more color mondays – fresh freesia, berry burst and lemon lime twist

more color mondays – fresh freesia, berry burst and lemon lime twist

Well today is Monday and that equals color around Natalie’s stamp studio! This month is June and that means a Designer Series Paper sale and Paper Share! Do you know what I love about our DSP – well let me count the ways LOL!
1. Color Coordination
2. Color Guide on the back that lists all of the
colors in the DSP
3. It is hand made by our talented designers!
4. It gives me ideas for the color challenges!

There are many more reasons these are just a few…

Today’s color challenge was inspired by the Masterfully Made DSP – the paper was designed and then made and the artists tore the paper apart and put it “Masterfully” back together and photographed it and it went to print for us to buy, enjoy, and create with!

Measurements:
BASE: Basic White CS 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
DSP: 2″ x 5 1/4″ x2 using one of each side
scrap of Berry burst for the sentiment
scrap of vellum for underneath the sentiment

Adhere the first piece of 2″ x 5 1/4″ DSP to the left side of the card leaving an even border around the top, bottom and left side of the card.
Butt the second DSP piece up to the first and match up the top and bottom edges and adhere to the card base.
Using the Irresistible Blooms stamp set, stamp the Hello sentiment on a Stylish Shapes die in Berry Burst ink on Berry Burst card stock.

Stamp the large flower image twice in Fresh Freesia on the Vellum piece.

Add Stampin’ Dimensionals to the sentiment circle and add Stampin’ Seal to the middle of the Vellum piece where it will be covered by the circle.
Adhere the vellum piece onto the card – I added the piece over one of the flowers to lend color to the stamped flower on the vellum. Then add the popped up sentiment piece over the middle of the vellum piece.
Add the Fresh Freesia embellishments from the Tinsel Gems Three-pack on the vellum and the card is complete!

Love this color combination and I hope you do as well! Now go and create some art of your own – one stamp at a time and upload a photo of your card in today’s Facebook post about the color challenge!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

two step stencil technique

two step stencil technique

I have used Masks in several posts previously but this technique uses a two step method.

BASE: Berry Burst CS 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Basic White CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″ and a scrap for the
sentiment piece
Lemon Lime Twist scrap 1″ x 4 3/16″
Basic Black CS: 4″ square

Die cut the large flower die from the Artistic Dies in black CS.
Place the black CS negative piece on the Basic White CS piece.
Using a Blending Brush and Lemon Lime Twist, ink the edges where the negative space is for the leaves.
Ink the negative space in the center where the flowers would be with Highland Heather and Berry Burst ink and Blending Brushes.
Remove the Black CS negative die and place the mask from the Four Square Decorative Masks set and add another layer of ink with the same colors. Go over the Lemon Lime Twist over the mask where the areas underneath are Lemon Lime Twist.
Ink a blending brush with Highland Heather and Berry Burst over the areas where the same colors are.
Remove the mask.
Cut the Basic White CS and adhere to the card base.
Adhere the black die cut over the two step technique area.
Emboss the Lemon Lime strip and adhere to the right side of the card.
Stamp the sentiment from Wonderful Thoughts in Berry Burst. Die cut the sentiment with the large banner from the Stylish Shapes.
Cut the banner in half and pop up the sentiment on Stampin’ Dimensionals.
Add 2023-2025 In Color Dots to the card front.
Love the way this two step stencil technique turned out! Hope you try this technique soon – and create your own art one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

dsp four corner card

dsp four corner card

I saw some cute cards on Kreations by Kevin’s website and designed one of my own with Fresh As A Daisy DSP.

Measurements:
Base: Pretty Peacock 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
2″ square
Basic White layer: 4″ x 5 1/4″
1/4″ strips
DSP: 6″ square

Adhere the 2″ square diagonally in the center of the Basic White CS piece.
Adhere a 1/4″ strip from one corner of the diamond to the end of the CS piece.
Adhere another strip to each side of the diamond.
Adhere DSP to the corners inside the strips. Alternate the DSP between A side and B side.
Ink the Happy Birthday stamp on the 1/4″ strip from the Something Fancy stamp in Pretty Peacock ink.
Add a small Flower die to the center of the card front.
Add Tinsel Gems Four-Pack to the card front for some sparkle.
Add the card front piece to the card base.
Here is another sample.
This is a fun way to use Designer Series Paper.
Now go and create some art of your own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

post 300!! more color mondays – pecan pie, crumb cake and pool party

post 300!! more color mondays – pecan pie, crumb cake and pool party

Happy blog post 300! It is so much fun to hit milestones and to achieve goals! I remember a few years ago as we were preparing to move and I was planning to retire from my “day job” as a pharmacist – that I sat down and decided that I wanted to do more with me Stampin’ Up! business. I have always loved Stamping but working full time and raising four boys did not leave time for another full time job so I taught one class a month on the side and loved my little business and customers. BUT I decided that would not be my goals for my semi-retirement! Sitting down and actually writing your goals is a very empowering thing!
Goal 1: Establish a blog and be consistent with three times a week posts and updates! Check!
Goal 2: Find new customers after moving to a new area in creative ways! Check!
Goal 3: Grow my social media following… continuing to do so!
Goal 4: Apply and be accepted as one of our Artisan Design team members. Application submitted this month! Check! Fingers crossed – it is a very select group -so we will see – say a prayer for me if you can!

It is hard to believe that I have designed and submitted 300 projects for blog posts, over 5800 images photographed, watermarked and editted for blog post and daily Facebook card ideas, hundreds of projects designed for classes at libraries, church groups, senior centers and home workshops just in the last few years since establishing these goals! I am super excited for the future and to continue in my 22 year at Stampin’ Up!

Today’s blog post is all about color and our newest color challenge – Pecan Pie is one of our new neutrals and it is a pretty one – it works well with many other colors including our new in color Copper Clay and our old standard Crumb Cake. I paired it with our soft blue Pool Party and made a card with our new angel policy stamp set – Stamped with Love.

Do you know about our angel policy? All of our images are copyrighted but Stampin’ Up! has an angel policy which allows the stamper the option to resale the images if the copyright symbol is used – this stamp set has the ©Stampin’Up! stamp to be used if one would like to sell their stamped items like I do!

Measurements:
BASE: Crumb Cake CS 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Basic White Layer: 4″ x 5 1/4″
Scraps: Pecan Pie for Post stamp
Pool Party for letter stamps
Fold the Base and Emboss the Basic White layer with the Timeworn Type embossing folder. Adhere to the base card front.

Stamp the inside of the card with the sentiment.
Stamp in Pool Party ink on Pool Party CS the letter and pen stamp and fussy cut out three images. Adhere the the right side of the embossed layer.
Stamp in Pecan Pie ink on Pecan Pie CS the post stamp and fussy cut out the image. Adhere Stampin’ Dimensionals to the back and loop the Copper Clay ribbon in an S pattern to the back of the image and adhere to the left side of the card front.
Add Copper Clay Glossy Dot embellishments to the card.
Add Wink of Stella to the Letter image on the Pecan Pie stamped postal box.
Here is a close up of the Shine that the wink of Stella gives the card!
Try this color challenge today and let me know how you liked it! Now go out and create some art of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

acetate smoosh for a bridal shower invite

acetate smoosh for a bridal shower invite

I love how Stamping brings people together and create fun and joy!
When I moved to Conneaut Lake I restarted my Stampin’ Up! business and started to find places that I could go and teach classes and our local library system holds a ton of really cool classes so I asked if I could start to teach there and they loved the idea!
Over the course of the last year I have met very nice people – locals, neighbors and friends!
One of the first people to take my class asked if I did workshops and parties and I told her I had done everything from children’s birthday parties to ladies nights out! She asked if I had ever done a bridal shower and I said no but I thought it was an awesome idea! Instead of playing traditional shower games which this new generation is not that into (LOL – by the way most of my generation didn’t like them either!) we decided to have a Stampin’ Up! event for the guests and I plan on designing thank you cards for the guests to make for the bride-to-be and they will craft a scrapbooking recipe page and bring a picture of themselves with the bride-to-be or with their own family and a recipe and we will make a keepsake recipe book for the bride! It will be fun and meaningful and the guests will be able to visit and socialize while they stamp! I am so excited!

We finally decided on the invitation design and I will highlight the process of making the background today! The bride-to-be loves flowers so the theme revolves around flowers and the colors of her wedding!

Measurements:
BASE: Lost Lagoon CS 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Thick Basic white CS: (2) 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ (1) to
be die cut with the Two Tone Flora die (1) to
be dyed with ink using a smoosh technique
Basic White CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″ for the insert

Take a half sheet of a Window Sheet and on a covered surface lay patches of ink down using a direct to paper technique – use the whole stamp pad and the edges and lay ink onto the window sheet in various places with the Lost Lagoon ink pad.

Then add Pretty Peacock ink using mostly the side edge of the ink pad direct to the Window Sheet as this is a dark color you need less of the ink.
Using a spray bottle, spritz water onto the Window Sheet. The amount of water will determine the look of the final product – less water you will see the individual colors more prominently and more water the colors will run together more – neither look is wrong just personal preference!
Lay a piece of Thick Basic White CS down on the window sheet and peel off and allow to dry.
I am making 40 invitations so the samples of Smoosh technique vary alot! Here are some of the versions – because we are making an die cut overlay with the Two-Tone Flora die the variation will be toned down and all of them will look beautiful and unique!
Die cut a 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ Thick Basic White CS piece with the large die from the Two-Tone Flora die set.
Adhere the Smoosh dyed cardstock to the Lost Lagoon base card.
Lay the die onto the base.
Then sparingly adhere with Liquid Glue around the edges of the die and overlay onto the dyed smoosh piece of cardstock.
I added a sentiment in Pretty Peacock ink and punched it out using the Lasting Label punch.
Adhere it onto the lower right-hand corner of the card front and add Pearls to the sentiment piece!
Here is another version.
I love how these turned out and I am excited to be at the Bridal shower to help make this bride-to-be’s day a sweet one!
Hope you are able to stamp today and create some art of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie