My Favorite Cards from June

Here are my personal favorites from this month.

Simon Says Stamp SEND HAPPINESS Blog Hop, Day 2!

Welcome to Day 2 of Simon Says Stamp's new SEND HAPPINESS blog hop!

You should have arrived here from Betty Wright's blog.  If you have just happened upon me today and want to start the hop from the beginning, go to the Simon Says Stamp blog to start.  We'll be giving away a $25.00 coupon at EVERY STOP on the hop, so don't forget to leave a comment!  The winners will be announced at the Simon Says Stamp Store Blog next Wednesday, July 1. Winners must email Simon to claim his/her prize.

And as you can see in the banner above, we have a free gift for shopping - any purchase made from now until June 29 at 11:59 pm will get your choice of one of four enamel pins, while supplies last.  Just make your choice of one of the codes in the graphic above!

I have a selection of cards to show off some of the fun new goodies from this release.  

First up is the fun CHILLIN' GNOMES stamps.  This set has 3 gnomes dressed for summer and lots of sentiments and smaller stamps to build some fun scenes.

supplies: white cardstock, Chillin' Gnomes stamps, Nuvo markers to color,

Simon Waves and Clouds for Days stencils, distress inks and blender brushes

Those "palm trees" are really mushrooms colored creatively!  

Here's another using the she-gnome and her posies from the same set.

supplies: white cardstock, Chillin' Gnomes stamps, colored with Nuvo markers, distress inks and blender brushes for background

I masked my card front and brushed on distress inks before gluing on the gnome and flowers.  She has her toenails painted, and is dressed in summery colors.

Next up is FAIRYTALE SPINNERS. I made a window card and suspended one of the fairies inside the window.  And I stamped the frame with a flower and butterfly also in the set.

supplies: white, Lavender, and Surf Blue cardstock, Fairytale Spinners, colored with Zig markers, MFT Mini Scalloped Stitched Rectangle dies, fishing line to suspend fairy in window  

Here's the reverse design of this fairy.  There are front and back stamps for 2 different fairies; you just choose the matching pair, color and cut them out, then glue them together with a string or clear filament between them, then attach the string on 2 opposite sides of your window opening.  

And lastly, here's my card using the new STARBURST stencil.  I immediately thought of fireworks.....

supplies: Soft Navy and gold foil cardstock, Starburst stencil, DecoFoil Transfer Gel and Summer Rainbow foil, Simon's Extra Large Congrats die

I chose a dark background to simulate a night-time sky, and then secured my stencil, applied transfer gel, let it dry, and then ran it through my laminator with rainbow foil.  I think the Congrats die is the perfect sentiment to go with this background!

This is your final stop of the blog hop.  Don't forget to visit the blogs on Day 1, too, for even more inspiration and chances to win a $25.00 gift card.

Click HERE for all the new goodies, and for more inspiration, don't forget to visit our Send Happiness Gallery.

Thanks so much for coming by today.  I hope you find something special just for you in this new release. Here's today's Hop Order.

HOP ORDER:

• Simon Says Stamp Blog
• Debby Hughes
• Laura Bassen
• Heather Hoffman
• Sidnie Des Jardins
• Vicky Papaioannou
• Emma Williams
• Laurie Willison
• Bobbi Lemanski
• Caly Person
• Betty Wright
• Lin Brandyberry

Send Happiness Release

Have you seen the newest release at Simon Says Stamp?  It's called SEND HAPPINESS!!

I made a card with the Fairytale Spinners clear stamp set.

supplies: white and Surf Blue cardstock, Lawn Fawn Spring Fling dp, new Fairytale Spinners fairy, sentiment, and tiny stars, Zig markers and water, an oval die, clear fishing line, silver embossing powder

This is a large stamp set with front and back images for 2 different fairies, plus flowers, a grassy border, and lots of sentiments.  Below is the reverse of this little flower fairy. You just layer a thread or fishing line between the front and back images before gluing them together, and then secure it to the window on the front of your card.  

Stay tuned for TWO days of blog hops this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, a FaceBook Live at noon on Thursday, July 2nd, and an InstaGram hop on Tuesday, July 7!!

To see the entire release, just click HERE.  There are 48 new products!!  And you'll be able to get more ideas for these products at our gallery HERE.  Enjoy, and happy shopping!

Simon Says......Anything Goes

Happy Wednesday - welcome to our challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog!

This week our theme is the ever-popular Anything Goes, and the team is highlighting Hero Arts products.  I used a favorite cover die from them, which you've seen here before, but I think I came up with a unique color combination this time!

supplies: white, Audrey Blue, and an old pale green Hero Arts layering paper, Hero Arts Flower Garden cover die, Nuvo markers in citrus colors, Simon's Birthday Circle die, enamel dots

I had citrus on the brain for this one, so I left the tiniest flowers white, colored the larger ones in pale orange, the leaves in lime, added some lemon accents, and splashed in some aqua on the butterflies for some contrast. The birthday circle was cut 3 times and layered so that it would show up better against the busy background.  I love how it turned out!

Now it's your turn!  We have a $25.00 gift certificate 

to the amazing Simon Says Stamp store for 1 lucky random winner of this week's challenge!  I can't wait to see what you all make this week!

Modern Bloom, Take 2

Yesterday's card did the trick and got my juices flowing!  I used the same cover die again, and here's what I made.

supplies: white, pink, gold foil, Sea Glass, Green Apple, and Green Leaf cardstock, PinkFresh Studio Modern Bloom cover die, Penny Black Your Day die

It's a calming thing for me to take a die like this and add the details with colored cardstock, so I cut it from pink and 2 greens, and set them aside.  Then I embossed the die onto a panel of white cardstock.  That was then my starting point to add the details.  I glued each colored piece to the corresponding raised part on the white panel.   I had originally planned to then attach the finished panel to a pink panel, but at the last minute I decided to cut the die one more time from Surf Blue and glued on the background pieces.  After deciding on a gold sentiment, I then framed my panel in the same gold.

It took me all morning, but I count that as time well spent, as it kept my mind centered for that bit of time.  And I like the mosaic effect that this technique results in!

And then I did another card.  This time I embossed the die like I did above, and then just watercolored the leaves and flowers.

supplies: white and mint cardstock, Modern Bloom cover die, Zig brush markers and water.

I left off a sentiment on this one for now.  

We're off to a new week - wishing you well!

A Summer Card

Today I have a card put together from my scrap basket.

I found this old watercolor background, made from a long discontinued clear sunflower stamp from Hero Arts.  Not sure, but it looks like I inked it up in various warm shades of distress inks, stamped all over the panel, then spritzed it and allowed everything to run together.  Here's what it looked like when I unearthed it from my scrap basket.

It was even trimmed down to fit inside an A2 card, allowing a white border!  So I glued it onto my white card base, then cut this beautiful floral cover die from white and and stamped my sentiment inside a postage die.  The sentiment was attached to the center of the floral panel, and attached the panel to my card - what could be easier?!  Added some enamel hearts to the mix and done!

supplies: white cardstock, a watercolor panel, PinkFresh Studio Modern Bloom cover die, Pink & Main/Tammy Tutterow Sent with Love sentiment and Postage die, Doodlebug enamel heart sprinkles

I've had a lull in my creativity lately, but this was a good way to push myself to get started again.  I love these happy summer colors, and the sentiment will work for a variety of occasions.  

And since today is Father's Day, I'd like to share a couple of pictures of my Daddy.  Here he was as a young man.

And again in Florida in his mid-to-late 80's. Maybe riding bikes was one of the reasons he lived to be 95!!  

He left us with great memories  Miss you, Dad!

As always, thanks for coming by.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Hollyhock Wishes

Here's my annual hollyhock card!

supplies: white, Doll Pink, and Mint cardstock, Bristol paper, Penny Black Hollyhocks woodblock, Sunny Studio Lattice Frilly Frames dies, Tim Holtz Big Chat sentiment stickers, Zig markers and water, adhesive foam to lift flower

How goes your summer?  Since we can't do any travelling, we're enjoying our gardens.......June is the best!

Be well and safe.

Simon Says.........Summer Fun

Happy Wednesday - welcome to our challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog!

Our theme this week is Summer Fun, and we're playing with Penny Black products.  For me, summer is all about enjoying our gardens, so I chose a pretty floral cling stamp to play with.

supplies: Bristol paper, black, white, and green cardstock, Penny Black Rose Bowl cling stamp and Stitched Stackers die, Simon Four Seasons die and stamps, Zig markers and water

Here's the same card in the same colors, but I paper-pieced the leaves and flowers and sponged the background.

supplies: white and yellow cardstock, dotty yellow and green dp, Rose Bowl cling stamp, sentiment from Simon's Beautiful Butterflies, Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangle die, tumbled glass distress ink and a blender brush 

Yellow roses are my favorites, and here they also convey sunshine.

Now it's your turn!  We have a $25.00 gift certificate 

to the amazing Simon Says Stamp store for 1 lucky random winner of this week's challenge!  I can't wait to see what you all make this week!

And don't forget, we're having a Design Team Call - see the details HERE!

                             

Bluebird of Happiness?

One of my summer joys is waking up with the windows open and hearing the birds singing.  Here's a card that embodies that feeling, using some Tim Holtz Chapter 2 dies.

supplies: woodgrain kraft, corals, greens, and a pale gold cardstock, Tim Holtz Feathered Friends, Funky Wreath, and Funky Foliage dies, tumbled glass, broken china, and vintage photo distress inks to color bird, one of Tim's Small Talk Occasions stickers, adhesive foam to lift bird

I die-cut the leafy wreaths in 3 different greens and stacked them randomly, then made my flowers and bird.  The woodgrain cardstock was part of a Simon Card Kit from 2016!  

What's your favorite thing about summer?

Pink Posies

Today's card is inspired by the abundance of flowers we're seeing this month - peonies and roses particularly.

supplies:  white, ivory, pinks, and greens cardstock, Altenew Fantasy Floral dies, Tammy Tutterow sentiment, Sunny Studio Frilly Eyelet die, adhesive foam strips to separate flower layers

Hope this helps to lift your spirits - making it surely did wonders for me!    

Simon Says........Add Something Metallic

Happy Wednesday - welcome to our challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog!

This week we want you to add something metallic.  The team is showcasing Studio Katia products. 

I decided to bring in my metallic elements with some rose-gold metallic kraft cardstock and sequins.

supplies: white cardstock and rose-gold metallic kraft cardstock, Studio Katia Floral Wreath, Nuvo markers to color, Lawn Fawn Quilted Backdrop die, Simon Bold Hello die, rose-gold sequins, adhesive foam squares

I stamped, colored, and cut out the wreath, then popped it above my background, which was chosen to allow more of the pretty rose-gold metallic cardstock to show through.  I also cut the sentiment from the same.

This metallic cardstock is really lovely and twinkles beautifully, adding a special touch to an ordinary design.

Now it's your turn!  We have a $25.00 gift certificate 

to the amazing Simon Says Stamp store for 1 lucky random winner of this week's challenge!  I can't wait to see what you all make this week!

And don't forget, we're having a Design Team Call - see the details HERE!

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Design Team Call!

Would YOU like to join the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Design Team? If so you may be just the person we’re looking for!

• Are you fun loving?
• Do you have a blog or are you active on Instagram?
• Are you a team player and ready to help your fellow teammates?
• Are you drama free?
• Are you active on social media, or ready to join in on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc?
• As a Simon Says Stamp Design Team member you would be required to create a project for our weekly challenges and promote the Simon Says Stamp Store wherever possible. Would you be able to commit to that?

If the answer is YES to the above questions then please go ahead and apply to join the team!

You can add a link to your blog or Instagram in the InLinkz system HERE.  Please leave one link to your blog.per person on that post 

Or you can email us with a link to your blog or instagram at simonsayschallenge@hotmail.com. Please write "DT Call" in the subject line. 

Please be assured that we will be visiting you all but we will not be commenting on your applications or emails due to time restraints.

The DT term is for one year and will then be reviewed.

Simon Says Stamp is a fun company to work for, and there will be perks such as free products!

The call will close at 9am ET on Monday, June 22nd, 2020, and we will inform the lucky choice of team members as soon as we are able after that date.

Good luck!

Just Mason Around

......with lots of masking using The Greetery layered stamps.

supplies: white and Surf Blue cardstock, The Greetery Just Mason Around and Fleur Impressions, Altenew inks in Golden Sunset, Sweet Dreams, and Grass Field, Spellbinders Hemstitch Ovals die, blue ribbon 

Yellow roses in an old blue canning jar - a day brightener for me and meaningful as I carried yellow roses in my wedding bouquet, and as it just so happens to be our 49th anniversary today!

Thanks for coming by!

Inspired by Jean

I have had THIS CARD (3rd one down) by Jean Manis pinned forever - I adore her beautiful shading of these 3 oxide inks.   Today I decided I'd start with her colors and do my own thing.

First a definitely feminine birthday card.

supplies: white cardstock, Wplus9 Tossed Floral Background cover die and partial sentiment from Hand Lettered Hello, Studio Katia sentiment from Floral Wreath, Simon Stitched Circle die, squeezed lemonade, worn lipstick, and picked raspberry distress oxide inks, Doodlebug enamel dots, adhesive foam to lift center circle

So I started with a panel using the same inks, and then added white elements.  It may not be noticeable, but I stamped the sentiment using the 2 different pink inks to reflect the background. It's a blending of 2 sentiments from Studio Katia and Wplus9.

Then I switched to black accents and here is the result, much more like Jean's original card.

supplies: white and Hero Arts Pitch Black cardstock, Simon Thankful Flowers, Pink & Main (and Tammy Tutterow) Sent with Love sentiment, VersaFine Onyx Black ink, squeezed lemonade, worn lipstick and picked raspberry oxide inks, old butterfly punch, black enamel dots

I stamped the floral bouquet 3 times on the inked panel, leaving room for a sentiment.  The panel was trimmed enough to let a black base frame it, and then I just added my little butterflies, also inked with the same oxide inks

And lastly, I switched to regular distress inks so that I could try Jennifer McGuire's recent baby-wipe/stencil technique.

supplies: white cardstock, squeezed lemonade, worn lipstick, and picked raspberry distress inks, Gina K. Designs Floral Stencil, a baby wipe, Simon's Beautiful Butterflies stamp, a hello die, Nuvo markers to color butterfly

I love this technique, thank you Jennifer!  My example is not perfect, (I lost most of the worn lipstick color), but it makes for a lovely soft background!

And thank you, Jean, for your inspiration!