Friday, August 29, 2025

COLORFUL STRIPES & DOTS

Today's card uses a little different approach to using the Stripes & Dots stamp set.

Rather than having a bold, obvious focal point as Monday's & Tuesday's card had, today's card uses the stamped stripes and dots as more of the focal point.


I did use the "dog bone" die and stamp from the Paper Tags Bundle to add a small sentiment, but it is a "quiet" focal point and probably not the first thing your eyes see.


I found a new color tool online which I used that to pick out the colors for this card.  It is called Color Lab and it allows you to "try out" different color combinations.  It was a fun tool and I probably spent way too much time playing with it.  You can add and take away different colors to see which combinations you like.  If you'd like to try it here is a link.  Hopefully it works for you!  (You may have to cut and paste into your browser)   I just stumbled across it somehow.  



The colors I finally chose to use for my strips were Petunia Pop, Pool Party, Gray Granite, Lemon Lolly and Lost Lagoon.

I stamped the various stripes and dot on each strip using the same color ink as the strip.  The strips are different widths, but there was no rhyme or reason to the widths.  I just used scraps that I had.  I randomly adhered them to a Basic White Branching Out Die cut that was embossed with the Dotted Circles Embossing folder.

If you are wondering what the Branching Out Dies are, they are from a bundle in the new 2025 Fall Mini.  As a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator we get to pre-order items and these dies just looked so useful!  They will be available to everyone on September 3, 2025.  Sorry for the tease!


Since the strips I made for the card front were longer than necessary (as scraps usually are) when I trimmed them down, I saved the extra and used them to decorate the inside of the card.  The Paper Hugs sentiment is also from Paper Tags stamp set.

If you would like additional information on today's card use this link to download a tutorial with all the details.

A list of the products used is shown below.


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Location: Commerce Township, MI, USA

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

STRIPES, DOTS & PRETTY FLORALS


There are two different techniques that you can use to create the Stripes & Dots background for this card.
Technique I used

If you have a Stamp Positioner Tool like Stampin' Up!'s retired Stamparatus, or a Misti Stamping Tool you can create the background as follows:
  1. Place all 4 stamps on the stamp positioner place directly next to each other.
  2. Mask the stamp leaving only the section uncovered that you are going to stamp.
  3. Ink that top section with Bubble Bath ink.
  4. Remove the mask and stamp the top section on Basic White cardstock.
  5. Repeat steps 2-4 for the 3 remaining sections using Pretty Peacock ink on the 2nd on bottom sections and Berry Burst ink on the 3rd from the top section.
  6. Now that your complete image is stamped, leave your cardstock and stamp in position on the positioning tool.  Clean the stamp well and ink with VersaMark ink.
  7. Use an embossing buddy on the stamped image.
  8. Stamp the complete image with VersaMark and heat emboss with clear embossing powder.
If you do not have a Stamp Positioning Tool, use this Alternative Method: 
  • Use the Colored Embossing Technique by stamping and completing each section individually.
If you are not familiar with this Technique here is a video demonstrating how to do it.


Either method will provide the same effect.  Use the tools you have and the process you prefer.


For the focal point I die cut a circle with a Stylish Shapes die and then in keeping with the Stripes and Dots theme I embossed it with the Dotted Circles embossing folder.


The flowers were created with the Pretty Florals Bundle using the same colors as the stripes and dots background.  The sentiment is from The Right Words stamp set.


On the inside of the card and the envelope I stamped a narrow border mimicking the card front -- except I did not heat emboss the stamped images.


A list of the products used is shown below:

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Location: Commerce Township, MI, USA

Monday, August 25, 2025

STRIPES WITH MIXED FLORALS

This week I am going to use an "interesting" stamp set as my featured product of week.  The stamp set is called Stripes & Dots, and it is basically one large stamp that can be "broken" into 4 different sections.  Check it out in the Product List to better understand.

This card uses just one of the pieces of the 4-piece stamp. I stamped the stripes twice (well really 3 times), once horizontally and once vertically to create a "corner plaid".  

The reason I said "well really 3 times" is because the stamp is 4" long, so for the vertical stripes I needed to stamp it twice.   It was very easy to align, but as a HINT...  Have the upper and lower stamped image meet in the area of the "corner plaid".  If they aren't perfectly aligned, you'll never see it, and besides it is also covered by the Mixed Florals.


As I mentioned above, the Stripes and Dots Stamp Set is an interesting stamp set.  It's also a great stamp set to use in combination with other stamps you have.  I chose to use the Mixed Florals stamp as my focal point.  Like most stampers, I have many, many floral stamp sets, but this one really is one of my favorites.  The images are fun to color with my Stampin' Blends and I love that there are coordinating dies.


My coneflowers were colored with Fresh Freesia, and I wanted a really dark purple (like Gorgeous Grape) for the little flowers.  However, I realized Gorgeous Grape isn't available as a Stampin' Blends, so I reached for the retired Orchid Oasis.

The sentiment is from The Right Words and was die cut with an Unbounded Love die--as were the tiny flowers that border the lower right of the scalloped oval die cut.


To complete the inside and the envelop, I simply stamped the same Pool Party Stripes as I used on the card front.  The sentiment is another from The Right Words.  If you haven't checked out this sentiment set you need to.  It was on my wish list when it was gifted to me by a dear friend.  I love it!


The list of products used is shown below:


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Location: Commerce Township, MI, USA
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