Stepping it Up with the Wacky Watercooler Gang

It's time for another blog hop by the Wacky Watercooler Gang.  And this month we're stepping it up: One, Two, Three--one card three ways.  You'll see an easy, quick card, one that's a little more elaborate, and then a sample where we've pulled out all the stops!

Our hop is a circle; you may have just come from Gail's fabulous blog - don't you just love her samples? - or you may hopped on here.  However you joined us, thanks for visiting, and please continue on the journey by clicking on the "next" button at the bottom of this post.

I began my projects with an idea I had for my third card.  I purchased the Jar of Love set, and while playing with it I had an idea to combine it with Swirly Bird...so here are my end results.

First up, a simple card you could complete in minutes:

A base of Dapper Denim with a layer of Whisper White, and then a layer of the beautiful Serene Scenery Designer Series Paper Stack.  This paper can be the star of your cards; all you need is a little embellishment or sentiment.

I merely stamped the boat from Swirly Bird (using Soft Suede for the boat and Mint Macaron for the sails), snipped it out and added it to the front of my card.

A simple sentiment from Places You'll Go, in Dapper Denim ink, finished my card.
Easy peasy!

So let's step it up a notch:

Same boat, same scene, but it took a bit more work.  This time the card base is Whisper White Thick cardstock, with a layer of Marina Mist.  The top layer is Soft Sky.

The boat was stamped in Dapper Denim and Marina Mist with a Cucumber Crush flag.  Then it was all snipped and ready for the card.  The waves were created with the Swirly Scribbles Thinlits dies and Marina Mist cardstock.   And the boat was added with Dimensionals.  The sentiment from Cottage Greetings was stamped with Marina Mist.

The sun was stamped with Crushed Curry on Crushed Curry cardstock and cut out with the thinlits, and then I just cut some white clouds using the Umbrella Weather Framelits.

Boom--a card in 20 minutes.

And now it's time to step it up even more...a card that took me a few days to perfect, but was the original idea for these cards:

As I was planning a trip to Cape Cod, Massachusetts (lots of beaches and retired people!) and I was playing with my Jar of Love set, I had an idea to put a boat in a bottle.  And I wanted a neutral color scheme with a pop of color.

The boat is the same one used above, Swirly Bird, stamped in Basic Gray and Smoky Slate, and once again snipped out.  I stamped Hardwood in Basic Grey on Smoky Slate cardstock and then sponged it heavily with more Basic Gray.  Then I just cut a strip of the "wood" to make a "table".

The jar was stamped in Versamark ink on a Window Sheet, and embossed with Silver Embossing Powder, as was the lid (on Whisper White paper).  Then it was cut with the Everyday Jars Framelits dies.  I used some REALLY skinny strips of Dimensionls to pop it up over my boat.

The layers:
Whisper White Thick cardstock
Basic Gray
Neutrals Designer Series Paper Stack
Silver Thread, scrunched up and added with Dimensionals
Whisper White, stamped with Timeless Textures and sponged with Basic Gray
Strip of Hardwood
Jar

The sentiment from Wild About Flowers was stamped in Real Red.

And it's finished with Real Red Brights Enamel Shapes.

Whew!  I really liked how it came out, but I must say that this card will have to go to someone very special!

So that's it for me!  I hope you liked my stepped up cards and will try this yourself.  Now on to see what Marie has created; I often find myself CASEing her work, so I know it will be wonderful!

Thanks for stopping by!