my card.

Yesterday, I got braces on a few of my teeth. I say a few because they're only on the bottom, thankfully! Now, this is the second time I've had braces in my life. The first time around, I was very young and sometime during my college years, the retainer was 'lost!' So, that means this time around I'm responsible, not Mom and Dad. If you have children who have braces or may need braces in the future, remember to tell them to keep that retainer in. Now, they do permanent retainers, which may be an option for me when I'm done, in hopefully less than a year. I'll take a picture to share with you all, but today is not the day! They look horrible! haha After they straighten up a bit, I'll share!

Anyway, I stumbled on a new technique while creating this card. Sometimes, I stamp on my scrap paper to make sure the stamp is conditioned and inked well. This time, I stamped on an area previously stamped and liked it, so I repeated the process for this card. I share this with you below. It is similar to stamp kissing, just not on the actual stamp.

Instructions
  1. Trim rustic cream cardstock to fit an A2 card front.
  2. Stamp polka dot pattern in sweet blush ink.
  3. Add doily and trim half off the edge.
  4. Add distress ink to the card front.
  5. Add ribbon treatment.
  6. Die cut oval and emboss, stamp sentiment, and add distress ink.
  7. Pop oval die cut off card front.
  8. Stamp sweet blush cardstock in white ink with Hero Arts doily stamp.
  9. Stamp teapot in tea dye ink on top of stamped doily pattern, cut out, ink edges, and pop off card front.
  10. Add pearls and color with a Copic marker.
  11. Add pearl flourish.
Tips, Tricks and Techniques
  • Stamp Kissing on Cardstock - Stamp pattern with white pigment ink on cardstock, then stamp a solid image using a darker ink over top stamped background. The result is a patterned image.
  • Doily Finds - Recently, I've found a few doilies. When out to eat at a restaurant, check to see if they use doilies to decorate serving plates. If so, sometimes you can remove them before they're stained or used and use them on your projects, like the one I used here. Another tip - Ask your server for some. They may look at you weird, but it worked for me and I got at least five of them and they're really huge and unique and...FREE!
Supplies

Stamps :: Waltzingmouse Stamps - say it with style (sentiment), off beat background (polka dots); Hero Arts - starburst lace (stamp kissing technique); Renaissance by Design - coffee and tea (teapot)
Ink :: SU! - white; Ranger - tea dye, old paper; PTI - sweet blush
Cardstock :: PTI - rustic cream, white, sweet blush
Embellishments :: Craft Supply - doily, crinkly stained ribbon; SU! - pearls; KaiserCraft - pearls; Copic marker - Sand; Prima - pearl flourish
Tools :: Spellbinders - petite ovals small nestabilities (S4-138), wizard; Ranger - blending tool

23 comments:

Smita said...

Wow!! Gorgeous... love the ribbon and all the stamping.


Hugs,
Smita

Stamping Cafe said...

A totally wowzers, Ashley!!

Debbie said...

Absolutely lovely design, Ashley! I {heart} all the swirls and dots and that tea pot is beautiful! Thanks for joining us again this week in the Tea Room :)

Unknown said...

Stunning Ashley!! fabulous colours and what a fabby wee technique!

itsallrosi said...

less than a year for the braces doesn't sound too bad.

card is gorgeous! the pattern on the teapot is perfect.

Tessa Wise said...

Great card Ashley! I love how you are using the doilies lately and now that I know how you get them makes it even better! Hee! Funny about the braces- I'm supposed to get them this year too... same story- had em when I was young and never wore my retainer...

Lin said...

Love your use of a doily here! Perfect for the tea theme!!

Audrey Pettit said...

This is gorgeous, Ashley! Love the colors you put together and love the elegant details. Thanks for sharing your cool stamp technique with us, too, and thanks for joining us again in the Tea Room.

Carol's Ink Spot said...

Beautiful card. Love all the swirls of pearls.

Anonymous said...

Stunner indeed! I also love the creation below. I won a pack of those chipboard butterflies and you've given me some inspiration to use them!
I wore braces as an adult, too. I was teaching at the time and my 5th graders just loved that I was in the same boat with them! Way to go...you'll be so glad you did it!!

Deborah Young said...

Oooooh.....so pretty! Love your ribbon, Ashley. I'm a doily freak too! I went through a spell last year where I used up a whole package from the Wilton section at Michael's. I like the idea of lifting them from the restaurant though!
How long do you have to have the braces? My son does not wear his retainer ;-(

Diane Jaquay said...

Mmmm, such shabby goodness, LOVE that teapot!!!

Janelle said...

Beautiful card, Ashley, love it! And I can certainly sympathize on the braces front. I had braces as a kid, too, but then by the time I had my wisdom teeth removed (in my late 30s) my bottom teeth were completely messed up. My two kids and I were visiting the orthodontist at the same time -- which was a little weird. :) And, I do have a permanent retainer in the bottom now. No more crooked teeth for me!

Michele Gross said...

Shabby-licious!! Love your ribbon and bling-soooo pretty :)

Angie Tieman said...

Oooh, how pretty!! Congrats on getting the braces off!

Tiffany Ervin said...

Oh my! Gorgeous! This just screams out spring time tea parties and cookies and cakes with the ladies! Love the colors!

Helen F. said...

Stunning card, Ashley! Love the polka dots and the sweet tea pot stamp. Thanks for the 'free' doily idea too :o)

Nerina said...

Love your teapot! It has a real Eastern feel to it - and all that pearly goodness is delicious!

Alice said...

beautiful! love those yummy colors!

AMIT said...

Beautiful work on this card.

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Kelly Massman said...

Gorgeous cards! I love that green ribbon!

Kirsty Vittetoe said...

Fabulous card! Love how you play with colors!

Savitri said...

Gorgeous card, Ash!! The braces thing... yuck! But hey, beauty is painful sometimes :) Aim for 8-months. You can do it!!!!

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