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Friday 22 March 2013

A Bloomin' Marvellous final hurrah!

Yes it's true, Sale-a-bration ends today but if you're kicking yourself for not taking advantage, don't worry, I'll be taking orders today until 6pm - choose your free gift from this selection. If you want to join Stampin' Up you'll need to sign up by 22.30pm to benefit from choosing the extra 25% of products in your starter kit.  It's quick and easy to do this online - just follow this link.

I've really enjoyed Sale-a-bration this year and I hope you have too. Stampin' Up always lays on the most gorgeous stamp sets and this year the company offered other items from the catalogue as free gifts too. My card today uses my favourite free set and I've been inspired by Make My Monday where they're looking for monochrome CAS cards, Less is More, where the theme is Frame it, and CASology, where the cue word is Song. Come and have a look:


I used a fair few techniques on this card so bear with me while I explain. I used the 2 1/2" circle punch to make the circular panel, sponged it lightly with Bashful Blue ink and pierced a frame round it with my Essentials paper-piercing pack.


My Bloomin' Marvellous bird was facing the wrong way so I stamped him onto my brayer and then rolled him out onto a piece of Whisper White card stock. Once I'd cut him out with my paper snips and placed him on my card he was facing the right way like a good little bird! This stamp set has some fabulous sentiments and I used this one for the gospel song of the same name (check out the powerful rendition by Aretha Franklin and Mavis Staples at the bottom of this post.)


The leaves were stamped on the edge of the circle and then my flowers were stamped over the top and clear-embossed. I did it this way round because I wanted the flowers to seem translucent and the leaves to be slightly visible through them. I added a bit of shadowing with a Baja Breeze Watercolour Wonder crayon and added dots to the flower centres with a marker (TIP: leave these to dry for a while or they'll smudge!). Finally, I sprayed the panel with my Color Spritzer Tool and sponged the flowery edge of the panel with Not Quite Navy ink for a bit of dimension.

By the way, you get a great light effect you get when you pierce through the card front...


Here's what you'll need to make this card
Stamps: Bloomin' Marvellous (Sale-a-bration freebie)
Ink: Bashful Blue, Baja Breeze, Marina Mist, Pacific Point, Not Quite Navy, and markers
Card stock: Whisper White
Other: Essentials paper-piercing pack, brayer, paper snips, 2 1/2" circle punch, Subtles Watercolour Wonder crayons, Color Spritzer tool, versamark, clear embossing powder, heat tool, stamp-a-majig
I'D BE DELIGHTED TO ORDER STAMPIN' UP ITEMS FOR YOU AND HAVE THEM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR ADDRESS IN THE UK. I'M COMMITTED TO PROVIDING EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND AM ALWAYS HAPPY TO OFFER HELP AND ADVICE. TO PLACE YOUR ORDER, JUST SEND ME AN EMAIL OR GIVE ME A CALL ON 01280 820593.
• Add a free Sale-a-bration item from this list for every £45 you spend! Offer ends today 6pm.

Thank you so much for all your get well wishes for my youngest son. He was completely fed up by the end of yesterday and much better so I (reluctantly) let him go back to school - he's always such good company, even when he's poorly! He was obviously pleased with the reaction he got when he pointed out the nut allergy warning (see Wednesday's post) and has been reading food labels avidly ever since. Yesterday he pointed out the information on a pineapple label which stated: Cholesterol: 0 mg. "Look!" he said to me. "Cholesterol - OMG!"

Have a happy day and a great weekend, and I'll see you very soon.

Hugs,

37 comments:

  1. Very pretty! The pierced circle really adds a lot of interest!

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  2. What a wonderful card and the blue is so soft!

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  3. Some lovely techniques here Vicky, those cool blues are beautiful, and I love the pierced edge.
    Glad your son is feeling better now, my eldest hasn't been ill (apart from the flu at Xmas) for years, I'm sure its because she refuses to use the school toilets! She waits until she gets home! I don't know how she does it!

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  4. Absolutely fabulous Vicky! I ordered that gorgeous set (yesterday!) through my SU demonstrator and you used it beautifully here!

    I always look to you for hints and tips - may I quietly offer one? I recently tried reversing an image, for a reflection, by stamping onto a poly food bag and then rubbing the image onto card. Mind you, it's probably my option 'cos of paranoid fear of the brayer!

    Have a lovely day, Di xx

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    1. Hi Di

      Thanks for your tip! I've never tried a poly bag but I've used the imaging sheet off my stamp-a-majig and it gives me a blurred image (perfect for reflections!) I found the brayer trick to be really sharp and accurate. Don't be paranoid about the brayer - it just wants to be your friend... (I think...)

      You have a lovely day too,

      Vicky x

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  5. A beautiful card Vicky, I love the colour and stamps, thank you for the tip about the bird.
    luv
    irene
    xxxx

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  6. Some lovely effects Vicky. Makes a very airy and delicate card. Glad your son is better. x

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  7. Beautiful... glad to hear your son is well again.
    Suzi B xx

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  8. What a fab card Vicky love the paper pricking xx Jan

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  9. I totally adore this card Vicky. Lovely muted colours and lots of floral prettiness!

    Glad your son is feeling better. I love his take on life (and food labels!).

    Have a great weekend xxx

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  10. Lovely card, I love the blue. I'm going to try your idea with the bird and the brayer.
    Eveline.

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  11. A lovely little card showcasing this cute stamp set - I love the pierced edge - so nice on the white card . Have a lovely weekend despite the weather and thank you for the Aretha Franklin song at the end - AWESOME !!!! Love her ! x

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  12. I keep forgetting about this reversing trick, thanks for reminding me! A lovely card Vicky, have a nice weekend. Xx

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  13. Very nice with my favorite bird
    Greetings caroline

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  14. It's so amazing what you can do with one colour! Gorgeous! Thanks so much for playing along with us at CASology this week!

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  15. What a stunning card! I love the white and blue combo: it's so fresh looking! So glad you joined in on the fun at CASology this week!

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  16. fabulous vicky

    Thanks for joining us this week
    Jen
    "Less Is More"

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  17. Very pretty card and love the paper piercing

    Anne

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  18. Lovely card and great tips, thanks Vicky

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  19. Absolutely stunning, Vicky! LOVE the monochrome layering of ink and images and I LOVE the paper piercing! Thanks for joining us at MMM! :)

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  20. Gorgeous card and love the bird xxx

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  21. This set has to have been the best of Sale-a-bration and you've used it beautifully! Many times!

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  22. Love the Monotone look to this card and the pierced frame too. Thanks for joining in our challenge this week at MMM - Jacqueline xx

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  23. What a great tip, must try and remember that one, and what a super card.

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  24. Hi Vicky, stunning card, love it. The piercing is very efective and thanks for the tip about reversing images! Cathy x

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  25. Super card Vicky, with a whole array of techniques! I love the freshness of the blue and white, and the way you've reversed the bird. The piercing around the edge of the circle really finishes it off. Glad your son is feeling better. There are some nasty bugs around x x

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  26. Love the effect of the paper pricking, gorgeous card and colour, love that little bird too

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  27. Such a lovely card Vicky,glad your son is better now too :) Viv xx

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  28. Beautifully done! I love the soft shades of blue and the dimension! Lovely song too!

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  29. Oh, how pretty! I love the blues against white, and the paper piercing is beautiful, too! Thanks for joining in the fun at CASology this week!

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  30. Beautiful card as usual. Love all the effects here, combined to be very CAS. It's snowing here and I hope to use my new Sale-a-bration stamps to make a card as soon as hubby and son vacate the dining room table!!

    Louise

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  31. Oh happy day, indeed! This is so beautiful in that soft blue and what a sweet little scene!
    Thanks so much for joining us again at CASology! :)

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  32. This is gorgeous, Vicky! And stamping on a brayer for a reverse stamp? Genius!! Thanks for playing along with CASology this week!

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  33. I'm really sorry I'm so late in visiting, but last week completely got away from me.
    This is simply stunning, the monochrome effect is gorgeous.
    Thanks so much Vicky.
    Chrissie
    "Less is More"

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  34. Beautiful Vicky , such a delicate image and perfect in the round. the piercing is very effective and i love the touch of light it adds. So glad to hear your son is feeling better.

    Marie

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  35. Such a beautiful card! LOVE the tone on tone...and the piercing really sets off the focal image!

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  36. This is so pretty Vicky; the flowers are blending together so beautifully. I love the way you have photographed it with the light shining through the piercings too.
    That's a favourite song of mine.

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I'd love to know what you think. Do leave me a comment - it always makes my day! Vicky x


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