Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Inspiration Hop Day 1: "Stately Flowers 3" and "Mehndi Wishes"

Good morning, welcome to our first day of Inspiration Hops for our new Gina K Designs release1 The first set I am showing today is my new Stately Flowers 3, the third in my Stately Flowers series! (BTW, Theresa told me this is her favorite of the series so far, oh my!) This month I have three new flowers (large and small versions of each) Magnolia, Bitterroot and Forget-me-not, representing the four states Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana and Alaska. I love all the sentiments in this one, too, suitable for so many different occasions!Well, I have lived in Texas all my life, so the first stamp I had to get inky in this set was the Southern Magnolia! There is a huge magnolia tree growing in our neighbor's yard across the street, and if you have never seen these beauties in real life, they are a sight to behold! I would venture to say they are easily one of the "stateliest" flower in the whole series: their blooms with creamy, ivory petals like bisque porcelain are as a wide as a dinner plate! I went to town with my Copics coloring this one! You don't have to do as much shading on these white petals for a show-stopping card, but I wanted to challenge myself, I'd been waiting so long to color this image! :) The flower is stamped in Memento London Fog (no black today, I wanted the outline to be a little more subtle.) Die is a Petite Oval Nestabilities.The photo below shows the colors I used, hope these are helpful! There are so many other combos of green you could use for the leaves, shades for the petals, and pastels for the background, so don't worry about having these exact colors, just a reference of the range of shades and contrasts I used. I will do step by step photos for you soon. Depending on the location of your light source shadows will vary, for this sample I imagined it coming straight down, which cast large shadows onto the lowest petals from those above. BV31 (Pale Lavender) was great for this, and the warm corals and peach shades around the flower really set off the cool shades nicely. I did not use a blender at all, as I like to blend dark colors with my lightest marker, as well as doing tip to tip coloring to create an in between shade.I used the smaller magnolia to stamp a watermarked pattern in Versamark on the Pure Luxury Just Peachy cardstock adding some score lines above and below the greeting, also from this set (don't you love these two fonts together?) I used both the large and small image to create a green pattern on White cardstock with Crushed Olive for one flower and Forest Moss Distressing inks for the other, sponging the edges with same. Card base is Pure Luxury Innocent Pink and mat is All Spruced Up. I also used a Classic Triple Scallop Edgeabilities to cut a border in the sponged mat. Finally, pearls are just the perfect embellishment for these Southern ladies!

Next I want to show a sample I made using the Bitterroot and NO coloring. I'd never seen nor heard of these gorgeous flowers before I started drawing the series. (I would like to know who came up with this name for such a beautiful flower lol! I'm guessing someone tried to eat it way back and when and it was...bitter!) Anyway, the symmetry of this flower is just perfect for stamping patterns, so I stamped the flower again and again re-inking each time, in pink on Pure Luxury Ivory. Next, I scored a diamond pattern at one inch intervals with my Scor-buddy, and then covered two thirds of the mat with scratch paper so I could sponge more of the same pink ink over the left. Pull your scratch paper away, and it looks like you have two layers of perfectly coordinated paper!
I chose this Fancy Tag 2 die , which I thought framed up this new sentiment so beautifully, and sponged pink over the die before removing like a stencil. Well, happy accident, this is the first time I noticed those two little pieces that pop out of the die on top and bottom look like teeny hearts, isn't that just so sweet with the "spread your love..." sentiment, like scattering seeds? So I popped these up on the right corner.

I love finding uses for the perfectly cut negative pieces that come out of Spellbinders dies! Card base is Black Onyx and the "O" in love is embellished with a single adhesive pearl. Seriously minimal card with just two cardstock colors, two inks, one die, and one embellishment (but I really like how it turned out!)

Hope you love this new Stately Flowers 3 set as much as I do!

Our next set is from Rupa Shevde "Mehndi Wishes". I love these designs, they are completely unlike any other stamps I have in my collection, yet I have always been fascinated with the right colors and motifs of India as well the beautiful henna body art that is Mehndi!

I wanted to make a pattern with the gorgeous flourish design and thought this jumping horse was perfect for the sentiment "You can do anything". What a fantastic sentiment and joyful image!
I started by stamping the flourish on Pure Luxury Lipstick Red in Memento Tuxedo Black, turning the stamp back and forth to create a nesting pattern. I used Classic Ric Rac Edgeabilites to cut and emboss a border on the side the side, I thought the dots and diamonds in this die were perfect with the details in these stamps.
Here you can see I finished adding Sakura Gold Glitter pen inside each hole of the cut out and to accent different details in the flourish, just tracing, very simple to do, but it now it looks like gold silk thread in a sari!
I stamped the horse on white and used Copics R59 and R11 for mane and designs and W-5 for the shadows. Don't forget the glitter pen! He's popped up with foam dots and fussy cut, ready to hurdle that greeting! :) Oh, isn't he magnificent?!

Reminds me of some of what I think is the most beautiful writing in the Bible, when God speaks to Job of His creation. It goes on and on for several chapters describing the vast wonders of nature, the weather, etc, but this part of chapter 39 is about the horse (emphasis mine):
19 “Do you give the horse its strength
or clothe its neck with a flowing mane?
20 Do you make it leap like a locust,
striking terror with its proud snorting?
21 It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength,
and charges into the fray.
22 It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing;
it does not shy away from the sword.

You can do anything, indeed!

Enjoy hopping with the rest of our Gina K Designs team for more inspiration with these new stamps! As you hop through the blogs, make sure you leave a comment on each of the blogs including mine because we will choose two random winners from all of the comments who will each win a grab bag full of deeply etched, precut Gina K. Designs stamps!

Thanks for visiting me today, I truly appreciate your comments and feedback! Hope these card photos and explanation are helpful to you! :)

107 comments:

  1. Oh so stunning Mel! I love both of these, both striking in their own way!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Such wonderful cards, adore your new set, can't wait for it to arrive. the tutorials both on the colouring of the flower and the edgability idea are really helpful, thank you for being so inspiring :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wonderful cards! Love the way you colored the magnolia flower! It's wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  4. All of your cards are amazing Mel!! Especially the magnolia. Love that you used London Fog, I never think to use anything but black!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm crazy for this new set! Gorgeous cards! The magnolia is stunning and I love the Mehndi background you created!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your new set is gorgeous. Thanks for the great coloring details for the Magnolia. Your card with the Mehndi set is wonderful too.

    ReplyDelete
  7. love the floral card. It is beautiful

    ReplyDelete
  8. Melaniem these are so beautiful! Thank you for the tutorials.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AWESOME cards, Melanie!! Each one is a beauty - so special in its own way. I guess you know my favourite, it has to be the magnolia card!! Such Beautiful colouring - I am IN LOVE!! Just takes my breath away... So Gorgeous!! {hugs}

    ReplyDelete
  10. Beautiful stamps and beautiful cards! On a greedy note, I hope to see one of your magnolia cards in the fan mail giveaway one day. That would be winning a piece of art!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Melanie, you are amazing! What gorgeous creations! Wow, wow, wow! I totally love your new set. Those flowers are so pretty! Can't wait to check out the other new stuff! Hugs! (PS, in the reader, it's still showing up that your last post was 2 weeks ago... sheesh - blogger...)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Beautiful, beautiful, and beautiful and more beautiful as you go down!! WOW!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your flower set is beautiful along with your cards!

    ReplyDelete
  14. The colored flower is just drop dead gorgeous!! Love the white horse against the red -- beautiful samples today!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow, gorgeous cards, especially love the red card. Absolutely love the background you created and the combination with the horse is just stunning.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Love your cards Mel...all 3 of them! It is so fun to think "I can do that", when I see what you have done! I just adore what you did with the Mehndi card. Acftually I am so impressed with all 3 of them! We truly can do anything! :)) Hugs Lori

    ReplyDelete
  17. absolutely beautiful cards. thanks

    ReplyDelete
  18. These are stunning Melanie, Love how you gave instructions on the colors you used for that gorgeous flower.

    ReplyDelete
  19. lovely cards and awesome stamp designs. Love your stately flowers sets!~

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oh my goodness...your flowers are just soooo gorgeous! I will definitely be adding the "Stately Flowers" sets to my collection!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Lovely work! I especially like how you have done the magnolia. And put the colors that you used there too! Thank You!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Absolutely beautiful....you are an inspiration....

    ReplyDelete
  23. Such wonderful cards and new techniques to try. I love your flowers!

    ReplyDelete
  24. I just love the Stately Flowers sets. Your cards are both gorgeous. TFS.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Wonderful cards! Thanks for the instructions on the colors. your coloring of the magnolia flower is awesome! Your cards are fab.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Love your cards and those beautiful flower designs! I especially like that each flower has 2 sizes. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Melanie, I just love your flower illustrations. These are so beautiful, as are your projects. Thanks for sharing all this inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  28. whoa! your cards are fabulous Mel, wish I could color like you! :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Wow, such beauful coloring. Great stamps sets. :)

    ReplyDelete
  30. Your cards are beautiful and I love the reference to the Bible scriptures and it made me grab my Bible and read the verses - thank you! I would love to be able to purchase all your stamps.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Supper beautiful love all the cards the colors and papers work so well. love the new stamps and the way you have layered everything is so perfect. the added bling gives that special touch. thanks for sharing and for the chance to win.
    abbraddock@msn.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. These cards are just stunning. I love your coloring on the flower. Amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I love both cards. I'm always drawn by cards with flowers, but, wow, the card done in red is sensational.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Thes cards are wonderful. Love the coloring on the magnolia. i really like that mendi horse

    ReplyDelete
  35. Your shading is so beautiful! You have a special gift. Thanks for sharing your gifts with us.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Love the Mehndi card. Also like how you linked the card with the verses from Job -- perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  37. How Gorgeous they all are...love the different verses/sentiments!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Oh my gosh Melanie! Stunning doesn't even describe all of your cards! Can I get inside of your creative head for just an hour?? ;o)

    Kris in Alaska
    funamom at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  39. Stately Flowers just gets better and better! Love the color chart for magnolia....it gives me a sense of what shades to begin with. You're the best!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Love your flower sets and the Mehndi stamps are so unique.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Stunning cards Melanie! Beautiful designs and spectacular coloring!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Beautiful, beautiful cards! Love the flowers. And thanks for the coloring info.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Beautiful cards, both of them. Can't wait to order the stamps so that I can play too.

    ReplyDelete
  44. All your cards are absolutely stunning! Thank you for sharing how you made each one. I love seeing how other people construct their cards!

    ReplyDelete
  45. All of the cards are really nice. I don't have any Gina K stamps, but I hope to get some soon. I have so many on my wish list. TFS :)

    ReplyDelete
  46. Beautiful Cards. Thanks for a chance to win. I love the colored magnolia . . . awesome

    ReplyDelete
  47. Inspiring indeed! Beautiful artwork, beautiful cards.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Fabulous Melanie! I love your new set!

    ReplyDelete
  49. Love the variety of designs and techniques! They are rich and exciting. I always learn so much from this site. Thank you all so much!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Fabulous cards! I remember the first time I saw a magnolia tree--beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  51. Love the flower stamp sets that you design. Appreciate your Copic coloring tutorial on the Magnolia. Helps so much since I have never had any lessons. Always a lot to learn on your blog. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  52. Wow, wow, wow! Every one of these is stunning. The coloring on the magnolia blossom is absolutely gorgeous! My MIL lived in Alabama and I was always so in awe of the magnolias - such amazing beauty in a flower.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Wow! Love the magnolia and the horse! You color beautifully.

    ReplyDelete
  54. WOW - love them and really enjoyed reading your explanations! Can't wait to get mine - it is ordered!

    ReplyDelete
  55. Beautiful and very inspiring. Thanks for sharing.
    Mitzi

    ReplyDelete
  56. Your art and talent leave me speechless.

    ReplyDelete
  57. I wasn't sure about the Mehndi stamps but now I'm sold!

    ReplyDelete
  58. Beautiful cards Mel! Love the big magnolia and the scoring and two tone color on the second one is AMAZING! Love how you think outside the box not he Mehndi design...definitely want to case that!

    ReplyDelete
  59. Beautiful cards. Very inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
  60. What a beautiful job...love those stamps

    ReplyDelete
  61. Beautiful! The red is so vibrant.

    ReplyDelete
  62. Both cards are so beautiful, Melanie. Thanks for the tutorial on coloring your magnolia. It's ever so helpful. And thanks for pointing out that scripture that goes so well with Rupa's horse stamp. I always include a scripture in each card I make, and you've provided that for me too! Thank you soooo much!

    ReplyDelete
  63. Your magnolia card is GORGEOUS and I love the 2 toned bitterroot card! Your red horse card is wonderful!!!

    ReplyDelete
  64. Gorgeous cards. I really loved the magnolia and the softness by stamping in gray.

    ReplyDelete
  65. GORGEOUS cards, I {heart} your 2nd one, great sentiment and the BG paper you created! Lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  66. Gorgeous cards Melanie! Love your coloring on the magnolia and paper patern!

    ReplyDelete
  67. All of your cards are amazing! Thanks for all the "how tos" you give. I really like how you added the sparkle to the horse card.

    ReplyDelete
  68. Your cards are so beautiful. I really, really love the magnolia card. Your coloring is incredible. patnbobcuddy at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  69. Your work is gorgeous...so much talent. I just love all that you do. But that flower is magnificient in the way you colored it.

    ReplyDelete
  70. Lovely cards, love the double color pink background, mehendi wishes is great

    ReplyDelete
  71. Love your cards,you have a great imagnation.

    ReplyDelete
  72. Wow first time seeing your blog! Your cards are stunning!!! Your flower card looks like a painting and is beautiful!!! The menhdi stamped card is fab live the dark red gives it a totally retro feel ! Beautiful! Thanks for the inspiration and the details of how they came together !

    ReplyDelete
  73. Beautiful cards and another wonderful set, Melanie.

    ReplyDelete
  74. This is an awesome stamp set; just love larger flower for a Clean & Simple card. Your cards are so pretty.

    ReplyDelete
  75. Oh my gosh your work is just amazing. I love your stamp designs..Thank you so much

    ReplyDelete
  76. Melanie, thank you. Your flower sets are stunning. I can't wait until the most recent one reaches my door. I love all flowers but that magnolia is really something.

    ReplyDelete
  77. Love the cards, thanks so much for sharing your beautiful work

    ReplyDelete
  78. Beautiful cards. You have such talent when colouring with Copic markers.

    ReplyDelete
  79. Gorgeous cards and fabulous flower stamps. Great job; thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  80. BEEEEEEEEEEEE-U-TEEEEEE-FUUULLLL!!
    I cannot wait to get to my studio and try out the technique you used on your second card. Your coloring is greaaaaaaaaatt. TFS!!!
    Jean McGee

    ReplyDelete
  81. Well, better late than never to leave a comment. As always, your cards are exquisite. Love your stamp sets. Can't wait to see what you do for some of the North Eastern States. I live in NY.
    Thank you for all you do.

    ReplyDelete
  82. You have an amazing blog. These cards are beautiful. Thank you SO MUCH for all the tips and tutorials. I look forward to your posts every day.

    ReplyDelete
  83. Another great state flower set! I love magnolias and I live in AK so double the happiness for me when I saw this set! Very nice.

    ReplyDelete
  84. Such beautiful cards! I did notice that the shape in the die cut out was a heart but didn't think to use it by itself. Thanks so much for the idea!

    ReplyDelete
  85. Gorgeous cards. I usually don't have a favorite, but this time I do. The horse card is fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  86. Melanie...absolutely stunning stamp sets and cards!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  87. These stamp sets (both of them) are incredibly beautiful!! As are all of your cards!! I'm not sure I can them justice but I'm going to try!!! Btw...the Bitterroot flower was named because they grew wild in the Bitterroot Selway Mountain Range in Western Montana. They are so beautiful to see!! Thanks for giving them a life in stamps!!

    ReplyDelete
  88. Beautiful cards! I especially like the magnolia card. Love all the shading.

    ReplyDelete
  89. Absolutely beautiful cards. I love every image in your new stamp set.

    ReplyDelete
  90. LOL, thank you for educating me Calamity Jane! :) I hope I can see some in person today, the photos I saw took my breath away!

    ReplyDelete
  91. Oh Mel, don't know where to start, so I won't. I could go on and on, lets just say that they are all just amazingly beautiful, your work knows no bounds. Just awesome.
    Thanks for giving us such creative inspiration!!!
    Hugs
    Donna

    ReplyDelete
  92. Gorgeous! Love the coloring of the magnolia. Jennifer

    ReplyDelete
  93. Great stamps, love the cards you made

    ReplyDelete
  94. Wonderful cards you made and I love your new stamp set.

    ReplyDelete
  95. They are all so beautiful Mel...Love that Magnolia!

    ReplyDelete
  96. You take these products to a whole new level! Both of these cards are stunning to say the least. Thank you so much for sharing your talents!

    ReplyDelete
  97. Wow! I cant say more than that. Fantastic. :) Michelle

    ReplyDelete
  98. Jaw-droppingly beautiful! I am so in love with that Mendi horse! The white gel pen accents look FAB!!

    ReplyDelete
  99. Melanie, these are so outstanding, and your descriptions and pics of the copic coloring is so helpful - thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  100. Melanie, I adore your work. All three of these are fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  101. gorgeous!! This magnolia is my FAVORITE of all the samples so far (will be copying your colors as much as I can to re-create it) - wow! your mehndi horse is fab too!

    ReplyDelete
  102. These cards are flat out gorgeous! Wow,wow, wow! Thanks so much for sharing your talent wiht all of us.

    ReplyDelete
  103. Wow, what lovely creations!! Love them all! Thanks for the inspiration!

    ReplyDelete

Your generous feedback helps make my work and this blog better! Thanks for inspiring and motivating me! :)