Seeing Spots

This post includes a new favorite of mine--the Large Polka Dot TIEF.  I had the chance to unpack this new accessory of mine and play with it a bit on this theme challenge from Hand Stamped Sentiments.  The colors really popped out for me for this challenge.  So, I went with a Coastal Cabana, Blackberry Bliss, Whisper White, and Silver palette.

I started my card with a full 6" x 9" sheet of Watercolor Paper.  I folded it in half and then embossed the front with the Large Polka Dot TIEF.  Then time came for the real fun of the card.  I grabbed an Aqua Painter and ink pads and swooshed color on the dots. The look was a bit intense so I swiped a Whisper White ink pad across the dots and then I instantly loved the look.  It was from there that it made me think of making a simple baby card.

The Little Letters were cut from Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper.  That's another new accessory that I love.  It's gorgeous and easily takes color if you want to change it up a bit.  The small scraps of DSP are from two different packs of paper, the In Color 2013-15 Stack and Park Lane.

While I was working on the challenge I noticed that the July Paper Pumpkin kit perfectly fit the colors I was using for the challenge.  I pumped up the kit by added a few tools that were out on my stamp table.  The first was some washi tape which I added to the striped box.  It was so easy and the finished look is so cool.

My second add to the kit was the Large Polka Dot TIEF and last a few scraps of Soft Sky card stock.  It's a fun kit with lots and lots of possibilities.

Swaps for Convention

This past week has been a whirlwind of fun and friends!  I had the fabulous opportunity to travel to Salt Lake City and attend Inspire Create Share 2014, Stampin' Up!'s annual convention.  This was my 17th convention and I had quite the time, I even got my face painted.  It is always a great feeling when I get to reunite with far away friends from all over the country and Canada.  As a stamper at a stamping convention it only made sense to whip up a batch of cards and then swap with my stampin' friends.

On Thursday night, the Monday Montage group of extraordinary paper crafters gathered to swap.  Today's post is the card I made to swap with each of them.  For my swaps I decided to feature one of my favorite new stamp sets which is big News and teh Typeset DSP.  You may have seen a few posts back my quick and easy Envelope Punch Board zig zag edges tip.  It's a simple technique and another one of my favorites, so I decided to also include that in my swap.

I also love the new Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper.  That is what I used for the punched butterfly on my card.  I did give it a spritz of Calypso Coral reinker mixed with water to get the soft cantaloupe color.  Another detail I will point out is the added texture on the Typeset DSP layer.  I ran the paper through the Lovely Lace TIEF.  An addition of Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Basic Black Bakers Twine and Basic Rhinestones were the last touches I included to finish up my card.

from dara gloden

to julie warnick

More Big News!

Isn't this a cool sketch?  It comes as a challenge from Hand Stamped Sentiments and I love it.  It's a layout I would never come up with on my own.  This is why I love taking sketch challenges on--it builds my repertoire of looks.

I added a 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" piece of All Abloom DSP to a Strawberry Slush card base.  From there I added a layer of Island Indigo and Shimmer White card stocks.  The fabulous greeting image comes from the stamp set Big News.  My ink colors are Strawberry Slush and Island Indigo Stampin' Write Markers.  The butterflies are punched from Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper and the small flowers are from Lost Lagoon.  I moved to the lighter tint of blue for the flowers to create a subtle sense of depth.

Product List

Lost Lagoon 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [133679] $6.95	Strawberry Slush 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131295] $6.95	Island Indigo 8-1/2 X 11 Card Stock [122923] $6.95	Shimmery White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock [101910] $7.95
Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper [135315] $4.95	All Abloom Designer Series Paper Stack [133703] $6.95	Island Indigo Stampin' Write Marker [131905] $3.50	2013-2015 In Color Stampin' Write Markers [131260] $14.95
Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack [133787] $16.95	Elegant Butterfly Punch [127526] $15.95	Bitty Butterfly Punch [129406] $15.95	Basic Rhinestones Jewel Accents [119246] $4.95
Big News Clear-Mount Stamp Set [134018] $31.95

It's About Time!

I needed, wanted, craved, and was starved for inspiration.  I mean I searched for my mojo for days until this picture/pin, found here, set my mind into full swing.  So much that I am ready for paint rollers and tarps so I can bring some of these glorious hues into my home!

I love this painting with stamps technique.  For it to work you must use watercolor paper as it's heavy and porous enough for many sprits of water, blotting dry, more water, ink...  I start by misting my watercolor paper with a Mini Mister filled with plain water.  Then I stamp a layer of images and let then wick and bleed in the water.  I blot a little with a paper towel then spritz more water and stamp again.  I keep going until it looks done.  With each repetition of water and stamping I spritz less and less and the result is a sharper, less defused, image.  My last image stamped was the greeting.  At that time the paper was totally dry.

from dara gloden

to julie warnick

Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad [133642] $5.95	Wisteria Wonder Classic Stampin' Pad* [122936] $5.95	Perfect Plum Classic Stampin' Pad [126963] $5.95	Wild Wasabi Classic Stampin' Pad [126959] $5.95
Basic Black Craft Stampin' Pad [102192] $7.50	Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad [131171] $5.95	6 X 9 Watercolor Paper [122959] $4.95	Flower Patch Photopolymer Stamp Set [134207] $25.95
Work Of Art Clear Stamp Set [134114] $21.95	Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder [109130] $4.75	Heat Tool [129053] $29.95	Basic Black Baker's Twine [134576] $2.95