Sending Heartfelt Wishes...

It's Topflight Stamps Tuesday! It's an "Anything Goes" week so I decided to create a summery birthday card with the Good Things Take Time Clear Stamp Set TE60 and the Flower Power Clear Stamp Set TE37 — both by Tracy Evans Boutique, Leaf Green and Ultramarine Brusho Crystal Colors by Colourcraft, and the Crea-Nest-Lies XXL Double Stitched Rectangle Die Set by CREAlies.

Here it is!

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

Good Things Take Time Clear Stamp Set TE60 by Tracy Evans Boutique

Flower Power Clear Stamp Set TE37 by Tracy Evans Boutique

Leaf Green and Ultramarine Brusho Crystal Colors by Colourcraft

Crea-Nest-Lies XXL Double Stitched Rectangle Die Set by CREAlies

Melon Soda VersaFine Clair Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Other Products Used:

Bristol Paper by Strathmore

Metallic Black Cardstock by Recollections

Avalanche White Textured Cardstock by Bazzill Basics

Dandelion Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts

Copic Markers: YG45, YG25, YG17, YG1, YG03, YG01, R59, R56, YR18, YR16, YR12, Y35, Y19, Y13

Dark Peony, Deep Red, and Green Zig Clearn Color Real Brush Markers by Kuretake

Black Spica Glitter Pen by Copic Marker

Mixing Palette

Pipette

Paint brushes

91% Isopropyl Alcohol

Cotton

Q-Tips

Low-tack Tape

Glassboard by Glassboard Studios

Stamping Platform

Notes:

• I wanted the flower stems to be green so I decided to use the 'no lines' coloring technique. 
• I was inspired by my neighbors red/orange lilies. 
• My colors got a bit over-saturated, but I was mostly pleased with the result.
• A spray of water didn't change the streakiness/saturation of the Brusho background, so I decided to try 91% Isopropyl Alcohol. Spraying didn't work, but I happened to have a wad of cotton (from a gift) on my craft table, so I saturated the cotton and tried that. It worked wonderfully well to blend and mottle the background and also brought out some of the colors of the Brusho powders.  

Instructions:

1. Create an A6 card from white textured cardstock. Set aside.
2. Use magnets and/or low-tack tape to secure a 4.5" x 6" panel of Bristol Paper onto the base of a stamping platform.
3. Place the lilies stamp from the Good Things Take Time Clear Stamp Set TE60 facedown in the center of the panel. 
4. Press the platform's lid onto the back of the stamp and lift.
5. Ink the lilies stamp with Dandelion Memento Ink and stamp. 
6. Use Copic markers to color the flowers and the stems. 
7. Re-ink and stamp again to attain a good impression.
8. Remove the image panel from the platform and heat set.
9. Sprinkle a small amount of Leaf Green and Ultramarine Brusho Crystal Colors into wells of a mixing palette. 
10. Use a pipette to add water to the Crystal Colors to dilute them. 
11. A wet paint brush was used to dampen the paper around the stems, then the liquid Leaf Green Crystal Color was brushed onto the botton of the image panel on a slant. 
12. The wet paint brush was used to dampen the paper around the flowers and stems on the top part of the image panel. 
13. Ultramarine Brusho Crystal Color was painted onto the image panel. 
14. The colors were looking a bit streaky, so a wad of cotton was wet with 91% Isopropyl Alcohol, then pounced onto the background avoiding the Copic colored images. 
15. A cotton swab was dipped into the alcohol and pounced onto the areas closest to the images. The alcohol mottled the background and brought out some of the other colors in the crystals. Fun! 
16. Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers were used to add detail to the lawn and to the flowers. 
17. I decided to pounce the alcohol-saturated cotton onto the image panel again which softened some of watercolors.
18. The image panel was throroughly heat set, then cut with the third largest die from the Crea-Nest-Lies XXL Double Stitched Rectangle Die Set.
19. Use magnets and/or low-tack tape to secure the image panel die-cut to the base of a stamping platform.
20. Position the "Sending Heartfelt Wishes..."sentiment stamp from the Flower Power Clear Stamp Set TE37 facedown on the top left of the image panel die-cut. 
21. Press the platform's lid onto the back of the stamp and lift.
22. Ink the sentiment stamp with Melon Soda VersaFine Clair Ink was used to ink the sentiment and stamp.
23. Re-ink and stamp again if needed to attain a good impression.
24. Remove the image panel die-cut from the stamping platform and heat set.
25. Use a Black Spica glitter pen to outline the stamens of the flowers and add a slight dimensional touch.
26. Mat the image panel die-cut with black metallic cardstock that was trimmed to be 1/8" larger than the die-cut.
27. Adhere the matted image panel to the reserved white textured A6 card.

Thanks for visiting today!

Topflight Stamps Sixth Birthday Blog Hop!

It's Topflight Stamps 6th birthday and to celebrate I’ve teamed up with some great designers to showcase celebratory projects using the unique products available at Topflight Stamps. Please hop along with us and see all the beautiful talent from this group of amazing designers! There is a master list of Hop stops on the Topflight Stamps blog! We are also Hopping on Instagram! You can start at the Topflight Stamps account @topflightstamps .

Did we mention there will be prizes?

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Of course, it wouldn’t be a birthday celebration without prizes! Topflight Stamps is giving four lucky winners $50 Gift Certificates to the store. Two winners will be chosen from commenters on the blog hop and two will be chosen from commenters on the IG hop. For a chance to win, make sure to visit the stops on the hop and leave a comment by April 1st. Winners will be announced on the Topflight Stamps blog on Monday, April 3rd. U.S.A winners only due to shipping issues. Good Luck!

Let's Get Started!

You should have arrived here, at Kat's Tales of Stamping, from the Topflight Stamps Blog. Yep! I'm the first stop. Oh the pressure.

Here's my "Celebrate" card that was created with the Anyone for Bubbles Clear Stamp Set by Visible Image. 

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

Anyone for Bubbles Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Visible Image

Ripples Stencil by Visible Image

Sundance, Russet Orange, Confetti, and Blue Atoll  Elements Inks by Lavinia Stamps

Sunburst Lemon, Crimson, and Turquoise Brusho Crystal Colors by Colourcraft

Nocturne and Morning Mist VersaFine Clair Inks by Imagine Crafts

Card Passe Partout Rectangle Essentials Die Set by Studio Light

Other Products Used:

140 lb. Mixed Media Paper by Strathmore

Silver and Gold Metallic Cardstock by Recollections

Dark Green Cardstock by Bazzill Basics 

Silver Shimmer Delicata Ink by Imagine Crafts

Grey, Lt. Blue, Peacock Green, Pine, Emerald, Crimson Lake Le Plume II Watercolor Markers by Marvy Uchida

Yellow Gold, Light Gold, Champagne Gold, and White Gold Watercolors from the Starry Colors Gansai Tambi Watercolor Set by Kuretake

White Gelly Roll Gel Pen by Sakura of America

Celebrate Die: Source Unknown

Water Sprayer

Paint Brushes

Repositionable Scotch Tape

1" Sookwang Double Sided Tape

STAY-tion by Wendy Vecchi for Ranger Ink

Stamping Platform

Note:

Before I get into my usual verbose and excruciatingly detailed instructions, your next hop stop is at Dina Kowal's Blog, where you're sure to find inspiration galore.

PSA: 

Topflight Stamps is also celebrating with a 20% off sale!!! 

Instructions:

1. Smoosh Sundance Elements Ink onto a craft mat and spritz with water. Dip a piece of Mixed Media paper into the ink. 
2. Sprinkle some Sunburst Lemon Brusho Crystal Color onto the wet paper and let it sit for a few seconds.
3. Mist with water. 
4. Heat set the paper.
5. Clean the craft mat.
6. Repeat Step 1 with Russet Orange Elements Ink. 
7. Mist the paper with water, let the ink flow a bit, then heat set.
8. Clean the craft mat.
9. Repeat Step 1 (and/or 6) with Confetti Elements Ink.
10. Sprinkle some Crimson Brusho Crystal Colors over the wet pinkish/reddish ink.
11. Mist with water.
12. Heat set the paper.
13. Clean the craft mat.
14. Repeat Step 1 (6, 9) with Blue Atoll  Elements Ink.
15. Sprinkle some Turquoise Brusho Crystal Colors onto the wet blue ink.
16. Mist with water.
17. Heat set the paper.
18. Clean the craft mat.
19. Thoroughly heat set the paper panel until it's bone dry. Heat set it again.
20. Use removable Scotch Tape to secure the inked panel to the back of the Ripples Stencil .
21. Use magnets to secure the stencil to the STAY-tion.
22. Sponge Sundance Elements Ink over the stencil onto the image panel.
23. Lift the stencil and heat set the panel.
24. Add drops of water to the image panel and immediately lift with a piece of paper towel to add dots and such to the paper.
25. Use the largest scalloped die from the Card Passe Partout Rectangle Essentials Die Set to cut the inked panel.
26. Heat set it again just because.
27. Use magnets to secure the inked die-cut to the base of the stamping platform.
28. Position the champagne glass and the champangne bottle facedown on the inked panel.
29. Press the platform's lid into the back of the stamps, lift, and ink with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink.
30. Stamp the images onto the panel. Re-ink and stamp again if needed to get a good crisp image. 
31. Remove and clean both stamps.
32. Heat set the image panel while it's still on the platform if possible.*
33. Position the champagne glass facedown on the image panel on the other side of the champagne bottle.
34. Press the platform's lid into the back of the stamp, lift, and ink with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink.
35. Stamp the images onto the panel. Re-ink and stamp again if needed to get a good crisp image. 
36. Remove and clean the stamp.
37. Heat set the image panel.
38. Position the bubbles stamp facedown on the image panel above one of the champagne flutes.
39. Press the platform's lid into the back of the stamp, lift, and ink with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair Ink. 
40. Stamp.
41. Remove the stamp from the platform, clean, and dry it. 
42. Position the bubbles stamp facedown on the image panel above the other champagne flute.
43. Press the platform's lid into the back of the stamp, lift, and ink with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair Ink. 
44. Stamp.
45. Remove the stamp from the platform and clean.
46. Heat set the panel.
47. Position the large bubbles cluster facedown above the champagne bottle. 
48. Press the platform's lid into the back of the stamp, lift, and ink with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair Ink.
49. Stamp.
50. Re-ink the stamp with Silvery Dazzle Delicata ink. Stamp.
51. Remove the stamp from the platform and clean.
52. Heat set the panel.
53. Color the gold foil on the champagne bottle with Yellow Gold Gansai Tambi Watercolor paint.
54. Use watercolor markers to color the glass and labels of the champagne bottle.
55. Use watercolor markers to ground the champagne bottle and the flutes.
56. Use Light Gold and Champagne Gold Gasai Tambi Watercolor paint to color the contents of the champagne flutes.
57. Use White Gold Gansai Tambi Watercolor paint to add details to the bubbles.
58. Use a white gel pen to add highlights to the champagne bottle and flutes.
59. Position the "celebrate" die facedown on the image panel. Secure it with Repositionable Scotch Tape.
60. Run the panel through the die-cut machine.
61. Remove the paper from the "Celebrate" die, then use the die again to cut gold metallic cardstock.
62. Place a piece of Sookwang tape behind the aperture cut in the shape of the word "Celebrate"
63. Adhere the gold die-cut sentiment into the aperture. Adhere the negatives from the inked panel where needed (the holes in "a", "b", "e")
64. Use the largest rectangle die from the Card Passe Partout Rectangle Essentials Die Set to  cut silver metallic cardstock and use to mat the image panel.
65. Cut a piece of green cardstock to 8.5" x 6.25", score at 4.25", and fold to form a card.
66. Adhere the matted image panel to the green card.

Notes:

• Writing the smooshing instructions probably took longer than doing it. Just remember to spritz generously, let the colors run together. Keep going until you're happy with the way it looks.
• You can heat set on the Tonic Stamping Platform. You can NOT heat set on the Misti or you'll warp the mat. Don't ask how I know.
• Don't use two colors of gold watercolor paints to color the champagne. I wish I hadn't.

Thanks for visiting and don't forget to visit Dina Kowal's Blog and to comment along every stop in the hop for a chance to win!