Monday, May 31, 2010

Smeared Ink - Nymphs

I've been loving this set since I first laid eyes on it!! It's the Nymphs set from Smeared Ink and I am SO excited to bring you my first creation with it. I worked on MANY yesterday as I simply found myself lost in the entire set...moving from one creation to another to another and then another!! For some reason this set and I just...groove. More so than any other set I've worked with thus far. And believe me, I have many rockin' sets from Smeared Ink and I LOVE them all but this one...just hits me. From an earth perspective, from an art perspective and from a beauty perspective.
My first creation with the Nymphs set is with the Tree Nymph. Have I mentioned how amazing these ink up? I trimmed my stamp out, set it on my acrylic block, coated it with my Momento Tuxedo Black ink and voila. One try and it came out....that's because the rubber and the etching in these stamps is simply divine.
I stamped the Tree Nymph on white PTI cardstock and colored her in with my Copic markers. I then stamped my sentiment in the blank space behind her which fit perfectly.
I matted my main image with chocolate cardstock and then a light green baroque paper from Creative Imaginations. The entire card is based on a light blue cardstock measuring at 6 x 5.5.
I stitched my 3 main layers together using a wide, wavy stitch in a thicker tan thread. Which is actually vintage as it was my Great-Grandmother's thread. I found it in her sewing basket - which I'm SO lucky to have! Lots of amazing vintage bits and bobs floating around in there!

I've recently gotten more into the crimson, maroon, teal family which I've always shied away from...but they've been catching my eye recently. So I sliced a space in the crease of the card in order to thread my ribbon through and behind my layers. I purposefully left about and inch and a half of extra room on the right hand side so that my bow didn't fall onto my image and distract. I tied the teal grosgrain ribbon (Michael's) in a simple bow with a yellow, leaf stickpin through the center. I was debating on the pin but it somehow felt necessary.
I recently purchased some 'hardware' at my LSS to add to my "collagey" and "vintagey" creations. It was the last perfect embellishment IMO. =)

My very last step was to apply crystal glaze to her body. I'm SO glad I did as it came out exactly as it did in my head. You know how sometimes that doesn't happen (more often than I'd like to admit) but it does! Not this time! This time it came out just right. I love how it highlights her gorgeous beauty.

Don't forget to check out the entire line of fantastic, original and different styles of stamps at SI!!!

XOXO-