Hi Crafty Friends,
We are back again sharing a gorgeous card design by our friend and ever-talented Heather Telford. She is using Illustrious and Soulful Sihouette, a few new stamp sets from Penny Black to create this foliage display.
To add to the fun, Heather and The Foiled Fox are launching a new gift certificate giveaway – YAY! – for you to enter. Just send us a quick comment below with what rests your mind and refreshes spirit!
Hope you are enjoying some relaxing summer days if you are somewhere in the northern hemisphere. I am excited to have teamed up with the Foiled Fox again to offer you some refreshment with a new Penny Black stamped card! The new release from PB is called ‘Refreshing’ so I’ve created a plant-filled encouragement card I hope will inspire your creativity or just refresh the eyes. We would like to hear how you are getting refreshment these days; leave a comment on this post to be entered in our giveaway.
I seem to be drawn more to blues and greens lately; I think it is because the days have been very hot and cool shady colors seem more refreshing to me. I stamped on cold-pressed watercolor paper in a stamp positioner section at a time. The featured image on this card is the new PB ‘illustrious’ stamp. I have stamped it twice at different angles. I began by inking the larger leaves in mowed lawn distress ink then I smooshed some bundled sage and some mowed lawn on my glass mat so I could pick up the ink with a paint brush to fill all the leaves.
Next, I inked the fern-like leaves with mowed lawn and faded jeans ink; I used ink pads and markers then blended all the tiny leaves with a paintbrush for a bluey-green effect. I did the little flower heads with a candied apple distress ink and stems in hickory smoke ink. If you look closely the print of ‘illustrious’ on the right of the card is not complete; when stamping I kept the foliage on the left of the stamp un-inked so it wouldn’t overlap the complete image beside it. I often do this rather than masking by wiping ink off the stamp before I press it onto the panel.
Once the two prints of ‘illustrious’ were painted I inked the tip of the stamp and stamped a few more times around the border of the panel. For some subtle filler, I stamped one of the foliage stamps from the new clear set ‘soulful silhouettes’ in bundled sage.
To finish off the card I created a sentiment from the new ‘just like you’ set; it has the opening and closing sentiment words then five different options to complete the phrase. I stamped it with archival faded jeans ink and added a dark blue mat to frame the panel.
I am surprised to admit I am finding some refreshment by working in my garden; I don’t love gardening but as you know I do love flowers and trees. If I work during the cooler part of the day and follow the shade around it is refreshing me. I also retreat to my cool basement workroom, turn on an audiobook, and create with new stamps for refreshment! What about you?
More about Heather
Goodies Used:
What I find refreshing is getting up early and working in my garden pulling weeds or watering plants or moving plants to a new place while listening to the birds sing.
I find sitting on our deck at the cottage listening to the little waves lap against the dock and the birds chirp away in the tree canopy close to my head very peaceful and refreshing. I am always amazed how rejuvenated I feel even on a hot day and then I can tackle a small needs-to-get-done job. Like Heather my craft room is in the cool basement so after gardening I put on a light sweater and cool off in my “happy place”.
Birds are such a lovely gift! Add the waves and you have got it all!
I find refreshment on hot days with a dip in a pool or spring fed lake. Since neither are available right now, I watch water make color flow and I too like to listen to an audiobook while I craft. Right now John Grisham is keeping me company while I color. This is a gorgeous combination of foliage! I love the watery blues and greens that make me think of shady woods.
Listening to an audio tape is a great idea! Thanks for the tip.
Wow this is Gorgeous and refreshing!
Yes, Heather is a talent!
Heather this is such a beautiful card! I always enjoy your works of art. Thank you!
What refreshes me is being at the camper in the summer. Being able to sit and craft looking at the beautiful lake 2.5 hours North of home. It is just gorgeous!!
The rest of the year, it’s crafting.
Enjoy the lake, it sounds wonderful!
What a lovely card, Heather! The blue ferns are awesome & the sentiment is so lovely! I spend a lot of time in my craft room during these hot summer days. It relaxes me just to try out new techniques & play!!!
Hope you had a chance to try it out and had a ‘refreshing’ time doing it!
Such a beautiful card! I love the watercolour look. I always feel happy and refreshed after watching the adorable squirrels visit our feeders & back deck. The food I put out is for them, and the birds! 🙂
Critter and birds, what could be better?
Heather, this is beautiful, and I love the sentiment you chose to go with the flowers. I enjoy puttering in the garden to relax, and on rainy days or on work breaks, I like you, find my oasis in my crafty space.
Heather is awesome, isn’t she?
What a gorgeous card, Heather! You are so talented. My happy place is at the beach. Being near the water, watching the waves is totally relaxing and I feel so much better regardless of how long I’m there. Take care. :0
It sounds lovely to watch the waves and have your troubles drift away
Beautiful card! Thank you for sharing all the details. I’m not finding too many things refreshing these days–maybe seeing other people’s creations. That helps.
The world right now is going through it’s troubles but art always lightens the mood!
Stunning!
Heather is a talent, that’s for sure!
Such a gorgeous card! I just got the Illustrious stamp and can’t wait to put it to use. What refreshes me is reading on our patio surrounded by beautiful flowers in pots and a lovely shade garden surrounding the patio.
Beautiful flowers are always an inspiration, aren’t they?
Nice mix of color and flowers. Find calm by tucking away in a corner with a book or crafting along with a video.
Being tucked away in a corner said wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Such a beautiful card! Love the light, airy feel with these delicate sprigs!
To refresh, I’m taking a walk down to my mailbox each afternoon. I see my neighbor’s chickens and goats along the way, and stop to chat with her two Clydesdale horses too.
Such beautiful greenery silhouettes free flowing around three edges made for a very fresh and peaceful card. Love the sentiment used also. For relaxation I love sitting on our deck, watching the waves and waterfowl while enjoying our blooming shrubs and pots. Have also been reading ebooks and found a new author I enjoy, Brenda Novak. Happy Summer!
The waves and waterfowl sounds so awesome! What a way to read a book!
Our backyard has turned into an aviary this summer. From my patio door I can watch baby birds: woodpeckers, blue jays, cardinals, robins. It has been relaxing and fun!
That sounds wonderful! We have lots of birds too but none as exotic as yours… but we still enjoy them!
Our backyard seems to have more birds this summer too. I’ve seen the same ones as you plus some goldfinches.
Heather, your card is so restful and refreshing! Wonderful layout and colors. Thanks for sharing your techniques with us! I find it refreshing to sit outside in the morning with my coffee, home made bread and jam. I see and hear the birds, enjoy the trees and the plants in my yard and love seeing the blue sky!
That sounds very relaxing Laura. I am enjoying the plants and birds in our back yard too and the trees which have got really big are providing some welcome shade.