Yesterday Stampin’ Up! confirmed the timeline for the transition from the current Annual Catalogue to the new one. We already knew that the current catalogue ends on May 2nd, but now we also know the Retiring List will be revealed on March 23rd. That’s four weeks from today! The 2020-2022 In Colors are definitely going, along with most (if not all the patterned paper). Various stamp sets, dies, punches and embellishments will go too but they’re harder to predict. However I think the Prized Peony Stamp Set could be one.
PEONY BLOOMS
So in case that happens I decided to have one last play with it. I began with the large single peony image and a 4″ x 5-1/4″ piece of Basic White Card. Using Petal Pink ink I first stamped the flower in the bottom left corner. Then I stamped the peony onto a Post-It® Note before cutting it out using my Paper Snips. Having cut out the flower I placed it over the one stamped on the card layer.
Next I took the two single leaves from the Prized Peony Stamp Set and a Pear Pizzazz ink pad. With the Post-It Note mask protecting the flower I then stamped the two leaves. Now when I removed the mask the leaves appeared to be behind the bloom.
To colour the image I decided to use dry Watercolor Pencils. I decided that Petal Pink was more coral than pink so I coloured the petals using the Calypso Coral pencil. Then I used Old Olive on the leaves, as well as very lightly in the centre of the flower. Also in the centre I used a Daffodil Delight pencil to add a little brightness. Finally I coloured around the image using the Bermuda Bay pencil to really make it pop. To blend out the blue I dampened a cotton bud with clean water and gently ran it over the pencil making sure to avoid the flower and leaves.
It was only at this point I was surprised to see a stem. All this time I’ve had the stamp set I’ve never noticed that before, perhaps it’s the way the flower was stamped… Anyway I couldn’t ignore it so I went over that tiny area with an Early Espresso pencil.
Now the main image was complete I decided to use the smallest peony image as my coordinating feature for the project. So first I inked up the stamp using Petal Pink ink. Then, before stamping, I carefully tapped the leaf parts of the stamp onto the corner of the Pear Pizzazz ink pad. When I finally stamped in the bottom right corner of a 4″ x 5-1/4″ piece of Basic White Card I had a two-colour image. I cleaned off the stamp and repeated the process to stamp the image on the front of a Basic White Medium Envelope. Then I coloured the flowers and leaves as before.
QUICK FINISH
At last I was ready to start putting the project together starting with the card base. For this I used my Paper Trimmer to cut and score some Thick Basic White Card. Then I folded it along the scored line and sharpened the crease with a Bone Folder.
Next I needed a mat layer for the main image so I cut a 4-1/8″ x 5-3/8″ piece of Pear Pizzazz Card. Then using Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow) I mounted the main layer onto it, before attaching it to the card base. On the inside of the card I glued the second Basic White Layer, and that just left the sentiment to do.
I chose “Love & thanks to a dear friend” and stamped it onto a scrap of Basic White Card using Pear Pizzazz ink. Then I cut around the sentiment with Paper Snips. Next, using liquid glue I fixed the sentiment onto a scrap of Pear Pizzazz Card and cut around that to create a mat layer. Finally I added the sentiment to the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals and my card was complete.
I have a feeling that the Prized Peony Stamp Set and the coordinating Peony Dies are likely to be on the Retiring List next month. So if you haven’t yet got this set, you may not have much longer to do so.
For some more projects using the Prized Peony Stamp Set see these earlier blog posts:
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