Lotus Blossom Cards

Here's a set of cards I did using the Lotus Blossom stamp set from the Sale-a-bration promotion earlier in the year.  I was playing around with the idea of stamping the different layers using white craft ink on black cardstock. 

This particular stamp set uses three layers, so I stamped the first one with white craft ink that had been stamped off on a scrap piece of paper (gently) two times.  The next layer, I only did one stamp off.  Then the final layer was done with the full strength of the ink.  After stamping the sentiment, I heat set the entire image!

Supplies:  Lotus Blossom Stamp Set (Sale-A-Bration Set), Best Year Ever Accessory Pack (Ribbon), Whisper White Craft Ink, Cardstock (Basic Black, Coastal Cabana, Crushed Curry, Calypso Coral), Designer Series Paper Stacks

Flower Patch Scrapbook Page

Hello Stampin' Friends!

Well, I am closer than ever to get things rolling over here and I hope to get some classes going in the next month! While I have not been "classroom ready" yet, I have been able to do a little paper crafting here and there. So I am going to spend the next week or two updating my blog with some of those projects!

First up, is a scrapbook page I made a couple of months ago using the Flower Patch stamp set and the coordinating Flower Flair Thinlits:

I also used the Butterfly thinlits as well as some of my favorite colors! I have to say, though, probably my most favorite aspect of this page is the Background fence I created using the Hardwood stamp. I stamped the image twice side by side in Soft Suede ink on Sahara Sand card stock, then "nicked" out the top using my triangle punch. Then I scored between each of the boards and folded the creases. This added some extra dimension and allowed me to also sponge on some more Soft Suede ink to complete the look!

All Supplies Used: Flower Patch Stamp Set, Hardwood Stamp Set, Feel Goods Stamp Set, Butterflies Thinlits, Flower Fair Thinlits, Triangle Punch, SU Cardstock (Whisper White, Sahara Sand, Soft Suede), Classic Stampin' Pads (Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Wisteria Wonder, Soft Sky, So Saffron, Wild Wasabi, Pistachio Pudding, Calypso Coral, Strawberry Slush), Rhinestones colored in alcohol ink markers

The two products above are also available in a bundle at a 15% discount!

Just an update...

Hello!  It's been a bit longer than I had expected, but I have finally gotten (most) of my craft room set up and I have slowly been able to start playing again with my stampin' goodies! (it's been MORE than a year since we moved!)

I was really motivated to get back into things this past weekend when I put together two Stampin' Up! baskets for a raffle coming up at my son's school.  I'll be posting pictures of those soon as well as the projects I made to go inside them!  Needless to say, that really put the bug back in me and made me realize how much I miss my days of being an active SU demonstrator!

Moving to a new place and starting over has been a bit challenging, and there's that tiny voice inside that wonders if I'll ever have it as good as I did in El Paso... I really miss my El Paso stampin' buddies!  But.... I'll never know unless I give it a try!  Work has definitely been pretty demanding as of late, but I've decided if I'm going to make this work here, I have to dedicate some time to give it a real go!

I don't think it's a secret to anyone who knows me that one day I would love to make this my full-time job, and this little bit of stamping time I had this weekend made me realize that if I work hard enough, I can make that happen!

So here's to new beginnings, I look forward to what is yet to come!  :-)