Sunset Skies

Thank you for joining us on this Monday for our first day of product reveals for our newest collection, Capturing Summer! All of the new products being showcased today will be available for purchase in the shop beginning at 10am EDT on Wednesday, July 14.

If you’d like to see all of the new Capturing Summer products up close, Laurie will be hosting an Instagram Live presentation tomorrow – Tuesday, July 13 at 11:00am CDT, so tune in if you’d like to check it out!

Let’s get to today’s product introductions for our Capturing Summer collection…

Note: In an effort to simplify our release posts, full product details and descriptions will be viewable via the link below each product heading. Note that while the new products are viewable in the shop HERE, you will not be able tot add them to your cart or purchase them until Wednesday, July 14 at 10am EDT.

Sitting Pretty + Sitting Pretty Accessories die

Have fun creating front porch scenes using our new Sitting Pretty and matching Accessories dies. These pretty scenes can be done up for any season!

Click HERE for Sitting Pretty details
Click HERE for Sitting Pretty Accessories details

Sunset Skies stamp set

The Sunset Skies stamp set includes an assortment of various clouds, a sun, and a hilly skyline for creating sunset scenes.

Click HERE for more details

Firefly Nights stamp set + Fireflies die

Bring back the childhood magic of summer nights and sparkling fireflies with our Firefly Nights stamp set. The set includes various sentiments, fireflies, and light rays. Our Fireflies die is perfect for creating layered diecut fireflies!

Click HERE for Firefly Nights stamp set details
Click HERE for Fireflies die details

Shining Light die

Our Shining Light die consists of the word “light” in a fun font along with a shadow layer for the word and optional light rays to surround it.

Click HERE for more details & info

Jumbo Jar die

Think of all the fun things you can fill this generously-sized jar with! Or use it to create shaped cards. It’s also perfect for pairing with our Firefly products!

Click HERE for more details & info

Glow Powder

Let your next project shine with our glow powder! This glowing pigment powder can be used much the same as you would use a fine glitter, or it can be mixed with other mediums like paint or glaze. It’s the perfect yellow for glowing fireflies.

Click HERE for more details

A Side of Greens die

This dainty die can be used to create a corner of greenery, or double up to create a full frame. You might also enjoy using the resulting “negative” cut-out for a different look!

Click HERE for more details

Let’s get to some projects and see these new products in action!

My first card uses the Sitting Pretty and Accessories dies to create a summery porch scene. The Sitting Pretty die is nostalgic for me…our very first house had a gingerbread porch, just like this!

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I filled a couple of the hanging pots from the Accessories set to hang from the porch. The rocking chair was cut from black cardstock. I added a gingham cushion and potted geranium to the seat. For the rug, I sponged a bit of Antique Linen Oxide ink and used our Tartan Builder stencil to add the stripes. The sentiment is from our Sentiment Suite: Thinking of You set.

The Sitting Pretty porch scene is perfect for dressing up for different seasons. Here I pulled out my Autumn Sketches set to stamp a pretty branch in the background.

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This time I nestled the snoozing kitty from the Accessories die set into the rocker. I added a potted flower again using the Accessories die, inked up in autumn shades. The sentiment I used here is from the Bittersweet Bouquet set.

My next card uses the Sunset Skies stamp set to create a dreamy pastel sky. I started by blending soft shades of pink, blue, and lavender inks onto a cardstock panel (Tumbled Glass, Spun Sugar, and Shaded Lilac). Then I used the Sunset Skies set to stamp the various clouds.

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I wanted everything to be subtle, so instead of inking the stamps directly from ink pad to stamp, I sponged the ink onto the stamps with a dauber and used my MISTI to gradually build up the color through multiple light impressions. This allows you to get a much softer look, and also blend colors for more interesting shading. I added the skyline hills using a dark grey ink and used a black colored pencil to add some additional shading. I added some sparkles and “stars” to the sky using Stickles and a white pen.

I wanted to let the pretty sky be the focal point, so I kept the rest simple and just added the Sitting Pretty porch and the sleeping kitty from the Sitting Pretty Accessories set. The sentiment is from the Simple Things set.

This next pair of cards uses the Sunset Skies set to create some pretty skyscapes. I had fun playing with blending different colors!

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I used the same technique I mentioned above (I will try to do a video soon!). I started by sponging ink onto a cardstock panel, then added the various clouds from the Sunset Skies set using the sponging method of inking for a more subtle effect. I used the Firefly Nights set to stamp the rays and the sentiments over my backgrounds. For the “be the light” card, I created a water effect by continuing the ink blending below the horizon line, and stamped the more linear clouds from the Sunset Skies set to look like water ripples.

This next pair of cards uses the new Jumbo Jar die paired with the Firefly Nights stamp set and Shining Light die. I had fun playing with our glow powder to create these cards that will brighten the recipient’s day (and night! 😊)

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To create these shaped cards I folded a cardstock base, then positioned the top of the jar die just above the fold so that it would not cut through, leaving the fold intact to create a shaped card base.

For this black version, I started with one of my shaped card bases, cut from white cardstock. I used my Xyron sticker machine to coat the front of the shaped base with adhesive, which I then sprinkled with Glow Powder. (you could also use adhesive sheets like these if you don’t have a Xyron machine). If you want to make sure the powder stays put, you can seal it with a clear aerosol sealer of your choice, such as Krylon, Design Master, etc.

After I had my base all prepped with the glow powder, I diecut a Jumbo Jar from black cardstock, and used the Shining Light die to cut the rays. I layered this over the base that was coated with the Glow Powder. Now the rays glow! I also used the same method to coat the “light” and star diecuts with glow powder. I finished it off with the lid from the Jumbo Jar die, cut from silver metallic cardstock, and a few white ink splatters for a fun effect.

My next card again uses the Jumbo Jar die to create a shaped card base. This time I sponged ink onto it to create a sunset look in the jar, and filled the jar with fireflies made with the Fireflies die. I coated the firefly bodies with liquid adhesive sprinkled with Glow Powder so they glow. I also coated them with Glossy Accents so the powder stays put and those little bugs have a bit of extra shine.

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I wanted to capture the feeling of a summer night, with the fields lit up with fireflies, so I added some greenery along the bottom edge of the jar, cut with the new A Side of Greens die. I heat embossed some stars from the Firefly Nights set, and added the “happy summertime” sentiment from the Destination: Summer set.

Next is another card that uses the Fireflies and Shining Light dies paired with the Firefly Nights stamp set. I once again coated my firefly tails in glow powder for a fun surprise!

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I used my Crimped Frames die to create the layers on this card, the larger was cut from black and the smaller from white, then sponged with ink in warm tones. I stamped the rays from Firefly Nights and layered the diecut “light” word over the top. I added a swarm of fireflies around my sentiment. Tip: it’s fun to cut the bottom layer of the wings from vellum for a light, fluttery effect.

My last card for today uses our new A Side of Greens die paired with the Fireflies die. With a little different coloring, these cute fireflies can double as bees!

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I cut two of the A Side of Greens die and placed them in the corners of my A2 card base to create a frame around the entire card front. Before adhering them, I sponged them with shades of green ink and added some details with a white pen. I then added lots of tiny blooms using our BotaniCuts Wildflower Mix die, and of course those cute bees! I finished it off with a sentiment from our Opposites Attract set.

That wraps up my projects for today, but scroll down to see lots of amazing things from our Inspiration Team! We’re also having a giveaway! We’ll be giving away TWO $50 digital gift cards for today’s hop. Read on for details…

• Comment here on the blog for one entry (one comment per person).
• Comment on our Inspiration Team Members’ blogs for more entries (linked below – one comment per person, per blog)
• Comments close at 11:59pm EDT on Tuesday night, July 13
• Winners will be posted at 7am EDT on Wednesday, July 14, here on the blog

The inspiration team has been busy creating with these new stamps and dies! Hop along to see what they’ve been up to (click HERE if viewing via email)