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Tuesday 27 April 2010

...say Hello to Asian Gardens


Hello and welcome to the start of the samples for the May 1st release, I have 8 new clear photopolymer stamp sets to show you and I'm kicking off with Asian Gardens. Don't forget to check out what Belinda, Jennifer, Lynn, and Anyaare up to today!!

Totally inspired by a beautiful font I found, I drew up the main tree image in two parts, trunk and leaves, for easy inking in separate colours.

I used tsukineko versacolour inks in two shades of green as they blend beautifully on the stamp. I popped a little bling in the centre of the leaf swirls, I coloured my blingy bits with copics to give them a sort of caramel tone. I stamped the trunk in Memento rich Cocoa and used a fine marker and drew a few squiggly lines to accentuate the bark, I've seen Belinda get a similar wood effect by dragging a comb over the surface of an inked stamp, itching to try that next. I cut the image with a Spellbinders label 2 die and sponged a little green around before removing the image from the die.

The green panel at the back is stamped with a little asian pattern border stamp, so handy for making fast backgrounds. The card base is stamped with the largest of the sakura flower images. There are 4 versions of the flower in this set because I just cannot get enough of it! LOL.


Today's second card used another version of he sakura flower to make a background. It's the image you all were searching for in the blog waltz! I stamped it repeatedly all over some melon berry cardstock and clear embossed it and rubbed over some brown distress ink!! I love how this background turned out!!


The focal image is a little Asian pheasant resting on a branch (the tree) I thought it made a good image for an encouragement card, and so I paired it with a sentiment from another new set, Words of Wisdom.



Inside I stamped the sakura flower again and added the "Try it!" sentiment also from Words of Wisdom.


Today's last card uses the branch stamp (stamped twice) from Asian Gardens and a smaller sakura flower stamped repeatedly to create a cherry blossom image. I very simply cut out the image with a Spellbinders Labels 11 die. This die is a fab shape for Asian themed cards because it is a little reminiscent of a cloud, which I believe is a popular Asian motif. It is all mounted simply on a piece of blue card which has been embossed with a cuttlebug folder, and two strips of orange ribbon, picking up the orange tone of the branches. A little dew drop co-ordinates.


The sentiment panel is a cut down section of another labels 11 die cut, I cut it down using a side section of a smaller die from the set. Stamped friend from Asian gardens and that was it!!


Hope they tickle!!

37 comments:

  1. Beautiful cards, and such elegant stamps. Only another 7 to sneek peek! Pauline x

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  2. Very lovely indeed! WANT IT!!!! LOL!
    Many hugs,
    Angela xxx.

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  3. Wow Claire.....these are stunning - so glad I waited for this release too and will add several of the new sets to my order, I'm sure. xx

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  4. consider this an order. please set one aside for me! LOVE every single image and card.

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  5. Wow these are amazing Claire! Love your cards just beautiful.

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  6. Gorgeous cards and love all the images.

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  7. Let me pick my jaw up off the floor and just say that I'm totally blown away at the beautiful creations you have here, Claire. It's always interesting to see what the stamp designer does with her own sets! WOW, I'm just amazed at the dimension and beauty you have created here!

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  8. Claire these cards are just lovely - these images have a really 'serene' look and feel to them - love the colour combos and backgrounds you used - really compliment everything. No wonder you were gettin excited!

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  9. Oh my goodness Claire - these are just gorgeous!! Love what you did to the Asian tree - just beautiful!

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  10. Gorgeous cards Claire, I'm so looking forward to your new releases!!!

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  11. oh wow!! Absolutly stunning Claire - cant wait to see the rest of this months release :)

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  12. Oh WOW!!!! I am loving that Asian Gardens set!!! I think I'm going to give in and order this weekend!!

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  13. Beautiful designs Claire! I especially love the lines you drew on the great tree trunk, the bling in the leaves and the partially cut out bird - what a great set!!

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  14. WOW! Gasp! These are all so stunning! The images look amazing! And I just popped around to the other DT's blogs - gorgeous creations everywhere! This release looks so fabulously yummy!!

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  15. As usual, you leave me speechless! What an awesome set, and amazing cards - can't wait to see the next 7 peeks!

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  16. Love what I've seen. Can't believe it took me a year to find you. I'm sure the rest of the peeks will be just as great.

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  17. Wow, I love your cards, so very pretty with the Asian theme. I noticed you've added a clock with your time in your side bar, that will help in the USA bring your world into perspective. I'm reading your blog over morning coffee and you're getting ready for dinner.

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  18. You've blown me away on the very first day! Beautiful set - I want it!! And beautiful cards - I love how you created the cherry blossoms. And the background stamp that Anya used is perfect.

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  19. Especially love the blue flowers. Claire, that clock is a GREAT addition to your blog. So nice to get a fix on where you are at timewise in relation to us across the pond.

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  20. Gorgeous! I *adore* this set, and can't wait to see what else is in store. I think I see free shipping in my future ;)

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  21. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!! This is totally my kind of Asian style :):)
    You are amazing, Clair!!

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  22. Wow! I love these images! I've taken a peek around at the DT and am blown away with the beauty of these stamps. Really incredibly gorgeous!
    Claire, you've done it again :)

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  23. Day 1's reveal is great! Love all these cards by you and the DT. Really digging the blue card! And this is only the first day...can't wait for the next!

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  24. Wow Claire!! I always love to see what you create with your own stamps - these are amazing cards!! Particularly love the sakura flower background you created!

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  25. Simply stunning all. I love the tree. And the second card made my jaw hit the floor. AWESOME Claire. Just awesome. Can't wait!

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  26. Wow! Absolutely stunning.

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  27. WOW!!!! Your samples are absolutely STUNNING! I love the tree and how you used the gems on it in the first card...but all your samples are gorgeous!

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  28. Oh Claire - this set looks BEAUTIFUL! (WAAH! I am out of money!) That tree card at the beginning of today's post is just gorgoeous! Those little rhinestones add to much...

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  29. Oh my word.

    Claire!

    I haven't even read your post yet!

    That first photo ~ just about knocked me out of my chair!!

    Gorgeous. More than gorgeous.

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  30. Claire, your samples are awesome--LOVE the tree!! I hopped around and saw everyone's samples and WOW! This is going to be a fantastic release!!

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  31. Yes, I am commenting twice on one post. Just went back and took a closer look and loved the way you cut down the die cut on the sentiment panel on that last card. Thank you for being so generous with sharing your techniques. This is a great tip.

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  32. Oh my, Claire! This set is amazing! Love the tree, the backgrounds and the flowers!! Can't wait to see more!

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  33. Ohhhhhh, beautiful!!! I WANT!! Can't wait!!

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  34. I need, NEED, NEED this set!!! So fabulous. I love asian stuff, and I think this is the best I have ever seen!!

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  35. These are fantastic Clare! You've got me drooling over here. Can't wait to see all the sets and do some shopping this weekend. :o)

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Thanks for taking the time to comment, :) I read them all and I appreciate you taking time to visit!