I'm Back!

I took a small hiatus from Blogging this week, but I'm back now! I wanted to share a project with you today using the new Swallowtail stamp that's in the Spring Catalogue. I created a set of note cards with coordinating envies. Check it out:

I started with some of our note cards and stamped the image using VersaMark and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder. Next, I brayered each card using the following colour combos: Summer Starfruit/Old Olive, Sahara Sand/Raspberry Ripple, Pool Party/Elegant Eggplant. Once all was dry, I used the Oval Framelits to shape my note cards and I just think the shape is so much fun. Since I wanted to use these as a gift set and for sale, I packaged them simply, but in a way that anyone would be happy to receive these! I just love this new bold image... don't you?!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Patio Butterflies

I was honoured to be asked to be a Guest Designer for Sunday Stamps this week! I've enjoyed playing along for the last several challenges and look forward to many more. Here is this week's sketch and my design:

Paper: Primrose Petals, Summer Starfruit, Patio Party DSP
Stamps: Fabulous Florets
Ink: Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit
Accessories: Jewels, Midnight Muse Satin Stitched Ribbon
Tools: Scallop Trim Border Punch, Big Shot, Beautiful Wings Embosslit

When I saw the butterflies in the sketch, I immediately thought of all those tiny butterflies in the Patio Party DSP. To add a little interest (and it's hard to tell in the photos), I stamped the large leaf image from the Fabulous Florets set in VersaMark, covered it in clear embossing powder and heated it. After all was dry, I got out my Brayer and brayered Midnight Muse ink all over the DSP. This allowed my leaf image to pop because the butterflies that were captured behind the clear embossing powder stayed lighter and you can still see the rest of the DSP, although darker, under the brayered ink. Cool, eh?!

I mounted the DSP on some Summer Starfruit card stock and punched a border in the same colour with my Scallop Trim border punch. I also added some Midnight Muse Stitched Satin Ribbon for more texture. I used my Beautiful Wings embosslit to get all the butterflies and scattered them across the front - I saved the largest one for inside the card. For the sentiment, I stamped one of the floral images in Summer Starfruit on Summer Starfruit card stock, added some Dazzling Diamonds to the center and stamped the sentiment from Petite Pairs in the center in Midnight Muse ink. Then I fussy-cut the flower out and popped it up with Dimensionals.

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

In Memory...

Today is the 2-year anniversary of a loved one's death. I made this card especially for him. He was an AWESOME woodworker and truly was one-of-a-kind. This card not only features stamps that are appropriate to him, but also a technique called emboss-resist and uses some product that will be retiring at the end of this catalogue term (May 31st). So if the retiring products are a "MUST HAVE" on your list, make sure you order before the end of May!

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Supplies
Stamps:
- Have a Seat, #120447 (clear), #116696 (wood) - retiring May 31st
- Tool Shed, #123688
- One of A Kind (retired)

Paper:
- Very Vanilla 81/2 x 11 Card Stock, #101650

Ink:
- Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad, #115657
- Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad, #119667

Accessories:
- Heart to Heart Punch, #119881  retiring punch, available until May 31st or until supplies last!
- Scallop Oval Punch, #119856
- Decorative Label Punch, #120907 - My go-to punch!
- Daffodil Delight Seam-Binding Ribbon, available as part of Summer Smooches Promo (ends April 30th!), and is a sneak-peek from the NEW catalogue.
- Brayer, #102395
- Clear Embossing Powder, #109130
- Heat Tool, #100005
- Big Shot, #113439
- Top Note Die, #113463