Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Backgrounds brought to the forefront!

Hello again, my friends!  I have one last piece of that fabulous Pinkfresh prize to share with you today ... the first time stenciling I used those same colors from The Stamp Market that I used while stamping with Marcia:

Pinkfresh has some gorgeous cling stamps!  This one is called Mixed Blooms:

It really is a background stamp that deserves the mainstage!
After all the inking was done [5 layers] I brought out my old favorite scalloped die from Winnie & Walter to cut my panel and found a few more snippets to plant in this garden!

TEN inks were used for my next panel!!


Since it's a bit brighter than I'm comfortable with I added a smaller scalloped slip of vellum to calm it down a bit and provide a spot for another snippet bloom!
I just love those eyelet edge pieces - also PF from the very first release I won about 6 years ago!  This sentiment can be found in the PF Detailed Leaf set.

Speaking of prizes, and backgrounds - I fell in love with another PF cling stamp that I borrowed from Marcia... called Magnolia Pattern.  I stamped two and stenciled one while at her house.  after coloring them and making into cards, I decided that this set just had to come home to mama!  So I went in search: out of stock at PF, not yet available at Doodlebugs, I began to think I wouldn't find it.  Aha!  Simon had it - but by then I thought do I really need it?  [Waffling while shopping is an art form around here even Tom is a pro!]  So, I put it in my cart, then promptly took it out again.  Here is the most surprising ending to this story:  WITHIN SECONDS OF CLOSING THAT CART A NEW EMAIL ARRIVED!!!  I had WON a $25 gift card from SSS from a recent release hop ... tell me this isn't KISMET!!  Guess who got her background stamp AND the stencils in the mail yesterday?  

Here are the cards I made using those I stamped at Marcia's...


This first one is stamped in black and stenciled with that set of inks from 
The Stamp Market above.
Yes, this is all the set of stencils colors and I LOVE all the white space left!

But! THIS is the reason I had to make this stamp my own...


Stamped in black and PENCIL colored!  May I just tell you it took six hours?
I could barely lift my arm by the time it was complete!
Someone on Instagram told me I have 'too much time at hand.'  
To that I say: I use my time to keep my heart and mind happy - this did the trick.

If you've stayed with me all this time, I thank you and appreciate you more than I can even put into words!  Who do you think puts this smile on my blog?
=] Michele

20 comments:

Marcia Hill said...

OK, why didn't I stamp and stencil with THAT set????!!!! Both of your cards are GORGEOUS!! I love the softer one with those fabulous colors from The Stamp Market, but I also love the brighter one with the vellum overlay! And both your little flower snippets look wonderful on these cards! Set that set out when I come next month!! I love both of your cards with the Magnolia set too! I definitely love all the white space left on the 1st card...it's the whole reason I bought the set in the 1st place! But the one you spent 6 hours coloring??? Oh my gosh Michele...it's absolutely GORGEOUS and well worth every minute you spent on it! This whole post was fabulous and I didn't want it to end!! (I'll be posting my Magnolia cards tomorrow.) Hugs. :0)

LeAnne said...

My goodness, you have been a busy stamper/stenciler/colorer!!! They are all gorgeous! I do confess that the first one SINGS to me with all those colors! Just stunning! You do flowers so well!

Bonnie said...

What a beautiful assortment of flowers, my friend! Love the bright colors and two different looks with the first stamp! It would have taken me days to decide on colors and you did it so perfectly! I see why you "needed" the second background stamp! Beautifully colored both ways! And how lucky that you won at Simon as well as PFS! I hope you bought a lottery ticket last month!

Vicki Dutcher said...

Yay for you! Always fun to win and get things you need at a discounted price. What you did with that was amazing. Good job.

HilaryJane said...

Fabulous and what luck winning that voucher, such great timing too. They are all my favourites xx

Cat Craig said...

Wow, you've been busy. WHat a sweet collection of cards. I love how you put colors together. Always stuff I'd never think of...glad you do cause its lovely.

Leslie Miller said...

I'm swooning here! Each card gets gorgeouser and gorgeouser. I love the bright colors of your second card as much as the soft colors of your first. I was thinking how clean and fresh your third card looks (loving the big "hello"), and then along comes your fourth card and I just about fell over! I know how long the pencil coloring takes. These days my hands protest the gripping action. You've used such a pretty color arrangement and blended so expertly. Oh boy, I know how it goes with the shopping, too. Loved your story. Kismet for sure! As for time, it's never enough let alone too much. I'm all for spending as much as you can doing the things that make you happy.

lostinpaper said...

Stunning inspiration my friend x

TK said...

GORGEOUS - ALL of them! I love how the stencils only colored a portion of the magnolias, a sweet surprise for sure. And your bright one? LOVE it! Vellum or no, the colors just swing my head straight into warmer days ahead. What a great bunch of cards, Michele

Lisa Elton said...

Oh... my... stars!!! I'm completely in love with the first card. The colors and that background stamp ~ swoon! These are all fabulous, Michele! Six hours... you're a rock star!

nancy littrell said...

Amazing and incredibly creative and gorgeous FOUR BEAUTIES, my friend! Such joy looking and admiring every detail of all 4 cards...several times...Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful photos and detailed descriptions, Michele. I am so happy you take the time to create and then share your stunning creations and stories:-) All 4 cards are my Favorites and make you and your followers Happy:-) Love and Hugs and Happy Spring!

Birgit said...

Oh my goodness Michele, let me pick my jaw up off the floor! These are seriously stunning! Each card was just as beautiful as the next. Your coloring skills are amazing.

Jeanne said...

So much beauty in one post! Wow, wow, Wow! And congratulations on your great fortune to win the GC for SSS. Kismet for sure. I'm so glad you have shared these beauties with us. I admire the heck out of your talent. And to that person who said you have too much time...I love your response. That's the ticket! Hope your arm has recovered by now. ;) Big crafty hugs to you, my friend!

Jane Harrah said...

How beautiful!

Stephanie Lanzalotto said...

My goodness! All of these are so wonderful. I don't know which I love the best... and I can't believe after your Pinkfresh score, you won at SSS. You've got the magic touch, I tell ya. Well, not really, it's just a tribute to your talent! Beautiful work, my friend.

Bobby said...

I really like the bright one, Michele, but it's all the details you add to the wonderful stenciled floral gardens that really elevates the cards. I can't imagine coloring for six hours but I do know how time gets away from you when you're creating something so beautiful. That simple hello was all that card needed and still show off the beautiful magnolias.

Julia Aston said...

Wow - how lucky are you for the win?!! Your post is a feast for the eyes Michele - so many beautifully colored creations! Julia xx

Tracey McNeely said...

Oh my goodness these are all so gorgeous Michele! You are lucky you are able to use your time so wisely to create these beauties! xo

Papercraft Boutique said...

Lucky you to get a SSS gift card, Michele! You deserve it! You take time to make beautiful cards constantly and to share them in different fonts. I'm happy for you!
Love how you used a die-cut vellum panel of the second card. The colorful background and the white darling flower look wonderful behind and in front of the vellum piece.
The pencil-colored magnolia card is exquisite! Your soft, delicate, and detailed coloring is amazing! Truly it's worth the 6 hours!! The camouflaged label is a wonderful touch too!
Hideko xx

Brenda said...

Holy smokes, what a garden of flowers in these cards!!! I LOVE all these fabulous flower cards, makes me love spring even more. The colors, the flowers...oh my! Love them all! But the two that knocked my socks off.....Are the last two cards. WOW!!! I love the white space left after stenciling the hello card. That is stunning and I so love those colors. But then I go to the last card....what?!!! You pencil colored this card like the pro you are! OMGosh! I had my glasses off, the computer up to my nose looking at your coloring. Oh how I wish I could color like you with all types of color mediums. This card is gorgeous! I love the label cut out and placed back, your yellow "hello"....this card just screams summer which I love so much. It could stay summer year round and I would not complain. LOL I loved the story about getting this set, so happy how that worked out for you!!! You so deserved it as only you can do such amazing things with flowers! Hugs, Brenda