from my ink pad to yours

April Palette Trio

My trio today uses the April Palette I've introduced earlier this month. This palette includes Petal Pink, Grapefruit Grove, Fresh Fig, Mint Macaron, Coastal Cabana.  March customers received thank you gifts that included product samples that work with these colors.  April customers will receive a selection in a new color grouping.

I'm still trying to get 3 projects done using retiring, carryover and new catalog preview sets. So far, so good!

My new catalog preview looks a little familiar doesn't it. 

• Smile  It's your time to shine.  This features Daisy Lane, a companion set to Daisy Delight .  The existing punch works with this set and there will also be a smaller one!
• Colors are simple here: Mint Macaron with Petal Pink and Grapefruit Grove.
  
• The lovely ribbon, Mint Macaron 1/4" Textile Ribbon is also new. Soft and very tie-able.
• The Buffalo Check background stamp and Delicate Lace dies are also featured.
• Grapefruit Grove faceted dots are lovely with this card. Sadly, they will retire soon.

• My carryover card features the Beauty Abounds Bundle with its fabulous dies.
• This is very similar to a card I did this past winter. While I adore the beautifully detailed Butterfly dies I still like some "white" space on my card, even it it is Petal Pink! The previous card used the scarce Grapefruit Grove Foil.  This one has watercolor paper that has been splattered with the April Palette colors.  I used an aquapainter and ink from my ink pad lids.
• The greeting is "A friend is someone who chooses you..." with "...out of a whole world of people."  on the inside.
• The paper is Petal Pink and the embossed white message is also from Beauty Abounds.
• Embellishments: Basic Pearls.

Finally, we have a few sets that I'm sad to be saying goodbye to:

• The greeting is from Friendly Expressions, great greetings that are all capable of being the focal point on your cards.
• Colors are Fresh Fig, Petal Pink, Mint Macaron. Playful Backgrounds is perfect for making your own background paper, ANY COLOR YOU WANT. I'm going to miss the stripe like pattern, especially.

Here is a close-up of the twine:

Well, there is today's trio.  If you have a request for a stamp set to use please leave a suggestion

 

I so appreciate your time as you visit my blog. Let me know what you think and come back again soon!

Check out the Stampin' Up! catalogs link at the top of my blog. If you don't have regular Stampin' Up Demonstrator and would like hard copies of any of our current catalogs please feel free to email me at [email protected]

***If you don't have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator I would love to help you with your stamping journey and have you shop with me! You can click on "Shop with Chris Smith" at the top of my blog. Clicking on any of the items in the product list below will also bring you to my shop.

Chris

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If you place a minimum $50 (US) order using the April host code,  TSED6YGC, I will send you the free gift of product that will be featured in my May projects.  US customers only. Customers placing an order smaller than $50 will still receive my thank you card.

This 'n That with Smoky Slate

Time to say goodbye to February. It's been the snowiest February since at least 1885, here in Minnesota. I'm sure that is true for other states too. So, how about saying goodby to it with an all gray and white card?  I didn't actually plan it this way but it came together with a few experimental pieces on my desk. Except for the silver thread and metallic dots are pieces that I made to try with other cards but they didn't work out ... until now.

This more or less follows the Global Design Project sketch challenge this week. I added the silver thread for my circle once I realized that most of the other elements were there in one form or another.

Hints:

• The Smoky Slate Buffalo Check was something that I really thought was going to work with a Basic Gray piece ... but it didn't.  That is a really cool piece of Country Floral too. I'm still looking for the right combination there.
• This all started to work a lot better once I put a layer of Whisper White under the vellum.
• 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card base.
• 3 1/4" x 4 1/2" vellum: Emboss it before you cut.  You may lose pieces when you trim with the somewhat brittle vellum but that will be part of the charm.
• 3 1/2" x 4 3/4" piece of Whisper White under the vellum.  This doesn't need to be thick.  I used a part of a card that didn't turn out...

Enjoy your day!

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I really appreciate that you have taken time out of your day to visit my blog. Let me know what you think and come back again soon!

Stampin' Up! catalogs can be viewed with the Current Stampin' Up! catalogs link at the top of my blog. If you don't have regular Stampin' Up Demonstrator and would like hard copies of any of our current catalogs please feel free to email me at [email protected]

Chris

***If you need a Stampin' Up! demonstrator I would love to help you with your stamping journey and have you shop with me! You can click on "Shop with Chris Smith" at the top of my blog.

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If you place a minimum $50 (US) order using the February host code,  2MRXBEJM, I will send you the Glitter Enamel Dots . February orders also earn a free Sale-A-Bration item . US customers only. Customers placing an order smaller than $50 will still receive my February thank you.

If you place a $150 or greater order please don't use the hostess code. You will still receive the gifts but you will also get your own hostess benefits.

Product List

Itty Bitty Greetings Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[146667]

Tea Together Cling Stamp Set

[148779]

Tea Time Framelits Dies

[149697]

Buffalo Check Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[147794]

Country Floral Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

[149698]

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

[132708]

Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad

[147113]

Smoky Slate Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack

[145058]

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock

[140272]

Vellum 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[101856]

Stitched Labels Framelits Dies

[146828]

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

Metallic Pearls

[146282]

Silver Metallic Thread

[138402]

Big Shot

[143263]

Buffalo Check is Going to Stick Around for a while

Hurrah! I'm so glad to see that Buffalo Check will carryover.

Doesn't it seem to go with almost everything? Here I've used with with Healing Hugs.

Measurements:

Whisper White Thick card base: 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" folded

Whisper White Thick 1/4 sheet (4 1/2" x 5 1/2") for stamping leaves and roses

Whisper White 1/4 sheet (4 1/2" x 5 1/2") for stamping Buffalo check; You can get 3 cards from one sheet using a strip that is just shy of 1 1/2" each.

Hints:

• Ink the rose with Petal Pink ink first and apply Calypso Coral ink the the center and petal edges if you wish. Then you can stamp the Calypso Coral Rose without needing to clean your stamp. Stamp 3 leaf images. Trim.
• Ink your Buffalo Check stamp with the image side up.  I like to lay my 1/4 sheet down on top and cover with a scrap paper or tissue before firmly rubbing all over.  I almost always get good images this way. Use a rubber brayer if you have one. Whisper White Ultrasmooth gives the best impressions with this stamp. Using with colored cardstock works though sometimes you may get a more homespun look if the paper isn't quite so smooth. Trim this into 1 3/8" or so strips so you can get strips for 3 cards.
• Stamp your greeting before adhering the roses and leaves so that you know you will have enough room.
• I added the Calypso Coral rose and 2 leaves with regular adhesive (mono or liquid glue) and then tie the ribbon over these.
• Determine where you will want to put the final pair of leaves so that you can leave room to slide them in after attaching the top, Petal Pink rose with dimensionals. Attach the 3rd pair of leaves as desired with a non-dimensional adhesive.
• Add Grapefruit Grove faceted dots (sequins would also work) as desired.

Whether you are new to papercrafting, someone who crafts with all kinds of products, a Stampin' Up! devotee, or fellow demonstrator,  I sincerely thank you for stopping by my little place in the online stamping world.  Let me know what you think and come back again soon!

Chris

If you need a Stampin' Up! demonstrator I would love to have you shop with me! You can click on "Shop with Chris Smith" at the top of my blog. Under Shop Now you will then see the retiring Holiday catalog merchandise (without the Buffalo Check Stamp - yay!) and also a group of discounted products.

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It's December!  If you place a minimum $50 (US) order using the December hostess code,  2APHPF9M, I will send your choice of any annual catalog item up to $10 in value. US customers only. Customers placing an order smaller than $50 will still receive my special Christmas thank you surprise.

If you place a $150 or greater order please don't use the hostess code. You will still receive the gifts but you will also get your own hostess benefits.  

 

Product List

Healing Hugs Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[146530]

Buffalo Check Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[147794]

Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad

[147104]

Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad

[147101]

Petal Pink Classic Stampin' Pad

[147108]

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock

[140272]

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[100730]

Calypso Coral 1/4" Ombre Ribbon

[144235]

Sponge Daubers

[133773]

Faceted Dots

[146910]

Wishing You Well Duo

Let's start this week off right with a couple of Wishing You Well cards.  I've shown this set from the Holiday catalog earlier and now I'm happy to pass along to you that it will continue to be available while the Occasions catalog is in effect this winter and spring, well into May.  I've been thinking that there really should be more layouts or ways to use it so I sketched out over 2 dozen more card ideas during my flight home from Orlando last week.

I tried out 2 of them while playing along with a couple of Splitcoaststamper challenges today.

Today's featured stamper challenges features the gallery of Crystal Komara and I chose this cutie as inspiration for my card:

I used similar colors, gingham and the get well occasion of her card to create this:

I trimmed this down to a 4" x 5 1/2" card - just because I like the proportion of gingham better by trimming it off. It still fits into a regular A2 envelope. Base is a Very Vanilla card. I was hoping to hear that the Buffalo Check background stamp would be carried over during into the Occasions Catalog like the Wishing You Well set was but alas it doesn't seem to be.  While we will have some adorable gingham DSP time may be running out for the Buffalo Check. By choosing the right colors this will have such a great springtime look.  Don't hesitate if you haven't put this one on an order yet.

• The Wreath is stamped with Crumb Cake and cut and layered using the Layering Circles Framelit Dies.
• The little Petal Pink flowers adorned with Basic Pearls are a sneak peek from the upcoming Occasions Catalog which will go live in January.  They are made with one of the punches from a set of 4 punches, Bitty Blooms Punch Pack: 3 flowers and a center/leaf punch. These punches will be available January 5, 2019.
• The "Wishing You Well" greeting is hand trimmed and "weathered" with the Paper Snips and sponged with a little Powder Pink ink.
• The Mini Ruffled Ribbon in Powder Pink peeks out from behind the gingham just perfectly!

While the Wishing You Well stamp set will carry over, as far as we know the Buffalo Check background stamp will not be available after January 2, SO HURRY UP AND GET ONE!  I hesitate to use retired items in my blog and Facebook Live projects but Buffalo Check might be an exception.  It gives a fresh new look to almost everything and now that I've seen the new sets in the upcoming catalog I wish it was in there with them.

Product List

Wishing You Well Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[147864]

Buffalo Check Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[147794]

Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad

[147116]

Powder Pink Classic Stampin' Pad

[147147]

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[100730]

Powder Pink 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[144244]

Powder Pink 3/8" (1 Cm) Mini Ruffled Ribbon

[146949]

Pearl Basic Jewels

[144219]

Layering Circle Framelits Dies

[141705]

Paper Snips Scissors

[103579]

 

My second card was inspired by a dress from a site featured on Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge:

As usual, with foil it isn't always easy to get a good idea of the shine and polish this adds to a card.  Here is a close up of the bow.  It is shinier in real life but you can get an idea of the shaded detailed look this DistInkTive stamp gives.

• This card has a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card base.
• The front of the white card is stamped with the little flowers from Wishing You Well using Stazon Black.
• The Basic Black layer is angle cut by scoring the top of a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece at 1 1/2" from the upper right corner and 1 " from the lower left corner.  These two score lines are then lined up on the Stampin' Trimmer and cut to give the diagonal shown.  A narrow layer of Gold foil paper is used to accentuate the black.
• The greeting is embossed with gold embossing powder in the lower right corner of the black layer.  I use white craft ink when stamping on black so that I can see better on the black cardstock. Versamark ink would work too.
• Add the Black and gold layers to the stamped white card base.
• The bow is stamped with Black Stazon ink on gold foil paper and trimmed with the paper snips. Attach to the card as shown with a glue dot.

Product List

Wishing You Well Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[147864]

Jet Black Stazon Ink Pad

[101406]

Whisper White Craft Stampin' Pad

[101731]

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[100730]

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

[121045]

Gold Foil Sheets

[132622]

Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder

[109129]

Heat Tool

[129053]

Paper Snips Scissors

[103579]

Stampin' Trimmer

[126889]

 

Whether you are new to papercrafts, someone who crafts with many brands of  supplies, a Stampin' Up! devotee, or fellow demonstrator,  I sincerely thank you for stopping by my little place in the stamping world.  Let me know what you think and come back again soon!

Chris

I would love to have you shop with me!

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It's November!  If you place a minimum $50 (US) order using the November hostess code,  SNY9YGYC, I will send your choice of any current roll of ribbon plus 2 handmade Snowflake Showcase cards, shown below.

If you place a $150 or greater order please don't use the hostess code. You will still receive the gifts but you will also get your own hostess benefits.  

Did you know...you can order your choice of stamping supplies, including the Snowflake Showcase as part of your kit when you sign up to be a demonstrator.  One of the perks of being a demonstrator is that you get to pre-order from future catalogs. Sign up during the month of November and you will be able to pre-order from next year's Occasions and Sale-a-Bration catalogs starting December 5th! What a Christmas gift that would be! I'd love to have you join my team.

    

 

Wishing You Well

Do you like stamps that are multipurpose? Stamps you can use for the holidays but still get good mileage from them the rest of the year?  I think you're going to really like Wishing You Well(#147868/wood #147864/clear), from the Holiday Catalog.

Let's start with some Christmas projects:

I took my color inspiration for this little ensemble from the Under the Mistletoe DSP (#146921), which is in the Annual Catalog.

• I was able to use both the Old Olive and Shaded Spruce Greens in my bouquet. 
• I stamped it in Shaded Spruce and used the dark Old Olive Blends to add more color to the uncolored portion of each little leaf.  The bullet tip works best for this.
• Then I added little Real Red dots in the general area of the little florets.  You don't necessarily want to go directly over the little dots because you will want to get a nice true red color.
• I was just about giddy when I came up with this layout - I think I'm into some sort of non-symmetrical kick. Any way this kind of a sketch is really easy to assemble because you are just lining edges up with your card base.
• I love the diagonal plaid with just a tiny bit of a Shaded Spruce pattern.
• Originally I had a shorter greeting band which I had placed further into the lower left corner.  It didn't look connected enough to the bouquet so I re-stamped the top layer so that I could use a longer diagonal.

Same papers but just on one edge. I stamped the wreath once in Old Olive and once in Shaded Spruce.  You want to turn your wreath before you stamp the second color so that both colors are distinct.

Add some red berries with your dark Real Red Blends.  The greeting is embossed with White embossing powder. I little white baker's twine polished off the wreath layer. I used the Corrugated Dynamic textured Impressions embossing folder (#148026) for my background layer.

The Takeout Thinlets work great with this set.  The Season's Greetings stamp fits perfectly in the die cut banner. You will want to do your stamping before you diecut out the box or you won't get solid images near the edges. I used a copy paper template so that I knew where to stamp and could get the direction of the bows right. It looks dark in this picture but it is Shaded Spruce bows stamped on Old Olive cardstock.

One more of this cards for today.   I used this week's color challenge on Splitcoaststampers, So Saffron, Garden Green and Real Red.

I used Lovely Lipstick ink for the flowers and bow so that I would end up with something close to Real Red once it was stamped on So Saffron. I thought it would end up looking a little orange-ish if I used Real Red on Yellow. It is subtle and partially covered by the lace ribbon but the So Saffron background layer is stamped with Buffalo Check(#147797/wood or #147794/clear). I just couldn't resist!

I'm looking forward to checking out the St. Paul Art Crawl tomorrow. It's right in my backyard. Who knows what ideas I'll find...

Enjoy your weekend and I'll see you back here on Monday.

Nothing Sweeter Tree on Buffalo Check

Today I'm sharing a simplified variation of the diagonal cards I've shared in the past. This card features Nothing Sweeter with that ever popular Buffalo Check background stamp. It is one of the cards my downline received from me last month to help kick off Stampin' Up!'s Holiday Catalog.

Isn't this a clean but woodsy look? The zig zag stitched Crumb Cake layer keeps the Real Red and Black Buffalo Check from overwhelming the cute little stitched tree.

What could be better than this?  How about a pdf with measurements and directions?

Download Buffalo Check Stitched Tree Card

Photo shoot note - I shot these while we were up at our town home along Lake Superior last month. It was so calm and lovely - a perfect day to photograph cards without getting splashed!

Here is the one more card I made with this set:

I originally played with it during Splitcoaststamper's Dare to Get Dirty Challenges in August. The greens in this card are Mossy Meadow cardstock and Soft Sea Foam ink. This card also makes use of the Stitched Shapes Framelit dies which I use more than any other framelit set that I own. Those stitced shapes are particularly useful with the stitched images from the Sweetly Stitched Dies.

I have many other ideas for this set which also feature present/gift and heart images.  Make sure you see everything I've posted with this bundle by clicking on the Nothing Sweeter under Categories in my sidebar!

 

It's October 2018!  If you place a minimum $40 (US) order with me, Chris Smith, using the hostess code, X9QJNMFF, I will send you the Metallic Pearls for FREE. You can see them on page 197 of the Annual catalog.

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today!

 

Chris Smith

 

 

 

Falling for Leaves meets Buffalo Check

Just popping in with a few more cards with this lovely set.

This time I've paired it up with the Buffalo Check background stamp.

• I use the unmounted background stamps right in the case.  Apply your ink images side up you can see how well your ink is covering the stamp.
• Lay your card stock down on the inked stamp. 
• Add a tissue on top to keep the ink from your fingers and rub to get a good image.  I sometimes use a rubber brayer to really apply even pressure.

• The lace border edgelit is part of the framelit/thinlet set. It measures 4.5" long.
• If you are layering something over the lace border you can usually get by using just one piece by snipping it in two and not extending it all the way under the layer on top of it.

• Have I told you how much I enjoy using this set with my blends? I like to leave the scallopy part between the two colors white so it looks especially lace-like.

Click on the Falling for Leaves Bundle link under the Categories on my side bar to see more cards with this bundle.