Wild Bunch Ideas

Hello friends!  Have you gotten the Product of the Month for June yet?  I hope so, because it's just so cute.  And I'm having lots of fun creating with these darling creatures.  I haven't used all of them yet, but I've got cards showcasing three of the four to share with you today.  They are all simple cards that were fun and easy to create.  Try them out some day when you want to add a little joy to your life.  They are bound to make you smile.

Number one up is this darling Highland cow.  Or should that be a steer or bull?  Not sure, but it's so dog-gone cute.  My daughter just loves these and would be happy to raise one in her backyard.  (I think she'd have problems with zoning laws though.)  So, when I spotted this little guy, the first card made just had to be for her.

The colors for the card all revolve around the Timeless Plaid DSP that I have on hand.  My daughter loves the country look and that includes lots of plaids.  So, this was a perfect start.

The card base is Crisp Cantaloupe which blended with this plaid print very nicely.  It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is folded in half.

I decided to add a skinny layer of Misty Moonlight to be a sort of "denim" layer for this card.  It's sandwiched in between the card base and the plaid print.

Next, I turned to the Branching Out dies to cut layers of Basic White and Misty Moonlight for the focal piece.  The white layer has a bit of Crisp Cantaloupe ink blended on the lower half with a Blending Brush where this little creature would reside.

One of the sentiments from the set was stamped near the top with Misty Moonlight ink to match the layers.  The layers were attached together with adhesive then added to the card front with Dimensionals.  Now, on to the star of this card.

The little guy was stamped with Pecan Pie ink on a Basic White piece.  He was colored in with Stampin' Blends:

Main sections - Cinnamon Cider Light & Dark, extra shading with Pecan Pie Light & Dark

Hooves - Pecan Pie Dark

Horns and muzzle? - Ivory

A little Color Lifter was streaked through that fluffy/bushy mop of hair he has to give it more texture

Isn't he just adorable???  He's been fussy cut then added to the die-cut layers using Dimensionals.

A retired black & white checked ribbon was colored with a Crisp Cantaloupe Blends to match the card better.  It was tied into a small bow and attached to the card front with a Mini Glue Dot.  

Some peachy-colored gems were added to make this little guy sparkle just a little.  I didn't want to make him feel too girlie, you know?  Doesn't he just want to make you smile?

Up next is little cuddly Katy Koala.  Isn't she sweet?  This card is going to my sweet little great-niece who is going through chemo treatments.  Since I can't give her a hug, I'm sending Katy Koala to do it for me.

For this card, I started with a pretty layer of the Everyday Essentials Mix & Match DSP in a colorful print of pink and yellow flowers on a Misty Moonlight background.  I thought this matched up nicely with the Bubble Bath cardstock that I used as a card base.

The same Branching Out dies were used for this card too.  They just have the perfect shape for this.  The smaller piece is Basic White cardstock with the layering piece being from a retired DSP from awhile back.  The pearlized print in this plummy shade seemed to work well here.

The koala was stamped in Basic Gray ink for a good outline.  Then she was colored with Stampin' Blends:

Fur - Smoky Slate Light & Dark 

Nose - Basic Black Light

After coloring in, I went back with the Color Lifter to add highlights under the chin and inside the ears.

One of the sentiments in this set was used for the card.  It's stamped with Misty Moonlight ink right under the koala.  

Then a heart from the set was stamped under the sentiment.  It was stamped with Bubble Bath ink.  Then colored in with a Bubble Bath Blends.  An Iridescent Pearl was added to each side of the heart.  I still thought it needed just a little definition, so the edges of the white die-cut were touched with just a tiny bit of Misty Moonlight marker.  Then the layers are attached to the card base with Dimensionals.

That's it for Miss Katy Koala.  Quick and sweet.  She's already off in the mail to cheer up this sweet little girl.  And we're on to the last little wild thing!

This little penguin's name is Penny.  She loves it best when it's cold and snowy, so I dug out a retired embossing folder to give her a snowy background made with a layer of vellum.

The card base is Secret Sea cardstock measuring 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's folded in half.  The DPS layer for this is from the Paper Medley.  I used the lighter area which reminded me of a dark wintery day.  The embossed vellum was attached over this with adhesive only in the center area which would be covered to hold in place.

The penguin was stamped onto a Basic White piece measuring 3 1/4" x 2 1/4".  It was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on the lower half of the piece.  The penquin was colored with Stampin' Blends:

Basic Black Light & Dark, Smoky Slate Light, Pumpkin Pie Dark for the beak and feet.  The ice was colored with a Water Brush and a light wash of Secret Sea ink.

Penny Penguin wanted to send lots of love, so the sentiment from this set was used.   It's stamped in Secret Sea ink.  She wanted hearts too, but the red ones just wouldn't do.  So, I talked her into some orange ones that would match her instead.  Two hearts from this set were stamped on scrap white cardstock.  I used Pumpkin Pie ink to stamp them.  They were colored in with Pumpkin Pie Light Stampin' Blends.  Then to make them shimmer, two coats of Wink of Stella were added to the hearts.  They were fussy cut then added to the card front with Mini Glue Dots.

There is a skinny layer of Secret Sea cardstock to frame up and define the layer.  This was attached to the card front with Dimensionals to finish it.

That's it for stamping with the fun Wild Bunch stamp set.  Each of these little characters were fun to create cards for and I think I'll be using them again soon.  They just make up some adorably whimsical cards that are sure to put a smile on someone's face.  Don't you need to send some of these cards out too?

These Product of the Month items are turning into some of the coolest things to get.  I love the Berry Vellum and the Eyelet Lace die.  I can't wait to see what will be coming up in July.  If you haven't gotten this month's Wild Bunch, you have a small window of time to pick this up for only $5 when your order totals $75 or more before any Reward Dollars are subtracted.  I'm betting you'll fall in love with the cute images and five sentiments in this set. Now that's a real bargain! 

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Flower Fair with Blends

Hello again.  Just got back in from picking more blueberries.  At least it's only 72 degrees and semi cloudy today so it wasn't a problem.  There were 2 1/2 pints the other day with at least another 2 1/2 pints today.  And there's many more berries still on the bushes in the process of ripening.  For our two smallish bushes I'm thrilled with the yield.  There's lots of cobbler, coffee cake and muffins in our future in the coming months.  YUM!  Okay, now that you know all about the blueberries it's time to talk about stamping.  Right?

 I've decided to put aside the Framed Violets bundle for a tiny bit and share some other things I've been playing with lately.  Today's card features the single Flowers Fair stamp that nicely covers a card front.  I'm not using the full stamp but just cut off a section about 3 1/2" tall instead to fit my card.  I love the warm look of this card with the different elements that come together to make the whole.  I wish the camera captured the colors better.  Here the card looks much darker than it looks in person.

The whole design started with the Flowers Fair stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black onto a Basic White cardstock piece approximately 5" x 5".  This was colored with Stampin' Blends:

Large flowers - Crisp Cantaloupe Light & Dark, adding touches of Cajun Craze for shading

Small flowers - Hydrangea Hue Light & Dark with Daffodil Delight Dark in the centers

Leaves and stems - Peaceful Pine Light & Dark

After coloring, this was die-cut with the second largest Perennial Postage die.  Then a layer of Cajun Craze was cut to give an accent frame around it.  The Cajun Craze cardstock measures 4 7/8" x 3 5/8".  The two layers are attached with adhesive.  A retired black and white checked ribbon was tied around the layers with a knot to the side.  I thought the checked ribbon gave it more of a relaxed country vibe.

 

The card base used this time is Crisp Cantaloupe. It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is folded in half.  The two layers that were just finished were added to the base using Dimensionals.

The sentiment comes from the ready-made sentiments in the Greetings For All Mix & Match Ephemera Pack.  These sentiments come either black-on-white or white-on-black which is what I used here.  The sentiment was attached over the ribbon using Dimensionals.

I really debated whether any embellishments should be added or not.  After much thought and trying just about everything I owned, absolutely nothing was added after all that fussing.  I'm happy with it just as it is.  What do you think?  Does it need something else?  If it does, what would you add to it?

I hope you're playing around with coloring some of your floral stamps with Stampin' Blends.  They work so nicely and can give you such beautiful colors when adding a little extra color for either shading or highlighting with another color.  The flowers looked a little flat before the Cajun Craze was added.  What a difference a little extra shading color can make.

Thanks for stopping in today.  Hope you're inspired to get out those stamps that need a bit of coloring and have yourself a color date.  Doesn't that sound like fun?  Wish I could join you for that!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon 

Another Framed Violets Idea

Welcome back!  I spent some time after lunch picking blueberries.  The heat is well over 90 degrees and pretty unbearable today.   Unfortunately, the blueberry bushes are out in full sunlight with not a scrap of shade in sight.  Whew it was hot and I was sweating so much my curly bangs were dripping!  Can you just imagine?  Yuck!!  So that means I gave up on picking the blueberries before they were all the ripe ones were picked.  I sure didn't want to pass out in the heat!  Guess I'll be out picking some more after dinner when the heat might drop a few degrees.  That's the plan for now.

Enough of that. Let's get back to stamping, shall we?  Yesterday I posted a pretty Highland Heather card using the very new Framed Violets bundle.  Today there is another card with this bundle that's fairly different.  One of these days I need to do a little playing with the lovely DSP that goes along with this.  Can't believe I haven't even touched it yet.  But I will soon.

This card is so striking in person with the pretty Bubble Bath cardstock matched up with black and white.  The card base is Bubble Bath cardstock that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.  

There is another piece of Bubble Bath that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  This is embossed with the Eyelet 3D Embossing Folder.  After embossing, a white craft ink pad was dragged across the top to highlight the pretty eyelet lace design.  The white ink really makes the design stand out nicely.

The embossed layer was attached to the card front with "green glue" to hold in place.  A strip of the black and white polka dot print from the Artisan Sketched DSP was added across the card front and attached with "green glue" also.

Next, the violet bunch was stamped on Basic White cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Then it was colored in with Stampin'Blends:

Petals - Bubble Bath Light & Dark, Fresh Freesia Light & Dark

Centers - Daffodil Delight Dark

Leaves and Stems - retired Call Me Clover Light & Dark

After coloring, they were die-cut with the matching die.

I still love the shape of the Branching Out dies even though it is now gone.  The smaller one cut a Basic White layer, and the next size larger cut Basic Black.  The layers were attached together with adhesive, then added to the card front with Dimensionals. 

A birthday sentiment from the Banner Sayings set was stamped onto a 1/2" white strip of cardstock.  It's stamped with the Tuxedo Black ink.  Then the ends were trimmed. 

A 3/4" strip of Bubble Bath cardstock is layered behind this and the edges were trimmed.  It was attached flat near the bottom of the black and white layers.  Then the violets were attached to the die-cut layers using Dimensionals.  The Dimensionals really make the violets stand out from the card.

A few Rhinestone Basic Jewels were tucked in around the flowers to add a little sparkle.

I just wanted to show you a close-up of the pretty Adhesive-backed Blooms accents.  Aren't they darling?  They come in a pack of 30 with 10 white, 10 pink, and 10 lavender.  I love the teeny tiny rhinestone added in the center of each flower.  So pretty!  For this card, I used the soft pink ones.  There's one on each side of the card.

I've been trying to finish the inside of all my cards as I make them.  That just didn't happen with this one, so I have no finished inside to share with you.

That's it for this card.  It's sweet and simple.  I hope you love this idea and want to try it or make something similar.  I just might have mentioned how much I love the pale pink with the bold black accents.   😉

There's just a few more hours left to take advantage of the free shipping.  Don't miss out if possible.  And thank you to all who have ordered from me already.  It is so appreciated!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Framed Violets Sneak Peek

Hello fellow stampers!  Hope you're doing great and are ready to take a peek at a new stamp set and matching dies that will be available in July in the Online Exclusives section on the Stampin' Up! website.  When I saw the new Framed Violets suite, I couldn't wait to get my hands on all of it.  I started this card yesterday but didn't finish it until this afternoon.  Then I had to make another card right away of course, but that one will have to wait until tomorrow.  So, let's get creating this gorgeous card, ok?

This is it.  I've got so many family members and friends that love their purple stuff so much that I'm thrilled to have another set that begs to be drenched in purple.  The violets that grow wild in our grass here are this pretty shade of purple and were my inspiration for this card.

I started with a card base of Highland Heather cardstock that measured 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is folded in half.

Next the oval frame was stamped onto a piece of Basic White cardstock using Highland Heather ink.  Then it was die-cut with the matching die.

On another piece of white cardstock, the sweet violet bouquet was stamped using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Coloring was done with Stampin'Blends:

Petals - Fresh Freesia Dark, Highland Heather Light & Dark

Flower centers - Daffodil Delight Dark

Leaves & stems - Peaceful Pine Light & Dark

Then this was also die-cut with the matching die.

The center of the stamped oval has a light blush of color added with a Blending Brush and Fresh Freesia ink.  I liked the slightly pinker color instead of just purple.  The color was kept mostly in the center of the oval leaving the edges clear.

Two Basic White cardstock layer were cut, one for the front of the card and another for the inside.  The recent "product of the month" the Eyelet Blooms die was used to die-cut one of the white layers.  I thought this would be a pretty and feminine addition to the design.

Time to put all the pieces together.  The oval die-cut was attached to the center of the card with Dimensionals.  Then the violets bunch was added to the center of the oval with Dimensionals also.  Doesn't the pinkish background showing through the stems and flowers add a nice touch?

A pretty but retired Highland Heather sheer ribbon from a while back was tied into a small bow.  Then it was added to the violet stems with a Mini Glue Dot.

Several of the new Sunset Sparkle Sequins in a white-ish iridescent color were tucked in around the design for a delicate accent.

Do you have trouble finding just the right words for the inside of your cards?  That is a huge problem for me all the time.  I was digging around in my stamp stash for inside words, and I found the perfect sentiment for this card.  Psst, don't tell anyone that it's not from Stampin'Up!  Ok?

The smaller single violet from the set was stamped in the bottom corner with Highland Heather ink as a lovely accent.  A little extra color was added to this flower with a Blender Pen and Highland Heather ink.  This same flower was stamped onto the envelope to give a hint of what is to come.

I hope you love this new stamp and die bundle as much as I do.  I know I'll be reaching for this set often.  Please come back tomorrow to see the next card I created.  It's another simple card using a few extra elements to make it special.

I want to throw in a plug here for Paper Pumpkin subscriptions.  This is just a hint of what will be coming in July.  I thought you might be interested in this one.  You can get them one month at a time, or a 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month prepaid subscriptions.  If you haven't gotten any before, they are a complete kit with card bases, all layering pieces, envelopes, adhesive and embellishments.  Totally complete and ready to sit and create.  Plus, these look really adorable!  There's even an add-on die set that coordinates with the next 3 months!  Email me at sharoncarr50@gmail.com if you have any questions about Paper Pumpkin.

Reminder!  Hope you take advantage of the free shipping on orders of over $75.  This offer is only good through the 13th, so don't delay.

Thanks for stopping by to see what's been happening here.  Since our visiting friends left yesterday, we're just getting back to normal again.  Man, it sure seems quiet without a creative friend here to bounce ideas around with.  Our styles are different, but Sue encourages me with my creating and I do the same for her.  It's surprising that we both got quite a bit done while we spent time chatting about everything under the sun!  Thanks so much for making the trip to visit us, Sue and Fio.  We loved having you here!  And we still owe you a couple of dinners!!  Anyone else ready to make a trip here for a stamping marathon??  Just let us know you're coming by so we can be ready for you.  It's always fun to create and make cards with my stamping friends!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Relaxing Waterside Fun Fold Card

Hey friends!  I hope I do justice to this post as the card went in the mail over a week ago and I'm just now getting around to posting it.  Thank goodness for pictures.  I'm hoping they will help me remember how I made this card.  I was so happy with how it turned out, and I hope my brother will like it too.  The card features the new Relaxing Waterside bundle and coordinating Waterside Retreat Designer Series Paper which is just perfect for this time of year.  Wouldn't be great to be sitting beachside enjoying the summer breezes?  Oh, yeah.

This fun fold card is a wonderful way to show off your favorite DSP prints too.  I love a card that really showcases the DSP in a fun way.  For this card, my starting point would be using the print with the two-wheeler bikes which is a fun activity for an evening at the beach.  So, let's make the card.

Start with Lost Lagoon for the card base.  This measures 5 1/2" x 7 3/4".  It's scored at 2 1/2" and 6 3/4".  Both of these score lines fold into the center of the card.

Next a piece of the DSP with the bicycles was cut at 4" x 5 1/4".  This was attached to the inner section of the 1" flap on the right side with the bicycles showing when the flap is closed.

Another piece of this same DSP was cut at 3/4" x 5 1/4".  The backside of this print has all the sea birds on it.  This was attached to the outside of the 1" flap for an accent.

Next a piece of Basic White was cut at 2 1/4" x 5 1/4".  This was embossed with the Exposed Brick Embossing Folder to give it some interest.  Then it was attached to the left side flap.

The main focal point is on a Basic White layer that measured 3" tall by 2 3/4" wide.  I used a Blending Brush and Crumb Cake ink on the bottom third of the piece and Balmy Blue blended on the upper two-thirds to mimic sand and water/sky.  This was attached to a Lost Lagoon layer that measures 3 1/4" x 3".

The Adirondak chair was stamped with Cajun Craze ink to look like a redwood chair onto a Basic White cardstock piece.  A Blender Pen was used to add a little extra ink unevenly to give it a weathered look.  The book was stamped with Lost Lagoon, and the Cup was stamped with Crumb Cake.  A Blender Pen was used here also to add color to the items.  Then all three pieces were die-cut with the matching dies.  These items were attached to the main piece using adhesive and Mini Glue Dots.

Then it was attached to the left side of the closed card.  Make sure you only get adhesive on the left part of this layer, so it doesn't keep the card closed permanently.    

The two sentiments on the card front are from the same set and were stamped with Cajun Craze ink onto Basic White.  The relax was fussy cut and attached with Mini Dimensionals.  The other was trimmed to fit and attached flat.

The inside of the card is a piece of Basic White measuring 4" x 5 1/4".  There is a strip of the same bicycle print DSP about 1/2" wide attached at the left side.  The sentiments were stamped with both Cajun Craze and Lost Lagoon inks to match the card front colors. 

You can see a little of the backside of the DSP with all the sea birds on it.  I just love this print!  Actually, all of the prints in this pack are wonderful as far as I'm concerned.

To help you visualize the finished card, here is a shot from the top of the card showing the fun fold and the DSP.  This turned out to be a great masculine card for a man that has a beach house on the ocean, didn't it?  Happy birthday baby brother!!  Can he still be called a baby brother when he's over 70?  Hmmm, I've got to think on that.

Hope you like this idea for featuring this outdoorsy DSP and the coordinating stamp set.  It gives off such a relaxing, serene feeling.  I'd like to jump right into that picture, snuggle up into the chair, pick up the book and just relax.  Wouldn't you?

Thanks for stopping in again to see what's new here.  I enjoyed this fun fold so much I've got a start on a few more cards using it.  I hope you enjoy it too.

BTW, since we are now into June, there is a new Product of the Month over at Stampin' Up!   Aren't these little critters just the cutest?  I can hardly wait for my order to get here.  Remember, when you place an order of $75 US or more, you can order these lil' guys for only $5!

If you're looking for a demonstrator, I'd be happy to work with you and answer any questions you might have.  Just contact me at sharoncarr50@gmail.com and I'll get back with you usually within 24 hours.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon