A handmade stamp and some cards

Hello everyone. Just like some of you out there I love getting a new stamp. My dad recently took a trip and brought me a treat. This hand made stamp from China. 

 

He had it made custom in a pedestrian market for me. It has a rabbit on top. (I was born in the year of the rabbit.) and it is carved out of some sort of stone. It is quite heavy and cold in my hand as I use it.

It stamps my name in English and Chinese. It is so beautiful. I love it!!

Here is a picture of the man making it. He carved it using a chisel and a power tool similar to a Dremel tool. (A rotary tool with a spinning head that you can put different types of tips on.) Amazing!

 

I recently gave my father in law his birthday card and gift. It was a couple of months late. We haven't gotten together with them in awhile. Here is his card. I wanted to give it to him before I posted a picture. I used some fun embossing and Distress Ink techniques.  

 

First I stamped a background text stamp and colored the background lightly with Antique Linen Distress Inks. I dried it with my heat gun so that I could move on the the heat embossing technique.  I stamped the Sunburst Medallion stamp in VersaMark ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder. I love how the text shows through. It looks gorgeous!  Then I colored the background with a few shades of blue and brown embossing inks. I love blending the colors and making the embossed image come alive.  The banner was cut from little scrap of patterned paper I had. I love it when I can make something match perfectly. 

I used some flat metal gems called nail heads. They are shiny, but still kind of manly. They add just  the right touch.

This next card was actually two cards which are the same. I made them both look alike. I often like to create several of the same style. I can then give them as a gift, or just have more on hand for when the need arises.

I used up some ribbon scraps that I had. Of course I used some buttons too. I really need to be using buttons. :-)

These next things are a set that go together. I created a matching box, gift tag, and card with a matching envelope. I will be donating these to a charity craft show at my church this fall.

Above is the tag. It inspired the whole thing. I made this first and decided I like the look of it so much that I wanted to keep going. I made the gift box, card and envelope all at once.

The gift box was a little time consuming because it has a glossy white finish on it. when I colored it with Distress inks and stamps I had to keep drying it with my heat gun. This was time consuming. I was dreading smearing it.

Below is the envelope and the card. They turned out just right. I love all the shading with the stamping and inking. :-)

I stamped  some of the flowers on the card and tag on some scrap paper and then fussy cut them out. I pop dotted them on and the added dimension is so pretty. Of course I had to add some pearls to the tag and the card also. It made the finishing touches just right.

Thanks for stopping by to see what I've been up to.  I will be back soon with more to share.