Nature's Touch Sympathy

It's a life-long love of mine ... green growing things, plants, trees, flowers, and yes, their scents as well.  It would be like a gift to myself if I were to delete the countless plant life pics from my laptop & external storage ... seriously.  You're right ... nothing to do with stamping. But it does explain why the Try a New Technique challenge spoke directly to me this week ... TLC601 = All Natural - Use something from nature for your creation.

Stamp Hint:  Two stamps used ... neither was a leaf! 

It's still hot as blazes here in my little rectangle of Texas.  Whew!  But with the TLC challenge in mind, I did make sure to go walking the yard in search of foliage that might work for the technique.  I avoided the holly leaves as they're very wicked-spikey & so waxy that the most they would do is cut the paper and painfully poke my fingers.  (At that point, I would no longer feel happily creative ... so ... I skipped those.)  I settled on that dog-gone wild grape vine that has returned to try to cover my foundation bushes.  (I spent over 2 days earlier in Summer ridding both the front & back of the house of that vining demon! Obviously I didn't treat the remainder of the stems at ground level.  Hmmmmppphh!)

For the technique itself, I misted a bit of water onto Watercolor Paper before arranging the 3 leaves 'face down' on the dampened paper.  To protect my cutting plate, I added a single layer of printer paper atop the leaves plus the top cutting plate.  Then, just rolled it thru the Big Shot, and back again for extra measure.  ;)  Due to the spritzing and my eagerness to get down to creating, I used my craft iron on the back side of the WC paper just to flatten and dry.  

Because the WC paper is so textured, it can be tricky to get a good sentiment stamped directly on it.   Thus, using the Misti allowed me to stamp it twice in the precisely same position to get a pure sentiment without little gaps.  Let's face it, stampers ... there are times when we really like a little bit of 'perfection'.  LOL

Reminder!  Tomorrow is August 31 ... the very last day that the beautiful Thoughtful Branches bundle will be available!  Choose the bundle for 10% savings, or the stamp set and dies are each available individually.   Enjoy!

 Inky (((hugs))),

Most Wonderful Time !

I know ... we're just now closing out August, kids are just getting settled back into their school routines, and here I come with a Christmas card!  (This from a gal who silently groans when local stores start loading up on Christmas items earlier & earlier each year.)  What can I say?

It all started with this week's Featured Stamper FS499 challenge over at Splitcoaststampers.  Congrats to Mary Deatherage on her FS week!  Just a minute or so into browsing Mary's gallery, I had an 'instant' idea.  Don't you love it when ideas come so easily?  It's so fun to have everything seem to 'fall into place' easily.  (Says one who has a few glitches pop up from time to time.)

Originally, I was headed back to my former love of adding a little bow along the left side vertical ribbon line ... but then I remembered the little holly dies in the upcoming Christmas Stockings Thinlits set.  Sizing seemed just perfect for the connection between the large sentiment and the little holly prints in the Presents & Pinecones designer paper.  Holly leaves are die cut from Emerald Envy C/S, and 3 Rhinestones were colored with a retired Blendabilities marker.  Any brand alcohol marker you have will work for this if you don't have the retired Blendies.  (This reminds me ... I had a sweet Copic intervention of sorts over the weekend.  I need to edit some pics & share in a day or so!)

Psssst, local friends!  This card is likely to be one of the 3 projects in my upcoming 1st Saturday Stampin' class coming up next weekend.  Easily stamped, easily assembled ... even beginner stampers can do this one with success!  

Inky (((hugs))),

The Mouse & the Pine Branch

Just had to get out a watercolor brush, SU inks, and the new Holiday Catalog stamp set, Merry Mice. I had to!   This stamp set is just too cute to miss, in my opinion.   No, I'm not a master at watercolor.  But that doesn't keep me from enjoying the process!  

Can you spot the 3 new items here that are coming up on September 1 in the new Holiday Catalog?  

Very easy to reproduce.  Do your watercoloring on a lap desk if you like to color while relaxing in the evening for card production later! 

  

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Please contact me if I can help in any way.  And remember, the limited Thoughtful Branches bundle is vanishing at the end of August!  

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Inky (((hugggsss))),

Product List

Merry Mice Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[142145]

$17.00

Pine Bough Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

[141831]

$7.50

Baker's Twine Trio Pack

[141999]

$9.00

Gold Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush

[141898]

$8.00

Glue Dots

[103683]

$5.25

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

$4.00

Layering Ovals Framelits Dies

[141706]

$35.00

Watercolor Paper

[122959]

$5.00

Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad

[126966]

$6.50

Delightful Dijon Classic Stampin' Pad

[138327]

$6.50

Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad

[126953]

$6.50

Pink Pirouette Classic Stampin' Pad

[126956]

$6.50

Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad

[126982]

$6.50

Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad

[131179]

$6.50

Delightful Dijon 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[138338]

$8.00

Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[100702]

$8.00

Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[102482]

$8.00

Glimmer, Glitter, & Awesome!

OMGosh!  I'm so excited to share this with you today!  

It all started with this week's inspiration challenge at SCS ... IC559, featuring the EcoCycled Etsy shop for visual inspiration  Keyword through it all is:  text .   Not the messages sent via smart phones ... but literally pages of printed information.  

When I began to browse, I immediately thought of the great contrast created with black paired with red or yellow.  As it turned out, I managed to avoid making a choice ... go for both!  

Say "Hello!" to one of the coolest new products coming up in the Holiday Catalog ... Real Red Glitter Embossing Powder.  I knew it would be a favorite for me ... and I was right.  It's glitter packed into embossing powder for a super-jazzy look!  Stamp with the VersaMark pad, use your Heat Tool to melt the embossing powder, and let it sparkle up your coming Christmas creations & more!

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Faux lightbulbs are made by punching Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper with the 1/8" Handheld Circle Punch.  The continued the lightbulb effect features punched Red Glimmer Paper, all adhered with bitty little dots of Multipurpose Liquid Glue.  Remember to grab your Stampin' Write Markers to add some extra oomph to the marquee!

Thanks so much for your online orders!  Remember that I'm always happy to answer your questions & assist in any way I can, so don't be shy.  ;)

Inky (((hugs))),

Product List

Marquee Messages Photopolymer Stamp Set

[141727]

$21.00

Real Red Glitter Stampin' Emboss Powder

[142635]

$6.00

Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper

[135315]

$5.00

Red Glimmer Paper

[121790]

$5.00

Brights Stampin' Write Markers

[131259]

$29.00

1/8" Circle Handheld Punch

[134365]

$9.00

Liquid Multipurpose Glue

[110755]

$4.00

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[121045]

$8.00

Daffodil Delight 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[119683]

$8.00

Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[102482]

$8.00

Versamark Pad

[102283]

$8.50

Versamark Ink Refill

[102193]

$5.00

Bev's Soap Box - Stampy Friends

Time for Bev's Soap Box ... 

Stampy Friends - and What's that all about anyway?!

Have you ever wondered about the friendships created through the love of stamping ... Let me assure you that there are true blessings to be enjoyed.  Stamping has brought the most amazing people into my life, both near & far, far away.  

We're all fans of stampers who inspire us with their creativity, or their style, their humor, their easy-going attitude, or likely several other positive aspects.  One of the many stampers who inspires me on a regular basis is Brian King.  Brian is a Master of CAS (clean + simple) designs and an unmatched deliverer of smiles 'n humor.  And, he's an incredibly successful SU demonstrator.  Every now & then I'll comment on another creation of his, and I'm never too shy to ask permission to share a design here in my own classes.  That's exactly how this class card came to be.  
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Mega Thank You, Brian!  Click here to see Brian's original.   Just a few little changes and this bear was bringing joy to my weekend class!

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Gotta love adding dimension on cards, whether it's via texture or lifting images with Stampin' Dimensionals.

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Need a specialty card?!  Here's what resulted in class when a brand new stamper said she needs a card for a new baby girl:

Still the same Bear Hugs stamp set & dies ... just a color switch to Pink Pirouette for the parachute (Weather Together) and added the bow image from the bear set!

Remember to scoop up your limited edition Thoughtful Branches set during August!  

Hope you found some inspiration here today!   

Inky (((hugggsss))),