Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Hope Blooms

**Please scroll down for my Skipping Stones Design post**


When I set out to create the Hope Blooms set for The Craft's Meow July release, I did so with two things in mind: 1. I wanted a photopolymer option of the blooms that were offered as a free digi during The Craft's Meow Birthday Celebration this past year and 2. I wanted a set with some beautiful, deep and thoughtful sentiments-some that we necessarily don't like to use but need to use and then some that might be missing from our regular stash.



The Craft's Meow


I tried a new technique with the blooms on the above card. I first laid down a base of light Copic marker and then shaded with chalk. I really like the effect this creates!


I also really like how the flowers in Hope Blooms have a delicate enough line to them that they are perfect for coloring, yet still bold enough for paper piecing. The stems are also re-positionable as well, and each bloom is a separate stamps, providing endless options! Here's another of the same card but in a different color scheme.


Elizabeta Kushner has a delicate set releasing this month for The Craft's Meow called Ladies & Gents.


I chose to work with the beautiful vintage umbrella, first stamping and heat embossing in white on vellum, inking the backside slightly, fussy cutting, and then adhering it onto a distress inked background that has slightly been misted with Perfect Pearls.


I hope you like what you see of Hope Blooms and Ladies & Gents from the samples today on The Craft's Meow Blog created by the wonderful designers and illustrators, along with our guest designer Naomi, and then when the full sets will be revealed later this week. Be sure to stop by The Craft's Meow Blog for your chance to win these sets featured today!

39 comments:

  1. such awesome cards Karen...I really love your new set:)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Stunning... So excited about how more options with that beautiful flower.

    ReplyDelete
  3. These cards are simply beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beautiful. Love the flowers. TFS.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your Hope Blooms is wonderful, Karen - thank you for making the stems repositionable and the flower separate - that will make them so versatile! Can't wait to see them!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow! Stamping on the vellum for the umbrella image is amazing. Great cards!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh my word..your inking is so gorgeous. I'm in love. Can't wait to see the full reveal of your set!

    ReplyDelete
  8. oh that technique on the flowers is gorgeous! Love the effect on it and the colors are perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm so glad that you guys released this set in real stamps! Digi is not my forte, but these flowers are just so beautiful! GORGEOUS cards, love the coloring on the flowers and the umbrella looks amazing embossed on vellum!

    ReplyDelete
  10. great sentiment on your set. Love the vellum umbrella!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Karen, I am so impressed! I can tell you really take the time to think through your stamps before creating them - thank you for that! Re-positionable stems is such a brilliant idea and that sentiment is beautiful! Can't wait to see more! Beautiful cards today! :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Well done, once again, Karen! Your thought process behind designing your flowers and sentiments makes so much sense. These cards really show off your artistry. I also love that parasol embossed in white, so pretty!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Such lovely blooms, and that white on vellum umbrella is STUNNING!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Simple yet gorgeous umbrella, Karen...LOVE it!! Especially on that background! I really love your cards with the pretty blooms too! They were so nice to work with as a digi...happy to see them as stamping options!! I really like the colors you used and the way you applied them!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. These are beautiful sets and what genius embossing on vellum to layer on the blue cardstock, makes all the details pop!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Your cards are beautiful Karen and I love the glimpse of you new set :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Love both colors for the flowers and your umbrella card is just beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  18. WOW! All of these are just terrific!! I love how you can flip the flowers/stems!!!

    That umbrella card is stunning!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love your new set...must get!! And loving those textures too... These cards are simply Gorgeous!!! as always you are such a great inspiration!!!... hugs...xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  20. Beautiful cards and sentiments, Karen, and I love the embossed vellum umbrella...

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hope Blooms looks like a fabulous set... love the embossed umbrella too!
    DeniseB

    ReplyDelete
  22. So gorgeous! I love your background for the umbrella.

    ReplyDelete
  23. The chalk shading adds such amazing depth, will have to try that for myself! Thanks again for the inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Karen these are all so beautiful! The vellum umbrella card is STUNNING! The flowers shaded with chalk are gorgeous!!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  26. This card is really something especial, Karen. I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Did the wonderfully subtle texture behind the Love Blooms stamps come from an embossing folder? Or did the cardstock come this way? I usually love dramatic dry embossed textures, but this softer one is so appealing. Nice job, Karen!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Your new flower set is beautiful, Karen! And I'm in awe of what you did with that umbrella. Gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  29. If these cards are anything to go by then these sets are going to be amazing! So excited to see your designs coming to life, Karen!

    ReplyDelete
  30. oh my...these are stunning! I LOVE the delicate line images and the 'hope whispers' sentiment is a tear jerker for me. Beautiful. The second is so pretty...reminds me of a lace shade umbrella my great grandmother had...fond memories :)

    ReplyDelete
  31. Wow, you knocked it out of the park with your set, Karen! :) Just stunning. I love the cool background in the second card--it has so much depth.

    ReplyDelete
  32. LOVE your peaceful pretty flowers on this great duo of cards Karen! And my oh my that lacy umbrella is the bomb!!!

    ReplyDelete
  33. your flowers are so elegant and love your simple cards with them. and the umbrella is so pretty! amazing details and love the background you created. fabulous work as always!

    ReplyDelete
  34. So graceful and elegant! I love that sentiment, so touching. Beautiful cards :)

    ReplyDelete
  35. Oh I just adore your simple blooms and how they can be manipulated to be so individual...... just like the real thing as they turn there heads to the sun :0)
    The beautiful lacey parasol looks amazing against that blue bkgd...a truly stunning card.
    Congrats on another wonderful set of stamps for TCM :0)
    Jenny x

    ReplyDelete