Tag:

painterly stripes background

TGIF – Wildflower Stationery Set with Angelica

by Betsy June 4, 2021

written by Betsy

Happy Friday! Angelica is joining us today with some inspiration for creating your own set of pretty stationery, perfect for gifting. Her project is amazing! Enjoy…

My elderly neighbor has a birthday coming up, so I decided to make her a gift. If you know me, you know I LOVE to make card sets. And surprise! That’s exactly what I did for Miss Laura. She doesn’t get out much, so I thought cards and postage stamps would be a perfect gift to help her stay in touch with her loved ones.

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Starting with BotaniCuts Wildflower Mix, I die-cut several watercolor panels, and painted them with Mijello Mission Gold Watercolor paints. I glued the flowers together, and grouped them in little bouquets. I “tied” the bouquets together with the small twine ribbon from Fit To Be Tied Die Collection.

For the Blue background, I stamped Painterly Stripes Background onto TE Blue Corn card stock, using Blue Corn ink. I attached the panels to card bases, and got the Postal Frame panels ready.

For a dainty sentiment, I used a stamp from the gorgeous Pretty Postmarks Stamp Set. I set the sentiment up in my MISTI, and stamped all of the Postal Frame panels the same. Once finished, I attached the white panels onto the card bases, and glued on the bouquets.

For the gift box, I started with a 12×12 card stock, and trimmed it to 9×9. I picked a stamp from Summer Sketches stamp set to stamp a background with. Once finished, I used my Envelope Punch Board to make an envelope box. There’s lots of tutorials on YouTube on how to make an “Envelope Maker Box”. Jennifer McGuire has a great one, and that’s the tutorial that I followed. You can find it HERE.

To close the flap, I made a belly band. I cut white card stock to 1.5″ x 11″, and scored lines at 2″, 2 3/4″, 7 1/4″, and 8″. I folded the band on the scored lines, and glued the ends together.. I stamped a Sentiment Suite: Birthday sentiment onto the band, and added a last minute strip of blue card stock for added interest. I finished the band with my last flower bouquet.

I can’t wait to get this over to Miss Laura’s. I left enough room in the box for some postage stamps, and might even go find a pretty pen to match! I hope I have passed on some crafty inspiration… Thanks for joining me today!

June 4, 2021 29 comments

Make & Tell: Stamping a Terrarium Garden

by Betsy May 5, 2020

written by Betsy

Happy Tuesday! Are you ready for a fun Make & Tell? I’ve been digging around in the dirt a little around the yard, potting up some flowers and enjoying the sunshine. But yesterday was rainy, and it made me want to pull out my Pot-Pourri set and Terrarium die to “plant” some inky versions in my craft room!

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Pot-Pourri is such a fun set, and I haven’t given it a lot of love lately, so it was fun to pull it out again. I love stamping these plants in all shades of green for lots of interest. For the plaid background, I pulled out my Painterly Stripes Background and stamped that fun plaid using several shades of green.

The sentiment is from the Fresh Air set, and everything is layered over a Crimped Frame diecut. I used an easy masking technique to create the layers of plants. Very fun to do – you could definitely mass produce this card too…just set up your MISTI and stamp multiple panels assembly-line style.

Here’s today’s video – enjoy! 🙂

May 5, 2020 16 comments

All TGIF

TGIF – Easy floral thank yous by Dawn

by Betsy May 1, 2020

written by Betsy

It’s Friday! I hope the sun is shining and you’re enjoying some of the same beautiful weather we’re having here. Dawn is here for today’s TGIF post with some pretty thank you cards that are fun and easy to mass produce using her formula! Let’s check them out…

I’ve been going through quite a few thank you notes lately, as I’ve been tucking them into artwork I’ve been shipping out! So I decided I’d better beef up my stash of thank yous, and these cards fit the bill perfectly!

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And because they really just consist of four main elements, they’re so easy to put together. They’re even the perfect type of card you could create elements for, while hanging out in front of the TV or maybe out on the deck with your family! All you need is a background (I used Painterly Stripes), a big focal element (like Sketchbook Roses), an eye-catching sentiment (how about Written in Ribbons) and a simple die cut (Nordic Frames) to separate the focal items from the background.

The really fun part about these, is that you can put them together in a wide array of color combinations, like I’m sharing today! Create your focal elements in whatever colors you can dream up, and then let those colors be the same ones you use on your background and sentiment. Easy peasy!

I love Dawn’s formula for creating these cards! Focal point, sentiment, background + a mat layer…a simple concept you can use over and over for unlimited looks. What sets would you plug into her formula?

May 1, 2020 13 comments

All Make & Tell Tuesdays

Make & Tell: Faux watercolor with solid stamps + oxide inks

by Betsy April 28, 2020

written by Betsy

Good morning and happy Tuesday! Last week I promised a video on the watercolored lemons from the card set I posted on our More Fresh Air Inspiration post.

This is a fun technique that uses solid image stamps, stamped with Distress Oxide inks, to create faux watercolor. It’s fun and easy – easier than starting with outline images, in my opinion, because much of the work is already done for you with the stamping. You’re just adding in some blends with a sort of wet-on-wet technique often used in traditional watercoloring. The entire process is done with Oxide inks – no special watercolors are needed. Just a paintbrush, your oxide inks, and water. Oh, and your favorite solid-image stamps of course! I used Lemon Blossom.

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Here’s the video for you!

To finish off my card with the full lemon pattern background, I added a sentiment from the Written in Ribbons set, and a black and white striped strip stamped with the Painterly Stripes Background stamp. For the Hello card, I created a collage sentiment by combining a few different elements – the Slim Alphabet die, a sentiment from Signed & Sealed, and another from Written in Ribbons. The different pattern strips were cut from another lemon panel, along with some stripes and plaids done with the Painterly Stripes Background.

This was a fun technique – I’m already wondering what other images from my collection might work really well for this! What would you use?

April 28, 2020 20 comments

All Make & Tell Tuesdays Video Tutorials

Make & Tell: Fresh Floral Background + No-Line Watercolor + a Giveaway!

by Betsy April 14, 2020

written by Betsy

Good morning and happy Tuesday! I’m so excited to finally get back into the groove of putting together some Make & Tell Tuesday videos for you! Watch for these more regularly over the next several weeks. 🙂 Also, there’s an opportunity to win something fun today…read on to the end of the post for more about that!

Today’s Make & Tell project involves no-line watercoloring with a bit of a twist. Typically this technique is done with outline images, but I wanted to try something similar with solid images. So for today’s project I pulled out our Fresh Floral Background stamp, some watercolor paper, a light-color waterproof ink, and my favorite Mission Gold watercolors.

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Here’s the video for you!

To finish off the watercolor panel I created in the video, I trimmed it down just a bit to 4″ wide, and added a striped accent strip, which was stamped with the Painterly Stripes Background. I stamped it once, then shifted it so that the stripes on the second impression would fill in between the stripes from the first time stamping it. I also added a sentiment from the Sketchbook Roses set. I wanted to let the background shine!

This was a fun project. I love to sit and watercolor. I find it to be so very relaxing – do you? You might be able to try this same technique using colored pencils instead, if that’s a medium you’re more comfortable with!

SO! I’m in the mood for a giveaway, and I think it’s a fun one. Every time I post a project that shows that cute ceramic mason jar I use as a watercolor palette, I get tons of questions about where I found it. Well, I got mine at Hobby Lobby a year or so ago as part of one of their seasonal collections, but I also recently found them here on Amazon (affiliate link). I just happen to have an extra one that I’d love to send to someone! Leave a comment on this post before Thursday, April 16 at midnight EDT, and I’ll announce the winner on Friday’s TGIF post. Let’s chat while we’re at it! I’d love to hear about what you’re up to during this time of quarantine…are you doing ok? Is your family ok? Leave a comment for the chance to win!

April 14, 2020 97 comments

All Make & Tell Tuesdays

Make & Tell: Print Shop Fresh Floral with Dawn

by Betsy March 31, 2020

written by Betsy

We’re doing something a little different for today’s Make & Tell Tuesday. We have a special guest that I think you’re going to love! Dawn shared these fabulous cards with me the other day and I asked her if I could share them with you here today! I’ll let her tell you all about them and her fun process for creating them…

So, during a release, there always seems to be a product or two that I fall especially in love with, and I end up with more ideas than time to create with it! The Print Shop: Fresh Floral collection was one of those collections that I just didn’t want to stop creating with! I had so much fun pulling it out again, to make this pile of cards!

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I started out by just playing….I chose a color combo to work with that included five main colors, and then I set about stamping a pretty pile of die cuts and papers, all with those five colors.

Once I had a pile of pretties to work with, I turned on my video camera to film a time lapse video for you and started making cards with no real plan in place. I didn’t have any rules for myself or any expectations….I just wanted to see what sort of cards I could make out of the pretty embellishments and papers I’d stamped, whether it was three cards or ten. Honestly, I think that because the video camera was running, it helped me to not think too much about things, and to commit quicker as I worked! In the end, I’d made five cards…..in 70 seconds, according to the time lapse! Ha!

I mixed and matched all the elements and used only white card bases, to make it a little faster. I cut patterned papers apart and piled embellishments on, not worrying about the next card, or stretching the elements to go farther. I just started gluing things together, and I couldn’t be happier with how it all turned out!

You might notice that I took one of the patterned papers I’d stamped, and cut it into strips. This allowed me to use that same sheet on a couple of different cards.

I have to say that I can’t wait to do this same type of thing again, because I sure do love a pretty stack of coordinated embellishments and I love, love a pile of coordinating cards!! Can’t wait to use these to send out some encouragement to loved ones!

March 31, 2020 16 comments

All

Fresh Air Day 1: A Top-Down Kind of Day…

by Betsy March 24, 2020

written by Betsy

Need some Fresh Air? Welcome to the first day of product reveals for our latest collection – Fresh Air! Put the top down, throw open the windows, and let’s let the sunshine in…

The new products being showcased today will be available to purchase in the THE SHOP beginning at 10am EDT on Friday, March 27, with the exception of some of the dies, as noted below (due to some issues with our die manufacturer including a move and some COVID-19 related issues, we are hoping to have these dies sometime in early April).

Before we get to the product introductions, just a heads up that Laurie will be hosting an Instagram Live presentation of all of the new products on Thursday morning, March 26, at 11:00am CDT, so tune in if you’d like to check it out!

Now let’s meet today’s new products…

Top Down Day stamp set & die

It’s time to put the top down, feel the sun on your face, and the wind in your hair! The Top Down Day stamp set features an adorable convertible car, along with some fun cargo items including a cheery flower bouquet, a balloon bunch, and a sassy little driver. Each image in the set comes in two forms – multi-step solid images to stamp with your favorite ink colors, or outline images to stamp then color with your favorite medium, giving you lots of ways to play! The sentiments included in the set range from birthday to all-occasion and will have you cruisin’ your way to creative projects throughout the year!

The matching die set is a 10-piece die collection and includes dies for all of the images as well as the sentiments.

This stamp set comes on a 6″ x 8″ sheet and includes a full-color printed stamping guide.
Made in the USA
Top Down Day stamp set price: $24
Top Down Day die price: $31
Approximate sizes:
assembled car – 3.6″ x 1.5″
flower bouquet – 1.6″ x 1.15″
assembled balloon cluster – 2″ x 1.65″
assembled girl – 1.3″ x .65″
wishing you…sentiment – 1.3″ x 1.25″
hello sentiment – 1″ x .4″
Sentiments include:
Wishing you a top-down kind of day
Cruisin’ by to say (happy birthday/hello)
Happy Birthday
Hello
Need a lift?
Keep livin’ on the sunny side

**COMING SOON: Silver Lining Die

Every cloud has a silver lining! This die’s silver lining is the abundance of creative options! Use either the “upper” or “lower” portions of the resulting cuts, or the narrow cloud “strips” to create many different looks. This die is wide enough to stretch across an A2 horizontal card, or trimmed to fit a vertical. Have fun creating layered clouds, experiment with adding color by sponging, watercolor and more, or maybe use it to cut a fun scalloped border rather than clouds! **Please NOTE: This die is delayed due to issues with our manufacturer, including a facility move and COVID-19 issues. We are hoping to have it in stock in early April.

Set of 2 dies, Made in the USA
Approximate sizes:
cloud 1 – 5.6″ x 1.25
cloud 2 – 5.6″ x 1″
Silver Lining die price: $16

Painterly Stripes Background Rubber Cling Stamp

Add some cheery stripes to your next project! This rubber cling background stamp features a diagonal brushstroke stripe design. Stamp it once for stripes, or stamp, then turn you paper 90 degrees and stamp again to create a plaid pattern. Have fun playing with color combos when creating these cheery patterns! This is a single rubber cling stamp made from deeply etched quality pink rubber for a lifetime of crisp impressions.

Overall stamp size – 5.75″ x 5.75″
Made in the USA
Price: $18

To aid in your list-making and planning, below you will find the prices for today’s products in one spot.

Top Down Day stamp set: $24
Top Down Day die: $31
**Coming Soon!** Silver Lining die: $16
Painterly Stripes Background rubber cling stamp: $18

It’s time for some projects so we can see these new products in action!

My first card uses the pretty flower bouquet cargo from the Top Down Day set, along with that cute little car, stamped in bright yellow!

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I used the solid stamps for the card, and also layered the outline image of the car over top of the stamped image. Along with using the solid stamps and outlines individually, you can also layer them like I did here. For the bouquet, I used the solid multi-step bouquet and added some additional shading to the stamped images using colored pencils. I also added shading to the car using a dark yellow colored pencil. I actually stamped and diecut two of the bouquets to totally fill up that cute car. I layered my finished car over a simple background, which was stamped with the Painterly Stripes Background using black ink. The sentiment I used here is from the Sentiment Suite: Thinking of You set, stamped onto a banner from the coordinating Sentiment Suite: Basics die set.

My next card again uses the Top Down Day set. This time I included that sassy little driver and gave her some pretty cargo by again using the flower bouquet from the set.

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This time I created a more elaborate background. I used the new Silver Lining die to create the cute scalloped clouds. This die has so many options – you can use the upper or lower cuts, as well as the thin cloud “strips”. Here I tucked several of the flower bouquets from the Top Down Day set behind the clouds. They were once again stamped with the multi-step solid images from the set and shaded with colored pencils. I did the same with the girl. I love how the shading really helps give these fun images even more character. You can also see a bit of the new Painterly Stripes Background peeking out from behind the clouds and flowers. It’s super easy to create a plaid pattern simply by stamping once, and then rotating your paper 90 degrees and stamping again. The stamp is large enough to accommodate a full A2 card panel using this method. The sentiment I used here is of course also from the Top Down Day set, stamped onto a matching diecut.

While I was working on my projects using this new set, I wondered how the animals from the Christmas Care-A-Van set would work with this new car – I was thrilled to discover that they are just perfect! I used them here along with the balloon cluster from Top Down Day to create a sweet baby card.

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I created a layered background using the Silver Lining die. I combined the “Cruisin’ by to say hello” sentiment with some new alphabet dies we’ll be introducing tomorrow to create the perfect sentiment for this card.

My last card for today uses some of the outline images from Top Down Day to create a watercolored card.

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I stamped the outline image for the car and the flower bouquet onto Arches watercolor paper using black ink. I then used my Mission Gold watercolors to paint the images and the background. I love how the shadow underneath the car gives it so much dimension. I created the background by cutting the watercolored panel using the Silver Lining die. Behind the cloud layers, I included a plaid tone-on-tone background which was sponged with ink, then stamped with the new Painterly Stripes Background.

That wraps up my projects for today, but there is more, of course! Now that you’ve gotten to meet all of today’s new products and see them in action, you can “greet” them for a chance to win a $50 gift card! Read on for details…

Comment here on the blog for one entry (one comment per person). What caught your eye today, and gets you excited to get creating?
Comment on our Inspiration Team Members’ blogs for more entries (one comment per person, per blog)
Comments close at Midnight EDT on Thursday night, March 26
Winners will be posted at 7am EDT on Friday, March 27 here on the blog

You are in for such a treat! It’s time to see what our amazing Inspiration Team has to share with you today!

(click on the images to visit the Inspiration Team blogs, or click HERE if viewing this post via email)

ANGELICA

DAWN

HEATHER

KAY

KEEWAY

KELLY

LAURIE

LIZZIE

NORINE

WANDA

Thank you so much for visiting today! We’ll be back tomorrow for more product reveals and projects!

All of the new products we’ve showcased today will go up in the shop on Friday morning, March 27, at 10am EST, with the exception of those dies noted as DELAYED within today’s post. Just a little housekeeping note about the new products. They’re already loaded into the shop, but the stock has not been added. SO, if you see an “out of stock” notification, no worries – we’re just getting the store ready, and the stock will be added Friday morning at 10am EST, with the exception of the delayed dies.

March 24, 2020 257 comments