SSS Always There Blog Hop

 *This post contains affiliate links to Simon Says Stamp.

Happy Saturday! Today I'm hopping with Simon Says Stamp celebrating the Always There release. As always, there are lots of prizes involved. Simon is giving away a $25 store credit at each stop along the hop. All you need to do to be entered to win is leave a comment. AND, any purchase this weekend will receive the above set for free. The hop starts at the Simon blog, and you should be arriving from Sandi MacIver's blog. I'll have the full list below if you need it. 

Today I'm sharing a bunch of cards using the Blessed sentiment set. I love these sentiments, and thought I would pull out some stencils to help show it off.

First up, I inked up my White Fusion stencil with Flannel and Earl ink, using Earl twice, once with a heavier hand.

The sentiment was stamped with Archival black ink (I have somehow misplaced my Versa Clair black inkpad....). I used my new favorite, Starlight cardstock, for the card base, and added a very thin strip of a darker gray at the bottom of my stenciled/stamped panel to grouund it.

Next up, I pulled out my Snake Plant stencil.

The image was stenciled using Cabbage, Petunia, and Latte ink. I used Cabbage twice, varying the pressure applied to get two colors out of it.

The sentiment was stamped over top, and I added an olive mat as well.

Stenciled patterns can be a great way to frame a sentiment. That's what I did with these next two cards.

This first card features my Radiating Squares stencils. I centered the stencils over the panel, masking off the center portion. I used Bubblegum, Peony, Butter, and Gold Rush Lunar Paste. 

Once the paste was dry, I trimmed the panel down, and stamped the sentiment, fits perfectly doesn't it?

For the last card, I pulled out my Interlocking Circles stencils. Same process, I determined where the sentiment would fit, masked the area off, and inked up my stencils using Aspen and Mist (Mist was used twice, very lightly the second time, essentially using ink that was left on the previous stencil and brush), and Ranger Embossing Paste for the last layer.

Once dry, I stamped the sentiment, added a mat, and that was it.

That's all for me, your next step on the hop is Alberto Gava, and the full hop list is below. Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered to win the store credit, and enjoy the rest of the hop!

Simon Says Stamp Blog 
Barbara Tarayao
Emily Midgett
Nichol Spohr
Nicky Meek
Tina Smith
Heather Ruwe
Keisha Charles
Lisa Addesa
Sandi MacIver
Miriam Prantner
Alberto Gava
Caryn Davies
Kath Stewart
Carly Minner
Natasha Polite