A Rainbow of Retiring Colors

The background layer for this card was created using the Watercolor Background Technique . The colors used are all on the Retiring List.

To create the background I simply used my ink pads to ink up a large acrylic block and then spritzed it with a little water before using it to stamp the Whisper White background piece. These are the colors I used: 

• Island Indigo 
• Wild Wasabi 
• Tempting Turquoise 
• Sweet Sugarplum 
• Rose Red 
• Tangerine Tango 
• Peekaboo Peach

After the background was thoroughly dry I used the Awesomely Artistic stamp set (retiring) inked in Island Indigo to add even more interest to the background. I used post it notes to mask the edges of my background to prevent the floral design to extend beyond the background. (The full instructions are shared in the post linked above.)

The dragon fly wings were cut out and Wink of Stella added for some shimmer. The sentiment comes from the Birthday Blossoms set which is also retiring.

Make sure to shop early for your favorite retiring colors...while supplies last!

Awesomely Artistic Butterfly

On Monday Stampin' Up released this years retirement list...along with many favorite retiring stamp sets and accessories, there are 13 core colors retiring in addition to the 2015-17 In Colors! I created this card using many of my retiring favorite items...

There is kind of a lot going on in this card...but I had fun creating it. I used three different retiring stamp sets along with seven retiring colors...can you spot them all? Here's a little help...

Butterfly Basics and Awesomely Artistic are two of my all time favorite sets. I just love all the different elements that can be used to create collage style cards. Teeny Tiny Wishes...that one is a classic! I've used that one SO much!

I was a little surprised that Tempting Turquoise will be leaving. Tempting Turquoise and Perfect Plum have been around the longest of the departing colors used here. My Perfect Plum ink pad was part of my Demo Kit when I signed up 14 years ago! We are loosing several shades of purple, but the shades we are gaining are even more lovely...so t's a good trade. The other colors used here are: Always Artichoke, Wild Wasabi, Elegant Eggplant, Wisteria Wonder and Sweet Sugarplum.

Here are some more projects I created with the Awesomely Artistic and Butterfly Basics stamp sets.

Here's a look at all 17 colors that are leaving the Stampin' Up! color palette.

Do you have ink refills and cardstock of your favorite colors? If not, best to order those as soon as possible while they are still available.

Shop Now...don't forget to choose me as your demonstrator if you don't already have one.

Stained Glass Dragonfly Dreams

The intricate dragonfly die featured in the Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits is perfect for the stained glass technique.

I had the background panel using the Hardwood Background and Awesomely Artistic already created from a previous stampin' session, so all I needed to do was add the dragonfly and a sentiment for a quick card. (I shared another version of this card here)

The detailed dragonfly die cut was cut from Basic Black cardstock and the solid layer behind it was cut from Vellum Cardstock. I sponged some color onto the Vellum and adhered it behind the intricate die cut. Then I painted the entire piece with my Clear Wink of Stella Brush Pen for some beautiful shimmer. You can kind of see it in this close up photo, but it's so much prettier in person!

I added a few small rhinestones to the floral background and the card was complete. Thanks for stopping by today!

Awesomely Artistic Dragonfly Dreams

Here's a card which uses a few of my favorite stamp sets...Awesomely Artistic, Dragonfly Dreams and Hardwood. I think they all work really well together.

I used Whisper White (thick & regular) along with Pool Party Cardstock. Ink colors used are: Rich Razzleberry, Island Indigo, Emerald Envy & Smokey Slate.

Check out this great video from Stampin' Up! that shows some other awesome projects you can creat using items from the new Occasions Catalog.

Please visit my online store if you would like to purchase SU! merchandise to recreate the card I've shared above or any of these great projects shown in the video.

Awesomely Artistic Crazy Cats

Back on Mother's Day I got a promotional email from an online scrapbook store I purchase from occasionally saying that all their Tim Holtz products were on sale! Only a few days prior I had watched a great demo by him at the Mega Meet Scrapbook Convention using his new Distress Crayons. Unfortunately for me at the time I had already spent my allotted cash so I didn't buy them that day...but on Mother's Day I decided to treat myself!

I got his Crazy Cat set with the coordinating framelits as well! I just love the expressions on all the cats faces in this set! To create the background I used the Distress Crayons and scribbled and then blended. I tried to create a batik looking background, because this card is going to my Mom...who is a quilter and loves batik fabric. Since the crayons react with water, a dampened sponge will remove color if you wish. I used a few of the Tim Holtz stencils and a dampened sponge to add pattern to the background.

After I had my background colored the way I wanted I did a little stamping using the Awesomely Artistic stamp set and the retired French Script background stamp.

My Mom's cat is solid black, so I colored this crazy cat to look like her crazy cat!  I messed with a few different embellishments at the top left of the card, but couldn't get anything to look quite right...and I had to get it out on the mail, so done & done! My husband is home this week on vacation and we've been working on projects around the house, so it's been difficult to sneak in any stampin' time. Hopefully tomorrow...because my first new catalog order arrives here!

Butterfly Basics #GDP038 Sketch

A great sketch challenge this week at Global Design Project. When I saw it I immediately thought of using one of my favorite techniques...the watercolor background technique. The long, narrow acrylic Block I was perfect to create the strip down the right side of the card.

I used Sweet Sugarplum, Bermuda Bay and Mint Macaron to ink up my block. Then after it was dry, I used Butterfly Basics and Awesomely Artistic to stamp over my strip of color to add more interest. I shared more on this technique a while back in a free tutorial posted here.

The little banner is created with the Thoughtful Banners stamp set and coordinating Duet Banner Punch. These two items are already getting a LOT of use in my stampin' studio! Here's a closer look...

There's still time to play along with the Sketch Challenge at Global Design Project.

Thanks for visiting...ENJOY your weekend!

Peacefully Sitting Here

I was super excited to see a stamp set that was at the very top of my new catalog wish list offered on the pre-order! Sitting Here is a beautiful new set to color featuring not only a pretty kitty but a cute, curled up pup as well! Of course I selected the kitty cat to use on my first creation with this set and colored him a bit like my favorite feline friend Stevie. (who just so happens to be sitting on my lap purring away as I write this post.)

To soften the ropes of the swing and add some interest at the top, I stamped the flowering, leafy image from Awesomely Artistic. This creates such a tranquil scene...I would love to sit on this swing with my kitty and look through the new SU! catalog, wouldn't you?

I used a couple of the new In Colors here...Dapper Denim and Sweet Sugarplum. The new Ruched Ribbon is nice to work with. It's a little stiffer than the Seam Binding Ribbon, which is sadly retiring, but I like the thinner width and more compact bow...which a think will keep it's shape nicer. The added texture is a plus as well.

Here's a photo I took the other day of the aforementioned "favorite feline friend"...as he relaxed in my desk drawer while I did some computer work. He always has to be near by..."helping me". He's such a sweet boy.

I'm happy to see not just the Sitting Here set that contains a cat image, but a whole entire set called Pretty Kitty which I cannot wait to get from the new catalog!

Thanks for visiting today.

Watercolor Wings Collage Sympathy

I used several stamp sets to create this collage style background for the pretty, die-cut butterfly from Watercolor Wings.

First, before I did any stamping, I created the soft, blended color background using this Watercolor Background Technique. Once my cardstock was thoroughly dry, I used Awesomely Artist, Everything Eleanor & Gorgeous Grunge to create the collage background. The sympathy sentiment is embossed in silver on vellum.

Here's a closer look at the butterfly & background....

I like the way these colors blended together to create a soft background perfect for spring. The colors used are Perfect Plum, Bermuda Bay & So Saffron. Blackberry Bliss was used for the stamping.

I hope wherever you live you are having a beautiful day like we are having here in Michigan...it's almost 70 degrees...which is a record for this time of year. I officially have Spring Fever now!

Awesomely Eleanor

Awesomely Artistic...Everything Eleanor...or maybe Butterfly Basics? Oh, what the heck, I have them all out now... may as well use them all! So that's exactly what I did!

To create my watercolor look background I used my largest acrylic block and inked it up with So Saffron, Bermuda Bay and Perfect Plum. Gave it a few spritzes of water and pressed in onto my Thick Whisper White Card stock. I love how these colors blended together! If you want a more detailed description of this fun technique, I shared a tutorial here a while back.

I added some paint splatters using the splatter stamp from Awesomely Artistic while my paper was still damp, but I waited until it was thoroughly dried to stamp the other elements. To finish the card I die cut two butterfly shapes using the Bold Butterflies and Butterfly Framelits. The solid one was cut from White Vellum card stock  and the detailed butterfly was cut from Silver Foil.

For those of you who still have items on your wishlists from the Holiday Catalog, Stampin' Up! has released a list of those items (most of the catalog) that will be retiring. Check it out here and get those items before they are gone!

Recently I have received a few online orders from customers who selected "no contact" on their order. Normally I send out a thank you card for all the online orders I receive, but in this case I don't know who the order is from...so THANK YOU in case it was one of my blog readers. :-)

Have a GREAT day!

Woodland Vintage Leaves

This is one of the cards we made at my recent All Occasions Card Class.

The beautiful Woodland Embossing Folder takes center stage and a leaf from the Vintage Leaves set is strung on some Linen Thread for an accent.

The burlap strip stamp from Awesomely Artistic adds some texture. This is a nice masculine card that could be used for any occasion by simply changing the sentiment.

Vintage Wilderness

I just LOVE this cute little fox from The Wilderness Awaits set! I've paired it up here with an equally great set, Vintage Leaves, for a masculine birthday card.

I created a tutorial a while back detailing step by step how I water colored this little guy and created the background using the Brick Wall Embossing Folder. There's a link on my sidebar or here if you would like more info. My latest tutorial features home decor projects using the Vintage Leave set...you may want to check that one out as well.

Thanks for visiting today!

Dragonfly Birthday

Recently my Mom asked me if I could make her a dragonfly birthday card. She makes beautiful quilts, purses and tote bags and she had made a bag for a gift. I asked her for some of the fabric so that I could try to match the colors. Here was my inspiration.

This is the card I created for her using the Awesomely Artistic stamp set.

To match the colors as best possible, I had to pull out some retired purples to create the background. I used the largest SU! Clear Mount Block F and inked it with the following colors: Bermuda Bay, Pear Pizzazz, Orchid Opulence, Lavender Lace and Melon Mambo. After spritzing it with water I inked my Whisper White card stock. I added some splotches in various colors used above while the card stock was still damp, so the colors would bleed.

After it thoroughly dried, I added the dragonflies and the floral design. If you want to see more detailed directions on this technique, I provided them here on this post.

Thanks for visiting!

Artistic Wilderness Card Set

With the arrival of the new catalog, many of you have been asking me if I would have a new tutorial soon. I have just completed a set of cards combining two of my absolute favorite new stamp sets – Awesomely Artistic and The Wilderness Awaits along with some fun embossed background techniques to create a beautiful set of nature themed cards sure to please any animal lover...and since you've been asking, a new tutorial to go with it!

You will enjoy re-creating this set of cards with the aid of my step by step instructions & clear photos included in this 17 page tutorial.  Detailed instructions on the embossed brick wall and embossed faux patina techniques, plus lots of great tips for water coloring and more.

You will need the Wilderness Awaits and Awesomely Artistic stamp sets along with ink, adhesive and basic tools including an aqua painter and heat tool to complete the set. If you have any questions regarding the additional supplies you will need to complete these cards, please feel free to contact me.

The Artistic Wilderness Card Tutorial can be purchased for only $5.99 by simply clicking on the Paypal button below.

After receiving payment, I will send the PDF file to the email provided with your PayPal payment. I usually check my email a few times daily, but please allow up to 24 hours for delivery to your inbox.

I'm sorry, but Stampin' Up! prohibits the selling of stamped images. You will need The Wilderness Awaits and Awesomely Artistic stamp sets to complete the cards. 

Awesomely Artistic Thank You

Today I am here with a colorful Awesomely Artistic thank you card.

To create the watercolor background I simply inked one of my acrylic blocks, gave it a spritz of water and stamped it on my Whisper White card stock. If you want more info on that, I have a tutorial that I shared a while back here.

The colors I used are: Pool Party, Mint Macaron, Crushed Curry & Watermelon Wonder. When choosing your colors, you will want to place colors that mix well next to each other. For example, a reddish tone mixed with a greenish tone makes a muddy brownish color.

You will want to let your background dry well or use your heat tool, before proceeding to stamp on top...unless you want the ink to bleed.

Thanks for visiting!

Awesomely Artistic IS Awesome!

I got a box of new goodies this week and one of the first things I had to play with was this great new set...Awesomely Artistic. There are so many really nice elements in this set that I know it's going to be a favorite!

Another new catalog favorite is the Brick Wall Embossing Folder. I love that it is 6x6 so that it will work perfectly for any card, no matter the orientation.

I love dragonflies, and it's been a while since I've had a new dragonfly stamp. I cut off his wings...that sounds mean!, but they got extra special treatment with some Dazzling Details to make them shimmer.

Have an awesome weekend!

Edited to add: If you love this original card I designed, then you are sure to love my latest tutorial which combines the beautiful new stamp sets Awesomely Artistic, used above, along with The Wilderness Awaits. I will take you step by step to create this embossed brick wall background above, plus a lot more.
Artistic Wilderness Card Tutorial