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

Winter Joy--#tgifc296

This week's TGIF Challenges theme challenge is "Let It Snow".  Well, believe it or not, I only have two small snowflake images in my entire current Stampin' Up! stamp set collection.  One from Snowman Season (#150458) and one from Curvy Christmas (#155364, which is available only until January 4).  I decided to go with the small single snowflake image from Curvy Christmas and to celebrate the joy of a rare snowfall in the South for my card today:

The snowflake was stamped randomly over the Whisper White card front with VersaMark (#102283), then heat embossed in White Stampin' Emboss Powder (#109132) using the Heat Tool (#129053).  Next,  I used Stampin' Up!'s new Blending Brushes (#153611, available beginning January 5) to sponge on Seaside Spray, Misty Moonlight and Night of Navy inks.  I started blending each color from the bottom of the card stock, beginning with the lightest color.  Then I turned the card around so the lightest color was on the bottom of the card front.  After finishing the sponging, I rubbed off any color remaining on the snowflakes using a lint free rag.  This piece was layered on a piece of Balmy Blue glimmer paper (#153513) and then a Seaside Spray card stock base.

The greeting is from the Wrapped in Christmas stamp set (#153481).  I used my Stamparatus (#146276) and washi tape to omit the middle portion of the greeting and thus remove the reference to the holiday season (I want to use this card for a January birthday).  The greeting was stamped in Misty Moonlight on to Whisper White card stock and die cut using a die from Tasteful Labels dies (#152886).

A piece of Misty Moonlight/silver baker's twine (Flowers for Every Season ribbon combo pack, #153620) tied around the layers three times then tied in a bow completes the card.

Head over to the TGIF Challenges Blog here to see more odes to snow in paper crafting form:

We thought we might get snow here on Christmas day, but we only got below freezing temperatures.  Right now it is a balmy 65 degrees and I am headed out to do errands in my shirt sleeves.  Doesn't feel like January at all.

Wishing you a very happy New Year!

--Sara Nell

Christmas Tree Hills--#tgifc295

This week's inspiration challenge from TGIF Challenges came at exactly the right time--when I needed a few last minute gifts here on Christmas Eve Eve. I created some hills filled with Christmas trees using the Curvy Christmas stamp set (#155364, available only until January 4) and the coordinating Curvy Dies (#154319, available now as an early release from the January to June 2021 Mini Catalog).  

I started with the card, copied that design on a Mini Pizza Box (144645), and then used the same elements to create three gift tags.  Each one was created using Shaded Spruce ink, Shaded Spruce and/or Sahara Sand patterns from the Classic Christmas designer series paper pack (#155969, available only until January 4), Whisper White or Sahara Sand card stock, and Linen Thread (#104199) or Braided Linen Trim (#147808).  The tag tops were punched using the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch (#133324).

These were so much fun and easy to do.  I think I'll use the stars in this stamp set to create some thank you notes to send out later. Fun!

Head over to TGIF Challenges here to see more fun interpretations of this inspiration picture:

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a New Year full of hope, peace and joy!

--Sara Nell

 

Good Things--#tgifc294

 Okay, I admit it.  I am obsessed with the Feels Like Frost designer series paper (#150444) that is retiring soon.  I should say, I am re-obsessed.  Last year I went on a December spree making tags and bookmarks with this glorious photorealistic paper.  This year I am obsessed with the foliage designs and coordinating the icy foliage in the papers with die cut foliage. Of course, the die cut foliage has to appear icy, too. So I am covering my die cuts with Shimmery Crystal Effects (#150892) to make them sparkle.  I made the decision to not add the shimmery stuff to the last card I posted here for a TGIF Challenge--that won't happen again!  It's just not the same without the shimmer.  Fortunately, this little bottle of shimmer goes a long way--I think I'll have enough to finish off another bunch of shimmery projects (including new bookmarks for me) before Christmas.

The TGIF Challenge this week is composed of three horizontal layers.  I used the designer series paper for my bottom layer (covering the entire card base), the die cut foliage for my middle layer and a greeting piece using the Tasteful Touches stamp set (#152562) as my top layer:

This paper pattern is my favorite of the purples and greens paper in my paper pack.  The die cut layer starts with leaves die cut out of Soft Sea Foam using the large leaf die  from the Forever Flourishing dies (#152714).  Layered over the leaves is the ball shaped foliage in Purple Posy and Highland Heather that looks like the foliage in the paper.  These pieces were die cut with a die from the Poinsettia dies (#153522), then coated with the Shimmery Crystal Effects.  

Tip:  Use a Silicone Craft Sheet (#127853) when you are coating your die cut pieces with the crystal effects.  Once the pieces are covered, carefully move them to another place on the craft sheet to dry overnight.  This will eliminate a lot of excess glue on your pieces and make them easier to remove from the sheet.  The delicate stems will tear easily if you do not take the time to move the pieces before you leave them to dry. I have three or four of these silicone sheets (a must have for me) and use one for coating and one for drying.

The Stamparatus (#146276) was used to stamp the greeting twice in Gorgeous Grape ink onto Soft Sea Foam card stock.  The greeting was heat embossed with Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder (#109130) and a Heat Tool (#129053).  The greeting piece is one inch wide and was punched on each end using the Banners Pick a Punch (#153608).

A spattering of Clear Epoxy Droplets (#147801) complete the card.

This sketch is wide open for interpretation, so head over to the TGIF Challenges blog here to see how everyone created their layers.

Have a wonderful weekend!

--Sara Nell

Peace on Earth--#tgifc293

For this week's TGIF Challenges color challenge, I decided to use the colors, Balmy Blue, Highland Heather and Smoky Smoky Slate in a non-traditional way--as a Christmas card.  I admit, though, it was an easy choice.  These colors are all in the Feels Like Frost designer series paper (#150444).  The icy photo images just lend themselves to soft, pretty, peaceful cards for the holiday season:

The designer series paper is adhered to a piece of Balmy Blue card stock and layered over a Smoky Slate card base.  The greeting is from the Wrapped in Christmas stamp set (#153481).  It was stamped on a Balmy Blue frame die cut using the Beautiful Boughs dies (#150661).  The greeting was stamped two or three times in Smoky Slate using the Stamparatus (#146276).

The Highland Heather flora was die cut using the new Dandy Wishes dies (#154315, available beginning January 5 in the January to June 2021 Mini Catalog).  Some Rhinestone Basic Jewels (#144220) colored with the Highland Heather Dark Stampin' Blends (#154887) complete the card.

Be sure and head on over to the TGIF Challenges Blog to see some great projects using this color combo:

Wishing you a peaceful holiday season

--Sara Nell