Fabulous Frames and Good Feelings

Are you looking for an easy card making challenge?  This week at #TGIF370 the challenge is to use a frame, maybe even two frames if you're clever.

I chose to use the scallop ended frame from the new die set called Fabulous Frames.  First, I stamped the greeting from the Good Feelings Stamp Set with three colors, Calypso Coral, Fresh Freesia, and Starry Sky.  Then, I positioned the die to frame around the greeting to my liking and ran it through the Stampin' Cut and Emboss Machine.

Next, for this card was some super cute swimsuits!  These bathing beauties come from the Sunny Splash Stamp Set.  I stamped them then fussy cut them so I could arrange them to look as if they were hanging on the line of twine.  Speaking of twine I used the Sweet Sorbet roll from the 2022-2024 In Color Baker's Twine Pack.

The background paper is a piece from the adorable Butterfly Kisses 6" x 6" DSP pack.  Each bathing suit is adorned with a Fun Flowers Resin Shape.  One last detail is the Starry Sky card base is 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" scored at 4 1/4" for a basic side fold.

Celebrating In Color

Welcome to another A Paper Pumpkin Thing Blog Hop.  This month's kit is Celebrating In Color and it's just that  celebration of all five of the 2022-2024 In Colors.  Today I am all about Starry Sky.  It's a dark deep saturated blue that is rich and stately and totally gorgeous.

I created a card using one of the printed envelopes and three of the stamps in the kit.  To start I grabbed a piece of Starry Sky Cardstock and a Thick Basic White card base.  I like a top fold so I cut a 4 1/4" x 11" piece and scored it in half at 5 1/2".

The background, which is the inside of one of the envelopes, includes some Gold Leafing.  I swiped Liquid Glue across here and there and then rubbed the gold leaf to the sticky spots.  I like to use an adhesive remover to buff off the excess gold leaf.

On a piece of Starry Sky I stamped and embossed the word "happy" with Gold Embossing Powder. Then I carefully painted an ombre effect inside each letter with Starry Sky and Whisper White Ink Pads.  As I was adding Wink of Stella it blobbed out so, I had to rub it all around to fix it.  I used the flap of the printed envelope to cut the flowers and leaves from the Summer Shadows Dies.

If you look to the right side of the card you'll see I tucked a scalloped border of In Color Glimmer Paper.  The color wasn't Starry Sky.  It was a scrap of Orchid Oasis that I had sitting on my stamp desk.  

I'll be having a class next week where I will stamp up all the pieces within this Celebrating In Color Kit.  Join me.  Bring your kit and we'll stamp together.

Thanks for joining me today.  Be sure to click on each of today's hoppers to see lots more ideas using this amazing kit that is jam packed with total awesomeness!

A Unique Color Combination

For Stampin' Fancy Friday's challenge this month I was inspired by a cool sweatshirt I saw. So, I combined Blackberry Bliss, Rich Razzleberry, Tahitian Tide, and Pear Pizzazz to create this Sending Smiles greeting card.

Take a close look and you'll see I die cut the "sending" from the 2022-2024 In Color 6" x 6" Glimmer Paper. Did you know the new Glimmer Paper is designed with an ombre effect? It's super gorgeous and mixes with lots of colors along with the new In Colors. 

To create texture and visual depth, I pre-inked the Hive 3D Embossing Folder with Blackberry Bliss Ink. I love how the ink gets into the nooks and crannies and gives a great look. The flowers are stamped with Rich Razzleberry and Pear Pizzazz. The petals were stamped off first and the centers are full strength.

A simple bit of stampin' on the inside lends to a complete and finished look to the card.

I would love to help you create awesome hand made stamp projects.  Shop with me and earn free class kits.  Use my current host code M7U4YFNZ for May and spend $75 before tax and shipping you'll be sent June's #useitup! class kit for FREE.   My #useitup! class for June will feature the New Horizon DSP and the theme will be "wildlife."

Flowing Flowers Trio

I focused a class last week on the Flowing Flowers Stamp Set.  I shared one of the cards from the class last Tuesday.  They are photoed right below.  That card was inspired by a card on page 14 in the Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog.  I thought for today's Monday Montage Blog Hop I would share the other two cards from my class.  I used the same color palette, the Forever Flourishing Dies, and some scraps of black and white DSP for the trio of cards.

This card didn't turn out anything like what I had in my mind.  I do like this window style card that gives a peek to what's inside.  To cut the frames I used the Stitched Rectangle Dies.  For the leaves I used a couple different dies from the Forever Flourishing set.  One bunch of leaves is Polished Pink Shimmer Vellum (retired) and the other is Orchid Oasis Glimmer Paper.

I especially love the long banner die that bridges across the frame/window and backs the large floral bloom.  A bit of heat embossing makes the white greeting pop on the Crushed Curry Cardstock.

For this card you can see I focused on mixing Coastal Cabana with Orchid Oasis and a little bit of black and white.  What I really like on this one is how the Iridescent Rhinestones take on the purple-blue hue of the paper.

This card started as a 5 1/2" x 11" card base.  Along the 11" edge I scored at 3 3/8" from each end.  Then I used one of the dies from Basic Borders set to cut a pierced envelope style edge.  Behind that I glued a quarter sheet of Orchid Oasis that I dry embossed with the Painted Texture 3D Folder.

Here's a look inside when the card is fully open.

I have enjoyed having you stop by for our Blog Hop.  Next along the hop is Emily or you can click back to visit with Cheryl.

Use this month's host code M7U4YFNZ and receive June's #useitup! Class Kit for FREE!  All qualifying orders, $75 before tax and shipping, will be mailed a kit.  June's theme is "Wildlife" and we are using up the New Horizon DSP.  Class is June 16th on Facebook.

He's the Man Was My First

We have a fantastic challenge this week at #TGIF369.  For this challenge we are celebrating the release of the 2022-2023 Annual Stampin' Up! Catalog.  The idea is to use one, two, or however many inspirational cues from the new catalog cover to motivate your project.  I picked the card; specifically the background of the card.  AND, I chose to use the He's the Man Suite since it was the first new collection for me from this new catalog.

My spin on recreating a similar style background started with a Mint Macaron card base, blending brushes, and aMint Macaron Ink Pad, a Cajun Craze Ink Pad, and an Early Espresso Ink Pad.With a direct to paper technique I swiped Mint Macaron ink across the top of the card.  Then I did that again with the Cajun Craze pad and then last with Early Espresso.  I used Blending Brushes to smooth and add even more ink.  I kept working the colors until I achieved the look I was going for.  

All the decorative elements on the card are from the He's The Man Suite.  The collection includes a stamp set called He's All That and it has a matching set of dies.  Here's the coolest thing, the DSP for this suite has two pieces of die cut punch outs--all kinds of masculine icons and elements that compliment the stamps. 

Hand Stamped Sentiments Sketch Challenge

It's sketch challenge time over at Hand Stamped Sentiments and this is a great one.  I am a fan of sketches and if it includes a banner/flag I really love it.

For this sketch I decided I would bust out Orchid Oasis Cardstock for my card base and then paired it with Polished Pink, Coastal Cabana, and Crushed Curry.  I featured the Flowing Flowers Stamp Set and added to the florals some leaves cut with the Forever Flourishing Dies.

With one image from the Flowing Flowers Stamp Set and a Whisper White Ink Pad I created a background for my Orchid Oasis card base.  Once it was totally dry I added a Vellum Cardstock banner/flag to match the sketch challenge.  To each side I added strips of Pattern Party DSP (retired).  I like the modern flair of the black and white stripes in combination with the romantic floral images.

#useitUP! “Beaches”

Today I held another #useitUP! stamp class in the Backstage Pass of SeeingINKspots.  This class series is all about using up papers, ribbons, and accessories that we have in our collection of supplies and pairing it with stamps and dies that might be brand new or several years old.  This month's theme was "beaches" and I used up my Waves of the Ocean DSP and Blue Foils.  

With the theme "beaches" I suggested that those stampin' along with me use Paradise Palms, Timeless Tropical, Tropical Chic, or whatever beach themed stamps that they may have in their stash.  I chose to use the Timeless Tropical Stamp Set and In The Tropics Dies.  It's a stamp set and coordinating dies that just recently retired from Stampin' Up! that I thought needed some love and inking up.  Take a look through the photos here and you'll see how awesome the stamps mixed with the Waves of the Ocean DSP.

I included the use of the Tasteful Textile Embossing Folder on each of the cards.  Even though this folder also recently retired that's not going to stop me from using this amazing folder.  On the top card I embossed the DSP which created a cool look with the pattern of the paper.  Take a look at the next two cards and you'll see I preinked the folder to add even more visual impact and dimension.

I preinked with Pacific Point Ink on the logo side of the folder.  This is how I got the ink down in the crevasses and created a two-tone appearance.

How about a blue foil pineapple?  I love it!  This card includes a fancy fold.  Scroll down and see.  It's an easy fold/layer, but it gives you a big bang.

For this last card I preinked with Whisper White Ink on the logo side of the folder and then ran it through the Stamp and Cut Emboss Machine.  The mix of white ink on the Balmy Blue Cardstock is a subtle combination which lends to the breezy beachy feel of the card.

I LOVE the way this card turned out!  Maybe it's the texture, or the strips of DSP, or the tiny touch of Bermuda Bay foil, or the #GDP342 Global Design Project layout--it's just a cool card IMO.

If you've enjoyed stampin' or hangin' out with me today and you need a new stamp give me a shout out.  I can help you order products from Stampin' Up!  Click on the link right below and use my current host code for May M7U4YFNZ.  Orders of $75 get a FREE class kit for June's #useitUP! "Wildlife" Kit.