Vintage Cherries

I love today's card, it's so cherry.....I mean cheery! My card sketch today was inspired by a scrapbook layout in the Page Maps idea book. I just took a small portion of a layout and adapted it into a card layout. I couldn't wait to try this one. For supplies, I used Honey Pie patterned paper from Cosmo Cricket, the Itty Bitty Cherry and Cherries stamps from Karen Lockhart, Copic Sketch markers(from Ellen's store), Spellbinder's Nestabilities (from Ellen's store) and Papertrey cardstock and ribbon.

After choosing my supplies, I used my Copic charts that I made to find the perfect Copic colors to color the stamped images with. By lining up my solid colored cardstock and patterned paper right next to the Copic colors, I can find a perfect match every time. Here's what my Copic charts look like. I made simple charts by setting up a table in a word document with columns. I added every Copic color and filled in the colors that I have.

I inserted my charts into page protectors, both front and back, and keep them right next to my stamping table for easy reference. I attach mine to this *clothespin line* I created with wood trim and clothespins. It hangs with cup hooks from a metal shelving unit.
Now onto the card. If you look back at the card layout, you will notice that one of the blocks on the card looks like a tag of some sort, tucked under the horizontal strip. I created my tag by placing a strip of cardstock into an oval Spellbinder's Nestabilities Template. I only wanted one part to have the oval cut so one side of the die is placed to cut the cardstock and the other is placed under the cardstock so that it will not cut. Of course, this all was flipped when I ran it through the Wizard die cutting machine. Before I cut, I made sure that my stamped image would fit onto the cardstock. I simply placed the wood stamp on the paper to make sure the width of the paper was wide enough. I then cut and embossed the partial oval. Then I wanted to color the cherries. I started with the Itty Bitty Cherries to show you how to start. I always, always start with a lighter shade. Even though ripe cherries are not pink, you want the pink undertone to be the first layer so that you can build the color. You can always add color but it's harder to take it away.

After getting all the cherries colored pink, I added red to the left sides of the cherry. I continued to blend back and forth with my pink and red markers until the cherries looked like the ones on the Itty Bitty Cherry stamp.
Then I wanted to add a highlight to each cherry. I took my Copic Colorless Blender marker and refilled so that it was nice and juicy. You don't have to remove the tips to refill your markers.....you can simple squeeze some refill ink right into the tips. It soaks in little by little.
Then all you have to do is touch the sketch tip of the Colorless Blender to each cherry. Let it rest there for a few seconds and then the magic happens. The blending solution will actually remove some color from the cherries, creating a tiny dot of highlighted area. Cool!!! By having your Colorless Blender really inked up well, you get that nice saturation.Onto some distressing to make my card look vintage. The patterned paper from Cosmo Cricket that I chose for my card was aged looking so I wanted the rest of my card to match. I used Old Paper Distress Ink by Tim Holtz/Ranger and a cool new inking took that has a soft sponge applicator that velcros onto the wood handle. This inking tool gives THE softest application of color, I love it!! I inked up my stamped images, the edges of my card and some of the patterned paper to give it a worn paper look.
And tadaaa, here's my finished card below. I added a small Itty Bitty cherry image with pop dots, which was cut and embossed with a small Spellbinder's circle and scallop circle Nesties die template. I also added some polka dots (gotta love the polka dots!) to the top of the card with Papertrey's polka dot stamp set. I tied a little bow with snipped notches and added it to the bottom of the stamped cherries image. I just LOVE how this card turned out. I was able to incorporate lots of patterned paper and different design elements. You could easily stamp patterns or sentiments onto the two rectangle blocks where I have patterned paper. A sentiment could go on the horizontal strip also. For the tag portion, you could use pre-made shipping tags, etc. The possibilities are endless! Hope you enjoy!!

Well, I've procrastinated all I can this morning.....I have to go to the mean dentist to have a cavity filled. I DO NOT want to go and cannot wait for noon to get here so it's all over. I'm pouting like a little kid about the whole thing!! Waaaaa!!!