Monday, February 6, 2023

 



I illustrated a children's book! This is so exciting not only because it is a first for me to illustrate someone else's story, but because it is by an author who lives in my neighborhood, based on an event that happened while I lived here in 2003! I know the streets, landmarks and community well, and it was a joy to recreate and reimagine so many places and scenes, along with details that are special to me and to others. It is sweet book for reading with elementary age children and includes a workbook for making community and connections, along with a fun "can you find?" list in the back.

Purchase Domino's Dots here

Thursday, July 29, 2021

Video: Mini Slimline Card with Fresh Flowers!

 


Hello! Welcome to my first video with Fresh Flowers stamp set and dies! This was an on the fly card because I wanted to use the new Master Layouts 7 set for a mini slimline card, which was perfect for arranging a taller flower arrangement, and work in the color challenge #13 for our Gina K. Designs and StampTV Friends Facebook group! I think it turned out great, hope you enjoy all these tips for direct to stamp for your flowers and vases, blending, reverse masking a table top, etc! Please enjoy the video and I hope you will subscribe to my channel so you never miss a video or ideas for my sets.
Let me know which card is your favorite OR what you want demoe'd next in the comments below, I look forward to reading them! Full supply list in video description!



To see more of the color challenge I mentioned and play along, be sure to use #gkdfbchallenge13 We've moved along to Challenge 14, but it's not to late to view the gallery or try out this fabulous color combo! PS Oops! I forgot to add that rainbow heart before I wrapped it up! I darkened a pale orange one with the marker I showed and adhered it over the dot in the i in "hi" with Connect Glue. It's the little things that make a card extra special!

Thursday, July 1, 2021

Video: Say "Happy Birthday!" with Beautiful Bee and Beautiful Wings!


Hello! New video for you, thanks for your patience! This is a really fun one to make the balloons with the hexagon shape in each of the Beautiful Bees and Beautiful Wings sets! Look through your stash and see what other things you could have hold or be lifted up by this geometric bunch of balloons! Please enjoy!




Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Beautiful Birds Tip Sheet!

Please enjoy the following tips! Beautiful Birds will be back in stock soon, be sure to get on the waitlist if you missed purchasing it on release night!  Here are some samples illustrating some of the following tips to get you started planning and creating! Happy stamping!



Beautiful birds stamp set from Gina K. Designs contains 5 greetings, 5 birds, and 10 nest, leaf and floral elements, for a total of 20 stamps. They are sure to charm your recipients and provide endless fun in the creating!

 

How beautiful are birds? They are so unique in the animal kingdom in that they live on the ground, treetops, and air! Although this set doesn’t focus on flight (birds always evoke the freedom their wings equip them with)at rest they are in poses of gathering, nesting or singing, all of which will be lovely representing, love, community, ready for a new addition to a family, friendship, etc.

 

Two birds in this set were drawn to resemble chickadees and bluebirds, but the other (or all, really!) you can change up depending on the colors you use to stamp them or the colors you use to accent their heads, chest, wing and tail markings. An online search of common backyard birds will show how similar the profile of head wings and tail look for a robin, nightingale, bunting, warbler, etc. A little like a cat stamp will lend itself to all sorts of colors and patterns, so have fun! Another way is to use the color you'd like your bird to be to match your ink, cardstock or mood as your search term and go from there. “Pink bird” Will bring up stunning images of a bright pink robin you'll be certain was Photoshopped (it’s not!)

 

Ideas for how to put your birds together in a scene you only need look out your window or go for a walk or ride for inspiration!

 

Birds can fit sitting on the eggs or perched on the edge of the nest. They can also snuggle on the branch. Use the single branch image to build out scenes with branches keeping out your card mat for the left or right  to create full treetops and interesting backgrounds for your birds.

 

Contouring and detail in the illustration make these birds extremely easy to color! Markers, pencils or brushed with ink or paint, you’ll want to pet their little feathers when finished.

 

The squiggly line with the space in between is made for the birds to hold in their mouths, the beak fills the gap! The space may be a little wider when you are using the smaller birds or depending on the position than you want to stamp it. Fill in any gaps with a pen or by touching a blending brush to the ink pad you stamped it with and connect it to the beak as you would use a pen or marker. Depending on the color you stamp or action you are trying to create, this can be a little worm, a twig for lining the nest, or a stem when you add the little flower to one end as a gift for its friend or mate. A busy bird is a beautiful bird!

 

Add dimension to your scenes by using the coordinating dies and popping up the bird or elements that are closest to the viewer. Pop up the bird to perch on the eggs or nest edge, or die cut the nest and pop it up over the stamped branch.

 

Stamp or pop up a die cut bird perched on top of a large stamped or die cut word or greeting.

 

Position the bird to look like it’s pecking at or pulling the end of a scripty sentiment! Positions 2 birds, one on either side of a sentiment, to make it look like they are holding it up like a banner.

 

It is easy to extend the branch the singing bird is sitting on in several ways! Die cut and flip to put on the other side, stamp the single branch that face the opposite way at the top corner of the set on the other side. Trim the singing bird off to add the nest or other birds in the set.

 

Stamp birds of the same size to look like friends or a mated pair. Stamp a large and a small one to look like a parent and child. Color 2 of the same bird image in different colors, one in brights and other in earthly camouflage to look like a male and female.

 

Use blending brushes or sponges to make sunny skies or serene sunrises and sunsets.

 

Fill out your new bird scene with other silhouette branches or tiny birds in the background, which will add a lot of variety and interest to your scenes, and coordinate with the realistic bird shapes!

 

Add texture and embellishment by gluing  on a bit of string, hemp or bakers twine in their beaks.

 

There is a little “highlight” built into the illustration of each bird’s eye. This is important in bringing it to life! If you find you’ve lost this highlight because of your coloring or a juicy pad after stamping, keep a white gel pen handy to add it back in after all your coloring is done. Refer to the image sheet to see where this goes, just a dot! This is the last thing I do on my bird cards. You can also use it to add just a few touches to the top of the head or breast, which will look like the sun has picked up a few wispy feathers to add some nice light and texture. If you find you’ve added too much white or don’t like the look of it, just go back over those parts with the same coloring media you used previously.

 

A white gel pen is also excellent for adding in those little white feathers on the edges of wings or other features that may be characteristic of your bird but different from the illustration. For example, the bird you want to represent may have an orange beak, but the beak looks dark because you stamped the illustration in black, brown or some other dark ink. Color in the beak with white, wait for it to dry, then add your orange coloring on top.

 

Adding a white highlight when you stamp on colored cardstock will make a huge difference, since we don’t always stamp on white. While the bird will look nice stamped in black on Kraft, you will not see a highlight of light hitting that eye unless you add a white dot. That dot will make the eye sparkle! On the tips of wings and the tail, white will really pop.

 

Stamp the large or small black capped chickadee in yellow ink and then fill in the open areas of the with a similar yellow to make an Easter chick! Add just a bit of orange for the beak and go over the eye with a black pen. Add the white dot last for a highlight. Chicks don’t really have a tail so stamp them with the tail going off your mat for a nice crop, omit inking the tail portion before you stamp, OR stamp the whole bird and either trim off the tail if you are fussycutting or snip it off your die cut. Refer to an image of a chick to round it off appropriately.

 

Stamping the birds with no coloring at all will create a very botanical look. Stamped in bright colors give a very graphic contemporary look. Embossed birds will look very elegant!

 

Most birds have a black or dark brown eye, but you'll need to add this back in if you stamp in any other color. For example, if you want your bird to be mostly gray, let your ink pad do the work and stamp it in gray, but fill in the eye with black so it pops if you want a more defined or realistic look. These birds look fabulous in any color!

 

Experiment stamping the nest in different shades to look like different materials they might build with: brown for twigs gray for moss, pale green for long reeds, bright green or pink for artificial Easter grass! Although the illustration already has shadows with the darker, more tightly woven part near the ground and more open, light part at the top, you can accent this further by rolling the bottom edge of the next in slightly darker color than what you inked up the whole nest with and stamping, boom, instant shadow! You can also take some different colored pencils, pens or markers and gently doodle, scribble through a few lines over the next material to look like other materials in the next for added realism.

 

You can leave the eggs uncolored, or really fun to dot with a fine tip marker or pencil for some speckles. If you look at the illustration, you can see bits of each egg peeking through the edge of the nest that is just below them, since the nest walls are not solid, they have some space to view the eggs behind them. Be sure to add a few speckles or the color you used to color them so it doesn’t look like one color above and “white eggs” below.

 

Use a piece of acetate to create a reflection of a bird looking in the water reading for a bath or to get a drink.

 

Add  some whimsy to your card by going through your stamp collection and add elements like hats for birthdays, scarves for winter or props they can hold, like a flag in their beak! Even though the set is drawn in a classic, realistic style, your fun is only limited by your imagination, or creations by your fellow stampers!

 

Use these birds with other bush or tree flowers and branches for my Stately Flowers series, or other florals and plants in my or other illustrators in the Gina K. Designs catalog. Birds and flowers go together!

 

So do birds and butterflies and bees! Try stamping them all together for gorgeous botanical or vintage looking collage backgrounds and focal points.

 

Three of these sentiments can be found in The Bible, but are often heard written and spoken elsewhere. A” blessed nest” is a home filled with love and abundance, whether that be the arrival of new children, moving to a new home, or starting a new season or chapter.

 

“I will sing a new song” is all about hope! Turning a page or choosing joy, (good or better) feelings follow our actions and intentions. Lift yourself and someone else with this singing bird!

 

Use “rest in the lord” (or simple “rest” with the omission technique) along with one of the seated birds. This posture creates a sense of calm waiting, a lovely reminder to live in the moment or lay down a burden, very appropriate for someone who has earned some healing restorative time or is living through, or finishing, a hard season of life.

 

“…Shelter under his wings” can be used literally or metaphorically as care and protection. Trim along the lower edge of one of the large bird’s wings and slide another cut bird underneath. Instant shelter!

 

Placing a bird nestle behind a larger arrangement of flowers adds even more life to your cards.

 

Put a pair of birds together after a large stamped or die cut “Love”. Instant LOVE BIRDS! 

 

Omit or snip off the “birth” from a die cut “birthday” and add a bird image before "day" = happy bird day!! Pun stuff!!

 

Make different shaped die cut holes in your card fronts with birds stamped inside for the birds to peep through. Cut the card base top into a v to make a roof and stamp with my Perfect Pallet boards with a die cut hole in the middle round or heart for an adorable shaped birdhouse card!

 

The end bits on the branches can be all leaves or are drawn to look like new flowers budding at the tips. Keep this in mind to add more color to your cards than just greens for the leaves, and have them match or be in coordinating shades as the opened flowers you choose to add from the set by stamping or with the die cut images.

 

Put the die cut birds on small wooden clothespins or clips and perch on window blinds holding up photos or on a string nailed or tacked to a wall or inside an open frame for charming easy decor!

 

The size and realistic details of the birds lend themselves to other crafts like jewelry, painting etc! Stamp with Stazon on to leather and trim for a necklace or earrings. Stamp onto a canvas or wood and paint with acrylics, oils or watercolor.

 

Great Gina K. Designs sets to pair with Beautiful birds images: greetings from Winter Birds and Welcome Home.


More tips to come, plus videos from me demonstrating the ideas, tips and techniques above.


Please share your ideas, whether they be card samples or things you've learned through experience with our wonderful online community of stampers and crafters! Thank you in advance!


Tuesday, December 29, 2020

A Little Love Layered Stencil Bundle Kit


Good morning, we've got a design team hop on Instagram today celebrating the new mini kit from Gina K. Designs! Get ready to blend, blend, blend because you are going to have some BIG LOVE for Gina's new A Little Love Stamp and Stencil bundle! I used the new layered stencils, stamps and blending brushes to create this beauty, and adorned it with an image from my Beautiful Butterflies stamp set amd coordinating dies! Don't delay, this bundle is gonna fly out the door!  

Thursday, September 24, 2020

Gina K. Inspiration hops, Day 3: Festive Fall Card Kit and Hey Boo

Final day of the hops this week, thank you for coming back!  Today we are showcasing a wonderfully Festive Fall Kit from Gina K. and gorgeous new greetings from Emily Loggans' Hey Boo set!  Let's go!




First, look at these beautiful and different sunflowers! I stamped them in Prickly Pear and Tangerine Twist, then stamped then again Chocolate Truffle on the coordinating cardstock, punched the centers out with a circle punch and lined them up over the opposite color on foam squares.  I colored my bee to match the prickly pear card base and added an orange Rainbow Heart.  The intricate details of these flowers will bee perfect with any of my detailed Beautiful Bees!

Next, you gotta have some nice leaves in your wheelhouse for making cards, these are wonderful, and I hadn't heard this sentiment but it really touched my heart. Obviously, the older we get, the more experienced we are of needing and learning to let go.  My son just left the nest, and I am so happy to so this has been almost all "sweet" and no "bitter" because he (for now) is so happy and thriving...how can I be sad a season is over if that's what in store? Memories of him are all over my home and keep me company, that will never change...

Anyway, back to the card!  I used GKD Prickly Pear and Dark Chocolate cardstock and this beautiful elegant stencil with the Lifechanging Blending Brush and Prickly Pear ink to add soft texture.  The Chocolate Truffle ink gives it more aging and depth, almost like suede, and I popped up this falling leaf. I still had one butterfly from my Beautiful Butterflies set in my stash I colored before but hadn't used yet that was a perfect match and I though it meeting up with this leaf was appropriate: their lives are so short, but noticed, and appreciated for their quiet beauty.  Can you tell I love everything about FALL? The rainy windy weather we are having this week makes me SO. Happy!

Moving on, now that I have kids, I can't do "scary Halloween" anymore, but I love "cute Halloween"! And the Halloween set in this kit is that, fo' sho!  Get the googly eyes ready because these images and greetings were made to google!

I used one of Emily's Hey Boo greetings and the ghost trio from the kit stamped in GKD White pigment ink and a few strategically placed black and white hearts.  Less is moe with these hearts, one or a few add so much! (Eyes from the dollar store.) Connect it all with my favorite Connect Glue!

You probably get tired of me saying, "I wish I could write like Emily." So I'll stop saying it. But just know, I am always thinking it. This..!

I love how different the kit's pumpkins are, so I gave them a modern spin with all the gray that is so popular now, and I love what that adds to the orange, a little contemporary and a little spooky, but all Fall! I added a little more pattern to the sections after coloring with alcohol markers, using a black pen and my white gel pen, for a little extra pop.  I used the Master Layouts 2 dies on both of the above cards, love that stitched edge! Cardstock is Tangerine Twist and Moonlit Fog.

Last, how about one more bee pun? I noticed the "hey boo" kind looked like "hey BEE!" Is it just me? (I don't think so!) So with a little noodling, I made it happen. You could do some masking and write it in, or cover and add with black and a white gel pen. I stamped the Beautiful Bee directly on the single layer card and added a gray shadow with my marker for dimension There's that new kit stencil again, with the GKD Wild Dandelion ink this time.  So purty.

Finally, there is a darling incentive set this month, check it! Free with a qualifying order of $75 or more. (As if you needed another reason to treat yo'self!)



Love these products, find them all here in What's New!  Please tell me in the comments what you liked best today before you LEAVE (leaf)!

Next stop in the hop is Mindy Eggen!

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Gina K. Inspiration Hops, Day 2: Timeless Poppies and Bloomin' Wild

 Welcome back, Friends! ready for some more stamping inspo! We've got two more gorgeous new sets to showcase today, from Lisa with Bloomin' Wild and Arjita with Timeless Poppies!

In addition to beautiful flowers and leaves, Lisa always adds a new large element to every floral set that will be very useful on cards of all kinds, and this ribbon/banner/pennant thingy (yes, I'm sure that's what it's called) does not disappoint!  I had a bunch of ideas for making patterns with it, but I also noticed it was the perfect width to go with the hexagon die in my Beautiful Bees set, to highlight a greeting or make something like a medal or award!  This is a color combo I love, the yellow black and white are so fresh and cheery and the gray gives it elegance!  I added a button from my Gina K. stash to the flower of that big, frilly flower and popped up a bee! I stamped this one on Wild dandelion cardstock and the colored the wings white, love that yellow border all around, really pops!






I adore this greeting! I don't have a sister, but thankfully many who feel like one (I mean, I imagine) Thick and thin, true blue. And of course my sisters in Christ.  So I have a long list of people I would send a card like this to...  That's me and my bee!  I'm the one on the right) ;) Cardstock is Pure Luxury Kraft and White. Even uncolored, these flowers shine...

But, colored, drop the mic! And how gorgeous are fall colors?! I wanted it to look more graphic so I kept the colors more solid rather than blending.  Card base is GKD Pure Luxury Coral Reef and sentiment is stamped on GKD Kraft.

And of course if you wanted, you could replace the word "be"...with a stamped BEE. just sayin!!

Love these sets, great job, illustrators!  Please tell me in the comments your favorite card today!


Here's all the new stuff in What's New!


Next on the hop is the amazingly talented Mindy!


Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Gina K. Designs Inspiration Hops, Day1: Beautiful Bees and Innocent Orchid

Hello! Today we are hopping with the new release sets and kicking it off with my Beautiful Bees stamp set and Hannah Drapinski's Innocent Orchid!  The design team has worked so hard to share fun ideas with these fantastic sets and look forward to reading your comments as you hop through, the more you leave the more chances you have to win a $50 gift certificate to Gina K Designs! Winner announced a few days after hops conclude.

As soon as I finished up drawing the Beautiful Butterflies set a few months ago, I got busy (pun intended) drawing BEES!  Having pretty winged things and coordinating dies to adorn all your cards and stamped floral arrangements made gorgeous cards in no time a breeze, I just had to make a fun follow up! BEE-lieve me when I say these honeybees of various sizes and poses will BEE so versatile year-round!  I also included huge dahlias for them to pollinate and you to color, leafy bits to build out arrangements, punny sayings, and some hexagon elements that allow amazing patterns and take these bee creations to the next level! You'll see from samples to come it is is *such* a playful set, I am having a blast with it!

In the first video, I show how quickly you can color the die cuts and add a bit of sparkle to the wings before popping them up on foam adhesive.  Isn't this hexagon background fun? I stamped off to create 4 shades with 2 ink pads, Wild Dandelion and Sweet Mango (didn't not end up sing the Sweet Corn ink I mentioned in video, no need!).  I used the Master Layouts 2 dies for my mats, the dashed border is perfect with the flying, busy bees, always on the move!  All the small greetings in the set fit inside the solid hexagon image or die, which is perfect of really spotlighting your sentiment or making little bee themed tags.  


I just love how quickly this honeycomb comes together stamping off! And some black and white hearts in the centers for dimension and cuteness.  TIP: The white hearts in the assortment can all be colored with your markers as you go to match your inks and cardstock, perfect coordination, yay! Cardstock is Wild Dandelion, White and Black Onyx.

This video dropping soon! UnBEElievably cute! I love how the wonky layer gives the impression the whole mat is about to lift off!


And one that is simply BEE-autiful!  Look at this dahlia!

BEE sure to buy some Rainbow Hearts! (and attach with GKD Connect Glue) The bees may BEE little, but their hearts are BIG!  This is one of a series of cards I created using the bee image to stamp in for the word "Be", along with different words from my "This Girl Is" set, so many options, you're recipient will BEE so empowered and encouraged! Bee strong! Bee joyful! (I'll show you those in the video) Of course, another video! It's all in the details, I decided to draw this line with a pen and ruler to extend the die's dashed border (Master Layouts 2 dies) as well as it give it a confident straight trajectory, bravely "into the unknown"!  This kind of flight is very un-bee-like, as they are kind of in and out all over the place, but they have their good reasons. I just love how its little heart is leading it, truly knows where its going! #beegoals

So this set sold out last night, but please BEE patient, it will BEE back in stock soon!  Thanks SO much for your support and love for the bees! Be sure to click "notify me" on the dies and stamps' links below if you missed it and you will be the first to get an alert when its back!

Beautiful Bees stamp set

Beautiful Bees die set



Next up, Hannah drew a ginormous orchid corsage!  When I saw this greeting in the set "You don't have to do anything alone", I knew two little bees working together side by side on the flower would give it even more meaning, really bring that message home, don't you love it? Such a beautiful message, love these sentiments

FUN FACT! It takes about 556 worker bees to gather 1 pound of honey from about 2 million flowers. It takes about 55,000 flight miles per gallon of honey!

I inked the orchid in GKD Ocean Mist, Turquoise Sea and finally Blue Raspberry to create the gradient when stamped, and then blended on just a bit more Ocean Mist with a Life Changing Blending Brush.  I layered the White mat onto the coordinating Blue Raspberry cardstock a Heavy Base Weight White card base. Greeting and bees are stamped in GKD Obsidian Amalgam ink.  For this card, I die cut my bees from the Wild Dandelion cardstock for a different look!  Just a bit of yellow to shadow the belly and white gel pen on the wings (and the glitter if you wish), and boom, done!

Innocent Orchid stamp set

Thanks for visiting today!  Please tell me in the comments, which card is your fave? Do you have a favorite bee, or image in this set? Hit me up with a bee pun! It will BEE interesting to read all your opinions!

View all the new products here!

Next stop on the hop is Hannah!  

Get ready for some lovely!

Thursday, September 3, 2020

Exclusive New Stamptember set from Gina K. Designs!

Drumroll, please, it’s Stamptember at SimonSaysStamp! I love Gina’s exclusive new Snowflake Cascade, and you will, too, while supplies last!  





Here are some simple cards I made with these lovely flakes and border, would be easy to mass produce! I embellished them with Gina's gorgeous clear quartz solid sequins!
Which is your favorite?

Last year's set sold out in a flash, so don't delay! I'm so excited for cooler temps and Christmas stamping, aren't you? 

Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Day 3: Peace Love and Sushi Kit and Take Care Incentive

Welcome to our final day of blog hops for our August release, please know there will be continued inspiration throughout the month and beyond! Thanks in advance for your comments, we really appreciate knowing what you liked best and really want you to win one of those $50 gift certificates! The more you comment, the better your chances! You should be coming from Lisa's blog.

So the sushi in this Peace Love and Sushi Kit kit is so stinkin' adorable, I just had to cut and stamp and color them ALL as soon I opened the box. ( I know the lotus is great and all, but this is SUSHI! With FACES!)  I made a pile of cards in no time, some bold colors, clean lines and minimal details make for quick cards and really give these such a zen feel! Add a silly face, and you can't help but smile!

Squiggle on a bit of brown with a marker to the top of the rice for a drizzle of soy (much love!) Accent the bottle with white gel pen to make the surface look super shiny and dimensional. I used Lisa's wheel die from Wildflowers and Wheels set and the HELLO caps die. I said it the last two days and I'm saying it again: The caps dies are all amazing!  Click that link to see them all and add as you are able to your collection. You're welcome.

TIP: When adhering letters, put the die just below like a template where you are gluing to put each letter above for perfect spacing. Or, if you haven't already used the the negative part of your cutting (I had on another card) drop them into the letter holes with glue and then remove the template, easy peasy!  I lined these up with the bottom of my card to keep them straight and it looks so clean and graphic along the edge.
"Shrimply the best"! SHRIMPLY!!
I doubt I'll ever just say "simply" again...
The punny sayings are so great for the younger peeps, 
or anyone who loves good sushi or a good pun! 

Master Layouts 2 dies above and below make professional looking layouts a snap!
Smiling faces, happy places! 
Have you gotten your RAINBOW HEARTS yet?


Originally I was going to use the I like the way you roll greeting with the circle die cut above, in reference to a wheel, but just changed my mind on layouts. It's still rolled sushi!  Leave some white on the side when coloring for a shiny nori wrap! I love the GKD Lucky Clover as a base, like hot wasabi!  It's also easy to make larger chopstick accents with those skinny trimmings of cardstock you have a ton of, just snip at an angle! Here the Coral Reef cardstock really brings out those matchstick carrots in the roll and just give some added energy for a dynamic layout.

Have we given you enough ideas to create a cart that totals over $75 so you can get this adorable set? I hope so! Treat yo'self!

Take Care

Next on the hop is Mindy's blog! Thanks for hopping, happy shopping!

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Day 2: Welcome Home, Love Conquers and Delightful Booms

Welcome back, everyone, it's Day 2! Today we are featuring Welcome Home by Beth SilaikaLove Conquers by Emily Loggans, and Delightful Blooms by our newest illustrator, Arjita Singh !! You know the drill, please leave us some comments as you hop, we love your feedback and each one gives you a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to Gina K. Designs, there are 2 up for grabs!  Winners announced after hops conclude.

You should be coming from Lisa's blog!

Please come see what I made with these lovely new sets....

First up, Welcome Home! All the little houses in Beth's set were so cute, I wanted to make a background with them, not exactly collage stamped but in rows to create a little community, just keep the bottom of each parallel with the mat's bottom edge to help ground them. I perched one tiny bird to go with the baby sentiment and a few hearts! Super sweet! Colors are GKD Barely There cardstock, Chocolate Truffle, Tranquil Teal and Passionate Pink. Very easy single layer card.

I'm glad she added an anniversary greeting, this would make a really nice card for my husband who is continually working on our nest. I'm the one on the left in Passionate Pink, natch! I used a life changing blender brush with the same pink ink to create a simple cloudy sunset, stamped the branch in Chocolate Truffle, then added my birds. I die cut one house from GKD Ivory cardstock (Welcome Home dies), stamped a heart, then "hung" it inking just part of the dotted trail stamp that goes with the birds to look like it's connected to the branch with a chain. Pop up with foam squares!
Next up Emily's Love Conquers!  Wouldn't the world be a much better place if we could all write like Emily?? For now, we just have to settle for her stamps, and I am glad to do that if "settling" means embossing and stamping these babies in every color times infinity! I had to throw a butterfly on both, of course! The first I blended on some blue inks and dropped on a little water to create more texture, then stamped the sentiment a few times with Obsidian Amalgam ink and the Mini MISTI. I used the Beautiful Butterflies dies to cut out the images on both cards.
The next one I emphasize the LOVE in the greetings with the huge new LOVE caps die!  These are the letters from yesterday's card, popped up over a butterfly background I collage stamped with Peach Bellini, Red Velvet and Passionate Pink inks on Warm Glow cardstock.  I love using round (ish!) objects as a substitute for the O in LOVE on projects (or something pointy for the V like a heart)  to add some whimsy, and this perching butterfly on her script greeting does not disappoint! I like how it was roughly the size of the letters, correct scale to blend seamlessly.  Once again, sentiment is stamped with Obsidian Amalgam and the MISTI to get a nice crisp impression.


Finally we have Arjita's new Delightful Blooms! Didn't it follow if she could paint such gorgeous flowers, she could probably also draw a few (hundred) that would take our breath away? Oh, yes. It did! This set *also* sold out, so be sure to click notify me so you know as soon as it's back to place an order! My copy of this set just arrived last night so I only have one sample so far for today, but will share more later for sure! I just love the style of these flowers and fonts. It is has been such a pleasure and privilege to work with Arjita and get to know her personally, she is as kind as she is talented and unbelievably humble. I am so happy for her getting this well deserved opportunity to share more of her art with the world!


I wanted to show something easy to make that would still be very elegant.  I like monochromatic cards for sympathy, it is soft and calming but not overly cheerful. I stamped this one of two GINORMOUS flower bunches in GKD Blue Raspberry and blended the ink same ink around the top with a Life Changing Blending Brush, no need to mask.  The greeting is stamped in Chocolate Truffle ink a few times using the Mini MISTI.  I used another die cut butterfly from the pile I made, always love chocolate with blues. Finish with a rainbow heart adhered with GKD Connect Glue. Cardstock ins Pure Luxury Ivory.  The gentle reminder of a butterfly's life cycle I've found is great comfort to people who are suffering a loss, and of course once can't help but be cheered by beautiful flowers. I can't wait to color both of her floral images and do loads of other techniques, but I'm really happy with how this card turned out! Her illustration captures the beautiful simplicity and complexity of flowers, no doubt a result of the countless paintings she has expertly, meticulously and lovingly created.

            Here are all the stamp sets and die sets showcased today:




Now let's go see what the lovely and talented Mindy Eggen has for us! Thank you for visiting today!