Penny Black Strawberry Jam thank you card

Hi blogging friends

The card I am sharing today is a "Thank you" card for a wonderful friend who has been very kind and supportive during our loved one's illness so what better way to say thank you than a handmade card!

The image is by Penny Black - Strawberry Jam and is my new favourite PB stamp (which I am sure I could say about every PB stamp LOL!).  It was stamped onto watercolour paper using Ranger Archival Sepia ink and coloured with various mediums:  Winsor and Newton watercolour paints, Faber-Castell + Albrecht-Durer watercolour pencils and Tombow pens using a No. 2 round Kolinsky Sable paintbrush.   I dry-brushed a little bit of white acrylic paint on the strawberries for the highlight.   I really love stamping some of the Penny Black critters in brown ink instead of black as it gives a softness to the image.

I punched some tiny hearts using pink and red parts of the designer paper using an EK Success Arrows border punch (they are the leftover punchies after using the punch that look like tiny hearts - too cute!) and glued them around the image then added Kindyglitz Crystalina glitter glue. 

The sentiment was a freebie stamp from a set called "Sweet Treats" - designed by Beth Gunnel and came free with a Quick Cards Made Easy magazine back in 2012.  I stamped it using Versamagic Gingerbread ink.  I originally stamped it with the Ranger Sepia ink but it just looked too dark and didn't look right so went for a softer and lighter brown.  The red heart was punched from one of the strawberries on the designer paper using a Carl CP-8 Heart duo (I used the smallest heart on the punch) then added Kindyglitz Crystalina to add some sparkle.

Here is a close-up of the sweet image:

The designer paper is one I picked up from a Craft Show which I thought was just perfect with the image.

The middle panel was embossed using my Big Shot and a Cart-Us embossing folder (sorry, but there is no name on the folder nor the packaging).  

The bottom brown layer is actually the flip-side of the designer paper as it matched the strawberry pattern so beautifully and the pink layer is cardstock.  All the layers were trimmed to 1/8" using my Perfect Layers Tools,

The fancy bottom border was punched using a Martha Stewart Lace Doily edge punch.  I recently replaced this punch because I wore the old one out and it is still my favourite punch:  just so feminine and pretty and never tire of it.  I am tempted to buy another one to put away before it comes unavailable just in case I break my new one or I wear it out.  Hmmm, wonder if should?  What do you think?

The twine is by Trendy Twine - Krazy for Kraft.  I added Fray Stop to the cut ends to stop them from fraying.  

Challenges:

I am entering my card in the following challenges -

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - May - You're favourite PB stamp 

Thanks for visiting my blog today and for any comments that you care to leave - they are very much appreciated!

Jocelyn


Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Penny Black Strawberry Jam 4254J wood mount, Sentiment Sweet Treats (freebie from Quick Cards Made Easy Magazine in 2012)

Ink:  Ranger Archival Sepia, Versamagic Gingerbread chalk

Designer paper:  Crate Paper Pretty Party - Cake Stand (2011) - both sides

Accessories:  Winsor and Newton watercolour paints, Faber-Castell + Albrecht-Durer watercolour pencils, Tombow pens, JoSonja Titanium White acrylic paint, No. 2 round Kolinsky Sable paintbrush, Kindyglitz Crystalina glitter glue, dimensionals, 140lb watercolour paper, Fray Stop, Trendy Twine - Krazy for Kraft, Big Shot, Cart-Us embossing folder (unknown name), Lifestyle Nesting Rectangle dies, Lifestyle Nesting Circle + Scallop Circle dies, Perfect Layers Tools, cardstock - pink

Punches:  EK Success Arrows border, Martha Stewart Lace Doily, Carl CP-8 Heart duo