May 2016 Challenge w/ Birgit - Altenew's Beautiful Day

Hello friends.  It's that time of month where BIRGIT and I challenge ourselves, and this month we decided to use the lovely stamp set by Altenew called Beautiful Day.  I really struggle with lining up some of Altenew's 3 and 4 step stamp sets (like Vintage Roses and Vintage Flowers), so working with the Beautiful Day stamp set was a breeze as it lined up so wonderfully, and has the beautiful definition of a 4 step stamp.  I have 5 cards to share with you today, so let's get started!

For 4 of my 5 cards I used the 4 cube color sets that Altenew now sells, and this card uses the Summer Afternoon and Green Fields sets.  I did a little bit of masking with the flowers to line all 3 together and also to place the leaves a little behind the flowers too.  I fussy cut all along the bottom edge following the flowers and leaves, and then used fun foam to layer this layer to my card base.  A little bit of Harvest Gold Pattern Paper (PTI) and a thin black strip at the top, a white embossed sentiment (Rustic Wreath - PTI) on a black banner, and a few Rainstones (PTI) finished off this card.

This time I used the Shades of Purple and Green Fields ink sets, a sentiment from Sugar Pea Designs (SOA), die cut with Blueprints #27 (MFT), and again, a few Rainstones.

For my 3rd card I made my background first from PTI's Circle Cover Plate, and then stamped and fussy cut my flowers and leaves using the Red Cosmos and Green Fields ink sets.  The "prayers" die cut is from SSS Prayers stamp and die set.

My 4th card I started by embossing the background with an Impression Obsession background stamp called Leaf Flourishes and WOW Colour Blend Verdigris and Colour Blend Amethyst embossing powders.  My 2nd photo shows a little bit of the glittery look to these amazing embossing powders, but IRL the whole card sparkles!  I used Perfect Plum and Elegant Eggplant inks (SU!) for the flower.  I wish I could remember what the Perfect Plum leaf and vellum leaf die cuts were from, but I'm pleading old age and laziness to track the answer down.  If anyone really wants to know, I'll track it down for you.  I purposely left a sentiment off this card so I can just use it as a note card.

This last card is probably my favorite, and it is the beautiful basket weave die cut that my dear friend Birgit sent to me that started the juices flowing for this card.  I stamped some of the smaller outline pieces from the Beautiful Day set directly on to the kraft basket weave panel with Baked Brown Sugar (SU!) ink to start, and then added my flower that was inked up using the Red Sunset ink set.  The back of the stamp set package shows the leaves stamped in browns, and I remember thinking when I received the set in the mail that "who would have brown leaves on their card?!...Not me!!"  Well I started re-thinking that as I had the kraft panel already stamped with a light brown ink, so figured I'd give it a try, and ended up just loving the look!  I used the Inspired: Faith stamp set (PTI) and die cut the word Faith in brushed gold cardstock, and then added the rest of the sentiment on a white banner stamped with Soft Suede ink.

I hope I've inspired you to take this set out again if you haven't used it in awhile, or maybe even purchase it if you like how I used it.  And don't forget to hop over to my dear friend BIRGIT'S blog to see what masterpieces she's created with this same stamp set too...she never disappoints, so make sure you check it out!

Thanks so much for stopping by today...I love it when you do!