I couldn't do it, friends. I missed seeing my blog look the way it has for the last ten years, so here's the updated announcement.
My blog has moved!
You can find the new blog, still with the same name by clicking below.
or using this link:
http://mystampspaperandink.blogspot.com
All previous posts will remain here, but I will be adding current post to the new blog soon.
Hello friends!
I hadn't blogged in a couple of weeks and even forgot my password.
It's been coming for awhile. Thinking about wrapping up this adventure, and finally deciding to make it official. No real reason, except the need to find more balance in my life and realize that time and energy are not limitless for anyone.
I began this blog on August 9, 20007 when I barely knew what a user name was and HTML were strange letters that I knew nothing of. I wrote on my first post (find it here) that learning was the purpose for my blog and said, " I want to learn to be a better stamper, and that means making cards and making them better! I invite you to watch, and learn and grow with me."
And so we have journeyed together for the past ten years. You've seen our family grow, remember when Emily did Guest posts for me? Now she's married and the Mom of a sweet two year old daughter. And then we got our puppy, Josie? (here, and here, and HERE) I could go on about the memories I've shared here, of my Mom. My Stampin' Up! business, and the design teams and being published. I am so grateful for your faithful visits and comments, patience and friendship. Stampers are the most wonderful of people and it's been fun to be part of the big crafty world.
I will no longer be posting regularly and I wanted you to know. Instead of spending time with posting and photo editing, I'll be able to take more walks, or spend time cooking or on the lake, with family, and grandchildren, yes, and even Josie! I do however, plan to keep on stamping! For those of you who follow me on Instagram (stampspaperandink) I will still be on there.
And I'm thrilled to say that after 1,665 posts mostly of my original card designs, I may now allow myself to make some repeats and CASE other's cards that I love. I'm looking forward to stamping with the supplies I already have and USING them up!!
Just so you know, I have a plan for future cards as I make them. I plan to donate many to Cards for Hospitalized Kids, and I invite you to do the same. I love writing notes on the inside to encourage children and teens who have been through so much.
I am tempted to keep writing on because this is a hard step for me, but prolonging it doesn't help. Please know that I hope you have also laughed, learned and been inspired here. And that I will miss you. Please pop in and leave me a note sometime! Hugs~
Be yourself.
Find delight in your craft.
Make something beautiful!
Hello everyone! I'm glad you are here for my post for Fab Friday!
I'm loving critters and cute cards lately, and the Woodland Critters set from Pretty Pink Posh made it's way to my stash this week. I just needed a few more furry friends for my cards *wink*. Aren't these two adorable? I love the way they look like they're smiling.
I began by stamping the images in black, then die cutting a bunch of them. I colored them using Copics and added highlights with my white gel pen and the Wink of Stella to add shimmer. The banners, grass and background were made by sponging distress inks: Scattered Straw, Tattered Rose, and Evergreen Bough. I spattered some of the ink color and some water droplets to add texture.
The "friends" sentiment was white embossed onto black card stock and then fussy cut. The sentiment at the bottom is from the Simon Says Stamp You Matter set.
Here's the sketch for this challenge.
I hope you'll join in the fun and play along at Fab Friday!
Need more inspiration? Thanks so much for visiting today, have a great weekend!
Mindy Backes
Heather Heroldt
Amy Koenders
Brian King
Justin Krieger
Amanda Mertz
Brenda Myers
Janine Tinklenberg
Wendy Weixler
Thanks so much for visiting today, have a great weekend!
Be yourself.
Find delight in your craft.
Make something beautiful!
I had a week or two of festivities that kept me too busy to stamp and it was very enjoyable! Made getting into my craft room again all the more fun.
I decided to practice my coloring with Copics and pulled out the Wild Hibiscus set from Altenew stamps. I love the sketchy look of these flowers so much! Because of that, I also kept my coloring simple and not too realistic, not feeling I had to blend everything out.
Here's the first card I made. I added a strip of double sided tape on the black panel, and rubbed gold foil for a skinny line of shine. The panel is popped up onto a card base using Crisp Cantaloupe card stock. For both cards, I cut around the stamped flowers so that they hang over the black card stock behind.
Once I had all the images out on my work table, I masked the flowers for a second card, and colored it using the same markers. If I'm practicing, coloring the same images again seemed like a good idea, right?
For the sentiments on both cards, I used the set from Altenew called Floral Frame. For the second card, I also added a strip of adhesive covered with gold foil, and added the panel to a white card base.
I also created foil accents by randomly adding wee drops of glue to the flowers, butterfly wings and circle accents on the card. When the glue was dry the foil stuck just where I wanted it. You can see it in the close up photo but it is much shinier in real life! I also added shimmer to the butterfly wings with the Wink of Stella pen.
Hope you're off to a good week so far! Have a beautiful day. Thanks for visiting!
Be yourself.
Find delight in your craft.
Make something beautiful!
Happy Friday everyone!
I've had a most special day with Mr B as we celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary with time on the lake this morning and a lovely dinner out. Isn't that sweet? (YES, I'll tell you, it is. He's the best!)
I also found time to make up a sweet floral thank you card for Fab Friday. Have a look.
Now you may have discovered that our challenge is to use the new Stampin' Up! In Colors.
I don't happen to have those new colors, but I decided to choose inks and papers as closely matched as I could from what is in my stash and give it a try! I think even if you have all those colors using them all makes this challenge a tough one.
I love the Powder Pink and Berry Burst - I think we can never have enough pinks especially if they are clean and bright. But my favorite is Lemon Lime Twist and I knew right away that it was a close match with one of my favorite Distress Inks, Twisted Citron.
Pinks and lime green were my focus as I stamped a floral background onto white card stock. I did some second generation stamping to get a variation of color intensity. I die cut the scalloped edge of the white card stock and again with deep burgundy card stock, placing the dark red letters into the negative space of the white piece.
I layered the die cut panel over a piece of white card stock that I sponged lightly with Distress Inks and spattered with water and deeper pink. I will list my supplies in detail below.
I hope even if you don't have all the colors you also will give the Fab Friday Challenge a try, and check out the blogs of the team too. We love to see your work!
Mindy Backes
Heather Heroldt
Amy Koenders
Brian King
Justin Krieger
Amanda Mertz
Brenda Myers
Janine Tinklenberg
Wendy Weixler
Be yourself.
Find delight in your craft.
Make something beautiful!
Stamps: WPlus9 - Freehand Florals, Watercolored Anemones
Paper: Whisper White Stampin' Up!, Paper trey Ink - Scarlet Jewel for the THANKS
Ink: Ranger Distress Ink - Twisted Citron, Spun Sugar; Papertrey Ink - Raspberry Fizz, Sweet Blush
Accessories: Simon Says Stamp! - Thanks Scallop Wafer Die; pearls
Good morning, hope your day has gotten off to a great start!
I found a nice surprise when I checked the MFT blog this morning because one of my cards was featured on the You've been SPOTTED edition posted today. Made my day!
I'm sharing a clean and simple get well card I made with the MFT Die-namics called Bedside Comfort. I combined some scraps of retired designer papers and silver foil for the spoon to die cut. Using a real Kleenex to come out of the top of the box makes this card so fun!
The sentiment is from the the MFT Rainbow of Happiness set. I've begun boxing up some of my cards to donate to Cards for Hospitalized Kids and they request that we don't put Get Well as a sentiment. I thought this wish was perfect and inside I will write a note of encouragement.
I added a bit of pink glittery sparkle with Nuvo drops and rounded the corners. I'm using the layout from CAS(E) This Sketch 224 today.
As always, I appreciate you spending some time here today. It is fun to share what I'm making with you!
Be yourself.
Find delight in your craft.
Make something beautiful!
Hello, crafty friends!
How has your week been going? We did some traveling last week but it's always good to be back home. Hope your summer is going well.
I love the funky flowers in the Doodle Buds stamps from W Plus 9. I colored them using Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers, and blended with a water brush for for a bright summery card. I love the sentiments that come with this set.
I added happy colors and used the white gel pen to draw details on the flowers. I love that little squiggly image and added it in black to add some weight to balance the bottom of the card. Maybe it's grass, lol?
Matching dies made it easy to cut and arrange my bouquet.
I hope you've enjoyed today's post. Guess who's going out dancing tonight? It's me, tra-la!
Be yourself.
Find delight in your craft.
Make something beautiful!
You may enjoy these links to other cards I've made with these products.
Hello friends!
It's a last minute post from me today. Just wanted to share a card I made recently for a friend's birthday. I used the Get Down to Basics stamps and dies from My Favorite Things. I love this set for masculine cards.
And it has the best sentiments!
Here's the inside of the card. You're never too old to laugh at yourself, ha!
The colors are from the Color Challenge at MFT stamps.
Thanks so much for joining me today. I love making cards but it is so much more fun being able to share them with YOU. Sending big hugs you way~
Be yourself.
Find delight in your craft.
Make something beautiful!
Hello friends,
It's time for Fab Friday!
I'm sharing a card I made using the Stampin' Up! Jar of Love stamps and dies, and the Stitched Shapes Framelit Dies.
I wanted to try making a wreath using the flower stamps from this set, with a frame made from the shapes dies. I began by choosing my colors and then stamping and die cutting several of each of the images. I lay them out on the card stock deciding which images gave the most rounded look and figuring out where I wanted my accents to be.
I masked the circle center and gradually began stamping the images around the circle. Then I added a few die cuts popped up with foam tape. Adding details to the die cuts with my white gel pen and Copic markers gives them more depth. Click on the photo for a large image. I wanted to keep the card clean but stamped tiny dots in blue and glued on clear sequins for sparkle.
Here's our sketch for you to try!
I'm happy to wish you a Fab Friday and invite you to join our challenge.
Mindy Backes
Heather Heroldt
Amy Koenders
Brian King
Justin Krieger
Amanda Mertz
Brenda Myers
Janine Tinklenberg
Wendy Weixler
Have a great weekend, thanks for your visit!
Be yourself.
Find delight in your craft.
Make something beautiful!
I'm so glad to see the rain moving on and the sun shining today! We've been watching it rain for a few days in a row now. Good for garden. Good for finding time to craft, too!
I'm playing along with the Blog Hop for May at Papertrey Ink, today using a set I just got called Gathered Garden. One of the features I know I'll love about this set is the ability to bend the leaves and use them to make a wreath, a bouquet, or a floral spray with lots of movement.
I also couldn't wait to use the Mix & Match Flourish Die, and I love the way it looks with card stock behind it.
Nichole chose this gorgeous photo for our inspiration. I was inspired mostly by the peaches and pinks paired with blue. Using pale gray for my neutral helps these colors pop on my card. I was also intrigued by the soft brushes of white, and added some to my flowers with the white gel pen.
I can't wait to get his post up so I can go see what everyone else made! Thanks so much for visiting my blog and for your very kind encouraging words, too.
Be yourself.
Find delight in your craft.
Make something beautiful!
Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Gathered Garden
Paper: PTI - Melon Berry
Ink: PTI - Blueberry Sky, Pale Peony, Berry Sorbet, Soft Stone
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