Pinned Post


Please click HERE to join in "Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday" challenge.


Please click HERE to join in "I Spy With My Little Eye" challenge.


May 1, 2021

Spring Greeting Card with Magnolia Blossoms and Distress Inks

Hello and happy May!! 

It's hard to believe that it's May already, the kids both had to do virtual school again for the past two weeks but are supposed to go back in person this Monday. Hoping they can finish the school year (which only lasts until the end of May here) somewhat normal as my son is graduating from Highschool. (How did we get  here this fast!!!)


A new theme starts today at Allsorts challenge, it's my turn to host and fitting for the first week of May our theme is "Spring Blossoms". 


My early spring flowers may be faded now but lots of new blossoms are everywhere and it looks so pretty with many trees in bloom! But sadly my Magnolia tree isn't doing too well since the squirrels chewed off the young branches last year (the tree is only a few years old) and it only has a few buds this year which I know the squirrels will get to sooner or later too :-( I don't really blame them though, Magnolia blossoms smell so sweet and wonderful!



My card today features a favorite Magnolia stamp by Penny Black - The Unfolding.

It's been inked with distress inks - markers or ink pads, I used a mix of light and dark pinks for the blossoms (I'm pretty sure I used Spun Sugar, Victorian Velvet and Worn Lipstick) and a mix of green inks (Shabby ShuttersPeeled Paint) for the leaves, and the  branch was done with a Gathered Twigs Distress Marker. For a long time I've always resisted these beautiful brushstroke stamps because I had no idea how to use them. Having a Stamp Platform is definitely a game changer and they make using these stamps super easy as you can add ink and stamp several times to give it more dimension. I have the Tonic by Tim Holtz which is no longer in production, but there are several to choose from now ....



On this particular stamp I inked the flowers with ink pads because they are large (yes I did get some pink onto the branch/leaves but I simply wipe it off with the corner of a paper towel, then added a darker pink on the edges of the blossoms. A marker is helpful for inking up smaller sections like the leaves and branch, but mini inkpads work well too. 

Barely visible, but I used my retired Stampin Up French Script stamp on the bottom right corner with Shabby Shutters Distress ink to add some interest to the card, but don't look too closely as I ended up stamping the script upside down. I don't know why this  happens to me so often!!

Next I made a little inky puddle using Peeled Paint distress ink and with a toothbrush I splattered some ink onto the card. Inked and distress the edges, then layered the card front onto white card stock which I also distressed, and the a white card base. 

As embellishments I added some dark brown gingham ribbon (options) from my stash as well as a dark brown button and some May Arts jute twine.



The sentiment is from the Penny Black set Friendship. I do wish the white distressed layer was green instead but at the time of making the card I liked the idea of white. 

Thanks so much for visiting! 


Please note this post may include some affilate links meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, but as always at no additional cost to you. Thanks so much for supporting this blog.


Recent Posts you may have missed:



I will try linking up here when I get a chance:

Challenges:
Penny Black Saturday - Use PB Stamps // As You Like It Challenge - Fave Season spring or summer (Spring - love seeing nature coming back to life) // Through the Purple Haze - Ribbon // Mod Squad - Spring has sprung // Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes // Sisterhood of Crafters - From a Garden // The Paper Funday - Spring // The Three Muses - Textures, Layers, Blends (layered stamping, ink blending) // Crafty Sentiment Designs - Anything Goes // 

Always Anything Goes and Link Parties:

42 comments:

brenda said...

Can totally identify with the Squirrel issue Ellie, this year they chewed off all the new shoots on the Quince tree that was just beginning to establish itself properly.

I love this Magnolia stamp from PB and it looks beautiful in the shades of pink against the background which has an almost distressed feel to it.

It's a perfect theme for May Day, many thanks Ellie.

B x

Mervi said...

So gorgeous card, beautiful stamp.
My magnolia has just a little buds, waiting for warmer days;-))m

Amy Johnson said...

What a beautiful card! I can't believe your son is graduating high school. It seems just yesterday they were little babes! Congratulations.

Alice (scrAPpamondo) said...

Virtual school isn't school, but only a surrogate. Hope from the bottom of my heart that all the students could come back school again in person, in all the world! At those ages they NEED a normal social life.
Your Magnolia card looks awesome, love the watercolour effect you achieved with the ink pads. I'm not too good with this technique. Love the splatters too, such lovely textures!

Linby said...

So beautiful and the shabby effect looks so good.

Joanne said...

That is beautiful! We have so many trees that are dead from all the gypsy moth caterpillars and it looks so weird driving down all these roads seeing trees that look more like fall than early spring.

Mica said...

The spring flowers are beautiful! It must be so hard for your kids not being able to go to school - hope that your son does get to enjoy the last few weeks at school before he graduates! We were lucky here, schools only shut for 6 weeks the first time and 2 of those weeks were the holiday break anyway. It was hard juggling online learning and working with a 4 and 5 year old but we did it, haha!

Hope that you had a good weekend :) It's a relaxing long weekend for us!

Away From The Blue

Anne said...

That is so beautiful, I'd be really happy to receive a card like that. I hope your kids manage to get back to school.
#mmbc

Handmade in Israel said...

What a lovely card! The gingham ribbon and twine is perfect. #MMBC

indybev said...

Lovely work!

Donna Reidland said...

What a pretty card!

Aritha V. said...

Wonderful. Love it.

Barbara Bruder said...

Oh this is such a beautiful card. Love the colors you used. Thanks for sharing with us over here at World Wide Open Design Team Challenge and best of luck with your entry. Barbara DT member for { World Wide Open Design Team Challenge}

Darlene said...

Your card is absolutely beautiful!! Yes the stamp platform makes a world of difference with stamps like this! Seems you have it mastered! GORGEOUS! Thanks so much for joining in the fun at our Sisterhood of Crafters challenge! Good Luck and we hope you’ll come back often.

Darlene
SISTERHOOD OF CRAFTERS
DAR’S CRAFTY CREATIONS
Please stop in for a visit!

Zw@@n said...

Wow, your card is fabulous. Gorgeous stamp and colours. Thank you for joining us at As You Like It. xx Wilma

Tracy said...

This is absolutely beautiful Ellie, I love the stamp and your design showcases it perfectly, love your design.
Happy crafting
Tracy x

Ellibelle said...

Thanks Brenda. Squirrels can be such a pain but they are just too cute! A quince tree sounds wonderful though! I love Quince and they are so hard to find here in the States!!

Ellibelle said...

Thanks Mervi!

Ellibelle said...

Thanks Amy! Yes, I know, it's crazy how fast time flies!!

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

a really beautiful card

Ellibelle said...

Thanks so much, Alice! Yes, the social interaction is so important at this age and I am so thankful they are once again back to in-person!

I am thankful for the way our school handled the virtual school though, still meeting at regular school hours with each teacher for a full day of lessons on "Google Hangouts". But it's definitely not the same as seeing everyone in person!

Ellibelle said...

Thanks Lynn!

Ellibelle said...

Thanks Joanne! So hard to do anything about invasive wildlife. A few years ago my new-ish plum tree was attacked by Asian beetles and it never recovered. Now I planted an Eastern Redbud in its place, they've left that one alone.

Ellibelle said...

Thanks so much, Mica. I'm glad they are back in school again. Honestly I don't know why they even still closed it down in the first place as it seems like everyone that wanted a vaccine received the vaccine here, and hospitals aren't full... not understanding their reasoning at all, but there is a lot about this situation that I don't understand and have given up even trying to understand!

Ellibelle said...

Thanks Anne! Yes, they got to go back again!

Ellibelle said...

Thank you so much!

Ellibelle said...

Thank you!!

Ellibelle said...

Thanks Donna!

Ellibelle said...

Thanks Aritha!

Ellibelle said...

Thanks so much, Barbara!

Ellibelle said...

Thanks so much Darlene! Happy to join in whenever I can!

Ellibelle said...

Many thanks, Wilma!

Ellibelle said...

Thanks so much, Tracy!

Ellibelle said...

Thanks Carol!

Andree said...

A beautiful card. That's a gorgeous magnolia stamp and you've coloured it wonderfully.
Thank you for joining in with the Crafts Galore Encore May Challenge “Anything Goes”. Good luck x

Marjeta said...

Stunning card. Love every little detail. Thanks for playing with us at Creative Moments.

kReN said...

Lovely flowers. Thanks for joining us at the QKR Stampede Challenge. kReN on the DT. Follow me at https://afourthlife.blogspot.com

Annettes Hobby Rosettes said...

Beautifully done. Nice work.
Thank you for sharing with us over here at World Wide Open Design Team Challenge and best of luck with your entry.

Annette DT / Admin / Registered Owner for https://worldwideopendesignteamchallenge.blogspot.com/

Create With Joy said...

Beautiful Card Ellibelle - CONGRATS for being one of our Featured Guests at this week’s Inspire Me Monday party (#487) at Create With Joy!

Shelbee on the Edge said...

Ellie, this is such a beautiful card! I do love seeing your stamping projects. What a shame though that the squirrels keep eating your magnolia tree. Thanks for sharing and linking with me.

Shelbee
www.shelbeeontheedge.com

Sue from Oregon said...

Well this is just a beauty. You put in a lot of hard work on this! Had to laugh at the upside down stamping...I have done that plenty of times. I do love that SU background stamp too...it's a classic. Beautiful image and very cool sentiment-they go perfect together. Thanks for sharing with us at PBSC! ♥ Sue Kment

Helen said...

Beautiful card - fabulous stamping!
Thanks so much for playing with us at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge!
Helen x