Friend, You Make Me Smile!

I saw this stencil technique awhile ago and had to try it out on my friendship card. Basically you sponge the rainbow of colors over the stencil, move the stencil slightly and without re-inking your sponge, stencil again.  It gives you a lighter shade of the colors you first stenciled.  Pretty cool, eh?  Sorry, I can't remember who I saw doing this technique.  Whoever you are, THANK YOU!

The sentiment is a combo of  stamps from the Wild Blooms stamp set and the Friend Fri-Die.  My tag was looking a little bare and not popping against the background, so I matted it in black.  It was still too plain, so I pulled out some flower stamps and stamped along the bottom, then added a skinny strip of black cardstock.  Now I love it!

All of the products I used today, with the exception of ink and paper, come from Catherine Pooler's new online store.  She is doing a soft launch this week of her store that will be opening in August.  StampNation members already have the link.  Those of you on the wait list for Stamp of Approval will be getting an email tomorrow and if there is anything left, the store will open to everyone else on Monday and close on July 1st, if she doesn't sell out before that.

Stamps: Girlfriend (CASual Fridays Stamps for SOA Friendship Collection) Wild Blooms (Catherine Pooler Designs)

Ink: Cracked Pistachio, Picked Raspberry, Squeezed Lemonade, Peacock Feathers Wilted Violet (Distress) Black (Staz-On)
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White (Stampin' Up)
Accessories: Harleen Stencil (Winnie & Walter for SOA Young At Heart Collection) Tag Buddies Fri-Dies (CASual Fridays Stamps for SOA Friendship Collection

Ranger Distress Mini Ink Pad, Squeezed Lemonade

Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Cracked Pistachio

Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Picked Raspberry

Ranger Distress Mini Ink Pad, Peacock Feathers

Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Wilted Violet

Stazon Solvent Ink Pad, Jet Black

Balloon Celebration

It's Friday!  Let's celebrate!!!  I've had a very long week, and not much creative play time.  I'm looking forward to a weekend of crafting with a little bit of outside time to plant some flowers.  What are your plans?

  

This is a card I made last week to send to one of my Stampin' Up customers.  Hopefully she has received it, so I don't ruin the surprise.  ;)   My inspiration came for the recent Inspiration Nation event on StampNation.  Check out the video below to learn more about the creation of this card.

Direct youtube video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KAFD9hcIUw

Stamps: Balloon Celebration, Tin of Cards (Stampin' Up)

Ink: Blushing Bride, Crumb Cake, Soft Sky (Stampin' Up) Golden Glitz (Delicata)

Paper: Love Blossoms DSP Stack, Whisper White (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Journal Tag Die (Sugar Pea Designs for SOA Young At Heart collection) Balloon Punch, It's My Party Enamel Dots, Dimensionals, Snail (Stampin' Up!)

Balloon Celebration Bundle

Tin of Cards

It's My Party Enamel Dots

Love Blossoms DSP Stack

Delicata Ink Pad, Golden Glitz

StampNation Sneak Peek (plus new SOA peek too)

Are you ready for another StampNation sneak peek?  When I chose this photo for our inspiration challenge this week I had the Young At Heart stamp of approval collection in mind.  There wasn't enough space to fit it in for that release month, so I moved it to April.  If you want to see the photo, along with the fabulous design team samples, be sure to check out the Challenge forum at StampNation today.  You can also scroll down to the bottom left corner of the home page to see a peek at the last 3 challenges posted.  ;)  Here is my sneak peek.  Hope you find it totally fabulous.

Masculine Monday ~ Birthday Brother

Confession Time 

I have a weakness for patterned paper.  If you were to look in my craft room it would be obvious immediately.  The only problem I have with this is that I rarely use patterened paper on my cards anymore and it is even more rare that I scrapbook these days.  This card doesn't put a dent in my stash, but it did get me looking through my patterned paper again, and that is a start.

The bonus is that using patterned paper meant this card for my brother came together super quick!  I cut a panel for the front of the card, then cut a 1"strip in contrasting paper.  Finally I cut a designer rectangle out of a 3rd piece of  paper. To add the finishing touch that gives it a more professional look I lightly sponged the edges of my sentiment panel and vertical strip.  This toned done the white edges from cutting.  My card was done, but it needed a little somethin' somethin' so I added a scattering of neutral candy dots.

When was the last time you pulled out your pretty paper and used it?  I challenge you to dig around your stash and use some patterned paper on a project this week.

Stamps: Young At Heart (CAS-ual Fridays Stamps for SOA)

Ink: Black (Hero Arts) Crumb Cake (Stampin' Up)

Paper: Sahara Sand (SU) Stationer's Desk (Prima)
Accessories: Candy Dots: Nuetrals, Sponge (SU)

Hero Arts India Ink, Black

Prima Marketing The Archivist, 6x6 Paper Pad

Hero Arts Silky Stamping Sponge

Masculine Monday ~ Shadow Stenciling ~ Gears

My card today was inspired by StampNation dream team member, Ingrid Pagliocca's, card in the Double Stencil technique class.  She made a lovely tropical floral card, but I saw the potential for a cool masculine card using this gears stencil.

If you've never seen the ghosting technique, watch the video below to see how easy it is to accomplish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_PP7X8Xhxs

Stamps: Bring on the Cake (SugarPea Designs for Stamp of Approval Young at Heart collection) Ring in the Celebration (Winnie & Walter for Stamp of Aprroval Young at Heart collection)
Ink: Paper White (Fresh Ink) Navy (Hero Arts) Night of Navy (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: Crumb Cake, Night of Navy, Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Gears Stencil (My Favorite Things) Jumbo Sponge Applicator (Tsukineko)

3M Post-It Adhesive Roll, White, 1x400 in

Ranger Ink Blending Tool, 1 Inch Round

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

Ranger Multi Medium, Matte With Brush, 1 oz.

Avery Elle Ink Pad, Pure White

Hero Arts Pigment Ink Pad, Unicorn White

Sponge Applicator, Jumbo Dauber

Sponge Applicator, Ink Sweeper

Sponge Applicator, Sponge Dauber 3 pk

My Favorite Things Stencils, Bold Paisley

My Favorite Things Stencils, Cow Print

Prima Marketing Finnabair Stencils, Mechanics

Crookedy Cake Card

Who knew creating with a crookedy cake could be so much fun?  The challenge this week at StampNation is to create a birthday card.  The design team have all used products from the Stamp of Approval Young at Heart collection to give members even more ideas to use with this fun box of goodies.  Here's a sneak peek at my card.

The design team samples are going to blow you away!  Seriously!  I'm swooning over them, and so happy that I have the supplies to CASE them.

Stamps: Bring on the Cake (SugarPea Designs for SOA) Young at Heart (CASual Fridays Stamps for SOA)

Ink: Pool Party, Tempting Turquoise (Stampin' Up) 052, 050, 031, 036, 080, 081 (Zig CC RB Markers) Teal High Heal Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels) Gold Shimmer Spritz (Tsukineko)
Paper: Bristol (Canson) Whisper White (SU)
Accessories: Birthday Journal Card Dies (SugarPea Designs for SOA) 

Stamp of Approval Sneak Peek Week

It's almost time for the next release of the new Stamp of Approval Young at Heart collection and this one is going to knock your socks off!  Promise!   All weekend long Catherine and her design team have been sneak peeking the awesomeness.  I'm honored to be among this uber talented group of designers!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UItmWXjYfY

Time to head on over to Catherine Pooler's blog to see more samples and sign up for the stamp of approval wait list to find out as soon as it is goes on sale.  Then visit the other amazing designers, Maureen Merritt, Joni Andaya, Laurel Beard, and Simon Hurley, being featured today.  

Be sure to come back tomorrow for the BIG blog hop and your chance to win a collection of your own.

Stamps: HB2U (Sugar Pea Designs for SOA) Ring In the Celebration (Winnie & Walter for SOA)
Ink: Cut Grass, Vibrant Turquoise (Dylusions Spray) Teal High Heel (Tattered Angels Chalkboard Spray) Onyx Black (Versafine)
Paper: Bristol Watercolor Cardstock (Strathmore) Basic Black, Whisper White Cardstock (Stampin' UP)
Accessories: Birthday Journal Card Dies (Sugar Pea Designs for SOA) Harleen Stencil (Winnie & Walter for SOA) Clear Embossing Powder (Stampin' Up!)

Stenciled Birthday Wishes ~ SOA Young At Heart Sneak Peek

It's officially release week for the new Stamp of Approval Young at Heart Collection.   You know what that means?  Sneak peeks!!!  Catherine Pooler will be featuring her projects along with her entire creative design team each day on her blog.  Here is my card for today.

The background was created with a stencil that is included in the collection.  I didn't want to cover it up, so I had to come up with a design that would let the background shine.  I was completely inspired by an open frame in one of the old "Friends" episodes.  Isn't that a fun way to showcase your creative backgrounds?

All the die cuts you see are also included in this collection.  It is jam-packed with goodness!  Hop on over to Catherine's blog, clicky, to see more of this collection and what the other designers have to share today.


Ink: 302, 036, 042,  033 (Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers) Wilted Violet (Distress) Gold Shimmer Spritz
Paper: Basic Black, Vellum Cardstock (Stampin' Up) Marshmallow (Bazzill)
Accessories: Happy Birthday Wishes (CASual Fridays Stamps for SOA) Harleen Creative Screenings (Winnie & Walter for SOA) Birthday Journaling Card Die (SugarPea Designs)

Hooray It's Your Day ~ SOA Sneak Peek ~ Video

The new Stamp of Approval Young At Heart collection is being released next week and I just can't stop playing with my box of goodies!  When I saw the layered circles in the Ring in the Celebration stamp set by Winnie & Walter I knew I wanted to create a CAS card with the Rings as the star of the show.  

I have teenage boys and I'm in need of cards that they can give to friends. I ended up created 2 cards.  The one above is a more masculine version that my teenage boys could give to a friend.  The one below has a "slightly" more feminine look with the soft yellow glow and pink frosting.

I captured these cards on video so you could see how easy it is to pull off these looks, plus you'll get a peek at the soon-to-be-released SOA collection.  ;) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HBdVx5n2QU

CAS(E) this Sketch has another fabulous sketch this week.  It fits the design of my cards, so I am linking up with them and sharing it with you to play along too!  I love how using sketches helps me focus my design.   This is especially true when I am overwhelmed by all the possibilities a collection, or even a single stamp set, has.  

CTS157

Stamps: Ring in the Celebration (Winnie& Walter for SOA)
Ink: Coastal Cabana, Tempting Turquoise, Bermuda Bay, Daffodil Delight, Pool Party, Soft Suede, Melon Mambo (Stampin' Up) Tuxedo Black (Memento) Squeezed Lemonade (Distress)
Paper: Bermuda Bay, Pacific Point, Whisper White (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Circle Punch, Dimensionals (SU)

Clicky to get on the waiting list for the new Stamp of Approval collection.

Harlequin Colored Embossing Paste

This month we have been celebrating StampNation's birthday with an awesome, free, stencil class.  There have been so many amazing techniques and ideas shared in this class that I am on inspiration overload.  Here is a peek at one of the cards I created for class.

For some reason I had an image stuck in my head that I needed to get out on paper.  Does that ever happen to you?  I wanted purple and bright yellow/gold.  Watch the video to find out how I achieved that look by coloring my white embossing paste and also learn some mistakes I learned along the way so you don't have to waste paper too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzxPK9hWDJc

Stamps: Stamp of Approval Young At Heart Collection
Ink: Squeezed Lemonade, Wilted Violet, Seedless Preserves (Distress) Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Paper: Marshmallow (Bazzill)
Accessories: Harleen Stencil (Winnie & Walter for SOA) White Embossing Paste (Dreamweavers) Glossy Accents; Palette Knife

Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Squeezed Lemonade

Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Wilted Violet

Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Seedless Preserves

Memento Ink Pad, Tuxedo Black

Dreamweaver Embossing Paste, White, 4 oz.

Viva Decor Palette Knife Set, 3 Pieces

The Best Ever Craft Mat by Ken Oliver

Ranger Accents, Mini Glossy Accents