February 2017 Crafting Goals

• Nov.-Jan. PL Spreads -- Oy! I really need to at least finish November and December so I can officially move into 2017.
• The Craft Sea Newsletter -- I promise that I really do want to do this...
• Plan out February and March Classes and events -- Want to lock in my schedule
• Feb SSINK cards and at least half of the March SSINK cards -- Want to get ahead.
• Cardstock Inventory -- Hoping to not buy a ton of SU stuff for February and March. However, I need to do a cardstock inventory and probably need to replenish some colors before March's stamp club.

A recap of last month’s goals:

• Oct.-Dec. PL spreads — Fail. I finished October's spreads, but that's it.
• Launch The Craft Sea Newsletter — Fail. I seriously just keep putting this off.
• Start memory planning for the Awesome Ladies Project  — Success! I dove in and love memory planning!
• Get back into the swing of things on the SSINK team — Success! Finished January ahead of the posts and have already started on February's.

Swimming with the Fishes

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a manly card. I love the fun underwater look of this card. I layered on a few pieces of DSP, some fussy cut images, and some stamped images. The end result is a lot of layers, but not a complicated card at all.

• Stamps: Seaside Shore
• Inks: Denim Dapper; Calypso Coral; Mint Macaron; Crumb Cake
• Cardstock: By the Shore DSP; Very Vanilla; Calypso Coral
• Accessories: Dapper Denim Ruched Ribbon; Mint Macaron 5/8" Mini Striped Ribbon
• Tools: Circles Framelits; Scallop Tag Topper Punch

Festive Cupcake Truck

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card with one of our favorite Sale-a-Bration items. I knew I had to have the Tasty Trucks Stamp Set when the sale launched. Apparently, everyone loves this set. Almost all of my club ladies picked this SAB item for their January orders. I'll definitely be making more cards using this set and featuring one of them for February club. But first, let's see my first attempt!

I knew i wanted to make a birthday card featuring the watercolor pencils and some bright bold colors. I used some of the remaining scraps from the Festive Birthday DSP pack to create some fun pattern layers. From there, I focused on my main image. I stamped the truck, embellishments (cupcakes, flags), and sentiment in Basic Black. I then light colored parts of the image with the watercolor pencils. I applied some water to create a soft colored image. I finished off the card with a couple Emerald Envy enamel shapes.

• Stamps: Tasty trucks
• Inks: Basic Black
• Cardstock: Festive Birthday DSP; Emerald Envy; Pumpkin Pie; Whisper White
• Accessories: 2016-2018 In Color Enamel Shapes
• Tools: Watercolor Pencils; Aqua Painter

Throwback Thursday #1

For 2017, I'm starting a new series on the blog. Every other Thursday (or so), I'm going to feature a project using retired products. If you're like me, I hoard paper and products and end up having leftovers once the catalog retires. Not any more! I'm going to use those pieces. Today's set of cards were made while in Indiana for Christmas break. I realized that I was completely out of Birthday cards! Oh no! Never fear, I still had half a pack of the Petals and Paisleys DSP to play with. I layered on some DSP sections, added a simple sentiment, and finished off the card with some fun copper foil die cuts. 

Variations using Night of Navy and Mint Macaron

Variations using Rich Razzleberry and Sweet Sugarplum

• Stamps: Birthday Blooms
• Inks: Night of Navy; Rich Razzleberry
• Cardstock: Petals and Paisleys DSP (retired); Copper Foil; Night of Navy; Mint Macaron; Sweet Sugarplum; Rich Razzleberry
• Accessories:
• Tools: Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits; Paisley Framelits; Lots of Labels Framelits

Jar of Heart Flowers

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Valentine's Day or love card. I don't send out Valentine's Day cards, so I decided to make a more generic love card. I love how thus one turned out. I stamped the jar onto my piece of white and also onto the DSP. I then die the DSP to "fill" the jars. Hint: cut down the die cut DSP just a bit so that it fills the jar instead of covering it up. I then stamped the steams and created my heart flowers. Such a pretty card!

• Stamps: Jar of Love
• Inks: Old Olive; Chocolate Chip
• Cardstock: Blooms and Bliss DSP; Gold Foil; Sweet Sugarplum; Whisper White
• Accessories:
• Tools:Everyday Jar Framelits; Baker's Box Thinlits (heart shape)

Desktop Tuesday #2

Attempting to finish the 2016 Project Life albums. I'm so incredibly behind. Still trying to finish October...

SSINKTC41: Dreamy Dragonflies

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the technique below.

For my card, I knew I wanted to keep a fairly monochromatic color palette and use my dragonflies. I started with making my base. There are a few ways to achieve the bokeh effect. I chose to use the sponging and craft ink method. I have also seen a watercolor method and a water drop method. Search YouTube for some great tutorials.

I sponged Night of Navy, Island Indigo, Bermuda Bay, and Pool Party onto a piece of white cardstock. From there, I die cut some different size circles into a piece of acetate to create a template. I then stenciled on craft white ink to soften the colors and create the bokeh effect. From there it was just a matter of deciding which dragonfly to use and picking a sentiment. I went with the fun multiple dragonflies and jazzed it up with a bit of Wink of Stella (hard to see in photo). For the sentiment, I pulled out my SAB stamp set Designer Tee. This little sentiment fir perfectly in my square Stitched Shapes Framelits. I added a layered piece of Island Indigo to give it some depth. Loving this card!

• Stamps: Designer Tee (SAB)
• Inks: Island Indigo; Night of Navy; Pool Party; Bermuda Bay; Craft White
• Cardstock: Island Indigo; Pool Party; Whisper White
• Accessories: Wink of Stella
• Tools: Detailed Dragonflies Thinlits; Stitched Shapes Framelits; Sponge Daubers

Sunday Haul #2

Popped into Michael's to get the Color Story pack for my memory planner. The Valentine's Day stuff was all 40% and I had an extra 25% off everything coupon. I couldn't resist this gorgeous washi tape and stickers. And I grabbed one more pack of white cardstock.

Watercolor Birthday Blooms

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the new Watercolor Pencils. Hands down, these are my favorite new tool from the Occasions Catalog. I've already used them a ton!

For this card, I stamped the large birthday bloom (with added tall flower) and went to town coloring. But I didn't color everything in. I only colored certain areas. When the aqua painter is used, the color fills the space. In person you can see the shading more clearly. I love the look! To finish the card, I adde some coordinating cardstock and DSP strip and some pearls. And yes, that flower is fussy cut!

• Stamps: Birthday Blooms
• Inks: Basic Black
• Cardstock: Succulent Garden DSP; Rich Razzleberry; Calypso Coral; Whisper White
• Accessories: Pearls
• Tools: Watercolor Pencils; Aqua Painter

Bookcase for Baby

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card that CASEd a card from the Occasions Catalog. I chose to copy this card:

I love love love this stamp set! So many different options to create different bookcases. I chose to change up some of the objects to make it a baby card. I also substituted some DSP for the Hardwood stamp. Once I figured out my changes, I filled my bookshelves with a variety of objects. I love how it turned out!

• Stamps: Bookcase Builder
• Inks: Rich Razzleberry; Sweet Sugarplum; Calypso Coral; Mint Macaron; Flirty Flamingo; Peekaboo Peach
• Cardstock: Succulent Garden DSP: Tip Top Taupe; Rich Razzleberry; Sweet Sugarplum; Whisper White
• Accessories: Pearls
• Tools: