fresh & fun

I love Gina K’s Holiday Cheer set. So when I needed to come up with a variation picture for the Luminaria tutorial, I grabbed that set.

The Riding Hood cardstock base was stamped with the snowflakes from the set in Cranberry ink from Adirondack and sponged with the same color. I added a chocolate Chip cardstock strip on the top that had been punched with an EK Success border punch (sorry….forgot the name).

The windows and the Chocolate chip frames were cut with Label Four Nestabilities. The frame was sponged with Expresso ink before I adhered them to the window with Mono Multi liquid glue.

The bird was stamped in Expresso ink on Vellum. I used my heat gun to dry it, turned it over and sponged Butterscotch and Cranberry over the back. 

To finish it off, I created another snowflake medallion. It was sponged with Cranberry ink in the center and with Antique Linen Distress ink on the edges. Shard Glitter and a button from my Mom’s stash finished it off. It was adhered to the Luminaria front with dimensionals.

Make sure to check out today’s Holiday Blitz Tutorial. Julie Buhler shows us how to make a Window Treat box.

Have a great day! Hugs and smiles

Gina’s latest released stamps are amazing. They came to my house the same day I tried to come up with a nice sample for the Acetate and Tissue tutorial. That was the very first tutorial I ever wrote and it needed overhauling BAD! I knew right away that I wanted to use the gorgeous Reindeer from Gina’s Holiday Cheer TV kit.

The card base was cut with the Clear Scallop Square Die from Stampin’ Up! out of Gina K’s Pure Luxury Black cardstock. Now that is thick cardstock for a base! The Very Vanilla square measures 3 7/8″. The 7Gypsies and My Mind’s Eye papers are 3 5/8″ wide. They were stitched to the Vanilla layer. White May Arts Silk Ribbon was tied around the middle where the two papers meet.

For the main panel I stamped the Reindeer in Stazon on Acetate, added Crystal Effect to the backside and used Bashful Blue reinker to add color. Dazzling Diamond Glitter was sprinkled over it before adding the tissue. I stamped the tree line from the same set in Old Olive on Very Vanilla and placed my Acetate/Tissue layer over it. Once it was dried, I cut the layers with Label Three Nestabilities. It was layered on the next size label cut out of black cardstock.

The sentiment is from the second set of Gina K’s Holiday Cheer TV kit. It was stamped in Vintage Photo Distress Ink, cut out with the large oval punch, sponged around the edges and layered on a scallop oval black punch-out. I finished the card up with some blue Kaiser Rhinestones.

Video for visual learner:

Make sure to check out today’s tutorial. Anna-Marie Still is sharing a cute peeps holder.

I have to say I was excited when the review team had a chance to play with Spellbinders new Impressabilities. I had heard a lot about them. Check out how we liked them in today’s Product Review on SCS.

I wrote two different tutorials with Impressabilities. Here is the sample for my first tutorial: Embossing with Impressabilities.

The card base is a 4 1/4″ x 8 1/2″ piece of Chocolate chip cardstock folded in half, followed by a 4″ square of Whisper White cardstock.

The red cardstock 3 3/4″ square as well as the white cardstock heart are both from the same sheet of Core’dination Cardstock. It is super cool cardstock that has a different colored core. This particular piece is from the White Wash Collection.

The Flower is from the Pretties Kit from Stampin’ Up!, so is the Chocolate Corderoy Button and the Chocolate Satin Ribbon (retired). The sentiment is from Gina K.’s stamp set “Framed Flowers“. It was stamped on the same cardstock in Chocolate Chip ink and punched out with Stampin’ Up!’s large oval punch.

Even if I don’t stamp a lot these days, I had to create a matching inside.

I used a leftover scrap from my embossed red cardstock from the front, added a Chocolate Eyelet Border underneath and taped both to the bottom of the bottom of a 4″ Whisper White Square.

The top right was paper pierced with an Ornare Paper piercing guide.

Have a wonderful day! Hugs and smiles

I am a bit behind on this weeks challenges. Here is my sample for today’s sketch challenge with the colors of Tuesday’s challenge on SCS.

I thought this layout would showcase Cammie’s new set very well.

The card base is a 4 1/4″ x 11″ piece of Purely Pomegranate cardstock folded in half. I stamped the swirl from Baroque Motifs in Purely Pomegranate on it and sponged the edges with Purely Pomegranate, then with Going Grey.

The Going Gray cardstock layer measures 3 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ and has a dotted border on it made with a white gel pen. It is followed by a 3 1/8″ x 4 1/8″ piece of Basic Black cardstock by a 3″ x 4″ piece of BasicGrey paper. I tied Artichoke stitched ribbon from May Arts around both the black cardstock and the patterned paper and added a double photo corner on the top right that were topped with three Artichoke brads.

I inked up the stamp with Always Artichoke and Purely Pomegranate ink and stamped it on a 1 1/2″ x 2″ piece of Shimmery White cardstock. That was layered on a rectangle Nextabilities die cut and paper pierced. I added black brads in the center of each flower.

Carolyn  King is not only a super sweet blogger and SCS member, she is also a stamp designer for Gina K.

Check out her newest set Framed Flowers.

It was released yesterday and I used it to make my tiny sample for today’s Be inspired Challenge.

The card base is (surprise, surprise) a 3″ x 6″ piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock folded in half.

The designer paper is from the Ginger Blossom pack from Stampin’ Up!

I cut the paper, adhered it, stamped the flower stamp with my very neglegted VersaMagic Dew Drop (Jumbo Java).

Last I added paper piercing for accent.

This Be inspired challenge is super easy. I love the blocked layout and will definitely use it again. Maybe even on bigger cards. LOL

I don’t think I will be able to share a page today! I am sorry! I didn’t get one done. So instead I will share another card made with Gina K.’s awesome Stamps for a Cause set called How sweet it is. 

Okay…I might have gone a little sponge crazy on this card!

It started out simple.

The card base is a 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ piece of Always Artichoke cardstock that was folded in half.

The next layer is a 4″ x 5 1/4″ piece of Basic Black cardstock followed by a 3 3/4″ x 5″ piece of Fancy Pants Designer Paper.

I stamped my All in a Row Argyle stamp on the edges of the designer paper to create the faux stitched look and added a large Photo Corner with five silver brads topping it off.

The beautiful Bouquet stamp was inked up with Black Palette ink on watercolor paper. I colored the image with Basic Gray, Ruby Red and Always Artichoke classic ink and my Blender Pen.

Next I stamped the sentiment in Black Palette ink on Watercolor paper and punched it out with my 1 1/4″ circle punch. The sentiment looked a little pale so I sponged it first with Summer Sun, then Pumpkin Pie and last with Ruby Red ink and sponge daubers. I layered the circle on a 1 3/8″ piece of Always Artichoke and a black scallop circle.

After sponging the sentiment, my main image looked super white. So I repeated my sponging on the main image. LOL

I also added crystal effect over all my flowers and placed a small Fire Rhinestone brad in the center of the daisy like flower.

..was called Making YoYo Yellow look good. The color combo was Basic Gray, Going Gray and YoYo Yellow (YIKES!!!).

Now, I am not sure if I achieved that. YoYo is a hard color to love or even like. I saw a bunch of gorgeous flower cards in the gallery made with that color combo. But I really wanted to use the newest stamps for a cause  set by Gina K called How sweet it is.

Gina is the sweetest person to come out with special stamp sets specifically to raise money for certain causes.

7.00 of every stamp set will be divided equally between the American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, two organizations that are working on research to find better ways to treat diabetes and hopefully will some day find a cure.

The card base is a 4 1/4″ x 8 1/2″ piece of Basic Gray cardstock folded in half.

Next is a ticket cornerpunched 4″ square of Basic Black cardstock followed by a 3 3/4″ square of Going Gray.

The Going Gray layer was stamped with the soft stitched swirl stamp from Stitched Exotics and paper pierced and sponged around the edges.

I stamped the cake stamp as well as the sentiment in Black Stazon on Watercolor paper. The cake was colored with Basic Gray, Going Gray, YoYo Yellow and Pretty in Pink and blender pen.

I added Stickles glitter over the frosting and flame and small rhinestones around the frame. This watercolor paper piece measures 2″ x 3″ and I layered it on a 1/8″ bigger piece of Basic Black. A small strip of Pink Tafetta ribbon was added with a silver brad on the top left.

I added some YoYo Yellow over the sentiment, layered it on a slightly bigger strip of black cardstock and added a 1/2″ YoYo Yellow circle on the left hand side. I added a Pink rhinestone brad through it and adhered it to the card with dimensionals.

Last I added two 1/2″ YoYo Yellow circles on the right side of the card. They were each layered with a 1/4″ black circle and topped off with a silver brad.

Now my YoYo yellow can dust over again until the next challenge calls for it. LOL

Have a wonderful day! Hugs and smiles

That’s the name of Gina K.’s newest Stamps for a Cause Stamp set! Gina is such a kind, caring and giving person. Please check out her Stamps for a Cause page.

$7.00 of every stamp set will be divided equally between the American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, two organizations that are working on research to find better ways to treat diabetes and hopefully will some day find a cure.

This set is available in two styles. You can purchase either wood mounted or unmounted on cling cushion for use with acrylic blocks.

Here is my first card made with this set. It’s another sample for my weekend sketch.

The card base is a 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ piece of Soft Sky cardstock folded in half.

The River Rock polka dotted designer paper is from the retired Apple Cider paper pack and measures 2 1/8″ x 4 1/4″.

Both long edges are paper pierced.

Underneath is a slighter bigger scalloped piece of Whisper White. Double Stitched Wild Wasabi Grosgrain ribbon was tied around the bottom.

The vertical strips are a 7/8″ wide piece of Wild Wasabi colored Apple Cider Designer paper and a 3/4″ wide piece of Whisper White.  I added three flowers with white brads centers over the strips. The flowers were punched out with the Three for you Punch.

The main image was stamped with Black Palette ink on Watercolor paper and colored in with Aqua Painter and classic inks (River Rock, Groovy Guava, Soft Sky and Wild Wasabi). I stamped the baby pouch on the polka dotted paper, cut it out and glued it to the main image.

I cut the image out and dry embossed the edge with my circle Nestabilities dies and added a black cardstock mat as well as a Groovy Guava scallop circle underneath.

After adding a double photo corner with black brads to the bottom right corner, I stamped my saying in Black Palette ink and was done.

Today’s sketch challenge on SCS  is to make a kick stand card. I thought that would be the perfect card to spotlight the giraffe in Gina K.’s Just So Hippy set.

I started out with a 4 1/4″ x 10 1/4″ piece of Purely Pomegranate cardstock.

I scored that at 5 1/2″ and used the 4 3/4″ side as my card front. I took a thin 4 1/4″ long Whisper White strip and added scallops with my corner rounder. That was taped under the card front with only the scallops peaking out.

Next is a 4″ x 4 1/2″ piece of Basic Black cardstock followed by a 3 3/4″ x 4 1/4″ piece of Darling Doodles Designer paper (I am still bummed that it is retired now. It has such fun designs.) I added Faux Stitching with my Argyle stamp from All in a Row.

After taping the Black cardstock and the designer paper together, I tied a piece of Wild Wasabi Double Stitched Grosgrain ribbon around it.

The giraffe was stamped with Black Palette ink on a 2 1/2″ x 4 5/8″ piece watercolor paper and colored in with Aqua Painter and Classic inks (Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi, Groovy Guava and Purely Pomegranate). I doodled grass with my 08 black Micron pen. The image was layered on a 1/4″ bigger piece of Basic Black cardstock.

I stamped the saying in black on Whisper White cardstock. I punched it out with my 3/4″ circle punch and layered it first on a 1″ piece of Wild Wasabi, then a 1 1/4″ Soft Sky circle. Next came a 1 3/8″ Purely Pomegranate circle and last a black scallop circle. I added doodles to the Wasabi circle and paper pierced the Soft Sky one.

The image still needed something so I added a small black photo corner to the top right. Three celery brads were added.

I can’t help myself. My images need to be either punched with the ticket corner punch, paper pierced, faux stitched with All in a Row or they need a photo corner. Otherwise they don’t look done to me. I wonder if I ever grow out of that phase and what I will think about it in a year or two. LOL

 I think I will send this card to Rick! I love that saying.

Melanie Muenchinger is now designing stamps for Gina K. !!!  Melanie is a Splitcoast Member and one of our original Dirty Dozen girls. I am so excited to see  many of our fellow SCS girls having so much success with their stamping.

When she asked me to play with her new stamp set, I was thrilled to do so.

Here is a card made with Melanie’s stamp set “Just so Hippy” and with this weekend’s sketch challenge. Check out all of Gina K.’s new released stamps!

The card base is a 4 1/4″ x 8 1/2″ piece of Soft Sky Cardstock folded in half. On the lower half of the card front I added a 1 1/2″ x 4 1/4″ strip of Darling Doodles Designer Paper and I tied white Taffeta Ribbon around it.

I stamped the hippo on Soft Sky Prints Designer Paper with Black Palette ink.

I cut it out and added highlights with my white gel pen.

The grass is a 1/2″ x 2 3/4″ piece of Certainly Celery Prints Designer Paper. I added small cut like MaryJo does so well.

The center squares are a 2 3/4″ square of textured Groovy Guava cardstock, a 3″ square of Basic Black and a 3 1/4″ Purely Pomegranate cardstock.

The Groovy Guava and the Basic Black squares have their top corners punched with the ticket corner punch. I taped all layers together and paper pierced a border on all sides of the Groovy Guava cardstock except for the bottom one. I taped the grass strip down there and added two white brads on the top corners (Stampin’ Up! really needs some of those. Until they do, contact Cindy at Starlitstudio to get you some!)

The sentiment is from the same set and is stamped in Black Palette ink on a 1 1/4″ piece of Shimmery White cardstock circle that was layered on a 1 3/8″ Certainly Celery circle and a Basic Black Scallop circle.