Birch Press Design December Post #1

 Hello, hello!  Popping in to let you know that I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog today.  Here is a little peek at what I created:

Hope you will head over to the BPD blog to see what I created.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Simon Says Stamp Friend Like You Release!

 Hello, hello!  I'm popping in to share two cards that I made with a background stamp from the Simon Says Stamp Friend Like You release.  Simon was so kind and sent me the Dahlia Background stamp to create with.  It is so beautiful!   You can check out the enter release here.  Let's look at what I made.

For the first card I went with a soft look using Copic markers.  I stamped the image multiple times because I my big MISTI stamping tool is wonky and I can never get a good, stamped image the first time around with large images.  Anyway, I finally did get it stamped and then colored the image very simply with a light pink and light green Copic.  I used my colorless blender to blend the colors out a little bit.  I die cut the image, adhered it to a white cardstock base and then added the sentiment that I stamped on vellum with VersaMark watermark ink.  Platinum embossing powder was applied and heat set.  The sentiment was then die cut with the matching die.  Adhered that with rolled up glue dots.

For the second card I went for a bolder look.

I stamped the image on watercolor cardstock and then colored it with my Jane Davenport watercolors.  I did use two different colors for the flowers, but the difference in the colors is pretty subtle.  I do like how it turned out.  I die cut the panel with a SSS A2 frame die.  The thin frame was glued to my cardstock base and then the interior panel was popped up for some dimension.  The A2 Frames die set comes with the hello sentiment and shadow layer so I die cut the word from glossy black cardstock and the shadow from vellum.  Adhered them together and then added it to the card front.   Going to add this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes.

Well, that's it for me.  Make sure you head over to Simon Says Stamp to see the full release.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

Birch Press Design

 Hello there!  Popping in to let you know that I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog today.  Here is a little peek at what I made.

I hope you will head over to the Birch Press blog to see what I made.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Simon Says Stamp Sweetheart Release!

 (See my Birch Press Design post here)

Hello everyone!  I'm popping in today to share three cards that I made with the Hello Animals stamp set from the new Simon Says Stamp Sweetheart release that is available right now on the Simon Says Stamp website.   

This stamp set is perfect for the little kiddos in your life or for anyone who likes cute animal images!  When I created this first card I had my great niece in mind.  She will turn two in February and she has several four legged "siblings".  I stamped the puppy dog image on watercolor paper with VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne ink and then watercolored with my Jane Davenport watercolors.  I stamped the large happy birthday sentiment underneath with a fun red ink.  The little party hat was also watercolored and then trimmed out when it was dry.  I die cut the stamped panel, adhered it to a cardbase and then added the little party hat with foam squares.   I'm going to add this to the Paper Players challenge of celebrations. 

This card was inspired by a friend who loves orange and white kitties.  She recently lost her sweet kitty, Bonita, and even though I already sent her a card I think I will be sending her this one.  I stamped the kitty four times with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then colored very simply with Copic markers.  I die cut the panel and adhered it to a card base.  I stamped the sentiment on vellum with a cream colored embossing powder and then die cut it with a smaller rectangle die.  The vellum panel was attached using rolled up glue dot placed behind the letters. 

This last card is just like the first card except that I colored the bunny image using Copic markers.  I stamped the glasses and the bow and colored them with Copics.  I cut out the center of the glasses so you can see her eyes.  I added some Crystal Lacquer to the glasses and bow.  I really love how this card turned out!  The glasses just crack me up!  I'm adding this one to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of cute critters.

Make sure you head over to the Simon Says Stamp store to check out the entire release.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

SSS Season of Wonder Release!

 Hello!  Hope your October is off to a great start.  Simon Says Stamp has a new release called Season of Wonder now available in the shop.  You can see the full release here.   Simon was so kind and sent me the super pretty layering stamp set called Fresh Air Holiday Tree.  Take a look at what I made.

What do you think of my pink tree?  This is actually the third card I made with the stamp set.  Sadly, the first card didn't make the cut.  I used distress inks in Spun Sugar, Kitsch Flamingo and Picked Raspberry.   After I stamped all the layers, I decided that I wanted to add some embossing, but I had removed the final layering stamp from my stamping tool.  Then I remembered that you can add embossing powder to distress ink before it completely dries.   So, I applied some SSS Rainbow Sparkle embossing powder, created a mess removing the excess and then heat set it.   The embossing powder only stuck in random sections of the top layer.  That happened to be the Picked Raspberry and I love how it deepened the color in some areas.  I die cut the piece and adhered it to a panel of light pink cardstock that I embossed with a Simon Says Stamp snowflake embossing folder.  I then added some Tim Holtz Idea-ology mirror stars.  The sentiment is from a different Simon Says Stamp set called Holiday Gift Giving.  I tried using the sentiments from the Fresh Air Holiday Tree set, but the sentiments are curved and when I stamped one of the sentiments on the first card panel, I made I just didn't like the look.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink (after trying it in Picked Raspberry) and then die cut it with the matching die.  I love this tree in pink!

For this card I used traditional Christmas colors when stamping my trees.  I used Altenew Fresh inks in Evergreen, Forest Glade and Frayed Leaf.   There are two additional layers in the stamp set that will add the tiny ornaments or a scalloped banner.  I added the small ornaments on both trees with dark red ink and then added Stickles in Frosted Lace on top.   The sentiment is also from the Holiday Gift Giving set, as well.  This time I stamped it in the red I used for the ornaments and then die cut it with the matching die.  The Holiday Gift Giving set has a stamp that creates the look of falling snow.  I stamped that at the top of the panel with watermark ink, added the Rainbow Sparkle embossing powder (that time I didn't make a mess, lol!) and heat set it.  The stars were stamp with Altenew Fresh ink in Sunray.  Adhered my panel to a white cardstock base with foam tape and then added the sentiment.   Two Christmas cards down... more to come, lol!

Affiliate linked products used:

Fresh Air Holiday Tree stamp set

Fresh Air Holiday Tree stamp and die set

Fresh Air Holiday Tree die set

Season of Wonder Release 

Holiday Gift Giving stamp set

Holiday Gift Giving die set

Holiday Gift Giving stamp and die set

Altenew Frayed Leaf Fresh Ink

Altenew Forest Glade Fresh Ink

Altenew Evergreen Fresh Ink

Altenew Sunray Fresh Ink

Simon Says Stamp Faceted Snowflake Embossing Folder

VersaMark Watermark Ink

Spun Sugar Distress Ink

Kitsch Flamingo Distress Ink

Picked Raspberry Distress Ink

VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne Ink

MISTI Stamping Tool

Spellbinders Platinum 6

Hope you will check out the release.  Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Days Release

 Hello!  The new Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Days release is live on the website and I'm popping in to share three cards that I made with the new stamp set Garden Fresh.   This new stamp set is so pretty!  It is full of beautiful images and lovely sentiments!  Let's have a look at what I made.

This first card is probably my favorite.  I love going with simple color palettes and for this one I used teal, white and a little touch of gray.  I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then did simple coloring with Copic markers.  I die cut the image and then matted it with some light teal cardstock.  I used the beautiful SSS Blossom Field embossing folderr for the background .   Isn't that sentiment beautiful?  As you can see I embossed it in white on vellum, tore the top of the strip and then wrapped it around the image.  I love the clean, simple and fresh look of this card.  I'm adding this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge to make a birthday card.

For my next card I decided to do a little simple watercoloring.  Take a look.

I just love the water can image in the stamp set and decided to just focus on that image.  I stamped it with VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne and then watercolored it with Jane Davenport watercolors.   Once the piece was dry I die cut it and stamped the sentiment in the lower corner.  I finished off the card with some twine wrapped around the bottom and tied in a bow.   

I wasn't planning on making a third card, but I just had to use another of the pretty images from the set.  

Spring has sprung and the color yellow just says spring to me because of all the lovely daffodils that spring up in March.  With this card I also did some simple coloring and then trimmed out my image.  There are matching dies, but I do not have them... yet!   Trimming the image out was very easy, though.  I used a very old Simon Says Stamp Mother's day stamp set that is no longer available.  But the dies that I used to die cut the word and shadow is still available.   I die cut some sunny yellow gingham patterned paper, determined the arrangement of my elements and then stamped the sentiment from the Garden Fresh stamp set.  I then adhered other elements and my card was done. 

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to check out the new release!

Simon Says Stamp Just For You Release!

 (To see my Birch Press Design post, please click here.)

Happy Thursday everyone!  The new Simon Says Stamp Just for You release is now available!  Simon was so kind and sent me the lovely stamp set called Herb Labels.   I have created two cards using this fun set and I have a few other ideas percolating in my little brain, lol!  Let's have a look at my cards.  

As you might have guessed, the stamp set Herb Labels features images of different herbs, two label images and lots of sentiments.  Several sentiments in the set are punny.  I just had to use the image of mint with the sentiment "Mint to be".   I couldn't stop there... I had to the color mint for the card, as well, lol.   I went a little "old school", too, and used a vellum overlay that I attached to the main panel using a length of white satin ribbon.   Back when I first started stamping I would often see people using this method.  It was also (and may still be) very popular on wedding and/or baby shower invitations.  I stamped the mint image all over the mint cardstock using a green ink that was just a little darker than the cardstock.  I initially tried an ink that was very close in color to the cardstock, but once I laid the vellum on top, the stamping disappeared.  Not the look I was going for!  I die cut the vellum panel to be about a quarter inch smaller than the background panel and then using some repositionable adhesive I layered them together as you see and die cut two small holes.  I removed the repositionable adhesive and then secured the panels together with the ribbon.  I adhered the panel to my card base and then got started on the final part of the card.  For this I die cut more vellum using a very small rectangle die from a classic Spellbinders rectangle die set.  The mint image was heat embossed in white on vellum and then I colored the back with a mint green Copic marker.  Once the piece was dry I trimmed it out and use rolled up glue dots to secure it to the vellum piece.  The sentiment was stamped in black ink on white cardstock, trimmed out and then adhered.   I used the sketch from Sunday Stamps so I will be adding the card to their gallery. 

My second card is somewhat similar to the first card, but this time I used one of the labels images and did a little watercoloring. 

I used some patterned paper from the Simon Says Stamp March 2023 card kit for my background and adhered it to a kraft cardstock base.  I stamped the label on kraft cardstock with VersaFine CLAIR Acorn ink an then trimmed out the label.  The sentiment was also stamped on kraft with the Acorn ink and then die cut with another small rectangle die.  I stamped the tomato image on watercolor paper with the Acorn ink and then did some simple watercoloring.  Once dry I trimmed it out.  I decided to add a little distressing to everything using Vintage Photo distress ink for a more vintage look.  I then adhered the patterned paper to the card base.  I popped the tomatoes image up on the label and then tucked the sentiment in slightly behind the image.  The piece was then adhered to the center of the card.  I finished with three Memory Box Fairy jewels in a pretty red/gold color.  

Thanks for stopping by, make sure to check out the release and have a lovely day!

Simon Says Stamp Hugs Release!

 Hello and happy Friday everyone!  Simon Says Stamp has a new release called Hugs and I have two cards to share that I created with the Jumbled Hearts background stamp from the release.   You can find the entire release here.  (An affiliate linked list of products is at the end of this post.  Using my links allows me to earn a small commission at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.)

For my first card I stamped the Jumbled Hearts background stamp on dark red cardstock using a dark red ink for a tone on tone look.  I die cut the piece and adhered it to a white cardstock base.  I used the CZ Designs Chunky Love You die for my sentiment.  I die cut the shadow from vellum and the sentiment from dark red and gold metallic cardstock.  The little gold heart was die cut using Simon Says Stamp Word Mix 1 die set.  I popped up both the sentiment and the heart with SSS foam squares.

For my second card I stamped the image on white cardstock using VersaMark watermark ink, added white embossing powder and heat set.  I then inked up the cardstock with Kitsch Flamingo and Lumberjack Plaid distress oxide inks.  When I was done I wiped off the excess ink and die cut the panel.  I used a sentiment from the SSS Picnic Floral Sentiments stamp set, stamped it in Lumberjack Plaid, die cut it with the circle die from the Word Mix 1 die set and then inked up the edges with Kitsch Flamingo.  I used the SSS Fruitful Berries die to die cut the branches from vellum.  I used a pink Nuvo drop for the berries on the branches.  Once the drops were dried I layered up all the elements on the panel and then adhered it to a white cardstock base. 

Affiliate linked list of supplies:

Jumbled Hearts background stamp

Simon Says Stamp Hugs release

Spellbinders Platinum 6

Wagner Heat Tool

Simon Says Stamp Fruitful Berries die set

Simon Says Stamp Word Mix 1 die set

Simon Says Stamp/CZ Designs Chunky Love You die set

Simon Says Stamp Picnic Floral Sentiments stamp set

Kitsch Flamingo distress oxide ink

Lumberjack Plaid distress oxide ink

Hero Arts white embossing powder

Nuvo Jewel Drops Pink Aura

VersaMark Watermark ink

Make sure you check out the new release!  Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

Spellbinders December Clubs

 Hello!  I'm popping in on this very snowy afternoon to share the cards I have made with this month's Spellbinders clubs.    This month's clubs are all about love.  I know, I know... we haven't even had Christmas yet, but Valentine's day will be here before we know it.   My cards aren't done in traditional valentine colors though.  Take a look.

This first card features the December Glimmer club called Floral Framed Glimmering Heart.  The large floral heart and sentiment were foiled using blush foil on Glacier cardstock.  I love the look.   The floral heart panel was die cut down to fit my card front and adhered.  I then die cut the sentiments with the included banner die and popped them up in the center of the heart.   There are also die included that die cut flowers and leaves.  I die cut a flower and leaves from the Glacier cardstock then adhered them below the sentiments.  A little blue gem was added to the flower for a finishing touch.  I'm going to post this one to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes.

The second card also uses the December Glimmer club and the embossing folder club called Heart Blooms.  Isn't it pretty?!  I die cut the panel of Glacier cardstock and then embossed it with the folder.  I flipped the panel over because I wanted to use the debossed side.  Another look I really love!   The Glimmer club includes the solid heart and scalloped heart.   I foiled each one separately and then die cut them.  The scalloped heart had the center die cut out so I could place the solid foiled heart in the center.  I die cut additional hearts to layer in the center to give the foiled heart more dimension.  The sentiment is another die from the Glimmer club.  I really like how it embosses the sentiment into the center of the banner.  I adhered the hearts and then popped up the banner in the center. 

This card is a little departure from the other two cards in that I used a completely different color scheme.  This card will be posted to Color Throwdown as I used those colors for my card.   The December stamp and die club is called My Forever Person and features two heart images as well as images that spell out the word love.  I used the large floral heart image for this card.  I stamped it with VersaMark watermark ink and then embossed it in silver.  I did simple Copic coloring for the image and then die cut it with the matching heart shaped die.  The sentiment was stamped in VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne ink and die cut with a sentiment strip.  That was popped up in the center of the heart.  I die cut white cardstock and then embossed it with the embossing folder.  This time I used the embossed side.  

All three cards are very clean and simple, but I hope you like them.  Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

Spellbinders November Clubs

 Hello!  Can you believe it is already November?  I can't, lol!  Where has the year gone?!  Anyway, today is the first day of November and that means that all the new Spellbinders clubs are available in the web store.  I have three cards to share today featuring the embossing folder, Glimmer and clear stamp and die clubs.  (An affiliate linked list of supplies is at the end of this post.  Using my links allows me to earn a small commission at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.)   Let's take a look at what I made with this month's clubs.

The first card features the stamp and die club called Diamond & Arch Motif, as well as the embossing folder club called Fan Motif.  I die cut Spellbinders Glacier cardstock with a rectangle die and embossed it with the club folder.  I decided to keep things simple by just embossing the largest floral image from the stamp set, as well as the sentiment with gold embossing powder.  After die cutting I popped both up on the card front with foam tape.  

This card features the Glimmer Club called Glimmer Edge Stylized Floral.  The club kit comes with Aura foil.   The Aura foil looks so pretty foiled on the aqua cardstock.   The new Glimmer foil plate allows you to foil all the images as well as the sentiment in one pass.   I decided to go with a monochromatic look and so I made a card base and panel from the same cardstock I used to foil the images.   After adhering all the pieces, I popped up the sentiment.  Going to add this card to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes. 

My final card uses the embossing folder called Fan Motif.   I die cut white cardstock with a rectangle die and then embossed it with the embossing folder.   I also used the Glimmer club.  This time I foiled the images using the new white opaque foil on pink cardstock.  It is so pretty!   The sentiment is from the stamp and die cut club that I heat embossed in white on the pink cardstock.   The small rectangle was die cut from vellum.  I adhered the flower, leaves and sentiment to the vellum and then placed foam adhesive behind the images so they are hidden.  The panel was then adhered to a pink cardstock base. 

Affiliated linked supplies:

Glimmer Hot Foil System

Platinum 6 

Aura Foil

White Opaque Foil

November Glimmer Club

November Stamp and Die Club

November Embossing Folder Club

Essential Rectangle dies

Glacier Cardstock

Bearly Art Glue

Scrapbook Adhesive by 3L thin foam squares

VersaMark watermark ink

Gold embossing powder

Wagner Heat Tool

Spellbinders Quick Trimmer

Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

STAMPtember Blog Party!

 Hello everyone!  Stamptember is here.  Have you seen all the fabulous new products?!  Simon was so kind and sent me the super adorable Holiday Ornaments stamp set.  I have created two cards using this sweet stamp set.  To celebrate Stamptember Simon Says Stamp is having a blog party.  There is a full list of participants on the Simon Says Stamp blog.  Each stop on the hop will have a code that you can use at Simon Says Stamp for something fun.  Please see the banner below for the special code I have to get a free stamp set with a $30 purchase!  (A list of affiliate linked products is at the end of this post.  Using my links allows me to earn a small commission at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.)

For my first card I pulled out some very old patterned paper call Santa's List by Teresa Collins.  I now only have two sheets of this sweet paper left.  I stamped the ornament on one piece and trimmed it out in full.  I then stamped just the bow portion of the stamp twice on a different patterned paper.  I trimmed out the full bow from one and then just part of the bow on the second.  There were then layered on the main image.  There are cute little candy stamps in the set and I stamped those on the patterned paper and then colored them with Polychromos pencils in red and white.  I added the strings and then the sentiment.  The main ornament was popped up with thin foam squares.  I finished off the card with the little red twine bows.

For this card I used the snowman ornament.  I stamped him on watercolor cardstock with VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne ink and then colored him very simply with a light gray and light blue watercolor.  The nose was colored in orange, the cheeks pink and then I added some black to the eyes.   I also used the gray for the ornament topper and then added white shimmer watercolor over the top.  After everything was dry I trimmed it out.  The background was created by using the SSS Delicate Snowflake stencil and Tumbled Glass distress oxide on white cardstock.   I then added Ranger clear embossing paste over the top for a shiny finish.  Once the embossing paste was dry I added a little bit of the Tumbled Glass around the edges of my die cut rectangle.  I die cut a medium blue cardstock for a mat and added the snowflake panel to that.  I popped up the ornament with thin foam squares.  The sentiment was heat embossed in silver on vellum and then added to the panel using Bearly Art glue.   I finished with a little bow that I created using the little bow from the Flower Bundle die set.  

Affiliate linked list of supplies used:

Stamptember release

Holiday Ornaments Stamp set

Holiday Ornaments Die set

Holiday Ornaments Stamp and Die bundle

Spellbinders Plantinum 6

Wagner Heat Tool

Watercolor cardstock

Jane Davenport watercolors

Polychromos Color Pencils

VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne ink

VersaMark watermark embossing ink

Ranger Silver embossing powder 

Ranger Texture Paste Transluscent Gloss

Tumbled Glass distress oxide ink

Bearly Art Glue

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L thin foam squares

Thanks for stopping by, enjoy the blog party and don't forget to shop the release!

Simon Says Stamp Happy and Joyful Release!

 Hello there!  Did you see that there is a new release available from Simon Says Stamp?!  The Happy and Joyful release is amazing (aren't they all?) and Simon was so kind to send me the GORGEOUS Celebrate Rose Corner stamp set.   You can also get the matching die or both as a bundle.  This set has a large floral image and many, many wonderful sentiments. (Compensated affiliate links used when possible.  Using my links allows me to earn a small commission at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.  All links listed at the bottom on this post.) Take a look at what I created:

For this first card I stamped the floral image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then colored with Copic markers.  Once I was done I decided that I was going to try my hand at making an edge to edge shaker.  I have been saving packaging material for several months now in order to give it a try.  There was a little bit of a learning curve for me, but I love the look!  Once I got things worked out I filled my shaker pouch with the pretty SSS shaker mix called Mini Hearts Party.    I was so intent on making my edge to edge shaker that I forgot about a sentiment!  I ended up combing two sentiments from the set together and embossing them in black on vellum.  I trimmed the sentiment down and wrapped it round the front.   I wasn't sure about it at first, but I think it turned out okay. 

The second card looks a lot like the first card just without the shaker element, lol!  I guess I was in a mood to color with shades of pinky reds!  For this one I pulled out my Jane Davenport Brights watercolors and did simple watercoloring after heat embossing the image in white on watercolor paper. Once I was done and the image was dry I die cut it with a A2 rectangle die.  The sentiment was embossed in white on vellum, trimmed down and adhered with rolled up glue dots.  I finished with some sparkly gems.

Make sure you check out the new release.  Below is an affiliate list of many of the supplies I used:

Happy and Joyful Release

Fabriano Artistico Watercolor Cardstock 5x7

Celebrate Rose Corner stamp set

Celebrate Rose Corner die 

Celebrate Rose Corner stamp and die set

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Hero Arts White Embossing Powder

Platinum 6 

Mini Hearts Party Sequin Mix

Jane Davenport Brights Watercolor set

 Zots Glue Dot

WOW Ebony Embossing Powder

Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!