SOA Naturally Inspired Release Day

ETA: This is the post I wrote up for release day of the Naturally Inspired Stamp of Approval Collection.  It sold out before I got up that morning, so one of my favorite cards never got its screen time.  TODAY this collection is being released in the Catherine Pooler Store for individual sale!!!



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Today is the day!  The big release of the new Stamp of Approval Naturally Inspired by Catherine Pooler.  I think this is my favorite one yet.  I sat down to stamp and 3 days later felt like I had barely scratched the surface of what this collection has to offer.  THAT is a great collection!

My card today was certainly inspired by my dear friend, Kristie Goulet.  She is a genius at using stamps in unique ways and creating fun background using small stamps.  

Direct Link to youtube video: https://youtu.be/j5ixcgQrY48

Here is a close up, so you can see how I lined up the feathers and background stamps.

SUPPLIES for Card 1 (included in project guide)

Stamps: Birds of A Feather, Medallion Mix Up, Simply the Best
Ink: All That Jazz, It's A Boy, Flirty Fuchsia, Midnight, Mint to Be, Sweet Sixteen
Paper: Bright White
Accessories: 2 Way Glue Pen, Spiro Doily Die, Wanderlust Embossing Powder

Here is the second card I made.  By twisting the stamp to make a cross instead of an x, you get a slightly different background.

Close up of the second card. 

SUPPLIES for Card 2

Stamps: Medallion Mix Up, Simply the Best
Ink: Aquatini,  Midnight, Mint to Be, Something Borrowed
Paper: Bright White

Along with products from this collection a couple of add on dies have been added.

Birds of a Feather

Small Doily Die

In case you missed my Naturally Inspired cards, or just want to see them again.  Here they are...

Clicky to see post

Clicky to see post

Clicky to see blog post

Tilly's Magic Garden and Craft Room Essentials

There is a tiny little release today that is making a BIG impact at my stamp table.  One stamp set, one die a few sheets of paper and BAM 5 cards, right out of the gate.  Fun times at the North home.  The best part?  This stamp set and the craft room essentials are available NOW in the Catherine Pooler shop.

The second best part?  I have some of those cards and a video to share with you today too!

Clicky to view this video on youtube

This stamp set was created by Lydia Evans and it is her first for Catherine Pooler Designs.  I'm so excited to see a fellow card designer branch into new creative adventures.

Stamps: Tilly's Magic Garden (Catherine Pooler Designs)

Ink: Garden Party, It's A Girl, Mint to Be, Party Dress, Tiara, Pixie Dust (CPD) Versamark
Paper: Midnight, Premium Bright White (Catherine Pooler Designs)
Accessories: Concentric Circles Dies, Dotted Circle Dies, Hello Die, Large Doily Die (CPD) Clear Embossing Powder (SU) Stencil Brushes (Clarity)

Stamps: Tilly's Magic Garden (Catherine Pooler Designs)
Ink: Garden Party, It's A Girl, Mint to Be, Party Dress, Tiara, Pixie Dust (CPD) Versamark
Paper: Midnight, Premium Bright White (Catherine Pooler Designs)
Accessories: Concentric Circles Dies, Dotted Circle Dies, Hello Die, Large Doily Die (CPD) Clear Embossing Powder (SU) Stencil Brushes (Clarity)

Stamps: Tilly's Magic Garden (Catherine Pooler Designs)
Ink: Black Jack, Garden Party, It's A Girl, Mint to Be, Party Dress, Tiara, Pixie Dust (CPD) Versamark
Paper: Midnight, Premium Bright White (Catherine Pooler Designs)
Accessories: Concentric Circles Dies, Dotted Circle Dies, Large Doily Die (CPD) Clear Embossing Powder (SU) Stencil Brushes (Clarity)


Don't forget to check out the Craft Room Essentials category for several new goodies every stamper needs.




Want to see even more goodies created with this set?  Check out my Creative Blessings page on Facebook where I will be sharing links to other designers as I find them.  You will also want to stop by Catherine's blog and see what she has to share!

CAS03 Hope Floats

Don't you love opening your mailbox to find an encouraging card from a friend or loved one?  That is the premise behind the Calling All Sistahs Encouragement Challenge.  We are helping you build your stash of card to send to encourage others one challenge at a time.  This month's challenge features a bright hot air balloon.

Isn't it fun?!  Here is how I interpreted the inspiration photo.

Direct link to youtube video:  CLICKY

Now head on over the Calling All Sistahs blog and check out what the design team has come up with, then be inspired to add your own creation for a chance to win a $25 gift code to the CAS-ual Fridays store.

Stamps: Floating

Ink: Grass Skirt, Tiara, Fiesta Blue, Tutti Frutti, Tiki Torch (Catherine Pooler Designs) Versamark

Accessories: White Embossing Powder (Stampin' Up)

Calling All Sistahs Reminder Post

It's the 17th of the month, and if you are a regular follower of my blog, you know what that means.  It is time to check yourselves.   Once again I join Michele from CAS-ual Fridays Stamps and her Calling All Sistahs Encouragement Squad to remind you to do your monthly self-checks and schedule those yearly mammograms.   We like to do this with pretty cards.

Have you checked yourself? Please take a few minutes to do so now, if you haven't.

Direct link to youtube video in HD: Clicky

Head on over to the Calling All Sistahs blog to see what the rest of the Encouragement Squad has created.  Come back tomorrow for our 3rd CAS Encouragement challenge. Don't forget to use the coupon code encourage17 when shopping to save 15%.

Stamps: Floating, Word Ribbon (CAS-ual Fridays Stamps)
Ink: Fiesta Blue, Flirty Fuchsia, It's A Girl, Party Dress (Catherine Pooler Designs) Versamark
Paper: Distress Watercolor (Tim Holtz) Vellum, Whisper White (Stampin' Up)
Accessories: Clear and White Embossing Powder (SU) Sewing Machine

Surround Yourself With...

Catherine Pooler has a new release, and you know what that means?  I get to play with new stamps and dies and ink and stencils!!!!  So much good stuff to enjoy!

One of the stamp sets comes with this saying "Surround yourself with those who bring out the best in you."  This quote has special meaning because Catherine gave her design team members a bracelet with this inscription on the inside at our first dream team retreat.  You may have seen this silver bracelet on my wrist, Catherine's or one of the other dream team members.  It holds a special place in my heart and I wear it almost daily.

Clicky to view in HD on youtube.

Click on the picture below to see all the new products. 

Stamps: Best In You (Catherine Pooler Designs)

Ink: Fiesta Blue, Garden Green, Sweet Sixteen, Midnight (CPD) Versamark
Paper: Basic Black (SU) Bright White (CPD)
Accessories: Large Doily Die Perfect Vine Stencil (Catherine Pooler Designs) Twine (Doodlebug)

SOA Naturally Inspired Blog Hop

Today is blog hop day 3 for the soon-to-be-released Naturally Inspired Stamp of Approval by Catherine Pooler.  If you aren't on the waitlist, you will want to be. Go to www.cpstampofapproval.com

My first card is inspired by a summer sun splashed meadow.

Stamps: Simply the Best, Wild Garden

Ink: Melon Ice, *Mystery Ink*
Accessories: Best Die

Direct link to youtube video: https://youtu.be/zm63Aow_LEg

If you have never heard of Stamp of Approval, it is an exclusive quarterly collection curated by Catherine Pooler.  Each product in the collection is designed to work with the rest of the collection.  These boxes are limited edition and only available while supplies last.  Once they sell out you won't be able to order them for months, and never again bundled together at this price.  Get yourself on the waitlist at cpstampofapproval.com to be one of the first notified when this release goes for sale.

My second card was inspired by the picture above.  I saw it months ago on pinterest and I've been wanting to make a card inspired by it ever since.  I just needed some dandelion stamps.  :)  As you can see I used the same basic layout, but came out with 2 completely different cards.

Stamps: Birds of A Feather, Wild Garden
Ink: *mystery ink*, Aquatini, Midnight, Versamark
Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder (Stampin' Up) Wanderlust Embossing Powder (WOW)

This collection is called naturally inspired.   We were each asked how we are naturally inspired.  Honestly, I am inspired by almost everything in the world around me.  I'm very visual, so I see color, pattern and design everywhere I look.  I love being inspired by nature, though I'm not really an "outdoorsy" kind of girl.  So, what inspires you?  Answer in the comments below for your chance to win one of these boxes for free!  If you've already ordered yours, Catherine will refund the money.

Then hop along the rest of the hop and do the same.  Next up is: Cynde Whitlow  If you missed the first 2 days of the hop I will link you to the start of those days below.   Good luck!

Catherine Pooler

Taheerah Atchia

Laurel Beard

Lydia Evans

Ingrid Blackburn

Heather North -you are here

Cynde Whitlow -NEXT STOP- Day 1 Day 2

In With The New...

...Stampin' UP! In Colors, that is.  With the new annual catalog comes a new set of 5 ink colors for the next 2 years.  I thought I would share the colors with you along with the cards I made for my loyal customers over the past 6 months.

First up, the colors.  We have Berry Burst, Fresh Fig, Lemon Lime Twist, Powder Pink and Tranquil Tide.

2017-2019 In Colors

Of course I had to use every color on this card.  ;)  Normally I wouldn't put these colors together, but somehow they work in this vintage collage.

Here is a video to see them in action, along with the notecard I sent to customers with their new catalogs.  :)

Direct link to youtube: https://youtu.be/CuKL3xCw_UA

Thank you to all my loyal customers for supporting me.  It's been a rough 6 months, and I appreciate you hanging in with me even though my family emergencies took me away often.

All supplies are from Stampin' UP!

Stamps: Butterfly Basics, Crafting Forever

Ink: Berry Burst, Fresh Fig, Lemon Lime Twist, Powder Pink, Tranquil Tide

Paper: Berry Burst, Fresh Fig, Lemon Lime Twist, Powder Pink, Tranquil Tide, Whisper White Notecards & Envelopes

2017-2019 In Colors

Butterfly Basics

Crafting Forever

CAS01 Full On Floral Encouragement

There is nothing like opening your mailbox on a difficult day and finding an encouraging card from a friend or loved one.  It makes the trying time just a little more bearable. When want to spread that encouragement, so Michele Gross of CAS-ual Fridays Stamps put together a new blog and challenge just to help us.  Each month, on the 18th of the month there will be a new challenge meant to inspire you to create a card of encouragement.

Stamps: Be, Full On Floral, Loving Thoughts (CAS-ual Fridays Stamps)

Ink: Aquatini, Pixie Dust, Something Borrowed (Catherine Pooler Designs) Versamark
Paper: Bristol (Essentials by Ellen Hutson)
Accessories: 8 Round Brush; Bubble Box Fri-Dies (CAS-ual Fridays Stamps) Sistahood Sparkle LE Sequin Mix (Pretty Pink Posh) White Embossing Powder (WOW)

Direct link to youtube video: https://youtu.be/ozClo875E-o

PRIZE!!!! Did I say prize?  Why, yes I did!  One entry will be chosen to receive $25 gift code to be spent in the CAS-ual Fridays store!  Can I get a woot?!!!  

If you've used CAS-ual Fridays stamps or Fri-dies on your card we'll double it!! Can I get a woot-woot?!!!  You have until the June 13th to enter, so get cracking.

photo credit: https://www.dreamstime.com/

CLICKY to check out what the new talented Encouragement Squad has come up with and to enter your own creation.

Quilled Creations Precision Tip Glue Applicator Bottle 0.5 oz.

Ranger Multi Medium, Matte Mini, 1/2 oz.

VersaMark Ink Pad

WOW Embossing Powder, Super Fine - Opaque Bright White

Powder Tool Adhesive Deactivator

Pretty Pink Posh Sequins, Limited Edition Friendship Mix

My Sweet Petunia MISTI Laser Etched Stamping Tool

Ranger Non-Stick Craft Sheet

Hero Arts Embossing Gun

Black Velvet Watercolor Brushes, Short Round 8

Essentials by Ellen, Julie's Smooth Bristol, 20pc-5.5" x 5.5"

Never Give Up Hope

Calling All Sistahs!

It's the 17th of the month.  Time to do our breast self-exams and get those yearly mammograms scheduled.  This month we are changing things up and have a reminder post at the new Calling All Sistahs blog.  I'll share a link at the end of the post, but first my card & video.

Direct link to youtube video: https://youtu.be/C6LUlxsulPM

Head on over to the Calling All Sistahs blog and see what our amazing team has come up with and come back tomorrow for the first Encouragement challenge.  You won't believe what the new Encouragement Squad has come up with.

Don't forget to use coupon code encourage17 at checkout for 15% off your order.

Stamps: Hope Ribbon

Ink: Onyx Black (Versafine) Versamark

Paper: Distress Watercolor (Tim Holtz) Whisper White (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Ruffled Ribbon Fri-Die (CAS-ual Fridays Stamps) Opaque Bright White Embossing Powder (WOW) Opera Pink (Daniel Smith) Basic Black Baker's Twine (Stampin' Up) 3/4" Flat Brush 

DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolors 5ml Tubes, Opera Pink

DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolors 15ml Tubes, Opera Pink

Quilled Creations Precision Tip Glue Applicator Bottle 0.5 oz.

Ranger Multi Medium, Matte Mini, 1/2 oz.

VersaMark Ink Pad

WOW Embossing Powder, Super Fine - Opaque Bright White

VersaFine Ink Pad, Onyx Black

Powder Tool Adhesive Deactivator

Pretty Pink Posh Sequins, Limited Edition Friendship Mix

My Sweet Petunia MISTI Laser Etched Stamping Tool

Ranger Non-Stick Craft Sheet

Scotch Double-Sided Foam Mounting Tape

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Cardstock, 8-1/2 x 11

Black Velvet Watercolor Brushes, Short Square Wash 3/4 in

Hero Arts Embossing Gun