Super quick for today since I’m in the middle of a trip (typing from a hotel room and I’m TIRED!). I created this for the latest awesome sketch. This one was designed by our hiker extraordinaire, Jen Brum!
I saw this design from the free paper pack that came in my Honey Bee Stamps order (instant quick cards if you want and oh so cute). Thought it would be pretty for the sketch. I inked up some paper and cut these holly leaves and berries. So fast but so fun! I told you in Monday’s post about the Holly Jolly Background Stamp and the sentiment I cut out. This one was all ready to go and popped it right onto the card.
I think I will use more of these little cards in similar ways to create a stack of cards. I love when quick cards can still feel special. Hope you’ll come over and join us for the sketch this week.
For all of you in the US, wishing you a happy Thanksgiving holiday. If you are traveling, so am I! Keep an eye out in Houston, Charlotte, Chicago! See you again soon.
I have been working away on Christmas cards and trying some new techniques. I find that watching “lives” with my stamping friends inspires me to try things I would never otherwise do. This card is the result of one I watched with the queen of artsy, inky goodness – Lydia Fiedler.
Last week, Lydia was showing how to add color and depth to a background stamp and I was inspired to try it with the Holly Jolly background stamp from Honey Bee Stamps. There is nothing particularly hard about the process, it just takes a bit of time and patience. I started with a piece of Bristol Smooth paper larger than the image and put it in my Misti. The Misti is key to the technique since you stamp the image over and over again. Using my Mini Distress Inks, I started adding colors selectively on the image. I kind of went around and around the image adding and layering the inks. This gives you an idea of the work in progress. After this point I added some Peacock Feathers and Villainous Potion. It is kind of an experiment which is what makes it fun.
Once I had the panel inked, I decided I wanted it to take on a vintage vibe so I added Distress Oxide Ink in Antique Linen and some Vintage Photo Distress Ink on the edges. Next I splattered on some Early Espresso ink. I chose a section that seemed the most balanced and cut it with a rectangle die. Separately, I inked the big image in black ink and used the coordinating dies to cut all the sentiments out…such a great way to have a bunch of fun font sentiments on hand. I used the script Holly Jolly and matched the distress inking from the main panel.
Using the Make It Merry paper pack, I chose a plaid for the base layer and some of the red/green prints for my poinsettia. I little gold center to add some elegance.
This inking technique has made me look at some background stamps differently and I look forward to using this again. If you are every needing some inspiration to try new things, go visit my friend Lydia. She is amazing and truly her tutorials will just make your day happier. Hope you have a wonderful day!
I have decided that I better start getting more serious about Christmas cards. November is bound to fly by and I’ll be woefully behind! While I’m not a big fan of mass production, I actually made 4 cards for today (all a little different) by using positive and negative die cuts.
I started by inking to A2 sized panels in a blend I have used before – Kitsch Flamingo and Salvaged Patina Distress Oxide Inks. I told you then that you would likely see it again and I’m truly obsessed with this color combination. I cut both panels with the Nordic Tree Die from Erin Lee Creative and then used a rectangle die to center and cut down the panels. I splattered one with Hero Arts Iridescent Shimmer Spray and one with Hero Arts White Glimmer Metallic Ink. The ink is a bit more opaque while the shimmer spray has a more subtle effect. Both are awesome!
I created shaker cards using the Catherine Pooler St. Cloud blend of sequins (they have the blue and clear and pink-ish colors that match the ink blend perfectly). Then using Silver Glimmer Hot Foil used the Christmas Greetings Hot Foil and Dies set from Erin Lee Creative for the sentiment.
Using the trees that I cut out (because why would I not?), I created two more cards. For the first, I sprayed again with Shimmer Spray and added some silver thread behind the tree for a little more shine. I used another of the sentiments from the Christmas Greetings set. **Tip: I actually foiled all the sentiment from the set at the same time so that I had them ready to go for these and other cards. **
On the bottom card here, I did not splatter and went for a cleaner look. In my attempt to foil the sentiment directly onto the panel, I had my foil backwards (seriously….those who have, those who will) and ended up with a letterpress look along with a pretty silver on my hot foil plate. It doesn’t hurt the plate, for the record. I kind of like the look so went with it. I added the tree but gluing the middle straight down but putting a bit of foam tape under the branches for dimension. I thought the Pink Blush Pearls from Pretty Pink Posh were the right add, almost like a free form ornament.
So there you have it. Four cards, all a little different but the same. WIN!! This pretty tree from Erin Lee Creative will stay in heavy rotation as I create. I love the modern look and clearly it allows for some diversity of design. Thanks so much for stopping in today. Back tomorrow with a fun new product!
I’m so happy to be back today for a very special post! My friend Michelle Lupton has graciously invited me to join her CASE Me a Christmas Card series again this year. I love all the inspiration that comes from her collaborations each year and, let’s face it, I’ll take any excuse to CASE one of her cards.
Truly the hardest part about this is choosing what to CASE. I mean….just go look at her gallery of work and you’ll understand. I finally settled on a card from May that was full of rainbow goodness (you can see it below). In the rules of CASEing, as I have always done it, you change 3 things but keep the overall feel of the original. Things I kept: the side placement of the focal elements, the big sentiment, the scattered pearls. Things I changed: more monochromatic, stencil plus die cut, no background stamped image.
The products on this card are new from Erin Lee Creative and I love them! I started by inking through the Nordic Tree Stencil with Versamark Ink and then heat embossed with a pearl powder. Much more subtle shimmer in person! Using the Nordic Tree Die, I did an edge cut on the Gold Cardstock (also from Erin Lee). Before layering it on, I blended on Rustic Wilderness and Iced Spruce Distress Oxide Inks. The sentiment is from the new Christmas Greetings stamp set (which has coordinating hot foil plates and dies).
This is the card by Michelle and you can see more HERE about how she made it. Now part of the fun is that she also uses one of my cards to create a Christmas card and her new card is here: Michelle’s New CASE Me a Christmas Card.
Thanks so much for joining us for this fun series! Go follow Michelle to see all of her beautiful work!
My leaves are starting to change and I’m all in on fall. Went to the apple orchard on Monday, made apple butter yesterday…I love fall in Virginia! Pretty much no matter what the sketch was this week, I was planning on using leaves and the sketch from our fabulous Judy Rozema is perfect!!!
The Lovely Layers: Fall Foliage dies from Honey Bee Stamps are simple glorious for perfect (and easy) leaf creating. I cut them out from Hammermill white paper and then blended on Distress Ink with my Bitty Blending Brushes. I love these little brushes for controlling where the color goes. I pulled a couple of leaves from my yard as color muses, as you can see. I added a few paint splatters to mimic the spots on my leaves.
I chose a sentiment from the new On The Line Fall Florals stamp set (Honey Bee Stamps) and I love how close the coordinating die cuts it. The background paper is from the Grain and Grunge Paper Pack and the gems are from the coordinating gem pack.
I hope you will come over to Freshly Made Sketches to check the gorgeous work from the team and play along. Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you have a beautiful day!
A sweet new sketch from our queen of flowers and fussy cutting, Narelle! (and you need to see her card for today!) I immediately thought fall when I saw the sketch and knew just what to pull out.
I knew this Patchwork Pumpkin stamp and die set from Honey Bee Stamps would be super fun. I inked up a panel with orange and pink Distress Inks and then stamped and cut the pumpkin. Pink you say?? Yes! Because it is a running joke with my sister and I. My mom made a super fun wall hanging quilt with pink pumpkins that I LOVE! And my sister rebels against the color choice. So there is a good chance this card will go to her…because, sisters!
That gorgeous textured background?? I’d love to take credit but it is from the Spooktacular Paper Pack from Honey Bee Stamps. The whole pack is awesome!
I hope to see you this week at Freshly Made Sketches. Thanks so much for stopping in today. See you soon!
I am over on Instagram for Honey Bee Stamps today but a quick share here as well. I created these as a simplified version of a card I did during the Vintage Holiday release. A bit better for mass production, which is inevitably where I end up this time of year.
I inked up a panel of Hammermill white card stock with Salvaged Patina Oxide Ink and then ran it though with the Pierced Fancy Flakes Cover Plate. I love the piercing detail! After I got a few of them done, I took them over to my splatter box (just a cardboard box) and sprayed with Hero Arts Iridescent Shimmer Spray. This shine takes this to a new level!
I cut the “merry” using the Bitty Buzzwords: Holiday Honey Cuts and added the “Christmas” from the Tag You’re It: Holiday Stamp Set. I love the gold with the Salvaged Patina!! A few gold pearls from my stash to finish.
Thank you for stopping in today! I suspect this will be my last post until after Christmas. I’m going to pick up my oldest from college today and then next week starts the busy season for my flying! Lots and lots of holiday flying! Normally, that is hard but I’m happy to see people traveling to their families this year.
I appreciate each of you so much and sending you best wishes for a very happy holiday season!!
I am so excited to share my latest card with you today. Sorry for being so quiet. I’ve been flying a lot more (a good thing) but that seriously cuts into my creative time (not so good thing). I got home from a trip yesterday morning and decided to give this sketch a go because I love it so much. The incomparable Jen Mitchell is the sketch designer at Freshly Made Sketches this week and I love her take on a classic!
For the circle element, I pulled out my Gina K Designs Snowflake Trio dies and cut two of them from Glitter Cardstock (it was part of a kit with the dies). I stamped the sentiment from the coordinating Sparkle and Shine Stamp Set and heat embossed with gold embossing powder.
I chose to use an unexpected color for the crossing panel and pulled out my new Villianous Potion Oxide Ink. This is a beautiful color!! I brushed in on and then sprayed the panel with my Hero Arts Shimmer Spray. So much shine, so little effort! I added a gem from my stash for the middle of the snowflake for one last bit of shine.
Hope you will come over and join us this week. Thank you so much for stopping in today. See you tomorrow for a SugarPea Designs feature.
Sharing today for Honey Bee Stamps! I needed a day just to “play” in the stamp room and I thought I should pull out this new Framed: Anenomes stamp set. It is a gorgeous image and one that can be colored with so many mediums. I chose a very loose watercolor look with Distress Ink.
I stamped the image using Versamark Ink onto Tim Holtz Heavystock paper. It is made for distress ink techniques. For each color, I simply “smooshed” the ink from a mini pad onto a small clear block then added water with a paint brush. I took the block direct to paper to apply the color. Using a small block help you keep a little more control on where the color goes but still leaves it loose. If you need a bit more color in a specific place, you can add it with a paint brush. This is a layering process so leave time to allow drying to happen in between adding colors or additional ink.
Because I love the look of pale anemones, I made the leaves and the background bold and kept the flowers in muted tones of Tattered Rose and Antique Linen. For the sentiment, I stamped and heat embossed it onto more of the Heavystock paper. Then I colored it with the Chipped Sapphire in the same way as I did the flower except I made sure there was a bit more solid coverage as a base.
I hope you enjoy this card! Let me know if this makes sense or if you would rather see a video on how to create this look. Thanks so much for dropping in today!
I am so happy to be here all week for the SugarPea Designs Summer Release Sweet Peek Week!! This summer release is full of fun products that are perfect for every stamper. And we have team hop, of course, to share inspiration. The release goes live on Friday, July 2nd at 2p Eastern.
Today we are sharing three new products: SugarCut – Life is a Picnic, Sunshine Sentiments Stamp Set, SugarCut – Sunshine Word.
The starting point for me was this absolutely incredible Life is a Picnic die set. It is so well designed. I love die sets that make it easy to create layers and are not overly complicated. This is just that! Because the dies cut the separate layers, it is easy to color them in different inks and create dimension and detail. I cut the whole set out of Tim Holtz Distress White Heavystock paper. It is great for coloring with Distress Inks. Then I got to getting inky.
You can see how I was able to color the layers with different inks to create real looking items for the basket. Once I had all the pieces colored, I glued them together and thought about a “scene”. Using the Outdoor Scene Stencil for the grass and sky. You even get a little peek into a product that will be revealed tomorrow. For my sentiment, I used the new Sunshine word die and coordinating sentiment set. I hope you like my little summer scene and can’t wait to see what you think about the new products.
Would you like to win a $50 Gift Voucher to our store? Leave a comment below for your chance to win. TWO lucky commenters will be randomly selected from the Sweet Peek Week comments to win a $50 Gift Voucher! Winners will be announced on our blog: Monday, July 5th.
Thanks for joining me today. I hope you love today’s new products and I cannot wait to continue sharing with you all week. See you tomorrow!
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