It’s Monday, y’all. Sorry. Hope it’s a happy one! 🙂
I’m sure if you’ve been paying attention, you’ve seen a lot of projects out on Facebook and Pinterest using the bokeh technique. A few of the ladies in our group have made them in the past couple of days, so I’ve been sort of itching to try it myself.
And so I did! I made a bokeh background and then added some Stylish Stems Framelits flowers and a Suite Sentiments sentiment. Take a look-see:
My layout is inspired by the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches.
And my colors come from the Cupcakes Inspiration Challenge.
I started by making the background on a piece of Very Vanilla card stock. To begin, I used my sponges to color the panel with Daffodil Delight and Calypso Coral. I made the color pretty deep because I was going to add Whisper White. I also didn’t fully blend the colors. Then I took two pieces of scrap card stock and cut a 1″ hole in one and a 1/2″ hole in the other, using my Circle Punches. Then I used those as stencils to sponge Whisper White Craft Ink circles all over the sponged panel. I added a lot of circles in both sizes, taking care to overlap them and run them off the edge!
I used my Heat Tool to speed the drying process cuz I’m impatient! Then I SNAILd the panel to a Cherry Cobbler mat and wrapped three lengths of Very Vanilla 3/8″ Stitched Satin Ribbon around it, securing them in the back with scotch tape.
I pulled out the Suite Sentiments stamp set and, using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to position it, stamped a sentiment in Cherry Cobbler ink.
Next up was the flower decoration. I cut three Stylish Stems detailed leaves from Very Vanilla card stock and used Liquid Glue to adhere them to the card front.
Then I cut two small and one large Stylish Stem flowers from Cherry Cobbler card stock. Remember these are two step die cuts – first you use the detailed die – which leaves a “negative” in the card stock. Then you cut it out with the outline die. I cut matching solid flowers from Very Vanilla and then used Liquid Glue to adhere the Cherry Cobbler detailed flowers to their Very Vanilla backgrounds.
I also cut a large detailed flower in Daffodil Delight and a small one in Calypso Coral. All I wanted from these cuts was the little pieces that form the petals – so I didn’t do the second step on these. Then I used little dabs of Liquid Glue to add pieces of Daffodil Delight into the large flower and Calypso Coral pieces into the small flowers. You can see I didn’t fill all the spaces – letting the Very Vanilla show thru.
I popped the large flower onto the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals and added the two small flowers with a combination of Dimensionals and Liquid Glue. Then I added a few Pearl Basic Jewels and the card front was done!
On the inside, I used the negative that I’d cut out when I was gathering my little pieces to glue into the flowers as a stencil. I added a stenciled flower with Daffodil Delight and a little bit of Calypso Coral in the middle of a Very Vanilla panel.
I SNAILd the panel to a Cherry Cobbler mat and into my Very Vanilla card base, popped the card front on with Stampin’ Dimensionals and the card was done!
For my Very Vanilla Medium Envelope, I used the large Stylish Stems “stencil” and added a sponged Daffodil Delight and Calypso Coral flower to the front…
…and then I added more of the bokeh to the envelope flap. I used sticky notes to mask off the rest of the envelope to protect it.
Et Voila! Piecing in the little bits of card stock into the Stylish Stems flowers was a little persnickety, I won’t deny that. But…I love how the flowers turned out! And this bokeh! Oh, I do like this technique! Hope you do, too – and will give it a try! 🙂
Scroll on down for the card cuts and all the products you’ll need to make this one for yourself
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Y’all have a great rest of your Monday! 🙂
TTFN
Mary
STAMPIN’ UP! PRODUCTS USED IN THIS PROJECT:
CARD CUTS USED IN THIS PROJECT:
Very Vanilla Card Stock: 4 1/4″ x 11″ (card base, scored and folded at 5 1/2″); 3 7/8″ x 4 7/8″ (card front and inner liner); Stylish Stems die cuts
Cherry Cobbler Card Stock: 4″ x 5 1/4″ (mats for card front and for inner liner); Stylish Stems die cuts
Daffodil Delight Card Stock: Stylish Stems die cuts
Calypso Coral Card Stock: Stylish Stems die cuts
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FINN-FAN FIX….
On Sunday, we had a hankering for a Firehouse Sub (or salad, in my case!) for lunch.
Finn wanted to ride with, of course. So, since he wears no shirt and no shoes (thus no service – or…even entry!), Wayne rode along so they could stay in the car with the A/C running.
Dad was also handy for taking this shot.
Check the hand on the window.
I don’t really know what he was thinking (maybe…I wonder if they’re getting me a roast beef or a chicken sammie. Hope it’s beef!) or doing with his hand, but…he’s just so ridiculously cute!
TTFN
M
Inky Bee Stampers
KarensCardCorner
Stamp with Amy K
Stamp With Nel
Stampin With Shirley G
Tarabeth Stamps
TL's Bright Spot
You get an A+ for bokeh technique. I might try it again today as I haven’t done it since September 2016. Yes, Finn is ridiculously cute. I loved it when you called him Finley (or is it Finlay?) last night! When the whole name is used, you know you’re in trouble 🙂 Have a great week.
I was calling him Finny. As in Finny Winny. And – yea. He knew he was doing a wrong thing. But…he also totally knew I wasn’t able to do anything about it. Waaay too smart for my own good! Thanks much, Karen – looking forward to seeing what you do with the Bokeh! 🙂
Oh, what yummy colors in your bokeh background …. very nicely done! So, did Finn’s wish come true? Was he treated to a beef or chicken Sammie???
Nope – he’s an abused animal. We’d best have someone call Animal Control. He got NO sandwich! 🙁 Thanks so much, Rita – I was really pleased with how the colors looked in the Bokeh! 🙂
No way is Finn abused ….. not with those peppermints Mom gives him!! LOL
Well…there’s that! 😊
Absolutely gorgeous. Mary! The colors, the flowers, and your amazing bokeh…perfection!!! Thanks for the step by step instructions, as always. Will be giving this technique a try.
P.S. Love the picture of Finn with his “hand” on the window. Some folks call those paws but not us animal lovers 😉😄❣
Well, folks that call them paws have never watched them use them like hands!! 🙂 Thanks for the kind words, Barb! 🙂
Our cats “socks” are getting dirtier everyday with her being out on our concrete screen room floor!
Ruh-roh! She’ll be bathing and bathing! 🙂
Now that’s a lot of love that went into that card – it’s beautiful!! I have not tried the Bokeh technique, but now you have me itching to give it a try!! And Finn – lol! He looks so regal with his paw perched on the window – how cute!! Have a great week!!
Oh yes – “regal” is definitely the word I’d use to describe him! At least in photos! Thanks, Elisha – you should give it a try! It’s easy! 🙂
Pretty card Mary! Your background turned out great! Fantastic sentiment too. Love your picture of Finn, the paw on the window ledge is awesome! 🙂
I know – the hand was ridiculous – and Wayne caught him at the perfect moment! Thanks, Amy! 🙂
Love that bokeh. I haven’t tried it yet, but I think I will! Great job!
It was fun and easy, Jari! I may do a video on it – just on making the backgrounds… Thanks! 🙂
Great bokeh technique! Not colors I would normally choose, but…..you did a very nice card with them. Love that Stylish Stems set.
So, did Finn get his beef? Cute photo.
Thanks, Julie! I like the colors together and I thought it came out well! No, he didn’t get a sandwich. He’s pretty abused, really. It’s sort of sad. 🙂
Lovely card. Need to try the bokeh technique sometime. Your flowered are the wow factor for me. Very cool. Hope you are feeling better. Always behind on reading the updates. Sorry u were not well.
Thanks so much, Linda – appreciate the well-wishes! And yes – do give this technique a try! It’s easy! 🙂
This is such a wonderful card! Love that background and those great flowers! Thanks for joining us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!
Thank you so much, Jen! I appreciate it! 🙂
Very pretty, Mary.
Thanks, Mom! 🙂
Your bokeh background is fabulous! Beautiful colors…..beautiful flowers…..beautiful card! Glad you shared it at FMS!
Thanks so much, Linda! It was fun! 🙂