My inspiration blues are definitely not "the blues" in the sense of feeling blue . . . it's all about the beautiful blue images in this Williams Sonoma ad that inspired today's card. If you have been following my blog for awhile, you know that I discover lots of inspiration in home d?cor and fashion magazines (advertising included). So what inspires you? I would love to hear. Please share your comment at the end of this post.
My layout was inspired by this week's Splitcoast Featured Stamper Judy, and based on this card. I began by using Stampin' Up!'s exclusive Flower Burst Embosslits Die with Whisper White. It popped out perfectly embossed and cut flowers with the help of a Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine. Click here for my Embosslits Tutorial.
TIP: For added depth and a jolt of color, I opened my Brilliant Blue ink pad and rubbed it over the embossed flowers. It's delightful witnessing the ink cling to the raised areas. I attached the flowers to a 2 3/4" Circle of Whisper White, created to my exact size specifications using the Circle Scissor Plus (Circle Scissor tips here). The base is a Brilliant Blue Scallop Circle produced from the Big Shot and Scallop Circle #2 Bigz Die.
The Bella Toile background stamp was inked in Brilliant Blue and stamped on Whisper White. TIP: Improve your results by applying ink directly to large stamps, stamps facing up . . . that way you can check your coverage. Carefully layer the card stock on top, cover with a piece of scrap paper and either brayer or press down evenly over the entire stamp with your hand, making certain to work to the edges and not move the card stock.
The toile image was layered over a 4.25 x 5.5 card base in Brilliant Blue. I cropped the right corners (top and bottom) with a Corner Rounder Punch.
A horizontal band of Brilliant Blue Textured card stock crosses the bottom with Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon adding a pretty finish. The sentiment (Matchbox Messages) and coordinating die cut (Matchbox Bigz XL Die) will be available in the Occasion Mini on April 1. More samples, including the adorable matchbox evolved from both these products coming soon!
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Stamp Sets: Bella Toile Background (111598), Matchbox Messages (113800, available April 1)
Paper: Brilliant Blue (100721), Brilliant Blue Textured (108698), Whisper White (100730)
Ink: Brilliant Blue (100691)
Cool Tools: Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (113439), Matchbox Bigz XL Die (114890, available April 1), Scallop Circle #2 Bigz Die, 113469), Flower Burst Embosslits Die (114515), Circle Scissor Plus (112530), Corner Rounder Punch (109047)
The Perfect Touch: Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon (109070), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)
Beautiful! I love how you inked the embossed flowers.
Love the monochromatic scheme you have here. Beautiful.
Mary – This is a beautiful card! Magazines are great resources and you use them well. Love this one!
Why is it that when I see ads in a magazine that’s all I see? You see and ad and whoa la! creativity flows. Sigh, sigh. I guess that is why I love your blog so much. It’s envy and I’m green with it! LOL
Holy cow…you matched that card to the chair perfectly! Girl…you are amazing.
Beautiful card and nice tip about handling the background stamps…..I get inspiration in my dreams, oddly enough.
Very Nice Mary,
You really nailed it , the card totally matches the chair in the Magazine! Great job! You are such an inspiration to me. You must have a background in Design? Am I right? Your layouts and color combos give you away, and that amazing “stamping Zone” is proof to me. thanks for sharing!
Hugs,
Heidi
Hi Heidi:
I’m flattered that you think I have a background in design. However, I don’t. I learn from magazines, SU and practice, practice, practice.
Hugs, M
Wow!!!! Beautiful, I too use ads and fasion to inspire me. Thanks so much for showing us how to make this Beautiful card and inspireing us!
Wow, I love this blue! I’m inspired by color and coordinating colors together, ribbons, pretty papers, and, most of all, seeing what others are doing on great blogs like this one.
Wow! Gorgeous card!
I love blues and this card is gorgeous! Thanks for being such a wonderful inspiration!
Hmmm…what inspires me? You do! Your cards consistently take my breath away. Yes, I can find inspiration from magazines, catalogs, and fabrics, too. Since becoming involved in this wonderful hobby my eyes are on the alert for color and design that I would have not noticed before. Hence: you can teach an “old dog” new tricks!
Have a blessed day!
SuzyQue in Texas
Beautiful! I love the way you can look at magazines and get the color combinations. I have been looking at different things like magazines and paper towel designs to get inspiration. Glad to see you are feeling better. Love the card. Great job!!!
Oh, my heart is fluttering—I love all blues and this is gorgeous! I get inspiration from magazines also, and looking at the fabric in the clothing of the people around me, particularly those sitting in front of me at church! (When I should be paying attention!)
LeAnne
The color combo is WOW! I have that embosslit because I loved it in the catalog but haven’t found the right look with it. You sure did so thanks for inspiring me, once again Mary.
Yes! When that catalog arrived, I wondered if Mary had a copy and then I wondered what she would do with the blues. I’ve been waiting to dig out the Brilliant Blue ink and paper. Beautiful card!
The picture, the card and the catalog title all had me thinking Williamsburg, Va. Just the sort of vibrant colors the textile & paint experts are finding now that they know our modern interpretations or preveious thoughts are actually more faded than the orginals in fact were.
Beautiful job as always Mary!
Hugs and blessings – Jean
Honestly, I’m most inspired by reading your blog and seeing your absolutely gorgeous work! I’m glad that you’re inspired by such lovely print media, so that I can follow suit. Thank you once again…
Your card is so beautiful! I love it and can see I need to start looking at magazines for inspirtation! Thank you!
Mary, this will sound a little corny, but you and the other pals inspire me. As you know, I am a long time scrapbooker, but a new stamper….I am waiting, waiting, waiting on my order. I have my initial kit, but I am waiting on som DSP. I can see that I kinda need it. Thanks for all your wonderful inspirations. I LOVE every card you do. I check it everyday! Thanks for being a great “pal”.
This card is amazing! It is simply beautiful! One of my favorites I’ve seen by far! You are sooooooo talented Mary!
I love this card! I also get my inspiration from magazines… I am a big reader so I always have a few sitting around to flip through.
Thanks for the tutorial on the Emosslits die! I just got a Big Shot for my birthday (thanks to my great Hubby!) and have been itching to use it again – this is a perfect application for me.
Smiles!
I love this card! I also get my inspiration from magazines… I am a big reader so I always have a few sitting around to flip through.
Thanks for the tutorial on the Emosslits die! I just got a Big Shot for my birthday (thanks to my great Hubby!) and have been itching to use it again – this is a perfect application for me.
Smiles!
Oh, that is beautiful! I get inspired by magazines and amazing blogs like yours!!
Oh my Mary – this is beautiful!!! Love the BG stamp and the *brilliant* color!!!
Beautiful card, Mary! I love your daily creations. Believe it or not, I find some of my favorite color combos from the scratch paper I use when stamping off the edges of cardstock when making projects. I utilize the same sheet of scratch for as long as possible, and have been pleasantly surprised with some of my unintended color combo discoveries!
Really cool monochromatic card! Love the toile look of the background 🙂
Cindy
This card is gorgeous! I’ve made several cards in the past using the same brilliant blue/white color combination, and I’m always so pleased at how crisp and clean they look. Thanks so much for sharing!
Love it, love it, love it! AWESOME card!Magazines are my inspiration as well.
Have a wonderful day!