Ornate Blosssom kisses Fine Flourish

Some of my very favorite stamp sets are retiring this year, and I just had to give them a final debut before I can't demo with them anymore...  These three a-la-cart stamps -- Ornate Blossom, Fine Flourish, and Dot to dot -- are such versatile little stamps -- especially for the "kissing technique".  What is that you say??? Yes! the stamps "kiss" creating this elegant filigree or polka dotted pattern!  This is how you do it -- pucker up, er.. I mean ink up your solid image stamp (here the Ornate Blossom) in a lighter colored ink -- Marina Mist used here, then ink up your patterned stamp (Dot to dot, or Fine Flourish) with a darker ink -- Early Espresso used here.  Now, "kiss" the stamps together, then stamp your image and you have a unique patterned image that looks like you spent hours cutting it out from a pc of patterned paper.  Isn't that so simple and great?!!! 

We will be making this card at my upcoming Going, Going, Gone! card buffet.  You can either make the polka dotted version, or the filigree one.  I think it is interesting how the polka dotted one gives you a modern feel, whereas the filigree one is softer and maybe more of an elegant feel -- accomplished by just changing out a couple stamps. 

All of the stamps used in these cards are being retired -- I used the "baby ornate blossom" (from the Friends Never Fade stamp set) to stamp the background of Marina Mist A-2 card.  The sentiments are from the Oval All stamp set -- punched out with the Large oval punch, and framed with the scallop oval.  Of course, I used the clear circle and scallop circle Bigz dies for the main stamped focal point.  A little strip of designer paper from the Beau Chateau paper pack along the bottom of the card, and plenty of Basic Pearls and Rhinestones complete the card!

I hope you'll try kissing YOUR stamps together for a whole new look! :)

Happy almost Friday to you!