Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Cap & Gown Continued!

Here is round 2 of graduation cards that I made with the Cap & Gown Stamp Set from Stampin' Up!  The first one is posted in THIS POST. And here is the next one! 

Colors Gray Granite, Coastal Cabana, Basic White, Basic Black
Inks: Coastal Cabana, Gray Granite, StazOn Jet Black, VersaMark BLENDS: Pecan Pie
Cardstock/Papers: Basic White, Basic Black, Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper
Stamps: Cap & Gown
Tools:  So Swirly Embossing Folder, Pocket Thoughts Dies, Round We Go Dies, Heat Tool, Water Painter
Accessories: Baker's Twine Essentials Pack, Basics Embossing Powder

This potentially could be my favorite card that I made.  Haha.  I LOVE watercoloring, & I love how this watercoloring turned out.  I made one a bit lighter, and one a bit darker.  And then I still am using those fun tassels that I have saved for a few years! 😍

Also have a fun little tip to share.  See that fun detail on the bottom of the watercolored panel?!  I did this in the first card that I shared, but I have a picture today to show you how I did it. 

You first cut out one of these die-cut shapes from the Round We Go Dies ...  then follow the directions on the photo! 


So much fun, huh?!  More photos below highlighting each of the cards individually!




I did color the stamped tassel with the Light Pecan Pie Blends Marker, after I watercolored the rest of the panel.  But the basic steps to this are: stamp image in Versamark & emboss with white embossing powder.  Then color!  I let each color dry before moving on to the next color.  The last thing I did was color the tassel with the Blends marker.




Of course I also added the little pocket to the inside of these cards also!  I really love this a whole bunch! 😍


Thank you so much for visiting!  Please let me know if you have any questions!  Would love to help you with all your papercrafting needs!  Also ... if you live in the United States and need some Stampin' Up! supplies ... would love to help!

Contact: designwithink@gmail.com

Sunday, May 26, 2024

Cap & Gown Galore!

Well ... my OLDEST child graduated high school this year!  Just this week!  It. Feels. CRAZY, to say the least.  Suffice it to say ... I have been putting Stampin' Up!'s Cap & Gown Stamp Set to use in a big way this year! 😁  So get ready for some graduation inspiration because I have a few different card ideas to show you over the next few days!  

First up is using the actual cap & gown stamp in this set.  I love these stamps a whole bunch! 


I picked two different Designer Series Papers to use as the background to this card, and then layered it up with the focal point.  Both of the cards are basically the same, with the same details, just a little bit switched up on colors & embellishments.  A little tip: I embossed both the sentiment and cap & gown with clear embossing powder after stamping, just to make it a little more fancy for such a special occasion.  I really love the "stepped up" feel it gives without much extra work. 

A few more pics of the cards on their own below with a fun little surprise at the end! 

Colors Pretty Peacock, Basic White, Basic Black, Bubble Bath
Inks: StazOn Jet Black, BLENDS: Bubble Bath
Cardstock/Papers: Pretty Peacock, Basic White, Bright & Beautiful 6" x 6" DSP, Gold Foil Sheets
Stamps: Cap & Gown
Tools:  Cute Crochet Embossing Folder, Nested Essentials Dies, Round We Go Dies, Pocket Thought Dies, Heat Tool
Accessories: Iridescent Faceted Gems, Basics Embossing Powder

I didn't worry about using school colors or anything on any of the cards that I made.  I just made a fun card!  School colors aren't always the colors the graduates like, so just make something from your heart instead! 😊  The paper used for this card is from the Bright & Beautiful 6"x6" Designer Series Paper Pack.  Isn't it so much fun?!   And those Iridescent Faceted Gems that are brand new are STUNNING!  Just saying!  Totally a fave for sure! 💕


The tassels that I used for these cards are from a few years ago.  I low key was hoarding them for graduation cards.  Haha.  So I am glad I had them.  You could always make your own if you don't have any on hand! 

A little tip on the sentiment ... I LOVE doing this little technique.  I just simply colored the two Blends Marker shades onto Basic White cardstock, then stamped the greeting over it & cut it out.  I LOVE the ombre look it gives!  Such a fun little touch that is SOOOOOO easy! 


And just saying ... this Cute Crochet Embossing Folder is QUICKLY moving up the list as my fave embossing folder!!!  Is it not just FABULOUS?!?! 😍😍😍  You just get a peep of it on this card but I am obsessed & you will be seeing it a lot more from me.  Hee.  


Next up ... the more masculine version. 

Colors Gray Granite, Azure Afternoon, Basic White, Basic Black
Inks: StazOn Jet Black, BLENDS: Azure Afternoon
Cardstock/Papers: Gray Granite, Basic White, Lily Pond Lane 6" x 6" DSP, Gold Foil Sheets
Stamps: Cap & Gown
Tools:  Exposed Brick Embossing Folder, Nested Essentials Dies, Round We Go Dies, Pocket Thoughts Dies, Heat Tool
Accessories: Black Matte Dots (retired), Basics Embossing Powder

Pretty much the same details as before - just in a different color scheme.  Again - loving the ombre sentiment detail.  And that scallop/pointy detail under the sentiment ... that came from the Round We Go Dies.  I just cut out the rosette flower piece, cut in half so you can use both side, and trimmed to fit the greeting.  The scallop side was used in the first card & the pointy one is used here! 



Now ... ready for the fun little surprise?!  Well ... I used the Pocket Thoughts Dies on the inside of the card for a fun little place for some cash!  Look how cute it is!!! 


All in all ... I hope you enjoyed these cards!  Thank you for visiting!  Let me know if you have any questions or need any help with anything!  Would love to help you with all your papercrafting needs!  And if you need new Stampin' Up! supplies & are in the US - would love to help you get those! 

Contact: designwithink@gmail.com

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

Pretty In Pink Thank You!

Just a quick post today to share a quick thank you card! I ♡ LOVE ♡ the large "Thanking You" stamp set in the NEW Stampin' Up! catalog.  And that is what I used to make this large thank you card! 

Colors Pretty in Pink, Basic White, Gold
Inks: Pretty In Pink, VersaMark
Cardstock/Papers: Basic White
Stamps: Thanking You, Sentimental Park
Tools:  Cute Crochet Embossing Folder, Petal Park Builder Punch, Heat Tool, Water Painter
Accessories: Metallics Embossing Powder, Tinsel Gems Three-Pack, Baker's Twine Essentials Pack

So much fun, right?!  I embossed the large sentiment in gold, used a Blending Brush to blend on some Pretty in Pink ink, & then splattered some water onto the cardstock with a Water Painter.  Love the subtle splatter that gives! 😍  Then when it was dry, I stamped those flowers from the Sentimental Park Stamp Set in the background.  Love that little detail too! 💕


To add a little dimension to the flowers ... simply punch them, put them on something a bit squishy - like the Stampin' Pierce Mat, & rub a little circle into the center of the flower with the tip of a stylus.  Just another little way to add a little detail that makes things pop a bit. 💗
 

Then some quick flowers punched with the Petal Park Builder Punch and voila! The focal point is done.  Added some Tinsel Gems, an embossed layer with the Cute Crochet Embossing Folder, and some baker's twine.  Not hard to make, didn't take long at all, and you could easily make this any color you wanted! 


The gold embossing is so hard to get a picture of, but I promise it's really pretty and shiny in real life! Hee.  


Hope you enjoy!  Thank you so much for visiting!  Please let me know if you have any questions or need any help!  Would be happy to help you get any Stampin' Up! supplies or get you a new catalog if you need one! 

Contact: designwithink@gmail.com


Saturday, May 18, 2024

Wildly Flowering In May With The Stampin' Up! Artisan Design Team!

Well hello there!  Ready for another mini Artisan Design Team hop?!  This month, our group is spotlighting the Wildly Flowering Suite!  We all have cards AND scrapbooking projects to share!  So if this is your first stop ... let's get started! 

I will start by sharing the cards I made with you!  There are quite a few colors in this suite, and for these cards I mostly focused on Misty Moonlight & Crumb Cake.

I really love how they both turned out.  It was so much fun playing with stamping, coloring, die-cutting, embossing, etc.  Let me point out some details! 

This card was fun to make because I started with that stripe bit on the left side. I just cut strips of one of the Misty Moonlight Designer Series Paper patterns & adhered them to a strip of Basic White cardstock.  I really love how this looks.  Then there is a tiny strip of the Textured Metallic Specialty Paper ... the tungsten color (😍😍😍!!) to kinda ground the stripes a bit.  I love the look of that tungsten so much!  It is STUNNING in real life! 

I also stamped the Crumb Cake cardstock a bit before embossing, to just give the card a little depth & texture.  It is subtle but I love the little detail it adds.  

Then did some stamping, watercoloring, & die-cutting!  Cut the frame from Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper & added some Crumb Cake ink with a Water Painter, stamped & watercolored the flower, and then also stamped the greeting and did a little Moody Mauve wash over the greeting for a little pop of color.  

Added a little more of the tungsten metallic paper under the greeting by die-cutting one of the scallop frames and cutting some scallops off to use underneath. 


Lots of little details & texture! 

Next up is this "moody" Misty Moonlight card!  I added some depth by blending some ink onto it and splattering.  Then embossed those gorgeous flowers for a fun background.  



What is your favorite detail on these cards?!  

Ready to see the scrapbook page?!  Well here goes!  And I have to admit ... this page makes me tear up a bit.  It is my daughter, that is about to graduate from high school! 🥹 I am so proud of her & excited for her, but man it is tough on the mama heart.  Hee.  

I used the Designer Series Paper in a few ways on this page.  First ... the actual page is a piece of the Designer Series Paper.  Then there is also the strip on the side & the little tab on the side of the photo.  However ... the Misty Moonlight border & the mat that the photo is on are actually a pieces of Basic White cardstock that I stamped & blended ink onto.  Super easy & fun & makes stamp sets so versatile! 

 

And just have to say, I LOVE that little pointy detail to the edge.  As you can see it in picture ... I embossed, die-cut, then cut to get 4 pointy pieces.  Then just adhered them behind and added it to the page.  Love the detail that adds! 💖

But of course the photo is the highlight for me ... as it should be for a scrapbook page.  Hee. 


Love the layers & this photo was so perfect to use with this suite & I love the human in that photo so much.  😍  This is what makes scrapbooking so much fun ... being able to highlight the people & things you love so much! 

Okay ... now it is time to see the projects my fellow Artisan Design Team members made!  I am SURE you want to see them cause they are so gorgeous!  So head to their pages to see what they made! 

NEXT IN OUR HOP IS...

Daniela: @edelpappe  https://www.edelpappe.de/blog/

You do NOT want to miss hers!  Then keep hoping to see the rest! Over on Instagram is the best place to see them! 

Full list of hoppers: 

Monique:  @stampin_met_monique  
Ashley: @designwithink  ☆  This is me!  ☆
Daniela: @edelpappe
Maheswari: @maheswarirajaguru
Su: @aromasandart

So check them all out, and please!  Let me know if you have any questions on anything! I would love to help you with all your papercrafting needs!  And if you need any help getting your hands on any Stampin' Up! supplies ... most definitely would love to help there!  (If you are in the United States.)  So just send me a message and let me know! 

Contact: designwithink@gmail.com

Friday, May 17, 2024

Picture Perfect Backgrounds for TGIF Challenge #473!

Need something to get you feeling crafty?!  Well how about a fun TGIF Challenge?!  This week we have a fun inspirational challenge this week over on the TGIF Challenge blog.  And since I am on the design team, I am sharing a card to hopefully inspire you to play along with us!  So here goes! 

Colors Pretty in Pink, Lemon Lime Twist, Summer Splash, Basic Black, Basic White
Inks: Gray Granite, VersaMark, BLENDS: Pretty in Pink, Lemon Lime Twist, Summer Splash, Melon Mambo, Fresh Freesia, Granny Apple Green
Cardstock/Papers: Basic White, Basic Black
Stamps: Layers of Beauty, Simply Said 
Tools:  Dashing Designs Embossing Folder, Unbounded Love Dies, Heat Tool
Accessories: Neutrals Adhesive-Backed Sequins, Basics Embossing Powder

Can you tell what the challenge is this week based on the card I made?!  Maybe not!  😃  So how about I just show you?! 


You've got some picture perfect background to inspire you!  Use whatever you want from this graphic to inspire you to create and share it with us on the TGIF Challenge Blog

I love the "Picture Perfect Backgrounds" concept ... so that's what I did.  I let the "background" of the card become the whole card!  It was so much fun because I stamped & colored the whole card front, and then embossed it for some fun "canvas" like texture for a fun "picture" on canvas! 


Isn't that so much fun!  I know I will get a lot of use out of this embossing folder.  It is called Dashing Designs.  You probably want to just get it now because I know you eventually will.  Hee.  

But this was a fun card to make!  I LOVE the Stampin' Up! Blends Markers.  They just color so easily and so always turn out so gorgeous.  For this card, the big flowers are Pretty in Pink.  The leaves are Lemon Lime Twist.  And then the background is Summer Splash.  Then I threw in a little bit of Melon Mambo, Fresh Fressia, and Granny Apple Green.  


And I love this frame!  I actually cut the frame out from the card front, and adhered it to the card base with dimensionals.  This makes it pop up a bit more, and I ended up really liking that little "window" detail.




What do you think of this?  Did it inspire you to give this "Picture Perfect Background" challenge a go?!  I hope so because we want to see what you make!  

Now you can head on over to the TGIF Challenge Blog to see what the other designers made & to play along with us!  We are excited!  Thanks for visiting!  Please let me know if you have any questions or need help getting your hands on any Stampin' Up! products! 

Contact: designwithink@gmail.com

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Thank You ... Under The Moon!

When I looked through the ☆ NEW ☆ Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog for the first time ... a few things jumped out at me immediately.  One was the FABULOUS Under the Moon Stamp Set.  I love to appreciate the sky ... in all its forms!  Space, sunsets, the sun, the night sky full of stars, and of course - the gorgeous moon!  And I just love the style of this stamp set ... the moon images are gorgeous, the ocean is included, and it even has DOLPHINS in it!  😍  I am going to have a lot of fun with this stamp set, and here is the first card that I made with it! 


Colors Gray Granite, Summer Splash, Lemon Lime Twist, Basic White, Basic Black
Inks: Summer Splash, Gray Granite, Lemon Lime Twist, Memento Jet Black, VersaMark
Cardstock/Papers: Basic White, Basic Black, Gold Foil, Bright & Beautiful Designer Series Paper
Stamps: Under the Moon, Simply Said
Tools:  Perennial Postage Dies, Blending Brush, Heat Tool, Water Painter
Accessories: Iridescent Foil Gems, Basics Embossing Powder

It is a super simple card, just some basic stamping.  Yes ... even the ocean is just one stamp.  Inked once, stamped once. 

So basically ... stamp the ocean, stamp the night sky image, stamp the dolphins, add some splatter, and VOILA!  🤩



A few tips: 

🐬  The Perennial Postage Dies were used to make the edge in gold foil. 
🐬  Splatter was added by squishing the Memento Ink Pad into the lid (before taking the lid off) to get a pool of ink in the lid.  Then dip a Water Painter into the pool of ink, and flick in the lid of Water Painter. 
🐬  The card front paper is from the Bright & Beautiful 6x6 paper pack.  I just blended some Lemon Lime Twist ink using a Blending Brush onto the paper first.  

Amazed at the difference just blending a little ink onto the paper makes! 


Hope you enjoy this card!  What jumped out at you from the new catalog?!  Love to hear what people like!

Contact: designwithink@gmail.com

Monday, May 13, 2024

Thoughtful Wishes Floral Tag!

Gift tags always end up being one of my fave things to make.  They can definitely be just a simple tag, but I just love that extra little touch.  

The tag I am sharing today was a little more involved, but I originally made one for my mom for Mother's Day.  So of course ... a little more elaborate fit the occasion.  Hee.  (I LOVE my Mama! She is one amazing woman. 💕)  I loved making this tag a whole bunch, so I made some more with a less specific sentiment, and it is right here for you to see! 😀

Colors Pretty in Pink, Pool Party, Crumb Cake, Basic White
Inks: Pool Party, Pecan Pie, VersaMark
Cardstock/Papers: Pretty in Pink, Soft Sea Foam, Crumb Cake, Basic White, Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper
Stamps: Thoughtful Wishes
Tools:  Thoughtful Wishes Dies, Wildflower Designs Dies, Countryside Corners Dies, Deckled Circles Dies, Heat Gun, hole punch
Accessories: Basics Embossing Powder, Pecan Pie 3/8" Center Stripe Ribbon, Baker's Twine Essentials Pack

I think it turned out so pretty!  And yes ... I made that fun paper flower!  Any guesses on what die I used to make it?! 


In case you don't want to guess but you still want to know: I used the Deckled Circles Dies!  Here are a few steps on how to make them: 

  1. Die cut 6 circles of whatever size circle you want for your flower.  (If you are making really large ones, you may need like 8 layers.
  2. Stack up all the layers together. 
  3. Use a paper piercer to poke a hole in the middle of the stack and then set a brad, securing the stack together.
  4. Spritz the top layer with rubbing alcohol, & scrunch up the first layer.
  5. Spritz the next layer (that is now the top flat one), and scrunch that layer up.
  6. Continue until all the layers have been spritzed and scrunched up! Set aside to dry!
So easy and so gorgeous!  Yet so stunning and such a fun "WOW" factor!  I love making paper flowers a whole bunch! 💖  Once it is dry, you can add it to your tag!  This is how I made the rest of the tag:
  1. Die cut a tag from the Countryside Corners Dies in whatever size you want your tag.  Punch a hole at the top with a hole punch.
  2. Stamp the large leaf image from Thoughtful Wishes Stamp Set in VersaMark ink onto the right side of the tag.
  3. Add white embossing powder, and emboss image with heat gun.  
  4. Watercolor over the embossed image with Pool Party ink.  Let dry or dry with heat gun.
  5. Die-cut the open double leaf from the Thoughtful Wishes Dies.  
  6. Stamp the sentiment onto a strip of Crumb Cake cardstock, and then trim around sentiment.
  7. Die-cut the scalloped frame image from Wildflower Designs Dies.  Cut off a piece of the dies, as marked below, and adhere behind sentiment.
  8. Adhere all the pieces to the tag, add ribbon, and add to gift! 

A few more shots of the tag! 




One final touch to point out!  I like a space to write my note on the tag.  You can just use the back of the tag here, of course, but sometimes that maybe can be missed.  So for this tag, I cut an extra Countryside Corners tag from Basic White cardstock.  Then just added that to the back of the tag!



What do you think?  What is your fave part of the tag?!  I hope you enjoy!  Please let me know if you have any questions! Or need help getting supplies to make your own! 

Contact: designwithink@gmail.com

Stripe-y Artful Amaryllis!

Have you checked out the Artful Amaryllis Bundle in Stampin' Up!'s Holiday Catalog?  It is a fun one and I couldn't wait to play...