Having a five-year-old son, bugs (and mud, and trucks) are a big part of my life. James always goes through the new Stampin’ Up! catalogs (US item 143221/CAN item 143225) with me and is excited to be involved in the ordering process; he especially likes opening my orders when they arrive! This set was one of his favorites, too. My little boy is my right-hand man, and he was so happy to join me to help me with my blog post.

I used him as my inspiration for my first few projects, since we have recently been changing his room to be a little bit more of a “big guy” bedroom. He’s been adding posters, and we added a little reading nook for him. I recently took out the shadow box I made when he was born (sob!) and I thought a handmade bug diorama would be a great addition to his grown-up decor.

Combined with the Hardwood Background Stamp (item 133035), making this display of (faux!) mounted bugs was so easy! Stamping the beetles was a blast; each piece lined up so perfectly and it was quick and easy to do. The Simply Scored Scoring Tool (item 122334) makes mitered corners on the frame a snap, and I also used it to add a stand to the back of this framed piece so it will stand on its own. It’s a great addition to his bookcase.

Lunchbox notes are such a fun and easy way to add a bit of cheer to your child’s day. The ants in Beetles & Bugs just screamed “picnic” to me, and I wanted to make a little lunch-inspired tag with them! Paired with the Brights Designer Series Paper Stack (item 138434) and some food from the Tasty Trucks Stamp Set (item 143300)—free with purchase during Sale-A-Bration!— these tags would be great for lunches. You could also repurpose the design for invitations to a picnic, take-home party favors, or a bug-themed birthday. So easy!

Speaking of birthdays, we’re going to need a card, aren’t we? This bright collage of beetles makes a great card for someone of any age.

While this stamp set immediately appealed to me because of my little dude, I know lots of girls who love bugs, too. My friend (and one of my favorite in-laws!) Carolyn will be on the receiving end of this card. What’s more perfect for an entomologist?!

The beauty of an all-images stamp set is that it pairs beautifully with virtually any sentiment. I wanted something big and bold, so I used the Badges & Banners Stamp Set (item 141605) and the Scenic Sayings Stamp Set (item 141599) for these cards, with little touches of sentiments from the Thoughtful Banners Stamp Set (item 141614). Perfect!

While I was whipping up all of these fun projects, there was a recurring theme. My son kept sneaking into my office, crawling up into my lap, and asking if he could make some bugs, too.  Because I was working on a deadline, I kept having to say no—a shame, since we love to stamp together! That night, after I finished and was lying in bed, I had a great idea—why not have James collaborate on a scrapbook page with me?!

Using a sheet of Whisper White 12″ x 12″ Cardstock (item 124302), I stamped a bevy of bugs in Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad ink (item 140931) and then let him go wild with my Many Marvelous Markers (item 131264). I took a picture of him working on this page, and then used that for my layout.

Using the Good Vibes by Stampin’ Up Project Life Card Collection (item 141666), it was easy to slot in a few pre-cut cards to create this fun layout. I love the combination of his art with my journaling and photo—and involving kids in the process is such a fun way to preserve family memories.

Thank you so much for stopping by today; I really hope this post helps get the gears turning with this fabulous stamp set!

Cheers,

Shannon Lane
2017 Artisan Design Team