Friday, May 25, 2018

Thank You Tags and Sale


Hey guys!  It's been quiet here this week.  Lots going on - some projects I can't share until later, including Neat & Tangled June release projects, and lots of designing happening.  Can you believe that we're already working on our last few releases of the year?  It's a little surreal to be working on Thanksgiving and Christmas product designs when school is still in session, but that's how the cycle goes.

Anyway, I really wanted to just make something for fun last the other night, and this is what I cam up with.

I started by cutting a couple of the large tags from the Classic Tag 2 set from Rustic White cardstock and then stamped them with the Art Deco background using Altenew Limestone ink.

Once that was done, I stamped one of the images from Altenew's Floral Shadow Stamp Set in Silver Stone ink.

I wanted to add a bit of detail to the image, so I added some gold accents with a gold Wink of Stella brush pen.


The sentiment is also from the Floral Shadow Stamp Set; I stamped it in Pure Graphite on one of the tags, but then it seemed a bit dark, so I used Industrial Diamond on the second tag.


I couldn't quite decide how to finish these off, so I split the baby.  The Classic Tag 2 set has a couple of dies that accent/reinforce the top of the tag.  On one tag I used just the round hole reinforcer in a gray cardstock.  On the other, I cut the larger reinforcement piece that covers the top of the tag from the gray cardstock and added a round reinforcer that I colored with the gold Wink of Stella.


These tags were quick and easy and using a MISTI perfect for mass producing, and I think they work well for a number of occasions.  You could certainly stamp a bunch of these out and then add the sentiments later.

Also, just wanted to let you know that there's a sale happening over at Ellen Hutson this weekend.  20% off any purchases over $75.  As I always like to remind folks, these sales are my favorite time to stock up on Copics.  Copics (including refills, nibs, accessories, etc.) are always 28% off at EH, and this sale will be on top of that, so  really good time to pick those up if you're in the market. 



That's all for me today, thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

*Affiliate links below to Ellen Hutson and in text to Neat & Tangled and Altenew stores.

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Thank You - Altenew Watercolor Bouquet Stencil


Hey guys!  I picked up this gorgeous Watercolor Bouquet Stencil a few weeks ago and had to give it a whirl.  I really just wanted to try it out, so nothing particularly innovative here, but the fact is, the stencil does all the work for you!

Because I knew I wasn't going to do much except use the stencil and add a sentiment I opted to go with a subtle patterned paper.  This softens the panel up and keeps it from feeling too stark.  This is just a tiny grid pattern from an old SC paper pad.

For the stenciling, I used three shades of peach/orange (Peach Perfect Crisp Dye InkOrange Cream Crisp Dye Ink, and Autumn Blaze Crisp Dye Ink).  For the first solid layer, I started with the lightest color and using my blending tool just kind of swiped in from the edge.  I wasn't going for full coverage here, I wanted it to be darker on the edges of the flower.  Once that was done, I went back with the middle shade of orange and added some more inward swiping to crisp up and define the edges more

I did the same swiping technique for the green, but just used one shade (Bamboo Crisp Dye Ink) for the solid layer.

Then I turned the stencil to the detail layer and for that layer applied a more even coverage using the darkest orange and a darker green (Olive Crisp Dye Ink).


Really simple.

The top left corner looked a little too bare for me, so I went back and added another leaf and bit of a flower to fill the space.

The sentiment is from the Floral Shadow Stamp Set and was stamped with Versafine.

I trimmed just a bit off the panel so that a little of the base peeks through - I think that really helps to ground a card.

Really quick and easy, This design is definitely mass producible and I just love how much the whole thing just looks like a piece of patterned paper.

Thanks for visiting!

*Affiliate links in text to Altenew and below to Ellen Hutson

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Simon Says Stamp May Card Kit


I was lucky enough to win one of Simon Says Stamp's May 2018 Card Kits this month. I've gotten a couple of kits before, but that was a couple of years ago.  The kits are definitely fuller and more jam packed than they used to be.  If you sign up for a subscription, the kit costs $29.99, you also have the option to purchase individual kits for $34.99.

The fact that the kit includes a 6x8 set, a 3x4 set, and a sentiment die which total $31 when purchased separately gives you an idea of what a good deal this is.

The May kit features papers and embellishments from Pinkfresh's Let Your Heart Decide collection and they are so pretty.  


I created five cards to share and tried to use only items from the kit with the exception of ink and cardstock.  I still have lots of papers and embellishments left to create more with too!  Take a look at the cards:


This first card features the heart patterned paper.  The only thing I did to it was add some of the epoxy heart stickers stickers, they add great shine and dimension.  The sentiment is from the small 3x4 set.  A really simple, easy card, but I love the impact.


Next up another card that uses the design of the patterned paper as the jumping off point.


There's this great pattern with criss-crossing strips that end in an ampersand in one corner.  I didn't want to use the ampersand, so I trimmed that out, but I made that criss cross the focal point, trimming out the corner of the panel at the top left.  


I debated whether or not to add a pattern behind the criss cross, or leave it solid, but decided to use one of the other papers which I added some splatter to because I think it adds emphasis to the diagonal design.  The sentiment is from the large 6x8 set and I added one of the pufffy heart stickers as an accent.

Fun fact, that soft gray striped paper mat is actually the Pinkfresh backing sheet from the puffy stickers. I was looking for a really neutral paper to use and that ended up being perfect!


The next card focuses on the diagonal washi like striped background.  Since it's a really strong pattern, I wanted to leave it as the focal point. I stamped the sentiment on a small panel and popped it up over a couple patterned paper mats.  I used some of the puffy flower stickers as accents and also stamped some black dots which are part of the 6x8 set.


Next a more collage style card.  I cut a few squares of patterned paper and stitched them to a patterned paper mat. 


The sentiment is from the 3x4 set and I added a bunch of puffy heart stickers as accents.


Finally, a stamped card.  The kit comes with two small hybrid ink cubes.  I've tried hybrid ink before (from a different company), but they weren't my favorite, I wasn't happy with the coverage.  Based on that experience, I was a little skeptical of these, but I was really happy with the coverage.


In addition to the two colors included in the kit, I also stamped with Versafine Onyx Black, and basically created a kind of medallion pattern on my panel.  I was brave and did this without the MISTI, eyeballing the whole thing.

Once I was done stamping, I wanted to pump up the graphic feel, so I added black accents with a journaling pen.


The small sentiment is from the 3x4 set and then I cut the sentiment die three times to create a more dimensional piece and adhered it to the card.

It was a great kit to work with and I think it's definitely worth the money if you have the room in your budget for a monthly kit.  I could probably get at least another five cards from what I have left.  Would love to know which of these cards is your favorite.  Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

You're S'Whale!


I had a little time this weekend and decided to delve into my stack of not yet used stamp sets.  This set from Ellen Hutson was calling my name.

Originally I planned to watercolor, but it just wasn't working for me, so I turned to my colored pencils.

I'm using the Spectrum Noir Premium Paper Pad (which is made specifically for colored pencils), and Prismacolor colored pencils.

After stamping all the images, I went in with the colored pencils.  For most of the card, I used three shades of blue and started by just adding a kind of ring of color around each of the whales with my medium shade. I was going for a more light and sketchy look, so not pressing hard at all.  Then I went in with the with the dark to add a bit more definition just around/on the edge of the whales, finally I used the lightest blue to fill in the larger areas.  I did go back with the medium blue to blend and soften the transitions a bit as well.


I wanted a little more interest to the water just beneath that double cluster of tiny fishes, so I added a current of dark/medium blue and blended it into the light blue in that area.

For the algae (which is actually the wave stamp from the set) I used two colors of green and blended those into the blue.  Two shades of gray were used to add some shading to the whales.

I wanted to blend the water into the background a bit more at the top of the card, so I softened the transition with a fourth very very light shade of blue.

I finished this off with a dark blue mat and one of the patterned papers from Ellen Hutson's Modern Graphics paper pack.

And, if you need this set, or really anything else from Ellen Hutson, today's the last day of the 20% off Mother's Day sale.


That's all for me today.  Thanks for visiting!

*Affiliate Links Below

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Happy Mother's Day - Sales

Happy Mother's Day to everyone!

Hope that you are all able to celebrate with mom's or kids or friends.  Me?  I ask for the same three things every year for Mother's Day:

1) I want to sleep in
2) I don't want to cook anything
3) I want the remote

True story.

It's also possible that I might do a bit of shopping for myself.  Both Ellen Hutson (affiliate link) and Simon Says Stamp have great sales happening.  So if you're been eyeing something (like maybe the new N&T release) there's a little extra incentive



One other thing, if you don't have access to the remote and would rather watch a little something crafty, Craftsy is in the middle of a Weekend Watchathon.  This year Craftsy switched over to an unlimited model.  You can still purchase individual classes, but you can also purchase a membership and then watch any class.  If you're interested in checking out the Watchathon, click here.


That's all for me today!  I'm off to claim the remote.  ;)

Friday, May 11, 2018

Neat & Tangled May Release Recap and Winners


Happy Friday and Happy Release Day!  The release is now available in the N&T store for purchase.  Here's a look back at the projects I created for this month's release:  

 

 
  

 

It was such a fun release to work with, I think there's a little something for everyone this month.

I also have some winners to announce!  Congratulations to:

@erica_cacacraft from IG wins the Layered Landscape stamp set
Glennis from the blog wins the Dimensional Triangle cover plate and
@tracylovesdies from the blog wins the Dimensional Triangle stencil

Ladies, please shoot me an email with your mailing information and I'll get these goodies sent out.

Thanks to everyone for your sweet comments all week.  I really appreciate it!  And if there's something you just have to have, head on over to the store.  Have a great weekend!