How to Stamp Summer Blooms for Handmade Card

Here are the steps for my card:

• Create a top-folding 5-½” x 4-¼” card base.  Open the card up and position the largest Nested Rectangle Small Stitched die on the card front.
• Using the embossing sandwich for your die cutting machine, run this through to create the dry embossed stitched lines on the card.  This is a great way to get even more use from your dies!
• Die cut white card stock with the second largest Nested Rectangle Small Stitched die.
• Place this panel into a stamping tool and add some masking tape around the stitched edges.  See my photo below to see my work in progress. (This masking technique is best done with a stamping tool such as the MISTI in case you need to stamp a layer more than once.)
• First stamp the base layer of the flower onto some masking paper and fussy cut it out.  You will need two masks.  Stamp one of the leaves base layer and fussy cut it.

• Three points to remember as you are stamping the layers: 1) “prime” your stamp by either rubbing an eraser or microfiber towel on it to remove the shine; 2) Make sure that each inked layer is totally dry before stamping the next layer; and 3) CLEAN your stamp as you go–I’ll let you know soon how I learned this!  Haha!
• Stamp the first flower using Posey, Scarlet, and Nectar from Color Fuse Set #4.  Place the flower mask onto the flower.
• Stamp the second flower with Lemon, Custard, and Amaretto from Color Fuse Set #1.  This where I realized that I did not clean the base layer good enough after I stamped the first flower.  I was wondering why the Lemon ink looked so orange!!  I figured out that it picked up some residual pink ink from the first flower.  Oh well, I had to roll with it!  Move the mask to cover this flower.
• Stamp the next flower with Mango, Citrus, and Apricot from Set #2.  I’m not sure why the third inked layer doesn’t show up very well–oh, well, another “just roll with it”!  LOL!  Cover with the mask.
• Stamp the blue flower with Beachside, Whisper, and Dreamer from Set #9.  Cover with the mask.
• Stamp the last flower with Lavender, Lilac, and Orchid from Set #6.
• Finally, stamp the leaves with Mist, Moss, and Clover from Set #10.  You will need to mask off the flowers sometimes using both flower masks.  It just all depends upon how you arranged your flowers as you were stamping them.  Use the mask for the greenery when needed.
• Add foam tape to the back of the panel and adhere to the card front.
• For the sentiment I die cut the Hugs four times from white card stock.
• Leave one die cut in place to make it easier to blend ink in an ombré pattern.
• I used an ink blending brush and the blues from Color Fuse Set #9.
• Adhere all four layers together with liquid glue and let dry.
• Attach it to the card front with glue.

• I stamped the butterfly from the Brush Butterflies set with the blue ink cubes, again, in an ombré pattern.
• Cut it out with the coordinating die from the Fluttering Butterflies die set.
• Add glue just in the center and attach it to the card slightly bending the wings up.
• Add some crystal gems to the body and clear sparkle to the wings and the sentiment.
• Add white dots to the flower stamens with a white gel pen.