Thankful Hedgehog

The Painted Harvest stamp set is a gorgeous autumnal sunflower set that can be used to create more than just sunflowers. Look at this cutie!
 

 
I designed this hedgehog card for my Stamp of the Month class. He was too precious not to share with you!

The hedgehog uses all three of the sunflower stamps. I first stamped the detailed sunflower image with Soft Suede ink on the lower portion of the Very Vanilla Hedgehog circle, so that some of the petals extend beyond the bottom of the circle to make it look like he was peeking over the edge of the circle or sitting on the ground.

Next I stamped the larger sunflower image over top of the detailed sunflower image with Crumb Cake ink with some of the petals also extending beyond the bottom of the circle.

Then I inked the center of the sunflower image with Crumb Cake ink, stamped off onto grid paper, and stamped in the center of the sunflower image.

Finally, stamp the small face image from Foxy Friends with Early Espresso ink in the center of the sunflower image.

It may be difficult to see, but the Very Vanilla cardstock in the background is embossed with the Pinewood Planks embossing folder. Embossing folders are a fabulous way of adding texture and detail without adding too much fuss or busyness.

The fern leaves are a combination of Garden Green ink and Lemon Lime Twist ink. Because Lemon Lime Twist has a yellower undertone, I think it gives the fern leaves depth and brightness. The fern leaves are easier to line up if you stamp the detailed fern leaf first.

First stamp the detailed fern leaf in Garden Green ink. Then ink the background fern leaf in Lemon Lime Twist. Stamp off onto grid paper. Then stamp over top of the detailed leaf image.

These are just the color combinations I used. Experiment with more ink pads to see which color combinations speak to you.

Try different colors of card stock too. Very Vanilla cardstock tends to deepen ink colors while Whisper White tends to brighten ink colors. I bet Elegant Eggplant with its rich jewel tone would look divine on Very Vanilla cardstock!

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

Thanksgiving Hedgehog Card Measurements
	Color	Dimensions	Score at
Card Base	Crumb Cake	4-1/4” x 11”	5-1/2”
1st Matte	Very Vanilla	4” x 5-1/4”	-
Designer Series Paper Matte	Painted Autumn Designer Series Paper	2-1/2” x 3-3/4”	-
Hedgehog Circle 1	Very Vanilla	3” x 3”; die cut a 2-1/8” circle	-
Hedgehog Circle 2	Lemon Lime Twist	3” x 3”; punch cut a 2-1/4” circle	-
Hedgehog Circle 3	Soft Sky	3” x 3”; die cut a 2-3/8” circle	-
Hedgehog Circle 4	Garden Green	3” x 3”; die cut a 2-1/2” scalloped circle	-
Inside Matte	Very Vanilla	4” x 5-1/4”	-
Tag	Whisper White	3” x 3”; die cut a tag from the Wood Crate Framelits	-

Thanksgiving Hedgehog Card Materials List
Stamps	#144783 Painted Harvest or #146021 Painted Harvest Bundle #141549 Foxy Friends
Paper	#120953 Crumb Cake #101650 Very Vanilla #144613 Painted Autumn Designer Series Paper #144245 Lemon Lime Twist #131203 Soft Sky #102584 Garden Green
Ink	#126975 Crumb Cake #126978 Soft Suede #126973 Garden Green #144086 Lemon Lime Twist
Embellishments	#104430 Dimensionals #144160 3/8” Classic Weave Ribbon in Soft Sky #103683 Glue Dots®
Tools	#143263 Big Shot Machine #141705 Layering Circles Framelits #143720 2-1/4” Circle Punch #143730 Wood Crate Thinlits #143708 Pinewood Planks Embossing Folder #130148 Grid Paper

 

Let's Practice with Stampin' Blends

Here are some fantastic videos from Stampin' Up! to help you practice with your new Stampin' Blends Markers. Shading and Blending can be overwhelming when you first start. I hope these videos give you the confidence to dive right in!

The more you practice, the more you will feel comfortable with new techniques. Stamp a few of your favorite images onto Thick Whisper White cardstock and try a variety of colors and shades.

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

SOTM RSVP Reminder: Hearts Come Home

Tomorrow is the last day to RSVP & prepay for November's Stamp of the Month Class. The class will be held on Tuesday, November 15th & will feature the Hearts Come Home Bundle.
 

We will make four projects using the Hearts Come Home stamp set (available in Wood-Mount Item #145413 or in Clear-Mount Item #145416) and Hometown Greetings Edgelits (Item #144671). I highly recommend ordering the Stamp Set & Edgelit Bundle (Wood-Mount Item #146065 & Clear-Mount Item #146068) for a 10% savings. The Hometown Greetings Edgelits create a cozy winter town scene on the edge of the paper. Please let me know which option (1-4) listed below that you would like to purchase.

Option 1: Item #145413 Hearts Come Home Wood-Mount Stamp Set ONLY - $31.88 + $10.00 class fee ($41.88 total)

Option 2: Item #145416 Hearts Come Home Clear-Mount Stamp Set ONLY - $24.49 + $10.00 class fee (34.49 total)

Option 3: Item #146065 Bundle Wood-Mount (BOTH stamp set and edgelit set) - $63.84 + $10.00 class fee ($73.84 total)

Option 4: Item #146068 Bundle Clear-Mount (BOTH stamp set and edgelit set) - $55.39 + $10.00 class fee ($65.39 total)

The cost includes the product(s), tax, shipping, and the class fee. If you place an order of $25 or more right after the class or bring a new friend to that class, your class fee of $10 is waived.

CLASS TO GO OPTION: If you are not local & would like to attend, place your order online & use hostess code FH6R4C2Q. That way your stamp set & edgelits are mailed directly to your house. I will then mail a priority envelope with the class project cardstock to your house. You will mail me a check for $16.85 for the class fee of $10 plus $6.85 to ship the project cardstock & embellishments. Then we can assemble the cards together over Facetime, Skype, or Facebook Messenger.

You must RSVP & prepay by November 6th, 2017. I will place the order for class on November 7th, 2017. Please let me know if you have any questions. I am happy to assist you. 

I look forward to stamping with you!
Beth

Stampin' Blends are here!

I am so excited I can barely contain myself! Stampin' Up! debuted their new alcohol based markers Stampin' Blends today!

Stampin' Blends are a fantastic new line of alcohol based markers to help you add color, shading, depth, and blending to your stamped images.

 

There will be 12 different colors that coordinate with existing Stampin' Up! colors.

Each of the 12 colors will have 2 shades - one lighter shade and one darker shade.
 

In addition, there will be a bronze, an ivory, and a colorlifter marker. In total, there will be 26 markers.

Stampin' Blends are dual-tipped with a brush on one end and a fine point on the other end.

They are more square than round and will lay flat on the table instead of rolling. The caps will nest. So, no worries about losing a cap easily.

The Color Lifter Marker can take some of the saturation away and almost "erase" small mistakes. It reminds me of the sun collages with the special light reactive paper or a slight bleach effect.

Notice how the two shades of Rich Razzleberry remain distinct even when the darker shade is applied directly on top of the lighter shade.

The bronze and ivory Stampin' Blends are designed to be used to create skin tones. You can combine the two colors together, use them singularly, or with the color lifter. 

Why are alcohol based Stampin' Blends so special?

• The alcohol base allows for more shading and blending when coloring stamped images. It creates a smoother gradient between the shades to make highlights and shadows without clouding the colors
• Alcohol based markers also do not react with your paper, avoiding tears and felting you often see with a blender pen.
• Alcohol based markers on permanent on most surfaces.
• Alcohol markers have dye-based pigments that have a more vibrant color saturation.
• Coloring books for adults have become more and more popular over the last few years. Many stamps have also changed to include more opportunities for coloring and shading. Waterbased markers are amazing. I use them quite a bit in my stamping and will continue to do so, for sure. However, they can be limiting when it comes to finer shading and blending. So, the need for a more specialized marker is apparent. If you enjoy coloring with shading and blending, these are definitely markers to have in your craft room.

Here are tips to remember when using and storing your Stampin' Blends markers.

• Store your Stampin' Blenders markers horizontally so that the ink saturates both ends
• Place the cap on as soon as you are finished using the marker to avoid evaporation. Push the cap completely down. You should hear a click.
• Alcohol markers dry quickly, so work in small areas on your stamped image at a time
• If coloring heat embossed images, avoid coloring over the embossed lines. If you do, wipe quickly with a paper towel or soft cloth.
• Place the cap on tightly and securely to avoid evaporation
• Alcohol markers like many other markers are UV light sensitive, so be sure to keep them and your projects out of direct sunlight to avoid fading
• Use Stampin' Blends Markers with ink pads that will not run or smear such as Tuxedo Black Momento Ink. Tuxedo Black Momento Ink is a quick-drying, combination water and dye based ink pad that is water and light resistant. It is also archival quality. Wait a few moments before coloring to allow the ink to dry.
• Use thicker paper such as Thick Whisper White cardstock and Watercolor Paper to avoid the markers bleeding through the paper but experiment with vellum, glossy cardstock, and other colors of cardstock to achieve the look you want
• Stampin' Blends are not refillable
• Protect your work surface with grid paper or other protective mats

Most of all, have fun. Stamp a bunch of images such as flowers, trees, animals, etc and try out different color combinations and shading angles.

I created a sample chart template to see all of your Stampin' Blends colors at a glance and practice blending. Print out the template with Thick Whisper White cardstock (make sure your printer can accept this weight of paper before printing).

To help you practice using your Stampin' Blends there is a card kit and stamp set called Color Me Happy. It features several of the new Stampin' Blends markers to create 16 gorgeous cards.

Click here to download the Stampin' Blends brochure.

I will have all of the Stampin' Blends markers and the kit samples available to view and try on Saturday, November 4th during my Annual Birthday Sale.

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

I've Got My Eye on You Halloween Daisy Bouquet

This creepy daisy bouquet is sure got its eyes on you this Halloween! I got the idea while trying to think of ways to create the daisy center without using the stamp. The center is made up of a 3/4" Basic Black circle and a 15mm wiggle eye glued in the center of 2 offset daisies.

I used traditional as well as newer Halloween colors - Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise, Perfect Plum, and Lemon Lime Twist - for the daisies. There are 5 daisies in each color for a total of 25 daisies.

 
The daisies are stamped with the same color ink as the corresponding cardstock except for the Basic Black cardstock. I used Versamark and clear embossing powder on the Basic Black cardstock daisies. Not only did the clear embossing powder give a shine to the Basic Black cardstock, but the tone on tone look was not lost.

To attach the daisy to the stems, I used 22 gauge floral wire stems cut to 10" long, dimensionals, and 1/2" circles of cardstock.

First create a loop by holding one end of the floral wire stem with round nosed pliers and rotate towards you.

Continue rotating the round nosed pliers toward you to close the wire into a circle.

Bend the wire close to the loop at a 90 degree angle. This will form the base which the daisy will sit on.

You need something to connect the wire to the daisy. You could use a low temperature glue gun, E6000 glue, or a dimensional and a circle of cardstock. The easiest, quickest, yet still very effective way to connect the wire to the cardstock is with a dimensional.

First cut a cover for the wire. That way the wire is hidden underneath the daisy and no adhesive is exposed. Cut a 3/4" x 8-1/2" strip of Basic Black cardstock.

Punch a 1/16" hole in the center of the strip.

Position a 1/2" circle punch over the center of 1/16" inch hole and punch.

This circle will cover the wire and the adhesive (from the dimensional). Punching the 1/16" hole first is easier than trying to get 1/2" centered underneath the 1/16" hand held circle punch.

Thread the circle up the floral wire stem so that it is right up to the wire loop.

Place a dimensional on top of the wire loop. Press the dimensional firmly in place. Building the connection between the floral wire stem and the daisy is like a sandwich. The dimensional is on the top. The wire loop is in the middle. The circle cover is on the bottom.

Remove the dimensional backing and adhere to the back center of the daisy. Press the dimensional firmly in place.

This is how your daisy will look once the wire is adhered.

Repeat for each of the daisies and place them in a container. I painted a mason jar with acrylic paint for glassware.

For added decoration I tied a loopy bow with 6 loops on each side using 7/8" Striped Ribbon. Then I wrapped a separate piece of the ribbon around the jar and secured it with Tear and Tape. I secured the bow to the center of the ribbon around the jar using the floral wire used to make the bow.

Currently, this watchful bouquet gives a whimsical touch to the fireplace mantle in my family room. I am thoroughly enjoying stamping and playing with the Daisy Delight Bundle. I have some seasonal ideas for Thanksgiving to post soon as well as for Winter.

I hope you give this bouquet a try. What holiday or theme would you use the Daisy Delight Bundle for? I would love to see what you create!

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

I’ve Got My Eyes on You Halloween Daisy Bouquet Project Supply List
Stamps	#145361 Daisy Delight Bundle
Paper	#101889 Perfect Plum #102067 Tempting Turquoise #105117 Pumpkin Pie #121045 Basic Black #144245 Lemon Lime Twist
Ink	#102283 Versamark #126963 Perfect Plum #126952 Tempting Turquoise #126945 Pumpkin Pie #144086 Lemon Lime Twist
Embellishments	#104430 Dimensionals #144624 7/8” Striped Ribbon 15mm Wiggle Eyes
Tools	#103083 Embossing Buddy #129053 Heat Tool #134363 1/16” Handheld Circle Punch #119869 1/2" Circle Punch 22 Gauge Floral Stem Wire (27 – 25 for daisies & 2 for the bow) Round Nosed Pliers Wire Cutters Mason Jar Black Acrylic Paint for Glassware Paint Brush