POSITIVE THOUGHTS

I have been hankering to try a few new/old techniques lately. This one, a VersaMark Resist, I found in an old stamping techniques book I've had around forever.

Using Glossy Cardstock, it's lots of fun to do. It does take patience and elbow grease though.

The first step is to stamp an image a few times on -- in this case a piece of Glossy Cardstock that measures 3 3/4" x 5" -- your paper in VersaMark ink. After you have your image strategically stamped, go to the Heat Station, and hit the stamping with the Heat Tool for about 15 seconds to make sure it's completely dry. Be sure to keep the heat moving so the glossy paper doesn't scorch.

I forgot to mention that I used the fern image from the Positive Thoughts stamp set in the Annual Catalog. Isn't it lovely?

Next comes the elbow grease. I used one of Stampin' Up!'s new Blender Brushes for my card, and it worked wonderfully. Use whatever is your favorite method for sponging. 

I used Mossy Meadow ink for this part. Start sponging on the ink and continue to do so until you reach the desired darkness, so the stamped images pop off the paper and seem to magically appear. I darkened my ink in a few places because I always enjoy the variation of dark and light.

The next step is to take the same stamp and ink it up with a darker ink. I used Shaded Spruce. In some of the blank spots, fill in with the image, but this time in the darker ink. 

At this point, I really loved it, so I didn't want to cover up just too much of it with a sentiment. 

Thus, <found Fred> I opted to do my sentiment on vellum. 

I chose this beautiful sentiment from the Celebrate Sunflowers stamp set from the Annual Catalog. I wanted it to be embossed, but in a color that echoes the rest of the card. To do that, I first inked up the stamp with VersaMark ink, then followed it with a quick inking up of Shaded Spruce ink. 

After heating it up, I had a sentiment that was embossed, but also matched the color used elsewhere on the card.

To add the sentiment to the card, I carefully creased the vellum at the edges and wrapped the excess around to the back of the panel. Since I didn't want it to bow out from the front of the card, I added one mini glue dot under the "b" in celebrate to hold it in place.

The VersaMark Resist fern showed up not a pure white, so I opted to mount the inked piece to a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of Very Vanilla, then onto a Shaded Spruce card base.

I have to admit here that it was difficult to finish this post. After I typed the word "Thus" a few paragraphs back, I got up to use the bathroom.

You see, my cat, Fred, had been having labored breathing issues, and my husband and I were going to take him to the Emergency Vet when Pat got home from work. Just as I typed that word, he came in the house, and I got up to get ready to go. 

Well, Fred saved us the trip. He was lying on the floor outside my bathroom, already gone. I am so so sad. He was my "best Fred" for 14 1/2 years. I will miss him always. 

This was just taken eight days ago.

Rest In Peace, my Fred.

Grieving 

Smiles.