June 30, 2011

Rustic Branches Revisited

Here comes July! It's time for another Papertrey Senior Team Design post. This month we're featuring Heather Nichols' stamp set called Rustic Branches. It's still a set that I reach for over and over again...and now it's fun to find new inspiration for some of these oldie but goody stamp sets.

My first bits of inspiration came from some photos I pinned to my Pinterest site. A simple search for berry wreaths brought me to these three favorites. They all are kind of rustic in nature and coincidentally all the wreaths have painted white washed/wood backgrounds. I loved this too so I decided to incorporate this look into my project for today.





My other source of inspiration for my project today came from a little nature walk to the timber behind our house. The reds discovered a huge thicket of blackberries a few years back and they let me know just this week that the berries are just starting to ripen up.
Those pretty, soft hints of pinks and purples and reds were the perfect, muted colors I was looking for.
Pretty soon the blackberries will be a deep purple color. I'm going to try my hand at some blackberry jam as soon as they're ready for picking. :)
Now on to my project for today. I have two fun techniques that I want to share with you today that I used on my card. First up I wanted to recreate that wonderful, white washed barn wood look. To do this I cut 4 strips of patterned paper about 1" wide and ran them my die cutting machine using the Woodgrain Impression Plate. I then sanded over the tops of the strips, used a little tea dye ink and then smudged on some Fresh Snow ink. The more sanding you do, the more muted the colors become. The second technique I used was to create some wreaths with muted tones. I was looking for those pretty pinks, purples and reds that you see with berries before they ripen to a deeper color. I happened across this great video from Shari Carroll where she rubs 3 colors of ink onto a craft mat, squishes her stamp into the ink, then spritzes with water before she stamped the images onto cardstock. It was the perfect inking technique I was looking for to get the muted, soft colors for the wreath. I also over stamped the twig wreath from Wreath For All Seasons onto the other wreaths.
Before assembling my card I spritzed some Fine Linen ribbon with spray inks and water to get a worn, rustic look. A little more stamping of the vine image onto the main card base finishes off the card front. My wreath image was stamped with words from Rustic Branches and then was cut with a circle Nestabilities die.
Here you can see my finished card.
At this angle you can see the wood grain impression and sanding a bit better. Hello juicy little berry.
And here you can zoom in on the wreath image. Very watercolor looking with soft, muted colors.
Hope you enjoy.....a nice little birthday card for someone special is checked off the list. :)

For more inspiration using Rustic Branches, be sure to check out Nichole + the other Senior Team posts here:


36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love these Mish - you're so clever! I've never seen that inking technique before, so I'm eager to give it a go. Thanks as always for the beautiful inspiration.

Jo R. (Australia)

Wendy ten Hove said...

Oh wauw! Yes, I really enjoy! Love the way you added those colors, looks awesome!! Lovely card!!
Hugs, Wendy

Gabby said...

I like the background and wreath ... beautiful card! :)

Linda said...

Wow!!! That is one beautiful card!!!

Sonya said...

Wow--what gorgeous cards!

Kim H. said...

Wow!! I love that card. The wreath is so suble and soft and the wood grain - what a great idea!!!!

Eveline said...

I love how you inked up the stamp and what a great result.
Eveline.

Yvonne..... said...

Love it!! So soft and rustic at the same time. Perfect!!

Polly said...

I love this card..definitely going to try some of the techniques you used.

Ashley Cannon Newell said...

So pretty! Love the way you stamped the wreath and embossed the patterned papers! :) Have a great holiday!

Debbie Fisher (debbiedee) said...

I love it! Your techniques were perfect for capturing the soft muted look!

Tami McBeain said...

Well, now that I've picked myself up off the floor I can comment! Holy heck this card is AMAZING! A little work of art! WOW!

Cindy H. said...

This is just so gorgeous!!! tfs

Juanita B said...

this is an exquisite card! Wonderfully soft and beautiful colors. What a treat, TFS.

A Cup of Cold Water said...

BEAUTIFUL card, Mish! I LOVE it. Blackberries always remind me of my Grandmother we called Mom. She was AMAZING! You would have LOVED her. She gardened, cooked, quilted, tatted, crafted when there wern't crafty things availale and she was the BEST blackberrty picker on earth. She would take us out to the pastures and out pick everyone of us. Then we had to go home and take clorox baths so we wouldn't get chiggers!
Oh, the memories! Thanks for that trip down memory lane, this hot Kansas morning!
Susan

Lisa Elton said...

Oh my goodness Michelle you've done it again! Love the one little untouched section of polka dots!

Unknown said...

This is the most beautiful card using that set of all of them, wow! What a great technique and great use of color, it really has that rustic, authentic feel.

Sue McGettigan said...

I just LOVE your card and the fun inking technique to get those soft variegated colors - wonderful!

Jean Franks Beck said...

Gorgeous effect with the embossing of those patterned paper strips - I had to do a triple take to see that they weren't fabric or ribbon! Love the wreath technique, too!

Anne Tussing said...

Love your card, Mish!! It's amazing how you used your photo and nature inspiration to create such a perfect match in your card. I LOVE the technique you used on the strips of paper for your background. You rocked this one:)

Cindy Lyles said...

Simply yummy cards - love the photo reference translation - fabulous as always Mish!!

Lynn said...

I LOVE this card and the techniques you used. I would never have thought of using my woodgrain impression plate on patterned paper. love it!

Anonymous said...

Mish,
This is one of my most favorite cards you have ever made!And I have been visiting your blog for years! It took my breath away.
Judy

Diana F. said...

Very, very pretty card. Thank you for posting the video on the techneque, I think I am going to try it out this weekend.
I love the strips of patterned paper and how you softened the look, I need to try that too.
Have a wonderful holiday.

Helen L said...

Beautiful!!! I can always look to you for wonderful inspiration!!

CreativeMish said...

Very pretty! I love how you used the woodgrain plate. Inspiring!

Sharon Wheet said...

Thank you for sharing your techniques with us! I love that you show us some fabulous eye candy, and let us in on the technique! YOur work is always wonderfully creative and I just LOVE IT!

Lisa said...

love that card, so beautifuL!

maryrose said...

Just wanted to tell you that this card was jaw-droppingly lovely! The muted colors, the white-washed rustic wood panel effect, and of course, that lovely wreath! Thanks for making me add another must have stamp set to my list!

Val H said...

This is an amazing card. I learned so much from your explanation. Thank you for all of the unique inspiration!

Kari D said...

I love the look you have created with this card! SO WONDERFUL for any time of year! THANKS so much for sharing!

mareda said...

Wow! I absolutely love the wreath.

Georgee said...

Love the inspiration wreaths! Card is wonderful! I am definitely going to try these techniques. thank you so much for the wonderful inspiration!

Georgee said...

By the way my blackberries are ripe and picking them every other day, Yum, yum!!! Thanks.

Mona Pendleton said...

Stunning project Michelle! Thanks for the inspiration!

Carol's Ink Spot said...

SO Pretty! I love the rustic look you have created on this card. Must try the second technique you mention. TFS

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