After yesterday’s rather artistic autumn trees card using the Waterfront Stamp Set, I was in the mood for flowers today.  I’ve just got the Abstract Impressions Stamp Set and thought it would be a good opportunity to ink it up.  What’s more, it would be one last hurrah for summer so bright colours it was.

ABSTRACT IMPRESSIONS

The Abstract Impressions Stamp Set uses the two-step stamping technique.  This simply means you stamp one image and then stamp another over the top.  Sometimes you use different colours for the steps, sometimes you use the same colour.  Either way, the result is an image with variation in colours or tones.  I decided to stick with a single colour for the flowers, Highland Heather, with Pear Pizzazz for the leaves.

I inked up the more solid of the smaller flowers with Highland Heather ink, then stamped onto scrap paper.  Then without reinking the image I stamped onto a layer of Whisper White Card.  This is known as ‘stamping-off’ and creates a lighter shade of the original ink colour.  I continued stamping the image over the piece leaving some gaps between them.

Using the more detailed of the smaller flowers I inked that up with Highland Heather too.  This time I immediately stamped on top of one of the lighter flowers to add the details.  The other flowers were finished in the same way.

Next I filled in the spaces between the flowers with the more solid of the single leaf images, using Pear Pizzazz ink, stamped off first.  Once that was done the detailed part of the small leaf image was added with Pear Pizzazz ink straight from the pad.

SIMPLE COLOURS

I liked the simplicity of the colours I’d used for the background stamping and decided to stick with that for the rest of the card.

Using my Stampin’ Trimmer I cut and scored a piece of Pear Pizzazz Card and folded it along the scored line.  Then I sharpened the crease with a Bone Folder before attaching the background to the card base with Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow).

Next, on a wide strip of Whisper White Card, I stamped the sentiment in Highland Heather ink.  Liquid Glue was then used to attach the strip to a layer of Pear Pizzazz Card.  Finally the layered sentiment was fixed to the background with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

SIMPLE EMBELLISHMENT

I got the Abstract Impressions Stamp Set in a bundle with the coordinating Springtime Impressions Thinlits Dies.  These dies don’t match any of the images in the set but complement them.  Right now there was just one small die that I wanted.

Using my Big Shot and multipurpose platform I cut out two of the small flowers from Highland Heather Card.  These flowers were fixed together with a little liquid glue slightly offsetting the petals.  Then using a Sponge Dauber I added a touch of Highland Heather ink around the petal tips.

For the flower centre I used the same flower die to cut a scrap of Pear Pizzazz Card.  I didn’t actually want the flower, it was the centre I really wanted.  I placed a Mini Stampin’ Dimensional on the back of the purple flowers so I could use it to attach the green centre to the front.

One final detail, a short piece of Gorgeous Grape 1/4″ Mini Striped Ribbon was needed.  The ribbon was folded and held together with a Mini Glue Dot while another was used to fix it to the sentiment.  The assembled flower was then added with the Mini Stampin’ Dimensional.

FINISHING TOUCHES

I really liked the background on this card so chose that to be my coordinating element for the project.

I took a layer of Whisper White Card and covered all but a 3/4″ strip down the right-hand side.  Then I stamped the flowers and leaves as before down the exposed strip.  Once stamped, the layer was fixed inside the card base with liquid glue.

Finally, using the same process I stamped flowers and leaves over the flap of a Whisper White Medium Envelope and my project was complete.

OK there’s a lot of purple on this card, and for some, maybe a little too much.  But this card is so quick and easy to make I could create a whole stack in a rainbow of colours in no time at all.

BUNDLE BONUS – I got the Abstract Impressions Stamp Set and coordinating Springtime Impressions Thinlits Dies using a single bundle item number.  This meant that I saved 10% off the cost of buying the two items separately.  You’ll find both options in the product list so you can explore this offer further if you wish.

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