Super Impressed

I was fascinated by the MIX134 Mixability challenge over at Splitcoaststampers. You "press" flowers and leaves with your Big Shot!

Gardening is an even bigger hobby of mine than paper crafting, so I ventured out to my front flower garden, shears in hand. I learned a few things along the way: most flowers are too "juicy." I threw away a LOT of backgrounds that were just too gross to use. {smile} Plant blood everywhere. Also, less is more. Which is something I forget a lot when I'm crafting. Anyway, this is one of my experiments that turned out well, I think!

To make it "mixed media," I added some stamping in the new Archival Black Ink from Stampin Up, as well as a few pearls. The sentiment is from my favorite set, Watercolor Wishes!

Give this technique a try and see what you get!

************************************
Click the links to view or purchase products I used:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Celebrate Your Fabulousness!

I'm not really a big Halloween person, but I couldn't resist these Spider Web Doilies in the new Holiday Catalog. They are so intricate and lovely! They are black on main side and white on the other, so I flipped this one over to use with the MOJO412.

Here's the sketch:

And here is my color inspiration:

******************************
Click the links to view or purchase the products I used:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

A Little Spooky for FMS201

I am in love with so many of our new autumn products! The Holiday Catalog will go live on Tuesday, September 1.

How about that Woodland embossing folder?!? So yummy. Add in a fabulous leaf stamp set (with matching framelits!), some sparkly black glummer paper, and you've got an amazing autumn of crafting ahead of you!


Check out the sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches:

I took a few liberties with it, but I love how it turned out! Which product on this card is YOUR favorite? They'll all be available to order on Sept 1!

*************************
Click to view or purchase products used on this project:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Go Wild Skinny Box

What have you been making with your cute 6x6 paper stacks??

These boxes are simple to make and fun to give away! Look what fits perfectly:

This box was designed by Sam at pootles.com--she's a box-making wizard! The link to this specific project page is here. 

**************************
Click to view or purchase the products used to make this project:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Weekly Deals August 25

It's Tuesday, time for Weekly Deals!

I can always use more Gold Glimmer Paper, especially with Christmas crafting on its way! 

August Paper Pumpkin Favor Box

My August Paper Pumpkin came last week, and during a break from canning endless jars of peaches and peach jam, I made this! The kit came with supplies for 6 cards and 3 boxes, including a stamp set and a Whisper White Craft Ink Spot.

The promotion for half off your first two months of a Paper Pumpkin subscription continues till Sept 10! Go to the Paper Pumpkin website and enter the code HALFOFF to get this great deal! Your kit will cost $9.98 plus tax (shipping is already included) for Sept and Oct. After that, you can continue the kits at full price ($19.95 + tax) or cancel altogether. No obligation!

The kits make great gifts, or great self-contained projects for YOU!

Here's the video of the August kit:

Razzleberry Leaves for FMS

I've been itching to get in the craft room to try my hand at the FMS200 sketch this week. And all those pretty new autumn supplies from the Holiday Catalog have been lonely, too.

Autumn is really my favorite time of year (despite the allergies). The colors are my favorites, and the leaves are so lovely! I was trying to count up our trees , but I lost count around 30. {smile}

Lighthearted Leaves was one of the first sets I wanted from the Holiday offerings, and the matching framelits from the main catalog make them even better. The DSP is called Into the Woods, and the patterns are so detailed--another favorite I have to use up before it's Christmas-time.

Check out Freshly Made Sketches here for FMS200:

***************************
Supplies:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Kraft Triple Butterfly

We made this card at Stamp Club last week. It features Kraft cardstock (sold in 12x12 size). I love the rich color! It's a bit more rustic than Crumb Cake. The greeting is from Cottage Greetings, and the butterfly die is from Bold Butterfly Framelits. Don't you love that Brick Wall embossing folder? It's becoming one of my favorites.

**********************

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Weekly Deals August 18

Tuesday means Weekly Deals!

My picks: Bow Builder Punch and Black Baker's Twine. If you don't already have the Envelope Punch Board, this is a great time to get it!

See below for some Bow Builder Punch projects. 

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Watercolor Wash and Watermelon Wonder

I have a stack of butterflies on my desk! They all need homes eventually, so you'll be seeing quite a few. The Watercolor Wash Background makes a visually stunning statement behind the Watermelon and Blushing Bride butterfly, don't you think? All I added were a few sequins.

**************************

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Watercolor Wings for Stamp Club

I love this card! My friend Tandra shared her version with me, and it was one of those cards that wouldn't get out of my head until I made it!  The butterfly is a 3-step stamping process. We started with Melon Mambo stamped off once, then did the wing outlines in Melon Mambo, then finished with center details in Rose Red. (It sounds more complicated than it really is.)

Do you love that black script paper as much as I do??? Aaack! I need more and more of it! We also used the Fluttering embossing folder and the lovely gold thread. This card could be made in so many different color combinations, with beautiful results. What is your favorite color combo for butterflies?

*******************************
Click on the links to view or purchase the items used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Polka Dots for Everyone!

I shared this card yesterday on my business Facebook page, Amy's Card Buffet. I hope you'll follow me there--it's the best way to hear about specials, updates, and events!

This is a "catalog CASE," meaning I found a card in the new 2015 catalog that I loved, and made a card somewhat like it. Stampin Up catalogs are *great* sources of inspiration! If you look on page 17, you'll see that I used the same colors and the Happy Patterns Masks as in the sample, but I used a different greeting and did kind of my own thing with it.

You may have skimmed right over the Happy Patterns Masks when you went through the catalog. Here is a picture:

You get 4 different masks for $6. Each one is 6x6, so it easily covers a card or medium-sized mixed media project. You can spritz, sponge, color, or whatever you like! They wash off easily and don't take much room to store.

******************************
Click on the links to view or purchase the items used to make this project:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Watercolor Wishes Class Sept 24

If you follow my business Facebook page, you've seen samples of the new Watercolor Wishes Kit pop up frequently! It's my favorite kit ever, and it's fun and simple to put together!

I've scheduled a class on Sept 24 (a Thursday) to make this kit and some extra samples, and you're invited! The cost is $45, due by Sept 12, and includes everything you need--the kit and all the extras. Let me know if you'd like to come, and I'll send you a Paypal invoice, or you can send me a check.

The Watercolor Wishes kit (including a stamp set) makes 20 different cards with envelopes, and you'll have leftover goodies, too! Here are some samples: 

And here is what the entire kit looks like (put together):

Sign up today! Invite your friends, and it will be even more fun. Let me know if you have any questions.

Weekly Deals August 11

It's Tuesday, and that means Weekly Deals!

See my samples of the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch below. 

Paper Pumpkin Monday: Thanks a Latte

 

Today is the last day to sign up for the August Paper Pumpkin! Some of my friends previewed it at Convention, and they promise this is one you DON'T want to miss! Sign up now at Paper Pumpkin
with the code HALFOFF, and get your first two months for $10 each! You can cancel whenever you wish.

This is one of the suggested projects from the July Paper Pumpkin kit. The kit is called Thanks a Latte, and it has all kinds of options for that darling cup! Here is the stamp set:

Holiday Catalog Sneak Peek: Black Glimmer and Mint Macaron

This card is for the Freshly Made Sketches challenge this week. I used a sneak peek product again--it's Black Glimmer Paper! I think it's so elegant, and there will be lots of ways to use it that don't involve Halloween. I wanted to make a wedding card. Do you think it works?? I stamped the large botanical image from Awesomely Artistic over the Typeset DSP. It's hard to see in the photo, but I think it helps tie in the Macaron color.

I love the sketch this week FMS198:

*******************************
Holiday Catalog Preview products:
Black Glimmer Paper

Items Available Now:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Holiday Preview: Acorny Thank You and a Mojo Sketch

My box of Holiday Catalog preview merchandise arrived today! Here, I've used some of my favorites in a Mojo Monday Sketch, MOJO409.

If you've known me for long, you know I adore acorn images, so this set and punch combo was an automatic entry for my first order. It comes as a bundle, so you'll save by buying the Acorny Thank You photopolymer bundle come September!  The Designer Series Paper is also a preview--it's called Into the Woods, and you'll be seeing more of it here soon. The Softly Falling embossing folder is already winning a place at the *front* of the embossing folders, so watch for more of it, too.

Hope you enjoyed this preview! Check out the MOJO409 sketch!

******************************
Preview items used:
Acorny Thank You stamp set,  Into the Woods DSP, Acorn Builder Punch, Softly Falling embossing folder, Into the Woods Cotton Ribbon

Regular catalog items:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Weekly Deals August 4

It's Tuesday--time for Weekly Deals!

Wisteria Watercolor Wash Butterfly

I've been playing with my new Watercolor Wash background stamp. Are you like me, thinking  "I can just do a watercolor wash with an Aquapainter and ink!" But *would* I ??? That's the big difference. It can be frustrating to try watercolor techniques on regular cardstock, and this stamp makes it sooooo easy! What do you think???

************************

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog