Birch Press Design Post

 Happy Friday everyone!  I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog today.   Here is a little peek.

Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

Simon Says Stamp Just a Note release!

 (For a chance to win a Waffle Flower grip mat, please click here.)

Hello!  Popping in to share a couple of cards that I made with a product from the Simon Says Stamp July release called Just a Note.  Simon was so kind and sent me the Ticking background stamp.  I love a good red rubber background stamp and this one is very versatile!   Take a look at what I created.

For the first card I stamped the background using Simon Says Stamp Fog ink and then die cut the panel.  I used the Color Hues combo of berry and olive for the rest of my elements.  The large Fancy Hello sentiment was die cut from olive cardstock three times and adhered together.  I used heavy weight vellum for the show portion so that the background would peek through.  The hearts and sentiment are from the SSS Happy Hello stamp set.   I used Pinkfresh Studio Berrylicious ink for that.   Originally I had stamped the sentiment directly on the background, but when I stamped it a second time the panel shifted slighty.  I decided I didn't want to start over so I simply stamp the sentiment on white cardstock, die cut it and then adhered it over the top of my mistake!  

For this second card I stamped the background in Pinkfresh Studio Lemon Whip ink, then turned the background stamp so the lines were in landscape and stamped in Pinkfresh Studio Apricot ink to create my plaid background.    I stamped the images from the Simon Says Stamp You Shine stamp set with VersaFine Clair ink.  Once they were dry I did simple watercoloring with my Altenew gouache paints, let them dry and then die cut with their matching dies.  I arranged the images on my card so I could stamp the sentiment.  This time there was not shifting of the cardstock!  Yay!  I adhered the lemons and then added these cute little daisy embellishments that I got from Stampin Up!  

I kept both cards simple so you could really see the fun background stamping.  Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to check out the new release!  Have a lovely day!

Waffle Flower Crafts Grip Mat Giveaway!

 Hey friends!  Popping in to let you know that Waffle Flower Crafts has given me the opportunity to give away a 4.5 x 5.5 grip mat!   If you haven't seen the grip mat, you can check out the Waffle Flower blog for information and videos on how it works.  Here is a link to the introduction video put together by Nina of Waffle Flower Crafts.  Here is a link to a playlist of videos created by different crafters using the grip mat.

I have really enjoyed using the new grip mat.  It makes inking up die cut pieces so easy.  Because the mat is made out of photopolymer cleaning it up is easy, too.  I have just simply wiped mine down with my Lawn Fawn stamp shammy.  The mat comes with two acetate grid sheets, as well, that allow you to align your cardstock when stamping images or sentiments.   Waffle Flower has recommended keeping the acetate sheets that the mats come on.   It is my recommendation, as well, especially if you have not decided (like me) if you will be keeping them in your stamping tool, ie MISTI, etc.   Here is a link to a blog post I did showing how I have used the grip mats that I received. 

Leave me a comment by July 30th, for a chance to win.  This giveaway is open to everyone.  Those outside the US will receive a gift card.  Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

smile...

 Hello!  Popping in with a quick share of a card that I made for Sunday Stamps.  I just love the color palette for the current challenge and wanted to make something.  The Simon Says Stamp Sunrise Stem has been sitting on my desk waiting for me to make something with it and this is what I came up with.  

I used my Waffle Flower grip mat to hold my pieces in place after I die cut them from white cardstock.  The flower was inked up with Pinkfresh Studio Slumber, the stem with Pinkfresh Studio Fresh Pear and Grassy Knoll and the flower center with Pinkfresh Studio Lemon Whip.  I used Pinkfresh Studio Blue Jay for my ink blended background.  The sentiment is an older Simon Says Stamp die.  I have had it for so long that I don't even remember if I have ever used it.  I die cut it twice from heavy weight vellum and then adhered them together.  I arranged everything on the background using liquid adhesive.  I finished off the card with yellowish gems.  

Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

Altenew July Marvelous Monthly Series Release Blog Hop + Giveaway ($300 in Prizes!)

 Hello everyone!  I back to share projects I made with products from Altenew's July Marvelous Monthly series.   You should have arrived here from Seeka's blog.   You can find the entire list of blog hop participants on the Altenew blog.  Below the banner are all the details regarding the prizes to be won.

Giveaway Prizes

$300 in total prizes! To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $100 gift certificate to 1 lucky winner and a $40 gift certificate to 5 winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog and/or each designer’s blog post on the blog hop list below by 07/24/2023 for a chance to win. Altenew will draw 6 random winners from the comments left on each stop of this blog hop and announce the winners on the Altenew Winners Page on 07/26/2023.

*The winner of the $100 gift certificate will be chosen from comments left on the Altenew blog. 

Craft Your Life Project Kit updates

Craft Your Life Project Kit will no longer be released to the public in the Altenew store, unlike other subscription products. It will only be available via the Ultimate Subscription Plan or Craft Your Life Project Kit Monthly Subscription Plan.

For my projects today I created with the following monthly series products:  Craft-a-Flower, Build-a-Garden and Mini Delight.  First up is my card using the July Build-a-Garden Sweet Lilies product bundle.  When you subscribed to the Build-a-Garden monthly plan you will received the stamp set, stencils and a mini blending brush.  You can add on the matching die to complete the collection.   The Build-a-Garden Sweet Lilies set is GORGEOUS!  Take a look at what I created:

The large floral stamp in the Sweet Lilies set is beyond gorgeous and I just couldn't bear to cut it up so I decided to create a slimline card.  I used inks from my small collection of Crisp die inks and the matching stencils to color in the flowers after I stamped the image using Jet Black Crisp die ink on white cardstock.  The companion die set (a separate purchase) includes the die for the floral image, as well as for the three large sentiments in the set.  I picked my large sentiment, stamped it in VersaMark watermark ink on vellum, applied black embossing powder and heat set.  I die cut it with the matching dies.  I used a slimline rectangle die to die cut light gray cardstock, adhered my floral image and then stamped the sub sentiment from the Sweet Lilies set.  I finished by adhering the main sentiment using rolled up glue dots placed behind the embossed letters. 

This card features the Mini Delight stamp and die set called Watercolor Cluster.  I stamped the flowers using Altenew Crisp inks in shades of blue and then adding in the yellow for the center of the flowers.  The leaves were stamped in a mid tone green.  The die set includes the small "friend" word die.  That was cut from glossy black cardstock several times and then adhered together.  I used the Dotted Waves debossing plate to deboss my white cardstock rectangle as a backdrop for the floral cluster.  I arranged the die cut images on top of some silver thread and then added the small stamped sentiment from the set along with the word friend.  The panel was then added to a white cardstock base using foam squares.  

My final card features the Craft-a-Flower Stargazer Lily layering die set.  I absolutely love Stargazer lilies!  They are so beautiful!  I did not go with a typical Stargazer color palette for my lily, but instead went with an all over pink tone.  I used Altenew rose quartz metallic watercolor to do a wash on some watercolor cardstock.   The die set makes three different lilies.  I decided to keep things simple and used just one for my card.   The dies emboss details into your cardstock so I simply used a couple of pink Polychromos pencils to add a little more shading to the flowers and to emphasize the dots and veining in the flower.   I did a wash of green on additional watercolor cardstock for the leaves and the stamen.  White cardstock was die cut with a rectangle die and then I lightly stenciled on a chevron pattern using an older Altenew chevron stencil and Altenew Crisp die ink in Silverstone.  The sentiment is from the Sweet Lilies stamp set and was stamped using Jet Black Crisp die ink.

Your next stop on the hop is Rachel Alvarado.   I hope you enjoyed my cards and the hop.  Don't forget to comment for a chance to win a prize.  Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

backyard wren...

 Hello!  I'm popping in with a card for Freshly Made Sketches and Color Throwdown.  I think it also works for Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge as there is alot of shimmer going on, lol!   Take a look at what I made.

Lately, my mojo has been missing.  I have spent alot of time making projects that I haven't been able to share right away.  I shared many of them earlier this month and I will be sharing more this coming week, but when it comes to making something just for fun I have been struggling.   I have some new products that have been sitting on my desk for a few weeks now and I was determined to use at least one of them!   So I sat down the other evening and made this card.  I used the super sweet Memory Box Backyard Wren die set, along with a leafy branch die from the MB Serene Bird and Branch die set.  The sentiment is from the Simon Says Stamp Sunshine Flowers set.  I die cut the pieces of the bird from white cardstock and then inked them up with Salvaged Patina and Frayed Burlap distress oxide inks using my new Waffle Flower grip mat.  That grip mat makes ink blending so easy!  I let the pieces dry for a bit and then adhered them together with liquid adhesive.  I die cut the branch from sparkly gold glitter cardstock.  Initially I had only one branch, but when I decided to use the FMS layout I added the second branch.  I went old school and tore a piece of vellum for the strip element in the sketch.   I brought in the required cream by die cutting a piece of Memory Box woodgrain cardstock in cream.  I love the texture that the woodgrain cardstock brings to the card and it is the perfect backdrop for my little bird.  I stamped the sentiment using Salvaged Patina distress oxide ink and then trimmed it out.  That was adhered with foam squares.  Very clean and simple, but when I have no mojo, clean and simple is the way to go!

Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!