Simply Stamped

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Boutique Accessories

Welcome to the final day of the Papertrey Ink February Countdown and the second design team group post day. This time around our focus is on the soon to be released Boutique Accessories. Be sure to check out Nichole Heady's blog for more info on this set.

Erin's Boutique Accessories line-up is simply genius! Never has it been so easy to display such a number of hand crafted accessories. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed taking the time to hand stitch a felt hydrangea broach, I enjoyed even more how easy it was to create coordinating and pretty packaging.

Be sure to scroll all the way down, I've snuck in a couple cards featuring my other new set for the month... Mini Blooms and Watercolor Wonder!

I've had so much fun with today challenge and I'm super excited to share...

For today's challenge I've assembled and adorable hydrangea brooch constructed from bits and pieces of felt. Below I'll show you exactly what pieces I've used.

Here's How: The pieces used for construction... One: bits and pieces die cut from vintage cream felt using the Mini Blooms dies, these were the individual flowers pieces. Second: as the base, two pieces were cut using the top portion of the Happy Hydrangea flower die. Third: leaves die cut from limeaid ice felt using the Sending You die collection.

The individual pieces were stitched into place using French knots (a novice tutorial can be found here) onto one of the Happy Hydrangea flower die pieces. The leaves were then hot glued into place. The second hydrangea flower was cut to fit the pin and then glued into place to cover the stitching and create a clean look.

A close up of the blossoms. Here's A Note: I opted to incorporate a number of different floss colors for a unexpected pop of color.

The base of the packaging was inspired by the use of color in the hydrangea brooch. I stamped the Irresistibly Ikat polka dots in coordinating colors.

Next, a Mini Blooms sample. This simple creation began by heat embossing the sentiment in black.

Over the embossing it was easy to stamp a few individual flowers, in a pretty color combo, directly over the sentiment.

Last but not least, Watercolor Wonder. I simply stamped a few painted strokes across the front of a white card base.

Then finished the card of with a simple sentiment (you can see a "so much" addition to this sentiment on Nichole tag here, on her first project), stamped leaves and a resin flower (more info on it here).

That's it from me today! Now, be sure to see what the rest of the Papertrey Ink design team has in store for you today...

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Maile

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Spring Fling and Mini Blooms

Hello and welcome to another day of the Papertrey Ink February Countdown! Did you know there is a contest happening today?! A fun Bunny Hunt! Be sure to visit Nichole Heady's blog for all the details.

Today is the first Design Team group post and the challenge this time around is to create some fresh, spring-themed projects, perfect for getting everyone out of the winter doldrums! Focusing on the use of Polka Dot Parade #1 and Mini Blooms.

Let me start by sharing a bit of info about my last of the three stamp set, designed by me, for this months Papertrey Ink release... Mini Blooms. These stylish and trendy miniature flowers are the perfect thing to accent the sentiments found in this set as well as others in your collection. Included in this set are 2 large and 3 small pre-established arrangements, 26 individual bits and pieces (allowing you to create your own arrangements) and 9 sentiments (some with buildable possibilities). Complimenting this set perfectly are coordinating dies too. At a cost of only $24, this stamp set will be available for purchase beginning February 15th at Papertrey Ink. Same goes for the other new product you will see today. :)

Now, how about that challenge project?!...

I think this will do the trick of loosing those winter doldrums?! This gorgeous spring like color combo was inspired by this. Emerald, melon and light pink... are sure to kick out the winter blues.

This tag features one of the two large pre-established arrangement stamps from Mini Blooms. Here's How: First, I stamped the arrangement in Hero Arts green ink. Second, I die cut the individual flowers and stamped them with the coordinating single flower images (in melon berry and sweet blush) and then attached with dimensional adhesive. These two steps allowed me to add color as well as dimension. Third, topped the tag off with some burlap tied with silk ribbon and finished with a few black rhinestones. Fourth, clipped the tag into place on this adorable handmade basket (created using the Favor It #9 dies, see Nichole's blog for more info).

Inside the basket you will find this sweet gift bag (more info on the burlap from above and this bag here). I stamped it with a ribbon image and sentiment (both from the Mini Blooms stamp set) and finished it off with a tiny melon berry die cut felt flower (cut using the coordinating Mini Blooms dies) stitched into place with a french knot.

Up next, Polka Dot Parade #1. For this simple one layer card I used both PDP #1 and Mini Blooms. I really wanted to let this fun sentiment be the star of the show. So I stamped it in black to give it a bold look.

Here's A Tip: To help focus your attention onto the bold sentiment, I surrounded it with images in a light color, sweet blush. The bunny is from PDP #1 and the flowers and leaves are individual pieces from Mini Blooms, used to create groupings of my own design.

I've got one final Mini Blooms project to share with you before I go. Just A Note: As I mentioned above, I've already shown you one of the two large pre-established arrangement stamps. This time my focus is on the other, it's perfect for precisely placing into corners!

I stamped it in aqua mist onto a white card base, stamped the sentiment (also included in the same set) and finished the card off with a few die cut and stamped golden flowers.

That's it from me today! Now, be sure to see what the rest of the Papertrey Ink design team has in store for you today...

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Maile

Oh Happy Day Basket Project...

InLinkz.com

Some Bunny Love You Card...

InLinkz.com

So Happy For You Card...

InLinkz.com

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Watercolor Wonder

Hey there! Thanks for joining me for day 3 of the Papertrey Ink February sneaks. I'm back today to share with you more of yet another new set of mine... Watercolor Wonder. A very unique set that will allow you to add trendy "brushstrokes" of color to your paper crafting projects. This set is packed full with 8 different designs. Filling this set with so many useful images didn't leave any room for sentiments, but no worries... this set pairs perfectly with any style of phrases you already have on hand. At a cost of only $15, this set will be available for purchase beginning February 15th at Papertrey Ink.

Now onto today's creations...

An embossed sentiment allowed me to cleanly stamp the brushstrokes directly over it. The embossing resisted the ink and let the "Hello There" become the focus. This sentiment and all others below are from my other new set Mini Blooms (more on it tomorrow).

This faux watercolored combo consists of sweet blush, harvest gold, Hero Arts soft cantaloupe and Hero Arts tide pool inks. All stamped over white embossing powder. Then finished the card off with a few enamel dots.

My next card uses the two longest images in the Watercolor Wonder set, one more of a wider stroke and the other thin, to stamp the look of gradient brushstrokes. I used a soft and sweet color combo of berry sorbet, melon berry and sweet blush.

Then finished the card off with a stunning strip of heat embossed gold. So pretty!

For this final card I wanted to focus on more of a faux acrylic paint look, by heat embossing in color. I've layered both stamped and heat embossed strokes here.

I just love how the layers look so different when done this way, how the lighter colors stand out so well over the darker ones. What do you think? Have I achieved an acrylic type look? Also, did you notice?! These colored embossing powders are ones that Papertrey Ink will soon be carrying in the store. Same goes for that beautiful flower. Find more info on these new items here.

Well, that concludes today's look at Watercolor Wonder. Just remember... this stamp sets will be available for purchase through Papertrey Ink, beginning February 15th. In the mean time, I'd love to know what you think, so please feel free to share!

Now, be sure to visit Nichole Heady for more peeks at this new set. Also, Heather Nichols, Dawn McVey, Melissa Bickford, Erin Lincolin & Lizzie Jones have peeks to share with you of their newest sets for the month.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Maile

Hello There Card...