Timeless Elegance

Carla has coloured both images from the Timeless Florals set of digital stamps to create these two beautiful cards. She combined each image with coordinating paper and cardstock for an elegant effect.

Carla's Blog

For A Fabulous Friend

I chose muted pinks, violets and greens to colour the tulips from the Timeless Florals set of digital stamps, then fussy cut, and popped it up against a piece of black glitter cardstock. 

Digital Stamps:

Tutorial - Colouring Hydrangeas

Colouring hydrangeas can seem like a daunting task, with all those tiny blossoms that make up a single flower stalk. If the thought of individually colouring each little petal has you breaking out in a cold sweat, then this might be the tutorial for you!

1. Start by choosing your colours. You'll need three colour groupings, each with an extremely dark marker (or pencil), a light marker and a medium marker. As you can see, I have three markers in the B (blue) series, three in the RV (red violet) series and three in the BV (blue violet) series.

2. Each flower head will be coloured with one of the three sets of markers. Start by colouring the gaps between each little flower with the darkest marker in the set, in my case, that's the RV99.

3. Use the lightest marker from the series (RV93) to colour around the edges of the flower head. This helps to mark out the boundaries so you know where you're working.

4. Use the same marker to dab in some random colour. Don't overthink this step, just plop down the colour within the boundary you created in step 3. There's no need to think about shading, shape, or the amount of colour... relax and just slap it on!

5. Now use one of the lightest markers from either of the other two colour series to fill in any white space left after step 4 (I used BV02). There's no need to be precise, the colours can touch and overlap.

6. Now we're going to add some shading at the base of each petal using the medium toned marker from the first series (RV95). Flick a few lines of colour out from the centre of each flower. For flowers that are folded or sideways, add the colour to the base and flick toward the tip. Again, there's no need to be overly precise, and you don't need to worry about the previous colours you added.

7. Blend the entire area with the lightest colour in the series (RV93). Don't pick out the individual flowers, simply colour over everything.

8. Move on to the next flower head and one of the other colour series. For me, that's the B (blue) group. Again, start with the darkest of the markers (B79) and fill in all the spaces between the flowers.

9. Define the borders with your lightest marker.

10. Use the same marker to dab in colour around the flower head.

11. Use the lightest marker from one of the other series to fill in the white spaces.

12. Add some shading to the base of the petals with the medium marker from the first series (B66).

13. Blend with the lightest marker.

14. Repeat the process for the final flower head...

15. Choose a series of greens for your leaves.

16. Choose the lightest, or next-to-lightest of the greens to add a little more colour in the centre of each flower (G24). Ignore any flowers that are sideways or closed.

17. To colour the leaves, add a layer of your lightest marker or pencil (G43).

18. Add the darkest green to the shadow areas of the leaf. This would be at the base of the leaf where it tucks into the flowers, under any turns, and where leaves overlap.

19. Use the middle colours to blend the darkest green.

20. Add a final layer of the lightest colour to blend all the other greens together.

21. Colour the vase as desired. I used cool greys, creating a spherical shape by concentrating the darker colours around the sides and bottom of the vase, and adding the highlight in the centre. I added gold pen to the foot of the vase for a little luxe.

22. Use a light grey (C2) to add a shadow onto the vase. Follow the shape of the leaves, stretching the shadow a little more as it curves around the side of the vase.

23. Darken the shadow with C3. Don't cover the entire shadow, as you want it to blend rather than create a super sharp line. Keep the darker grey close to the leaves.

24. Add a thin line of a darker shade (C4) right up against the edge of the leaves. If you find the shadow is a little too stark, blend it out with the C2.

25. Using some pencil is purely optional, but it will give you some additional detail. Flick some fine, white lines out from the centre of each little blossom. Use black pencil to deepen the shadows between the leaves and the flowers at the bottom of the arrangement. 

Done!

Digital Stamps:

Tutorial - Gatefold Pop-Up Stacked Cube Card

This fabulous pop-up gatefold card is somewhat of a challenge to make, but well worth the effort. It has two pop-up cubes that are perfect for holding sentiments or embellishments, as well as a little window that allows you to add even more dimension.

1. Place an 111/4" x 6" piece of cardstock horizontally on your score board and score at 17/8", 33/4", 71/2" and 93/8". Make a mountain fold, a valley fold, another valley and end with a mountain. 

2. Decorate each panel with patterned paper. You'll need four 57/8" x 13/4" pieces for the side panels and one 57/8" x 35/8" for the centre panel. Set aside.

3. Place an 11" x 23/4" piece of cardstock horizontally on your score board and score at 13/4", 41/2", 71/4" and 10". Fold along each score line.

4. Place a 6" x 11/2" piece of cardstock horizontally on your score board and score at 3/4", 21/4", 33/4" and 51/4". Fold along each score line.

5. Cut two 13/8" x 13/8" squares of patterned paper and adhere to the smaller of the two pieces of cardstock you scored in the previous steps. See the photo below for placement.

6. Cut five 25/8" x 25/8" squares of patterned paper. Secure three to one side of the piece of cardstock you scored in step 3. See the photo below for placement.

7. Flip the cardstock over and secure another patterned paper square to the first panel. See the photo below for correct placement. (NOTE: If you're using paper with a directional pattern, it should be placed upside down)

8. Flip the cardstock strip over again. Use a cutting die or large punch to cut a window in the centre panel. It can be any shape you like. Reserve the cut out piece.

9. Place a 33/4" x 3/4" piece of cardstock on your score board and score at 1/2" and 31/4". Make one mountain fold and one valley fold. Decorate one side with a piece of patterned paper measuring 25/8" x 3/4".

10. Hold the cardstock strip in a cube with the window facing you, and the join at the back. Allow it to fall open.

11. On the back of the small piece of cardstock you scored in step 9, apply glue to the bottom tab.

12. Secure the tab to the centre of the panel above the window, about 1/2" from the score line. The patterned paper should be facing toward you. (You can move it forward or backward to suit your design.)

13. Place glue on the top tab, then lay it flat. Bring the rest of the cardstock up and over the glue, folding at the base of the window. Press to secure the glue.

14. You'll need items to decorate the two cubes and a belly band to hold your card closed. I'm using two stamped and die cut sentiments from the Basic Sentiments set, and stamped, coloured and fussy cut flowers from the Cosmos set.

15. Secure your image or sentiment to the cardstock in the centre of the large cube. Don't add anything too bulky or your card won't fold flat.

16. Use glue to secure the cube to the centre of your card with the window facing the front. Line up the bottom of the cube with the bottom edge of your card base. The edges of the cardstock join, at the back of the cube, should line up neatly.

17. Secure the extra square of patterned paper over the join in the back of the cube.

18. Apply glue to the undecorated panel on the small cube (not the end tab).

19. Secure it to the top of the large cube so that the first score line is flush with the edge of the cube. The tab should be folded up and flush against the back of the card. See the photos below for placement.

20. Lift up the tab and apply glue to the back side. Press the large cube down securing the glue to the card base.

21. Apply glue to the other tab. Fold along the second score line, then push the cubes down again, securing the small cube to the card base.

22. Finish decorating the cubes with your images and / or sentiments.

23. Fold the card closed. To create a belly band, cut an 81/4" x 1" piece of cardstock and wrap it around the closed card. Use glue to secure the join at the front of the card.

24. Use the off cut from the window to decorate the belly band. I added some patterned paper, a sentiment, some fussy cut flowers, and a few tiny gems.

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