Helen Plus Three

I needed to make a card for a farewell. I didn't have stamps that actually said bon voyage, so I made it up.. as in 'leaving the coop ' with my birdie stamp... of course  I had some help from my sizzix Big Shot dies.   Then came the guy card, which I say is really challenging when you don't have those real  'macho' design stamps (if stamps can be macho !!) so IMPROVISE.. this are 2x2 embossing dies which I then punched out using my circle punch....  ..a little fun, colour .. it's for a 13 year old.. so it'll do.. I decided to leave off the leaves... . ...

'Plumeria and Leaves' die from Cottage Cutz,    paper from Basic Grey,  another step fold card....  

Sunflower from Penny Black, against a die cut embossed scallop (Sizzix and K Kingdom) respectively)...Dragon Fly from Sizzix..., using word set from Hero Arts Clear Stamps...... the Fence is from Tim Holtz Alternation dies.

An old Rose with Bow stamp from...Stampa Rosa (Santa Rosa) (1999) Favourite wish stamps. 'God Sent His Best' from Stampendous, 'Be happy' from Santa Rosa, .....   " Warm.. toasty" from Sandi Gore Evans (Uptpwn Design Co) on paper backing from Cupcake (Basic Grey), bit of brown cardstock, loosely cut strips  to give it a rough easel look.   Using a cuttlebug die on my sizzix machine on Yellow cardstock,..(die image on separate paper layered on front of card)  those tiny butterflies are the by-products of a spellbinders nestabilities((Butterflies circle) die image. A mix of inks from Distress and .Versa Color and Versa Magic (pink and green and orange shades), ... All Purpose Ink 72 Frost White lightly brushed on raised embossed areas. A problem with this cardstock, embossing powder tends to get absorbed into the card and image becomes flat except for the copper powder on Warm & Toasty.. A card for my niece.

My first card using a die cut / embossing machine. I resisted for so long, just wanting to stick with my enjoyable rubber stamping card-making endeavors. but I finally succumbed to getting the die cuts....Well it was more the embossing that pulled me and pulled me... and so here we are in the next stage of evolution of card making for me....