Blended Seasons-Designer paper and accents

   Friday I always want to change up my routine a little.  Our downtown has a square in the middle with a lovely grassy area.  On Friday nights in the summer there is a free concert for anyone who wishes to come.  Tonight is the last concert of the summer so we will most definitely be there.

Fridays are also the last day I feature a certain stamp set, bundle, or tool.  Today's card reminds me of spring.

I used the largest rectangular shape and cut it out from white card stock.  This time I used  the outside as a frame.  You can see the stitch lines.  I will use the inside on another card sometime.

I mounted the frame over a piece of Garden Impressions 6 by 6 designer paper stack.  Love the colors in this piece.  The colors determined what colors I used on the rest of the card.

REMINDER: THERE ARE 4 DAYS LEFT FOR THE BUY 3 GET 1 FREE DESIGNER PAPER SPECIAL. HOSTESS CODE S62HBP4G WILL GET YOUR ORDER SHIPPED DIRECTLY TO YOU. JUST GO TO MY WEBSITE www.sushi.stampinup.net 

I cut out the flower and leaf framelits in Shaded Spruce, Soft Sea Foam, and Balmy Blue to make the accents at the top and bottom of the rectangular shape.

I wanted a large saying to place in the center of the card and found it in the set called Thankful Thoughts.

Finally, I added a pearl in the open area of each flower.  A  final touch.

So, what do you think of Blended Seasons week at Sushi's?

Next week I will be featuring 5 cards that show you how you can make use of your Stamparatus.  I have been using mine in classes and will mention some hints that have helped me be successful in that venture.

Time to go to the library for a new stack of books, another one of my pleasures.  I made a goal for myself on Goodreads.  I wanted to try and read 10 books a month for the year.  So far, in the 7th month I have ready 74.  Right on target.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Sushi


Product List

Blended Seasons Clear-Mount Bundle [149894] $64.75

Thankful Thoughts Clear-Mount Stamp Set [141522] $19.00

Garden Impressions 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [146289] $11.00

Blended Seasons-Stamped Backgrounds

Do you have a favorite season?  Mine would have to be Spring and Fall. The temperatures are cooler, and the scenery is beautiful.  

If you guess the next season I am featuring would be fall, then you would be correct.  

There is a leaf stamp that has several different sized leaves in it.  I stamped it in Versamark on the Wood Texture designer paper, and then embossed it with clear embossing powder.

There is also a framelit that cuts out a single leaf.  I cut it out using some favorite fall colors. The saying was a stamp in the Perennial Birthday stamp set.

My inspiration came from a card I found on this blog seeinginkspots.blogspot.com.

Here is another sample of stamping your own background.  I liked this card because it used a non-traditional color for Christmas.  Flirty Flamingo.  This color was last year's in-color that became a member of this year's Bright Collection.

 I used the Assortment 2 water color pencils for the Flamingo bow and the original water color pencils for the gray bell.

 A framelit was used to cut out the bell, so I did not have to worry about fussy cutting it myself.  And the bow is one of the extra framelits that comes with the set.

The Frame is called double stitched and make stitch marks of both the positive and negative part of the frame.

So, if you run out of Designer paper for the background of your card, just grab a stamp and make your own.

It is so nice today, I may take a walk tonight,

Sushi

Product List

Blended Seasons Clear-Mount Bundle [149894] $64.75	Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack [144177] $11.00	Versamark Pad [102283] $8.50	Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder [109130] $5.00
Watercolor Pencils Assortment 2 [149014] $12.50	Watercolor Pencils [141709] $16.00

Blended Seasons-Stamparatus Wreath

I was playing around with different color combinations and came up with this one.  Coastal Cabana and Granny Apple Green.  I love it! What is your favorite color combination?

 A couple of stamps in the Blended Seasons stamp set are small enough to use in a wreath.  There is a sheaf of wheat ( I used it in yesterday's card) and the cluster of leaves I used on today's card.  When I saw those stamps I immediately decided I needed to make a wreath card using the stamparatus. I will be posting a youtube video showing how I made this card later on today.

I wanted a tiny little flower as an accent and found it in the stamp set called Jar of Love.  The cute saying in the middle seemed to fit with the leaves and is from the stamp set called A Good Day. The final touches were to color in the leaves with one of the new water color pencils and add a polka dot tulle ribbon bow.

So far I have shown Christmas, Summer, and Spring cards, what season will be next? Make a guess and check it out tomorrow.

Are you excited about having this stamp set in your stash?  I also sew and we call all the fabric we collect our stash, so why can't our collection of stamps be a stash also. So, my question is How big is your stash?

I plead the fifth,
Sushi


Product List

Blended Seasons Clear-Mount Bundle [149894] $64.75	Jar Of Love Photopolymer Stamp Set [141587] $27.00	A Good Day Clear-Mount Stamp Set [145873] $19.00	Stamparatus [146276] $49.00
Whisper White 5/8" (1.6 Cm) Polka Dot Tulle Ribbon [146912] $7.50	Watercolor Pencils Assortment 2 [149014] $12.50

Blended Season bundle-Plastic Sleeve Watercolor

We are having wonderful weather here in Illinois and believe me when I say I am treasuring every minute.  Usually the temp is in the 90's with high humidity but this week, the temp is in the mid 80's with much lower humidity. Love it!

When I went to the Artisan Blog hop, one of the featured Artisan's work just jumped out at me as so different and stunning.  I will post a link to her page. Just click on the word link and you can see her creations.

 Underneath what she wrote in her post, is a translation of her words.  It helped me figure out what to do.  
Watercolor paper is the best thing to use to place the water color on.
I used a plastic sleeve for a ring binder to put my ink on. I cut it into 4ths to make it about the size of the card stock I was using.

 It is really helpful to watch her video and she did a great job.  It seemed like she was worried about her English, but I had no trouble at all understanding what she said.

If you have liked these two posts, then you might want to go to the Artisan Blog Hop and check out  the other samples the demonstrators have made.  I had fun looking at all the samples.  If this blog and the Artisan samples have you excited about owning this stamp set for yourself, come back to this blog on August 1 for an ordering Hostess Code and get this great bundle and the water color pencils for yourself.

Tomorrow, I will share a card I made using the Stamparatus.  I love this tool for all different kinds of stamping and will be featuring it in my blog next week.

Back again tonight to make more lunches. It helps to do something for others when ever I start to feel a bit sorry for myself.  I always come back home feeling so much better.

Try this technique and share your results,
Sushi


Product List

Blended Seasons Clear-Mount Bundle [149894] $64.75

Blended Seasons Bundle-Special Offer coming August 1

Happy Monday!

I finally have all the laundry caught up after a wonderful family reunion in Chillicothe, Ohio at my brother and sister-in-law's home.  We had lots of chatting, lots of swimming and had a chance to visit some local places of interest.

I was a little overwhelmed when I got back home, but am now back in my weekly routine.  I had such fun making these cards with the Blended Seasons bundle.  I may offer them in a class in early August.

 Here is a sample of the Christmas card my Christmas Through the Year stampers will be making in August.  Do you recognize the stamp set?
Probably not because it is new and exclusive and can be ordered August1-August 31.

I will be featuring the stamps and framelits from this bundle this week.  The stamp set is called Blended Seasons and features images that can be used with all the seasons.  The framelits are called Stitched Seasons and coordinate with some of the stamps, but also feature framelits that add to the stamps.

In today's card, I used the Merry Christmas and Holly stamps and the swirl and Oval stitched framelit.  There are 3 framelits in graduated sizes to allow you to make a frame.

An additional part of the offer is a new set of watercolor pencils with 10 pencils and featuring some of our new colors.  I used Garden Green and Cherry Cobbler on my holly.

Thanks to the Artisan Stampers I was able to get some great ideas for my samples.  I used a card from www.quickandeasycrafts.com for today's card.

Tomorrow I will share 2 cards I made using a, new to me, water color technique.  Be sure and come back.

Off now to volunteer at a local church.  We make up sack lunches to be delivered to kids who are eligible for free school lunches.  It helps with the extra food these families need for the summer months.

Happy Stamping,
Sushi

Product List

Blended Seasons Clear-Mount Bundle [149894] $64.75

Watercolor Pencils Assortment 2 [149014] $12.50

Christmas Through the Year-Hearts Come Home

With all this heat and humidity it is fun to think about winter and snow and colder weather.  I loved this set when I saw it in last year's Holiday catalog.  But, time got a way from me and I never really used it, so I was very happy to see that it carried over into this year's catalog.  Do you ever do that?  Buy a set and then never use it.  Well, now you know you are not alone.

1. Use the Softly Falling embossing folder to make the background for this card.

2. Cut the house and church edgelit from a piece of silver foil paper.

3. Tear the top edge off of a 1/4 sheet of white card stock to layer on top of the foil.

4. Stamp the saying on the torn paper before attaching it to the card.

I hope you enjoyed the Christmas Through the Year cards that will also be featured in my Christmas in July Stamp a Stack.  In a couple of months the Holiday catalog will be coming.  Are you excited to see what stamps and bundles it will feature? I know I am.

Next week I will be featuring a new stamp set that will be available only the month of August.  I am excited about sharing it with you.  I think it will be one to use the Stamparatus with.  Get your sneak preview next week.

Our city has a concert every Friday night this summer on the downtown square.  I am hoping that my husband and I will be able to make it tonight.  We take out lawn chairs and find a shady spot and listen to a variety of music.  Jacksonville was a part of a contest to win these concerts each summer for the past 3 years.  A fun way to hear small bands.

Have a great weekend,
Sushi


Product List

Hearts Come Home Clear-Mount Stamp Set [145416] $21.00

Hometown Greetings Edgelits Dies [144671] $32.00

Softly Falling Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [139672] $8.50

Silver Foil Sheets [132178] $4.00

Christmas Through the Year-Snowflake Sentiments

Another event I hold once every 3 months is a what I call a Stamp a Stack.  

1. I find extra card packs from classes I have held in the past and put them in a box.

2. I collect all the supplies needed to make the card and place them in the same box.

3. I create about 15-20 boxes and place them around my stamping room.

4. Stampers come, take a box, and make as many leftover cards as they wish.  When all the supplies are gone the box is taken away and the supplies returned to their home.

5. This is a event that a lot of customers like to attend because they can pick and choose which card to make, and they can make as many cards as they wish.

Today's card will be one of the cards in the stamp a stack I am having on July 30th.   I am calling it the Christmas in July stamp a stack.

I love the lacy looking border on the stamp and the delicate snowflakes. The saying has been embossed in silver embossing powder and the ribbon added for a little extra silver. To make it easier for those making this card I have already cut out the snowflakes.

Tomorrow's card uses the Hearts Come Home stamp set and the Hometown Greetings edgelits.  

Just a note about this weather in Illinois. 81 degrees, not bad, but with the humidity it becomes a day in the 90's.  Heat with humidity is a lot harder for me to tolerate, than heat without.

Staying inside in the air conditioning,
Sushi



Product List

Snowflake Sentiments Clear-Mount Stamp Set [144820] $22.00

Swirly Snowflakes Thinlits Dies [144678] $30.00

Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder [109131] $5.00

Christmas Through the Year-Painted Harvest

 I am so amazed at the creativity that is out there on Facebook and Pinterest. I had to see a card where the colors of the sunflower were changed to look like a wreath, before I could make one like that myself.

1. Stamp the images with one or two colors of green to make the wreath. 

2. The center of the sunflower is not used in this card.

3. Scatter the dotted stamp around the wreath to look like holly.

4.Sponge the edge of the white layer with Garden Green ink to soften the edges.

5. Add a bow for the final touch, and now you have another easy to make Christmas card idea.

Tomorrow's card will be made using the Snowflake Sentiments stamp set, one of my favorites.  I was so happy it was a returning stamp set in our current catalog.

Do you enjoy being part of a group on Facebook?  I have a newly created group called Sushi's Stampers, and welcome anyone who is interested in stamping, crafting, and scrapbooking to join.  It is my hope that people will share their ideas which each other and me of course. I'd love to have you join.

Getting ready for my Press Club meeting tomorrow.

Sushi

Product List

Painted Harvest Photopolymer Stamp Set [144783] $21.00

Christmas Pines Photopolymer Stamp Set [142049] $35.00

Christmas Through the Year-Stamparatus

  I was contacted by Cedar Hurst, a local assisted living facility, to see if I would be willing to come and hold a card class for the ladies (I have tried but none of the men will come.) I have been going for about 3 months now and came up with some card guidelines.

1. The ladies have a hard time punching so I pre-punch all shapes.

2. If they are going to stamp an image it needs to be done on a separate piece of paper in case of stamping errors.  The paper can be turned over, or a new piece can be added.

3. Simple is best.

I designed today's card and thought I would try the Stamparatus.  I have 2 of them and was so excited when each lady had a perfectly stamped card.  They loved it and did not mind any wait they might have.

Stamparatus is easy and fast when you want to stamp multiples of the same card. Great if you have one design you want to stamp for Christmas cards.

I don't usually post with stamps that are retired, but wanted to show a card that was made with the Stamparatus.

Come back tomorrow for another Christmas card, made with Painted Harvest.  How can a sunflower be stamped for Christmas you might wonder?  Check out how easy that is tomorrow.

Not sure what it is like in your state, but here is Illinois it is very humid.  I am glad to be inside catching up on my stamping instead of outside taking a walk.

Happy Stamping,
Sushi

Product List

Stamparatus [146276] $49.00

Merry Mistletoe Clear-Mount Stamp Set [143655] $19.00