Inspired Valentine--#tgifc300

This is the 300th TGIF Challenges challenge!!!  Did you know I've done all 300?  Yep, I have.  One did not get posted in time because I figured the time difference wrong between Georgia and the West Coast and instead of being over an hour early, I was ten minutes late. However,  I did put a link to it in the comments just to let the team know I completed that challenge.  That was over 250 challenges ago and now I just make sure I link my project at least a day ahead!!!

This week's challenge is an inspiration challenge--one of my favorites.  Our inspiration is the new January to June 2021 Mini Catalog.  I went through the catalog and landed on page 59 with the Enjoy the Moment stamp set and a wonderful card with two embossing folder embossed layers, a bit of distressing and images arranged in a diagonal across the card.   I took those elements and created a Valentine:

I started with a Sahara Sand card based then layered over a piece of Blushing Bride Forever & Always Foil Sheets (#156200).  It was embossed with the Tasteful Texture 3D embossing folder (#152700) as was used on the first layer of the inspiration card. The next layer is the same as the inspiration card (whisper white card stock embossed with the Scripty 3D embossing folder (#149634) except that I colored the piece with Blushing Bride ink using a Blending Brush (#153611).  

I die cut the hearts using the Stitched Be Mine dies (#151814), Blushing Bride foil sheets, Blushing Bride card stock and a piece of True Love designer series paper (#154281).  The paper was colored with Blushing Bride ink and a Blending Brush.  Three Heart charms (#154282) and a few Matte Black Dots (#154284) were  arranged among the die cut hearts. 

The greeting is from Meant to Be stamp set (#148626).  It was stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento ink and die cut using a Painted Poppies die (#151605).  The greeting piece was layered over a piece of Blushing Bride Metallic ribbon (#154283) which was wrapped around the layer and tied in a bow.

My hope is that you will take a look at the samples in the new mini and pick a few elements you like to inspire and create a totally different card.  Maybe you'll just be inspired by the colors used in a sample or by the use of embossing folders like I was.  See how others were inspired by the catalog samples over at the TGIF Challenges Blog here, then start creating!

Have a great weekend!

--Sara Nell 

Dandelion Wishes--#tgifc299

The TGIF Challenges product spotlight challenge this week is background stamps.  I have only the Birch background stamp (#149256).  As it reminds me of a forest, I paired it with wildflowers:  pretty dandelions from the Garden Wishes stamp set (#154408) and die cuts from the coordinating Dandy Wishes dies (#154315/bundled with the stamp set, #156220).

The inspiration for the colors came from the designer series paper pattern used for the entire front of the card base.  This paper and the next layer are patterns from the Dandy Gardens 6" x 6" designer series paper pack (#154297). I really like Misty Moonlight as a background for the dandelions on the paper, so I used it with the Birch background stamp to create the background for my stamped dandelions.  

Both the Birch background and the dandelions were stamped in Basic Gray.  the dandelions image was colored with So Saffron (#154905) and Mossy Meadow (#154890) Stampin' Blends combo packs. The dandelions were popped over additional leaf stems die cut from Mossy Meadow card stock. The greeting was stamped in Mossy Meadow and die cut using an Ornate Layers die (#152726).  It was manipulated in the Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine to shorten the length of the die cut to fit the greeting.  Three Bumblebee enamel dots (2020-2022 In Color pack, #152480) complete the card.

Check out the other Background stamps used in the other entries on the TGIF Challenges Blog here.  I'm thinking I need some more of these stamps!!!

Hope you have a great week!

--Sara Nell

A T-Rex for Easton--#tgifc298

This week's sketch challenge over at TGIF Challenges provided the inspiration for today's card.  I made it for my 23-month old grandson, Easton.  I want to send him a little love as he is being tested for COVID-19 tomorrow.  One of his little buddies from day care tested positive last week.  

Easton loves dinosaurs so I reached for the Dino Days stamp set  (#149406) and the coordinating Dino dies (#149636).  I stamped the t-rex in Poppy Parade and Pacific Point and the palm tree in Soft Suede and Granny Apple Green.  They are arranged over a Whisper White label die cut using the third largest die in the Stitched Nested Labels die set (#149638).  The greeting was stamped in Granny Apple Green on a Soft Sea Foam banner created with a 5/8" wide strip of card stock and the Banners Pick a Punch (#153608).  I added three Bumble Bee enamel dots (2020-2022 In Color Enamel dots, #152480) to complete the label.

The background on the card is a piece of Granny Apple Green/Garden Green plaid designer series paper from the Berry Delightful designer series paper pack.  This paper is bundled with the Berry Blessings stamp set as a FREE Sale-a-Bration product choice with a purchase of at least $100.  This paper was adhered to a Whisper White Thick card base.

Please note:   All Whisper White products have been discontinued by Stampin' Up! due to the manufacturer's plant closing.  However, we have great new Basic White products to replace them.  The Item number for Basic White thick card stock is 159229 and for regular 8-1/2" x 11" Basic White card stock, it is 159276. 

Head over to the TGIF Challenges Blog for more projects created using this sketch:

Have a great day!

--Sara Nell

Black & White Studies in Texture -- #tgifc297

The TGIF Challenges color challenge this week is Black and White.  My cards today were inspired by an old episode of Trading Spaces.  I haven't watched Trading Spaces in years, so why it popped into my head I have no idea.  I remember the episode so well--one designer did a room all in white and the other designer did one all in black. So I challenged myself to do the same with my projects using lots of texture to create the layers.  One exception--the greeting on each card is in the opposite color to stand out.  How did I do?

Once I had my two card bases cut, I die cut the first layers using the largest Stitched Rectangles die (#151820).  I created texture on each of these layers using Embossing Paste (white, #141979) and one of the Basic Pattern Decorative Masks (#150697)--the polka dots on black and the stylized leaves on white.  The embossing paste for the black card was tinted black using the Tuxedo Black Memento ink refill (#133456).  The Palette Knives (#142808) were used to mix and spread the embossing paste.  While the embossing paste dried, I started on the layers for each card.

On the black card I layered die cuts from the Poppy Moments dies (#151594).  The solid poppies were embossed with the Subtle 3D embossing folder.  The greeting is from the Peaceful Moments stamp set (#151595).  It was stamped in VersaMark and heat embossed with White Stampin' Emboss Powder (#109132) and the Heat tool (#129053).  I used the smallest Stitched Rectangle die to die cut the greeting, running it through the Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine (#149653) twice to shorten the rectangle.  

The white baker's twine from the Snail Mail Twine combo pack (#154566) was colored black using the Basic Black dark Stampin' Blends (#154843, combo pack).  It was wrapped around the card layer three times and tied in a bow prior to adding the die cuts.  All card stock on the card is Basic Black (#121045).

On the white card, the Detailed Hearts die (#151440) was used to create another layer over the embossing paste.  Over this layer two hearts die cut using the Stitched Be Mine dies (#151814).  The solid heart was embossed with the Old World Paper 3D embossing folder (#153200) and popped up over the scalloped edge heart with Stampin' Dimensionals.  

The greeting is from the new Always in My Heart stamp set (#154337).  It was stamped in VersaMark and heat embossed with Black Stampin' Emboss Powder (now retired).  It was die cut out using the banner die in the coordinating Floral Heart dies (#154306).  

I tied a bow of Polka Dot Tulle ribbon (#146912) diagonally around the card between the two large heart die cuts.  

The card stock used on this card is Whisper White Thick and Whisper White.  These two products and all Whisper White products have been discontinued.  These two  have been replaced by Basic White thick (#159229) and Basic White (#159276). 

Like the Trading Spaces rooms, I believe I like the all black best. It was unexpected, but the textures just give the black a richness that you don't see as much in the all white. This was certainly a challenge for me, but also a lot of fun.

See more black and white projects (most are going to be black and white on one card) over at the TGIF Challenges Blog here.

Have a great day!

--Sara Nell

   

 

Creation Station January Blog Hop: How to Design Your Own Stamp Set

 

Hello and welcome to the January 2021 Creation Station Blog Hop.  We are a group of Stampin' Up! Demonstrators from around the world who create themed inspiration for you each first Sunday of the Month.  This month our theme is "How to Design Your Own Stamp Set.  We are celebrating Stampin' Up!'s million dollar sales achievers, including our own team member Dena Rekow.   The outstanding achievement of Million Dollar Sales Achiever shared here is not representative of the typical Stampin’ Up! demonstrator.  These results require significant work and are accomplished by a substantially small percentage of Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators   

Rewards upon achieving a million dollars in sales include a visit to Stampin' Up!'s home office in Riverton, Utah, and working with a Stampin' Up! artist to create and inspire a stamp set for an upcoming catalog.  You can find these stamp sets in our catalogs by looking for the gold 1,000,000 icon next to the stamp set title.  There have been some great sets in our catalogs over the years, but I believe that Dena's stamp set is the first one to inspire the stamp set, a set of coordinating dies and coordinating designer series paper.  Dena's stamp set, Pretty Petals, and the coordinating Perennial Petals dies make their debut in the January to June 2021 Mini Catalog out on January 5.  The coordinating Paper Blooms designer series paper will be a FREE Sale-a-Bration product selection in the January-February 2021 Sale-a-Bration Brochure also out on January 5. (Tip: purchase the stamp set and die bundle, add in an additional $5 in product and choose the paper as your free product.  You'll be set for some pretty and fun stamping this year!).  So proud of and excited for Dena!

I am pretty sure you will be inspired by Dena's stamp set along the hop today, so I have decided to feature an oldie but goodie million dollar stamp set inspired by Connie Heisey:  Waterfront (#146386).  You'll find this one on page 129 of the current Annual Catalog.  It includes images to create both mountain lake and sunny beach scenes.  Since it is rainy and cold here, I decided to create with a beach theme:

There's nothing like a bit of rest and relaxation before taking on the challenges of a new year.  The greeting on my card is from Timeless Tropical stamp set (#151497).  It is stamped under the largest island on the card in Soft Suede.  The islands were stamped with Sahara Sand and Soft Suede stamped off once, the trees with Soft Suede and Old Olive and the little hut with Magenta Madness.

I used a new tool, Blending Brushes (#153611, available January 5), to create the ocean and sky on Shimmery White card stock.  I first brushed Soft Sea Foam under each island and then brushed on Pool Party all over to add depth to the ocean and a light sky.  The stamped piece was layered on a piece of Sahara Sand card stock embossed with the new Painted Texture 3D embossing folder (#154317, available January 5).  A bit of Braided Linen Trim (#147808) and a Magenta Madness card base complete the card.

The same colors and textures were used to decorate this fun little Mini Pizza Box (#144645) to go with the card.  The little scene was die cut using a circle die from the Stitched Shapes dies (#152323), then layered over a scalloped circle die cut using the Layering Circles dies (#151770).  "Friend" was stamped in Mossy Meadow ink. 

Now head on over to Andrea's blog to check out her project:

To Andrea Tracy-Tucker's Blog . . . 

Hope you've been inspired by my Waterfront projects!

--Sara Nell