from my ink pad to yours

Jar of Flowers with a Favorite Card Sketch

It's been quite calm for almost a week straight. Here is a view of what I saw with my morning coffee yesterday as it rained. You can't exactly see that this is a row of geese unless you zoom in but what we heard was definitely geese!

Now I want to share one of the first cards I tried with the Jar of Flowers set.  I've used this sketch many times with other flower sets so it's kind of one that I use to break in a new set.

• Basic plan is to stamp the flower/bouquet image going off the edge in one corner. You could also do it in opposite corners - maybe a little more off the edge on the upper corner since I have this thing about not wanting the design to be top heavy. Maybe that's just me...
• It doesn't matter if you cut this top layer first or later after you see it on the paper.  Lately I've been using the Stitched Rectangle Dies to do the cutting after I've stamped. For this card I used the dies for both the colored layer and the Basic Black layer.
• This image was colored with the Mango Melody, Lovely Lipstick, Calypso Coral, and Mossy Meadow Blends.
• For the card base itself, you want to score the card and mask off the back before stamping your black outline images. Don't fold it before stamping or it will affect your images near the edge of the card. Another way to do this is to just stamp a quarter sheet and adhere it to a card base later.
• I wanted a larger greeting so I turned to Tasteful Touches for the informal and simple greeting.
• I like to finish this off with this diagonally placed bow. In this case I used a new simple white ribbon that is part of the Flowers for Every Season Suite which also features the Jar of Flowers Bundle. This ties beautifully and I'm always excited to have white ribbon because I tend to favor light colored ribbon and be able to color it with Blends.

Here are a couple of other cards I've done with this layout. 

Petal Palette with DSP and Rose Wonder greeting (all products are retired) Original post is here.

I created this Good Morning Magnolia beauty just after I received my Stampin' Up! Demonstrator pre-order last year, using colors from a weekly challenge: Old Olive + Calypso Coral + Peekaboo Peach (with a die cut for dessert). The original post for this card is in my Splitcoaststamper's Gallery here. A few notes:

• It is a large stamp so I designed the card to be 5"x7" in order to get all of the elements I wanted including the background on the card base which is just the main images stamped in black. 
• I used Light Pumpkin Pie + Light Mango Melody + Light Petal Pink to approximate Peekaboo Peach for the center of the Magnolia.
• This Peekaboo Peach ribbon is the only thing I had left in that color. Since it was a little wide (I was casing a card above that used Baker's Twine.), I folded it when I wrapped it around the upper right corner. Seam Binding is definitely my favorite ribbon to use on cards.
• Having the magnolia die cut (dessert) allowed me to have it overlap over the background images.

 

As you can see there are a lot of variations of this style. What stamp would you use for one of these cards? I'd love to hear from you if you try this design!

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I so appreciate that you took the time as you visit my blog today. Let me know what you think and come back again soon! Feel free to ask questions if something isn't clear.

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]

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

If you place a minimum $50 (US) order using the May host code, UYY4462B , I will send you a sampler of products from the new Ornate Garden Suite.  US customers only. Customers placing an order smaller than $50 will still receive my thank you card.

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.

TGIF Challenge Trio

I have another trio for you today. This time I took my inspiration from a sketch challenge over at TGIF Challenges. Don't you think the way they've layered the image is intriguing?

Here are my versions. I used the Stamparatus in all of them in order to make sure I lined up the images on the upper layer with those on the card bases.

Let's start with the top card which is my sneak peek card for the day. Good Morning Magnolia is a new suite in the upcoming catalog which will be released June 4th.  Since I attended Stampin' Up!'s Onstage last weekend I was able to order some of a select group of products in the Product Purchase Premier. This suite was at the top of my list!

• It's really a pretty simple card. I decided it needed the Basic Black layer for a little focus.
• I just added a few brushstokes of color with my Petal Pink, Soft Seafoam and Pineapple Punch Blends.  All three are in the light shades.
• The embellishments are Basic Black Faceted Dots. This is the only product on this card that is retiring. Many of the embellishments will carryover into the next catalog, Unfortunately for me, this was not one of them.
• I didn't add the left side embellishments from the sketch.  I thought the eye needed a break.

My carryover card uses the butterfly from Beautiful Day.

• I loved the colors in this card.  I watercolored Mango Melody, Flirty Flamingo and Lovely Lipstick all over the white embossed Shimmery White cardstock layer.
• Papers include Shimmery White and Gold Foil.
• Gold pearls would be lovely on this card but since they are apparently in hiding,I used the So Saffron Share What You Love pearls.  These too will retire.
• After doing this I decided that I preferred a smaller top layer, though I don't know if that would have worked with the butterfly.

Finally we have the card that I will enter in the challenge as it most closely follows the sketch. This is my retiring product card. 

• Colors are Tuxedo Black Memento, Rich Razzleberry and Granny Apple Green Blends Combos.
• The Rich Razzleberry "lace" on the side is die cut from the coordinating dies.
• This one needed a little more so I took my Basic Black Marker and drew some little stitches around the top layer.
• Embellishments are once again from the Share What You Love Artisan pearls
• Whisper White Thick cardstock is the only paper used in this card.
• You will find quite a few other cards with this set under Petal Palette on the sidebar to the right.

There is it day 2 of my self imposed challenge to show cards from the sneak peek. retiring and carryover products. Maybe I'll have to try it with my April Palette soon!

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.

Product List

Beautiful Day Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[145915]

Petal Palette Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[145788]

Petals & More Thinlits Dies

[145655]

Versamark Pad

[102283]

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

[132708]

Rich Razzleberry Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack

[144602]

Granny Apple Green Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack

[147274]

Light Soft Sea Foam Stampin' Blends Marker

[148057]

Light Petal Pink Stampin' Blends Marker

[146866]

Light Pineapple Punch Stampin' Blends Marker

[147029]

Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush

[141897]

Faceted Dots

[146910]

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

[100730]

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

[121045]

Gold Foil Sheets

[132622]

Share What You Love Artisan Pearls

[146927]

Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder

[109129]

Big Shot

[143263]

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

Heat Tool

[129053]

Lovely Lipstick Classic Stampin' Pad

[147140]

Mango Melody Classic Stampin' Pad

[147093]

Flirty Flamingo Classic Stampin' Pad

[147052]

 

Product List

Stamparatus

[146276]

Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker

[100082]

2018 Year in Review Part 3

It's the last day of  the year and my last installment of my 2018 Year in Review. *** note: As with the first 2 installments I can't really do a product list for everything. I will, however, try to link the most of the retiring products at the end of the post.

Blended Seasons and Stitched Seasons framelits were a wonderful pair that was available for a limited time last August. I so wish they would have been in the Annual catalog. If you didn't get in on these during August, you might still be in luck. As of this morning the framelits were still available on the clearance rack. You can see the original blog post with a few more cards if you click on the picture.

 

Falling Leaves was one of the first Holiday catalog sets I started exploring since I finished out my set of Blends about the same time and it was such a great set to color. This card features a somewhat unusual color combination of Poppy Parade and Mint Macaron, both former In-Colors which came out of retirement to be part of Stampin' Up!'s regular line up. There are only a few more days to purchase Falling Leaves before it retires. Click on the picture to see the original blog post with a couple of other cards.

 

Another stamp set and bundle that will be "retiring" on January 2 is Nothing Sweeter. If stitching is your thing - or even if it isn't - you should take a close look at this if you haven't already. The stitched dies go so perfectly with the simple cookie cutter style shapes : tree, gift and heart.  You can see the original post by clicking on the picture.

 

...Yet another coloring stamp set that will no longer be available after January 2: Great Joy.  I have so enjoyed practicing my Blends techniques with this set and designed several cards with it. This one is a little different in that I did some paper piecing with the Festive Farmhouse Designer Series Paper. You can see the original post by clicking on the picture.

 

This poinsettia card was so fun to design that I made a variation with of it for a non-holiday swap at Onstage.  I just realized that I never posted the birthday version. Click on the Christmas card to see the original post.

 

This Winter Woods card was inspired by a Freshly Made Sketches challenge and I'm guessing that it might be one of my most CASE'd of the year.  If you have one that has been inspired by this or any of my other cards feel free to link it in the comments. You can see the original post by clicking the picture.

 

This was the card I made for general swaps at Onstage. You can see the original blog post by clicking the picture. (This prototype version uses the Beautiful Blizzard stamp set for the Pool Party background though I think I used Artisan Textures for the swaps??) I later did a Facebook Live video to show how to get 14 "L" shaped pieces of designer series paper out of a 12" x 12" sheet. You will want to know how to do this to make the most of the soon to be released Sale-A-Bration DSP, Butterfly Botanicals. hint hint

 

I did this Happiness Surrounds/Snowflake Showcase card for Kylie Bertucci's International Highlights ...and won the voting! This was a limited edition suite available only in November 2018. You can see the original post by clicking the picture.

 

As one of the top ten in that voting I was privileged to participate in a blog hop later that month with this card, done with the well loved Wishing You Well You set. You can see the original post by clicking the picture.

 

More gingham aka Buffalo Check. I celebrated the news that it will continue to be available with a post about this card.  You can see the original post by clicking the picture.

 

Finally, one more card with Wishing You Well.  This was my first card to get over 200 likes on Instagram. Over there I'm Chris Smith, @inkpad1. You can see the original post by clicking the card. You can follow me on Instagram here.

I've really had fun recalling the enjoyment I had making these projects. If you've made it this far I appreciate your time!!!

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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

***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.

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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

Stitched Seasons Framelits Dies

[149013]

Falling For Leaves Photopolymer Bundle

[149938]

Nothing Sweeter Photopolymer Bundle

[149955]

Great Joy Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[147846]

Festive Farmhouse 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[147820]

Santa's Workshop 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper

[147809]

Festive Farmhouse Cotton Twine

[147888]

Peaceful Poinsettia Clear-Mount Bundle

[149962]

Beautiful Blizzard Clear-Mount Bundle

[149921]

In The Pink and Then Some

I have a few pink cards for you today, and, if you hang in there you'll see a graduation card too.

This has a little bit of everything:

• The Bloomin' Heart thinlets (#140621) are on the retiring list and they are 30% off or $17.50US
• The coordinating stamped on the envelope in Blushing Bride is from the stamp set that coordinates with the thinlets, Bloomin' Love (#140643).
• Blushing Bride is one of the pinks that is staying. Yay!
• The Share What You Love Artisan Pearl is part of the Share What You Love bundles available this month. It is available as part of the A Little More, Please or Gotta Have It All bundles (medium and large bundles). It's pretty popular an may still be backordered though you can order the bundles.  If those don't happen to be on your shopping list for May, not to worry.  You should be able to get them as a regular catalog item in June.
• Don't you think Blushing Bride is lovely with Very Vanilla!

 

• This card is all about Powder Pink.
• The flower layer was fun to make. I applied the ink directly to the inside of the folder - the side with the Stampin' Up logo. Then run it through the Big Shot with a Whisper White piece of card stock.  In this case the ink is basically on the background leaving flowers and leaves un-inked.
• The leaf layer is dry embossed with the Layered Leave dynamic impressions embossing folder (#143704)
• Powder Pink 1/2" Finely Woven Ribbon (144134) is not only being retired but it is currently 40% off, while supplies last.

More Powder Pink:

• If you were luck enough to get some of the Fresh Florals DSP before it was discontinued, you will find this delicate design in your pack.
• The Petal Palette roses (bundle for Occasions Catalog - will be available in the new catalog as separate items) are gorgeous even without coloring when they are stamped with Powder Pink on Whisper White card stock.
• The Decorative Border Punch (#143721) with Powder pink paper puts a lacey edge to the DSP.

Now for the graduation card - these are in my old high school colors: red and gray.  Not just any red though. When I the CAS challenge on Splitcoaststampers this morning I decided to take my new Lovely Lipstick out for a ride to play with Smoky Slate and Basic Gray.

• Smoky Slate 3 1/4" x 1 1/4"
• Lovely Lipstick 3 1/4" x 1 1/2"
• Basic Gray 3 1/4" x 1 3/4"

Then I decided to try it with a little more texture in the background:

• Though it isn't quite as CAS, I thought that the stripes (Simple Stripes Embossing folder - #145648) went well with the weathered ribbon. Note: some people have better luck with this folder if you keep a piece of Vellum cardstock in the folder even after it has been embossed itself.  Mine does well with colored card stock though yours may vary.
• I changed up the sizes of card stock in the background for this card:
• • Smoky Slate 3 1/4" x 1 3/4"
  • Lovely Lipstick 3 1/4" x 1/4"
  • Basic Gray 3 1/4" x 2 1/2"
• This set, Blue Ribbon has been retired for a few years.  You can get if for free (from me), with a $50 order. Check out the link for Retired Product Bonus at the top of my page.
• It is easy to make this set work with any school colors!

Keep it Simple Palette

Happy Friday! Let's keep it simple today with a monochromatic Petal Palette card inspired by a similar card I made in the very early days of my blog.

• Stamp the large floral image from Petal Palette in night of Navy several times on a 4.25" by 2" strip.
• Stamp the same image once in the lower left corner of the inside of a top fold Whisper White card
• Use the scallop or wave from Seasonal Layers Thinlets to trim about 1.5 off of a top the front lower edge of your card.
• Optional - use the Night of Navy Stampin' Write to make little dashed stitches along the scallops.
• Stamp Congratulations about 1 inch above the scallops to allow room for your ribbon.
• Line up your 2" strip evenly over the lower inside. Apply adhesive to the top edge and lay the top of your card down over this to attach.
• Tie your ribbon - I used Night of Navy 1/2" Gingham. (allow about 20-21" if you cut it before you tie.)

Here is a closer peek at the inside:

And here is the card that inspired it

Have a good Friday - it sounds like we will have a taste of summer here in Minnesota today.

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Note: All of these supplies will carry over into the next catalog. The Petal Palette Bundle (stamps and dies #145655) and The Colorful Seasons Bundle (stamps and dies #145348) with their 10% savings will no longer be available after May 31. The stamps and dies will only be available to purchase separately.

The hostess code for May is WQHRPRDM.

 

 

White on White Quilted Spray

It's been almost 3 weeks since I've shared a Petal Palette card so I think it's time to share this one. I had it on Instagram the other day and it was rather popular - as far as my things go...

I just love the way that the white on white texture dressed up these sweet little elements from the Petal Palette Suite.

• Though it is pretty simple it does give the Big Shot a bit of a workout.
• White emboss the little posies from the Petal Palette stamp set, then watercolor them with the Berry Burst and Lemon Lime Twist ink pads. They are cut out with the Petals and More Thinlets which are still available with the stamp set as a bundle with 10% savings until May 31.  Then they will be available separately in the 2018-2019 Annual Catalog.
• Lemons Lime Twist card stock for the bit of lace like trim, also cut with the Petals and More thinlets.
• The message is stamped in Lemon Lime Twist and cut out with one of the circles from the Stitched Shapes Framelits. It is layered onto a Lemon Lime Twist scalloped circle from the Layered Circles Thinlets.
• These three elements are all layered onto a piece of white card stock embossed with the Quilted Top Embossing Folder which also carries over into the new catalog. Yeah!!!

We got a head start on the weekend and are enjoying the waves on the North Shore of Lake Superior.  Hopefully we will get a little hiking and waterfalls in too! 

I will be back on Sunday evening participating in a blog hop featuring retired products.  It starts at 7pm CST so make sure you come back to check it out.

Enjoy your weekend!

Spring is in my thoughts and prayers

I sincerely apologize if you feel I'm pushing too many floral cards. I seriously had intentions of sharing some cute animals with you today but this stuff was sitting on my desk waiting to be finished. Besides this prolonged winter is really making me long for flowers - I just bought a ticket to visit my parents ...and their rose garden next week. So today I bring you this:

Markers! Seriously, I know everybody and their brother is playing with Petal Palette suite with their Blends alcohol markers, which are currently unorderable until late May or so. But markers work great and come in more colors! Look at the spaces in this image. They are small! Get your markers out  and play with them.

• Just 4 markers: Pink Pirouette, Melon Mambo, Lemon-Lime Twist and Emerald Envy (This is a retiring InColor and comes in the set with its buddies Dapper Denim, Flirty Flamingo, Peekaboo Peach and Sweet Sugar Plum. #141393)
• Rose Wonder is on my desk this month because of it's beautiful selection of words and I need a few more sympathy and thinking of you cards which isn't really covered in the Petal Palette set.
• I haven't showed you nearly enough Black and White Twine yet have I?
• The card base is covered with a pattern from Petal Passion DSP.

Well, I'm off to spend the morning with my daughter Abby. She made the 9 hour drive home yesterday so she could keep her commitment to being here for the Twins Home Opener this afternoon. We've dug out the hand and foot warmers. BRRR!

Remember to use my hostess code, TYPDZQEN , if you would like some free Linen Thread AND Baker's Twine this month. It will arrive with an unsigned card.

Keep your stamps warmed up...

 

 

Petal Palette with Foil

I have over a dozen cards with this Petal Palette set and I could quickly make another dozen with the flowers I already have colored and diecut.  It is so relaxing to color them.

 

• I stamped these in Powder Pink and then colored with blends - Old Olive and Rich Razzleberry.
• The Lemon Lime Twist Foil Frenzy stripes and a few Glitter Enamel dots make finishing this card a snap.

Quick and Easy!

April hostess code: TYPDZQEN 

All customers who use the hostess code and order $50 or more before tax and shipping will receive a package of linen thread PLUS your choice of Baker's Twine -as long as it remains available. If you are ordering $150 or more please to do not use the code because you will want to get hostess benefits with your order.  Those orders will still qualify for the thread and Baker's Twine gift.

If you didn't stock up yet on the retiring 2016-2018 in-colors, I encourage you to do so soon. Keep in mind that includes card stock, ink refill, marker sets, ribbon and other accessories. The retiring list comes out next week and then supplies of popular colors can get wiped out.

 

She Believed She Could...do mixed media

There was this pig. She thought that she could get into my little stamp pantry and tatoo herself with Petal Palette and even play with the Brushos.  And you know what? ...she did.

• Card base is Blushing Bride.
• The Blue background is watercolor paper with mostly Prussion Blue but also a little Yellow and Brilliant Red Brushos.
• I layered the watercolored background on a piece of Whisper White thick (plus dimensionals!) to make it stand out from the card base.
• Tranquil Tide leaflets and Whisper White craft dots, both from Petal Palette provide texture to the multimedia background. 
• Just like yesterday, the checkerboard border is made from strips of Petal Passion DSP. 1/4" strips of the stripe pattern staggered and taped together from the back. Sponge some grey or crumb cake on this to make sure it's not too white. a la Mackenzie-Childs
• The pig herself and her flower "tatoo"  are stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink on regular Whisper White card stock and colored with Blends.
• Prior to fussy cutting the tail, I punched out the the center of the curl with the 1/16" hand held punch.
• Lightly sponged the cut out pig with Smokey Slate.
• I applied Tombow Multi adhesive with a sponge to make sure every last detail down to the curl of her tail was stuck down well to the watercolored and stamped background.
• The greeting was stamped on Stampin' Up Grid paper and then trimmed and pasted on, again with Tombow Multi.
• The inside has a 4" x 5 1/4" white layer with checkerboard border. I added a little Smoky Slate to the checks with a sponge dauber:

My first attempt: I masked the pig before the Brushos instead of cutting it out and adding it later. I decided the bubbles/circles from Playful Backgrounds were too big for the pig.  Besides of course she wanted to play with Petal Palette!

I did 12+ of these for a swap - whew!

Have a good Tuesday - we continue to await the arrival of spring in MN  - as it snows some more...

 

A Smoky Slate Spin on Petal Palette Thank You Cards

Here are just a few of my Petal Palette card stash.  This set is just so much fun!

 

• Gingham ribbon is one of my weaknesses!
• I colored the Petal Palette (roses with Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive Blends and then, I'm not sure why but I colored the little bit of background with Smoky Slate light Blend.
• That gray background led me to pulling out the gingham ribbon and ultimately stamping up a whole stack of Woodgrain background layers in both Smoky Slate and Whisper White Craft.  This card is layered on Smoky Slate stamped with Smoky Slate.
• I used a smaller layer of Rich Razzleberry cut with a smaller square from Stitched Shapes Framelits.
• The thank you message is also from Petal Palette, cut with one of the coordinating framelits. sponged and embellished with a Glitter Enamel Dot

 

This next card is a little less feminine but still has attention to detail.

• I cut 3 of the smallest squares, again from the Stitched Shapes framelits, out of water color paper because I wanted that touch of texture that watercolor paper has.
• I made a template in order to get my squares evenly.
• You need to use a reverse image technique (I used a silicone mat.)

Here is the inside:

I hope you are having a good weekend - and maybe a little stamping time???