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stamp review crew: timeless tropical

Welcome friends, to another Stamp Review Crew blog hop! I am really excited for this one as we put the fantastic set Timeless Tropical center stage. This set was in the Spring mini catalog and I was so happy to have it carry over to the 2020-21 Stampin’ Up! main catalog!

As I was playing around with my layout for this first card, I started to get a feel of an old postcard.

I started with a panel of woodgrain from the awesome In Good Taste DSP. I lightly sponged around the edges with Saddle Brown StazOn to capture a sepia tone of an old photograph. I colored the palm trees with Old Olive and Early Espresso markers and stamped on Very Vanilla panel. I also stamped the palm trees and embossed them in white on vellum. I cut this out with coordinating In The Tropics dies. A tiny strip of Magenta Madness DSP, some linen thread and ribbon add just the right details. Did I capture the feel of an old post card?

This next card screams summertime! I started with the pineapple image and went BOLD!

This card measures 3.75″x5″. I started with a 3.25″x4.5″ panel of watercolor paper. I stamped the pineapples with Versamark ink and embossed them with white embossing powder. The I used my new flat brush water painter to streak on Daffodil Delight, Mango Melody and Magenta Madness ink refill over the panel to reveal the pineapples. I added black spatters on the card base with my black marker.

Timeless Tropical is definitely a set you want in your collection. Still not convinced? Head on over to Cindy or you can go back to Nikki for more great projects to inspire you to use Timeless Tropical.

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stamp review crew: stacked stone

Welcome to another Stamp Review Crew blog hop. The Stamp Review Crew is a group of Stampin’ Up! demonstrators from around the world that get together on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month for a blog hop. Each hop we shine a spotlight on one stamp set and show you just how much you can do with it. Today, we are putting a fun new background stamp center stage: Stacked Stone.

I love background stamps. They are like the solid ensemble members of a play – not often in the spotlight, but they add so much needed depth and detail. Stacked Stone is great stamped tone on tone, or colored in. In fact, I made two projects to showcase this versatility.

For my first card, I started with a tone on tone look. I stamped Stacked Stone in Gray Granite ink on a Gray Granite card base.

It looks like a great stone wall in a garden. So I added a beautiful flower from the new So Much Love set colored with my Stamping Blends and Copic markers. I popped the Bumble Bee DSP die cut up on dimensionals. I wanted the flower to be a bit raised as well, but didn’t want another layer of dimensionals. I’ll show you my trick to get a thinner layer of depth:

I die cut two ovals smaller than my image and glued them together then to the back of the stamped image. This can add depth, but help keep bulk from layers of dimensionals down.

Since the first card had a dainty, feminine look, I went for a more industrial, masculine look on my next card.

I started by doing a light watercolor wash of Smokey Slate, Crumb Cake and Cinnamon Cider on Shimmery White card stock. Once it was completely dry, I stamped the Stacked Stone image in gray Granite ink. Then I watercolored some of the specific stones for added depth. I added some die cut gears and a sentiment from Geared Up Garage.

Stacked Stone is a fantastic, versatile background stamp. Don’t believe me yet? Head on over to Heidi or back to Holly and then check out the rest of the design team’s great projects. By the end of the blog hop I’m sure Stacked Stone will be making it’s way to your craft room!

Thanks for stopping by! Join me again to shine a spotlight on Creativity!

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paper craft crew challenge #381

Time for this week’s challenge from the Paper Craft Crew! We have another great card sketch to inspire your creativity.

I decided to play with some of the new In colors from Stampin’ Up! – Misty Moonlight, Magenta Madness, Bumble Bee – and the new Tasteful Touches stamp set.

I love the softness of the flower and feather images against the different geometric patterns. Be sure to head over to the Papercraft Crew blog and check out the rest of the Design team’s project and then take part in the challenge yourself!

Thanks for stopping by! Please, join me again to shine a spotlight on creativity!

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stamp review crew: daisy lane

I’m excited to be hopping with the talented Stamp Review Crew today as we shine a spotlight on the Daisy Lane stamp set. Daisies are my favorite flower, so this set was one I had to have. Gerbera Daisies are really my favorite, but I like all daisies. They are such a happy flower. And that can translate to some happy projects.

I started by stamping the flower and stem with crumb Cake ink on the Crumb Cake card base. I did a little no line watercoloring on the large daisy image. I stamped and colored it once on the stitched square of water color paper and once on a scrap of wc paper and punched it out. The punched flower is popped up on a dimensional and petals overhanging the square were trimmed off. A strip of Daffodil Delight gingham DSP is a perfect anchor for a delightful daisy.

For this next card, I started with a panel of water color paper and did some ink smooshing. I used Daffodil Delight, Mango Melody and Terracotta Tile. I love how these colors blend in water color!

For the card base, I inked up my Tasteful Textile 3D embossing folder with Mango Melody ink and stamped it on the thick Whisper White card base rather than run it through the Big Shot. Here’s a closer look:

I love the distressed look it gives behind the main panel. The sentiment embossed in white on the black stitched banner and the bit of black and white striped DSP (retired) really pop against the water color background.

Thanks for stopping by! Now head on over to Betty or you can go back to Lou and check out their awesome creations.

Be sure to make your way through the entire blog hop for amazing Daisy Lane inspiration! Thanks for stopping by! Join me again to shine a spotlight on creativity!

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I love a good challenge

Hello friends! I have some exciting news – I have joined the Paper Craft Crew Challenges Design Team!

Each week the Paper Craft Crew puts out a new crafty challenge: a card sketch, color combo, inspiration photo or tic tac toe, etc and invites paper crafters to join the challenge and create something fun! The Design Team kicks things off to give you all some added inspiration. I was honored the PCC Team coordinator, and my friend, Pam asked me to join. I love a good challenge and I look forward to the creativity ahead.

Today’s challenge is this fun inspiration photo:

After staring at the photo for awhile, I asked myself – What do I like about the picture? I like the white space with bold pops of color and the aqua, bright pink and orange colors. I also like the single flower focal point. Here is how I put those elements together.

I opted to put the flower focal point on the opposite side of the card because of the natural bend the stamped image had. I used an embossing folder to give some texture and depth to the background taken from the out of focus background in the inspiration photo. (sneak peek of the Old World Paper 3D folder and new In Color Magenta Madness from the NEW 2020-21 Stampin’ Up! catalog!)

Check out the Paper Craft Crew Challenges blog and join the fun! Create your own project and share it in the PCC#379 post. Challenges are open for one week. Who knows, you may even be a Top Pick!

I’m so glad you stopped by! Please join me again to shine a spotlight on creativity!

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stamp review crew: honey bee

Hello friends! I am excited to be hopping once again with the Stamp Review Crew. If you are not familiar with The Stamp Review Crew, we are a group of international Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators who hop together on the first and third Monday of the month to bring you some great inspiration. Each blog hop features a different stamp set. You can find all of the blog hops archived on the Stamp Review Crew blog. Today we are shining a spotlight on the Honey Bee stamp set.

This stamp set is so much fun to work with. For my first card, I was inspired by one of my favorite Disney characters with a love for Hunny – Winnie the Pooh! I was thinking about the scene where he gets stuck in the honey tree and honey is dripping all around him.

I created a Crushed Curry watercolor wash to try to create a similar look.

I added a couple of bees, some Golden Honey DSP and some die cut honey comb for added texture.

My second project continues the dripping honey theme.

This time I added the panel to a card base embossed with the Corrugated 3D emboss folder.

I think that Silly Ol’ Bear would approve, don’t you? Time for you to continue your way to more creative inspiration through the blog hop. From here you can head over to Linda by clicking the NEXT button below or you can go back to Holly by clicking the PREVIOUS button

Thanks for stopping by! Join me again to shine a spotlight on creativity!

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you are the happy

Ok, we return you to your previously scheduled season. Fall has returned…for the moment. The colored leaves and crisp air are here. I breathe a sigh of relief. So let’s celebrate that with today’s card.

I started with the Come to Gather designer series paper from the 2019 Holiday Catalog. I added a layer of retired Woodgrains dsp. It really is one of my all time favorites. The Sentiment is from the Country Home stamp set. I fussy cut 2 pumpkins from the DSP and colored them with a blender pen and ink refill. The leaves are In the Woods and Frosted Bouquet dies.

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back on the stage

I didn’t get around to sharing much in September. There wasn’t much creating going on in my studio. My time was filled with rehearsals and performances for the play The Curious Savage at The Barn Theatre in Willmar, MN. It was a wonderful experience. I had the amazing opportunity to reprise a role I have played before – ten years ago I played the same role when the Hutchinson Theatre Company did the same play! The Curious Savage is one of my favorite plays and Mrs. Savage one of the best characters I have ever portrayed! If you ever have the chance to see this show done – GO! It is a beautiful story, hilarious and touching all in one.

Of course I had to create a special card for my fellow cast/ crew mates. I tied it to a special line in the play. “Take and umbrella, it’s raining.” It is a way of saying “I love you”.

Mrs. Savage tells Fairy May there are hundreds of ways people say “I love you”, you just have to listen for it. Something we all can learn to do.

Now that the play is done, I need to get back in my studio and create some new projects to share. I hope you will come back to see what I come up with! Let’s shine a spotlight on creativity!

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stamp review crew: dino days

Welcome! The Stamp Review Crew is hopping again to get your creative juices flowing with some great inspiration featuring the Dino Days stamp set. This set isn’t only for little kids. My kids are all grown, but I am LOVING this adorable set. These sweet dinos are just so cheerful!

For my first card I went with a lot of white space with pops of color. I took the color scheme from the DinoRoar DSP. I love how the DSP, dino spine and detail stamp carry the triangle motif throughout the card.

For my second card, I again took inspiration from the DinoRoar DSP.

This sweet dino looked like he needed a snack. I cut off some leaves from the Leaf Ribbon and gave him some to munch on. I really like the Melon Mambo Gingham DSP with this. It gives a fun background for the grass.

From here you can head on over to Lauren and her fun creations or go back to Chalet and her wonderful inspirations. Just click on one of the buttons below. But, be sure to make your way through the complete blog hop. You don’t want to miss any of the great projects the design team has to share with you!

Thanks for stopping by! Join me again to shine a spotlight on creativity!

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stamp review crew: stitched all around

Hello crafty friends! What better way to kick off a new month than a fantastic Stamp Review Crew blog hop! Today we are featuring Stitched All Around stamp set.

The sentiments in this set are a lot of fun to work with. I decided to step out of my color comfort zone and work a bold color scheme of Poppy Parade, Mango Melody and Pineapple Punch and Basic Black.

For my first card, I started with a gradient watercolor wash with the leaf border stamped in black.

I also repeatedly stamped the stamp of x’s on the card base to mirror the gradient pattern. Sentiment is stamped in black Stazon on watercolor paper and colored to match the watercolor panel. Flecks added with my Basic Black Stampin’ Write marker. I also embossed the sentiment in white on black card stock and cut out just the word sunshine for added emphasis. I punched out some vellum daisies to layer behind the sentiment and added some rhinestones. Here is a closer look at the sentiment flower.

For my second card, I stuck with this same color scheme.

I stamped the leaf border in Poppy Parade, Mango Melody and Pineapple Punch, then ran my aquapainter over them for the watercolor look. It is hard to see, but the sentiment panel was etched top and bottom with the stitching from the coordinating Stitched Labels dies. The center og the flower is some black bakers twine that I knotted and threaded through a hole I punched in the center of the daisies punched out of Pineapple Punch 6×6 DSP stack. The black polka dot paper is not Stampin’ Up!, but I love the contrast it provided.

If you are doing the hop in order, I am the final stop today. If you started somewhere in the middle, never fear! You can keep going by clicking the NEXT button below. It will take you to Betty who kicked off our hop today. Or you can click the PREVIOUS button to go back to Chalet.

Thanks for stopping by. Join me again to shine a spotlight on creativity!

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