Stampin’ Sunday – Timeless Tropical

The Stampin’ Sunday Team are today offering their inspiration using the Timeless Tropical Suite of products. Wow, this suite is a burst of tropical colour, so how best to use it?

The moment I saw the Coastal Weave Embossing Folder, I knew I had to have it. The perfect amount of texture and some great detail for male or female cards. This had to be the backdrop for my project, which quickly turned out to be a masculine card.

The Designer Series Paper strip that I used to the left of the card actually comes from the Peaceful Poppies Suite. I happened to have this on my desk at the time and loved the watercolour wash of Old Olive. It had been a while since I stamped on Designer Series Paper, so I decided to add some interest by tonally stamping Palm Trees randomly over it. Subtle but interesting and just enough.

The trees needed tones of green, which can be achieved by using the Thumping Technique. This is a fabulous technique to do with leaves and trees. First I inked the canopy of the Trees with Old Olive before using a Marker Pen in Soft Suede to ink up the trunk. Then, bouncing a Mossy Meadow marker between my thumb and fingers I thumped the brush end over the canopy before huffing and stamping. I love the mottled effect that it produces. Continuing this, I used the tops of the Pineapple to produce a cluster of grass … but what next?

The sailboat came from the Sailing Home Stamp Set from the Annual Catalogue that I stamped in Pretty Peacock. Again, I didn’t want any harsh lines, so softened them by using a blue/green Ink.  I was a little at a loss now for I didn’t want to colour in a harsh background. I wanted something as relaxed as the mood and vibe that this card would create.

Creating a relaxed background

Oh dear … I had no idea which way to go. With my Pool Party Ink Pad in my hand and some frustration brewing, I found myself dragging the end of the ink pad across some white cardstock. Bingo … There it was. Using the same method, I added a sweep of Daffodil Delight for that Tropical glowing sky. My frustrations had unknowingly created just what I’d hoped for … that relaxed look. Of course, the sails of the boat needed to stand out, so a spot of fussy cutting with my paper snips and the detail was complete.

Pleased with my outcome, I decided to create the same look for this little Pizza Box topper. A slightly different Heat Embossed Sentiment in Gold and a few gold sequins and my projects were complete.

These projects took me straight back to my flying days and may hours spent on the beaches of the Caribbean. Calm sea breezes, warm sunset skies and clear blue seas, I felt I’d stepped back in time to my youth. My time flying to these destinations were indeed memorable.

It’s funny how frustration created what I believe to be this amazingly relaxed evening sky. Who would have thought dragging an ink pad could create this? Every attempt looked different and each offered its own unique vibe. I loved it.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed my offering today and I’ve inspired you and your creative frustrations to just go for it. Do whatever feels right at the time … drag that ink pad, thump that marker, have faith in your inner creative and see what turns out.

Enjoy the rest of this Tropical Hop today and the rest of your weekend.

Blog Hop Participants

Supplies used to recreate my samples

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