Newton’s Nook – Never Judge a Book

Happy Wednesday friends! I’m happy to be over on the Newton’s Nook blog today with another dose of caffeinated inspiration to get you through the Coffee Loving Cardmakers hop week. I’ll be linking this card up for sure. I hope you’re playing along too. There are lots of fun prizes up for grabs, including one from Newton’s Nook!

I just adore the images and sentiments in the Sips & Stories stamp set so I pulled that out to play with today. I chose my favorite image and colored her up with copic markers. Then I used the coordinating die to cut the image out and set it aside.

After flipping through the Coffee House Stories paper pad, I chose two patterns – one for my focal panel and one for the card front. I cut the focal panel from the largest Frames & Flags die set, then also die cut a black banner while I had it out. I stamped and heat embossed my sentiment on that.

As I was finalizing my layout, I wanted something subtle behind the image so I added a scalloped vellum circle cut from one of the Circle Frames dies. My polka dot panel is adhered with liquid glue, then the cups are popped up on foam tape. The image and sentiment banner are glued together and popped up on the vellum circle with foam tape as well. I hid some liquid adhesive behind the image to add the vellum circle to the card front. For finishing touches I added Touch of Gloss to the pillows and kitty nose.

Products used:
Sips & Stories stamps and dies
Coffee House Stories paper pad
Circle Frames dies
Frames & Flags dies
Anti-static brush
Embossing & Watermark ink
Embossing powder – frosting
Touch of gloss
Foam tape

I appreciate you sharing your time with me. Have a fabulous day!

Waffle Flower – New Shader Brushes are Magic

Hey friends! Stopping by today to share a new crafting tool on the market. Waffle Flower has stepped up the blending brush game again. They’ve got new blending brushes in different styles and they make adding multiple colors to small areas a breeze. Low stress and fun to blend different colors in small spaces!

I made a few cards with this amazing die and stencil combo a few weeks ago but I couldn’t resist pulling out out again to play with these brushes. I mixed and matched pink, purple, orange and brown together for some beautiful leaves!

Then I trimmed the panel down and glued it to a kraft card base. I cut my sentiment three times and glued those together offset before adding them to my leaf panel. I popped up a sentiment strip that I thought went well and pulled the leaves up for added dimension.

Another amazing part to the Waffle Flower blending brushes is that they come in packs. We all like to have a color family for each brush and this makes it super simple to do.

Products used:
Pop Up Fall Leaves Panel die
Fall Leaves background stencil
Shader Brush PLUS sampler pack
Liquid glue
Foam strips

I appreciate you sharing your time with me. Have a fabulous day!

Doodlebugs – Holly Jolly Die Cutting Christmas

Hello everyone! I had a die cutting party for one in my craft room and it was a blast! I played with the new Pretty Pink Posh Build a Stocking die set and it was so fun! I even went a completely different color way than I’m used to for added fun. I hope you enjoy it!

This card actually started with me embossing a piece of white cardstock with the new Spellbinders Sparkling Snow 3D embossing folder. I had to test it out as soon as it came because it looks so pretty on the package. It’s even better in real life. After I embossed the panel I took my pink and purple blending brushes and just went over random snowflakes without adding and ink to them. It gave a sweet, soft glow on the paper and I loved it.

So naturally, I went digging in my paper stash and found pink and purple cardstock that coordinated and started die cutting parts of the stockings. I used liquid glue to adhere them together and played with arrangement on my card for a while before I liked it.

I carefully added liquid glue where the stockings overlapped and placed an acrylic block on them to dry so I didn’t lose my positioning. (That’s how long it took me to get it right.) While that was drying, I die cut sentiment strips and stamped the sweetest sentiment ever on the top layer. I was mindful to use gray ink because the card is so soft, I didn’t want a bold black sentiment stealing all the attention.

With the stockings dry, I added foam squares to everything and popped them in place on the embossed panel. Finally, I added the panel to a card base and my card is all finished.

I love thinking about different ways projects could be fun after I make them and this one screams a “build a stocking” party for kids. Die cut a bunch of pieces and let them loose to build stockings and create cards with them. I think it would be so much fun for everyone! Shoot, might be a fun way to convert a non-paper crafter to the dark side too. Lol.

Products used today:
Pretty Pink Posh Build a Stocking dies
Pretty Pink Posh Sentiment Strip dies
Pretty Pink Posh Sentiment Strips | Christmas stamps
Spellbinders Sparkling Snow 3D embossing folder
Liquid glue
Foam squares

I appreciate you sharing your time with me. Have a fabulous day!

Coffee Loving Cardmakers Hop – Mama Elephant Merry Christmas

It’s time for the Coffee Loving Cardmakers Hop so I’m popping in with some caffeinated inspiration to share with you. I always have fun with these because I can mix and match all the companies and create whatever suits me. I love it!

A few weeks ago I shared a card for Doodlebugs that used the inlay pieces from this Mama Elephant frame, but there was no way I was wasting the frame. It turned out to be perfect for my card today!

I colored some Mama Elephant Little Agenda Snowmen and die cut them. Then snagged an extra sentiment I saved from the Mama Elephant Easy Xmas Greetings. These sets are fun because they stamp and die cut three sentiments at a time.

I inked up a background panel with the Newton’s Nook Holiday Foliage stencil, then went over the whole panel with a light layer of the same inks I used on the stencil. This gives a great glow around the images. I love it.

Then I added all of my pieces with foam strips and squares. Finished touches were just some glossy accents on the snowman noses, candy cane and holly berries.

Are you linking up with the Coffee Loving Cardmakers Hop? So many fun prizes up for grabs! Come play with us!

Products used:
Mama Elephant Little Agenda Snowman stamps and dies
Mama Elephant Easy Xmas Greetings stamps and die
Mama Elephant Sweet Shoppe Frame dies
Newton’s Nook Holiday Foliage stencil
Blending brushes
Foam strips and squares
Glossy accents

I appreciate you sharing your time with me. Have a fabulous day!

Pink & Main – Holly Jolly Holiday

Happy Friday everyone! A little change of pace, I’m on the Pink & Main blog today and since the Coffee Loving Cardmakers Hop has begun, I decided to play off that to create a cute little mini card to share.

I stamped my cute Santa and colored him with copic markers. Then I stamped my sentiment and used coordinating dies to cut them both out.

I hadn’t had a chance to use the new Layered Scallops Square dies yet so I jumped at the chance to make a cute mini card with them. I cut the largest scallop from white and red cardstock and used liquid glue to adhere them together. Then I cut the stitched square that goes on top from green cardstock and added white swirl to it with the rectangle area of the Swirly stencil.

I popped my Santa and sentiment up with foam squares and finished things off with Touch of Gloss and clear enamel dots. Then I created a 3×3 card base and glued it to the back of my scalloped panel.

I feel like you could even punch a hole in the corner of this card and make it a gift tag. How cute would that be hanging off the side of a gift bag?!? I love the idea!

Products used:
Silly Santas stamps and dies
Layered Scallops Square dies
Swirly stencil
Blending brush
White pigment ink
Foam tape
Touch of Gloss
Liquid glue

I appreciate you sharing your time with me. Have a fabulous day!

Newton’s Nook – Product Highlight Bells & Holly

Happy Friday everyone! We’re back with one more feature from the Newton’s Nook Holiday Release! It’s another addition to the long images that fit the Bookmark dies. These don’t have to be used with them, of course, but they fit perfectly.

Something about this holly image had this design popping in my head the moment I saw it. So naturally I immediately started stamping and coloring away. Then I used the coordinating dies to cut them all out. After arranging them on a blank card base to see how they would fit, I started on my background.

I used light gray ink of the Music stencil for a subtle texture in the background. Then I went around the edges just a bit more with the gray ink for some depth. Then I stamped my sentiment ink the center and started adding the holly images with foam squares.

For finishing touches I added glossy accents to all of the berries, all the way around. I love this touch of shine on a serene feeling card. I really love how this one turned out!

Products used:
Bells & Holly stamps and dies
Music stencil
Blending brush
Lawn Fawn – narwhal ink
Touch of gloss
Foam squares

I appreciate you sharing your time with me. Have a fabulous day!

Coffee Loving Cardmakers – Fall | Winter Blog Hop

Welcome crafty friends! I’m so honored to be a returning super sponsor for the Coffee Loving Cardmakers Fall | Winter Blog Hop! We’ve got tons of goodies available in the shop to make crafting easier, spice up your cards with some cute embellishments and adorn your craft water bottle with our newest stickers! We’re even having a sale for the week of the hop. Click HERE to check out the whole shop and snag some goodies for 15% off.

Remember, if you get lost along the hop, return to the Coffee Lovers main post to get oriented again. Click HERE if that’s what you’re looking for.

Remember to get cracking on those caffeinated creations and link them up for chances to win prizes from all the super sponsors! We’re giving away a $20 code to the shop!

Miss Ink Stamps – Stenciling and Die Cutting Fun

Hello everyone. I’m sharing a bit of Miss Ink Stamps inspiration today for those days when you want to create but maybe don’t feel like, or have time for, coloring. I seem to go through those every now and then.

Today I inked up the Rainbow Builder set with one focal rainbow. I used dye inks and blending brushes for the first two layers. I also used post-it notes to mask the stencils. Nothing fancy needed for this set but it helps keep things clean.

For the final, detail layer of the rainbow, I spread Thermoweb Glitz Gel through the stencil for a little sparkle. I chose lavender to play off the colors I used in the rainbow, but not duplicate any. While that was drying I used the EIEIO Frame dies to create my outer frame and the flowers in Hi Swirl Frame to create my flower clusters.

When the glitz was dry, I stamped my sentiment and glued my die cuts in place. I adhered the panel to a card base with liquid glue. Then, I decided to use Nuvo Crystal Drops instead of the dies for the flower centers. This just adds more interest and a little dimension to this very flat card.

Products used:
Rainbow Builder stencils
Hi Swirl Frame dies
EIEIO Frame dies
Thermoweb Glitz Gel – lavender
Nuvo Crystal Drops – bright gold
Liquid glue

I appreciate you sharing your time with me. Have a fabulous day!

Newton’s Nook – Product Highlight Scandi Christmas

Hello everyone. I’m back with another product highlight from the Newton’s Nook Holiday Release. Today it’s a stamp and die set called Scandi Christmas and it’s gorgeous!

I ended up heat embossing the images for both of my cards today but I think they’ll be gorgeous stamped in colored ink as well.

For this card, I inked up a panel with the Snowfall stencil using blue inks and then went over the whole think with a lighter layer of blue. I used the arch die from the Labels hot foil and die set to cut four windows.

I stamped and heat embossed my images and sentiment and then added everything to my card front with foam squares.

While creating this first card, the idea for the second one popped in my head so I had to keep going.

For this card, I cut a piece of white cardstock down to fit the line image in the Scandi Christmas stamp set and repeat stamped it in different green inks. I used my MISTI and just shifted my paper a 1/2 inch for each line. To keep the ratio of the paper in line with my card front, it gave a little gap at the top which I covered up with Pines & Holly die cuts.

I stamped and heat embossed my image on kraft cardstock and inked the edge with brown ink for a “frosted cookie” look. I stamped my sentiment at the bottom of the panel and added the tree with foam squares.

To get my green card base, I used the darkest ink pad from my background and drug it across the edges. If you’ve never done this before it seems scary but it’s not, I promise. Try it with a scrap first. It’s a simple way to get perfectly matching cardstock to your colored stamping.

Products used today:
Scandi Christmas stamps and dies
Label hot foil plates and dies
Snowfall stencil
Pines & Holly dies
Blending brushes
Lawn Fawn dye inks
Foam tape and squares
Magic anti-static brush
Embossing powder – frosting and licorice
Embossing and watermark ink

I appreciate you sharing your time with me. Have a fabulous day!

Newton’s Nook – Product Highlight Dog and Cat Christmas Trees

Today we’re finally diving in to the sweetest cats and dogs you’ve ever seen! I absolutely adore these new sets and had a blast creating these projects with them. Today I’ve got a gift tag and card to share with you.

These images are large and totally fill up a card but that made me realize they would be cool on their own too. So I tried it out.

I colored my Dog Christmas Tree, plus a couple of the small supporting images with copic markers. I cut everything out with coordinating dies and used liquid glue to add the bone and gift to the “tree.” Then I cut a second shape from white cardstock.

I scored it a ways down, nothing specific, and used liquid glue to adhere the two layers on that top part only. Then I stamped a sentiment on the inside, punch a hole through the star and threaded it with twine.

I couldn’t help myself so I did go through and add glossy accents to all the Christmas lights and puppy noses. Aren’t they so stinking cute?!?! I love them!

With my kitties, I kept it very simple and just added light gray shading and dot detail to them. Then keeping to a simple color palette, I used the same R20s line of copic markers to color everything from the noses and ears to the lights and gifts. I used the coordinating dies to cut them all out too.

I used the Light Strings stencil on my background panel, letting the ink blending fade out on the edges. The panel is die cut with the largest Frames & Flags die, then I stamped my sentiment at the bottom and popped my images up with foam squares. I added glossy accents to all the things on this card as well.