For the Newlyweds

With three weddings to attend in the next 6 weeks I needed to get busy making some wedding cards.  I'm never too sure how feminine to make the cards because usually the recepients are a man and a woman, so I try to add colors that add some masculine tones too.

I started with a base of Pear Pizzazz cardstock and then followed with a layer of Whisper White, Concord Crush, another layer of Pear Pizzazz and then a final layer of Whisper White which was stamped with my images.  The flowers are from the Fifth Avenue Floral set, and I used the masking technique to layer them as I stamped.  (See technique by going to Masking under labels).  I thought the flowers were a little plain by themselves so I added a touch of Pear Pizzazz to the centers and to some of the petals using my Pear Pizzazz marker.  The trim at the bottom was made by punching Concord Crush cardstock with the Scallop Trim  Border punch.  My trick to making it layer the way I want it is to cut a larger piece than what you need so you can trim the ends to fit nicely over your cardstock.  I added some Whisper White taffeta ribbon to this and thought it would also be a good place for the sentiment. 

For today's card I used the following:

Cardstock:  Pear Pizzazz #119795, Concord Crush #119792, Whisper White #100730

Stamp Set:  Fifth Avenue Floral #113734, Teeny Tiny Wishes #115370

Ink:  Concord Crush #119785

Marker:  Pear Pizzazz #119801 (In-Color Marker Set)

Punches:  Word Window #119857, Scallop Trim Border #11840

Ribbon:   Whisper White 3/8" Taffeta #109070

Masking Technique

Instead of stamping the flowers one on top of another, I wanted to use the "Masking Technique" to give the card a more dimensional look.  

To make today's card, I punched the flower on a piece of scrap cardstock, cut it out, and used it as my "Mask".  Now I had my template ready to go.  Next I took a piece of  5 x 9 Whisper White cardstock, folded it in half and ran it through my Big Shot using the Scallop Circle Big Die.  Because I wanted this to be my card base, when laying the folded piece of paper on my die I left the top four scallops exposed before cutting so I would have the crease at the top where my card would fold.  Using Tempting Turquoise and Pear Pizzazz Ink, I alternated stamping the flower.  If you look at the top right corner of the card you will see the full flower stamped in Pear Pizzazz.  I then used my "Mask" and laid it over that flower so when I stamped the next flower in Tempting Turquoise it gives it a layered look.  I kept doing this all the way around

until I reached the beginning (the first flower stamped in Pear Pizzazz).

First stamped image 

My  mask, layered on top of the first stamped flower.

The "Mask" keeps the ink from stamping on top of the first flower.

To make today's card I used the following:

Cardstock:  Whisper White #100730

Ink:  Tempting Turquoise #100814, Pear Pizzazz #119784

Stamp Set:  Fifth Avenue Floral #113734, Occasional Quotes #117048 wood mount or #120142 clear mount (Level 3 Hostess)

Accessories:  Big Shot Die Cut Machine #113439, Scallop Circle Bigz Die #113468

My Stamping Timesaver:  I save all of my "Mask" templates with the stamp set I used to create it.  When I want to repeat the technique I already have my template on hand.  I also use a darker color of cardstock for my "Mask" so it stands out when I lay it on top of the first stamped image.