Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful women out there who have raised amazing children or who have helped to shape the lives of other people’s children. My card today is not an outright Mother’s Day card, but it’s for you!
Jaydee created a wonderful color challenge for us this week over at The Paper Players, and I’m happy to share my card with you today. Not only has Jaydee selected three of the rich 2012-2014 In Colors (Gumball Green, Midnight Muse and Raspberry Ripple), but she’s added the fun stipulation that they be paired with Whisper White. I immediately went to Very Vanilla in my head until I saw that little “Whisper White” below. Urrrrrtt! (that’s the sound of the car tires screeching across the asphalt as I slam on the breaks). Here’s my card: 
And here’s the challenge announcement:
Tips, Tricks and Reminders:
- Masking the Sentiment. The Thinking of You stamp has a lovely “Thinking of You” sentiment inside the circle. I didn’t want to use it here, but I did want to showcase the beautiful frame around it with my flower. I COULD have inked all of the outside of the stamp with a marker, but that’s a lot of work and doesn’t always give me the result I want. Since the central circle isn’t a size that coordinates with a punch, here’s what I did: I stamped the entire image once on Whisper White card stock in Midnight Muse ink. Without reinking the stamp, I stamped the image again on another spot of my Whisper White card stock – leaving a lighter version of the first image. I cropped the first image with my Window Frame Framelits. I snipped the circle out of the second image, trimming just inside the circle’s stamped edge. I flipped this piece over to the clean side and glued it down on the first. Because the image is so light, you can’t tell the other side has a stamped “guide” for cutting.
- Embossing the Background. I really, really, really loved the look of this card with just a plain piece of Midnight Muse in the background. It was so clean and crisp – needed nothing more. Because this was for a design team challenge, though, I felt like I needed to do something different, step it up a little bit. I ran that piece through the Square Lattice Embossing Folder (it kinda’ mimics the pattern in the stamped image, don’t you think?) and was stunned by what a difference it made. I know I need to use my embossing folders more frequently. This validated that to me. It totally stepped it up.
- Creating Balance. Because of the angle on the photo, it might not be obvious that the frame and flower are not centered horizontally on the card. That was my first thought (it always is) – to center everything. So symetrical. But the more I played with the shapes and liked the sentiment on the right side of the card, I knew the frame and flower needed to be off-center a bit to balance with the weight of the sentiment and corresponding banner. The end result is “balanced” but not “centered”.
Stamp sets: Stippled Blossoms, Crosses of Hope, Just Thinking Inks: Midnight Muse, Raspberry Ripple, Gumball Green Papers: Midnight Muse, Gumball Green, Whisper White Accessories: Window Frame Framelits, Square Lattice Embossing Folder
Thanks for stopping by my blog today! I hope you will check out the other design team cards at The Paper Players and consider adding one of your cards, as well.
Brian
What a beautiful card, Brian. This colors are so rich and beautiful and that flower from the Stippled Blossoms looks gorgeous, this stamp set is a must have, the flowers always come out looking fantastic no matter what color ink you use, I love it!! Thank you for your sweet thoughts for today for all Mothers. I want to wish a beautiful and happy Mother’s Day to all of you out there and for your mom Brian, a warm hug across the miles, from me.
Happy Mother`s Day to all …(except you Brian) Love this card ! The Stippled Blossom is a beautiful stamp ….and I think the Square Lattice EF is probably the one I use the most ….and what kind of prize do I get because I guessed right yesterday ????
BEAUTIFUL….and ditto…..Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s out there.
Oh my! I must pin this today! Such a dark color pallet to work with today and you nailed it! Just beautiful! I couldn’t guess this stamp set yesterday because I don’t own Stippled Blossoms but it certainly deserves a home in my Studio! So happy to see that rose resting in the corner of that Window Frame! Square Lattice EF, a Fav of mine! Happy Mother’s Day to all! <3
vary pretty Brian !!!! love I …….
Happy Mother’s Day everyone. Brian, yet again you have amazed me with your unique technique on masking the sentiment. How about a series of videos on all these ideas you come with? Your card is simply gorgeous! Wishing you and your Mom a day of beautiful new memories.
This is a gorgeous card, Brian! Have you noticed how often you use a horizontal element to balance your cards? I was thinking that too, so I checked out your Pinterest board, and I was right. It’s something I’m going to pay more attention to doing, because it works so well!
This is a really nice card, Brian. And the background texture is perfect . What a great challenge.
Happy Mother’s Day to all.
Stunning card, Brian! Tell your Mom a Happy Mother’s Day from me.
Happy Mother’s Day to all. I don’t say it enough, Brian, your blog is instructional and I learn from you all the time. And so much fun! Today’s card is a great design — I love it! Have a wonderful day with your mom.
What a clever idea with the ‘thinking of you stamp’, Brian; I’ll have to try that as I do have that one. Happy Mother’s Day to your beloved mother!
Bravo! You did it again! Love how the EF matches the stamp! It was made for this one, I tell ya! Love the masking technique and the Stippled Blossoms is a must-have, for sure. Happy Mother’s Day everyone, and a big hug to your sweet Mom, Brian!
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! Perfect in all ways!
Absolutely Beautiful!!!
Love that beautiful PERFECT card ! Thanks for sharing.
Happy Mother’s Day greetings to your mom and thanks for yours to all of us! I love your card…bold, yet soft and so beautiful…great ideas to make it so perfect! TFS!
Love this, Brian! I love the flower and I love the way you made the frame. Very clever!
Great way to get some additional use from that frame image…looks fabulous. And the embossed background is a perfect foil for the pattern in the frame….just lovely! And that pretty sentiment finishes off so nicely.
BEAUTIFUL!!!!
Thank you for including “or those who have helped shape the lives of other people’s children”. I really appreciate that because I do not have any physical children of my own at time, but love children so much and enjoy caring for them. I am a “mother in heart”.
Blessings to you and to your mom who brought up a great son!
Great card! I love the Just Thinking missing the thought! Your fussy cutting is pretty amazing too! 🙂
Wonderful card, Brian. Love the soft take on these rich colors and your fussy-cut flower is amazing!
Gorgeous, Brian. I love that perfect placed offset flower against the framelit. Clean and Simple and stunning.
Jaydee
Brian, I really like the softness of the colors on your card. The offset flower is such a great touch and adds the perfect touch. Love it!