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Hand Stamped Sentiments #115 - Spring

Thought I'd add a bit of MOM to the Spring Challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments this week. After seeing the beautiful bloomin' trees in the inspiration photo, I was drawn to purple and since lilacs are one of my all time favorite flowers, I colored my image to represent those blissful smelling buds.

I started off with a Wisteria Wonder base, layered a piece of embossed Rich Razzleberry on top and then finished off my color combo with a Lucky Limeade.

My flower was stamped onto a piece of WaterColorPaper in Black StazOn Ink. I used a few different shades of purple and green WaterColorCrayons and applied those with my Auqa Pen. After it dried, I added the pearls and a bit of Smooch Pearlized Top Coat for a bit of shimmer. 

My sentiment actually said "you're my favorite thing" so I just colored the words I wanted to show with my Rich Razzleberry Stampin' Write Marker and then added the word MOM, popping the center 'O' for a bit more depth. Isn't it 'tweet'?! :)

Head on over to Hand Stamped Sentiments to link up your floral 'Spring' themed creation...remember, you're not just limited to cards. So, if you've been working on a snazzy new Spring wreath, scrapbook page, 3-D project, wall hanging...we'd love to see it! Come see what the Design Team has linked up for you this week as well and PLEASE remember to shut off your word verification so we can leave you blog love on your fab creations, thanks!!

SU! Products Used:

Ink - Black StazOn, Wisteria Wonder

Paper - Rich Razzleberry, Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade, Watercolor

Stamp Sets - Because I Care, Messages For Mom

Other - Wisteria Wonder Ribbon, Rich Razzleberry Marker, Pearls, 2 Embossing Folders, Smooch

Summer Smooches

Now who doesn't like the bright and colorful kiss of Summer?? Stampin' Up! is celebrating this warm and cheerful time of the year with a Summer Smooches Special. Purchase brand-new coordinating products from the 2012-2013 catalog months before the catalog debuts! 

Click on the link above or HERE to view the full flyer...and head on over to my Demonstrator Web Site to place your order!

Note: Two of the items listed will NOT be in the new 2012-2013 Idea Book and Catalog and will no longer be available after April 30th

Hand Stamped Sentiments #114 - Black Magic Technique

 This week at Hand Stamped Sentiments, we're pulling out our black magic top hats, putting on the white gloves and pulling a bunny out of our hats....kidding....but we are using Craft White ink, does that count?

Typically you'll see this technique done on black paper, so I decided to switch it up a bit and use Basic Grey. The first color that always comes to mind when I have Grey out is yellow, that obsession started with my friend Pia's grey and yellow wedding, which was STUNNING!!

I started off stamping my bench with Craft White Ink, set it with my heat tool (it turns a bit grey as it dries) and then dabbed on some yellow chalk with a q-tip. When I was satisfied with my coverage, I used the corner of a dry swiffer wipe to rub off the excess chalk. 

I wanted my sentiment more muted, so used my Craft White ink with a Clear Embossing Powder over top for a fun shiny glaze. A bit of daffodil delight pom pom trim and viola, another mailable Birthday card! 

Head on over to the Hand Stamped Sentiments Blog to welcome the new members of our team and view all of the ladies fab black magic creations! We'd love if you'd link up and play along this week!

SU! products used:

Stamp Sets - Happiest Birthday Wishes, Have a Seat

Paper - Basic Grey, Daffodil Delight

Ink - Craft White

Punch - Ticket Corner

Other - Daffodil Delight Pom Pom Trim, Clear Embossing Powder, Stampin' Pastels

Hand Stamped Sentiments #113 - All About Mom

This week it's All About Mom over at Hand Stamped Sentiments and I 'clearly' missed reading the Mama memo, oops! Although I did use the flower from the Messages For Mom Stamp Set, so I was at least on the right track.

I've been wanting to give this cute little purse die a try and put together this little Birthday set. I started out with the colors over at The Paper Players, Not Quite Navy, Pool Party and Certainly Celery. 

My flowers were colored with a multitude of markers and then accented with a center pearl. Instead of the handle on the purse, I just tied the seam binding around and tied a bow on top. 

Come link up your Mother's Day projects and see what the lovely design team has whipped up this week!

We're also welcoming 4 new Design Team Members this week

Diane Vander Galien

Erika Clark

Elizabeth Price

Bobbie Trost

WELCOME LADIES!! I'm so very excited to have you on the team!

SU! products used:

Stamp Sets - Well Scripted, Messages For Mom

Ink - Not Quite Navy

Paper - Not Quite Navy, Pool Party, Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Pool Party DSP

Punches - Fancy Label, Bird Builder

Other - Pearls, Pool Party Seam Binding, Elegant Bouquet EF

Petite Purse Bigz L Die

(ONLY available exclusive to the summer smooches special offer April 1-30th)

Hand Stamped Sentiments #112 - Color Challenge

 This week over at Hand Stamped Sentiments, we are having a COLOR CHALLENGE!!! 

Can I get a what what!

grin...

AnyWHOOOO, (sorry, the owls made me do it) follow the deets and colors listed above and head on over to the Hand Stamped Sentiments Blog to link up your fun-tastic creations and take a peek at what 'owl' the design team ladies have nested together this week.

I'm always in need of Birthday cards and making them 'mailable' is always a plus!

I used a Fleur de Lis embossing folder on my Rich Razzleberry, inked it up with Versa Mark and then heat embossed it with clear embossing powder. Although my 'clear' embossing powder somehow has bits of white in it...

which works well with my white embossed center Fleur de Lis and Happy Birthday sentiment, perfect!

SU! products used:

Ink - Craft White, Versa Mark

Paper - Pretty in Pink, Early Espresso, Rich Razzleberry

Other - Clear & White Embossing Powder

Hand Stamped Sentiments #111 - Easter BUNNY Fluff and Stuff

We're gearing up for that fluffy little bunny that seems to bring LOADS of sugar and crazy children with him every year, at least around our house and over at Hand Stamped Sentiments...with our Easter challenge.

Grab your glue guns, some cotton balls and maybe a jelly bean or two and let's get hopping! Enter the challenge HERE and check out what fun fluffy designs the HSS design team has cracked open this week!

After last weeks watercolor challenge, it was an itch I just had to scratch again...so I pulled out my Watercolor Wonder Crayons and Auqa pen and colored this sweet little bunny, or rather a reverse watercolor, since I wanted him to be white 

...after he was dry, I decided he was the perfect size for a bookmark and what better way to send a handmade card than one with a gift attached?! I used my 1-3/8" Square Punch to create my little window for him to peek through, roughed up the inside edges with my paper snips and then ran my piece of Bashful Blue through the Big Shot with an EF. The EF had a bird on it, which I didn't want, just the grass, so I placed it so the bird would be in my 'window'. The EF also didn't cover my entire piece of cardstock, so I just improvised with a very large piece of ribbon. 

I added a bit of peek a boo fun once the bookmark is removed, two little cheerful paper-pieced Easter eggs. Then popped up my Bashful Blue cardstock with strategically place dimensionals to create a pocket for the bunny book mark.

And a fun candy treat, just for kicks...

I scored a piece of 11X3-3.8 inch cardstock at 4-1/2, 6 and 10-1/2 inches, punched out a 'window' with my 2-1/2" Circle Punch and added a sweet little bag of treats. My sentiment was heat embossed with Tempting Turquoise EP and the flowers were colored using the same method as the card.

SU! products used:

Stamps - Well Scripted, SAB Sweet Summer retired

Ink - Black StazOn, Versa Mark, Classic Basic Black

Paper - Bashful Blue, Watercolor, Pretty in Pink

Punches - 2-1/2" Circle, 1-3/8" Square

Other - retired 1-1/4" Pink Ribbon, retired Pink Seam Binding

Dimensionals, Sticky Strip, Cello Bags, Tempting Turquoise embossing powder

This Little Caterpillar sure is HUNGRY

I've recently been asked to make a few Hungry Caterpillar inspired cupcake toppers and well, you know me, I can't stop there!! I took the challenge one step more and created a whole Birthday party pack of inchworm fun!

Starting with my pennant banner...the Happy Birthday words are separated with a little finger stamped caterpillar perched on a leaf he's already taken a few bites out of!

 here are the toppers, they'll come in red and green

and you can't have a party without invites AND of course a little something to thank all the party guests, matching thank you note cards!

I'm entering my banner over at The Shabby Tea Room, they are looking for a bit of pennant fun!

HSS #110 - Water Coloring Technique

This week over at Hand Stamped Sentiments, we are having a Water Coloring Technique Challenge. We'd love to see your new or old water color tricks and treats this week, head on over to check out the fun projects the design team has water logged this week and link up your wet n' wild creations too! 

I'm not going to lie, it's been awhile since I've pulled out my watercolor paper, the color media of choice and my auqa pens but once I started coloring using my Watercolor Crayons 

(I really didn't know what all the fuss was about the crayons before I watched

THIS fab tutorial on youtube) I couldn't STOP! 

I started off stamping my Calla Lily Stamp onto a piece of watercolor paper using Staz On Ink and then started highlighting the inside of the flower with yellow, waited until it dried and then added more to create a darker shade. I fiddled, dabbled, painted, squeezed, added and pushed the colors around until I liked what I saw. 

After letting the paper dry completely, I added a bit of shimmer to the very center of my flower with Pearlized Smooch

Some bakers twine tied along the bottom, which I finished off with a yellow button. The Paper Players are having a BUTTON challenge this week, so I'm entering my card over there too.

I checked in my stash for something fun and found these sweet metal letters hiding in one of my drawers, I ran two pieces of twine through them and just pulled up the ends of the twine to opposite corners on my card to keep the letters from sliding around

So, back to the youtube tutorial, I never realized I could just dab directly onto my watercolor crayons with my auqa painter...oooh the things you learn on youtube! :) and have NEVER used the retired Sale A Bration set, that the lady in the video used...but after watching the video, I had to try this set out and pretty much cased her sweet little treat bags to a T!

A bit of shimmer paint was added to tiny bits on the flower and the little bee wings, although you can't tell from the photos

 filled one with "chocolate malt eggs"

and the other with jellybeans

Now I need to whip up a bunch of these for teachers and friends!

SU! products used:

Stamps - retired SAB Sweet Summer, Well Scripted

Ink - Black Staz On

Paper - Lucky Limeade DSP, Watercolor, Lucky Limeade, Bashful Blue

Punche - Fancy Label

Other - yellow button, Pool Party Seam Binding, Auqa Painter, 

Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Lucky Limeade Twine

I couldn't help but post the next two pics...I had two little helpers today on the sunny front porch...

 Satine decided to watch for birds while I was taking pics

 and then Kowe pushed Satine off the chair and sat down to 'pose' for the camera, silly girls!

Hello Spring

This week at The Shabby Tea Room, they posted the inspiration photo below, along with the theme 'Spring is Near' to drum up some creative inspiration. The rules are to use at least three colors from the picture and use dry embossing...and this is what I came up with.

STR#105

I used the inside stamp from the center of the frame (normally would be thrown away) to create the checkerboard background pattern. Dry embossing over top of that with the Elegant Lines EF. 

I found this tutorial on Pinterest to make the paper flowers, but after rolling them, I cut 1/2 of the bottoms off, so they would sit lower on my card. I also didn't draw the spiral first, just cut freehand. and then added a bunch of mini glue dots to the bottom of each flower. Hot glue would've worked as well. Hand cut leaves were easy to create with my paper snips and I didn't want them too perfect, which is why I didn't use a punch or die cut to make them.

 SU! products used:

Stamps - Elementary Elegance SAB

Ink - Versa Mark, Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, Pool Party

Paper - Whisper White, Lucky Limeade DSP, Lucky Limeade, Pool Party DSP, Island Indigo

Punch - Scallop Border

Other - Gold Embossing Powder, mini glue dots

You make my whole face SMILE

This week over at Freshly Made Sketches, I decided to join in the fun and whipped up this card using their sketch. I used one of the sets I got for FREE during Sale A Bration this year, the end of March is drawing near soon...click HERE to place your order during Sale A Bration before all of THESE fun items are no longer available!

FMS#26

I edged the white cardstock with a bit of Pink Pirouette to make my card a bit more dreamy. A bit of sticky strip along the top, made for a perfect place to add a ruffled paper ribbon. And the Melon Mambo Embossing powder added the perfect pop of hot pink!

SU! products used:

Stamps - SAB Sprinkled Expressions

Paper - Lucky Limeade DSP, Whisper White, Pink Pirouette

Ink - Versa Mark

Other - Melon Mambo EP, Framelits Labels, Sticky Strip, Dimensionals