Cut 'n Paste

Penny Black Painter's Vase

Happy Tuesday. How are you doing? I'm neck deep in tax preparations and given that it's my least favorite part of being self employed, I thought I'd distract myself a bit by sharing this card with you. With it's soft, shabby chic style, this card embodies the kind of card making I love. Featuring the Penny Black Painter's Vase stamp set and The Stamp Market's Thanks die from their Beyond Grateful set, I feel like this card screams SPRING to me. 

The technique is very easy. Simply color directly onto the stamp with waterbased ink markers (I used Distress Markers, colors listed below), then holding a water mister about 6-8 inches away from the stamp, lightly mist the stamp surface and immediately stamp onto watercolor paper. This will blend the inks wonderfully and give you the beautiful watercolor effect as seen on my card! 

The greeting is a die cut from The Stamp Market. I love the handwritten writing style and thought that white, tone on tone would work well for this soft, shabby chic styled card. However, although I wanted the greeting to be subtle, I didn't want it to blend into the background. So, I cut 4 of the 'thanks' greeting from white cardstock and stacked them, gluing one to another until I got the look of a raised chipboard element. By raising the element, it allows for more play of shadow which helps it pop of the card front.

SUPPLY LIST:
Stamps: Painter's Vase by Penny Black
Dies: Beyond Grateful by The Stamp Market
Patterned Paper: Gotta Havea Gingham 6x6 pad by Lawn Fawn
Cardstock: Ranger Watercolor paper, Solar White by Neenah.
Distress Markers to watercolor with: Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry, Shabby Shutters, Mowed Lawn 
Other: Water Spray bottle, Essentials by Ellen Vellum, sewing machine and white thread

Thanks for your visit today!

Penny Black Special Friends Happy Birthday

Happy Spring Friends! At times it felt like winter would never end, but finally, we are transitioning into sunny, nicer weather here in the Pacific Northwest, and I am HERE for it! I can't think of a better card to welcome in Spring than this little Happy Birthday Bunny from the Penny Black Special Friends Stamp set.

If you have visited here before, you probably already know that I am a patterned paper LOVER. As a former patterned paper designer in the scrapbooking industry, I can hardly finish a project without it. I think it adds such a huge punch to paper crafting projects. As I experimented with colors, I was stoked to find that Catherine Pooler's Garden Party and Melon Ice inks coordinated so incredibly well with Heidi Swapp's Emerson Lane paper pad - score! 

For the wee bunny, first I stamped him with Ranger Pumice Stone Distress ink, then I watercolored him using that ink, along with their Tea Dye ink. After the watercolor ink dried, I then stamped on top with Potting Soil archival ink by Ranger to bring the detail of the lines back into the image. 

One final design note that the photo doesn't convey is that I embossed the "Happy Birthday" greeting to add a tiny bit of extra dimension to the card front. It's subtle, but definitely visible when you see the card in person.

SUPPLY LIST:
Stamps: Special Friends by Penny Black
Dies: Special Friends by Penny Black, Nesting Ovals by Hero Arts
Inks: Potting Soil archival ink by Ranger; Garden Party, Melon Ice, It's a Girl by Catherine Pooler; Tea Dye and Pumice Stone Distress ink by Ranger, Emboss it Clear Embossing ink by Ranger
Embossing Powder: Clear by Hero Arts
Cardstock: Solar White by Neenah
Patterned paper: Emerson Lane by Heidi Swapp
Other:  3D Foam adhesive, MISTI Stamp positioner (large or small, either will work for cards), Aqua Flow brushes by Tonic,  Heat embossing tool, pink seam binding, an old white button

Thanks so much for your visit today! I hope you have a great weekend!

It's March EBE release day!

Hi friends, today is March release day for 3 new stamp and die combinations at Ellen Hutson - yah!

My card uses the new Backyard friends stamp set, which is also available with a coordinating die set.

I have been yearning for Spring, so my card leaned heavily into a Spring colour scheme with robin's egg blue, yellow and gold. My little birdy was watercolored using shades of blue and yellow Distress markers as my inks. Handy Tip: It is so important to ground design elements. Had I not added the grey ground below it, the little birdie would have just been floating on a white cardstock base, and it would look off. Adding that little ground detail makes a HUGE difference.

Here's the supply list for today's card:

Stamps:  Backyard Friends
Dies: A2 Stitched Rectangle STAX Set 1 by My Favorite Things 
Patterned paper: Patio Party by Pebbles 
Cardstock: Ranger Watercolor paper, Solar White by Neenah.
Distress Markers to watercolor with:  Wild Honey, Mustard Seed, Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Peacock feathers, Pumice Stone.
Ink:  Ranger Archival in Jet Black, Versamark Ink by Tsukineko
Embossing Powder: Gold by Ranger
Other: Watercolor brushes, Vintage buttons, sewing machine and white thread

Thanks for the visit, and please head on over to Ellen Hutson to see the other great new releases this month.

Find me on your newstand!

Did you know that I host a women's retreat in Italy each summer? La Dolce Vita Retreat is a labour of love, and it's humbling to have seen its growth over the past 6 years. So, you can imagine how exciting it is to see it featured in the pages of a beautiful magazine.

I'm honoured to share that the 2018 Retreat has been published in the Winter 2019 (Jan/Feb/Mar) issue of "Mingle". Featuring photography by the talented Paige Knudsen, the article gives a little peek into the world of a La Dolce Vita Creative Lifestyle Retreat and the heart I have for creating a memorable experience for all who attend.

You can pick up an issue at major book sellers like Barnes & Noble, Indigo Books, or directly from the publisher, Stampington.

Thank you to Paige for sharing her photography with us, and Danielle Williams from Stampington for working with me to bring this story to print.

I hope you enjoy it ♡

Lucky Day!

It's the final day to celebrate the new Essentials by Ellen February Stamp and Die release, and today I'm highlighting the new Bear Ware 3 Stamp and Die set.

As you can see, this set was designed to coordinate beautifully with the "All Inside" bear that was released a few years ago. Every so often he receives a few accessories to spiff up his look!⁣
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I chose to highlight how the images in this set could also be used on their own - in this case, for a cute little St. Patrick's Day card! If you like sending seasonal cards, you're going to love this set for Spring and Summer themed cards.

HERE'S THE SUPPLY LIST:
Stamps:  by Essentials by Ellen
Dies:  Rectangle Peek-a-boo Window by My Favorite things
Inks: Midnight by Catherine Pooler and Peeled Paint by Ranger Distress ink
Patterned paper: Emerson Lane by Heidi Swapp
Cardstock: Solar White by Neenah
Distress Markers to watercolor with: Peeled Paint
Other: Watercolor brushes, Ranger Craft Sheet, MISTI Stamp positioner (large or small, either will work for cards), 3D foam mounting squares

Thanks for your visit today!

It's too Peopley!

Welcome to my second card featuring the February Essentials by Ellen Release.  

The Latte Love stamp set is FULL of sweet, adorable images, and I had thought, when I was first given a sneak peek of the graphics, that I would work with one of the wee animal images from it.

But, when the set arrived and I sat down at my desk to work on my assignment, I immediately saw something else. I saw the possibility of making a card for someone who was going through a period in her life when it seemed like she was being followed by a rain cloud. As someone who had a serious fight with depression twenty years ago, one that culminated in a hospital admission, I would have appreciated receiving a card like this during my illness. One of the typical ways depression often manifests itself is that the sufferer feels anti-social. So when I created this's card I imagined it as one that I would send to a friend, letting her know that I love her during the battle she is fighting and that, even though she doesn't feel like being around people right now, I am still here for her.

Technique wise, I did have to get a tad creative with the stamp. If you look closely, you'll notice that the cloud stamp has a smily face -  making this a happy little rain cloud. So, I needed to remove his smile. Instead of stamping the entire design with one ink, I used Distress markers to color directly onto the stamp. I omitted coloring the eyes and smile, thereby removing it from the design. I used the Pumice Stone Distress marker for the cloud and the Weathered Wood Distress Marker for the rain drops. I then added more color using Pumice Stone, Stormy Sky, Weathered Wood Distress markers as watercolors, thus turning the happy cloud into a storm cloud.

HERE'S THE SUPPLY LIST:
Stamps:  Latte Love by Essentials by Ellen
Dies: A2 Stitched Rectangle STAX Set 1 by My Favorite Things 
Inks: Tuxedo Black by Memento, Pumice Stone Distress ink by Ranger 
Patterned paper: Emerson Lane by Heidi Swapp
Cardstock: Ranger Watercolor paper
Distress Markers to watercolor with: Pumice Stone, Stormy Sky, Weathered Wood
Other: Watercolor brushes, Ranger Craft Sheet, MISTI Stamp positioner (large or small, either will work for cards), 3D foam mounting squares

Thanks for coming by to check out my latest card. Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions.

Ellen Hutson February Release

Hi friends! Today I'm joining Ellen Hutson to celebrate her February Stamp and Die release! There is a lot of variety in this release, but my favorite, probably because I love making feminine styled cards, is this stamp set, the Mondo Gerbera Daisy Stamp and Die set.

Not only is the flower part of the stamp set pretty, but the greetings are adorable too!

SUPPLY LIST:
Stamp & Die Combo: Mondo Gerbera Daisy Stamp and Die by Ellen Hutson
Inks: Emboss it Clear Embossing ink by Ranger, Coffee Archival ink by Ranger
Embossing Powder: White by Ranger
Copic Markers: Y11, Y13, Y15, YR61, YR23, G24
Patterned paper: Tiny Checks Bright by My Favorite Things (if that's out of stock, this one is the identical pattern, and has a similar yellow)
Cardstock: Solar White by Neenah, Desert Storm by Neenah
Other: 3D Foam adhesive, Heat embossing tool, MISTI Stamp positioner (large or small, either will work for cards)

For both this card, and the sample below, I added color to the flowers using the Faux Watercolor Technique with Copic markers on the backside of vellum. Here's a video tutorial I made a few years ago that features this technique. While this tutorial uses the Mondo Hydrangea Stamp & Die set instead of the Mondo Gerbera Daisy one, the technique itself is identical.

Finally, in addition to the Mondo Gerbera Stamp/Die combo, the next card also showcases the brand new Big Scripty Hello Die. For this one I die cut the greeting out of cardstock, then after gluing it in place on top of the flower, I applied Glossy Accents following the shape of the die cut so that it now looks like a puffy sticker. It's a simple technique, but adds subtle dimension to the card front, which I love. 

SUPPLY LIST:
Stamp & Die Combo: Mondo Gerbera Daisy Stamp and Die by Ellen Hutson
Hello Die: Big Scripty Hello Die by Ellen Hutson
Inks: Emboss it Clear Embossing ink by Ranger
Embossing Powder: White by Ranger
Copic Markers: Y11, Y13, Y15, YR61, YR23, G24
Cardstock: Solar White by Neenah, Desert Storm by Neenah
Other: Glossy Accents by Ranger - large bottle or small, 3D Foam adhesive, Heat embossing tool, MISTI Stamp positioner (large or small, either will work for cards), antique ledger paper, sewing machine and white thread.

Thanks so much for your visit. Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions!

Thinking of you | Spellbinders, Jan 2019 Die of the Month

After a difficult past 6 weeks health wise, I'm finally beginning to feel like myself and get back to some Paper crafting!

Did you know that each month Spellbinders has a Die of the Month Kit club? I was kindly invited to play with the Jan 2019 Amazing Paper Grace kit, featuring the Lacework Finery Slip-In Card Die Set. What I loved, is that this set can be incredibly intricate and delicate, such as the samples shown on the Jan webpage, or, you can make it work with a more modern style, such as the card I made! There's just a few more days until the set is gone, if you're interested, be sure to snap it up soon!

Here's the supply list for today's card:

Dies: January 2019 Amazing Paper Grace Kit 
Stamps:  #95291-N by Inkadinkado
Patterned paper: Magnolia Jane paper pad by Heidi Swapp
Cardstock: Ranger Watercolor paper, green cardstock by Bazzill.
Distress Markers to watercolor with:  Peeled Paint, Bundled Sage, Stormy Sky, Shaded Lilac
Embellishment: Phrase Tags by Jen Hadfield for Pebbles
Other: Water Mist bottle Ranger or Hero Arts, Vintage ledger paper

Hang in There

Hi there! As I start another year on the Ellen Hutson, LLC Design Team, I'm pleased to share that they've built a page where you can learn more about my thoughts about creativity and some of my favorite products. Click here to check it out!

As I can't post without a photo, here's the card and supply list that is posted on the feature.

SUPPLY LIST:
Stamps: All Inside, by Ellen Hutson. Encouraging Greetings by Pretty Pink Posh.
Dies: Rectangle Peek-a-boo Window by My Favorite things
Inks: Potting Soil archival ink by Ranger, Pumice Stone by Ranger.
Marker: Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo, Picked Raspberry and Brushed Corduroy Distress markers by Ranger
Cardstock: Solar White by Neenah, Pale Rose by Bazzill
Patterned paper: Emerson Lane by Heidi Swapp
Other:  MISTI Stamp positioner (large or small, either will work for cards), Aqua Flow brushes by Tonic, kitchen twine

January Essentials by Ellen Release!

Today is release day for the January Essentials by Ellen release and I have a few cards I whipped up using the new trio of Starry dies to share with you!

First we have two Winter themed cards using the new Star Trail (left) and Circle of Stars (right) Dies, which I combined with other fab Ellen Hutson stamps.

SUPPLY LIST:

Stamps, or Stamp & Die Combos: Conductor of Light Stamp | Die | Combo set by Ellen Hutson, Bear Ware 2 by Ellen Hutson, Warm Fuzzies by Ellen Hutson
Dies: Star Trail and Circle of Stars by Ellen Hutson
Inks: Versamark Ink by Tsukineko, Warm Sunshine by Altenew.
Marker: Mustard Seed Distress Marker by Ranger
Embossing Powder: White by Ranger
Cardstock: Solar White by Neenah, Licorice by Bazzill
Other:  Heat embossing tool, MISTI Stamp positioner (large or small, either will work for cards), Ink blender tool by Ranger.

Next, I used the brand new Starry Night Die Set to make this sweet wintery themed card.

SUPPLY LIST:

Stamps: All Inside, High Five both by Ellen Hutson.
Dies: Starry Night Die Set  by Ellen Hutson
Inks: Potting Soil archival ink by Ranger, Warm Sunshine by Altenew.
Marker: Walnut Stain and Vintage Photo Distress markers by Ranger
Embellishments: Snow Flurries Mix, Clear Droplets both by Ellen Hutson
Cardstock: Solar White, Desert Storm by Neenah
Patterned paper: Patio Party by Pebbles
Other:  Heat embossing tool, MISTI Stamp positioner (large or small, either will work for cards), Aqua Flow brushes by Tonic, kitchen twine

This trio of dies are great additions to my background arsenal, and I'm sure you'll love them too! Enjoy!