International Women’s Day Hop

Welcome to the 3rd International Women’s Day Hop! If you’ve never hopped along, you are in for a real treat. Each year, on Women’s Day, we share encouraging cards that celebrate friendship, and the beauty that lives within ourselves. I love to make cards that spread cheer between holidays and birthdays. Unexpected cards are always the best; don’t you think?

Today, I’m sharing a pair of mini-slimline cards that are both uplifting and beautiful. They feature stamps illustrated by my talented niece, Summer, so they are extra special to me. You’ll find the images in the Flamingo Botanical, Turtle Botanical, and Pretty in Peony stamp sets from The Rabbit Hole Designs. If the flamingo card looks familiar, that’s because I originally made it into a full size slimline card. (You can see it here, where I go into detail on how to color the beach scene.) I loved the coloring on that card, but I wasn’t happy with the placement of the images. There was just way too much sky above. So I peeled it apart, and cut the panel down to a mini-slimline size, using the same scalloped rectangle die and partial die cutting trick. A new sentiment stamped at the top filled in the extra space nicely.

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To compliment the flamingo card, I decided to stamp a coordinating turtle card. With my favorite black ink, I stamped the leaves at the bottom of the panel, then masked them off and stamped my turtle behind them. Using Copic markers, I colored the scene. A good rule of thumb when coloring is to start with images in the back first, and work your way up to the top, or closest images. So here, I colored the sky, then the ocean, the sand, the turtle, and lastly the leaves. The order makes a difference because if your lines overlap, the items on top (or in front) will have the dominant lines. Overall, your images will just pop better. Once I was happy with my Copic coloring, I added more shading with colored pencils, then some highlights with a white gel pen, and some shimmer with a sparkle pen. My scalloped rectangle die is too short, so just like with the other card, I partially die cut the panel, shifted the die to extend the length, and die cut the other half. Before mounting the panel, I stamped the sentiment in the upper right corner. Both card panels are popped up onto 3 1/8″ x 6 1/4″ mini-slimline card bases with foam tape. Iridescent gems and stars add a little more shine to them. They fit into #7 coin envelopes.

Aren’t they beautiful? Part of me wants to hoard them and keep them forever, but I know I will send them out and spread the joy. I’d love to know what you think! Let me know in the comments below. And I hope I’ve inspired you to do a little bit of coloring to create encouragement cards of your own.

Remember I said this was a hop? You know what that mean, right? In addition to the gift certificate from us to the Pear Blossom Press Shop, take a look at all of the awesome sponsors offering prizes. Just for hopping along and participating, you could win big! Head on over to women.beyoutifully.you for all of the details. You’ll find links to all the stops in the hop, as well as a Linky Party button, so you can upload pictures of your encouragement cards too! Good luck, and I can’t wait to see what you create.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I’ll be back soon with more fun cards to share.

This site uses affiliate links whenever possible (at no additional cost to you), but only for products I actually use and love.

58 thoughts on “International Women’s Day Hop

  1. Amazing cards. Happy Women’s Day!

  2. Wonderful unique look for floral creatures: Turtle & Flamingo. The Turtle reminds me of enjoyable trip to Oahu Hawaii.
    Melissa
    “Sunshine HoneyBee”

  3. What delightful images!! I love this remarkable cards!

  4. I love both cards and couldn’t chose a favorite if I tried. I know they both take me to happy places
    Hugs, Jou

  5. WOW your coloring is superb! Gorgeous cards! Yes, I do want to keep many of my cards too LOL. It is wonderful to share with our loved ones! Happy day to you!

  6. Yes true unexpected cards are always best !! I can totally understand if you want to hoard these cards forever , after all the efforts you have taken to create them , I am just amazed by the scene you created and blown away by the coloring !! So Glad to have you as our returning sponsor and honoured to have you joining as Guest.

  7. Wow.. look at that coloring! My jaw dropped and am sure you heard the thud! Stunning cards, cards like these need to go to those who can cherish them! Thank you Amanda for your generosity and being a part of this encouraging hop. Hugs ~ Ishani

  8. Since I just adore floral stamps, these are so unique and wonderful. Such fabulous coloring skills on display as well. So glad to see you as a sponsor for this wonderful event.

  9. Simply gorgeous! Love this Women’s Day hop! Thank you for the inspiration!

  10. Beautiful work. Thank you for sharing your inspiration with us.

  11. Fantastic cards. Love the flowers
    as the body and shell of the
    flamingo and turtle. thanks
    for sharing
    txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

  12. Beautiful cards, with amazing colouring !!
    Happy Women’s Day from Belgium;

  13. These are both so pretty, fun and cute! And I can’t pick a favorite either. lol

  14. First, I love both your cards. The beach looks so real that I could reach out and pick up a handful of sand!! Second, I just got to know The Rabbit Hole Designs a bit, and now I am finding your company… lucky me!! Third, your niece Summer is super talented if she made the artwork for these stamps! Finally, I love the sentiments, esp the one on the flamingo card. You have really impressed me. Happy IWDay!!
    Lori S in PA

  15. Wow, both of your cards are so fabulous. The images are so unique, but what really makes them stand out is your coloring.

  16. Over the top stunning, simply gorgeous images and the coloring is perfection!

  17. The coloring is JAW DROPPING! I love these! Beautiful colors! Happy Women’s Day!!!

  18. Marisela Delgado says:

    So beautiful!

  19. love these cards and stamps – these blog hops are dangerous LOL

  20. Both cards are just so breautiful. I particularly love the turtle card. x

  21. Awesome scenes and coloring! Love the way your cards turned out! Happy Women’s Day!

  22. Beautiful cards! I love the floral-animal combinations.

  23. Those cards are amazing and the detailed coloring is fabulous. No wonder you don’t wanna part with them. But i am sure if sent to the right person, it will be cherished forever. Thank you for being our guest for this hop and sponsoring our event.

  24. Love the unusual combination of floral and animals. Beautiful cards

  25. OMG… Gorgeous Cards Amanda.. Your coloring is out of this world.. I’m speechless.. Love each and every detail. Sentiments is so uplifting & motivating. Thank you so much for being part of this hop. Hugsxx Deepti Aggarwal

  26. Wonderful images and so beautifully colored!!

  27. Gorgeous cards. The stamp designs are amazing!

  28. Suzanne Harkinson says:

    I love them both but the flamingo and it’s sentiment are just awesome!

  29. Sensational cards! The coloring is amazing! Terrific colors and sweet animals.

  30. This cards are amazing!!!!! I wish you had a video of you making it. I sure would love to watch the process!!!

  31. LOVE the cards Amanda, I have missed seeing the second one on IG. Love the stamps, a good mix of florals with the flamingo and turtle. Your coloring is fantastic. Thank you for being part of our hop once again!

  32. Wowzers! Your cards are beautiful! I would have to keep them…..and frame them! They are pieces of ART! 🙂 Happy International Women’s Day!

  33. Wonderful cards and Awesome coloring, Amanda. Thanks SO much for being part of our Hop and generously sponsoring it.

  34. What a gorgeous coloring. Your niece is so talented, such beautiful stamps she has illustrated.

  35. Lauryne Cunningham says:

    Wow! What gorgeous cards! You colored them beautifully! I really like how you created the water and sand!

  36. I love the flamingo…so beautiful. And the sentiment is perfect!!

  37. these are stunning cards!

  38. Stunning cards and perfect sentiment. Its so difficult to choose which one looks better. Both are amazing.

  39. Amazing cards with lovely sentiments..I am totally in love with these illustrations and fabulous coloring …your niece illustrated them beautifully.

  40. Wow-these beach scenes are gorgeous! I can’t believe they were colored with Copics. The water and sand almost look real and I love that flamingo!

  41. stunning cards – LOVe the images you chose

  42. The best part of this was the fact that you took it apart to put it back together in a way which was pleasing and satisfying to you! We are always afraid to fail but sometimes its ok to change things around 🙂 And the cards are colored beautifully to match those uplifting sentiments.

  43. Your coloring is fantabulous!!

  44. Sharda Chandak Maheshwari says:

    Spectacular coloring.. Love Love Love it..

  45. Wow, simply amazing and wonderful set of cards.

  46. So very gorgeous and these images are amazing the way you colored them!

  47. These cards are just stunning!! The scenes look so real with all the coloring and depth!! Totally in love with them! <3

  48. These are so gorgeous cards. Beautiful coloring. 🙂

  49. kimberlyskinnergriverheadnet says:

    Wow! These cards are stunning!

  50. Oh my yes I too would want to keep these too, especially the stork… that is gorgeous! As always your coloring is so so beautiful! You are a strong, hard working, loving amazing wo en and do glad you are part of this hop!

  51. Wow, these are so beautiful. Love the images. Your colouring is amazing. You are so talented.

  52. Wow, all this is so beautiful.

  53. My Kraft Kloset Kim Klinkovsky says:

    Thank you for sponsoring this amazing hop. Beautiful stamps and projects. Thank you for the inspiration!

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