Sending Sunshine - June Paper Pumpkin

Hey all, hope you're having a GREAT weekend. Beautiful morning today!! 

I finally made it to the stamp room last night, but late and after a long day. I reached for the June Paper Pumpkin because anything else was just too much of a challenge! I've seen snippets of this online and knew it would be fun. Quick and easy, bright and cheery! 

Backstory, if you don't follow SU! or the CEO Sarah online. She started a #sharesunshine campaign a few months back and it led to a special Paper Pumpkin. She shared that she's done Boxes of Sunshine to send or give to people. Fill a box (or bag) full of fun yellow things! There's also been a card campaign associated with this during the pandemic. Here is the box that arrived in June! 

And, that is not a great picture. Much more yellow and bright in real life!  Next, inside the box - so bright and cheery!

A closer look at the stamp set, and then the kit.

Notice in the kit picture, the box is meant to be resent (or given) as a Box of Sunshine. Included label and extra die cuts! These cards were fun and perfect way to end my day. I almost didn't start them because it was getting late but I'm glad I did. Next mission, to mail them!!

There are two of each card and lots of extra pieces. The envelopes have some gold accents and would be super cute with a little more stamping. I do hope to get these mailed out this week, I've been slacking on that. I think I'm on a roll getting the kits done - don't think I've added any to the "pile" of orange boxes lately :) Now just need to get some cards rolling out the door!

Thanks for stopping by today. I've done a few things outside, have a few bills to pay then hoping to spend the afternoon in the stamp room. Even have leftovers for dinner!

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Posy Sunflower

Hey all! My first Celebrate Sunflower card! Sorry for my absence! Not enough hours in any of my days! Work, garden, lawn, taxes etc! I made time in the stamp room this weekend and made this set a priority. I have four images colored, here is the first complete card. Surprised I started with purple? :)

I started with the flower and my Stampin' Blends. I grabbed Purple Posy, then realized I could add Highland Heather as well. When I Blend, I always do the light color first, then add accents with the dark color and go back over with the light. I went all around the flower with Purple Posy. Then repeated the process with Heather. Trying to keep the Heather just to areas that should be shadowed, or near center areas. The center is Smoky Slate, same process! I cut the flower with the coordinating die, Sunflowers. There are several options here, but I used the "outline" die for the large sunflower. To make the card, I grabbed a Purple Posy base, Highland Heather accent and Vanilla background that I textured with the Tasteful Textile 3D folder. Love!! I cut leaves and stems, also from the Sunflowers die set from Soft Seafoam. Oh, I stamped the saying on the background with Highland Heather *BEORE* embossing. I put dimensionals on the back of the flower, added leaves and stems, catching the dimensionals if I could, adding glue dots if need be. Also added some Metallic thread which appears to be retired - sorry! It worked great though :) A few rhinestone accents are the final accent for this card. 

Thank you for stopping by today! Let me know if you have any questions! Hopefully back soon, but never know! Holiday weekend on deck and son #1 joining us - woohoo!

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May Paper Pumpkin - A Kit In Color

Howdy all! Here is the detail post for the May Paper Pumpkin, A Kit In Color. I reached for it Tuesday night when I finally made it to the stamp room. The June kit, Share Sunshine is also here, hopefully soon! These kits are a great way to get back in stamping mode when it's been awhile! Love this one!

The box, not the usual color!

And not the usual inside either!

The stamp set.

This kit features most of the new In Colors, Bumblebee, Just Jade, Magenta Madness and Misty Moonlight along with Pumpkin Pie and Purple Posy.

Kit contents. This kit makes cards, 2 of the 3 are full size, one is slightly smaller. 4 of each design.

I actually used the stamp spot that came with this kit! Generally I have the ink pad so I use that, but this is a new In Color that I don't have yet. Yes, miracle I know. They are on the way :) I was just slow to place my order!

One note, then the cards. This instructions said to cut 14" of thread for the bow on each card. I did, and still have thread left. But realized 14" is a lot of thread for a small bow. I cut it in half so I have a double bow for each. 

Each kit is different, but there are generally more supplies than you need. An each kit can be done in many different ways. No one says you can only do it the way of the instructions! I generally do, but many don't!!

Finished cards.

Aren't they cute? They will be so fun to mail. The top one is the slightly smaller one, the other two are regular size. Coordinating envelopes too!!

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Forever Blossoms Petal

Howdy all, sorry for the absence yet again. Busy busy, even in this crazy time. We have both continued working during all this, and for that I am very grateful! Pretty much laying low aside from work and once a week groceries. Our recent college grad has not been so lucky - especially with Athletics being his chosen field. Nothing happening there, so he's hanging here at home and helping out where he can! Summer is always a busy time trying to keep up with the lawn and garden. The landscape is out of control, but I'll get to it one of these days. We've had a few visits from the other Son, and a few Yellowstone marathons!  :) Now, time to get back to a regular routine of stamping. 

Here is a card I started probably a month ago - I know it was before the last annual catalog ended (end of May). Finally finished it a few weeks back and just now getting to post it.

So pretty! Usually, colors that are so soft really aren't my thing. But this one, Petal Pink really works for me!! Card base is Petal Pink. Background script (with champagne foil) print is from the Parisian Blossoms pack (retired) DSP from the Spring catalog. I stamped the flower image on Shimmery White cardstock with Memento ink and colored with Stampin' Blends in Petal Pink, Mint Macaron and Soft Suede. I cut that out using the coordinating die, Cherry Blossoms. I layered that onto a Shimmery White Stitched Nested Label. The flower image is layered (using Stampin' Dimensionals) over a Petal Pink Metallic-Edge Ribbon, also retired. They saying was stamped on a tiny Stitched Nested Label die cut, also with Memento ink. 

Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for sticking with my absent self! 💜 Hopefully I can find a new routine that gets me in the stamp room more often! 🌻

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Painted Pineapple #keepstamping

Hey all! I have FINALLY made it back to the stamp room. Crazy times for sure. Staying home except for work and one shopping trip per week. Enjoyed having both boys home for Mother's Day weekend (first time in a very long time!). We've also gotten the garden in and about half mulched with grass, flowers planted and #2 son graduated from College! Super proud of him, just wish things were open so he could find a plan for his next chapter and get started!

I spent this rainy weekend sorting the retiring items out of my collection to focus on the new catalog which starts very soon! Left them in sight so they can still be used though! Some will stay, some need to be parted with!!

OK, today's creation for one of the Stampin' Up! #keepstamping challenges. Use something from the retirement lists. How about a few "somethings"! Two versions below.

Using the retiring sets Painted Harvest and Colorful Seasons, and retiring In Colors Pineapple Punch, Call Me Clover and Lovely Lipstick. Not a new layout for me, but definitely a new color combo!

Same except for the leaf image used. Card base is Pineapple Punch, accent layer of Lovely Lipstick and background of Shimmery White. Stamped the flower "background" in Pineapple, top layer in Lipstick, center in Smoky Slate and leaf in Call Me Clover. Dots over the center of the flower and random accents are also Smoky Slate. Ribbon knotted around in Pineapple Punch.  Very bright and cheery, love how it came out!

Thanks for stopping by today. Hope to be back soon and more regular!

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Stylish Sunflower Antique

Hey all, Happy Tuesday! Hope your day was good! Work day for me and now trying to unwind! Looks pretty nice outside now, was super windy earlier. Probably should go cut some asparagus before I call it a day!

A quick note before fun. See that "Antique" in the title? That is your code that I'm digging out a retired set and featuring it. I'm not getting away from current or new stuff, just having some fun with this being at home lots of extra days. Also hoping I can inspire you to do the same and #keepstamping. For the most part here, I stick with current SU! stuff only. But, I do have a decent stash of retired stuff that I don't touch. Now seems to be the time to break that trend. I do want to see what you're stamping too, or at least hear from you that I'm inspiring something creative! Pull out an old favorite and give it a go!! This first set I picked inspired me to try several things I haven't done for years. A couple need revisited before they are shareable :) but I still had fun, and I'm stamping. Helps my sanity for sure in this crazy time! And stay tuned...I just placed a preorder from the upcoming NEW catalog. Guess what was tops on my list? Remember where you are..... a NEW Sunflower set!! 

Ok, this is an oldie but a goodie. I went through all my retired sets, well the ones in my cupboard that I keep, and pulled out the sunflower sets. I'm thinking there may have been more along the way then what currently reside here, but I found some good ones! First up is Stylish Sunflower. And, it's even more of a classic than I knew.

Date on it...1995. OMG, just realized my oldest son is that age! From the old catalogs I have, it appears it was a hostess set first, then joined the regular line for a few years. Here is the full set

I've always liked the look of it, but don't remember using it much. Maybe I'm just old, or maybe I never have much! First thing I thought of was marker to stamp to get multiple colors.

A word of warning, this technique is a little rough on your markers. **Stampin Write Markers by the way, NOT Blends or any Alcohol markers!! If you're picky about your brush tip, be extra gentle or skip this! It didn't used to be such a big deal when you could buy individual markers, but now you have to buy the whole family. To do this, take the brush tip and use the side to go over the areas of the stamp you want to ink. On this one, I used Crushed Curry on the petals, Soft Suede on the flower center, Garden Green on the stem and leaves. Give the stamp a good HUFF (breathe one it!) and then stamp it. **If you haven't used the stamp for a while, do one first on scratch paper to get the stamp to hold the ink! I almost always do one on scratch paper before stamping anything! The pot and butterfly were stamped using the Terracotta Tile ink pad. I also cheated and used my (retired) Stamp-a-ma-jig to place the pot where I wanted it. Sorry, I'm #oldschool. I also used the checkered image and went around the edge of the card. Lots of work, but looks kinda cool! Saying from a current set, Well Said on the Classic Label punch with an accent of Soft Suede and Linen Thread. Card base btw, is Terracotta Tile, accent of Soft Suede and Vanilla background. Saying attached with mini dimensionals.

Next up, daubers. Several of the samples in the old catties seemed to just use ink sponged over a dark color. So, here you go!

Such a happy card! Card base is Crushed Curry, accent of Early Espresso, Vanilla background. I stamped the images in Early Espresso, then used Sponge Daubers to apply colored ink, after letting the Espresso dry! Flower center is Crushed Curry, around the petals Daffodil Delight, stem/leaves Mossy Meadow, pot Crumb Cake and butterfly Flirty Flamingo. Saying from Peaceful Moments on a Stitched Rectangle die, daubered the edge with Crushed Curry and attached with mini dimensionals.

Thanks for stopping by all! Work again tomorrow for me, then off Thursday but it's shopping day. That isn't always fun but unfortunately necessary. We'll see how the day goes, I may not be back for a while as oldest son is planning to join us for the weekend. Haven't seen him since early March so very looking forward to the weekend.

Old to New: Calypso Butterfly

Hey all, morning! Looks like rain is headed our way, maybe a thunder storm or too as well. Not upset by that!! Starting the week with another Old to New, Calypso Butterfly. This one is very similar, except for the stamps. I liked the original, still maybe a little better than the remake! Here is the new

And the original, which was from one of the open houses I used to do. Detailed post here from the open. 

Card base is Calypso Coral, top layer also of Calypso. Edges of the top layer were scored to frame the image. The flower image was stamped on the top layer behind the butterfly, then again on scrap paper over the butterfly. Curl the butterfly slightly over a pencil or paper piercer, attach with dimensionals and add pearls. 4 more birthday cards done!! Better get to mailing some :)

Thanks for stopping by today! Plan to work around the house today and hopefully land back in the stamp room. There *MIGHT* be some retired sunflower stamps hanging around!