Tag: diecuts

No Stamp Design

Holy Week Scripture

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you may remember me mentioning our daily family prayer. Our daily family prayer is a selected scripture that is appropriate for the season on the church calendar or even just the time of year. I rotate these scriptures periodically, in particular as we enter different seasons in the church (liturgical) calendar. What I love most about this is that we ultimately memorize the scripture because we’ve said it each day. So as I’m choosing scriptures, I try to bear that in mind and choose scriptures that I think are important for us to take with us each day.

As we enter Holy Week, it’s time for a new family prayer and that means a new layout for our prayer frame. The 6×6 frame is from Amazon.

For the Holy Week prayer, I chose a darker backdrop that felt most appropriate for the significance of this upcoming week. This happens to be a sheet of the Everyday Skies paper. I printed the scripture on a quarter sheet of white cardstock and then cut it out using one of the Countryside Corners dies. I trimmed it slightly to reduce the white space on top and bottom. I then used the same die to cut the mat from a sheet of the purple Silver Foil specialty paper using the die extension method. I wrapped some Blackberry Bliss & gold metallic ribbon and linen thread around one end of the mat before adhering the sentiment on top with dimensionals. I used dimensionals to adhere the sentiment panel to the patterned paper and then added a few two tone sparkle gems for just a touch of moody sparkle.

Do you do anything special to mark the seasons?

Product List
Everyday Skies 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [ 164622 ]
[164622]
$12.50
Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 166780 ]
[166780]
$14.00
Silver Foil 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Pack [ 163096 ]
[163096]
$10.00
Countryside Corners Dies [ 161471 ]
[161471]
$28.00
Blackberry Bliss & Gold 1/2" (1.3 Cm) Textured Ribbon [ 164039 ]
[164039]
$10.00
Linen Thread [ 104199 ]
[104199]
$5.00
Two Tone Sparkle Gems [ 164633 ]
[164633]
$9.50
Stampin' Dimensionals [ 104430 ]
[104430]
$4.25
Add All to Cart
Retiring

Country Love

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

Whew, we’ve made it to the weekend! I don’t know about you guys, but I really ride the struggle bus toward the end of the week. The week is go-go and my energy is no-no. And my crafty mojo just hasn’t been very cooperative lately. Anyone else?

This week, we’re looking at some of my favorite sets that have made it to the Stampin’ Up! Last Chance list. If any of these happen to be your favorites, now is the time to add to cart before they’re gone for good! Today’s design uses a combination of my crafty favorites — Cute Crochet embossing folder, Country Flowers and Sending Love dies, and an already-retired sentiment called Heartfelt Hellos. I’ve seen so many cute designs that incorporate an envelope exploding with flowers and just knew I had to take a stab at it. Our color palette is inspired by two colors from a triad — with hues of turquoise and purple.

We get started with a neutral base of basic white cardstock. I embossed a quarter panel of Fresh Freesia with the Cute Crochet embossing folder and then diecut with the largest Perennial Postage die to serve as the backdrop for our main focal panel. I cut an envelope from white cardstock using the Sending Love dies and then foliage and flowers using the Country Flowers dies. The foliage is a combination of Old Olive cardstock and Season of Elegance papers and then the flowers are cut from a variety of glimmer papers, including pastel ombre, Summer Splash, and white. The florals are spilling out of the envelope with layers of dimensionals giving us our realistic-looking arrangement. A combination of gems give us our floral centers, including In Color, two tone sparkle, and purple shimmer gems and iridescent faceted gems. The sentiment from the retired Heartfelt Hellos set is stamped in Fresh Freesia on Pool Party cardstock and then cut with the Mixed Labels dies. I cut a second Mixed Label banner from Highland Heather glimmer paper, cut the banner in half, and then offset the pieces on either side to create a mat for the sentiment panel. I tied some Fresh Freesia seam binding ribbon around the embossed panel before adhering the other elements with dimensionals. A few purple sequins add an extra touch of sparkle and draw the eye to our sentiment.

I still have a few more of my retiring favorites to show you, so I hope you’ll pop back by over the weekend to see how we can use these sets!

Product List
Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 166780 ]
[166780]
$14.00
Fresh Freesia 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 155613 ]
[155613]
$11.50
Pool Party 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 122924 ]
[122924]
$11.50
Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 100702 ]
[100702]
$11.50
Season Of Elegance 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper [ 164144 ]
[164144]
$16.50
Pastel Ombre Glimmer 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Paper [ 164851 ]
[164851]
$12.00
2024–2026 In Color™ Glimmer 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Paper [ 163771 ]
[163771]
$11.00
Berry Burst, Old Olive & White 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Glimmer Specialty Paper [ 163769 ]
[163769]
$6.00
Three Color Glimmer 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Paper [ 162813 ]
[162813]
$10.50
Heartfelt Hellos Cling Stamp Set (English) [ 162964 ]
[162964]
$20.00
Fresh Freesia Classic Stampin' Pad [ 155611 ]
[155611]
$9.00
Perennial Postage Dies [ 162607 ]
[162607]
$33.00
Sending Love Dies [ 162879 ]
[162879]
$35.00
Country Flowers Dies [ 163410 ]
[163410]
$35.00
Mixed Labels Dies [ 164652 ]
[164652]
$21.00
Fresh Freesia 3/8" (1 Cm) Seam Binding Ribbon [ 164971 ]
[164971]
$8.00
Purple Fine Shimmer Gems [ 162611 ]
[162611]
$8.00
2024–2026 In Color™ Shimmer Gems [ 163781 ]
[163781]
$8.50
Iridescent Faceted Gems [ 163368 ]
[163368]
$8.50
Purple Adhesive Backed Sequins [ 164970 ]
[164970]
$8.00
Stampin' Dimensionals [ 104430 ]
[104430]
$4.25
Mini Glue Dots [ 103683 ]
[103683]
$7.25
Add All to Cart

Retiring

You’re Too Kind

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

With the release of new products to the Last Chance products list, it seemed like a fitting time to revisit some of my favorite products that will be leaving us for good. And today’s card combines quite a few of my faves in one design — Painted Lavender, Distressed Tiles embossing folder, and the Wanted to Say sentiment die set.

I really wanted the lavender to take center stage, so I kept the color palette super simple. We start with a backdrop of Smoky Slate cardstock. I machine embossed a quarter panel of slate using the Distressed Tiles embossing folder and then cut it down by about a quarter-inch. I matted the panel with Highland Heather glimmer paper to really help our purple elements pop. The focal floral stems in the center are all cut using the Painted Lavender dies. The grass is cut from Mossy Meadow and the lavender stems are cut from a combination of the purple-hued silver foil specialty paper (retired). The lavender blooms are cut from a combination of pastel ombré glimmer paper and the (retired) Highland Heather glimmer paper and are adhered to the stems with glue dots. I arranged the greenery to overlap like a hand-tied floral bundle and secured the stems together with a small strip of tape and adhered to the background panel with a dimensional. I used a small bow of velvet ribbon to cover the tape and dimensional and to solidify the look of a hand-tied bundle of flowers. The sentiment is cut from silver foil sheets and Highland Heather glimmer paper using the Wanted to Say dies. The sentiment is adhered together using a glue pen and then affixed to the background panel at the base of the floral stems with dimensionals. I added purple shimmer gems for pops of purple shimmer across the card front and to accentuate a few of the lavender flower centers.

You could very easily transform the look of this lavender nosegay by simply swapping out the purple accents for another color. There are many wildflowers that resemble lavender stems but with florets in a variety of colors.

Product List
Smoky Slate 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 131202 ]
[131202]
$11.50
Mossy Meadow 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 133676 ]
[133676]
$11.50
Pastel Ombre Glimmer 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Paper [ 164851 ]
[164851]
$12.00
Three Color Glimmer 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Paper [ 162813 ]
[162813]
$10.50
Silver Foil 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Pack [ 163096 ]
[163096]
$10.00
Silver 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Foil Sheets [ 163387 ]
[163387]
$5.00
Painted Lavender Dies [ 162596 ]
[162596]
$32.00
Wanted To Say Dies [ 161594 ]
[161594]
$39.00
Fresh Freesia 1/8" (3.2 Mm) Faux Velvet Ribbon [ 165540 ]
[165540]
$10.50
Purple Fine Shimmer Gems [ 162611 ]
[162611]
$8.00
Stampin' Dimensionals [ 104430 ]
[104430]
$4.25
Mini Glue Dots [ 103683 ]
[103683]
$7.25
Fine-Tip Glue Pen [ 138309 ]
[138309]
$7.25
Add All to Cart
Retiring · Take to the Sky

Flying By

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

The Take to the Sky suite has officially hit the Last Chance list. If you’ve been eying this fantastic set, now is your chance to add it to the crafty stash before it’s gone! I know that I’ll be sad to see it go and fully intend to keep it in my stash even after it’s gone from the shelves.

The stamps and dies offer you a variety of plane sizes to use on your designs. Earlier today, I wanted a larger-scaled plane to take center stage, but for this card, I wanted to scale things back a little and so I chose the larger biplane stamp for this fun card.

We get started with a base of Basic Black cardstock. A sheet of the grey plaid paper from the Take to the Sky paper pack serves as our backdrop, and I decided to mat it with a sheet of textured silver specialty paper for just a hint of twinkle in the background. I wanted it to look as though our focal image is bursting through the clouds, so I began setting up the focal scene by cutting clouds from Azure Afternoon cardstock using the Bright Skies dies (also a set that is retiring!). I cut the map background panel with the Countryside Corners die and arranged the clouds and map so that our plane would sit front and center and look as though it’s mid-flight.

Our plane is stamped in black on Smoky Slate cardstock and then colored with the Night of Navy Stampin’ Blends. The propellers are cut from silver foil and an industrial trinket serves as the hub. Wink of Stella helps give our propeller the look of spinning. The sentiment from the Adventurous Sky stamp set is stamped on a smaller cloud cut with the Bright Skies dies. A few of the iridescent white sequins from the sequins trio pack further the illusion of being in the clouds and help draw the eye to the focal panel and sentiment.

The combination of products in the suite offer endless possibilities for so many fun designs — from super simple to detailed. It’s perfect for all the flight enthusiasts in your life.

Product List
Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 121045 ]
[121045]
$11.50
Azure Afternoon 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 161719 ]
[161719]
$11.50
Textured Metallic 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Paper [ 163772 ]
[163772]
$8.50
Silver 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Foil Sheets [ 163387 ]
[163387]
$5.00
Bright Skies Dies [ 162793 ]
[162793]
$34.00
Countryside Corners Dies [ 161471 ]
[161471]
$28.00
Take To The Sky Suite Collection (English) [ 163832 ]
[163832]
$74.00
Adhesive Backed Sequins Trio [ 161206 ]
[161206]
$8.00
Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush [ 141897 ]
[141897]
$9.00
Jet Black Stāzon Ink Pad [ 101406 ]
[101406]
$10.50
Night Of Navy Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [ 154891 ]
[154891]
$11.00
Basic Black Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [ 154843 ]
[154843]
$11.00
Smoky Slate Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [ 154904 ]
[154904]
$11.00
Stampin' Dimensionals [ 104430 ]
[104430]
$4.25
Add All to Cart
Retiring · Take to the Sky

Up, Up and Away Birthday

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

This week, we’re exploring some of my favorite sets that are on the Stampin’ Up! Last Chance List. Today, we’re playing around with the Take to the Sky suite. As the spouse of a heavy jet pilot, this whole suite was a no-brainer for me and will definitely be sticking around in my crafty stash even after it officially retires!

For today’s card, we’re keeping it pretty simple and letting our dies and paper do the heavy lifting for this design.

We get started with a base of Night of Navy cardstock. I chose the cloud patterned sheet from the Take to the Sky paper pack as the backdrop for our flying biplane. Our plane is constructed using the Adventurous Sky dies and is a combination of the red Season of Elegance foiled paper and textured gold specialty paper. To give a realistic look to our spinning props, I added a small circle of Graceful Greenery vellum cut using the Spotlight on Nature dies. A few gold textured dots serve as the wheel and prop hubs.

The sentiment from the Hot Air Balloon stamp set is stamped in Real Red on Smoky Slate cardstock and diecut with the coordinating Hot Air Balloon banner die. The sentiment backdrop is a combination of grey and blue plaid patterns from the Take to the Sky paper pack with a strip of Cherry Cobbler & Gold metallic ribbon in the center to help things pop. A few red iridescent discs finish things off by drawing the eye to the sentiment. I added some starburst sequins in the opposing corners for a little extra pop of shimmer in the clouds.

We’ll be putting the stamps to work this afternoon. I hope you’ll fly by and check it out!

Product List
Night Of Navy 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 100867 ]
[100867]
$11.50
Season Of Elegance 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper [ 164144 ]
[164144]
$16.50
Textured Metallic 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Paper [ 163772 ]
[163772]
$8.50
Graceful Greenery Vellum 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper [ 164118 ]
[164118]
$10.00
Smoky Slate 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 131202 ]
[131202]
$11.50
Take To The Sky Suite Collection (English) [ 163832 ]
[163832]
$74.00
Hot Air Balloon Bundle (English) [ 162755 ]
[162755]
$45.00
Spotlight On Nature Dies [ 163580 ]
[163580]
$35.00
Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [ 147084 ]
[147084]
$9.00
Cherry Cobbler & Gold 1/2'' (1.3 Cm) Metallic Ribbon [ 156312 ]
[156312]
$8.00
Gold Textured Adhesive Backed Dots [ 164027 ]
[164027]
$8.00
Iridescent Adhesive Backed Discs [ 161954 ]
[161954]
$7.00
Starburst Sequins [ 165539 ]
[165539]
$7.50
Mini Glue Dots [ 103683 ]
[103683]
$7.25
Stampin' Dimensionals [ 104430 ]
[104430]
$4.25
Add All to Cart
Changing Leaves · Retiring

A Little Note

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

This week, we’re taking a look at some of my favorite sets that made it to the SU! Last Chance list. And first up is the beautiful Changing Leaves bundle. I’ve learned to get a little out of my comfort zone and play around with unique color combinations, and when you really think about it, there truly is a tree representing just about every color in the rainbow!

Our base for this design, though not visible from the card front, is Melon Mambo cardstock. A strip of the gold leaf-patterned paper from the Nature’s Sweetness paper pack serves as the right edge of the card front with the gold-splattered newsprint as the larger backdrop for our card front. I sandwiched a strip of Melon Mambo foil paper in between the two Nature’s Sweetness patterns to complement the focal images. The leaves are cut from Melon Mambo foil paper using the Changing Leaves hybrid embossing folder. They’re layered on top of the gold mercury vellum disc cut using the Spotlight on Nature dies. The sentiment from Changing Leaves is stamped in Melon Mambo on white and then cut with the longer sentiment die from the coordinating die set. The sentiment panel is adhered over twists of gold thread at the base of the focal panel using dimensionals. I added a few Sunny Days dots and purple sequins to add some pops of pink across the otherwise white backdrop.

Using unexpected colors with the Changing Leaves bundle really ups its utility factor in the craft room, knowing that simply rethinking the color palette can change a design from something more feminine to a design that is much more neutral. And that’s more than half the fun of any set in your crafty stash — rethinking how you’re using it to transform utility!

Product List
Melon Mambo 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 115320 ]
[115320]
$11.50
Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 166780 ]
[166780]
$14.00
Nature's Sweetness 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper [ 162616 ]
[162616]
$16.50
Gold Mercury Vellum 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper [ 164142 ]
[164142]
$10.00
Melon Mambo & Granny Apple Green 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Foil Sheets [ 161953 ]
[161953]
$10.00
Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad [ 147051 ]
[147051]
$9.00
Changing Leaves Bundle (English) [ 164139 ]
[164139]
$54.00
Spotlight On Nature Dies [ 163580 ]
[163580]
$35.00
Sunny Day Iridescent Dots [ 164696 ]
[164696]
$8.00
Purple Adhesive Backed Sequins [ 164970 ]
[164970]
$8.00
Gold Twisted Thread [ 164603 ]
[164603]
$7.50
Stampin' Dimensionals [ 104430 ]
[104430]
$4.25
Add All to Cart
Changing Leaves · Retiring

Everyday Magic

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

Welcome to this soggy Monday. It poured most of the weekend for us, so everything is wet and squishy now as we endure a late-season cold snap here in North Texas. What about you?

Have you checked out all of the products on the Stampin’ Up! Last Chance List that updated last week? I always have mixed feelings when the list is updated — I’m excited for deals but sad to see some favorites go. And I must say that this time around, there are a LOT of my favorites on the Last Chance list!

So this week, we’re going to be taking a look at some of them. And I hope to bring you not one but TWO designs with each of the featured retiring products as we move through the list this week. First up is the Online Exclusive bundle called Changing Leaves, which includes coordinating stamps, dies, and a hybrid embossing folder. I just love the detail included in this set and have found that it’s exceedingly versatile. This is one that will definitely remain in my crafty stash after it officially retires!

We start this design with a base of Pecan Pie cardstock. I used a sheet of the white woodgrain pattern from the Country Woods patterned paper pack as the backdrop for our focal section. Using the Changing Leaves dies and hybrid embossing folder, I cut an assortment of leaves and greenery from gold foil, Season of Elegance foiled paper, and Granny Apple green foil. I layered them with dimensionals and glue dots in the center of the card. The sentiment from Something Fancy is stamped in Shaded Spruce on white cardstock and then cut with the coordinating die from the set. The sentiment panel is adhered over gold thread and natural linen thread using dimensionals. A strip of the Nature’s Sweetness gold foil leaf pattern serves as the backdrop for our sentiment and hides the stems of our leaves festively. I added a combination of gold sequins, gold textured dots, and transparent dots for some visual interest across our design.

I think one of the hardest things about cards with lots of foil elements is that a photo can never do them justice! Tune in a little later as we take one more look at the lovely Changing Leaves bundle.

Product List
Pecan Pie 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 161717 ]
[161717]
$11.50
Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 166780 ]
[166780]
$14.00
Country Woods 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [ 163393 ]
[163393]
$12.50
Season Of Elegance 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper [ 164144 ]
[164144]
$16.50
Nature's Sweetness 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper [ 162616 ]
[162616]
$16.50
Gold Foil Sheets [ 132622 ]
[132622]
$5.00
Melon Mambo & Granny Apple Green 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Foil Sheets [ 161953 ]
[161953]
$10.00
Changing Leaves Bundle (English) [ 164139 ]
[164139]
$54.00
Something Fancy Bundle (English) [ 160425 ]
[160425]
$45.75
Shaded Spruce Classic Stampin' Pad [ 147088 ]
[147088]
$9.00
Natural Tones Linen Thread [ 164071 ]
[164071]
$9.00
Gold Twisted Thread [ 164603 ]
[164603]
$7.50
Transparent Adhesive Backed Dots [ 163432 ]
[163432]
$8.00
Gold Textured Adhesive Backed Dots [ 164027 ]
[164027]
$8.00
Neutrals Adhesive Backed Sequins [ 161627 ]
[161627]
$7.50
Stampin' Dimensionals [ 104430 ]
[104430]
$4.25
Add All to Cart
Online Exclusives · Sketchy Fridays

Sketchy Fridays: You Can!

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

As I mentioned in my earlier post today, my week kind-of got away from me. So we’re having our Sketchy Fridays post today instead. This week, we’re working with a nature theme and with a dreary, rainy day here in North Texas, I’m finding myself leaning into a water theme for our next card design.

For those of you who are new here, Sketchy Fridays is a weekly series where we’re using a card sketch to design our featured card. Right now, we’re working through a full series of designs using the card sketches found in current Stampin’ Up! catalogs.

This week’s card is based on Sketch #7 from the Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog. Today’s design features the Otterly Adorable suite from one of the latest Stampin’ Up! Online Exclusives releases.

I just love the Otterly Adorable suite and was actually just mentioning to my husband how I hadn’t used it much. So as I was looking for a sketch, I had this set on my mind. One of the things we’ve talked about throughout our Sketchy Fridays series is that sometimes your final design follows a sketch to a tee, while other times the sketch was just your jumping off point. And I think for today’s card, my selected sketch from the SU! Annual Catalog was more of an inspiration for the placement of the card elements I had in mind. The beautiful thing about crafting is that there are NO rules!

We get started on this card with a base of Pretty Peacock cardstock. I chose the fish pattern from the Otterly Adorable paper pack as the focal panel backdrop and cut it out using the largest Textured Notes die. For the focal image, I chose the baby otter swimming with its parents because it seemed to work perfectly for the chosen sentiment of “you can do this.” I cut out the otters using the Spotlight on Nature dies. I wanted the focal image to stand out against the backdrop, so I matted it with some Pretty Peacock glimmer paper cut out with a slightly larger circle from the Spotlight on Nature die set. To add a bit more color and visual interest around the otters, I cut the smaller fish from Flirty Flamingo cardstock using the Otterly Amazing dies and then used my glue pen to adhere them. The otters are adhered to the sparkly mat with dimensionals and then adhered directly to the fishy backdrop. The sentiment from Saying Hey (currently on the Last Chance list!) is stamped in Pretty Peacock on a panel of the water paper from the Otterly Amazing paper pack that has been diecut using the Something Fancy banner die. I adhered this over a twist of some gold thread with two layers of dimensionals to be sure the sentiment really stands out. The full focal panel is adhered to the card base with dimensionals and we finish things off with a few Lost Lagoon faceted gems and riverside irregular pearls.

Next week, we’re going to look at some of my favorites that are on the Last Chance list. I hope you’ll follow along!

Product List
Pretty Peacock 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 150880 ]
[150880]
$11.50
Three Color Glimmer 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Paper [ 162813 ]
[162813]
$10.50
Flirty Flamingo 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 141416 ]
[141416]
$11.50
Otterly Adorable Suite Collection (English) [ 164939 ]
[164939]
$75.25
Spotlight On Nature Dies [ 163580 ]
[163580]
$35.00
Textured Notes Dies [ 165555 ]
[165555]
$31.00
Something Fancy Dies [ 160424 ]
[160424]
$28.00
Pretty Peacock Classic Stampin’ Pad [ 150083 ]
[150083]
$9.00
Gold Twisted Thread [ 164603 ]
[164603]
$7.50
Faceted Gems Trio Pack [ 162148 ]
[162148]
$7.50
Riverside Irregular Pearls [ 164937 ]
[164937]
$9.00
Stampin' Dimensionals [ 104430 ]
[104430]
$4.25
Fine-Tip Glue Pen [ 138309 ]
[138309]
$7.25
Add All to Cart
Retiring

Brighter Skies on the Way

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

Happy Saturday, crafty friends! It’s a rainy (and cold) day here in North Texas, and I’m playing catchup after a very busy end to the week. And with the weather as dreary as it is, I have my head in the clouds — the rain clouds, that is — and that works perfectly into this week’s design theme of all about nature.

This design is a combination of some of my favorite patterned paper — Everyday Skies — with two of my favorite pick-me-up stamp bundles — Playing in the Rain and Bright Skies. Both of these stamp bundles are on the current Last Chance list, so if you love them as much as I do, now is the time to swipe them for your stash! For today’s design, we’re keeping it pretty simple because these three products work super well together.

We get started with a base of Copper Clay cardstock. I really love how this pulled out the darker elements in the Everyday Skies paper but in a way that lends itself to our encouraging message. To add a touch of whimsy to the card to pair with our cute fox from the Playing in the Rain set, I chose to stamp the larger cloud from the Bright Skies stamp set onto black cardstock and then heat emboss in black before diecutting with the coordinating die. I add some rain in the area underneath where I intended to affix my cloud by heat embossing the stamped raindrops in clear powder and then affixed my cloud with dimensionals.

Next up, I worked on my focal character — the cute fox from the Playing in the Rain set. I stamped him in black onto Calypso Coral so that the space around the image would blend into the backdrop. I colored the fox with Stampin’ Blends before diecutting with the coordinating die. To ensure that the end of his tail had nice contrast, I used my Versamark pen to heat emboss the tip of the tail with white embossing powder. I used a couple of the ombre matte dots for buttons. I stamped the sentiment from Bright Skies in Blackberry Bliss ink and then affixed the fox to the right of the sentiment and used two layers of dimensionals so our character really stood front and center in the scene. I added a few two tone sparkle gems in the clouds for just a little added sparkly drama.

I really love the challenge of pairing products in my stash and I think this one turned out smashingly well. We’re going to continue our nature tour by using a sketch. I hope you’ll drop back by later to check it out.

Product List
Copper Clay 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 161721 ]
[161721]
$11.50
Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [ 121045 ]
[121045]
$11.50
Everyday Skies 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [ 164622 ]
[164622]
$12.50
Bright Skies Bundle (English) [ 162794 ]
[162794]
$48.50
Playing In The Rain Bundle (English) [ 160551 ]
[160551]
$54.75
Jet Black Stāzon Ink Pad [ 101406 ]
[101406]
$10.50
Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad [ 147092 ]
[147092]
$9.00
Versamark Pad [ 102283 ]
[102283]
$9.50
Basics Wow! Embossing Powder [ 165679 ]
[165679]
$21.00
Calypso Coral Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [ 154881 ]
[154881]
$11.00
Night Of Navy Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [ 154891 ]
[154891]
$11.00
Cherry Cobbler Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [ 154880 ]
[154880]
$11.00
Daffodil Delight Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [ 154883 ]
[154883]
$11.00
Shaded Spruce Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [ 154903 ]
[154903]
$11.00
Pretty Peacock Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack [ 161676 ]
[161676]
$11.00
Ombre Matte Decorative Dots [ 161448 ]
[161448]
$8.00
Two Tone Sparkle Gems [ 164633 ]
[164633]
$9.50
Stampin' Dimensionals [ 104430 ]
[104430]
$4.25
Add All to Cart
Botanicals

The Best

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

It’s wonderful Wednesday and we’re halfway through the week. And it was quite the busy hump day for me today. Between performing a set for my professional music group and plugging away at work, it was a go-go-go day today! But in a few down moments, I thought about how we could use some of our newer goodies in the crafty stash to give a little ode to spring, and I think the Thankful Garden bundle definitely does the trick!

I don’t know about you, but there are certain sets — and florals, in particular — where I like to do a bit of research on color patterns and combinations to help with a more realistic look. And I knew I wanted to have more pink in the hydrangeas today. I think the combination of Flirty Flamingo, Pretty in Pink, and Melon Mambo is perfect for pulling out all of the subtle shading in these flower bunches.

We get started with a base of Berry Burst cardstock and use a sheet of the lighter pink floral pattern from the Unbounded Beauty patterned paper pack as the mat for our focal panel. Using the Thankful Garden stamps, I stamped a floral bunch in each of the corners and used the decorative masks to color them. I stamped a full bunch of hydrangea on a separate sheet of paper, shaded using masks, and then cut it out with the coordinating dies. I stamped a portion of the floral bunch two more times, shaded, and then diecut with the smaller detail die from the Thankful Garden dies to create a more realistic-looking floret to serve as our focal point in the center. Layering the dimensionals really helps with the more realistic look and feel to the hydrangea stem. The sentiment from the Pattern of Friendship set is stamped in black on white cardstock and then diecut with the smaller sentiment die in the Autumn Leaves die set. I stamped an identical panel from the berry Beautiful Bokeh and then cut it in half and mounted it under the sentiment panel to serve as a mat. I added a few pink Blooming Pearls for an eye-catching pop of sheen. The sentiment panel is adhered with dimensionals to help it catch the eye. I finished things off by adding some floral centers of foiled regal dots across our hydrangea florets.

Although it was pretty challenging to figure out the proper orientation of the smaller detail die for the hydrangea, once I did, it was a breeze to get the detail pieces cut. And to help myself remember the orientation the next time, I marked the image in my stamp case. A similar hack works well for the placement of the decorative masks.

I hope you’ll tune in tomorrow as we continue our ode to nature!

Product List
Berry Burst 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
[144243]
$11.50
Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock
[159276]
$13.00
Unbounded Beauty 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper
[163372]
$12.50
Beautiful Bokeh 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper
[164607]
$12.50
Pattern Of Friendship Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)
[165383]
$18.00
Thankful Garden Bundle (English)
[165534]
$64.75
Autumn Leaves Dies
[162185]
$38.00
Jet Black Stāzon Ink Pad
[101406]
$10.50
Pretty In Pink Classic Stampin Pad
[163807]
$9.00
Flirty Flamingo Classic Stampin' Pad
[147052]
$9.00
Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad
[147051]
$9.00
Summer Splash Classic Stampin Pad
[163809]
$9.00
Shy Shamrock Classic Stampin Pad
[163808]
$9.00
Regal Foiled Adhesive Backed Dots
[164038]
$8.50
Blooming Pearls
[162238]
$8.00
Stampin' Dimensionals
[104430]
$4.25
Add All to Cart