Simon Says Stamp Cheering for You Release!

(Please see my Birch Press Design post here.)

 Hello, again!  I'm popping in to share a couple of cards that I made using products from the Simon Says Stamp Cheering for You release that is now available over at Simon Says Stamp.  Let have a look at card number one.

Simon Says Stamp was so kind and sent me the super cute Halloween Friends stamp set. (You can also get the Halloween Friends dies and the Halloween Friends bundle.) They also sent me a package of clear acrylic card bases.  I combined the two to make this card.  I stamped all the images with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then did simple Copic coloring of the images.  I just love that cute little pumpkin!  I trimmed out all the pieces and set them aside.  I used the Simon Says Stamp Ticking background stamp to create the background.  I inked it up with Spiced Marmalade distress ink and stamped it on white cardstock.  I then die cut the panel with the Simon Says Stamp A2 Nesting Frames die and adhered the images with foam squares.  I used liquid adhesive to adhere the image panel to the front of the clear card base.  I then die cut 3 additional panels of white cardstock.  I added one behind the top panel, one inside the card and then one to the back.  Before adding the inside card panel I did stamp it with a sentiment.   Simple, but cute, I think!

For this card I found a very old piece of Halloween patterned paper that I had already die cut with a rectangle die.  As you can see it has the faint image of 31 on the paper and I thought that was the perfect place to add these two little cuties from the stamp set.  I stamped them on white cardstock with Tuxedo Black ink and then colored them simply with Copic markers.  I trimmed all the images out.  The little trick or treat bag is a separate image and I was able to trim out the interior so I could hang it on the arm of my little Frankenstein!  I just had to use that cute little pumpkin, again!  I finished with a sentiment stamped on SSS Fog cardstock to coordinate with the Fog cardstock base.

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

Birch Press Design Post

 Hello!  It is that time of the month... time for my second Birch Press Design blog post!  Here is a little peek of what I created.  You can head over to the Birch Press Design blog to see the full project. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Guesting at Color Hues!

 Hello, hello!  I have the distinct pleasure of being the guest designer over at Color Hues today and if you are looking for a color combo to help create some "Christmas in July" cards then Color Hues is the place to be!  The combo for the next two-ish weeks is red and green!   Take a look at what I created with those colors.

As you can see from my card I went with dark shades of the red and green.  My most favorite red in the crafting world is Stampin Up's Cherry Cobbler.  It is the most gorgeous dark red and it pairs perfectly with PaperTrey Ink's Pinefeather, a gorgeous dark hunter green.  I used two dies from Poppystamps:  Holiday Joy and Nordic Bird.  I die cut all the pieces for each from the Cherry Cobbler and Pinefeather cardstocks and then layered them as you see.   I did cut several of the word joy from the Cherry Cobbler and layered them together before adhering to the shadow layer cut from Pinefeather.   I decided to go with a cream background panel that I embossed with a Spellbinder holly embossing folder.  I adhered the joy using liquid adhesive and the added the bird using a combo of liquid adhesive and thin foam squares.  I finished with a foiled sentiment that I had in my stash.

I hope you will take the time to play along with the Color Hues challenge.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

a masculine card...

 Hello!  I'm back with a masculine card for a couple of challenges:  Color Throwdown and Pinkfresh Studio July challenge.  The colors this week at CTD are navy, terracotta and kraft which said masculine to me.  Part of the challenge at Pinkfresh Studio is to use geometric design elements which also had me thinking masculine.  Let's have a look at what I made.

I did more direct to paper inking using two Altenew Fresh inks in the colors of Navy and Terracotta!  So happy I had those colors.    Once the ink had dried I die cut each piece with a circular and rectangular die (both from Pinkfresh Studio).  I layered them onto a debossed background that has circles on it that my friend, Greta, gave me.  I layered the rectangle flat on the panel and then added layers to the back of the inner rectangle and inserted it into the center.  I then adhered the circle using various layers of foam squares. I finished with the leafy die cut (from Pinkfresh Studio) and a foiled sentiment (Pinkfresh Studio).  Everything makes for a great masculine card or a card for a gal pal who appreciates navy, terracotta and kraft!

That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

a couple of very different cards...

 Hello!  Hope your day is going well.  I'm popping in to share two cards that couldn't be more different!  Let's take a look at the first one.

This first card is for Freshly Made Sketches and Just Us Girls.  The JUGs challenge is a word and the word is summer.  I think this card says "summer".   Yes, it is rather similar to the card I made for the last FMS challenge!  That is because I loved the 49th and Market Summer Porch chipboard ephemera pack I got for free from Scrapbook.com so much I had to order a paper pack.  Boy am I glad that I did as the papers in the 6x8 pack are absolutely gorgeous! I used three for my card and then several more of the chipboard pieces.  If I keep this up, I may have to actually buy another pack, lol!  Anyway, the card is pretty self-explanatory.   

My next card is for the Altenew monthly inspiration challenge.  I always tell myself that I'm going to try to play along and then the end of the month arrives and I didn't make anything.  I was determined this month and my dear friend, Greta, cheered me on in my effort!  I did some direct to paper inking of the three colors.  Boy are they bold and bright... a real punch in the face, lol!  I used the Altenew Zero Waste Leaf Pattern die, the Dotted Wave debossing die and a sentiment from the Craft Your Life: Watercolor Flowers stamp set.  I thought with the colors being so bright I would keep things simple by layering the three larger stems together and then adding them to the debossed background.  I also kind of turned the stem in to a flower stem by adding the fun little layered centers to each cluster.   Probably not going to win me any prizes, but I like the quirkiness of it.  

So, as you can see the cards are very different.  One is calm and serene while the other is bold and quirky!   Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Birch Press Design

 Hello, hello!  I'm popping in to let you know that I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog today.  Here is a little look at my card.

I hope you will head over to the blog to see the entire card.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

beach vibes...

 Hello!  I'm popping in today with two simple cards that have a very beachy vibe to them.  I don't often do beachy themed cards, but after these two I think I will try to do more!  Let's have a look at what I made.

This first card is for Color Hues and Freshly Made Sketches.  The colors at CH this time around are white and aqua.  Nothing says "beach" more than white and aqua.  I had just recently picked up Summer Shells and Just Sentiments: Summer from PaperTrey Ink so I just had to use them for the card.  I die cut all the pieces, placed them on my Waffle Flower grip mat and inked them up with Pinkfresh Studio Turquoise ink.  I die cut the center square using a rounded square die from Reverse Confetti and stamped the sentiment in the center.  Then I inked the edges with the turquoise ink that remained on my blender brush.  I adhered all the elements and then as an afterthought decided to add some Rock Candy distress glitter.  I applied Glossy Accents selectively and then added the glitter.  I let it dry fully before shaking off the remaining glitter.   Love the clean and simple beachy vibe!

Now for my next card. 

This card is for Color Throwdown.  Wasn't sure I would get something made, but then I looked through this coastal/beach themed pack of chipboard ephemera from 49th and Market that I got for free (love that!) from Scrapbook.com.   I have never purchased 49th and Market products before, but the chipboard pieces inspired me to take a look at their product line.  I ended up purchasing some washi tape stickers that they make.  Anyway, the pack had several pieces that fit the CTD colors so I arranged them on a kraft cardstock background and I was done.  Love quick and easy cards like that!

That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

birthdays...

 Hello, hello!  Well, we are actually saying "goodbye" to June!  Where is the time going, lol?!  I have been busying doing other things, but finally got a chance to make a card for Freshly Made Sketches and Color Throwdown.   And since the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge is anything goes I will post the card there, too.  Let's have a look.

I pulled out a Reverse Confetti stamp set that I don't think I had every used and colored it up in the CTD colors using my Copic markers.   After I was done I die cut the panel with a rectangle die and then tore off the bottom portion of the panel.  I wrapped a length of black twine around the panel and tied it in a bow.  Before adhering the panel to my cardstock base I stamped the sentiment from another Reverse Confetti stamp set and then adhered the panel with foam tape.  I added some Rock Candy stickles for a little bit of sparkle.

That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Birch Press Design Blog Post

 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 of what I created.

Hope you will head over to the blog to see the full card.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

wishing you the best day...

 Hello!  Hope all is well in your world.  I have a card to share with you for a few challenges.  Namely, Pinkfresh Studio June challenge, Color Hues color challenge and the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge to emboss.   Let's have a look at what I made.

The June Pinkfresh Studio challenge is to use ombre or color gradient.  When I started this card Color Hues hadn't announce their new color combo, but I had decided to do ombre inkblending using distress oxide ink in Spun Sugar.  I got as far as inking up the cardstock and then die cutting it with the Pinkfresh Studio Artistic Blossoms die set before being distracted with other projects.  When I got back to trying to finish the card Color Hues had post the new combo and it was pink and sage!   A few days later I was finally able to ink up some cardstock with Bundled Sage distress oxide ink.  I tried to get a decent ombre look with Bundled Sage distress oxide ink.  It is subtle, but there is that ombre look.  I die cut the piece with the smallest rectangle in the Folk edge rectangles die set and then matted that piece with some white cardstock that I had embossed with an embossing folder.   That was die cut with a large Fold edge rectangle and adhered to my card base.  I adhered three of the Artistic Blossoms in the center with liquid adhesive, added the bow, the sentiment from the PFS Amazing Things stamp set and then added some tiny gems to finish it off.   

That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Simon Says Stamp Sunny Vibes Release!

 Hello!  I'm popping in to share two cards that I created with a product from the Simon Says Stamp Sunny Vibes release.  Simon was so kind and sent me the Bad Days Good Vibes stamp set.  This set has lots of sentiments that will help you express your support for family and friends.  Let's have a look at what I made.  As with most Simon Says Stamp products you can also get a matching die set, as well as the products in a bundle.

For this card and the other card I made with the stamp set I used the Simon Says Stamp Groovy Blooms stencil set along with stencil pastes from the Crafters Workshop and the newly released Waffle Flower grip mat.   After stenciling a panel of white cardstock with the colors I chose I left the panel on the grip mat to dry.  During the drying process only one corner of the panel popped off the grip mat.   Once the panel was dry I die cut a portion for this card using the Simon Says Stamp A2 Nesting Frames.  I adhered that to a white cardstock base and then added the sentiment.  I stamped the main sentiment and then added the subsentiment.   

Here is a photo showing the initial layer of stencil paste I laid down on my white panel.  You can kind of see spots where I got stencil paste on the grip mat.    The photo below shows the panel still on the grip mat after all the stenciling was done and I was letting it dry.  

Only one corner of the panel popped up even after I had added all that stencil paste to the cardstock.  I was impressed at the grip power of the grip mat!  

For this card I used a strip of the panel that was left over after I had die cut it.  I adhered that to a white cardstock panel and then added the sentiment that I embossed in white on vellum and die cut with a heart shaped die.  I added the sub-sentiment that I stamped in black on white cardstock and die cut with a sentiment strip die.    Adding this card to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge to emboss it.

In this photo you can see all the stencil paste that I got on the grip mat.  I left the paste on the grip mat for a couple of days just to see if the paste would come off and it did.  I just used some warm water and a little bit of scrubbing to get the paste off.  I did take a photo of the clean grip mat, but it turned out blurry and I was too lazy to take another, lol!

That's it for me.  Don't forget to head over to the Simon Says Stamp website to check out all the new products in the Sunny Vibes release.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Let's Celebrate You!

 Hello!  I'm popping in with a pretty and romantic looking card that I created for Freshly Made Sketches and JUGs challenges.   Let's have a look at what I created.

Lately, Simple Stories has had several paper collections that I have really, really liked and so I have picked up a couple of them.  The most recent is the Simple Stories Simple Vintage Spring Garden.  I got the 6x8 paper pad and a pack of ephemera because the pieces in it are just so beautitful!  I used both to create my card today.   Another thing I have been into lately is adding texture to my cards.   Like alot of papercrafters I have more than several embossing folders, but I don't often use them.  They are perfect for adding texture and so I used the Simon Says Stamp Blossom Field embossing folder to emboss the pink gingham paper I chose from the pad.  I added more texture by applying Glossy Accents in certain spots on the flowers, butterfly and bees and then covering the Glossy Accents with Distress Rock Candy glitter.   The glitter is very subtle, but pretty.

In this photo you can see the Rock Candy glitter a little bit better.  I adhered the background with double sided tape and then added the flowers, butterfly and bees with different heights of foam squares.  I finished with a sentiment from the Simon Says Stamp Sweet Birthday stamp set.  

That's it for me!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Birch Press Design Post

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

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

hugs...

 Hello!  Popping in with a quick post sharing a card that I made for the Freshly Made Sketches challenge.  I think I will also add it to the Time Out challenge as I have used a flower on my card.  Take a look at what I made.

This card came about because I was making another card for a Birch Press Design blog post that will go live on Wednesday, June 12th.    I used the Perky Bloom Contour Layering die set and cut all the pieces from a light coral pink and a dark coral pink.  Then I alternated the two colors so I ended up with two flowers.  I was going to save this second flower for a later Birch Press blog post, but then decided to use the FMS sketch to create this card.  I used a strip of Memory Box patterned paper that I had on my workspace that coordinated with the flower.  I trimmed it down to make the two rectangular elements.  The BPD Big Hugs Sugar Script die and shadow were cut from the same two cardstocks and layered.  I adhered the flower using liquid adhesive and thin foam squares.  When I layered the elements of the flower I used the same method so there is lots of dimension in the flower.  I adhered everything to a white cardstock panel and then to a white card base.  I finished with Memory Box fairy jewels in a pale coral color. 

That's it for me!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Waffle Flower Grip Mats Re-Release!

 Hello everyone!  I popping in today to share my thoughts on the recently re-released Waffle Flower Grip Mats.  Waffle Flower sent me what they call the Stamper Bundle of grip mats to try out.  The Stamper Bundle consists of two grip mats.  One mat fits the Mini MISTI and measures 4.7 x 6 inches.  The other mat fits the original MISTI and measures 6.5 x 8.5 inches.  Just like the original grip mats these mats also come with grid sheets that can be placed on one side of the mat to help with alignment.   Full disclosure I did not use the grid sheets as I did not use my grip mats in the MISTIs that I have, but placed them directly onto my Tim Holtz glass mat.  I most likely will continue to use them this way because I did not have much success in getting the grid sheets to adhere correctly to the old grip mats that I have.  Here is a direct link to the Stamper Bundle.   Let's take a look at what I created using the mats.

Along with the grip mats Waffle Flower generously also sent me a few other products to use with the mats.  Included in my package was the super fun Oversized Daisy Die-n-Stencil set.  I used the products to create this shaped card that I will be sending off to my great niece who is turning 8 at the end of this month!   

In the above photo you can see my grip mat positioned on my glass mat with the die cut pieces placed on to.  I was using the 4.75 x 6 inch grip mat and all the pieces fit nicely with room to spare.   I then used different oxide inks to ink up the flower. 

Here the stencil is placed on the flower and you can see how the stencil is being gripped by the mat below it.  I didn't have to hold anything down with my free hand which was so nice!  I stenciled everything very quickly resulting in the flower that you see in the first photo.  Once I had the stenciling done I created a card base for the flower by using a folded white cardstock base and then using the large daisy die to cut out the base.  I also cut out a second single white flower to add to the back for a clean look.    I finished the card by sandwiching the leaves inbetween the back of the stenciled flower and the front of the card base and then adding the pre-print Waffle Flower sentiment strips.   I'm going to add this to the Time Out challenge to be inspired by a quote.   You can see the quote in the graphic below.

For the second card I used the Postage Collage Blocks stencil that Waffle Flower also sent me.  For this card I made a Christmas card using several different Waffle Flower products that I already have.  I used the Layered Poinsettia die set, the Mistletoe Branch die, Small Ornaments die set and the Merry Christmas stamp set.   I used distress oxide ink in Antique Linen to ink up the openings.  I used a Christmas paper from Echo Park to die cut all the different pieces, adhered them together and then added them to the card front after I stamped the sentiments.  I don't own the Waffle Flower postage collage die so I found a rectangle die to cut the panel to size and adhered it to the kraft cardstock base. 

As you can see even though the stencil is larger than the grip mat, it still adhere nicely to the mat allowing me to stencil the panel fairly quickly.  

I used the new Tim Holtz tiny ink blenders to do precise ink blending of the openings and they worked like a charm!  

Overall, I have to say that I like the new grips mats alot and plan to use them frequently.  In a few weeks I will be sharing how they work with stencil pastes and two cards that I made so stay turned.  I hope that the information I provided was helpful.  Here are graphics showing the grip mats that I used and the full bundle. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!