Fun-n-Crafty – Artful Musings

Category: Fun-n-Crafty

05
Sep
2018

Fun-N-Crafty | Country Lane Suite

categories: Artful Pursuits, Fun-n-Crafty, Stampin' Up!

Hello my crafty peeps! I’m happy to be here again this month as part of the Fun & Crafty blog hop. You should have arrived here from Stacey’s A Work of Carte blog. If you didn’t, not to worry the complete list is below! Today the Stampin’ Up! Holiday catalog is live and there are oh so many goodies! To kick off the new catalog, a few of us participated in a holiday catalog card swap to get even more creative ideas to share with you!

For my card I decided to use the Country Lane suite, which includes the Country Home stamps, Country Lane DSP, Tin Tile Dynamic TIEF, Braided Linen Trim, Chicken Wire Elements, Galvanized Clips, Galvanized Metallic Paper, and two new combo packs of Stampin’ Blends.I really love the versatility of this stamp set and the embossing folder gives so much detail, especially with the galvanized metallic paper. In the coming months I plan to use more of my favorites from the new holiday catalog in blog posts so stay tuned!

I started with a Blackberry Bliss horizontal top-folding A2 card base and because it’s a dark color I decided to include a white insert for writing a message to that special someone, which meant more stamping inside! For the card front, I began by cutting a piece of Mint Macaron to 4″ x 5.25″ for a mat and a Whisper White to 3.75″ x 5″ for the stamped panel. Next, I cut 6″ x 6″ squares of the galvanized metallic paper and ran it through the Tin Tile TIEF. I cut these into 1.5″ x 5.25 strips.

Using Memento black ink, I stamped the cotton flower image 1.45″ above the bottom edge three times on the panel. I also stamped the sentiment “happy harvest blessings” on the top of the panel. To make the cotton pop and look extra white, I outlined each stamped image using the light Mint Macaron Stampin’ Blend. I also colored the other parts of the images using the combo packs of Blackberry Bliss, Cajun Craze, and Old Olive Stampin’ Blends.

All that remained, was assembling the cards. First, I adhered the interior panel as well as the front Mint Macaron mat, the Whisper White stamped layer, and finally the tin tile galvanized strip. I clipped one of the cute galvanized clips to the panel and adhered it to the card base using dimensionals. For the final touch, I made a bow out of the braided linen trim and using a rolled up mini glue dot, adhered it to the top of the galvanized clip.

There is a ton of inspiration throughout this hop and I encourage you to grab your Stampin’ Up holiday catalog and some post-it notes, and visit the other talented crafters listed below to see what they created and perhaps leave them some crafty love! Up next is the wonderful Merit over at MB Squared Designs. Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo

Stacey — A Work of Carte
Christine — Artful Musings (you are here)
Merit — MB Squared Designs
Nicole — Inky Fingers Stamping
Jennifer — NW Stamper
Tobe — The Craft Sea
Pamela — Stinky Tofu

Supplies Used:
Country Home Stamps (147678)
Tin Tile Dynamic TIEF (147906)
Galvanized Metallic Paper (147805)
Card Stock: Whisper White, Blackberry Bliss, & Mint Macaron
Ink: Blackberry Bliss & Memento
Blends: Blackberry Bliss, Cajun Craze, Old Olive, & Mint Macaron (light)
Accessories: Galvanized Clips (147806), Braided Linen Trim (147808), Snail, & Glue Dots

31
Jul
2018

Fun-n-Crafty | Tropical Escape

categories: Fun-n-Crafty, Stampin' Up!

Hello my crafty peeps! I’m happy to be here again this month as part of the Fun & Crafty blog hop. You should have arrived here from Jennifer Blomquist’s NW Stamper blog. If you didn’t, not to worry the complete list is below! This month’s theme is new catalog goodies! June and July are always full of excitement and renewed creativity, in part, due to the release of the new annual catalog from Stampin’ Up! This month a few of us participated in a new catalog card swap to get even more creative ideas to share with you!

For my creation I decided to use the new Tropical Escape suite, which includes the Tropical Chic stamps, Tropical Thinlits dies, Tropical Escape DSP, and the cutest Tropical Elements (little hibiscus flowers and leaves). This is currently my favorite set in the entire catalog. To see my top 10 goodies, visit this post. In the coming months I plan to use more of my favorites in projects and blog posts so stay tuned!

I started with a Shaded Spruce top-folding A2 card base and because it’s a dark color I decided to include a white insert for writing a message to that special someone, which meant more stamping inside! I began by cutting a piece of the Tropical Escape DSP to 4″ x 5.25″ for the front. Next, I stamped the hibiscus flower and the small and medium leaves on Whisper White card stock. I inked up the flower with Flirty Flamingo, and using a sponge dauber I added a little hint of Blushing Bride to the petal tips. I stamped the small leaf in Flirty Flamingo and the medium leaf in Granny Apple Green. Is anyone else loving the new ink pad design, ink formula, and the 16 new/returning colors as much as I am?!?

Then it was time to die cut the flowers and leaves. These dies are so versatile, each of the leaves has two dies, one cuts the outline and another cuts the interior, so you could cut leaves out of two different colors of card stock, or a combo of cars stock and DSP, or two different DSP patterns — like I said, versatile! I also cut two interior long, large leaf fronds out of Granny Apple Green card stock. Each card used one hibiscus, one small leaf, two medium leaves, and two large leaf interior die cuts. While I had the stamps and ink out I also stamped the sentiment, “With much love & thanks” in Blushing Bride on a strip of Whisper White card stock and stamped the leaf border on the inside panel using all three leaves (small in Blushing Bride, medium in Granny Apple Green, and large in Lemon Lime Twist). I adhered this panel to the inside of the card.

All that remained, was assembling the cards. I knew I wanted varying levels of dimension on the card front, which I achieved using a combination of adhesive, mini glue dots, and dimensionals. The upper medium leaf went down flat with Snail and the lower medium leaf I popped up using dimensionals. Next, using mini glue dots, I positioned the two large interior leaf die cuts. HINT: Adhering thin cuts can be challenging, one of my favorite tricks is rolling the mini glue dots. Using my craft pick I roll up the glue dots so they fit neatly behind even the thinnest things (see below). Next, I adhered the small leaf on top of the lower medium leaf using Snail and the hibiscus flower I popped up using dimensionals. Using one dimensional on each end, I positioned the sentiment over the leaf and flower cluster. For the final touch I used a rolled up mini glue dot to adhere a small linen thread bow to the flower and then attached the flower and leaf to the card, also using mini glue dots.

There is a ton of inspiration throughout this hop and I encourage you to grab your Stampin’ Up catalog and some post-it notes, and visit the other talented crafters listed below to see what they created and perhaps leave them some crafty love! Up next is the wonderful Tobe. Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo

Nicole — Inky Fingers Stamping
Jennifer — NW Stamper
Christine — Artful Musings (you are here)
Tobe — The Craft Sea

Supplies Used:
Tropical Chic Bundle (148399)
Tropical Escape DSP (146916)
Card Stock: Whisper White, Shaded Spruce, & Granny Apple Green
Ink: Granny Apple Green, Flirty Flamingo, Lemon Lime Twist, & Blushing Bride
Accessories: Tropical Elements (146919), Linen Thread, Dimensionals, Snail, & Glue Dots

28
Sep
2017

Fun-n-Crafty | A Painted Harvest

categories: Fun-n-Crafty, Stampin' Up!

Hello my crafty peeps! I’m happy to be here again this month as part of the Fun & Crafty blog hop. This month’s theme is Fall or Halloween! It seems like only yesterday we were in the middle of summer. This past Friday was the official first day of Fall, but here in Seattle, we don’t seem to have gotten the memo (it’s been sunny and warm for the past hew weeks). I went shopping at Trader Joe’s bright and early Saturday morning and was amazed. It was like the entire place had been hosed down with pumpkin spice … overnight. Pumpkin spice cake, cookies, pasta, fudge, caramel corn, cereal … you name it and TJ’s probably has it … even the dogs were included with pumpkin spice dog biscuits! I love fall, and pumpkin spice, so a few things (the caramel corn was delicious) may have made their way into my basket!

This month I decided to focus on one of my favorite suites in the new Holiday catalog, The Painted Harvest. It includes a wonderful layering stamp set with these dreamy floral and leaf images, some “thankful” sentiments, and best of all a coordinating leaf punch. There is also a beautiful pack of 12 x 12 DSP and some wooden elements. This is a very versatile suite of products with color combinations for fall, the holidays, and spring.

I decided to combine this suite with a cool technique, eclipse. I love this technique with the Stampin’ Up! large letters framelits. I began with an A2 Whisper White card base, a 5.25″ x 4″ Chocolate Chip mat, and a 5″ x 3.75″ thick Whisper White panel for stamping. This set has that “artistic” look (the base stamps don’t stamp solid) and sometimes I think, “Oh, no, it’s going to look terrible!”, but it never does! HINT: I use the Stampin’ Pierce Mat to make sure I get good coverage from photopolymer stamps.

Beginning with the base flower, I stamped three on the panel in Crushed Curry. Next, using the detail layering image, I stamped over the large flower in Cajun Craze ink. I also stamped a flower onto a post-it note and fussy cut it to use as a mask for stamping the leaves, which I stamped in Pear Pizzazz for the base and Old Olive for the detail. I also stamped the flower middle using Chocolate Chip ink. Lastly, I stamped the sentiment, “I am thankful for you” in Chocolate Chip.

Now, it’s time to create the eclipse. Using the Y – O – U letters, I centered them on the panel and secured them in place using post-it note tape. I ran this through my BigShot and then popped them out. HINT: Make sure to keep any letter centers (like in the O) to adhere to the matte panel. To make sure you get it centered, first put the letter in its place, put adhesive on the back of the center piece, and put it down. Then you can lift out the letter. Using the foam adhesive strips, pop up each letter inside its space on the card.

There is a ton of inspiration throughout this hop. Since you started here, I encourage you to grab a favorite beverage, perhaps a pumpkin spice latte, and visit the other talented team members listed below to leave them some blog love! Next up is the amazing Merit. Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo

Tobe — The Craft Sea
Christine — Artful Musings (you are here)
Merit — MB Squared
Jennifer — NW Stamper
Susan — Stampin by the SF Bay

Supplies Used:
Stamps & Dies: Painted Harvest (144783) & Large Letters Framelits (141712)
Card Stock: Whisper White (100730) & Chocolate Chip (102128)
Ink: Crushed Curry, Cajun Craze, Chocolate Chip, Pear Pizzazz, & Old Olive
Foam Adhesive Strips (141825)

27
Jul
2017

Fun-n-Crafty | Christmas in July

categories: Fun-n-Crafty, Stampin' Up!

Hello my crafty peeps! I’m happy to be here again this month as part of the Fun & Crafty blog hop. This month’s theme is Christmas in July! I know, I know, it’s still summer, but for better or worse stamp companies release their holiday products in August and September.

On the positive side, you can get the jump on your holiday cards and handmade gifts! Beginning in August Stampin’ Up! is offering everyone a chance to pre-order one of the new suites, Carols of Christmas, in August before the holiday catalog goes live on September 1st.

I really like the stamps and dies in this product suite. The dies are innovative and the bold sentiments are the perfect focal images for all of your holiday creations. I think my favorite element is the card builder border, followed closely by the night sky die. Both are perfect for all sorts of cards, not just holiday and I think that is why I like them so much! In my sample I created a background using a paper piecing technique called herringbone. This can be done with washi tape and also, as shown here, with patterned paper like the Be Merry DSP. It’s a great way to use your DSP and show off all the wonderful and coordinating patterns.

This technique may look complicated, but it is actually very simple. There’s no “right” or “wrong” way to apply the paper that creates the pattern. You begin with a base layer (a piece of card stock that you adhere the strips to) and the strips of DSP. For this sample my whisper white base is 5″ x 3.75″ and I used .5″ strips. Normally, I cut two, 6″ x 2″ pieces of each pattern (this yields four, 6″ x .5″ strips) and I apply edge-to-edge adhesive (Using Stick It! or my Xyron). Once I have the adhesive on, I cut down the piece into four .5″ strips from each pattern in the pack. I leave the backing on one side of the strips so I can mock up the placement before I expose the adhesive and stick each strip down permanently.

Once I’m ready to begin, I place three strips running diagonally across the middle of the base (left photo above), alternating the patterns and trimming off the excess on each side. HINT: I like leaving a little white space between the strips, but you could also place them side by side. These strips serve as an “anchor” making it easy to place the remaining strips. After the three center strips are down, I add the next three above them (right photo above), oriented vertically (the opposite of the first three strips). Next, I add three more next to those vertical strips, this time oriented horizontally (left photo below). I keep working in this manner until the entire base is covered (right photo below). You may need to add a few small “triangles” here and there to fill in some edges, but otherwise you are done. I will repeat patterns a couple of different times, if needed, but place them in different parts of the base.

One of the things I love about Stampin’ Up! products is the color combinations. Each pack of DSP lists the coordinating colors on the back. This is super helpful when choosing card stock and other embellishments. The coordinating colors for the Be Merry DSP are Cherry Cobbler and Garden Green so my inks, card bases, mattes, and accents were those colors. I began with a side-folding A2 card and cut a 5.25″ x 4″ matte (if the card is Cherry Cobbler then the matte will be Garden Green, and vice versa). The herringbone background is adhered to the matte and then the matte to the card base.

The large sentiments in this set are the perfect focal point for your card. I cut 3.5″ x 3.5″ squares in Whisper White for the “Peace on Earth” sentiment and stamped it using either Cherry Cobbler or Garden Green ink. I also cut a 3.5″ x 3.5″ matte out of Cherry Cobbler and Garden Green card stock. Using the Layering Circles, I die cut the sentiment using the largest circle and then using the largest scallop, cut the mattes. I adhered the sentiment to the opposite color scalloped circle (Cherry Cobbler sentiment on a Garden Green scalloped circle and vice versa) and I adhered it to the herringbone background using pop dots.

Both Cherry Cobbler and Garden Green are darker colors, so I decided to finish my card with a Whisper White panel inside and I used the card builder border die to add a little extra touch to this panel (see above right). These stamps and dies are wonderful and I hope my card inspires you to purchase this bundle for yourself!

There is a ton of inspiration throughout this hop. Since you started here, I encourage you to grab a cup of coffee and visit the other talented team members listed below to leave them some blog love! Next up is the talented Kathy. Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo

Christine – Artful Musings (you are here)
Kathy – Stamp-a-blog
Merit – MB Squared Designs
Susan – Stampin’ by the SF Sea
Jennifer – NW Stamper
Stacey – A Work of Carte

Supplies Used:
Stamps & Dies: Carols of Christmas Bundle (146036) & Layering Circles (141705)
Card Stock: Whisper White (100730), Cherry Cobbler (119685), & Garden Green (102584)
Ink: Cherry Cobbler (126966) & Garden Green (126973)
Be Merry DSP (144111)

22
Jun
2017

Fun-n-Crafty | Let’s “Lemon Lime” Twist Again

categories: Fun-n-Crafty, Stampin' Up!

Hello my crafty peeps! I’m happy to be here again this month as part of the Fun & Crafty blog hop. This month we are highlighting the new 2017-19 In Colors from Stampin’ Up. I am always amazed at how well the new colors weave into the existing palette as well as coordinating with one another. These new In Colors are no exception. I decided to focus on my favorite of the five new, Lemon Lime Twist. This color is a light and vibrant green that works well with many other colors including these: Pool Party, Island Indigo, and Melon Mambo. To see the full range of In Color combinations for all the new In Colors, please click here. Today I am presenting two original cards.

For the first card I began with a Whisper White A2 card base. Next, I ran the Split Chevron cover plate from My Favorite Things through my Big Shot three times: once in Lemon Lime Twist card stock and two times out of Lemon Lime Twist Fresh Florals DSP. I love inlaid die cutting and decided to fill up the Chevron pieces using these three colors and letting the Whisper White show through in some spots. For the finishing touch I wanted to add a die cut sentiment in Pacific Point card stock but realized I didn’t have any on hand. Fortunately, I have the ink pad and using a dauber, I was able to turn Whisper White card stock into Pacific Point card stock. Because the background is inlaid (essentially one layer) I decided to add some dimension for the sentiment so I die cut it three times (twice in white). I glued these together with the inked one on top and, ‘Voila!’, dimension.

For the second card I began with an A2 Whisper White card base. I added a Lemon Lime Twist mat (4″ x 5.25″) and then cut Fresh Florals DSP strips in various sizes. I glued the DSP strips down to the mat leaving a place for the sentiment. Using my MISTI I was able to stamp the whole sentiment at once, making sure it was well positioned within the allotted space. There are several great hostess sets, and Dare to Dream is one at the top of my list.

BONUS: over the past month and a half we (the Fun-N-Crafty team) have been playing with the new SU products. Below are two cards I made at recent events, one from a shoe box swap with my SU team (card by Kathy) and the other from a catalog party I helped a fellow team member with (card by Nicole). Both cards feature Lemon Lime Twist along with Berry Burst.

There is a ton of inspiration throughout this hop. Since you started here, I encourage you to grab a cup of tea and visit the other talented team members listed below to leave them some blog love! Next up is the talented Pamela over at Stinky Tofu. Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo

Christine – Artful Musings (you are here)
Pamela – Stinky Tofu
Kathy – Stampablog
Merit – MB Squared Designs
Susan – Stampin’ By the SF Bay
Jennifer – NW Stamper

Supplies Used:
Card Stock: Whisper White, Lemon Lime Twist, Berry Burst, Chocolate Chip, & Kraft
Ink: Lemon Lime Twist (144086), Berry Burst (144083), & Pacific Point (126951)
Stamps: Thankful Thoughts (141522), Dare to Dream (143769), & Colorful Seasons (143726)
Dies: Seasonal Layers (143751) & Sunshine Wishes (141489)
Punches: Banner Punch (138292) & Pretty Label Punch (143715)
Paper: Fresh Florals DSP (144131), Vellum (101856), & Metallic Doilies (138392)
Embellishments: Bitty Bows (144217) & Silver Thread (138402)
Extras: Paper Trimmer, Score Board, Adhesive, Big Shot, Sponges/Daubers & Scissors

25
May
2017

Fun-n-Crafty | New Catalog Preview

categories: Fun-n-Crafty, Stampin' Up!

Hello my crafty peeps! I’m happy to be here again this month as part of the Fun & Crafty blog hop. This month’s theme is new catalog preview, that magical time of year when there is a 236-page treasure trove of new (and carrying over) goodies to crave.

What am I excited about? How long do you have? My catalog is a bit dogeared and contains oh so many tape flags of the must-have goodies. Some “must have” suites and stamps include: Coffee Break Suite (stamps, dies, papers, and accents all with a coffee theme), This Little Piggy (the cutest stamp set of pigs and sentiments), Birthday Memories Suite (so cute with it’s fun party images and dies that cut images out of the DSP – so creative), and Delightful Daisy Suite (combining the freshest colors and floral imagery, this set is sure to be a staple in the next year). Some “must have” tools and embellishments include: mini pop dots, Ombre ribbon, glitter enamel dots, faceted gems, embossing paste, copper trim, and crinkle seam binding.

Here are some catalog details, painstakingly complied by my fellow hopper, Stacey over at A Work of Carte.

Catalog “By the Numbers” | Top Ten Edition

Stamp Sets: 192 (82 NEW)
New Ink Colors: 5
DSP: 15
Embellishments: 23 (18 NEW)
Ribbon STYLES: 23 (15 NEW)
Ribbon SPOOLS: 71 (56 NEW)
New Adhesive: 2
Punches: 32 (8 NEW)
Folders: 18 (7 NEW)
Dies: 57 (20 NEW)

For this month’s blog hop I’m focusing on the new Wood Words stamps (143925), Copper Trim (144179), and Wood Textures DSP (144177). These new items were some of the very first things I zeroed in on in the new catalog so when it was time for demonstrator pre-order I was thrilled they were on the list. There is also the Wood Crate die (143730) , which creates the cutest little 3-D crate and is perfect as a goodie basket to hold SU! embellies, candies, small cards, soaps, or even a gift card. These items will all be available on June 1st when the new catalog launches.

For my project today I’ve created a simple card and I’ve also cut out and built the crate. Interestingly enough, the wood crate is sized to fit perfectly in the 3″ x 6″ gusseted cellophane bags (141704).

For my card I used Mint Macaron cardstock (retiring on May 31st) and two different sheets of the Wood Textures DSP (a light and dark). I began with an A2 (4.5″ x 5.5″) card base in Chocolate Chip. To this I mounted a 4″ x 5.25″ mat in Mint Macaron and on top of that a 3.75″ x 5″ piece from the DSP. The top layer consists of a 3.25″ x 4.5″ mat in Mint Macaron and the topmost piece (where I did most of the stamping and embossing) of light DSP (3″ x 4.25″). First, using my mini MISTI I stamped the large floral image from the Wood Words stamp set twice (on the top and bottom) using Versa Mark ink and sprinkled on Copper embossing powder (141636), which I then heat set. Once it was cool I used my Mint Macaron Stampin’ Write marker to color in the open flowers to match the card stock mats.

The last thing I decided on was the sentiment. I wanted to pull forward a bit more of the Mint Macaron so I die cut the smallest banner from the Bunch of Banners Framelits (141488) and then mounted the DSP panel to the Mint Macaron mat. Again, using my mini Misti, I stamped in Versa Mark and embossed in copper the sentiment “Hello Friend”, also from the Wood Words stamp set. For the final touch, I wrapped some of the new Copper Trim around this top panel sticking it to the back before I mounted the final panel to the card. HINT: To add a nice bow I usually tie it separately and then adhere it to the ribbon I laid down using a mini glue dot. This helps me have a pretty and even bow every time! Because this is a dark card base I also cut a Mint Macaron mat (4″ x 5.25″) for the inside so I could write a note!

I just love this stamp set with it’s farm fresh images and I can’t wait to play further with all the dies and stamps in this bundle. Remember, the new catalog launches on June 1st! There is much to enjoy throughout this hop, all of it from the new catalog that launches on June 2nd. Since you started here, I encourage you to grab a cup of coffee and visit the other talented team members listed below to leave them some blog love! Next up is the talented Merit at MB Squared Designs. Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo
Beanie

Christine — Artful Musings (you are here)
Merit — MB Squared Designs
Pamela — Stinky Tofu
Susan — Stampin’ By the SF Bay
Stacey — A Work of Carte
Jennifer — NW Stamper

Supplies Used:
Wood Words Stamps
Wooden Crate Framelits Dies
Wood Textures DSP
Card Stock: Chocolate Chip & Mint Macaron
Mint Macaron Stampin’ Write Marker
3″ x 6″ Gusseted Cellophane Bags
Copper Trim
Inks: Versa Mark
Copper Embossing Powder

27
Apr
2017

Fun & Crafty | Mom’s Are Golden

categories: Artful Pursuits, Fun-n-Crafty, Stampin' Up!

Hello my crafty peeps! I’m happy to be here again this month as part of the Fun & Crafty blog hop. This month’s theme is Mother’s Day. A day to honor that woman who taught you right from wrong, wiped every tear, and kissed every boo-boo! She stands firm and steady as a rock for her kids as they venture farther and farther from home, always knowing they have a safe place to return. Mom’s are golden.

My Mom is gone, having passed almost 7 years ago. So is my Gran, who is really the woman I think of as my Mom since she raised me. I have so many wonderful memories of times with my Gran that though she isn’t here with me, I feel her presence and remember the lessons and life truths she taught me. She was feisty, loyal, fierce when crossed, generous, and independent. She instilled in me a drive to be self-sufficient, to obtain all the education I could, and to never give up on my dreams. I miss her but honor her each day. Owing to the fact that both of my “Mom’s” are gone, I never really invested in any “Happy Mother’s Day” stamps so when this month’s theme was announced I was at a loss as to what to do … enter the new Eastern Palace suite from Stampin’ Up! I am always looking for alternate uses for the stamp sentiments I have and was pleased to find that the sentiments in this set are versatile, but more on that in a minute.

When I first saw the suite I didn’t immediately fall in love. Actually, it was quite the opposite, I really didn’t like it very much but I challenged myself to order one of the bundles and work with it during the month of April. Little did I know when I set this challenge it would turn out to help me create this month’s Mother’s Day card and help me fall a little in love with the Eastern Palace suite. The suite features three new In Colors, Tranquil Tide, Fresh Fig, and my favorite, Lemon Lime Twist. It features mandala imagery, some interesting dies, and wonderful embellishments. The DSP showcases geometric shapes and adds in Dapper Denim to the other colors. It’s opulent and rich. In May, everyone will have a chance to purchase one of two bundles (premier or starter) before the new catalog goes live.

For my card I used a piece of Tranquil Tide card stock cut to A2 size (4.25″ x 5.5″). The DSP was cut to 4″ x 5.25″, and I also used a 3″ piece of the Fresh Fig card stock behind the DSP. First, I cut out the flower mandala shape using the matching thinlit die. This die is unique in that it doesn’t cut out the outer shape, but instead cuts out the “petals”, which you can lift up, adding dimension to your card. I decided I also wanted to split the DSP so that I could insert a piece of Fresh Fig card stock behind and create some interest in my card. I used one of the layering circle dies to cut out a badge for the center of the mandala die cut and used one of the circle stamps and a sentiment (to think of you is to smile) from the Eastern Palace stamp set. I stamped the circle in Fresh Fig and the sentiment in Tranquil Tide on Whisper White card stock. While not overtly “Mother’s day” this sentiment reminded me that whenever I remember my Gran I always smile, which seemed perfect. Because the card base is so dark I also inserted a 4″ x 5.25″ Whisper White panel inside and stamped one of the smaller images from the Eastern Palace suite to tie in the Lemon Lime Twist ink. The finishing touch, a rhinestone on the circle for that little pop of bling!

There is a ton of inspiration throughout this hop. Since you started here, I encourage you to grab a cup of coffee and visit the other talented team members listed below to leave them some blog love! Next up is the talented Pamela over at Stinky Tofu. Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo
Beanie

Christine – Artful Musings (you are here)
Pamela – Stinky Tofu
Kathy – Stamp-A-Blog
Susan – Stampin’ by the SF Bay
Stacey – A Work of Carte
Jennifer – Northwest Stamper

Supplies Used:
Eastern Palace Premier Bundle
Inks: Lemon Lime Twist, Fresh Fig, & Tranquil Tide
Paper: Eastern Palace DSP
Card Stock: Tranquil Tide, Fresh Fig, & Whisper White
Rhinestones

23
Mar
2017

Fun & Crafty | Sale-A-Bration Celebration

categories: Fun-n-Crafty, Sale-A-Bration, Stampin' Up!

We are down to the final days of Sale-A-Bration and the Occasions catalog so to send this year’s event out with a bang I’m on the blog today with a sale-a-bration celebration. There is still time to grab a few freebies (each $50 you spend on Stampin’ Up! product earns you a free Sale-A-Bration item) before the promotion ends. As a bonus, just today a few last-minute items were added (see picture – thanks to my upline, Jennifer Blomquist over at NW Stamper, for the image).

For today’s project, I’d planned to use the 6 x 6 glimmer paper that was part of Sale-a-Bration, unfortunately it sold out on Sunday so I had to alter my project to focus on the Occasions catalog stamp set that we’ve learned is carrying over into the new 2017-18 catalog, which will launch in June. This set is probably my favorite of the catalog, Dragonfly Dreams (144728). For today’s hop, I created a card and a hinged box. The box I’ve seen on many blogs and in at least one origami book. Interestingly enough, it happens to perfectly hold one of the small embellishment containers from Stampin’ Up!

I used Soft Sky (131181) and So Saffron (126957) inks, Soft Sky paper (131203), the dandelion print paper from the Falling in Love DSP (142788), and the clear Wink of Stella shimmer pen (141897). Starting with a standard card base I cut a piece of the dandelion print from the DSP pack to 4″ x 5.5″. Next, I cut a panel for die cutting the dragonflies out of Whisper White card stock (100730) and sponged the edges with Soft Sky. Once I die cut the dragonflies I colored over them with the clear Wink of Stella pen to give them that dragonfly shimmer. I used a die cut inlay technique where you insert the die cut back into the overall panel to create the paper inlay. I also curled up some of the wings to give the card dimension and stamped one of the sentiments from the set onto the bottom using Soft Sky.

The box is an oldie but a goodie. A very simple hinged box that is built using a 7″ x 6.5″ piece of card stock and two smaller pieces of DSP (a 2.5″ x 2.5″ and a 1.5″ x 2.5″ piece). As I said, I’ve seen it around a lot, including an origami book about box creation. I did find a wonderful video by Crafty Caroline showing her building the box. Below are two images of the box before construction, the first showing the score and cut lines and the second showing the box cut and scored before putting it together. Score lines for the 7″ side: 1/2″, 3 1/4″, 3 3/4″, and 6.5″. Score lines for the 6.5″ side: 1/2″, 3 1/4″, and 6″.

There are still great Sale-A-Bration freebies to be had through March 31st! If you order the Dragonfly Dreams bundle now you can take advantage of bundle pricing ($46.75), which won’t be available in the new catalog and you would only need to spend $3.75 more to get a Sale-A-Bration freebie. Bundle pricing saves you 10% off the stamps and coordinating dies. Not quite ready to order? That’s okay, just remember that bundle pricing for this set is only available until May 31st!

If you started here, please visit Susan’s blog and show her some blog love. Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo
Beanie

Christine Szekeres – Artful Musings (you are here)
Susan Schultz – Stampin’ by the SF Bay

Supplies Used
Dragonfly Dreams Bundle
Falling in Love DSP
Soft Sky & So Saffron Inks
Soft Sky Card Stock
Clear Wink of Stella Shimmer Pen
Simply Scored Board
Project Life Corner Rounder

23
Feb
2017

Fun & Crafty | Watercolor My World

categories: Fun-n-Crafty, Watercolor

Hello my crafty peeps! I’m happy to be here again this month as part of the Fun & Crafty blog hop. This month’s theme focuses on watercolor techniques. The new Occasions catalog is in full swing as well as Sale-A-Bration. I decided to use the new SU watercolor pencils (141709) as well as two Sale-A-Bration items: the “Inside the Lines” DSP (143850) and the brand new 6×6 Glimmer Paper Assortment (143831).

I’ve enjoyed working with watercolor pencils for many years and I was excited to see SU come out with a set that matched their colors. I hope they come out with more! These pencils work much like other pencils I’ve used. They blend smoothly and are creamy when you lay down the color. You can either use aqua painters (103954) or blender pens (102845). Using aqua painters creates a more dreamy look, while using the blender pens showcases the richness of the pigment.

For this card I used aqua painters and three of the pencils, Calypso Coral, Old Olive, and Daffodil Delight. I cut a 2″ x 2″ square from a sheet of the DSP, colored it using the pencils and aqua painters and then cut that into four 1″ x 1″ squares. I mounted the squares to squares of the new glimmer paper (mint macaron). I embossed the sentiment from the “You’ve Got This” stamp set (139575) using VersaMark ink and white embossing powder. Using foam squares I mounted the 4 squares on the front of a Soft Sky card base. You will love how easy these pencils are to use and marvel at the results you can achieve with either water or blender pens.

There is a ton of inspiration throughout this hop. If you started here, please visit the other talented team members listed below and leave them some blog love! Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo
Beanie

Kathy Thisted – Stampablog
Christine Szekeres – Artful Musings (you are here)
Tobe B – The Craft Sea
Susan Schultz – Stampin’ by the SF Bay
Pamela Wu – Stinky Tofu

Supplies Used:
Watercolor Pencils
Soft Sky Cardstock
Aqua Painters
You’ve Got This Stamps

Sale-A-Bration (SAB)
(1 free item with each $50 purchase)
6×6 Gilmmer Paper
Inside the Lines DSP

08
Dec
2016

Fun & Crafty | “Oooh, Something Shiny!”

categories: Artful Pursuits, Christmas Inspiration, Fun-n-Crafty, Stampin' Up!

Hello my crafty peeps! I’m happy to be here again this month as part of the Fun & Crafty blog hop. This month’s theme: “Oooh, Something Shiny!” is one we can all relate to, particularly at this time of year. I’m sure you are NOT like me … I’m sure your Christmas and New Year’s cards are already done … however, should you find yourself in a last-minute rut, I hope you take some inspiration from the below as well as all the other inspiring projects in this month’s hop.

If you are anything like me you look for stamps and dies that are versatile. When I saw the “Greetings from Santa” stamps and “Detailed Santa” dies, I knew it would be simple to create a number of cards that were different. Far from requiring a lot of thought, these dies and stamps are pretty straightforward in their versatility making them some of my favorite ‘go to’ sets for holiday cards.

For this month’s hop I decided to showcase the simple versatility of these stamps and dies using three different card stocks and three different glitter papers. Each card contains the same elements, but each looks vastly different due to the color combinations. The first combo, ‘Straight Up Christmas’, combines red and white. It is simultaneously colorful and whimsical. The second combo, ‘Frosty Friends’, combines red and dazzling diamond. This is the bling-y version of the card. The third and final combo, ‘Winter’s Magic’, combines silver and blue into an elegant version that evokes a cool winter’s day.

What I especially love about these two products are all the extra images and dies that can be used to add little touches to your envelopes. Here are a couple of examples of what I mean.

Oooh, something shiny wouldn’t be complete without a wee bit of Chibitronics fun. Below is the fun trade I created for a demonstrator event back in September. I used the Cookie Cutter punch and stamp set to create this light up reindeer to guide Santa’s sleigh.

~xoxo
Beanie

Tobe B – The Craft Sea
Christine Szekeres – Artful Musings (you are here)
Pamela Wu – Stinky Tofu
Kathy Thisted – Stampablog
Jennifer Blomquist – Northwest Stamper
Danielle Elvin – Going to Collage

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Greetings from Santa
Dies: Detailed Santa Thinlets
Cardstock: Night of Navy, Cherry Cobbler, & Whisper White
Glitter Paper: Dazzling Diamond, Silver & Red
Ink: Versa Mark
Embossing Powder: White & Red
Other: Fine-Tip Glue & Embossing Buddy