Triple Floral Dragonfly - Duly Noted

Beauty is in the details. For example, with a few stamps and some ink, a plain white card stock strip can turn into a really meaningful note to a friend! Here we have a fresh little folded note nestled on a bed of red and green... and the best part is the hidden message, presented quite prettily!

Stamps -
Triple Floral Dragonfly stamp set
"Thinking of you today" block stamp

Papers -
Green card stock half-sheet, folded
Red designer paper - 3-1/8 x 4-1/4 inches (I used Basic Grey)
Black card stock - 3-3/8 x 4-5/16 inches
White card stock - 2.5 x 5.25 inches
Burgundy card stock scrap
White card stock scraps
Yellow card stock scrap

Inks -
Versacolor Bamboo, Burgundy, Green Tea, Narcissus, Pinecone; Archival Black; Encore Metallic Gold

Tools and Accessories -
Embossing Folders - "Swiss Dots" and "D'Vine Swirls"
Gold Paint Pen
Yellow ribbon
Thin Black Marker
Colored Pencils - Yellow and Red; Orange
Chalk - Butterscotch
Chalk Puff
Medium Square Punch

Instructions -

Run the Green card stock through the "Swiss Dots" embossing folder. Then smudge with Bamboo ink over the raised areas of the embossed areas. Line all four edges with the Gold Paint Pen. Set aside.

Run the Red paper through the "D'Vine Swirls" embossing folder and then smudge some of the raised areas with Burgundy ink. Once this dries, edge the paper with the Gold Paint Pen. Then glue it to the Black card stock.

Attach the ribbon around the body of the Red piece and then glue it to the card-base. Set aside for now; it's time to stamp!

Take the White card stock piece and draw out the pattern for the sentiment using a pencil. Then write your note. Then using the following stamps and inks, make impressions around the sentiment you just wrote:

Mini Dogwood Cluster in Archival Black
Then use the Red and Yellow Colored Pencils to colorize the flowers.

Tiny Ivy Leaf Solid in Gold ink

Tiny Fancy Twisted Sprig in Pinecone ink

Mini Vine Solid in Narcissus ink.

As soon as you finish stamping the vine (the chalk adheres to wet ink so make sure to use the chalk before the ink dries), use the Butterscotch Chalk and a Chalk Puff to colorize the Vines you just stamped.

Use the Red Colored Pencil to edge the paper. Then use Narcissus ink to edge the paper.When all is dry, flip the paper over and prepare to stamp again. Stamp the following:

Mini Dogwood Cluster in Archival Black
(Use the Colored Pencils to color in the flowers, making them predominately Red).

Tiny Ivy Leaf Solid in Bamboo ink

Mine Vine Solid in Green Tea.

Once the ink is dry, fold the card into a note and edge all four sides with Narcissus ink. Attach the note to the card base. You will add some elements to the note in the following steps...

Cutouts and Medallions -

On a White card stock scrap, stamp two Dogwood Clusters using Archival Black ink. Stamp another Dogwood Cluster on Yellow paper. Cut these out. Using the Colored Pencils, make the first two clusters predominately Red, with a Yellow interior. Then use the Yellow and Orange Pencils on the last Cluster.

Cut a thin strip of Burgundy card stock and glue it to the edge of the little note so you can see it when the note is closed. Then glue the Yellow Dogwood Cluster to the front of the card, like a tab.

 

Meanwhile... You will soon use the remaining two Dogwood Cluster cut-outs you made, but there's a medallion to make first. On a scrap of White card stock, use Archival Black ink to stamp the "Thinking of you today" sentiment. Line up the stamped sentiment in the Square Punch and punch out. Then use the Dogwood Cluster stamp and Narcissus ink to make a background pattern around the entire surface of the sentiment. After stamping, use the Butterscotch Chalk to colorize the flowers. Then glue the Square to a slightly larger piece of Black card stock. Repeat with Burgundy card stock.

Last, assemble the floral cutouts and the medallion in the inside part of the fold-out note and you're done!

Detail of the interior...

 

 
So what do you think? Just enter your comment in the comment section below for a chance to win the Triple Floral Dragonfly stamp set. Today's winner is Judi Graham, who will be receiving the Thorny Rose stamp set from last week's blog. Congratulations Judi!

Last Week's Comments
A couple of people had questions about chalking. Once you have stamped the images you want to chalk, you apply the chalk almost immediately. The chalk has to have something to adhere to, which is the wetness of the ink. This also brings up a question that Catharine had about technique. Catharine, we use a chalk puff to apply the chalk. And Susan S. had an idea to add another solid rose for variation in size. Great idea, Susan S.! One last thing: somebody remarked about how hard it is to replicate the vivid colors we get. There's a trick to that. We keep our ink pads well inked. In fact, on occasion, even some of the new ink pads get a couple more drops of ink before we use them...just apply a few drops of the ink refiller and rub the ink in with the applicator tip.

Keep the comments coming; we read them!

Comments

[Elaine Allen]

Susan -

I love this card! And I really, really love your secret message! A great tutorial.

Elaine Allen

[Anna Matthews]

Beautiful set, beautiful card and very clever!

[Cindy L.]

I like the secret message too! Once again, I like the different techniques you share. Great ideas!

[Kathy Hering]

Beautiful!

[Pam (PeeJay)]

This is beautiful and such a good idea. Definitely one for my project pot!

[Lynne K]

This is so pretty - the design, colours, everything! And I love the hidden message idea.

[Catharine]

This is a lovely idea. Do you find the front note 'springs open'? - if not what is your trick ?

[Sharon Secor]

This is beautiful and such a wonderful technique - Thank you for sharing!

[Ink-Pattie]

Very pretty card. I love the way you colored the flowers. Are they chalk pastel pencils or colored pencils?

[Christine Nixon]

Clever, clever girl! I love this tutorial. I especially love the bamboo ink on the swiss dots and light green paper. They really pop and look more like polka dots than swiss dots. Fabulous!

[Bette]

Your choice of colors always blows my mind. Thank you for teaching me! Even at your booths you say anyone can do this, just do it!!!! laughing!

[Mary Lou Knapke]

Such fun ideas always....

Mary Lou Knapke

[Carol]

Great idea of a "tab" for the gate fold card; so often the gate fold is held closed by ribbon. As always, love your colors, layouts, and stamps!

[Jackie]

I love everything about this card using the Triple Floral Dragonfly set. The use of two cuddlebug folders on separate layers and the gate fold to the chalking with pads. Love it! Thanks for the great tutorial. Oh, and the red pencil was a neat idea too.

[Mustavcoffee]

I love the detail and colour combinations here, thank you for sharing x

[Jan Koennecke]

Beautiful card and great ideas again. I tried 'chalking' for the first time yesterday. Now I know what I have to do. Years ago in charcoal drawing class, we were told to 'hairspray' chalks. Wonder how it would do on our cards?

[Michelle Adams]

What a beautiful card ~ I alwatys love your tutorials! TFS!

[Phyllis M.]

Beautiful card and wonderful tut also. Thanks for sharing and all the great tips too.

[Audrey]

I love this card. I will cetaintly use this technique withthe chalks, I am always nervouse about using chalks, but will now try it more often. Also love the hint about the coloring and reinking the inks just a bit. Thanks for all you do, you make learning funand interesting.

[jo]

So pretty!

[mike bizup]

I really love this card! I definitely will have to try to duplicate this one.

[sue wisniewski]

Very cool card. I am partial to dragonfly stamps so this set appeals to me. stamping sue

[Patty W]

Another beautiful card! And I adore the colors ! They look so great ! I was wondering about the vivid colors too, thanks for the tip.

[Sarah B]

Wow!!!!! This card has so many wonderful elements I don't know where to start. They all come together perfectly and when the secret message is revealed, its presentation is just as lovely as the outside of the card. Thanks, too, for the details on the chalk application.

[Freida F]

How GORGEOUS! Thank you for the fabulous tutorial...sooo easy to follow! I love this design and the stamps you used are perfect!