Welcome to the Pals’ Blog Hop! We’re so glad you’re here because this month’s theme is “Art from the Heart” and we think you’re going to love it! You may be starting the hop here or coming from a previous Pal’s blog. Either way, you’ve come to the right place. You’ll find the full line-up below to help you “hop” along from Pal to Pal.
Art from the Heart
My nephew and his wife are expecting a baby boy in April. This means my 2 year-old great-niece will have a baby brother, and we are all excited! My sister hosted a family shower for Mom and baby this past weekend. I was more than happy to create a card and matching card book for Baby.
Here are my pieces of Art from the Heart:
The shower card
The outside of the card booklet. I used 3 inch rings so a bunch of cards will fit inside.
The inside of the card book.
As soon as I saw the argyle DSP from the Country Club DSP, found in the mini-catalog, I just knew I had to use it for these projects! I used the blue argyle pattern, which gave me my color palette of Garden Green, Night of Navy, and Whisper White.
A Past Card Book in Pictures:
Stamps, Dies, and Blends, Oh My!
The baby’s bedroom theme is “Jungle Book” so I decided to use the elephant mom and baby from the Wildly Happy cling stamp set. I stamped this image on Whisper White twice to accomodate the card and the card book.
Next, I used my Smoky Slate blends combo to color the two elephants. I created a seperation between the mom and baby using the dark stamping blend. Then I used the light blend to color in and blend out the ink to the whole image.
I thought the Stitched Nested Label dies would be perfect for the layout I wanted to use. On the card, I only used a Whisper White stamped label, and a Garden Green mat label. Since I had more space on the card booklet covers, I used Garden Green and Night of Navy labels.
Since I really wanted a pop of white connecting the elephant image and the sentiment, I grabbed my Whisper White Flax Ribbon. It really does pop off the argyle DSP.
My Art from the Heart
While the card is made from my heart specifically for this occasion, it’s the card book covers that really seals the deal from my heart.
It’s really simple to create, and I have been creating them for wedding and baby showers for years now. My daughter has some as well and she does appreciate them.
This particular book cover is 8.5 inches by 5 inches. Any cardboard (cereal boxes, gift boxes, etc) will do. I just cut it down to the size I wanted and got started. Since I only had one full and one half sheet of DSP left, I very carefully measured and cut the DSP to the size I needed. I used a sponge to evenly distribute multipurpose liquid adhesive to one side of each cover and very, very carefully adhered the DSP so I would be able to wrap the cardboard.
I always use coordinating cardstock for the inside of the cover, and this time was no different. After dry-fitting Night of Navy and then Garden Green, I decided the Night of Navy looked better for this project. I simply cut the cardstock down to 8 inches by 5 inches and very carefully lined up the cardstock so it would form an even border.
My nephew’s wife has asked for card book covers before, so I know this one will be a hit as well. This truly is a gift of Art from My Heart!
More inspiration awaits! Use the Blog Hop Line-up below to visit the rest of this month’s Design Team. My fellow Pals are excited to show you what they’ve created! Mark your calendars for Wednesday, March 11th, for our “Critter Card” blog hop when our Design Team showcase projects with animals, birds, butterflies or insects. Don’t miss the fun!
Once again, I missed a challenge deadline. I had all the pieces for this card cut or cropped and ready to go. All that was left was to color in these adorable creatures and crop the circles with the Stitched Shapes dies. Then, I missed the deadline. However, on the positive side, I now have an adorable birthday card all ready to go!
Here’s my card:
Seaside Spray and Blends
I’ve created a few cards with We’ll Walrus Be Friends using this color combination: Seaside Spray, Smoky Slate, and Whisper White. It seems this DSP gets a workout with this stamp set as well.
The challenge for which I missed the deadline was a sketch challenge. I followed it to a T and I think it’s so stinking cute!
The Smoky Slate blends combo provided all the different shades of gray that I used. Both blends provided the colors for the walruses. Smoky Slate light blend alone allowed me to color the muzzles a lighter color. In addition, I used the color lifter blend on each of their bodies to add some dimension, even just a bit of a lift.
When I finished coloring with the blends, I used the Smoky Slate marker to emphasize the lines on the walruses, adding more dimension. The black dimensionals came in handy when I popped up all the circles and the sentiments.
Getting It All Lined Up
Years ago, my then teenage daughter got me a craft kit which included a magnetic 6×8 self-healing cutting mat and a magnetic ruler. I’m always thankful for this gift and use it often.
I lined up the bottom of the DSP with the number line so I knew my paper was straight. Then I started lining up the circles by using the magnetic ruler.
Pictures are worth a thousand words, so here’s a picture showing how easy this tool made it when lining up the circles:
I put the texture weave ribbon under the sentiment, which I popped up on black dimensionals as well.
Finishing Up
Once I got all the pieces secured, I stamped the inside of the card with a sentiment from Picture Perfect Birthday. Lately I have been using some sort of coordinating stamp with the sentiments. For this card I used the two cute as a button fish.
Finally, I just had to add DSP to the envelope flap and stamp the walrus which, in my humble opinion, is the cutest in the set. Once again, I used the blends to color. What that, this set was complete.
4:30 am on Friday
At this time, I will be meeting another chaperone and twelve high school students at the airport. We are going to D.C. and have a packed 5 days. Absolutely packed. Exhausting for all of us, stressful for the chaperones, but a wonderful experience for all.
While I have cards to post, I am not sure how much will really be able to be done.
As always,
Thank you so very much for stopping by my blog today. I appreciate your the time you take to read, and comment, on my blog.
Have a Peachy Day!
Sue
Supplies Used:
If you don’t already have a demonstrator, I would be honored to have you order from my store.
https://www.stampinup.com/ecweb/default.aspx
Coordinations for Sale-a-Bration are here!!
Coordinations for Sale-a-Bration started!!
I placed my pre-order this past weekend, which will arrive while I am out-of-town. When I get back home on the 11th, I will have a box filled with happiness waiting for me!
Don’t do what I have done, and put off ordering my wish list. I seem to miss out because when these items run out, they are gone!
Just look at these amazing and must-haves!
Again, thank you for stopping by today! Please feel free to make my day and leave a comment.
I almost didn’t purchase the Elfie stamp set. Almost. When putting together my most current order, I thought why not? It would be a great set for Christmas cards for friends and family who have a little one. Glory, am I glad I bought it! It’s so stinking cute!!
Here’s my card:
Here’s the #GDP214 banner:
The Learning Process
One impo.rtant thing I learned with this card: Wink of Stella needs to be used very, very carefully when working with items colored with the blends. After I completely assembled the first version of this card, I completely messed it up and needed to start over.
Very carefully I tried to peel the front panel off the tufted Cherry Cobbler background. I had to order more of the Cherry Cobbler ribbon, so I couldn’t afford to waste any. I’d used tear and tape to apply the ribbon, so there was no way it was coming off the tufted background.
I did not want to do the fussy cutting with the bow on the present box again, so I carefully used my snips to cut the whole present off the ruined panel.
Then I was ready to start coloring the elf and ornament again. I did use the blends for the elf, but Stampin’ Write markers for the ornament.
The elf’s hair was colored using the So Saffron blend combo. His skin has a base layer of ivory blend, and then I went back to highlight with the dark Petal Pink blend. His clothes were colored with the Cherry Cobbler blend combo, I used the black marker for his shoes and buttons.
Can I just ask something: does anyone else think the hair on the elf is kind of reminiscent of the elf on the Island of Misfits? Just saying.
After the fiasco with the Wink of Stella the first time, I made sure to stay away from anything colored with blends. I did use the Wink of Stella for the white trim, bell on his cap, baubles on his shoes, and on the ornament.
Final Touches
Next, I had to decide what to do for the inside. I used two sentiments from the Elfie stamp set, one on the cover and one on the inside. I also decided the inside needed some elfin cuteness. Therefore, I added the elf in the stocking and colored it using the same blends.
After stamping the same stocking elf on the front, I inserted a scrap piece of white cardstock so the blends wouldn’t bleed through. Then I colored this elf the same way as the inside one. However, I did not add Wink of Stella. Maybe I should have?
After using a piece of the Cherry Cobbler DSP for the envelope flap, the second version was done. It’s much better than the first.
As Always,
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today. I love reading your comments, and am really curious about the elf looking like the one from the Island of Misfits.
Have a Peachy Day!
Sue
Contemplating placing an order today? Of course you are, especially because the new Stamping Trimmer is now available! If you don’t already have a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator, I would be honored to work with you. Please contact me or visit my shop to order the supplies for this card.
If you are ordering $150 or more, please contact me first so you earn all the Stamping Rewards for your order.
If you are ordering less than $150, please use the host code, 49KJF94R when prompted. I use the combined rewards for gifts for customers.
Just look at this new suite, Christmastime Is Here, which is available now!
This is my second card using this beautiful bundle consisting of the Free as a Bird stamp set and Stitched Nested Labels die set. You can see the first card here.
I always enjoy the Color Throwdown challenges, and sometimes they really are a challenge. After thinking about this one for a few days, all of a sudden it dawned on me what I would create.
Here’s the banner for CTD#599:
Here’s the card I created:
And here’s the inside:
When Inspiration Strikes
During one of the Pinterest browsing scrolling, a card I saw reminded me that I hadn’t used the double time technique lately. One thought led to another, and that’s when the whole card came together in my mind.
I used Very Vanilla/cream for the base, and the top label for the bird and the greeting.
After cropping the labels to the sizes I wanted, I lined them up and stamped the single and double flowers from the Free as a Bird stamp set. Then I carefully lined up the Calypso Coral layer on the Very Vanilla background and stamped another layer of the flowers. I had to very carefully line all three layers together to fill in the outlines for the stamps.
I now had the Calypso Coral color I needed, and added the Night of Navy as the base, Very Vanilla/Cream was covered with the background and the label. The only color I needed to incorporate was mustard. In order to accomplish a mustard looking color, I used the Crumb Cake and Daffodil Delight blends combos. I also used the Crushed Curry Stamping Write marker on top of the blends. The bird’s beak is Calypso Coral.
I colored the flowers by laying all the layers flat and used the Calypso Coral blends combo to color them. I used the Calypso Coral Stamping Write marker to add details to the center of the flowers.
Finishing Touches
Dimensionals pop up each layer of the labels, which I carefully realigned before adhering the layers together.
I really felt that something was needed to tie all the elements together. Therefore, I used my Night of Navy dark blend to color three of the largest Pearl Basic Jewels. Turns out that I am really, really pleased with the pop of Night of Navy jewels on the Very Vanilla background. I now had some weight with the colored flowers, and the added weight with the Night of Navy jewels. Those two elements dictated the general area where I needed to place the Calypso Coral pearl in order to create a triangle of the three elements, which is very pleasing to the eye.
As always, I finished with the envelope. I used a piece of the coordinating DSP for the envelope flap. Finally, I stamped and colored another bird on the bottom, right corner on the front of the envelope.
Ta-Da! Success
Thank you for stopping by today.
Have a Peachy day!
Sue
You Know You Want to…….
If you would like to order the bundle, stamp set, and/or punches, and live in the U.S., please use the icon above to be connected to my store. With just a few simple supplies, you, too, can create fabulous cards. I would be honored to help you do so. For example, check out this all-inclusive kit: Notes of Kindness Card Kit, item # 148266 ($35.00). The only thing you need to add is a Momento Tuxedo Black ink pad (item # 132708, $6.00) and some Tombow liquid adhesive (item # 110755, $4.00). One kit, 20 cards, 5 of each of 4 designs. Check it out!
HOST CODE
IF you are placing an order (you know you want to do so) over $150, please contact me so you can earn all the Host Rewards for which you are entitled. If your order is less than $150, please use YYX6FBEC for the host code.
Wednesday was a HUGE day for Stampin’ Up! Not only did the Holiday Catalog go live for customers, the Buy 3, get 1 Free DSP sale from the annual catalog starts! I already have my FOUR sets of DSP picked out! Get yours now!
To shop from the holiday catalog, available now, click on the image below:
Supply list:
Free as a Bird bundle, item # 151123
OR
Free as a Bird stamp set, item # 149468
Stitched Nested Label dies, item # 149638
Bird Ballad DSP, item # 149592
Night of Navy cardstock, item # 100867
Very Vanilla cardstock, item # 101650
Momento Tuxedo Black ink pad, item # 132708
Calypso Coral blends combo, item # 144045
Crumb Cake blends combo, item # 144601
Daffodil Delight blends combo, item # 144603
Pearl Basic Jewels, item # 149607
Tombow Liquid Adhesive, item # 110755
Dimensionals, item # 104430
About Me
Welcome to Just Peachy Stamping by Sue Jackson: an independent Stampin' Up demonstrator.
Through Stampin' Up!, I happily share my love of papercrafting through sales, classes, small stamping group meet-ups and workshops. I think that being a teacher in my "real life", I have a unique approach to sharing my fantastic hobby. I look forward to connecting with you!
