Spring Colors

Here in Michigan, we don't have many trees or flowers blooming yet.  But at least we can dream about spring and the beauty that we will soon be enjoying!

Today I am sharing a spring card that I recently made, using the Colorful Seasons set from Stampin Up.  This is definitely a stamp set that can be used throughout the year.  And these are great sentiments as well! 

Here is a card that I made for autumn with this set, and here is a winter card.  I already know that I will be using that chair stamp for a summer card!

But back to my spring card . . .

I want to share with you a fun tip that worked beautifully on this card.  If you look closely, you will see a bit of blue behind the flowers.  This was quick & easy to do, using a sponge.

There is another place where I sponged on some ink, but it isn't as obvious as the blue.  Do you see the green ribbon?  That ribbon started out as white, but I quickly changed it to green!

SIMPLE STAMPING TIP #35 - Use a sponge to add subtle touches of color.

Stampin' Up sells sponges in a pack of 3 for $3.50.  I like to cut these sponges into wedges to use for each color.  One pack of sponges can last you forever!

You can send me an email (godismydelight@yahoo.com) or leave a comment if you have any questions.  Thanks for stopping here today!

Wintry Snowflake Card

How is the weather where you are?  Here in Michigan, we have had snow on the ground since Christmas.  And more snow is on the way!  Today I'm showing you a card that goes along with the weather we've been having.

I used the very versatile Colorful Seasons set from Stampin' Up.  If someone wanted to buy only one set, this would be a good one to get!  There are images for every season, plus a nice selection of sentiments.

I am sharing two tips that I used to make this card special:

SIMPLE STAMPING TIP #25 - Give your cards a "splattered" background.

I used an old retired stamp to make my splattered background, but there are several sets in our current catalog that include a stamp that gives the splattered effect.  (Touches of Texture - pg 152, Awesomely Artistic - pg 153, Painter's Palette - pg 160)

SIMPLE STAMPING TIP # 26 - Use white embossing powder to make images stand out on dark backgrounds.

Snowflakes naturally call for white embossing powder.  This technique requires a few extra supplies (a VersaMark inkpad, embossing powder, a heat gun) and takes a bit longer, but the results are worth it!

If you look in the right sidebar, you will see two new catalogs, just below the Annual Catalog. One is the Occasions Catalog, with beautiful new stamps for upcoming holidays & special occasions.  The other new catalog is the Sale-A-Bration catalog.  This has items that you can choose for FREE, when you order $50 of Stampin' Up products.  If you've been thinking about ordering some paper-crafting supplies, this is a great time to do it!

Let me know if you have questions about any techniques, products, or ordering.  Winter is the perfect time to stay indoors and make pretty cards!

A "Painted Autumn" Card For October

What is the weather like where you live?  Tomorrow is the first day of autumn, and the forecast where we live in Michigan is for temperatures close to 90 degrees!  Strangely enough, we only had one or two days this summer that reached 90 degrees!  I'm not complaining, though.  Cooler weather will be here soon enough, so I will enjoy the warm temperatures while I can.

While I am sweating perspiring, though, in these last days of summer, I am looking ahead to autumn and have been stamping my "cards of the month" for October, using the Painted Autumn paper, that is in Stampin' Up's new Holiday Catalog.  Here is a look at the entire collection:

I really like the variety of designs in this paper.  Some of them are clearly meant for autumn, but others of them could be used year-round.  I have several other projects (both cards & scrapbook pages)  already in mind to use with this paper.

I chose the sentiment from the Colorful Seasons stamp set (from the Annual Catalog).  This is one of the most versatile stamp sets from Stampin' Up!  It includes images for all four seasons, plus the sentiments can be used for any occasion.

I added a bit of linen thread around the top of the banner to give it a final touch of fall.  I have made 8 of these cards to have on hand to send out to various people next month.  This is a tip that I use over & over again and share on my blog each month.

SIMPLE STAMPING TIP #2 --- Stamp a stack of cards each month to have ready to send.

If you would like to send some autumn greetings to people you know, you can order what you need by following the directions under the "Shop Now" button in the sidebar.  Or, I can order for you . . . just contact me via email (godismydelight@yahoo.com).  

I wish all of you a beautiful autumn season!