The Enabler Gives Back

I'm relatively certain that I'm responsible for at least one person owning this stamp set. With regard to being an enabler, I'd feel a whole lot guiltier about it were there not so many of you out there enabling me. I was sold on "Essense of Love" from Stampin' Up's Occasions Mini Collection 2008 as soon as I saw a card or two made with it and displayed on a blog. The silhouette look is big right now, and in my opinion, this set lets itself perfectly.

For my first card, I stamped the image several times (three times, I think) on patterned paper. I kind of twisted and turned the stamp to create a pattern I thought would work. It did. However, I ran into a spot of trouble when I stamped the sentiment. It ended up crooked. I would say that it is one of the hazards of wood-mounted stamps, except for the fact that I stamped with wood-mounted stamps for years before ever picking up an acrylic block, and I usually my image right where I wanted it. If anything, wood-mounted stamps require a bit more time and concentration. Anyway, I"fixed" it by trimming the patterned patter to accommodate my boo-boo, and as a result, what would have been a two-layer card became a three-layer card. It works for me! In fact, the card might be better for it.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Chocolate, and Blush cardstock; Basic Grey "Lilykate" paper pad; Chocolate ink pad; Stampin' Up Essence of Love stamp set; Bitty Brads; Sanding block.

My second card involved a little technique - a simple one that kind of amazed me when it worked. I used markers and literally scribbled haphazardly on the stamp, first with Sweet Leaf and then Twilight before spritzing it with a couple of squirts of water from a fine mist spritzer and laying my image down. While there might be color combinations that wouldn't work, this one did, and I was as pleased as punch! The rest of the card design is simple and self-explanatory.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Sweet Leaf, and Twilight cardstock; Stampin' Up Porcelain Prints Designer Series paper; Twilight ink pad; Twilight and Sweet Leaf markers; Stampin' Up Essence of Love and Papertrey Ink Mixed Messages stamp sets; Cuttlebug w/Nestabilities Classic Circles set; 3M foam mounting tape.

The friend that I enabled called last night for no reason other than to tell me she cares. These cards are for her. You know who you are. Thank you, friend!