Spellbinders Club Kits for June: Seas the Day!

 The Spellbinders Club Kits for June are now available for new subscribers, until June 27th.  This month we have a fun summer theme called Seas the Day, all centered around the ocean!

I started out with the Large Dies of the Month: Sailor's Light, and used a sentiment from the Stamps of the Month: Anchor's Away.  I have a soft spot for lighthouses, because we love Maine so much, and this set has all you need to make a lighthouse scene.

supplies: colored cardstock, Sailor's Light dies, Anchor's Away sentiment, Rolling Tide stencils

The die set is huge - 31 pieces!  It also includes 2 sizes of mountains, and a light ray for the lighthouse, which I didn't use on this card.    The rocks are a nice touch, especially for someone like me who associates lighthouses in Maine with rocky shores, and the clouds and waves have some nice details, too!  If you look very carefully, you can see some of the stencils of the month, which I used to shade the bottom of my aqua card base to divide the ocean and the sky.  You'll be seeing lots more of the stamp set for this month, as it has some really clever greetings to go along with the other kits this month.

Next up are the Dies of the Month: Shipmates.  I think this may be my favorite of the release!

supplies: colored cardstock, a blue striped dp, Shipmates dies, Anchor's Away sentiment and matching die, Rolling Tide Stencil, tumbled glass distress ink

Isn't he somethin'?!  I love the details, especially his fun whiskers and pipe!  Also in the set is a seagull (his mate), which is coming up next.  The stencil is one of 3 designs this month, and the sentiment is another from the stamp set, which is primarily sentiments, plus an anchor image.

My third card mixes the other image from the Small Dies of the Month: Shipmates, with another of the Stencil designs: Rolling Tide, and the 3D folder: Nautical Knots.

supplies: colored cardstock, Shipmates Seagull and flag dies, Rolling Tide 3-piece layering stencils, tumbled glass distress ink,  Nautical Knots 3D embossing folder, Anchor's Away sentiment, Postage Edge Rectangle die

This set of stencils looked like surf hitting the shore, but it could also be underwater bubbles, so it's a versatile one!  Because the gull is small, I made my beach scene smaller, enclosing it in a postage edge rectangle.  Then that gave me the opportunity to cover the rest of the card front with the knots embossing.

My final card today uses the June Glimmer Kit: Cast Away, and the Opal glimmer foil that comes with it.

supplies: white and colored cardstocks, Cast Away Glimmer plate, large gull and sentiment from  Ahoy Matey Stitching dies, small gull and flag from Shipmates Small Dies of the Month, Postage Edge Rectangle

The Opal glimmer foil is very subtle, but still shows off the design nicely.

 You can look HERE for information on Spellbinders Clubs.  Each is available for new subscribers only from the 6th until the 27th of each month.  If you click on my links under each card, you can see the specifics of each product.  You can subscribe to each of our 10 kits separately, (and you can "unjoin" a subscription at any time without any penalty), or you can get them all, plus a free bonus item each month, and save 60% by choosing the Deluxe Caboodle!  

Spellbinders June Club Kits

 The Club Kits for June are here!  They have a summer theme this month - so fun and nicely varied - something for everyone!

I'll start out this month with the stitching dies, because when you say summer, I say ICE CREAM!!

supplies: white, cotton candy, mint, red, green, and a kraft cardstock, Stitched Ice Cream stitching dies, 3 strands of pink, mint, and light brown floss, Peppermint Stripes embossing folder, distress inks in spun sugar and cracked pistachio, adhesive foam squares

Isn't that cherry a cute touch?  After stitching and constructing my double-scoop cone, I decided to add some old-fashioned candy stripes to the border of my card - they just seemed to "go".   I made them by masking off every other set of stripes and rubbing distress inks across only the edges of the embossed panel.  There's a 2nd sentiment in this set which says "Have a Cool Summer".

Here is a card using the Large dies of the Month: Summertime Vacay.  I recreated the scene I see in Florida with my husband when we go to the beach as snowbirds.  I also used one of the Glimmer of the Month sentiments and Satin Pewter glimmer foil to simulate writing in the sand.

supplies: white, bright yellow, 2 aqua, 2 kraft, 2 blue cardstock, Summertime Vacay dies, Summertime Sentiments glimmer plate, Satin Pewter glimmer foil

Next up are the Dies of the Month: Summertime Wade Pool - I have 2 cards for you with these, mixing in various other clubs with them: Summertime Waves embossing folder, and Summertime Graphics stencils.  

supplies: white, black, yellow, 2 greys, orange, and pink cardstock, Summertime Wade Pool dies, Summertime Graphics stencils (beach balls), Summertime Waves embossing folder, adhesive foam squares

supplies: kraft, white, aqua, 2 greens, pink, and black cardstock, turquoise glitter cardstock (sentiment), Summertime Wade Pool dies, Summertime Waves embossing folder, adhesive foam squares

These dies have a little hinge mechanism that allows the bodies to swing back and forth.  And the set includes the sentiments I used on these cards - fun font!  The stencils this month give you 3 different choices - these beach balls are just one of them!

Here is the 3D embossing folder: Summertime Citrus Twist.  When it's a hot summer day, my beverage of choice is limeade, so I used a lime cardstock to emboss with, then swiped the panel with lime ink to bring out the details.  I added some citrus flowers and leaves to frame the sentiment.

supplies: white, lime and kelly green cardstock, Summertime Citrus Twist 3D embossing folder, sentiment from Stitched Ice Cream, flowers from last month's Tropical Friends dies, leaves from Vintage Florals dies

I've already used orange and lemon cardstock to emboss more panels using this folder for some future cards!

Here is a card using the Stamp/Die of the Month: Paradise Resort, along with another of the stencils.

supplies: white and aqua cardstock, Summertime Graphics (clouds and sun) stencil, distress inks, Paradise Resort stamps and matching dies, Postage Edge Rectangle dies

And finally I have a card using the Caboodle bonus item for this month: Summertime Slice.  It's another one of those die sets that have a hinge so that the legs can swing.  I equate watermelons with picnics, so I brought in a red check tablecloth and a basket weave background to go along with this one and used a sentiment from the stitching dies again.

supplies: white, black, red and greens cardstock, Doodlebug Buffalo Check design paper, Summertime Slice dies, Stitched Ice Cream sentiment dies, Woven 3D embossing folder

Aren't her heart glasses too cute???

You can look HERE for information on Spellbinders Clubs.  Each is available for new subscribers only from the 6th until the 27th of each month.  If you click on my links under each card, you can see the specifics of each product.  You can subscribe to each of our 10 kits separately, (and you can "unjoin" a subscription at any time without any penalty), or you can get them all, plus a free bonus, and save 60% by choosing the Deluxe Caboodle!

Simon Says.......Anything Goes

Welcome to the new challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge!

 Our theme is Anything Goes, and my teamies and I are featuring Newton's Nook products this week.  As usual in my neck of the woods, it's been a dreary January, and I've been craving sunshine and the beach, so when I saw this stencil set, I grabbed it!  

supplies: white and kraft cardstock, Newton's Nook Retro Sun  & Palms stencil set, sentiment from Simon (retired) Sea You Soon

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!  

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

Simon Says..........Travel/Vacation

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

Our theme this week is Travel/Vacation, and we're playing with Lawn Fawn goodies!  Like so many others, my idea of getting away is a beach.  So I chose these Lawn Fawn Palm Trees dies and built a little scene around them.

supplies: white, Desert Storm, Green Leaf, yellow, red, and kraft cardstock, Doodlebug red/white striped dp, Lawn Fawn Palm Trees dies, Simon's Sailboat and sun (from retired Hello Sunshine Frames) dies, MFT Snow Drifts die, sentiment from Sea You Soon, distress oxide inks tumbled glass, broken china, mermaid lagoon, and salty ocean, adhesive strips to pop up trees

My blue panel is a sponging of 4 distress oxides to simulate water and sky.  Our chosen beach is along the Gulf Coast of southwest Florida - the colors of the water and sky there are what dreams are made of!

Now it's your turn!  I'm looking forward to your entries this week!  We have a $50.00 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!

A Beachy Wreath

It's been kind of overcast and much cooler today, and I wanted to make a card for no other reason than to create.  Here's what I came up with, using lots of my favorite motifs.

supplies: white, kraft, Simon's Audrey Blue, Surf Blue, Green Apple and Green Leaf cardstock, Impression Obsession Wooden Plank cling, Hero Arts Soft Granite ink, Memory Box Grapevine Wreath (retired, but THIS Simon one looks identical to me), Lil Inker Perky Posies, Lawn Fawn Stitched Leaf, and Winnie & Walter Hugs dies, aqua pearls

I'm still in love with how easy this IO cling makes creating a plank background, and there is just something about a wreath that always appeals to me, so I combined the two, and gave the card a beachy theme against white-washed wood.  And I love the little stitched details on the flowers and leaves.  This was pure pleasure to put together!

Hope you're having a great weekend, enjoying the last of summer!

A Beachy Feel

.....is what I was going for with today's card, made to enter the Camp Create Day 2 challenge, and inspired by this photo I found on Pinterest:

The challenge at the MFT blog is "Remarkable Resist", and since I am currently in love with all thinks wood plank, I knew I'd have fun making this one.

supplies: white and Surf Blue cardstock, MFT Flashy Florals stamps and dies, and their Hello die, VersaMark and white embossing powder, hickory smoke, Berrylicious, silver, frayed leaf and forest glades inks, Impression Obsession Wooden Plank cling stamp, Simon's Stitched Rectangles dies, silvery sequins

I white embossed my wood plank stamp on white cardstock, then sponged on hickory smoke distress ink.  I used MFT's berrylicious ink for my flowers and to ombre my sentiment.  I LOVE the effect that white embossing the plank design gives - it really looks like weathered wood!

Simon Says.........Photo Inspiration

Happy Wednesday!  It's time for another challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday blog!

We have a fun challenge this week - our own Jenn has made us an inspiration board, and we'd like to see what kinds of cards you make using the colors and/or the pictures as your inspiration!  The DT are using exclusive Simon products this week.

Here's the board:

Here's my card:

supplies: white cardstock, Simon's Waves Stencil, peacock feathers, pine needles, squeezed lemonade, wild honey, and broken china distress inks, Simon's Sailing clear stamp set, Spectrum Noir markers to color, Mini Misti

I used the stencil, along with peacock feathers and pine needles inks to make my water, masking the top part of the panel.  After removing the stencil and masking the stencilled area on my panel, I used a die-cut circle to mask my sun, and sponged on the yellows and broken china inks.  Separately, I stamped, colored, and fussy-cut the sail boats, and then attached them to the finished card.

I made that card soon after I saw the inspiration photo.  A few weeks later, I was playing with stamping my own plank background, and found some additional inspiration on Pinterest (which the owner has asked me to remove from my blog) and here's what resulted:

white and yellow/gold cardstock, Hero Arts Woodgrain stamp, stamped in Hero Arts Charcoal ink,  Martha Stewart Scoring Board, tumbled glass, blueprint sketch, peacock feathers, lucky clover, and hickory smoke distress inks, Simon's Flip Flop Season, One with Nature (sentiment), and Simple Letter Outlines stamps, white  gel pen

I stamped the woodgrain  in dark grey ink, then turned my panel over and scored some lines to make planking.  Flipped it back over to the front, and used distress inks to shade the planks, following Jenn's colors as best I could, and using a gel pen to mimic waves.  The panel was affixed to a white card, and then I added the rest of the elements.

Now it's your turn - I can't wait to see what you create!  Heidi has provided another $50.00 gift voucher

to the amazing Simon Says Stamp store for 1 lucky random winner of this week's challenge!