Saturday, August 11, 2012

Flower Shop cards & Batik Flower paper printables

black POD hometown card & envelope mel stampz

So I'm addicted to colouring these little Hometown buildings from Purple Onion Designs. The flower shop is my fave, because it's so easy to add dimension by stamping an cutting a second little awning (and popping it up on a bit of foam tape).  

Ever try paint over colouring? I added some white acrylic paint to the flower shop above (with a little paint brush over the black heat-embossed image) to tone down the bricks. Something methinks I shall try again sometime.

It was also fun to colour bricks in with little dabs of grey Copic markers:

POD white hometown card & envelope mel stampz

I shaded the silver buildings with a bit of light grey Copic marker to tie them in.

Do you decorate the insides of your cards?

.

I never used to decorate inside, but then people would open them with an expectant look on their faces and you could see a little "oh it's empty, huh..." look in their eyes. I wanted to give them something that wasn't anticlimactic, so these flowershop cards have bright flowery paper inside. (It feels especially fun inside the black card since it's a surprising pop of unexpected lightness.)

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make these cards:
Step 1) Heat emboss 2 images of the flower shop using black Archival ink & clear embossing powder. Stamp 2 extra awnings & cut them out.  

Step 2) Colour the images. I used Copic markers for both (and added white paint to parts of the the white flower shop building).

Step 3)
Cut some cards A2-size. One black & one speckled/Natural cardstock.

Step 4) Stamp & heat emboss other Purple Onion Design buildings on the card-fronts. White colorbox ink on the black card with clear embossing powder & silver pigment ink with silver e.p. on the speckled card.

Step 5) Colour these surrounding buildings with a little white pencil crayon for the black card & grey Copics for the white card.

Step 6) Add sidewalks & ribbon: Cut 2 strips of cardstock to make the side walks. (I used two shades of grey & added rough lines with white Prismacolour pencil. Add white & grey ribbon with bows. Adhere the strips to the cards.

Step 7)
Adhere the Flower shops to the cards. Decorate the insides with paper & add the sentiment, heat embossed on grey paper to the inside of the cards.

The sentiment above "Have a Blooming good day!" is one
that comes with the rubber stamp set:

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For the main image,

Hometown rubber stamp collection by Stephanie Ackerman for Purple Onion Designs


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free printable Batik flower paper

To save these files:
In Firefox/Chrome: right click on the image & choose "save link as"
In Explorer: right click on the image & choose "save target as"


Light Batik flower paper sized to line the
inside of an A2 card (5-1/2" x 4-1/4") PNG:
batik flower paper for A2 cards - mel stampz
(or you can add it to your faves here on flickr)

Light Batik flower paper to fit an A2 envelope
(for lining it) PNG:

batik flower paper LIGHT to fit an A2 envelope for lining
(or you can add it to your faves here on flickr)

There's a tutorial for lining
envelopes in a hurry here:
PDF TUT lining an envelope_mel stampz
Light Batik Flower paper - standard size
8.5" x 11" 350dpi JPG:
JPG batik flower paper LIGHT STANDARD SIZE - 12 and a half inch SQ 350dpi mel stampz

(or you can add it to your faves here on flickr)


Light Batik Flower paper - 12.5" square 350dpi PNG:
batik flower paper LIGHT - 12 and a half inch SQ 350dpi mel stampz
(or you can add it to your faves here on flickr)


If you'd like the paper brighter,
here's a vivid 12.5" square version PNG:
batik flower paper BRIGHT - 12 and a half inch SQ 350dpi mel stampz
(or you can add it to your faves here on flickr)


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Using overlays to make faux misted papers:

You might recognize this Batik flower pattern from the 100+ overlay post.





I coloured it in Photoshop using spray paint style brushes
(and overlapped the hues here & there) to get a misted look.

Want to try this effect yourself? Here's a
video tutorial for how to use overlays as mist masks
by Jessica Sprague:








 


This digital work is offered up for free, but mainly for personal use only.


Thanks for stopping in. Hope your day
is bright and beautiful!

38 comments:

teachdanz said...

gorgeous Mel!! you are uber talented:-)

Pitter and Glink said...

I just found your website, and I'm completely freaking out about the fact that you give all these free downloads away! And you let us bloggers use them for free printables! You ROCK!

Margie said...

Great card and envelope Mel. Thanks for all the tips and the freebie paper. Will definitely give this flower paper a go for the inside of a card - it looks fab.

Lalo said...

AMAZING cards!!! Looks good in both black and white :)

CG said...

Wow, gorgeous cards! Very cool. And thanks for the awesome freebie -- I'll be grabbing that overlay too, this is my favorite pattern! Best, CG

Laura M. said...

Mel- I love your work and your tutorials and your free papers and . . . well, just everything. Thanks for sharing so much with us. I am so sorry about your migraines. I am a fellow sufferer, but I am so lucky they are infrequent and that my doctor found a medication that works for me. Hope you find something that works for you too.

Marianne said...

Oh boy, this is just too much to take in right now (past midnight in my corner of the world), so I'll need to come back soon to go through it all again. Awesome work, like usual Mel!
Marianne x

Dawn said...

oooh, I love the flower shop! just too stinkin cute! clever you!! and... love the flower batik too! thank YOU sweetie!!

thanks for the llama spit story too, wish you were closer!!!
hugzzzzzzzzz

Dawn said...

oh yeah... and thanks for Jessica's tute! how cool is that!!! I just love her...and YOU!

Glenda said...

I love the buildings cards. They are so cool. TFS

Crafting Queen said...

Wonderful card,love the papers.

Ruth S said...

Great cards Mel - and I love that you deocrated the card inside. I usually leave mine as I feel it gets in the way for writing a good long message, but I think I'll be doing it more ;)
Rx

Karen B. said...

This is just amazing. Your posts are always so full of inspiration, thank you!

Unknown said...

What an absolutely fabulous post Mel, you're supertalented and create such beauties. Take care, Ira
irascreacorner.blogspot.com

Debbie J said...

Mel, great job! Thanks so much for the paper, and especially thanks for the video link to Jessica Sprague. Love the whole mask idea.

Christine L said...

Hi....

I've just become your newest follower!! Thank you for sharing such fabulous inspiration... I am about to make a gift box (bucket bag!)..... Can't wait to see your future creations too!

Big hugs
Christine x

annemarks said...

Love the flower shop card and the lining is superb. Thanks for the downloads :)

MichelleB said...

Cutest card I've seen in a while! Love these little houses and the patterned paper is fabulous! Thank you for sharing all of this!

Plastic card printing said...

That is really exciting stuff! i really like all of your collection! keep it up!

Jennifer Roach said...

These are great cards! Thanks for more of your amazing freebies. I just used the sunburst digi on this card: http://tennisgirl27.blogspot.ca/2012/08/oh-happy-day-its-time-for-annual-purple.html

Erum Tasneem said...

what a beauty! Queenie you outdid yourself again! I love love love that batik paper! beautiful work. God bless you.

Victoria said...

Wooooosh what a GORGEOUS blog I found here in yours!!! It´s soooo nice to sit here reading, checking it out, watching and getting so inspired. I´ll definitely be back here to check MORE! Just need to go fix dinner now. :o) How NICE to have found a terrific place to get some inspiration & craftingspirit.

/ Victoria, Sweden

malia said...

Dude! I get dizzy (in a good way) over all the fantastic things you come up with and share. THANK YOU! xo Malia

Susan (rainy) said...

What you have done with these sweet little images is nothing short of amazing!! Love your unique techniques and beautiful creations.

alexandra s.m. said...

Hello Dear Mel,

Hope you're well...

I love your cards and papers!
Thank you so much for sharing with us ;-))

Hugs~

Shelly said...

Hi Mel
I'm always concerned about you when you haven't posted for awhile. Just wanted you to know that I'm thinking of you and praying for you.

Big hugs,
Shelly

Crafting Marfa said...

I love your cards and I love the stamps. Thanks for telling us where you got them.

Anonymous said...

Hope you are doing ok! Thinking of you!

Wendy

CJC said...

You are amazing! These are the type of designs I love to do. I'm so glad my friend sent me this site.

Sue VanDeVusse said...

I see you haven't been on here for quite a while, hope all is going well with you. Love your site and all that it has to offer. Hugs!

Camilla said...

Aaawww, Im so in love with your work. I love everything with houses. Beautifull :O)

linda from arizona said...

Mel, are you OK? It's been a month since your last post! Hope all is well with you.

donna mikasa said...

Your POD building cards are all so wonderful, Mel! Love how you decorate the inside, too. And your paper is gorgeous! Thank you for the freebie!

Helen said...

I hope you are doing well. Love and prayers lifted for you!

KarenD said...

Super cute stuff!

dada said...

Hey Mel, your crafts always amazes me with all the intricate details and creativity. I read that you suffer from some depression. I hope you will eventually come out from the depression.

Does the migraine contribute to some of the depression? I had severe headaches before due to neck and shoulder tension. When I got that fixed, I felt much better. Given that your craft require so much time and concentration, are your neck and shoulder very stiff? Have you try alleviating that with deep tissue massage and chirpractor visit, accupuntuare?

wish you well!

Claire Selby -pinkdilla said...

Thank you for sharing! I shared about you on my blog

KmoRakefet said...

Hi. Could you Please advise which paper to use for each purpose. Some say that Neenah is go for everything but I tried it with water coloring or distress (with water !) and the Neenah paper does not like water. So I have Neenah and paparytrayink cardstock and water color paper (not smooth at all kind) and I have the glossy ranger paper for distressing)
I would love to read your thoghts about it).

Thank you !!!!