Thanks Abloom - Stampin' Up! Impressions Abloom

   This week is our spring break week and instead of traveling we've been doing some home projects like painting and landscaping.  And of course I'm always getting ideas of what we can do next because I know once we finish the painting and get the room back in order the next room will look a little bit shabby and then it starts the cycle all over again for another part of the house.  But I am trying to squeeze some stamping in too.  I've got a nice box of preorder products from the upcoming May release so I want to get them inked up and see what I can create.  I'm using the new Impressions Abloom bundle for this card today.  Look for it in the Online Exclusives starting May 6.

  I'm using the Sunday Stamps challenge for the color palette which is perfect for a floral card.  The Impressions Abloom dies are wonderful for not only cutting out the stamped flowers but can also be used on their own for straight die cuts which is how I used them here.

  I started with embossing a piece of Old Olive Two-Toned cardstock with the Forever Plaid embossing folder and sanded down the pattern a bit to reveal some of the white core.

  This die set has a lovely large oval shape that shows off the flowers beautifully.  I cut a full oval from Basic White then the frame from gold metallic paper and adhered them together.  

 The flowers are cut from Crushed Curry and the centers are Blackberry Bliss.  I used a sponge dauber to blend some Crushed Curry ink on the flowers before adding the centers for a bit of depth.  The flowers are popped on dimensionals over an Old Olive stem and leaves.

  The sentiment is stamped in Versamark and embossed in gold on Blackberry Bliss.  The end is flagged and then it's tucked under the edge of the frame.  A few gold Low Profile Dots finish this design.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

All of the current supplies used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.  Items marked with a * will be available starting May 6, 2025.  Join my Stampin' Up! team now to be able to get preorder benefits.

Stamps: Impressions Abloom*

Ink: Crushed Curry, Versmark

Paper: Old Olive Two-Toned cardstock, Basic White, Gold Foil, Crushed Curry, Old Olive, Blackberry Bliss

Accessories: Impressions Abloom dies*, dimensionals, Forever Plaid embossing folder, gold embossing powder, Low Profile Dots

Wildflower Hello - Stampin' Up! Wildflower Designs

   It's the time of the Stampin' Up! year when I start looking at all of my stamp sets and realize that I haven't used many of them nearly as much as I wanted to and that many will be on their way to retiring with the start of the new Annual catalog in early May.  And that will begin the mix of old stamp set projects and designs made with brand new pre-order products.  Be alert this week for the online store to update the Last Chance section with retiring products!  The Wildflower Designs stamp set is one of those older stamp sets that's getting some love today.

  I used the Tic Tac Toe challenge over at the Paper Players for my inspiration.  My card hits the top across row with Flowers, Pink and Ribbon but it also uses the right down row with Ribbon, Green and sentiment.

  I started with a Pretty in Pink card base then a layer of Wildflower Birthday DSP in a nice pink gingham pattern.  A Soft Sea Foam band goes across the center and I colored a bit of white Frayed Grosgrain ribbon with my Soft Sea Foam Stampin' Blends marker to have it match.

  Using the Spotlight on Nature dies I cut a circle out of watercolor paper and then embossed the flower from Wildflower Designs in gold.  I used a water painter and ink pads to color the flower.  A few leafy sprigs are cut from Soft Sea Foam card stock using the Textured Floral dies and are tucked behind the circle before adhering it with dimensionals.

  The sentiment is embossed in gold on Pretty in Pink card stock.  You can find this sentiment in the Storybook Friends stamp set.

  A few Purple Adhesive-Backed Sequins from Sale-a-Bration are added for a tiny bit of shine.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today? 

All of the current supplies used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

Stamps: Wildflower Designs, Storybook Friends

Ink: Versamark, Pretty in Pink, Soft Sea Foam

Paper: Pretty in Pink, watercolor paper, Soft Sea Foam, Wildflower Birthday DSP

Accessories: Spotlight on Nature dies, Textured Floral dies, dimensionals, gold embossing powder, Frayed Grosgrain ribbon, Purple Adhesive-Backed Sequins (retired- SAB)

Welcome Baby Bunny - Stampin' Up! Storybook Friends

   The sweet little animals in the Storybook Friends stamp set are too cute to resist!  We used the bunny in my last class to make this card.  Some chose to use the welcome baby sentiment other chose a simple hello or happy spring but they were all cute!

  The card base is Cajun Craze then we paired up patterns from the Timeless Plaid DSP and the Storybook Moments DSP.

  An Early Espresso frame is cut with the Storybook Friends dies then the sentiment is stamped on a panel of Very Vanilla in Memento black ink.  The frame is popped on dimensionals.

  The bunny is stamped on Very Vanilla and then colored in with Stampin' Blends.  Once it was die cut it is popped on dimensionals over a Very Vanilla baker's twine bow.

  Two Faux Glass Dots are added above the sentiment.  The great thing about this pack of embellishments is all 4 colors complement the colors in these DSPs.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

All of the supplies used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

Stamps: Storybook Friends 

Ink: Memento Black

Blends: Crumb Cake light & dark, Petal Pink light & dark, Old Olive light & dark

Paper: Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Timeless Plaid DSP, Storybook Moments DSP

Accessories: Storybook Friends dies, dimensionals, Very Vanilla baker's twine, Faux Glass Dots

Happy Cake Day - Stampin' Up! Birthday Celebration

   I just got home from a lunch with some fellow demonstrators and one of the Demonstrator Development Managers from Stampin' Up! and it is always a fun time meeting up with other stampers.  We could have talked for like 2 more hours!!  We even got a sneak peek at 2 kits that are coming out in April, so fun!  I'm glad I already had a card ready to share because actual creating time will be limited today!  I've got another one of my class projects to share today using the Birthday Celebrations stamp set from the January-April mini catalog.

  This card pulls together annual catalog, Online Exclusives and mini catalog products and just goes to show how versatile Stampin' Up! products are.  Don't get yourself stuck in a box by only using a stamp set with the matching dies or the DSP that comes in a suite.  Branch out and mix and match and see all the lovely things you can create!

  This one starts with a Basic Black card base then I gave my stampers a choice of any of the Full of Life DSP patterns which they needed half of one 6x6 sheet.  Using the Around It All dies aka "Wonky Circles" they cut 2 circles (in 2 sizes) then adhered them to a piece of Basic White.  The panel is then embossed with the Soft Waves embossing folder before being added to the card front.

  We used the Birthday Celebrations stamp set to make this custom sentiment from 3 separate stamps and embossed it on Basic Black with white embossing powder.  Then using the smaller "wonky circle" die it's cut out. A bit of Iridescent Striped Trim (hard to see in the photo) is flagged on the the backside of the circle before popping it up on dimensionals.

  Since the Full of Life DSP has so many colors I pulled all the ink pads and let my stampers choose whatever color went with their DSP pattern to stamp the cupcake from the With You In Mind stamp set.  The cupcake is fussy cut and popped on dimensionals.

  Then finally, Riverside Irregular Pearls are added (with one on top of the cupcake) and they pick up the DSP colors beautifully no matter which of the 3 pearl colors were chosen.  This was truly a "Choose Your Own Adventure" card and the hardest part about it for my stampers was deciding between all the awesome Full of Life designs.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

All of the current product used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

Stamps: Birthday Celebration, With You in Mind

Ink: Petunia Pop, Versamark

Paper: Basic Black, Basic White, Full of Life DSP

Accessories: Around It All dies (Online Exclusive), Soft Waves embossing folder, white embossing powder, dimensionals, Iridescent Striped Trim, Riverside Irregular Pearls (Online Exclusive)

Spring Garden Collage - Stampin' Up! Storybook Garden Patch

   My stampers got some coloring therapy yesterday at class!  I had them using colored pencils and the Storybook Garden Patch stamp set to create a vintage feel collage card with pops of colors.  Everyone picked which garden items they wanted to use and chose the colors as well.  Each one was unique and I think most of my stampers enjoyed the bit of relaxing coloring.

  This design starts with a Crumb Cake base, then a band of Timeless Plaid DSP across the center to brighten up the palette.

 I arranged many of the stamps from the Storybook Garden Patch set onto an E block to create a kind of small background stamp.  It was stamped on a piece of Crumb Cake with Early Espresso ink.  Using paper snips we roughed up the edges and sponged Crumb Cake ink all around the panel.  One of the splatter stamps from the Elements of Text stamp set was stamped all over the panel as well, stamping off once for a very light worn look.

  Next the E block collage was stamped again on a piece of Very Vanilla along with the stack of pots image.  Then we got to work coloring whichever images we wanted in whatever colors we liked using the Watercolor Pencils.  The favorites were then die cut and arranged in a group in the bottom corner.  I popped the peas up on dimensionals on this sample.

  The sentiment from Storybook Friends is stamped in Early Espresso onto Very Vanilla and is then popped up over a linen thread bow.  A single Adhesive-Backed Textured Dot is added under the sentiment for the final detail.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

All of the supplies used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

Stamps: Storybook Garden Patch, Storybook Friends, Elements of Text

Ink: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake

Paper: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Timeless Plaid DSP

Accessories: Watercolor Pencils, Storybook Garden Patch dies, dimensionals, linen thread, Adhesive-Backed Textured Dots

Fishin' Birthday - Stampin' Up! Gone Fishing

   Happy Testosterone Tuesday!  I've got a clean and simple masculine card to share today and while I know for sure women go fishing too I'm sticking with the theme and considering this one a guy birthday card.  The theme prompt is from Addicted to CAS so thanks to them for helping me add to my paltry guy card selection.

 I started this one with a Basic White thick card base.  Then using the long wave die from the Ocean Friends die set I cut 2 layers from the Let's Go Fishing DSP which sadly is retired but I'm hoarding for all the anglers in my family! I popped the bottom layer of DSP on dimensionals so the card isn't really as flat as it looks in the photo.

  Next I stamped the bobber and die cut it and then punched a tiny hole in the top and tied a length of linen thread through it.  I tucked the bobber under the edge of the popped up DSP and then looped the linen thread up the card front using a bit of glue where it's looped to secure it.  

  I left the thread long to the inside of the card and added a stamped and die cut fish to the other end.  I tried to get a picture but I just couldn't get it to come out well enough to share but it's there!

  The sentiment from Saying Hey is stamped in Misty Moonlight above the water.

  Thanks for looking! Did you stamp today?

All of the current supplies used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

Stamps: Gone Fishing, Saying Hey

Ink: Misty Moonlight, Gray Granite, Real Red

Paper: Basic White thick, Basic White, Let's Go Fishing DSP (retired)

Accessories: Ocean Friends dies, Gone Fishing dies, dimensionals, linen thread

Garden of Thanks - Stampin' Up! Garden of Thanks Kit

 I have to be honest that in the past I've not been much of a kit stamper but now I'm starting to come around.  The kits have definitely gotten better and now there are so many alternative ideas out there sharing different card projects as well as scrapbook pages that I feel like you can use your creativity with them more than in the past.  But just following the kit instructions is perfect for low stress stamping that nets you a gorgeous stack of cards ready to send out!  I was thankful to have just recently hosted a Kit Together event right after my birthday so it was lovely to have some beautiful thank you cards to send right out!

  So pretty right??  I made the 9 cards as they were designed because honestly I'm too busy chatting at this event to pay attention to much else but I really don't think I could have improved on them too much!

If you're in the Richmond, VA area my next Kit Together event is April 15 at 7pm and I'd love for you to join me! If you're not local to me and want to gather with some friends for your own Kit Together event you can order your kits HERE and then pick a date to gather.  It's really as easy as that!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

All of the supplies used to make 3 each of these designs is included in the Stampin' Up! Garden of Thanks kit.  All supplies included in each kit are listed in the kit description in my ONLINE STORE.

 

Bunny Friends - Stampin' Up! Storybook Friends

 I've got a busy weekend ahead of me with a giant pile of mulch that needs spreading as well as getting prepped for a stamping class on Tuesday. Luckily before the work starts I was able to play a bit with the Storybook Friends bundle to make this sweet bunny card.  The images in this set are just adorable and then pairing it with some of the Timeless Plaid DSP brings up the vintage charm even more.  I used the layout from the Stampin' Up! Only challenge.

  I pulled most of my colors straight from the DSP so I used Basic Beige for the base. The beautiful frame is cut from Early Espresso (another color in the DSP).  To make the sentiment insert I just cut the center of the frame die to get a Very Vanilla rectangle the same size as the opening.  Then I stamped the stone wall stamp in Basic Beige and the sentiment over the top if the wall in Early Espresso.  The two pieces are held together on the back side with several dimensionals.

  The bunnies are all stamped in Memento Black and then colored in with Blends markers.  I used Boho Blue and Wild Wheat for the pants and coat which are colors used on other patterns in the Timeless Plaid DSP pack so I knew they would coordinate with the paper I chose. 

  After the bunnies were die cut I arranged them around the frame to follow the sketch.  I added a blue baker's twine bow behind the bunny on the right and then some Antique Pearls. 

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

All of the current supplies used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.  

Stamps: Storybook Friends

Ink: Basic Beige, Early Espresso, Memento Black

Blends: Crumb Cake light & dark, Boho Blue light & dark, Petal Pink light & dark, Old Olive light & dark, Wild Wheat light & dark, Cherry Cobbler light

Paper: Basic Beige, Timeless Plaid DSP, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Storybook Friends dies, dimensionals, baker's twine, Antique Pearls